With more than 1000 riders taking to their bikes, the Dwellingup 100 mountain bike event got under way in September.
Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Peter Smith hopped onto his Giant Anthem and started kicking up the pea gravel of Western Australia.
Taking part in the 60km Boxer event in the Masters World Championships 55-59 category, WO2 Smith completed his ride in 3 hours and 27 minutes.
"I emptied the tank as much as I could, so I was pretty happy with the effort that I put in," WO2 Smith said.
Missing out on a top-10 spot by one position, the 56-year-old gunner said a crowded take-off put him behind.
"There are so many riders at the start, it's literally a couple of minutes before you're able to move," he said.
"It's hard to pass, so in hindsight, I probably should've pushed myself up to the front."
This year was WO2 Smith's first in the Dwellingup 100, but he has been racing mountain bikes for more than 30 years, saying the long hours on the bike are something he is used to.
"At my age, keeping yourself healthy and having a good bike obviously makes a hell of a difference," he said.
"I was putting in four to five sessions on the bike each week apart from weight training.
"It varies from doing short interval training to longer rides anywhere between four to six hours a week."
The veteran racer has taken part in events spanning downhill, cross country and 24-hour races.
With a busy calendar for the rest of the year, WO2 Smith competed in the Australian Gravity Nationals and the ADF National Cycling Carnival in Canberra this month.
"That's pretty much my season done then. I'll have a rest," he said.
