Kowalski Classic

It's becoming a bit of a habit, starting our week long retreat in Myola, Jervis Bay with a 100km race in Canberra and this being my 3rd race in 4 weeks I was keen to see where the form laid.  The Kowalski Classic is right up there in terms of enjoyment as you get to sample pretty much every metre of hand built single track on offer in Kowen Forrest and Sparrow Hill, so at 5am I jumped in the Santa Fe and headed west.  The drive through Nerriga is pretty and fast, it is beautiful country and I was happy to arrive for rego in plenty of time to get ready.  The only downer was the shortage of portaloos, that ended up cutting my warm up a little shorter than planned.

Last year was a fast course with minimal climbing but this year would be different, with the profile showing atleast 3 pretty gnarly climbs. There were two big decisions to make pre-race, Duallie or Hard Tail and Bottles or CamelBak.  The Ellsworth Enlightenment (Carbon hardtail 29er) has been the go to bike for me recently so I figured I'd stick with what was working.  The 1 (34t) x 10 (11-36t) setup could leave me short of gears but I hoped the lightness and the agility of this bike in the handling department would win out in the end.  On the hydration front, it's always tempting go with a small hydration pack, but again a bottle in the cage and one in my jersey pocket has been working for me, so I stuck with it, knowing I could swap two bottles at the half way point. Plus I find I can drink more quickly from a bottle and you always know exactly what you have or havent drunk.

I've always found the 100km format some of the toughest racing on the calendar and with the formation of the Marathon Maverick series, this always guarantees a super strong field and today was no exception.  More than ever, the competition in the 40+ cat was insane, and there was certainly a feeling of a passing of the guard.  The Masters field was full of quality athletes having recently turned 40 so it was a wave 2 start for me which suited me just fine.  There were still plenty of fast guys here to follow and many of my usual competitors were present on the start line.  It would be a race within a race and just maybe a top 10 was possible.

The start was pretty hectic and there was a big group still together going into the single track, I certainly wasnt smashing it up the hill but still found myself in a reasonable position, I squeezed in between Alex and Trent.  At the next fireroad I had some watts in reserve and made a move to the head of our line before the next single track and then concentrated on making the most of the clear track.  Happily I could see some gaps forming behind me with only a few riders still in tow, so I took that to mean my pace was good and got settled in for a big day.  The next big obstacle was the rocky steep pinch, I dont know what it's called but when I arrived there were bikes and riders all over the place.  I just kept calling track as many pulled off after coming to a halt, and I was thrilled to ride through it and pass many riders.  The day was panning out nicely, but I could still see Trent and Alex not far behind.

Thanks to Aurora Images for providing great race photos.

As we got near the 50km mark it was great to see Beer Garden back in play with a fun little bridge and I pulled over for a refuel in transition as well as removing the thermal under jersey I had on.  It was getting pretty warm out there.  No one passed me, but it was here that Trent got closest, so again I had to push hard to preserve my narrow lead in the race within a race.  I rode the second 50km pretty much on my own, I passed a few riders who were clearly running on fumes and I wasnt far off that myself.  I couldnt believe the distance every time I checked the Garmin I thought it had to be wrong, but no, it was just wishful thinking. At the 75k feed I stopped for a little bit of food, but on the return loop realised the fuel gauge was on reserve and I needed something fast.  I'd already polished off my 4 bottles, 8 gels and 2 bars and I had still 15km to go.  Thankfully on the return side at 85km, the vollies were awesome, filling my bottle, adding a tab, and handing me two Hammer gels.  I sucked them down ravenously hoping this would be enough to see me keep the fire burning to the end.

One of the many groomed berms that produce smiles on faces - Aurora Images

The bike again performed almost flawlessly, I did drop the chain once but it only cost me a few seconds.  The rubena/curve combination continuing to serve me well, whilst there were many a rider pulled over with a flat, I never felt at risk of flatting all day, so precise and grippy is this setup.  I also ran my tyre pressures a few pounds lower at 20psi on the front and 23 at the back and the bike felt truly dialled.

It was a battle all day with Mark, Trent, Alex and Dave.  Mark H has been in terrific form for the last few months and we rode the last 10kms in sight of each other.  At the last I was spent and he pulled away from me in the last 500 m not to mention taking out 2nd in SuperMasters.  For Trent M, Alex K and Dave L, the four of us all finished within 4 minutes of each other so it doesnt get much closer than that, thanks for a great race guys.  I think Trent might have even started a new traditional, with Cath producing a wonderful spicy pizza, that Trent was happy to share around, thanks mate, nothing quite as good as pizza at the end of a big race.  That reminds me I must mention 2 BEFORE 10 coffee were there too and I enjoyed a great coffee pre race, it all added to a very enjoyable day.

Aurora Images - lovin' it!

In the end I finished a credible 8th in Masters and 35th overall, 25 minutes behind the winner which actually is pretty good for me.  The gap to the winner in Capital Punishment was a little more so that says I'm close to my pre-accident form.  You might think that sounds a little like clutching at straws, and yes, I race to win, but I can honestly say it's exciting to see these younger riders coming in and lifting the bar again.  It's great for Cycling and it's great for Australia seeing our sport grow and improve, and ultimately this will lead to more Aussie riders making an impact on the international circuit.  Why is that good?  Well the more successful we are as a cycling nation, the more people will take up the sport and live healthier lives.  And that in the end is why we ride and why I race.  To be as healthy and fit and happy as I can be, it works!  I was talking to young Sarah Mills at the finish, a (very) young and up and coming rider, she's new to riding and loving it and what's more she's fast.  Watch out for her in the Olympics if a few years I was told. How exciting!

I even managed to draw a little blood today, hardly worth a mention but I felt in good company with ER buddy Magoo who loves nothing more than a bloody knee.  It was great seeing all my ER buddies come in and each share their tales from the day's adventure.

The ER crew - Watty, Bam Bam, Jason, Mike, Rob, Clutters and Magoo, what a team!

Keep Riding
MightyMike

Kirrawak State Forest Race Report

Moving a little further afield than in previous years, Chocolate Foot held their first round for 2014 in Taree last Sunday.  Having heard how sweet these trails were from last year, I made sure this one was firmly locked in the calendar well in advance.  Marking the first round of the premier endurance MTB series known as the Finish Line Single Track Mind Series, riders converged from up and down the eastern seaboard for what boils down to the most fun you can have in the dirt on two wheels.

Saturday night turned into something of a cross between a treasure hunt and the great race, in an attempt to find pre-race nutrition.  On the plus side we got to see the sights of Taree at night, and there were plenty of laughs and raised eyebrows amongst our steely MTB foursome of Chops, Phil, Tim and I.  As in all good boys nights out, we ended up playing pool and proving we should stick to cycling, when Tim pulled out the most amazing "single track" trick shot, rolling the cue ball the full length on top of the cushion that would have challenged the great Eddie Charlton.

Located just outside the sleepy country town of Taree, the park presents as a gorgeous leafy green pocket of eucalypt forest and the local club (Manning Great Lakes Tip Riders) take great pride in their trail network.  Ripping around for my first lap, I was struck at how smooth the trails were and also how perfectly radiused the many windy corners were.  This was indeed a track built with Flow and Fun in mind that would reward those who ride smooth and subscribe to the theory, slow is fast.  It even had white markings for obstacles, something that reminded me of early Saturday morning soccer matches eons ago.

Brad Tillack has been gradually building capacity and experience in this series over the last couple of years and has now been rewarded with his very own category, "Super Masters" where he can draw his sword against the many other 50+ warriors.  I’m a confirmed addict to this style of racing (first entering in 2007) and ended up causing extra froth in the coffee cup when the news got around; I'd not be riding solo, yes I finally found a friend (long time rival and good mate Phil Welch) prepared to team up with me and Masters (40-50yo) pairs would be my battleground.

The start was pretty civilised, these races tend to start with a long stretch of slightly uphill fireroad to sort the wheat from the chaff, and while there is many a boyracer who like to throw derision in the direction of those who potentially self-seed a row or two higher than their legs can deliver, it all get's sorted out in the mad rush for single track.

I had the first lap and enjoyed the feeling of fresh legs knowing I had 30 minutes recovery time at the end of the lap, so I let the horses gallop, there would be no room for pacing today, with atleast two other pairs fancying themselves in the stakes for a podium finish. 

By the middle of the day, the temperature was starting to climb and Brad was having to contend with a couple of issues, like some strange noises from the bike (or was it just his knees?) and a crash just adding to the drama of the race.  As solo riders come in each lap, the dust, drink, gu's, mud (and other unmentionable substances) tend to build up to the point where the rider resembles some creature from the murky depths.  Thanks to the crash, Brad also earned extra style points for the sizeable graze down his elbow and not a little claret flowing.  I was found reclining between laps enjoying some chit chat and a cool drink when Brad came in on red alert.  "Alright buddy you are OK?" I soothed, Brad got centred again, with a drink, some lube for the chain (and knees), and we sent him on his way in 2nd position.  "What's the gap to 3rd?" Brad asked. "You've got heaps of time Brad forget about 3rd, just keep circulating and you've got 2nd in the bag" I replied.  The addition of the SuperMasters category belies the swelling ranks of long time riders who are now still competing beyond the 50 year birthday. Brad completed the same number of laps (14) as the 2nd place getter in the Masters category showing age is no barrier to performance.

For Phil and I, it was a solid hit out with some intensity and some sharpening up of the skills.  Unfortunately the top step wasnt to be, as Trek Racing finished 20 minutes ahead after 15 laps in 7 hours, but there is no shame in coming 2nd to Rich and Darren who have always been extremely talented riders.  Ben and Mark kept the pressure on all day and finished just 10 mins behind Mike and Phil to round out the podium.

Russell Napier also made a cameo appearance in the shorter 4 hour format and finished tired and happy just the way MTB is meant to end.  Thanks to the crew from Chocolate Foot who put on a flawless event and to the sponsors whose generous support make these events just that little more enjoyable, as almost everyone get’s to go home with a little bit of bling for the bike shed.

Giant Anthem, what a great bike for a great track, Rubena on the front and Bontrager on the back is my current setup

Masters Pairs podium complete with Arsenal mascot following their dramatic win of the FA Cup final

Thanks to all the crew at TMC for your support, and hopefully we'll see a few more riders at the next round in Mogo.  Why not make a long weekend of it and join us on the beautiful Eurobodalla coast, you can even bring your roadie if MTB is just too much to ask, but I know TBG has a shiny Trek demo MTB bike just waiting for you to try.

Keep riding

Mike

Capital Punishment 100km MTB

Earlier this year when I locked in my entry for Capital Punishment, I got a little excited.  My focus for the last two years has been more towards the ultra-endurance end of the spectrum, so to be able to design my training and racing around this 4-5 hour discipline made for a welcome change.  Also as CapPun was going to be the first round of the Maverick Marathon series, it was pretty much a guarantee the race would be very well attended. by a strong field.

My excitement turned to a little anxiety when the start waves were published and I was relegated to Wave 2.  To be honest I probably didn't rate myself as a Wave 1 rider, but looking down the list all my regular sparring partners were in Wave 1, so I had to accept a race plan of chasing very hard all day.  Local legend Grantley Butterfield, promptly gave me a dose of HTFU and encouraged me to start in Wave 1 and so it was on a glorious mild Autumn morning that I fronted up like the badgeless guy with the clipboard, albeit it in the "wrong" wave but who was going to stop me?  That being said I did sit at the back of the wave so as not to raise too many eyebrows and hoped that the timing mats would take care of my sneaky self promotion.

Warming up in the dark is always fun and before long we were charging up the the fireroad.  I didn't have a great position so all I could do at this stage was ride at a comfortable pace and wait for the gaps to open up.  The other big change for me was the resurrection of the Ellsworth Enlightenment 29er carbon hardtail, fresh with a 1x10 setup.  This bike has been on the shelf for a couple of years due to a non-reliable drivetrain but with some input from Jordan and Camo at Ride in Workshop and a few parts at mate's rates from Mike Blewitt Marathon MTB, this bike was now race ready again.  And didn't it go hard.  I loved riding it again, so agile and light and compliant.  Don't get me wrong, I've had some great races on my alloy Giant Anthems, but there is nothing quite like riding a carbon hardtail on the sweetest single track around.

And we're off, with Brett Bellchambers preferring to give the field a headstart.  We rode most of the race together, errr that is he dropped me on the climbs and then I'd catch up on the flats again.

At around the 30km mark I'd had a great run with Brook Nelson, I'd never met him before but we were riding well together and helping each other through the single track. We caught a big group including Garry James and Paul Morgan.  I know that is disgraceful attempt at blog name dropping, but it was a great sign to me that I was travelling pretty well even if they did drop me on the very next pinch.  I just sat on Garry's wheel for a time, feeling content as an anonymous wheel at the back of the bunch rather than announcing my presence only to wave bye bye in the very near future.

Focussing on smooth and flow-ful riding, looking for the millimetre perfect line on some hand made single track 

The rest of the first section was a perfect mix of fireroad and dusty dry schlerophyll eucalypt forest.  I loved the course, last time I rode the race was in 2011 and endured the endless grassy airport fairways.  It was so good to ride this alternative route and made for some really enjoyable riding and with one little pinch over Majura, we crossed the mats for a welcome breather.  The feed station was a great place to have a chat, refuel and pick a bunch to roll out with.  Tristan White and Wayne Dickinson were there so I followed them out and meandered our way up to Black Mountain for the restart.  It's a strange phenomenon once you reach the restart.  Everyone stops, noone wanting to be the first over the mat for fear of being a marked man and giving up precious seconds at the finish, but you cant stand there all day, so just as I rolled out, Steve Henry and Rob Weiser came through, you beauty! A couple of mates I know who will work hard as a group.  The track around Black Mountain was nice and sketchy just to keep everyone on their toes and there were a number of punctures through this section. After the legs warmed up again I felt OK, but a few of the hills around the Arboretum soon started to take their toll and in the headwind to Stromlo I dropped a wheel.  At this stage, I was really starting to tire but with just 15km and one climb to go I put everything I had left into the pedals and finished with a shredding descent off Stromlo.

Great shot with Telstra Tower in the background, I'm really hurting on the front and only smiling for the camera

Well done to Matt Rizzuto and Minter Barnard, tearing the Master's field to pieces to take 1st and 2nd with a 15 min gap to Wayne Dickinson in 3rd and a further 5 minutes covering the next 5 places. For me, I beat my time from 2011 by 35 mins so I was very happy with my 6th place in Masters and 44th overall.  Thanks again to the Butterfields for putting me up Friday night.  You always make me feel at home!  You martians (Canberra locals) have it made; fancy having a 5 minute roll home to shower and recover after a 100km MTB race?
The final pleasure after a great ride with mates on the best trails was the vibe at the finish enjoying a beer and some good food in the sun.  That's why we race

Keep Riding
Mike

On the Convict Trail

There is something special about the first race of a new year and with the Duo Classic getting red flagged, I was excited to be heading out to YellowMundee; a track I hadn't sampled for quite some time.  A fairly technical rocky course, it keeps you on your toes in order to avoid a fall or a puncture.  It rewards smooth efficient pedalling and forces you to find fast lines.  It typifies the blue mountains with plenty of sandstone, I love the new couple of little sections of paved sandstone, makes you think the track could have been laid by the convicts back in the early days of our young country.

After just about succumbing to spontaneous combustion in several previous Summer races, I wasnt going to make that mistake again and went fully prepared with 12 bottles, some ice and towels that could be soaked and wrapped around the shoulders.  I was determined to drink atleast a litre an hour, and although I could have positioned my little pit area better, it didnt seem to hold me up too much having to stop every couple of laps for more fluids.  Temperatures peaked at just over 30 deg today, so it didnt get too bad, but I did end up drinking 5 litres over 4 hours....

Phil Welch setting up for the race.  Hydration would be critical today.  Photo Crummy MTB

The start was well marshalled, a fairly simple request to get the faster riders to the back as we rode down to the start and then an about face, there I was on the 2nd row where I like to be.  Fellow Masters competitor Phil Welch was there so it was great to have a friendly face, we've been doing a bit of training together and it would be great to see how we are progressing.  At around the two hour mark I was still lapping consistently.  My heart rate was under control and my lap times were on the dot every time and I started to think maybe there was a chance of a podium.  Lot's of the quicker riders going round were in a pair, so I just kept plugging away, not knowing where I stood but keeping up a consistent pace.  The Giant Anthem again was rolling faultlessly with it's silky smooth full XT grupo, I was comfy all day and just love riding it (despite the strange grimace on my face here below)

Photo thanks to Michael Crummy

Pretty soon I spied another solo rider up ahead and he looked like he was hurting.  With three laps to go I figured I would just mark him and if the pace started to fall away I could put some pressure on him.  The very next lap we both stopped for a fresh bottle, but I left the pits quicker and never saw him again.  

Thanks to BikeMinded for their generous sponsorship today.  In a nice touch, all place getters from all categories got the same prize which was a neat little package of bottle, bottle cage and multitool.  I was just happy to come away with a great ride under my belt and a few bragging rights

Photo Crummy MTB

All up it was a spectacular day on an awesome challenging trail.  Thanks to WSMTB and everyone involved for a great day of Mountain Biking.  As a footnote I ran into John Patterson, an old school and football mate.  His 12 year old son and team mate took out the juniors with 9 laps.  MTB has a big future ahead with young kids coming up the ranks like this.
Keep riding
Mike

Land of Drift and Flow

Racing has been a bit sparse this year, that’s just how it goes sometimes, so I was feeling like a veritable newbie the night before the Kowalski Classic, trying to remember all the little things required to get ready for a race of this type.  100 k’ers aren’t normally my strong suit, the last one I did being the 2012 Husky100 albeit with promising signs.

Sunday morning revealed a gorgeous crisp Canberra morning with lots of sunshine and I felt ready on the start line.  Wave 2 was the who’s who of Masters racing, and with the Fenz off in Wave 1, it would be a race for 2 and 3 places.  The start was pretty sedate and the bunch soon strung out as we headed up Seismic climb.  You know if it is going to be a good day or an ordinary day pretty much at this point and as I held the wheel of some strong guys, I knew it would be a good day for me. 

The course was simply awesome, the network of trails through Kowen and Sparrow and a beautiful thing, there is just so much flow to be had.  The rain through the week had delivered a few boggy sections, but overall the course would best be described as tacky with a bit of drift thrown in and the Giant Anthem was riding beautifully.  I had heard some of the locals would be putting on their wet weather rubber, but I stuck with the Rubena’s which have been my staple now for 12 months or more and they didn’t let me down.

Grantley Butterfield was riding the best I’ve seen him for a long while and he jumped at the chance to bridge to the lead group in Wave 2.  Riders such as Garry James and Trent Moore were present so it’s always a good feeling to be counted amongst these guys.  Grantley just kept powering on all day, and Garry and I rode together for what must have been around 40km which was great.  The thing about the course was that there was plenty of time for recovery in the flowing single track.  The one big climb at Elevator wasn’t too long and at the end of the 50km loop I was still feeling fresh. 

A quick bottle change and it was into Sparrow (eventually!), Garry and I were a bit worried for a while thinking we might have taken a wrong turn but eventually reached the turn into Sparrow (phew!).

With just 5 km to go, Garry put the hammer down and I was happy with my ride so I sat up and chugged into the finish to find I’d gotten third place.  A little while later it looked like I’d been pipped to 4^th by 30 seconds, oh well, someone has to come 4^th.  If only I’d stayed with Garry at the end…..and then when I checked results from home I was back into 3^rd!

My son Tom was also racing his first 50km endure and whilst he was a little disappointed with his ride still finished mid field in the Juniors with a time of 3:20.  Not bad for his first race!  Well don’t matey.

We packed up as the weather closed in and made a dash back to Nowra to our favourite family holiday destination in Jervis Bay.

Thanks to Alan Voight and all the Kowalski crew for an awesome event.  It was by far the best

And as always thanks to my LBS Turramurra Cyclery and my wife and family for your support.  3 weeks to WEMBO.  Bring it!

Keep riding

Mike

Quick Update

It's been a busy time of year with the Scott, the Spring Cycle and another round of the STM series racing by so here is a quick update on what's been happening.
The Scott
For a throw together team, we had an absolute blast and of course the icing on the cake was winning the Masters Mixed 4 category. One morning at coffee Sandy mentioned he had a team entry and no team, so I was in. Next up was Brad T, who had never done a 24 hour and was keen to get amongst it. Finding a willing and available female was a little harder, but a post on Silent Revolution did the trick and before long we had a few choices and Fiona got the nod. The lead up was hilarious, first Sandy had done some damage to his back at the TORC skills session. Picture this, a 60 something year old bloke turns up at the doctors and says "I hurt my back when I fell off my bike trying to do a wheelie". But old Sandy is as tough as old boot leather and rode like the hard a**e he is. Fiona couldn't decide what would slow her down more; the mysterious virus or the 8 stitches in her shin from a recent OTB. I have to say Fiona won the prize from most valuable team member, first for braving the rain which seemed to arrive exactly on time for Fiona to start another lap, but also for providing the lovely marquee heater and then the post race beers, boy did that taste good! The pre-race strategy was simple, have fun and dont hurt yourself, but secretly I thought we had a pretty good shot.

I got the to do the run start lap and by the time I reached the bike it felt like I had lifted both big toe nails. The track was good and it was a hoot heading up the trunk trail in a huge train, until we caught some of the younger and less serious solo riders. Not their fault but perhaps a note to the organisers to rethink the start order. The rain and mud was a bummer but sometimes that's just the way it is. I was lucky to do a Blue lap as the sun rose and the view from the top of Willo Link was something I will never forget. My last two laps in the morning were a blast as the sun slowly dried out the quagmire and best of all, Tom, my 14yo son in his first 24 had a ball, he'll be back!

I have to say the commentary and giveaways could have been done alot better. The idea of randomly distributing $1000's of dollars of valuable and kindly donated kit from generous sponsors to whoever was proud or brash enough to make up a story that appealed to the compere's idea of entertainment was frankly pitiful and the throwing of kit off the pavillion at the presentation to a bunch of screaming kids while the majority got cooked in the hot sun was undignified and amateur. For all the effort we went to and for winning our category we got a jersey we'll probably never wear. Whereas some random walking away with a coupla hundred dollars worth of kit just doesnt seem fair. It would have been nice to see this stuff distributed in the race bags rather than thrown randomly to the masses, oh well there's my rant, sorry folks now back to regular programming.

Picture thanks to Sportograf "bestof"

On the Podium, competition vanquished, but where is the lovely Fiona?

The Spring Cycle
A great fun day, usually I am crawling in the masses of every shape and size of bike and rider imaginable, this time Tom and I were fortunate to be invited to ride in the lead bunch. By the time we hit the bridge, the bunch had departed and we were left riding together through the city like we were the only two people on the road. We soon linked up with a bunch that included one Opposition leader Mr Tony Abbott and no matter which side of politics you come from it is always a hoot to ride with someone like that and be able to offer a wheel on some of the steeper bergs. Riding home Tom was beat but did incredibly well to keep up with the bunch and clock 100 k's for the day; his biggest ride to date.

After a feed and a change of kit I returned to Homebush for the crit run by LACC. The less details given here the better, as I pretty much sucked at this form of racing, but atleast I gave it a go and it is something I would love to get better at. I then took a slow ride home to clock 150km for the day. Rolling back through Eastwood late in the afternoon, the air was thick and warm after the threatened southerly buster dissipated was pure bliss.

STM Round 5 Rydal
I'd already had a big week, with lot's going on at home and work. What a blessing it was to stay with Mum and Dad in the mountains the night before to be fed and get an early night. I looked dog tired and hoped 9 hours sleep would recharge the batteries sufficiently to get through the 8 hours of punishment awaiting.
Off the start I was flying and as usual marked Jase and Garry who were dog fighting. In the first four laps I saw 4 good riders go down from momentary loss of focus. It was clear this track would be challenging. Interestingly I was noticing it was 26" riders struggling for traction while those on the circus wheels cruised a little more smoothly, but as the day wore on, the course started to get pretty cut up and every corner was becoming an exercise in playing chicken.
The weather also stuffed us up a bit, I had mixed my bottles a tad diluted expecting some warmer temperatures from the start, but it stayed cool for atleast 4 hours, the fluids weren't going in and so neither were the carbs. I managed to make up for the debt with some food, but many struggled late in the day as the fuel tank started to splutter.
On lap 9, I had a massive off. Having just enjoyed an awesome tow up the fireroad courtesy of a Mitch from Stevens team, I let him go and settled in for the rock garden when my front wheel caught an edge and I was ejected over the bars before I knew what happened, I was heading chest first for a stump that looked like it might impale me. Somehow I managed to dive to the side, but landed very heavy on my side. The reason I tell this is Mitch actually stopped and ran back the 20m to check I was OK. What a gentleman! thanks Mitch
No permanent damage done but it slowed me down a bit for the rest of the race as I went in a little more tentative.
The day after, my arms, hands and shoulders hurt the most as well as the hip I used to break my fall, so demanding was this course.
Late in the afternoon my lap times started to dawdle but I just focussed on keeping it smooth through the corners and keeping an eye out for Phil Welch who I figured wouldnt be far away. As it turned out Trent Moore was chasing hard and got to within 7 minutes to take 4th. Garry won again :( but the gap to me was just over 10 mins, not bad after 16 laps. Jase pulled out an awesome effort to take 2nd and get close to Garry. He sure can chase hard. Mid race I had a 30 second buffer, but he came back hard and just kept motoring. (A mistake in the entry process saw him grouped in the open males instead of masters and it wasn't discovered until after the cutoff). The other pertinent point is last year I broke my hand here. This year going the other way I still wasn't having any heroics and any doubles that came up I just playing it safe and mono-ed over them. That is until the camera crew camped by the biggest scariest jump on course and willed riders to boost it. Nothing for it but give it some air and what fun it was. For the last few laps I looked forward to that jump every time.
For a course so flat I have never felt so fatigued. The constant braking, accelerating and manoeuvering the bike takes it's toll and even though your heart never really goes ballistic, the course is a real test.
Thanks to everyone out there on the day and those cheering at home. I felt truly blessed to be enjoying such a great sport amongst so many friends and got to take home a prize as a bonus.

It's been by far the best year of my short cycling "career" with not only lot's of good results, but many many great people who have spurred me on and become very good friends. One more race for the year at Awaba, it's going to be a celebration of a huge year, see you there

Keep riding
Mike

PS Huge thanks to my buddy Brad T who generously lent me his ENVE carbon wheels. a light, stiff wheel is just what the doctor ordered for this course and these puppies were awesome. Not quite sure I can justify the price tag, but it was a thrill ride probably the best wheels currently on the market. Thanks mate, I owe you.

The Slugfest

Two weeks ago my fitness was pretty much as good as it get's, everything was on track for a recovery week to freshen up before the race and then I got hit with a cold, one of those little bugs that just leaves you whimpering in a fog of lethargy. Since then it's just been a case of trying to find some energy and right up until Saturday afternoon I was still feeling less than 100% and hoping a good sleep would see me right to race.

The drive down early Sunday morning was great and I scored a nice little shady place for a pit stop at the 2km mark on the course near transition and only metres from the car. The rider briefing was the funniest I have ever seen, but it was clear and informative with a brilliant demo of passing technique. I'm kinda chuffed to know that my bad luck from last round might have contributed to the new revised rider briefing. Well done Jo. Sure enough on a course where passing opportunities were few and far between, riders were showing the best of manners and I didnt see a problem all day.

The start was pretty sedate and I was happy to grad hold of JMac's wheel up the first climb and just tap away to find our place in the mad dash for single track. As the weather warms up, these races now extend for one extra hour of punishment and it soon became clear that this would be a battle of tactics and pacing.

Photo thanks to Dave Bateman from the STM round at Coondoo

The track had a bit of everything, a bit of flow, some techy bits, some pinchy climbs. I guess it reminded me of Appin with the all the rocks, but the most challenging segment came at around the halfway mark with a new section of trail that was very rough and tight and almost every corner off camber. It took every bit of skill and focus to keep it smooth through here and I have to say I wont be disappointed if I never ride that trail again. That being said, if the track fairies consolidate some of the rutts on corners into berms, add a few solid ramps (rather than loose rocks at the bottom of drops offs), and maybe a boardwalk or a small bridge over the creek crossings, this could be a pretty cool race track. The first descent was a ripper and I found on the Giant Anthem 29er I could tear into the sketchy ravine with confidence, just steer and hang on!

I think it was on the first lap as a group of us tackled a steep little pinch, I was second wheel when suddenly JMac came to an abrupt halt and I figured he'd dropped a chain or something, I slowed a little at the top to see if he was able to get going again but there was no sign so on I went. After just one lap it was obvious that this would be a war of attrition on both (wo)man and machine so I took the decision to enjoy the day, forget the clock, and just treat it like a full day's riding. This worked really well for a few hours, the time seemed to pass by effortlessly. The temperature began to soar and those in transition were getting concerned how dirty I was, "What happened, you OK?" a few called. It was just the combination of dry dusty trails and sweat that we all ended up looking like coal miners by the end of the day. Even today my eyes still look like someone decorated me with the eye liner on the weekend. On the trip home I stopped for fuel and some high stress chick was arguing with the shop attendant over the $2 ATM charge. I chimed in and told her "She'd made her point but wasn't going to win so move on and stop holding us all up!". She took one look at my filthy dusty face as I gave her a steely gaze. I must have looked a fright as she moved straight on and out of the shop.

The hours ticked by and every now and again I'd check back and no sign of my competing masters, then on lap 6, a buzzing free wheel came racing up behind me, Jase calls "Back in the Black! It's taken me 2 hours to catch up" and onto his wheel I jumped, rudely awakened from my social ride! It felt great to be riding for each other taking turns on the front, not talking much, happy in our own thoughts and focussing on keeping it smooth. Jase mentioned there is atleast one rider between us and leader Garry J so the goal is to stalk him down and sure enough we catch sight of Peter on lap 8. He looks like he is struggling and we whizz by but he doesnt respond so it's now a battle for 2nd or so we think! Turns out mystery man Chris T has made a comeback after Kowen and this time he means business. This guy looks the good's, basically the replica of a very strong bean pole!

At some point I pull away from Jase and the noisy freewheel goes quiet as the gap widens and I figure the energy he used to catch me earlier in the day might have taken it's toll, let's see what happens!

I started to do some sums in my head and struggle to divide 37 mins into 3.5 hours, but at some staged figured at this pace I had 5 laps to go (probably 6 but what's another lap between friends!). As the laps continued to mount, it got harder to ignore the clock, but I was having fun with my mind, shouting in my head "3 MORE LAPS TO GO" then 2, then 1, then none.....maybe. Crossing the line to start my last lap, the race clock said 7:15, so I thought I could ease off the gas a bit and just keep an eye on any chasers. I was super-sensitive to any noisy freewheel after JMac caught me on Lap 6, but the track remained quiet and I kept rolling to get back to transition at 7:56. OK now what to do, how far back was Jase? I resolved to keep rolling and asked Kylie if she could keep an eye out for any chasers and let me now when I got back to the 2km mark that came near transition. I switched off and rolled nice an easy just to get a little recovery in, but my stomach was not playing nice, time for a nature stop and keep an eye on that track, still nothing! OK I must be safe! I rolled back to my transition to find two cars had parked completely blocking access to my pit stop (nice one guys!) the look on Kylie's face said it all. Jase didn't make it but Phil has snuck in. You've got to go again to hold 3rd. OK no probs, I actually I feel OK after taking a pee and I still have a gel and a little Hammer Heed in the bottle, let's finish this. I love how you can fool your mind into thinking it's the last lap when deep down you know you've got one more.

Now Phil also has a pretty noisy free wheel, so I set a steady pace all the while looking back for the tell tale jersey but it never appeared and I was stoked to finish third. Phil rolled in just a couple of minutes later.
The following chart shows just what an arm wrestle this race was with 4 riders fighting it out for 3rd place. Chris and Garry well clear of the bunch.

All in all a really challenging and enjoyable event, thanks to TMC for your continued support. With two rounds to go the competition for series points is getting tight.

Keep Riding
Mike

Food wise
12 Hammer gels (3 with caffiene)
1 TORC bar
4 x 800ml bidon Hammer Heed (2.5 scoops)
2 x 600ml bidon Endura Optimiser
2 bananas

http://app.strava.com/rides/22118326

The real reason I got to race National XCM

Picture this, a wife at the end of her tether after weeks of report writing, marking etc...this teaching gig is TOUGH, it makes a 24 hour solo MTB ride seem like a stroll in the park. Now Sarah is not normally one for tearing off for a dirty weekend of mountain biking in the middle of term, so you can imagine my surprise (read GLEE!) when I casually mentioned the idea of heading to Canberra for the long weekend (umm yes I did mention that there was a tincy wincy little mountain bike race on) and she said "BOOK IT MIKE, TAKE ME AWAY!"
YEIIIIWWWW!
I was on Wotif quicker than Josh "Frother" Carlson rockin' it loose down Skyline.
So it came to be that our car was adorned with 5 MTB's and conveying the Children of Israel towards the Mecca of Mountain Biking (hmm might have mixed my religious metaphors there!)

We had a great run down to Canberra Saturday morning and arrived in plenty of time for the Junior Marathon. Tom and Liam were entered and off they went on their 25km loop. Meanwhile Sarah, Dani and I tackled the Trunk climb together, it was so good to be back here breathing in the fresh air and riding our bikes.




Tom and Liam had a great race in the U15, taking their time and enjoying the ride. This is their second real race (both times at Stromlo) and each time they get better and better. Thanks to the sweep rider who followed Liam every step of the way.

That night I cooked up a pasta storm and slept like a baby ready for my race the next day. I was feeling pretty good, the training is going well and I had a new bike to test out (Giant Anthem 29er). The idea here was to test the legs and see if I could pace myself a little better from the start. The field was completely star-studded. See Jason McAvoy's blog for some examples of the talent we were up against, but knowing the track and how hard the course would be I was confident I could put in a good show.

Interestingly the pace from the start was not the usual heart exploding 5km time trial and I settled into a sustainable pace for the first few km's. Eventually I did drop off the back but there were plenty of respectable riders nearby so I determined to stick to my plan and just ride solidly all day and enjoy it. Nutrition wise things were going ok and the bike was awesome. Really nice handling with the added luxury of a rear shock to bring into play on some of the techier sections. There were lots of highlights throughout the day, the only lowlight being when I heard something fall off the back of my bike through Little Seymour and realised my saddle bag had opened sprinkling a lovely trail of track candy through the scrub. On my second pass I managed to stop and pick up a few bits and pieces, but my trusty old Topeak multitool was nowhere to be found. RIP!

That said there were heaps of positives, including riding some long distances with Tim Kerle and Rich Peil. Rich went on the attack at about the 60km mark and ended up beating me by 5 mins and taking out 3rd, well done mate you got me again! Having my own cheer squad was also awesome as my family screamed and cheered each time I hit transition, thankyou my darlings you made my day.

The track was a ripper, signature Stromlo with heaps of climbing rewarded by several white knuckle descents. I especially enjoyed the two proper downhill sections thrown in for good measure.

The next day we had some time to spare and the kids were keen for a Questacon visit so in we went for some brain stimulation and it was great fun as always. Here is some huge froth for all my extended MTB family


Stats:
Food, 3L Energy, 0.6L Opti, 8 gels, 2 bars, 2 bananas
90km, over 2000m vertical, just over 5 hours, 5th in Masters
http://app.strava.com/rides/10566736

.

BikeBuller 2012

It was with a huge sense of anticipation that Nick Gilbert and I packed the car at 5am and headed down the Hume, destination Mt Buller, for the 2012 Rapid Ascent BikeBuller MTB Festival. To call it a race just wouldn't do it justice. This is about riders from all over the country converging on the self-proclaimed (and rightly so!) premier MTB park in Australia for 3 days of riding hard and fellowshipping harder. I call it fellowship, because it wasnt really "partying", it was more about like minded cyclists and those who support and love them coming together to share the good life and all the things we sometimes take for granted.
The drive to Buller was long as you'd expect but we got a first hand view of the flooding around the Riverina and the scenery got more spectacular the closer we got.

We passed through some gorgeous little towns like Holbrook and Mansfield and the further south we went, the brighter the sun shone. I was struck by just how mountainous the Mt Buller region is and swore I'd be back with my roadie to tackle a few choice climbs.

We got to our lodge mid afternoon and were honoured to see we were sharing with the Norm and Jess Douglas. Having really only been Facebook friends before now, it was awesome getting to know these guys over the weekend.

Jess and Norm clearly have a real heart for other people and they are quick to share their knowledge and resources or help out a fellow rider any way they can. I will never forget Jess speeding up behind me on one the big climbs. I'd had a few hubbard moments and had completely lost my flow. Fully expecting Jess to speed past me, I moved over to give her the track, instead she called out, "Nice little flow up ahead, shove it in the dog!" Sure enough the track levelled out, I got back my rhythm and continued up the climb at a more respectable pace. Thanks Jess, that was cool!

Keen for a ride to stretch the legs, we quickly unpacked and rolled out looking for any trail available. We soon located Copperhead, the trail we've all been salivating over watching some Mick Ross carv-ation, and down we headed. What a trail! A steep winding track that ducks and weaves and seduces you to go just that little bit faster on each new corner until you feel your tires starting to lose traction and your heart almost jumps out of your mouth, then who should we bump into but Glen Jacobs and his crew doing a bit of last minute spit and polish on a fresh sweeping banked corner. We soon lost ourselves in the huge network of trails and before we knew it we'd clocked up 25km, hmmm maybe a little too far the night before a big race???

That night the rest of our lodge buddies arrived and it was packed to the rafters as we watched an amazing little cycling movie called LifeCycles. If you haven't seen it, just go see it, you will love it.

The next day was Stage 1. I wont bore you with all the details, it was just amazing, lot's of climbing. I had no idea a 50km bike race would take me 3hours 22minutes, but there were many memorable moments particularly involving riding with other riders and willing your legs to ride faster. It also setup a four way challenge between 4 of us guys in the lodge. Dave MacDonald, Todd Stanton, Nick Gilbert, and myself were neck and neck the whole weekend and we enjoyed great comaraderie comparing Strava times for segments and cheering each other onto the finish. The end of Stg 3 epitomised this as we all finished within 5 minutes of each other. I would also add Ben May in this quartet, though to be honest he was a league above us mere mortals and was only held back by some unlucky mechanicals. I drank every last drop of my 2 ltr Camelbak full of energy, 4 gels and a bar

That night after dinner we headed out of the lodge for a 40minute stroll (err hike really) to the summit of Mt Buller to watch the sunset. This was a highlight for me and emphasized that this event is about more than just cycling, it is about enjoying the journey with new friends and recognised what a blessed life we live in this country. The sun sank quickly and the idea of circular objects spinning round and round led to the conclusion that "God the controller of the universe, had it in the dog" indeed! Stage 2 was the BrakeBurner, but it wasnt all downhill. The 20 min plus lap included a short but steep pinch climb through the village and a series of tight uphill switchbacks to the top of One Tree Hill. The Gangs Gangs descent was also hard work with many obstacles and corners to keep you working hard on a very gradual decline.

The next section was a steady downhill dirtroad section (into a headwind) that demanded full gas and then the lap finished with the bottom half of Copperhead, steep yes but again it took a huge amount of energy to quickly negotiate the course and clock a competitive lap. I had a new found respect for DH riders not only for there skill but their strength and stamina to do what they do. At the bottom you cross the timing mat again to clock your lap time and join the short queue for the chair to the top again.

I really enjoyed this race format and it rewarded riders with both skill and fitness. Once you've had enough of doing laps, you take a diversion after Gang Gangs and take the express elevator to Mirimbah, a smokin' 700m descent over about 7km!!!

Hitting Mirimbah, there was a really cool festival happening with music and great food and just about everyone from the surrounding area seemed to be there. It had a great vibe, but to be honest all I wanted to do was get home and get cleaned up after taking a couple of spills throughout the days action and the bike had never taken so much punishment.

I must say the Ellsworth continues to impress and it's hard to imagine that I could go any faster on another bike, such is the versatility and agility of this rig. My tyres could have been fresher, my front Racing Ralph was on it's last legs after 18 months of racing I'd call that a pretty good run, I let it down to 20psi and squeezed every last ounce of grip from this tyre. On the back my Crossmark was also a little worse for wear and traction in some of the moister sections of track was an issue, but I ran it at 25 psi and it stood up to every rock stick I bounced over.

That night we had no idea what our places were in the GC, so we carbed up and got to bed early knowing we'd need to give it everything the next day. The 25km race for Day 3 was always going to be a smashfest and right from the gun it was on. I got a great start and held onto the lead bunch until Standard Lane climb where I got a little shelled. Into the top of Copperhead and I was 2nd in a train of 12 riders and everyone was just happy to descend at a rapid but controlled pace and wait for the next climb to pass if possible. Overall I was stoked with my ride and completed the course in a good time to secure 3rd place in the GC for Veteran mens by 2 mins. Overall a top 20 finish in a competitive field from all over Australia.

Lot's of thankyous, most of all to my wife and three beautiful kids. It was a big call to agree to see me off on this adventure a few months ago when I first raised it and I really appreciate it my darlings, I love you all very much and hope to take you with me next time. To Nick my new best buddy, it was just great travelling and riding with you mate. We'll miss you when you head back to Mexico, but keep in touch. To Dave, Todd, Ben, Jess, Norm, Rishi and all the crew at the Gliss Ski lodge, it was just awesome getting to know you all and not having to creep around a bunch of highly strung Sydney siders for a change (no offense guys, Melbournians are just so much more chilled!). You guys are a scream! And of course to Mark, Simon, Peter M and now Brad (the frothing cyclist) at Turramurra Cyclery who continue to support me and encourage me to aim high, thanks for all your help.