On the Start Line - Entering the water with Dee and Dwayne, my goal was to stay with Dwayne as long as possible. The gun went and for what I was about to experience as the roughest swim I have ever done. Keeping Dwayne (The Fish) Hogan in sight there were times when we were almost swimming on top of each other in the middle of a tight bunch. This went on until we hit the first turn buoy and changed direction swimming parallel with the beach. In the heavy commotion of arms and legs, yelling and near drowning, I lost the “Fish” and went on to swim the rest of the course trying to minimize the pummeling going on.

I have only relatively recently made my way to triathlon and I am not going to challenge the greats of our club in competition – especially in cycling!! Knowing that cycling was my real weak leg – I began to work hard up and down the Kinglake hills near home. That has led to a real love for riding in mountains and to my participating in this year's Audax Alpine Classic Extreme.   The event is a one day, 250km round trip from Bright in the Victorian alps, over both Mount Hotham and Falls Creek, to name just the two larger hills. The total elevation climbed is apparently some 4,500 metres!

The start at 4am was special - even more so when I realised that in my rush to the line I had forgotten the water bottles. Situation rectified the ride to Harrietville presaged the beginning of the real riding.

The climb to Mt Hotham – a climb of some 1300 metres occurred as the sun came up. A spectacular sight.  The climb itself – with some parts grading over 11% was slow but satisfying!