CycoActive - Professional Endurance Cycle Coaching
  • CycoActive Coaching
  • Your Coach
  • Pricing
  • Mallorca Guiding
  • Contact Me
  • Going Solo Blog
  • Backroads Blog
  • MarathonMTB
  • Mallorca - Sian & Mark

Awaba and Chocolate Foot Fetishes

26/11/2012

0 Comments

 
Awaba and Chocolate Foot Fetishes
The leading four Masters Solo competitors were all at Awaba. Five rounds of hard and highly competitive racing had elapsed and the Top three places in the overall series were still undecided. Unfortunately, no one had the luxury of a leisurely cruise around the sweet and slick trails of the Awaba circuit.

This was a shame. It was 6.30am and already quite warm. A hot and, some had forecast, a torrid day beckoned all the riders. The heat would hit with devastating ferocity only a few hours into the race. But for now all was calm. Garry James and Jason McAvoy of the Radical Lights team had set up their impressive red marquee opposite my simple small table. I was next to Wendy Stevenson, the ever present and consistent Solo female Masters rider, who was inundated with a clutch of leeches looking to suck the blood from her before the sticky yellow plasma was left oxygen depleted in a few short hours time. Mike Israel was a few metres down the track. No one could predict what was to play out a few hours later.

But this story started back in April. Round One took place at Kinross Forest, Orange. I had won the overall series the previous year but this was shaping up as a completely different beast. Garry James is a legend in endurance mountain biking and giving away ten years to some of his masters rivals does little to lessen his intimidating and unmistakable presence. Jason McAvoy finished 8th in the World 24 hour Solo in 2011 and Mike Israel had also established himself as one of Australia’s best Masters mountain bikers. To add spice to this race, Capital Punishment’s 100k race had been served up as a tantalising Hors d’œuvre the day before. Only one minute separated the winner Garry from Jason, and Mike and myself finished 3rd and 4th respectively.

Two months later, Jason thrived at Kowen Forest and managed to win by a lap from his teammate Garry. A different podium presented itself at Nowra when I was able to chase down and overtake both Jason and Mike to finish 2nd while Garry took his second win thereby taking a stranglehold on the series. Welby and Rydal followed with the four leading riders swapping places on the top three steps of the dais.

It was race time at Awaba and the mercury had nudged a few degrees higher. Gumby had decided on an interesting hill climb for the start as the riders initiated the first rotations of the cranks for the long day ahead. Garry led early on but Peter Selkrig, Mike and Jason were battling close behind for the first three hours.

Notwithstanding the tremendous toil on the body, the heat has strange effects on the mind. I felt incredibly slow at the start and even thought about an early withdrawal. It was too hot after all. I was sixth and although I don’t start as fast as my rivals my times are consistent and I invariably chase down my opponents. But today felt wrong, the body wearied by the twenty races I had already ridden during the year. It was clearly not going to be my day. Now I was alone on the track which makes it even harder to keep focused. But transition always helps. The words of encouragement from other riders in teams, support crews, the public address system, the computer screen with the ranking. As I went by I was up to 3rd. Incredible! What had happened ahead of me?

I was now drinking water with chocolate optimiser that was more akin to that early morning mocha at work. But the greatest threat to the body in this heat is dehydration and so I vowed to drink a bottle of this vile fluid each lap and, if required, scull more water in transition. Perhaps others would not do the same. The camelbak climb reared up once again but this time I was more positive in my thinking. Ascend this and those behind still have to suffer it at least one more time than I do.

Just before the five hour mark I was second, the heat of the day taking a toil on the others. Only Garry James was ahead so now was the time to settle into a rhythm albeit a slightly raggedly composed one. The next time I stopped to drink and douse myself in water a microphone was thrust at me and in my slightly dazed state I managed too inane responses to the question of what it was like on track. ‘It’s pretty tough out there’ and ‘it’s a bit hot’. As if no one had noticed! I cursed my stupidity as I rode off for another lap. 

It was approaching temperatures of 40 degrees on track. Now I was counting down the remaining laps and transition could not come quickly enough. Attempts were made to jump on the wheel of the faster team riders but this was but a temporary distraction before I would be dropped and thrust back into my lonely world of suffering.

The clock had ticked over to 7 hours 55 and with a ten minute buffer over Jason I was free to curtail the pain. Incredibly, the thought of going for another lap seemed like a great idea but this moment was to pass fairly quickly and I was able to inwardly congratulate myself on staying focused throughout an extremely difficult and, at times, brutal race.

Garry deservedly took the series with Jason second and I managed to steal third overhauling Mike by a solitary point. If ever there was a time for an extra podium position it would have been then.

The guys at Chocolate Foot run an incredible series and the racing has been fierce, the tracks superb and the riders and support crews create a truly wonderful event. Next year, I plan to return particularly because the 7-8 hour format will provide great preparation for the WEMBO World Solo 24 hour Mountain Bike Championships. What is undeniable is the racing in next years Singletrack Mind Series is guaranteed to be stinking hot!

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    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

    Categories

    All
    12 Hour Races
    Andalucia Bike Race
    Asthma
    Coaching
    Commuting
    Crocodile Trophy
    Cycle Tourism
    Diet & Exercise
    Dragon Devil
    Indoor Cycling
    LEJOG
    Majorca 312
    Mallorca
    Marathon Races / 100 Km
    Mongolia Bike Challenge
    Most Popular
    Obesity
    Passion & Goals
    Philosophy Of Life
    Port To Port
    Principles Of Training
    Prudential 100
    Ramo Pro Cycling
    Rocky Trail
    Ronde Picarde
    Sportives
    Stage Racing
    STM Chocolate Foot
    Strava
    Sudety
    Sufferfest
    Teaching
    Team Races
    Tour Of Wessex
    Training Rides
    Travel
    Ventoux
    Watt Bike / Power Training
    WEMBO / 24 Hour Races
    WSMTB



    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

    Archives

    August 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    April 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.