Event Report

Water Corporation Five and Three Dams Challenge - by Ian Sandover

The months of work, preparation and logistics by Brian Thompson and Garry Woodland came to a head on Sunday 14th 2010. After months and weeks of hard training in often very hot and dry weather the forecast for event morning was a few light showers, light winds and an afternoon seabreeze. The showers could have been a minor problem but in the end the riders awoke to a magnificent dawn, cloud cover, no rain and light winds.

The support crew were up at 4am, putting out signs, delivering supplies to the checkpoints, setting up tents etc.

The riders started massing in the car park adjacent to the Narrows Bridge in the dark from 5.15am and went through a very simple registration process, facilitated again by a fantastic group of volunteers. By about 5.45am the first riders started heading off toward Great Eastern Highway and the Greenmount Hill climb before the turn into the town of Mundaring and then the descent toward the first checkpoint at Mundaring Weir. With the passports stamped, and a resupply of gels, Bananas and water the riders headed for their next Checkpoints, the 3 Dammers going direct to Wungong Dam and the 5 Dammers going firstly to Churchmans Brook Dam and then Wungong Dam. The view from the top of the hill into Wungong Dam, looking over the dam wall at the mass of water and surrounding vegetation is magnificent.

Unfortunately the speed humps heading down the hill claimed a victim and while he was unable to continue he was at the finish line with a heavily bandaged knee.

Lunch and a slightly longer stop was the order of the day for most riders at Wungong.

All the volunteers and support staff were magnificent, bright and cheerful.

Some of the climbs out of the various dams are challenging, and while not being long (in terms of a 30km ascent in Europe) they are sharp and testing, particuarly after you have already ridden around 140km.

The 3 Dammers headed home from Canning Dam while the 5 Dammers headed out of Canning Dam and south long Albany Highway before the turn toward Jarrahdale and then Serpentine Dam.

By now the legs were getting heavy, heart rates up a few beats and the sun was breaking through the clouds to add a bit of heat.

It was also around this point that the body tells you if you have eaten correctly and consumed enough liquids. If YES, then you continue but probably feel pretty tired if No, then you are probably starting to cramp and wonder how on earth you are going to cycle another 100km and get to the finish.

Out of the hills via a terrific descent down Karnet Hill and then back on the "flat" for a really tough ride across to the Freeway via Karnet Road. Riding the flats is tough at this stage, there is no rest, the legs have to keep turning. It is now that you need start to thinking about those men and women who do the ironman triathlon. They cycle 180km and then have to run a marathon. If they can do that then surely we can finish.

No matter what level rider you are it is now really getting tough and often it is a matter of mental toughness. That last water stop on the freeway cyclepath, still with 48km to go is a reality check. Some of us had our shoes off with the "hot foot" problem, others had cramp and yet others were starting to hit the sugars via the "snakes".

We were fortunate, 5 pairs, 10 in our group and we rode down the freeway in our pairs doing 1 or 2km turns at about 32kph.

There was not a lot of talking, everyone concentrating on their turn and then resting when they were off the front. For those who didnt "pick up" a few other pairs then it would have been even harder.

As we passed Mt Henry and then Canning Bridge we were suddenly feeling a little better and by the Narrows it was a great feeling of achievement. There were many stories and tall tales at the finish line and while tiredness was probably the overriding feeling i am sure it was accompanied by a great sense of achievement (which overrode that feeling at the 140km mark of "why did i ever say i would do this").

And while we rested the volunteers packed up, collected signs, dismantled gear and then drove home around 7pm. By the way the last pair arrived at the Finish at 7pm. What a brilliant effort!