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Rocky Trail Shimano MTB 7 hour GP - Round 1 - James Estate

15/3/2015

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It's Good to be Back

One of the best aspects of racing a series such as Rocky Trail's 7 hour is the fact that you feel part of one big mountain bike family, regularly travelling to a variety of stunning destinations across New South Wales and the ACT. On Friday, this involved driving to the idyllic James Estate Winery, which is located in the Upper Hunter Valley. I was immediately greeted by members of my Jetblack Team and several other regulars of the race circuit. After an unfortunate mishap, involving my carefully prepared pasta main course and the wine-growing dirt that makes this region so special, I was gracefully saved from undergoing a pasta rescue mission and served a deliciously, spicy Spaghetti Bolognaise by Graham 'Guru' Sonter. While I enjoyed my charitable donation I watched a couple of Huntsmen spiders scuttle around the marquee seeking their own tasty morsels.
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An aerial view of transition at Race HQ
After a restful sleep, I awoke to face the task in hand. I was still nursing a weak wrist and today would test the integrity of the healing process. I planned to forgo the wrist brace, which would allow more freedom of movement and hopefully more control than I had in my first race back the previous week in Canberra. My early morning warm up lap revealed a few changes to the course, with added singletrack, more rocks and loose, sandy sections, which would require extra vigilance throughout the duration of the race.
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Race Rivals - Before
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Race Rivals - After
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The Jetblack Team prominent at race start
My race would be dominated by my personal battle with Alex Kooijman of the Quantum Racing Team. Whenever we square off, we are invariably separated by a handful of seconds and this day proved no exception. I mustered a decent start and finished the first lap with my rival a mere second behind. Alex overtook me on the fireroad climb to the first section of singletrack and managed to pull away with the benefit of another rider's tow. I settled into a pace that was comfortable for me and let him go, knowing that 7 hours is a long time and energy needs to be kept in reserve.
The first four and a half hours are quite comfortable with correct pacing and I was really enjoying the track, with its short pinches, tight corners and fast berms. Before the climbs could bite, I was turning into a corner and starting yet another leg-saving descent. Alex had opened up a 2.44 minute lead at the end of lap four but by lap eight, I had reduced this to thirty seconds. As I entered the first section of singletrack, a number of faster team riders came past, and I was swept along behind them, simultaneously passing Alex in the process. He didn't respond. At the end of lap nine I had opened up a thirty-three second lead on him. But I was sitting second, as I heard Mike Tomalaris, the voice of SBS cycling, announce as I came through transition. Whoever was in front, was flying and all I could do was hold my own speed.

Like the previous week, I needed to take care during the more technical sections to avoid the risk of falling on my weak right wrist. As I was about to exit the newly cut singletrack, with knee deep sand either side of the race line I called track on a much slower girl who suddenly stopped at the top of a large berm or, more specifically, the only safe line. I ducked down the berm, straight into the deep sand, catapulting me over the bars. My right arm extended in front of me and, almost in slow motion, I knew I would land on it. Fortunately, the sand took the impact out of the fall and I was able to continue relatively unscathed.
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The fireroad climb on Lap 1
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Safety over speed was the order of the day
The last two hours of a seven hour solo hurt! Andrew Finlayson came past me at the five hour mark and told me his plans to attack Andrew Lloyd, who was currently leading the elite division, were merely a pipe-dream. It was all he could do to hold his current pace. As it happened, this proved enough as he caught Lloydy in transition, and then had enough strength to take the overall win on the last lap. Meanwhile, I continued to slowly open up a slightly bigger lead on the chasing Alex. I started my last lap, with five minutes left of the seven hours. I had drunk 14 bottles of fluid in the hot temperatures and now I had sore, swollen feet. I crossed the line, relieved but happy with second. I had beaten Alex by four minutes but it had not been easy. Troy Thomas took the win in the Masters category and will be one to watch in future races. Most importantly, I had survived a rough seven hours and my rehabilitation continues on track.
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Martin Wisata, Phil, Troy, Alex and Mike Tomalaris
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Overall Race Winner - Andrew Finlayson
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Kevin Wynne-Smythe - 3rd Singlespeed
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The Ridge Walk - overlooking James Estate winery, the Goulburn River Valley and the highest peak, Mount Dangar.
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Capital Punishment 100 km

6/3/2015

1 Comment

 

Time for a Comeback

On the first day of my Christmas holiday I broke my wrist - I had a break in the joint of my right radius bone after a high-speed crash on an innocuous corner of my local Manly Dam track. I spent six weeks in a pot and a further three weeks off a bike, before making a return to the road a week earlier than advised. With just five road rides completed, being my 17 km commute, I ventured on my mountain bike and made a return to the Manly Dam and the scene of my crash. My first lap was cautious but by the time I had started my second 10 km loop, the confidence had started to return and I was able to ride the larger rock drops. Nine weeks of inactivity, muscle atrophy and frustration was nearing an end.
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Inadvertantly mimicking the Cycle Studio logo during my first 100km TT
Well the truth is, it wasn't all inactivity. Just 10 days after the accident, I was back on my indoor trainer. After trialling the free Sufferfest videos which are provided by Strava Premium - Blender, The Hunted and The Long Scream - I was suitably convinced by their quality and purchased all 20 videos from the Sufferfest site. On the 24th January, I began the Sufferlandria nine day indoor Tour. I trained on the excellent Watt Bikes at the Cycle Studio in Balgowlah Heights and completed two 100 km Time Trials. On the third of February, I purchased the TrainerRoad software, and combined them with the Sufferfest videos before starting one of TrainerRoad's excellent training plans. I began some Pilates training to work on my core and did a number of Fitness Tests. My FTP (Functional Threshold Power) had dropped but was slowly showing signs of improving. I was hopeful I had done enough to ensure I had maintained some semblance of fitness.
The Husky seemed a little too early and so I waited a week and decided to make my comeback at Capital Punishment, in Canberra. I was there to participate, or more to the point, to survive 100 km without crashing and re-breaking the wrist. It wasn't about being competitive or breaking personal bests, but about riding safely and without incident. Indeed, a long season still lies ahead and I want to be a part of it.
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Even in the car driving down, I started to feel the sense of race anticipation I had craved for over three months. My first commute had left me on a natural high on arrival at work, my first ride off-road had left me buzzing with endorphins, and now I was feeling that nervous excitement that hits you pre-race. On the start line, surrounded by many of Australia's finest mountain bikers, I felt instantly at home. It was great to be back among friends and fellow racers, Mike Israel, Trent Moore, Grantley Butterfield, Clayton Locke and Justin Dewhurst. My heart rate was already over ninety - I was ready.
The race exploded in raw power and it wasn't long before the serpent of speed had thrown me out the back. It was exactly what I had expected and I was now free to settle into my own rhythm, and reacquaint myself with mountain biking. It was some time before the fastest riders from the second group caught me and I quickly obliged in letting them through. I waited a short time before I was able to jump on one of these rider's wheel and allow myself to be sucked along through the singletrack.  The wrist guard was holding firm and all the time, my confidence was building. At last, at around 35 km, I overtook my first rider, a guy in a green shirt, who I would work with until the untimed section at 61 km.
The untimed zone is a 10 km street section where riders need to roll through in a generous 55 minutes. It is a chance to feed, rehydrate, lube the chain and even chat casually to other riders. Andrew Fell (who had suffered a time-consuming puncture) and Chris Ryder of Jetblack, Grantley, Clayton and Justin were all here. I soaked up the majority of my 'gift' 55 minutes before re-starting with Grantley and Clayton. They both powered up Black Mountain and I thought that I would be struggling to stay with them. But after a few more climbs they both dropped back. Grantley caught up again but exclaimed he couldn't find his rhythm and fell back again. I was feeling good and this  was enhanced as I caught and overtook an increasing number of other riders. I hit Mt. Stromlo and knew there was only around 12 km to go. Unlike Grantley, I was able to find the rhythm I had lacked in the early stages of the race. Skyline and the Luge were their usual highlight, although I rode with some caution knowing that I couldn't afford a crash at this late stage. I finished in a respectable 4.21.26 in 104th overall and 28th in Masters. It may have been my slowest ever time in this event but I was just so happy to finish safely and without too much pain. It was a successful comeback and better results are sure to follow.
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Race Winner Shawn Lewis who narrowly beat Andy Blair in the 100 km event
Results
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    Author


    ​Level 3 Road & Time Trial Cycle Coach with British Cycling (BC) & the Association of British Cyclists (ABBC)

    National Master Wattbike Instructor


    Cycle Strength & Conditioning Coach 

    ​Cycle Trip Leader

    Sports Scientist (Honours degree in PE & Sports Science - Loughborough University)

    Postgraduate Teaching degree in PE & History (Loughborough University)


    Silver Medalist in WEMBO's World MTB 24 hour 40-44 solo at Finale Ligure, Italy, 2012 

    Silver Medalist at the Australian National MTB 24 hour 40-44 solo, 2012 & 2013

    I have completed several of the World's biggest stage races, including the Crocodile Trophy in Australia, the Mongolia Bike Challenge, the Sudety in Poland and the Andalucia Bike Race

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    Significant Results

    Stage Races
    • Crocodile Trophy 2013, Australia - 5th
    • Port 2 Port 2014, Australia - 4th
    • Sudety MTB Challenge 2014, Poland / Czech Republic - 15th
    • Mongolia Bike Challenge 2014 - 6th

    24 Hours
    • WEMBO World 24 hour Solo, Italy, 2012 - 2nd
    • Australian National 24 hour Solo, 2013 - 2nd
    • Australian National 24 hour Solo, 2012 - 2nd
    • Scott 24 hour Solo, 2012 - 1st
    • Sydney 24 hour, 2011    - 1st

    7 hour Enduro Series
    • Rocky Trail 7 hour Series, 2013 - 1st
    • Chocolate Foot STM 7 hour Series, 2013 - 3rd
    • Chocolate Foot STM 7 hour Series, 2012 - 3rd
    • Chocolate Foot STM 7 hour Series, 2011 - 1st

    12 hour Enduros
    • Sydney 12 hr, 2014 - 1st
    • Sydney 12 hr, 2013 - 1st
    • Sydney 12 hr, 2012 - 1st

    6+6 hour Enduros
    • National 6+6, 2014 - 1st
    • Sydney 6+6, 2013 -    1st
    • Sydney 6+6, 2010 -    1st

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