Training Log Archive: Vaala

After a cold night the sun was out in force again. We headed back along the Clutha Gold to Roxburgh as it just got hotter and hotter. Pretty cruisey riding and there were heaps of people about on the trail which was awesome. Arrived in Roxburgh with plenty of time for lazing and feasting and washing. AND M is letting us take the jetboat again tomorrow!!

Finally we have a suitable plan!! Anyway, today we headed along the Clutha Gold trail to Lawrence in the drizzle. It was actually quite cold which was, to be honest, a relief. There was a beautiful section in the middle along the river and we had a nice little walk out to see a bridge at Horseshoe Bend. From Beaumont the track left the river and headed up "Big Hill" (haha) and through a tunnel which is much longer than it first appears (about 430 metres I think). Although you can see the other side you can't actually see anything else for a very long period in the middle and if you're the stoker like me you can't actually see anything at all.

We got to Lawrence where we were apparently spotted by Tane before biking up and over the biggest hill of the day...to the campground.

After a late start trying to come up with a suitable plan for M's knee we were still undecided but had at least got a plan for the day. Rocked up to the info centre to book a last minute jetboat ride...leaving us 1 1/2 hours to get there along the beautiful Roxburgh Gorge track. Such awesome views followed by an awesome boat trip during which the sun, which had been hiding behind some clouds, came out in force. The 2nd half of the gorge trail was far too hot for Katies but it was stunning. From the dam we joined the Clutha Gold trail which was more shaded but not nearly as pretty. Arrived in Roxburgh in time to to get our bike fixed up at the local chemist/bike shop. We then proceeded to get lost trying to bike back to the campground via the track.

I think I've fallen in love with Roxburgh.

From Loganburn Dam along the tops then down the steep descent into the 'town' below then whizzed along easy roads until the start of the big Poolburn climb. We tried to hide in tiny shadows of rocks to shelter from the sun but it didn't help much. It was then a hard, relentless climb and we were pretty much out of water by the top. M's knee was not in good shape by this point but we did find delicious, cold water in the ford. Lazed around at the Poolburn Dam for lunch, in which time the sun cranked up a notch. It was then a delightfully dusty down hill then along the flats and over what felt like a monster hill (all 60 vertical metres of it although the descent was a lot bigger) to Galloway. It was then a short grovel in the heat along the rail trail to Alex where we drunk all the cold drinks I'd dreamed about earlier (i.e. I tried to drink 1 and couldn't even get through it all in one go!).

HOT. SO hot in fact that the tar on the road melted and stuck to the tyres and then when we finally got to the start of the gravel (after more than 20km of pure grovelling up what felt like endless hills) the rocks stuck to the tar. Then there was much grovelling with no shade up and up and up to Loganburn Dam (which took a lot longer than M expected but probably not much longer than I'd secretly thought) where we camped in the tussock. M was suffering even more than me in the heat and not doing so well. We drunk some cold beer at the top of the hill because some 4WD dudes offered it to us (well, kind of forced it upon us) and it was so cold which was lovely 'cause pretty much the entire ride I'd been dreaming off cold soft drinks, listing them in the order I wanted them delivered to me in.

Xmas day tussock bash run in the sun. Somewhere up the gorge track I thought I was going to have to go blackberry bashing to rescue a dog (got as far as scaling a semi-cliff covered in thick, prickly stuff) but fortunately things turned out well and it didn't end up being necessary.

Cruising the mean streets of Cashmere and Huntsbury with the sexy M on the sexy green monster. We were nearly home when some crazy cats in a white Toyota Corolla thing yelled out their window at us so we followed them back to their base.

Was going to go mtbing way earlier but got sucked in by code. PAPO should hopefully have a new (bare bones version) website by mid January.

The tiredest yet. Could barely do anything today. The cat and I had a good, unintended nap at one point though.

Home again after a hard night of partying (haha). Slowly because we were both so tired...

To Greig, Clare and Ebba's house with all the brownie.

Baking endless brownie and a delicious dinner. I am so tired! Biking home from work was even a bit tough today!

Biking from work out to the rogaine with my super heavy pack. Hard work. I am tired.

A good 3hrs on the hills with Steak and Coffee :-P. Feeling rather slow and sluggish and then broken on the final downhill! My legs have SO not recovered. But there were a couple of lovely breaks to rest the weary legs sitting in the gondola and furiously planning our route!

A horribly painful grovel back home where, for some reason, I decided to bike over the Murray Aynsley rather than just staying on the flat.

So unbelievably tired plus I had banana cake and epic pizza to make.

Was going to go running but it was such a beautiful night and the weather wasn't looking so good the next day so went for a lovely ride in the hills on the tandem with M. We tested the thin tyres going up Rapaki and survived with only a tiny bit of skidding so that was cool.

Up all sorts of exciting roads and streets on Mt Pleasant then along the tops and down Dyers - where we saw another tandem!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO EXCITING! But unfortunately they were riding up while we were whizzing down so no time for anything other than frantic waves at each other!

Super glad I convinced M to get out early...the weather went all a bit mental later on!

Up the hill. Down the hill. Up the hill my ankle was all sore and down the hill the bruising on my thigh was so uncomfortable I considered walking. I didn't. But hey, I thought I was going super slow, like a snail but my time to the top of the hill was the usual.

So much hayfever by the time I got home.

Tandeming round the mean streets of Chch in the windy wind.

From Viv's over to Governers Bay via Hackthorne Rd on the tandem with M. The knee felt okay until the SOT when it got super uncomfortable but there wasn't much choice but to continue!

Home again with Viv, Dave and Ian. Quite the party! What a lovely night for biking.

Nice slow start along the flat in about the middle of the pack. There was no way you were going to be able to start off too fast in here which was good 'cause it was actually quite dark in the forest and I wasn't keen on falling over. Not long after the first aid station the climbing started and most people around me started walking. I did a mixture of jogging and walking, passing a lot of people on the way up since I can walk quite fast up hill. Once out of the trees it suddenly got absolutely freezing and I had to stop to put on a jacket before continuing. Got to Luxmore Hut feeling good.

At the gear check the lady suggested keeping out my gloves which was a mighty fine idea as it turned out. I ended up putting them on about 1 km later when the temperature seemed to plummet even more. Still feeling great and still passing people without much effort. My knees were frozen by the high point though so it was a bit of a struggle getting them to go downhill. Luckily that didn't last too long before there was more climbing and some awesome running along the narrow tops.

But then disaster struck! Or, more specifically, I tripped up and was suddenly down in the gravel completely winded and wondering how the hell I was going to get back up again. Luckily the guy behind me helped me up and stayed with me while I limped and hobbled my way to the next aid station at the Hanging Valley shelter. He was getting a bit worried about how much blood was coming out! I tried to mop it up at the aid station but it kept flowing and plasters didn't seem like they were going to stick so I kept going but I'd slowed right down and my knee was pretty unhappy so it was a pretty awful and slow descent down to Iris Burn (1000 metres of staircases and really steep switchbacks - just what a bashed up knee loves!) where I got checked over by St Johns and they gave me the all clear to continue.

I kind of got a rhythm going to the next aid station but after that I'd fully defrosted from the tops and was really starting to feel all the bruising, especially my left knee and my right hip. Fun times! It got really bad so I had so much walking and so much feeling sorry for myself. Lots of lovely people checked to see if I was okay including a Japanese guy who gave me what he called a 'Japanese Miracle Food' but I wasn't game enough to try it!

M was waiting for me a few hundred metres before Moturau Hut which was cool and he came with me to Rainbow Reach. I think I walked about 2/3 of that section when it occurred to me that I could take some paracetamol for the pain. Can't believe it took me that long to work that out! Anyway, that helped and I got through the last 10km way faster than M anticipated! I think I actually jogged most of it...veeeeeery slowly!

I would like to do it again...I can't believe I am saying that though! I'm also trying to feel happy about my time 'cause it is good considering I managed to injure myself up but it's hard when you only know super fit, super fast people who could run it backwards in that time.

C • Nice one! 6

Up the Harry Ell and down something else. It was warm this morning...although nothing compared to the 32 degrees I walked home from work in.

Busy tapering so hard I've basically come to a standstill!!