and by the magic of veloviewer. A nice little infographic on my recent ride...

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Re previous toot. Just to be clear. When I entered this race I knew I would be last. Same for every race I've ever entered (6 started, 2 finished). I know I'm not quick, but I can just keep going when I need to. I also often get less sleep, in return for more time spent moving. I don't enter these races to win. I do it to see if I can.

Also out of spite. I was told I was too fat to race and I should give up my space for someone more deserving... But that's a different story.

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My official position in the race? Last.

Sean (cap 84) technically came in behind me on the short course, but because he started on the long version, then changed, he's classed as a finisher, but with no time. Leaving me in the position of Lantern Rouge.

I'm nothing if not consistent. In 2019 I finished the road version of the race in last place doing the 1930km in 199 hours 50 minutes. I also came second...

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7 days 12 hours 15 minutes. Finished. Last sprint overall. Last woman.

I collapse now.

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Less than 30km to go. Which means I've passed the 1200km mark. Am very sore, very hot, and really want to just finish. Unfortunately I have very little energy so am just plodding along as fast as I can. Hopefully less than 2 hours to go.

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There are a couple of hills on the last part of the course. Nothing major, biggest is 40m. But right now a speed bump feels insurmountable. I fully expect to walk up all of them.

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Stopped off for second lunch. Looks like about 45km to go. Unfortunately most of it is into the wind. On the plus side, it should also mostly be in the woods where it's cooler, and the wind has less effect. I'm measuring temps of 32°C. A lot of the route has been out on the open with no shade.

When I leave here I'm hoping it's about 3 hours plus stops to the finish. Hopefully this is the last big stop.

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It's fucking hot.

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Found a kebab shop for first lunch. Everywhere else in this town seems to not serve food before noon.

The Dutch don't really seem to do breakfast as a meal to eat out. Which can make mornings on races like this really hard.

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Three dotwatchers cheering and clapping as I approached. Apparently it was a guy who'd been dotwatching all week, and his parents had just arrived, so he brought them out to cheer too. They were really friendly.

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Fucking headwinds.

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Having done the suncream stop, and had second breakfast there. I get a few km up the road and find a supermarket. I can't pass up the opportunity to resupply. So now I'm having 3rd breakfast before I start a proper push. 120km to go. Probably about 8 hours riding plus stops.

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It's finally warm enough to take the leg warmers off. Which also means it's time for slip slap slop on all exposed skin.

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Have made it to Zandvoort and the start of the final GPX track. Quick stop for first breakfast before I hit the trail again. Am not looking forward to the headwind.

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Last day of the race. Let's finish this.

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Made it to my hotel with half hour before check-in closed. Even had a tailwind for most of the last 40k. Achieved speeds I had previously only dreamed of on this race. Had to detour at IJmuiden as all the locks were open on the end the route goes through. Added a few hundred meters into the wind. Alarm is set for the middle of the night. Plan is get going early & try to get to the finish ~155km away. No horrible terrain to worry about. Just Dutch mountains and a weeks worth of fatigue.
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Have realised tonight is hopefully my last night of the race. I don't need to wash my shorts, I've got the pair I washed last night to wear tomorrow. This makes hotel routine a little simpler.

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If I've done the maths right, there's less than 200km to go. I've got a hotel booked in 50km. Gonna try to hit the road early tomorrow, and go for the finish. Gonna be hot and headwindy.

It's weird noticing how my body is adapting over the last week. My arse has stopped hurting so much. I get the occasional sting, but nothing like the earlier pain. Not sure why. I've never felt this good at this stage of a race. I don't understand it.

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Texel was both not as bad as I feared, and utterly fucking bonkers. At one point the route went over a dijk, but there were no steps, just a 45° scramble. Then on the other side, a barbed wire fence. Which then decided my rear inner tube needed a go faster hole... So I had to sit in the baking sun and swap the inner tube. Then there was the dijk with stairs...

After that I found a cafe for lunch, then raced hard to get to the ferry.

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Oh. I've passed the ¾ point. 300km to go.

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