Running58:30** 14.5 km (4:02 / km) +137m3:51 / km ahr:143 max:168
Man v Wheel 2011
11:00 AM. Kuitpo. Burned 1267 calories.
Course: WHEEL
I was still unsure on whether or not i was going to compete in this right up to the start line. Since all my running gear was filthy and wet from the race the day before i opted to ride my bike. I did go out but as a result i didn't really put much thought into which way i would ride to achieve the points. I chose a pretty poor route and cleaned up most of the north section before heading to the steeper and more point laden southern end. I was i fair way from the finish with 20 min to go and unsure which way to go back. It was either one 30 point and one 20 point and then all the way back, or tack the riskier and steeper option of attempting 3 more 30 points and 2 more 20 points. I pulle dit off and had to zoom back along Brookman road. I think i made it back with about 5min left on the clock. The point adjustment system seemed grossly weighted to the runners so even with a relatively good score i was a fair way down the list this was also due to my age. It was good fun, but i was really tired, no doubt as a result of the day before also. Fern and I apologised to Lee and we went home instead of helping to collect controls and pack up. I'm a bad Vice President of Tjuringa.
Running20:45 2.92 km (7:06 / km) +129m5:49 / km ahr:165 max:187
Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia
8:38 AM. Second Valley. Burned 252 calories.
Karl (brother) and I did the Mountain Design Adventure Race Australia starting out of Wirrina Cove Resort.
After waking up at 0530 to make sure our bikes were at the Transition Area (TA) by 0630. The briefing was at 0800 and the official race start was at 0815 which turned out to be a bus ride. Challenging. We were bussed to the top of the hill thankfully to start the race officially. at 0838
First leg of the race was a simple "rogaine" 3 controls which could be done in any order. The navigation was really simple though the controls tended to be hidden after navigating to the circle. Karl and I settled into 2nd place very early on after taking a more optimal routechoice from the maps to the first control. Where everyone followed the tracks, Karl and I just shot off thorugh the forest down the hill. We were in the circle of the first control first, but were caught up pretty quickly since we couldn't find the flag.
From then on we were just behind Team Escape Goat. And it stayed that way all day.
At the third control i lost the stop valve (the little yellow bit) from my camel back bite valve which meant i lost all my water before we even got to the bikes. Thankfully i had a bottle of Staminade on the bike which i consumed.
Cycling1:22:20 20.66 km (15.1 kph) +287m ahr:159 max:202
Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia
9:12 AM. Second Valley. Burned 511 calories.
We were second into the TA and first out since Karl and I opted to ride in our running shoes and only have the plastic toe clips on the pedals (no straps) this was frustrating for a while, but i soon got used to it. We navigated pretty well through the MTB legs but struggled at some of the control circles looking for more hidden flags. I came off my bike at one stage where my front tyre hit the side of a rut and the bike decided to launch me skywards, then rapidly groundwards. The last leg of the MTB was down the big hill from the forest into Wirrina Resort which was heaps of fun though bone shuddering, the trail was mosdtly grassed over farm track with many hoof holes. We were through the TA at HQ to find that the sea kayaking had been cancelled due to weather and replaced by more running and a Kayak time trial on the lake.
Running56:40 7.15 km (7:56 / km) +246m6:46 / km ahr:149 max:171
Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia
10:52 AM. Second Valley. Burned 552 calories.
The next leg was a jog walk by us to Second Valley and back via the cliff tops and some farm tracks, not much to write home about, but at least the controls were more obvious on this leg and the views were spectacular from the cliffs!
Kayaking13:55 1.61 km (8:39 / km) ahr:145 max:163
Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia
12:08 PM. Second Valley. Burned 125 calories.
The Kayak Time Trial was pretty straight forward, Karl was in the rear of the kayak and i was up front (yay i'm lighter!) and we powered around to finish 4th in the Time Trial and still holding our 2nd place for the race. The team behind was about 12min off our pace to this point and we were about 8min behind the leaders ( still Escape Goats).
Running48:15 5.95 km (8:07 / km) +126m7:20 / km ahr:153 max:182
Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia
12:25 PM. Second Valley. Burned 447 calories.
The last leg was more orienteering with a huge dogleg to the northern extent of the beach and back to the dam again (we covered that bit of track 4 times). There was a really slow traverse around the far side of the lake which we gained a great deal on the Escape Goats and managed to be at the next checkpoint only 2min behind. I thought we would see them infront of us as we left but as soon as we got over the rise, we could see the next control but the other team were no where to be seen. I thought they had stuffed it and we had one. We got to the control and punched to find the unit (SI) was off so more evidence that we were ahead (turned out that the organisers set the units to turn off after only 2 min so my thoughts were wrong). We slowly powered over the hill to the last couple of controls and into the finish chute to be greeted by Ramotaur - the half man half merino ram so loved by Icebreaker. I was put to shame by Ramotaurs abs and felt like punching him/it in them just because they were so beautiful. Worse still was the sight of the Escape Goats who had finished ahead of us. Bugger. Turns out they were just fitter than us.
We ended up second overall and were quite stoked! Especially with the $150 Mountain Designs voucher. The event was well organised and both Karl and I were stoked to be a part of it. We'll be doing it again next year.
Running31:20 5.57 km (5:38 / km) +114m5:06 / km ahr:159 max:182
Eden Hills Station
6:43 PM. Eden Hills. Burned 482 calories.
A quick run around the block with 3 young ladies. I tried to puch myself a fair bit especially on the hills. I want to get faster! I have enjoyed comparing myself today against the Tyson from this time and i have come a lot further than i thought i had!