Training Log Archive: Vandi

Rode around Akuna, then to city return. Bought some stuff at CBD and some innersoles on the way.

Starting to feel fresh now. Yay!

Around Akuna and some looping around to make more time. 2x20 with 20 second efforts every two minutes. Fun when you're fit.

Rode my Scalpel into CBD, rode home on Richard's Yeti. That bike feels heavy after my lightwieght scalpel. He also needs a smaller frame.

recovery ride to Mona Vale Road and back thru Belrose. Got magpied three times in a short timespan..

Rode from home to Calga and back at solid tempo. Last big ride before the grand taper so wanted to make the most of it. Glorious day formed a lovely backdrop to the scenic ride. Arrived at Calga quicker than expected. Resisted the temptation to use music.

Rode with Garry Millburn at Ourimbah with view of fine-tuning shocks. Spent about an hour on a little secret pump track, which was great for technical skills practice especially cornerning.

Discovered to my dismay that I have been riding with my chain off the jockey wheel at bottom of hanger since chain ring issues occurred on Saturday. Given that I must have ridden for several hours in that state on Saturday carbon cage is now paper thin. Something to keep an eye out for at Worlds! Bike felt a lot faster after putting the chain back into place, but kept falling off continuously which was a bit of a pain.

Achilles fine again today.

Headed out for 3 hour session, but turned back at Mona / Forestway corner due to sore achilles. Nothing too concerning, but am not prepared to take any chances at this stage.

4 gorges ride at solid pace. Very happy with form. Just feeling some hot spots which is concerning. Still a bit of work to do on the shoe front.

West Head. No specific efforts, just riding solidly (around 200 watts) most of time. Feeling strong. Am gonna miss my long sessions soon...

Recovery stroll thru Belrose

Rocky Trail 8 hour – Del Rio

I had carefully mapped the Rocky Trail Entertainment 8 hour at Del Rio, Wisemans Ferry, as my last race before Worlds. Not going out too hard was the plan, just put in some good quality kms and more importantly, use the last minute chance to test some more stuff before Worlds including some new nutrition products and a mini ghetto-blaster (to circumvent the prohibition on the use of i-pods which has been imposed by the US-based organisers).

The day turned out quite differently. I hadn’t seen the track before (or an entry list) so wasn’t really sure what to expect. I saw Trudy Nicholas put in a steady pace from the start. Too stubborn to let her pull ahead this time I sat on her shiny purple wheel, working quite solidly on the hills to keep up (jeez, those 29ers roll up hills smoothly! Or is it just Trudy?). The track was one of the more bizarre I’ve ever encountered for a mountainbike race: about 5-6 kms of road / fire road (including a 200m vertical climb), followed by some full-on singletrack for about 1 km, then another km on a sealed bike track within the resort leading you back into transition. This peculiar mix of track made for some excellent pre-Worlds training, but might have been a bit dull purely from a MTB point of view. After riding with Trudy for 4 hours, Trudy suddenly announced she was pulling out, which left me with the prospect of going around in circles on my own for the rest of the day. Then one lap later my small front chain ring fell off, just before the big climb. I realised I’d lost some bolts but managed to tighten the last one left to get me back into transition. Thankfully, the Red Bull bike support guys helped my out with some bolts to get me back on track.

Stats for the day: 8 hours, 2600m of climb, 150-odd kms and one officially shagged lady. Foolishly realised at the finish I was the only competitor in my category anyway…

4 Gorges ride. Rode solid pace, feeling great in the legs. Not too hard efforts on hills, just smooth spinning.

10 minute intervals with 5 minute recovery at west Head.

Akuna - West Head.

Akuna loop anti clockwise.

Relaxing MTB ride to lookout over Kangooroo Valley. Fenner organised 10 minute 'meditation session' overloking lokout. everyone giggling like school kids. Nice ending to a perfect training week.

Came back to pouring rain. Headed out for another 30 minute relaxing lap around the XC track with Meg, Jimi W's auntie.

Mother of all mountains day. Had a fantastic day with strong legs and showed everyone what I had in me. Felt absolutely fantastic. God I love the new roadie!

Lost Jess and Clare early due to broken derailleurs. Picked them and Tupaz up from the cafe in town in the Valley after returning from my ride, while Fenner prepared lunch for the group.

Beautiful flattish recovery ride. Stopped in town for a coffee midway. Got slammed by a rain downpour in the middle but arrived back home in beautiful sunshine.

Cant remember what we did just remember that it was big.

Can't remember details but it had one massice climb (and some other big climbs). Total climb for the day around 2500m.

Angry Doc had to be cancelled due to massive winds which had knocked over half the Mogo forest area, and race was replaced by little crit. Had to be shortcoursed due to irate landowner firing gunshots at competitors.

Poor Tom and Al. Had a fun day catching up with folk despite the circumstances.