Training Log Archive: Yak

MTBO long W 40 25 km course at Saligari Safari
Was great to have a new map and also the ability of route choice thru several paddock sections. I took the first one but like most people, except for Steve Cusworth, didnt see the 2nd "cut" near the end. I took a couple of dubious route choices on dashed tracks that should have been dotty ones as they were just stoney ruts in the ground and i had difficulty even following one.
Felt gd on flat but not uphills - need to lose some weight.
Came 4th in class, which is the first time I have been out of the placings in the national series!

Long drive home via Maryborough with Tom Goddard for company.

Sprint O champs on Bristol Hill
33+ mins race time - 2nd by less than 2 mins to Carolyn Matthews in W40
Lost time on 1st and 3rd.
Put off leaving start by having to wait for 2 children to be rescued from my route on way to start triangle. Then was in hurry, hurry rather than slow, slow mode and rode up to the lookout needlessly. Enjoyed it though.
Rode to and fro event site and a little warm-up

Middle distance champs at Mosquito Flat and Bull Gully Wells, Maryborough.
55mins on W40, again 2nd to Carolyn Matthews. 5 mins down.
Really should have won this. I was being careful and got caught when there a track marked wrongly right opposite a junction I came out from - I then rode away checking only to come back to it..
Nice to have map printed on back.

MTBO training at Whipstick near Bendigo with the squad.
Chased some junior boys and kept up by cutting corners and waiting for them on out and back legs. The map badly needs updating.
Mel tore a brand new tyre and the newly acquired Avis bike van broke down so another coming from Melbourne.
i had my first bush camp in new van at foot of Mt Alexander under oak trees.

C • First bush camp 3

30 min walk in bush.

Stayed last night in van at Dowling abode in Wheatsheaf (near Daylesford).
quick ride around the area before buying sushi in daylesford.

Missed catching mtbo gp for afternoon training by 30 mins, as i hadnt changed from SA time. Rode around Clunker Hill in Castlemaine and my O was so so rusty. Deliberately rode off the map following the water channel and then guessed a way back in fading light to add to the adrenalin.
The squad had borrowed a van from Ballarat karate but it had died en route to Castlemaine so Blake had to rescure them all with Roch's trailer, so they had to ride to traing sites too.

Inaugural campervan trip. Oh dear, i know why the grey nomads drive so slowly pulling caravans and in campers now! I had every truck coming up my behind and passing me. Goes nicely but not fast.

Chambers Gully hike - up gully down main ridge and single tk.
Easyish pace as I felt unenergetic, having had no brecki or lunch...
With Vanessa. Only got i light shower, so gd.

Ride down the linear park to pick up my campervan.

6 hr enduro at Craigburn.
I had woken up feeling a little fluey but took a HTFU pill and got out of bed to be met by legs saying "not another race." Decided I needed some aim, so decided to do 4 hrs seeing I was tired and hadnt ridden that time since last year due to enforced summer layoff.

Started slowly and unco'e but luckily the long 11km course and better passing meant few hassles. First lap was hard as i hadnt bothered with a warm-up but lap 3 and 4 were quite gd. Pulled the plug after 5 laps - feeling gd energy wise but thighs starting to complain. Had a busy week and next week will be bust too. Won W40+ and another huge amount of gels and a Palmers beauty pack.
We were very lucky with the weather - about 20 but very little rain - the rain yesterday had freshened up the track nicely.

Tom Goddard won the 2 person team and did fastest time.

30km road race. Again on the deadly boring Pt Broughton Rd with a strong wind on return 15km. Only 6 in my grade but Brian and I did almost all the leading on way out with Gwen doing a few brief turns. On way back we split up with Brian, Jo and me forming the lead group. Again Brian and I did the leading. About 2 km out I decided to drop Jo and put in a gd surge and Brian came with me. Not surprisingly he beat me in the sprint but I had the womens race sewn up and was saving some bikkies for tomorrow.

We only averaged 30kph but was ok as was keeping group together initially to be friendly.

Road 20 km timetrial on Pt Broughton rd.
This was always going to be hard and wasnt really my cup of tea.
Out and back course on flat boring, bumpy rd with strong headwind on way back. I wasnt totally comfortable on way out even though had tailwind it felt hard.
Caught my "minute man" at turnaround and then changed into middle chainring and sat on 26 or so on long return. Rode on drops for first time in 15 years or so so was a little awkward and hands went numb.
Time was 40.14 so average was 30 - pretty poor when i used to average high 30's but wind was a big factor and no tt bars. Sandra Patterson did 41.25 and Gwen 44.14.

Criterium on 800m circuit at Broadstock Rd.
20 mins plus 2 laps for us. Started with old guys and 3 women. Brian and another guy broke away on lap 2 and I stuck on and we lapped the rest.
Again windy and I had troublw with 2 of the 4 corners losing distance each time and having to work hard to catch back. relatively comfortable at 33kph+ and i let the guys fight out the finish being a mixed grade and me not supposed to interfere. Legs were tired later though from the 2 races.

Went and watched aths at lunchtime and caught up with:
a) David Miller - now working on a farm at Port Kenny. He runs very painfully after being run over by a 4WD in 1995 in which he was lucky to keep a mauled leg.
b) Murray Bridge family (Croatian.) doing aths who are teachers.

You have to like the local directions to events - track was at "the oval" - there are about 15 ovals in PP. Road was at the abbatoir. Crit "just turn R after "the tank" as you come into town. Presentations "the corner after KMart" To top it off we had a meat raffle at the free meal tonight.

Walking local places near Pt Pirie.
1) Napperby Gorge - from Scout camp where one can stay for $8 a night. Initially there is a gd tk to the red cliffs and then bits and pieces up to a gully junction where I went right. Very slow clambering over rocks and thru dense vegetation. Big black goats high up on scree slope. Return same way.

2) Neshaby reservoir - lap of. Was water supply for 100years plus - closed in 1987.

3) Telowie Gorge - 1.6km trail up and then followed indistinct tracks at least that again on. Saw yellow footed wallaby but too slow to "shoot" This was the most scenic walk with many empty waterholes.

Met Linley Bowyer afterwards and watched masters mile in aths and caught up with a few old bods.

Time a bit of a quess.
Track cycling at the Pt Pirie velodrome, but on my roadie just using 1 gear.
The track is 500metres round but has no bank of any use, which was disappointing. I had meant to practice once a week at Edwardstown for this, but it never eventuated. Had been sucked in to competing by a friend who had to pull out at the last minute due to his work!

Weather was very hot - 31+ i drank 4 litres today. we were warming up, standing in line waiting to compete and cooling down all in the glaring sun!
Quite a brisk northerly wind played havoc with everyone's gear selections.

Event 1 - 200 metre flying sprint. Had 800m to get to top speed and then timed over last 200. I was looking to use the 2nd highest cog on biggest chainring but did a rookie error after spinning in the last part of warm-up and still had it in middle ring! Couldnt change once started. I was doing 120rpm with my legs wondering what was going on! Time= 19.0 This event should have suited me! Main female opponent did 19.9! Afterwards I asked to do another one, just to get a time, as hadnt raced track for 12 years. Was allowed - did 18.1.
Was difficult as trying to get speed up into the headwind for first 80m of 200.

Event 2 - standing 500m. Scary being in a big gear and having a held up start.
Felt i did ok - 53.4 Gwen 53.8.

Event 3 - individual pursuit. Was supposed to be 1km but organisers changed it to 1.5k which was difficult with the wind. However more distance was to my advantage. I had disadvantage of starting in back straight right into the wind from the held start. Once i got up to speed I was flying at end of lap 1 but actually slowed a little to ensure i didnt overcook myself like many before had. Then surged again in lap 3. Very happy given no practice. 2.40 Gwen 2.50.

Conclusion - read my legs well and got away with some gd performances despite lack of homework. Leg speed slow. Rode around town a little afterwards,

Bought campervan - pick up Monday - drive to VIC Tuesday.
Here's hoping we like each other!
(Mazda E2000, 2000yr vintage, 88k on clock, but too tall for my carport - anyone got a spare shed? Marty N may have a brickie's job reforming the arch)
Off to Pt Pirie for next 5 days)

C • cool 4

Linear park walk in dark in new shoes.

Had to 'entertain" 3-6year olds with bike skills and bike games at a birthday party as part of my bike coaching job!! Got cake as a bonus.

Went to BSA Buffalo ride but got there late so drove on to West Beach to get ahead. Ended up with one of the 28kph groups which was lucky in retrospect as 30kph group had 2 people hit the deck. Had about 10 in gp but they seemed to have speed limiters on and didnt go much above 30 even on the return trip with a slight tailwind. I led about 90% of the time when we were going single file so i could get a gallop up, but didnt get a sweat up. Averaged right on 28 ... but the 30 and 32kph groups always go faster, but then supposed to, so I guess most of the 28's were relative newbies. Anyway I got lots of thanks for doing the hard yacka out front!

Then continued on leisurely down along Marino - Hallet Cove - McClaren Vale bikeway to shops at top of first climb (H Cove shops?) Returned via Kingston Park C Pk where i bought a badly needed drink - 28 degrees today, and then back to West Beach.

Afterwards I dropped in on the Bay Discovery Centre at Glenelg near jetty - quite interesting things in there historically anyway but I went to see the Robert Hannaford art exhibition. I taught his daughter at Marryatville (Tsering) and she now draws and paints too. Hannaford has won several Archibald "people's choice" awards and does really gd sculptures incl Don Bradman doing a cricket shot, which is at Adelaide Oval.

Time and distance a guess.
Western loop of linear park from home in new shoes.
Hope to move from 20 mins to 24 hrs in 3 weeks - not textbook training!
At the end of Mahogany, near LNE rd, they have put in a footpath / bike path in a really stupid place bikewise - though giving me a slightly longer loop. In doing so they have built a gutter where there was a perfectly gd bike exit!!
I have rung the TTG council about this - but got a case of "yes Minister"

Up Gorge to Birdwood and return. Av 23kph

Bad back was very painful - had to walk bike to roadway to get on and walked briefly 2 times on the Gorge climbs. Michelle and David caught me at the Kangaroo Ck dam and I tentatively agreed to continue. Hurt much in lower back and down hips a bit. Coming home a bit better (downhill?) and sat behind David for about 3 kms along the Gorge to increase our speed.
This was despite physio last night!!

Linear park ride.

Watched Tom Boolen win Paris-Robiaux until 12.30am and then had a gd sleep after inheriring the vacant double bed. Woke 5 mins before ride was starting!
A lovely romp thru Wirrabara forest which Carolyn and I planned, going in areas we had not yet visited. Carolyn led. Did the lovely single tk down from east of nursery twice at speed.

Had a liitle ride on Vicki's new trek thru the orchard - was nice.
Back still very sore though the better bed helped last night.

Gp ride of 8 from Taralee Orchards.
To Curnow bore, Apricot tk, Go-cart tk, Weckert tk, Big Dam tk, Block 9 rd, Forest rd, Lynch rd to Stone Hut Bakery. Much hike a bike up to top of Go-cart tk - very rocky = shitty. Down to Bakery was a relief and we grabbed a pie and drinks as had been out even longer, as some non riding time.
Vicky Birks had a hard "pancake fall" onto her forward torso.
Back up to Taralee was hard work.

Twilight ride of 6 from Taralee along single tk to east and then along ck and back to Wirrabara hostel, down to Ippinitchie campground and a lap of it and then round behind hostel back to nursery and back.
Light on for last half - beautiful calm evening.

In the morning 5 of us went into Wirrabara to sample the market.
We got there about 8.20am and perused things and Nicole went to buy something and got told "to wait for the bell!" Right on 8.30am a guy came into the middle and rung a big bell and the hordes descended on the tables ...

Melrose - introducing the "melrose virgins" in Fern, Tyson, Nicky and David (+ Vicky and David) to the older trails initially. Then off to the newer southern ones but we ended up with 10 flats from a thorny spot!! Grrr And the shop only had 1 spare tube, so much patching was needed - many had 6+ thorns!

Parked at bottom of Bridle tk (between Melrose and Wirrabara) and rode up the ridge and back. Then 7 of us dropped down to Germain Gorge and did a mostly dirt rd ride back to Wirrabara forest and did the nice up and down thru ride to the nursery. This ride had one very long slow hill and was at a continual fastish pace. My legs were a bit stuffed afterwards.

Gp ride of 14 from Taralee Orchards to King Tree, cemetery, S end of Walnut Gate and back.

I had woken up Thursday am with a very stiff back (from campervan driving?) but had to teach at Kangarilla, then had an hour at the physio to not much improvement. She also strapped it. Packed somewhat hurriedly (as late by now) and hopefully.
Each morning of the weekend I had trouble getting out of bed and putting on my shoes but amazingly the back loosened up as the day wore on.

Nights were spent watching World Track Champs from Melbourne and Paris - Roubiax on Sunday.

Gp ride initially from Taralee into Crews Ck area, and I went my own way halfway thru to get back to do some OA stuff.

Taralee - around past Hostel to Curnows and up and down threw the forest.
"Glen's ride" with 13 others. Quite pleasant - leisurely pace

Commuting to and from Mile End.

Roadie gp ride starting at Mt Pleasant - only 26 people taday prob because of distance from town.
Down to Springton, Eden Valley, Keyneton ...Angaston then climb back via Tanunda Ck rd past Menglers Hill then alongside Kaiser StuhlCons Pk and then a lovely rolling series of downhills for some 5 kms on Flaxman's Valley Rd to rejoin the Angaston - Springton rd. Slog back to Springton and then a 3km climb out and on a further few kms to Mt P.

Started with fast people and stayed with them for 10km until the guy in front let a gap develop and then I had to lead the 2nd half of our gp. Picked up the shorter gp who had started at Springton. On return rode with fasties again for a few kms before I decided to spin more and save something for the final climb.
I had been feeling gd on flat but legs lacked zip on hills due to Sundays race.
Attacked the final climb and managed to pass some by spinning faster than normal and legs only died in the last few 100 metres. Led Michelle back to Mt P. Was pretty stuffed afterwards, as it was a bit windy all day, though nice and sunny. A few of us were discussing whether we'd manage this ride in 20 years time - I suggested that a gentle potter along the Amy Gillett bikeway from Bal - Mt Torrens (and return) might be sufficient by then.
Getting my endurance fitness back - need to do some faster work.
Av almost 26 kph

Warren Bonython (renowned environmentalist and founder of SA's first long walking track - the Heysen Trail, died today)

Mt Torrens 4 hr enduro.
I knew it would be pretty horrible, and it was.
Lots of starters given that it was part of the Mt T cycle festival.
Start officiall didnt explain himself clearly and people went off in wrong start blocks, but as chip timing at least the times were correct. Also some adults shortened the course by doing the kiddies loop at the top!

The course involves a big initial climb with many switchbacks involving 14 mostly offcamber corners, then a sketchy descent down the other side and a very rocky ascent back to top. Ridgetop has dinosaur teeth rocks all the way along - urg! Then a pretty nice descent but with the dreaded high bridge over a fence - I should have checked this out, as after initially being quite a broad bridge it narrowed to almost nothing on the other side and I just about wet my pants the first time! A second narrow bridge over a tree trunk saw me cut my R leg quite badly as i slipped when "walking" the second part of it on lap 1!!
Course didnt use the "flat" section along the rail-line as the come and try it's had it!!

Got back to oval to find that someone had stolen my waterbottle from the "feed zone," so had to divert to my bag to get another, and later to fill up the original.

Did 5 laps quite slowly and carefully but was very pleased that my legs didnt complain at all. Got annoyed by hordes of men who were inconsiderate when passing - it was 99% single tk so passing options were very limited, so not a gd enduro course just on that account. Won W40+ with Carol Moore, the landowner, who is a downhiller, being 2nd. All the top elite girls who contest the national rounds, came out "to play" with Terri Rhodes winning from Sarah Holmes and Jacqui Schapel and Aurelia was 4th ahead of the local ladies.

Had 3 ex-students competing, Tom Bamman, Joe Quarmby and Jacqui, so that was nice - all rode very well. Was 30 degrees and no wind - so hot on the climbs.