I completed my 320km Enduro cycle ride in 12 hours and 18 mins. I had a really good ride - I overcame the various things that crop up with the help of my support crew Nicky and Elaine. My hugs and thanks to them!

About 30 of us started at 1.30am Saturday 24th November in light, cold drizzle. We waited a few minutes to allow two 500 Km riders to join us for their last two laps (they do 3 laps, we do 2). Then it was off into the hills above Taupo and heading across the top of the lake.

I joined a bunch of 6 that took me most of the way through the hills, but lost them near Turangi. I was on my own in the cold, wet, lonely night...

Well, almost. From there to Taupo I had problems with cold and bowel cramps but that all settled down with help from Nicky and Elaine (who had followed with their lights on high beam all night). We got to Taupo around breakfast time, and Nicky and Elaine stopped for a well-deserved rest. I ate and drank lots as I rode that first lap, so I had no need to stop and was ready for my second time around.

I headed alone out of Taupo again about 30 mins before the main event - the 160 km ride, which about 5,000-odd people were doing this year. I had a bad phase in the hills near Tihoi and waited for the big bunches of riders in the 160 Km Solo to come through. They did - but at average speeds of 30 - 40 Kph (the top ones did 160 Km in 4 hours), so there was no way I could tuck in behind and ride in their slipstream. I spun on, largely under my own steam, till the 300 Km mark.

Then another Enduro rider joined me. He'd flown over from Aussie just for this. We charged up the notorious Hatepe Hill and raced our way into Taupo to an amazingly fast finish. Don't ask me where I got the energy, but it was a regular Tour de France finish - we sprinted and crossed the line together, the crowd roared etc. Suddenly, I'd completed my first Enduro comfortably and in a thoroughly respectable time. Hey, how'd that happen??!!

The ride's not over till you've hugged and thanked your support crew and re-told/ analysed it endlessly with friends... I had a great evening with other riders who trained with the help of Lance and Chris at a cool local cycle shop. We'd all done great times and were very proud of ourselves.

And it was a real privilege to raise money for Guy's Trust from my many sponsors – thanks to them for the support.

So that's it! Or is it? Maybe I'll see you there next year?

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