Training Log Archive: AndreM

Event: Espresso 24-Hour Adventure Race
 

Bit frustrated that I wasn't better prepared in the week leading up to the race, lost a bit of energy scrambling on Friday to buy things, tend to work and then drive down and sort stuff out. Not the enjoyable part. Once the race started I could relax and the fun was back. Forgot one thing, the 100 weight fleece but luckily had two spare thermals which sub'd, and just as well as the first gear check was for this item.

Rolling start out of Dardanup was really cool. I managed to get the Lance Armstrong position in the pack... two or three teams in front (WW and MIA), me following Ian all the way, Tim a bit ahead or to my right and Ricky just behind me, Wally's team in the vicinity. MIA pushed hard up a hill to break away about 50m but was quickly found again at the start of the track. Towards the end of the climbing I looked back and couldn't see any teams behind us. Going into the single track I thought it was MIA, WW, us, Wally behind us/me!, Wil and I assume PH. Only came off once punching through a berm, landed on my feet ok. Wally caught up at that stage with encouraging commentary.

Reached the first junction that required thinking - MIA stopped and let us pass, Wally took off past us going left, we then went right and found the right trail, but could have gained a little bit of time going left directly to further up. Est 5 mins behind the front pack.

Cleared the single tracks fine. Found the track going up hill fine. First real mistake was not to turn right at the top of the hill, but went left - est 20mins lost - and had the lead train MIA, Woop Woop and Wal's come pass just as we were about to back it up the track. Still not sure what tracks we took to get to the single track, I'm guessing something that wasn't mapped.

Got to the TA 25mins off the lead pace. Next mistake was not to fill up with water. I still had water in my bladder and had drunk from my bike bottle and a bottle in the TA box, so thought 19k's = 2hrs on tracks and hence will be ok in the cold weather. Major error of judgement, should know better by now. Even turning back right away when I thought my pack felt a bit light would have been better. We ended up coming back to the TA and doing a figure 8. Est extra 2k in distance = 30mins plus TA time of at least 5mins. Had a good rogaine for the most part - found WW in the gulley early on and eventually passed them to 12? at the top of the hill. One or two routes may have been done better to reduce contours. Lost a good amount of time trying to find the tree surrounded by trees unf - est 30mins. Came into the TA an hour off the lead.

Longish transition of 17mins (versus 8mins for WW), and rode down to the Collie river crossing and then up the Munda Biddi track to Wellington Dam TA in a respectable 1:30 (vs best 1:16 of WW = 25mins gap). Found the Pork Hunts at the top of the Munda Biddi not going anywhere. Then we hit the bike-paddle TA. Could have done this better with a bit more planning, we ended up taking 53mins (vs best 24mins by WW). Biggest difference would have been to have two people go for the boats right away while the pther two change, and then swap halfway - which our dear leaders WW did. Also, to had all food packed properly. Glad I refilled my pack with water as my pre-filled PFD bladder ran out at the 2/3 mark. Saw Wil's team leave just as we arrived I wonder if it may have been possible to catch them if we had a super paddle, since we beat them on the bike out by about 30mins.

Unf a couple of mistakes on the paddle saw us come in after 7:05 (vs 6:17 by Wil's team). They gained 10 bonus minutes in transition for leaky boats, so started the paddle 58mins before us, then they gained 48mins during the paddle on us, plus 8mins in the next transition, and lost 32 mins in the ride = finishing 82mins in front. Wally's was almost 2hrs ahead at the start of the paddle = out of range.

The paddle was the coolest part of the race for me. 11pm to 6am. Last two hours were in thick fog. Found MIA at one control up the slippery creek (29?), where another team had parked their boats to go for 30(?), and then paddled out to see a team heading back really fast... guessing it was WW. Thereafter did not see another team until towards the end when Robin's team came past in a very timely manner since we were a bit lost, and helped us with some key info ... that we had passed 26. Knowing that we headed NE, found land and started searching in a bad way for 26 by not actually finding the peninsula before searching every tree stump - what can you expect around 530am!

The ride back down the Munda Biddi was fun and went too quick, and then the slog uphill. I fell behind here and even riding on the flat was arduous. It was embarrassing to have my teammates waiting at the top of each hill for me. Then a stick came loose in the derraileuer making a racket, I finally stop to remove it and suddenly my pedalling became much easier.

Ian gets his mojo back as we hit the bitumen and the intensity suddenly goes sky high again - I really should do more road riding! Ian and Tim doing most of the work up the front, and eventually Ricky giving me a push while taking the full brunt of the wind. Credit to Tim as well for riding a heavy downhill (sort of) bike with no third chain ring.

Came into Dardanup in the sunshine and pumped. An excellent course, great teammates, lot's of ideas for improvement, looking forward to next years event. Great fun race - one of the highlight events for the year.

Ride around the burbs west of me.

3 x 2 reps of the hill from the mid position. Felt ok throughout, did not push too hard given the race coming up on the weekend. Last rep 56 sec.