Training Log Archive: KimIn the 7 days ending May 24, 2009:
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Thursday May 21, 2009 #
Ride race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 7:28:00 [4] 80.0 km (5:36 / km)
shoes: Giant TCR One (road)
The third and final ride of the race. Started with a big road climb followed by a big road descent. Josh was leading at about 60km/h when he slammed the brakes on when he saw 3 deers on the other side of the guard railing. We don't know how we avoided a 4 bike pile up in out sleep deprived state, but we somehow did! I enjoyed this ride as it was all rideable bar one rocky ascent. Rob didn't enjoy it as much as we wouldn't allow him more that a 10 minute power nap! It did drag on a little as the course book stated it was a 60km ride.
Inline skating race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 2:34:00 [4] 12.0 km (12:50 / km) +520m 10:33 / km
shoes: Rollerblade Lightning II
This was the hardest leg EVER. The ascent was gradual for about 5kms before turning left and up. The gradient was soooo tough for my limited skill and the sun was in full force. We hadn't taken any water to save weight. We took our blades off and walked for a section before putting them back on when it settled slightly. It then kicked back up at the end so I took mine off again as the others skated off. I was totally spent by the end of this leg and glad to be putting the skates aside for the remainder of the race.
Trek race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 5:54:00 [4] 20.0 km (17:42 / km)
shoes: Salomon XT Wings
This was failry straight forward, yet still hilly trek. Again up into a saddle, then across to another saddle, then back down and up abother hill. Finished on the road into a town for a final paddle leg.
Kayak race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 2:15:00 [4] 13.0 km (10:23 / km)
I enjoyed this paddle. Started down a flowing river out onto a lake. Once on the lake the wind picked up throwing our boat around a bit. Stayed on the wash of Rob and Josh's boat for most of this leg before closing my eyes and paddling to the finish.
Trek race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 2:42:00 [4] 12.0 km (13:30 / km)
Orienteering section. Josh and I chased Rob and Damon around the bush gaining 13 of the 15 controls. It felt as if we were going around in circles over and over the same ground. We then jogged the 3km on the road to the finish at the clock tower where we climbed to the top then tyrolean travesed down to the finish line. Cool fun and a spectacular finish!!! We finished 5th overall, and learnt plenty from the race. I didn't enjoy the whole course (mainly bike pushing) but the many highlights out did most highlights in any other race I've done. The scenery was awesome.
Wednesday May 20, 2009 #
Note
slept:3.0
We didn't time the mid camp too well spending it there in the middle of the day (9.45am to 1.45pm). We still slept and ate well.
Inline skating race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 1:06:00 [4] 9.0 km (7:20 / km)
shoes: Rollerblade Lightning II
Out of mid camp on the blades. The first half was a nice flattish roll out on the road. It then headed upwards, and was quite tough to the TA. The TA came quicker than we expected which was a nice surprise. 2 blades down, 1 to go!
Trek race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 12:09:00 [4] 39.0 km (18:42 / km)
shoes: Salomon XA Pro (multi)
This was to be tough leg up into the snow line. We cruised out on the road before heading up in the hills. We again hit a road section then onto a nice trail which slowly headed up to the highest point of the race. I felt pretty good here and led for a bit of it, jogging the joggable sections. Once at the top we traversed across to another saddle then down to a couple of river crossings. A Spainish team caught us here with some impressive down hill running. We passed them at the bottom as they started walking along the road. We then went up another big hill and down into the TA. I was pretty wrecked and sleepy by the end of this stage.
Tuesday May 19, 2009 #
Trek race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 2:30:00 [4] 9.0 km (16:40 / km)
shoes: Salomon XT Wings
This was a split leg comprising a trek/paddle. Rob and I did the trek leg first while Josh and Damon paddled. Rob and I headed into the hills collecting a couple of CPs two and froing with a French pair. We arrived at the TA before Josh and Damon so struggled to keep warm for about 20 minutes.
Kayak race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 1:13:00 [4] 7.0 km (10:26 / km)
Jumped in the kayak (plastic sit on top) and paddled back to our bikes while Josh and Damon ran. Rob did a great job finding the portage saving us about 4kms of paddling. We again arrived at the TA before the others so organised a bit of gear before wrapping myself in the Frenchies tarp and attempting to sleep. I was struggling badly to stay awake this leg so the quick break was welcomed.
Ride race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 5:19:00 [4] 66.0 km (4:50 / km)
shoes: Giant XTC Team
Rode out of the TA just as the sun rose, it was still bitterly cold. There was again great scenery on this leg as we rode beside a bit of snow. Again we had big climbs and cold decents. Trailled an endo as I dropped off a ledge into the snow. Front wheel got snagged and I landed with my bike on top of me, good one. This ride finished with a nice decent into a quiet town where we passed Explore Sweden, then a flattish road ride into the TA. Josh and Rob shared the lead on the front pushing the pace nicely while Damon and I bludged on the back...
Kayak race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 3:34:00 [4] 18.0 km (11:53 / km)
Began with a short flowing section. Rob and Josh somehow managed to flip their plastic bath tub (amatuers!) while Damon and I paddled the Sevylor. We again came across Explore Sweden who had also flipped their boat. We had only been paddling a couple of kms when Damon and I noticed the left side of our Sevylor going down. We ignored it for a little longer before Josh told us that we were nearly taking on water at the back. We eventually pulled into the bank after about 5-6kms and rang Antonio, the race director. Damon Aussie accent plus Antonio's broken english weren't a good mix and we struggled to come to a solution. He wanted us to paddle or walk back. The media crew finally found us so we told them (after first trying to get 4 people into the one boat) that Damon and I would paddle to the TA and Rob and Josh would run the road. We set off with 4 bags and 4 wetsuits up to the TA and the Pier - there was no pier (dodgey translation) and we wasted 30 minutes looking for it. Rob and Josh (after hitching a ride with the local police) found us and the TA.
Trek race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 49:00 [4] 2.0 km (24:30 / km)
The abseil was cancelled so we had a short walk to the start of the rafting section.
Other race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 2:25:00 [4] 22.0 km (6:35 / km)
This was another highlight of the race for me. We were now in 6th position heading towards the 2nd night. The rafting section was a series of Grade 2 rapids so nothing serious but still a lot of fun. We portaged around a couple of weirs, dry entrying back in. This was a light fun stage.
Trek race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 13:42:00 [4] 36.0 km (22:50 / km)
shoes: Salomon XT Wings
Darkness fell just after leaving on this stage. We left through a small town up into the mountains. The I-Pod made it out for this leg as we all suffered with sleep deprivation. Each CP seemed to involve a climb up to a saddle, then a climb back down, then repeat. Looking for a way up to the last one proved a little difficult in the dark so we bunked down in our bivvy bags for about 50 mins until sunrise. I bunked down on a massive slope cushioned by bracken in my bivvy bag and had an awesome sleep. Damon woke up with no idea where he was or what he was doing and spent a couple of minutes looking for clues to solve his amnesia. Funny. The rest of the trek was uneventful running down the road back to the TA for a 4hr compulsory rest at mid-camp.
Monday May 18, 2009 #
Event: Bimbache Extrem
Inline skating race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 58:00 [4] 9.0 km (6:27 / km)
shoes: Rollerblade Lightning II
Didn't get the maps or course until after 8am last night. It meant for a late night, plus never wuite feeling organised before the start. We were excited to see the race was to begin with a 9km uphill skate! We self-seeded at the back of the field with the South African team McCain. After the race start found we were far from the worst and had to fight our way through the 'less accomplished' skaters. Finished 6th at the top of the hill but after a slow tranistion left in 7th or 8th. Was pretty spent by the top of the hill (approx 420m climb).
Trek race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 3:53:00 [4] 17.0 km (13:42 / km)
shoes: Salomon XT Wings
Onto the trek leg. We were already around 1500m altitude and the whole trek was up and downs over limestone rocks. Jumped on Rob's tow rope pretty early on and stayed there for the majority of the leg, particularly early on (even for the technical downhills). We stayed close with a couple of other teams (Spainish I think) and found out the the 100m rule was more like the 250m rule! Great scenery on this leg.
Other race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 3:10:00 [3] 7.0 km (27:09 / km)
This was by far the highlight of the race, and if not any race I've ever competed in even if it was untimed. We donned our 5mm wetsuits and climbing gear and headed into the darkness of the caves. Then had a series of cave slides, abseils and swims. At one point we had to swim under a cave and pop out the other side. This freaked me out a bit as Damon got slightly caught as he did it before me. The slides, jumps and abseils continued, then a couple of rope ladder ascents before popping back out into daylight for another two abseils. First one was down a waterfall, then back down to road level for a river crossing where the clock started again with a 3km jog down the road to tranistion.
Ride race (Bimbache Extrem AR, Spain) 8:14:00 [4] 70.0 km (7:03 / km)
shoes: Giant XTC Team
Onto the bikes and headed out along a nice single track which ended at a river. We stuffed around a bit then decided to ride back to the TA and leave via the 2nd option. This ride included some nice trail riding plus some not so nice bike pushing. One CP was located up a trail which was almost impossible to push the bike up. VERY HARD. It was disappointing to see that one team left their bikes at the bottom. Finally got the CP and left out the same way, riding through some quiet rural towns. Darkness fell just after 10pm.