NTU Bike Rally 2016

Bike Rally History

• 2016 98 km. Completed, 108.01 km.
• 2015 168 km. DNF, 119.18 km, bike issue.
• 2014 138 km. Completed, 141.02 km. (I previously listed this as 128 km.)
• 2013 128 km. DNS, overseas conference.
• 2012 128 km. Completed, 149.85 km.
• 2011 128 km. DNF, 58.7 km, headache.

I took part in my fifth bike rally on Sunday 6 March.

This year was different. I took the shorter option, 98km. I also had more kakis, despite registration being filled in less than half an hour.

Two days to the event, I felt my semi-regular runny nose and sore throat coming around. Lots of hot honey lemon didn’t prevent it from getting worse on Saturday.

I went to bed quite early, just after 9 pm. The plan was to wake up at 4.30 am, and see how I felt then.

These things rarely go according to plan.

I woke up at 2 am and spent an hour blowing my nose. I thought there was an 80% chance I wouldn’t be riding.

I couldn’t go back to sleep.

Between 3 am and 4 am, I hardly blew my nose. Half an hour before I was supposed to wake up, I felt that I might actually be up for this.

So, change of plans.

Cycle down to the start point – F1 pit, about 10km from home – and see how I felt. If I was ok, I’d stay and ride. If not, I’d ride or fold up to head home.