Europe 2010

How to condense a month of travel into one blog post? Europe was ‘big’. While the concept sounds exotic the reality of dragging a bike around Europe from race course to race course is not without its challenges and can be quite fatiguing.

World Cup – Champery, Switzerland

Flying into Geneva it was great to be greeted by a familiar face in my friend Vaughan. He and his wife had recently moved to Gryon in Switzerland, a beautiful little ski village in the Alps. It certainly allowed me to ease into my travel, being chauffeured around, meals cooked and generally being well-taken-care-of. With the race venue at Champery only 30 minutes drive away it was also very convenient – a point to remember when the World XC championships are hosted there next year.

They are really spoiled for choice with riding – mountains in Gryon, patches of challenging single track, or roll down the hill for a flat ride around lake Geneva and into France. The Champery course was one of the most technical I have every ridden…and that was before it rained for two days! It was interesting seeing the top riders choosing the run some of the lines as it was safer and sometimes much faster in the wet.

Unfortunately the morning of the race I woke up with another terrible virus, unable to be more than a minute away from the bathroom. Through some careful maneuvering I managed to get to the course and decided to start the race out of principle. I assure my host that I would do one lap and if I felt well enough would do a second and then pull out. As usual I had to go one better and managed a third before I almost passed out on the track a couple of times and was lapped by the leaders. The next 24 hours were spent under a doona, shivering, sweating and with a pounding headache and the effects of the virus were still being felt a few days later when I landed in Italy.

World Cup – Val di sol, Italy

Val di sol is a stunning little town outside Trento in North West Italy. It is somewhere I could live very easily with narrow country roads, lush forests and that small village feel where no one seems in a rush. Sharing accommodation with four other riders from Australia, it was nice to be able to converse in English as there was very little spoken around us. We had one day of rain but the track was nice and dry by race day and we had some beautiful warm weather otherwise. Not as technical as the Swiss track, the course was still difficult due to the steep, repetitive climbing – definitely a granny-ring affair!

I had learned some lessons at Champery with regard to starting a race with 120 other riders and managed to get a good position after the start lap. Going as hard as I could on the climbs my aim was to be able to finish the race without getting lapped or pulled out, which is not as easy as it sounds. It was a relief to hear the bell on the final lap after the disappointment of the previous race and I finished 79th. An odd highlight was having a tussle with Chengyuan Ren, a former Chinese national champ, Olympic representative and world cup winner. I was in good company!

World marathon champs – St Wendel, Germany

Another two 8-hour travel days later I arrived in Ottweiler, Germany. The race venue was in Saint Wendell, a town in the rolling countryside about 10 km away. Due to a severe lack of organization with regard to the National team our accommodation and technical assistance were only organized a week before and a big thanks to Vaughan for volunteering for the role of Australian team manager. Our accommodation was great, especially organized on such short notice and the lengths he, and assistant Jill, went to in order to ensure we had everything we needed and got our bottles and race feeds at the right times – it was extraordinary!

The days before the race were excruciating, having nothing to do except rest, stretch and eat. Trust me, its not as much fun as it sounds and makes for a very long day. There is only so much summer bi-athlon and grass-ski jumping you can watch on Eurosport. It was a relief to finally line up in the starting pen in the Australian colours and get the marathon underway. The course was a little…boring. There was a lot of riding through corn fields, grassy climbs and not as much single track as we would have in an Aussie marathon. The pace was hot though and we took off as if we were racing for 2 hours instead of 5. It was a pace I was sure I couldn’t sustain for the race so I dropped off the back and rode with a smaller group of about seven girls. In retrospect it would have been better to stay with the lead group as they were no more than 30 to 60 seconds ahead of us for most of the first half of the race. Lesson learned for next time!

It was more of a course for power riders and while I would pull away from the other girls on the hills, groups would soon catch me on the flats where the course was very open and windy. The second half of the race had much more climbing and I dropped the group I was riding with and managed to pick a handful of places as other riders suffered from the early pace. Finishing in 25th spot I achieved my goal of a top 30. Time-wise I was reasonably happy, being 11% behind the winner, just outside my goal of 10%. My team mate Adrian Jackson had a super ride finishing on 25 minutes (9%) behind the leader, a fact not reflected in his placing but still an awesome effort.

Suffering a bit of culture-fatigue and missing my daughter after being away for a month I boarded the plane for home, never more grateful to be confined to a tin can for 25 hours. While everything did not go perfectly (it never does!) I learned so much in terms of race-craft, organization and resources available when travelling, it was an invaluable experience and I am keen to do it all again next year.

Kids, racing and hospitals…all in a week!

Preparing for the Mt Perry 6 hour I thought it would be nice to have a relaxing Friday night, pottering around with bike stuff, quiet dinner with the family. So of course at 11pm my daughter projectile vomits all over her room after coming down with a stomach virus. After the clean-up and a couple of glasses of wine I finally get to sleep, ready for 5 hours of driving in the direction of Bundaburg the following day.
Arriving at the course on Sunday morning was the toughest part of the weekend – 0 degrees! Brrrr…! The 6 hour was long, as 6 hour races tend to be, but the course was a lot of fun. Perhaps not as beginner-friendly as the Dell XC course with some wicked steep switchbacks and rock gardens in the back half. Naomi Hansen pushed me all the way and forced me out on a final lap that I really did not want to do, just to cement the win. I had just recently switched to a gluten-free diet and discovered that eating gluten-free bread requires more saliva than I can muster during a race. The nutritional lessons keep coming.
The following week started quietly as I recovered from the race but by Wednesday I was still feeling quite ordinary. On Thursday I woke with the familiar feeling of nausea when one’s child has shared their germs. By Thursday evening the seemingly innocuous virus had resulted in searing abdominal pain, an ambulance transport to hospital, an emergency endoscopy and a pleasant amount of morphine. Friday was spent with 4 tubes coming out of various orifices, either pumping fluid in or draining fluid out. On Saturday the diagnosis was Acute Viral Hepatitis – basically my daughters virus had attacked my useless immune system and shut down my liver, stomach and kidneys. Kids!
Finally released on Sunday after 9 litres of saline, 3 days of no food and quite a couple of kilos lighter I had strict instructions to take it easy and no training until my liver reading had returned to normal (from 2000 back to 40), so only recovery rides to the coffee shop and 30 mins of altitude training (www.ats-altitude.com) in the gym each day for a week. My boss ordered me back to work – oh the joys of self employment – so I’m not sure how much resting actually got done.
My coach has eased my back in to training and in the end the week off from training feels like a good thing, although I might take it in less dramatic fashion next time. I still struggle with the work-life-training balance and when I get it wrong my body reminds me in the strongest terms. It’s amazing how much less tired and more pleasant I am as a parent when I ease back on the other two factors for a bit. If Helica thinks this whole pancakes-for-breakfast deal is going to last though she will be sadly disappointed!

Red Centre Enduro - Alice Springs

Having placed second in this event last year, and enjoying a fantastic weeks riding in the process, I was hoping to go one better in 2010. We were warned at the Sunday night briefing that the trails had been very eroded due to heavy rains in Alice Springs this year. This turned out to be the understatement of the week!

Day 1 – 40km
I planned to go as hard as I could to get the lead and have the other competitors chasing for the rest of the week. It was nearly bought unstuck in the first 10k when I punctured on one of the many jagged rocks. Luckily I was running a tubeless system and the hole sealed quickly with only a few more psi with a pump required to get me on my way again. The fence-line track was some of the roughest terrain I have ever ridden but I think I had an advantage coming from a running background as there was plenty of off-the-bike action and pushing up hills. Winning the stage I got a few minutes up on Jenni King from the Torq team.

Hill climb
As the record holder for this event the pressure was on to win this one and perhaps better my previous mark of 58 seconds. As the morning stage had been considerable harder than last year the legs didn’t have it and I could only manage a minute flat, which was enough to take the stage win.

Day 2 – 49km
As with the day before I was conservative with my start hoping to overtake the other competitors after my legs had warmed up about an hour in. I had not seen Jenni King as I worked my way to the front and assumed she was still up the road. Feeling the effects of the previous day I rode as hard as my legs would let me, not wanting to lose too much time. In the process I managed to crash in several of the loose corners, cracking my rear derailleur hanger. I coaxed the bike to the end, trying not to use my easier gears in case I put the rear mech into my spokes. Pleasantly surprised, I came across the line in first place with Jenni a couple of minutes behind me. A quick trip to the guys at Ultimate Ride and my o.nine was ready to fight another day.

Day 3 – 95km
After complaining this stage was too short last year (70km) I was wishing I had kept my thought to myself. My memory is hazy but all I can recall is 5 hours of various forms of sand. Shallow sand, deep sand, very deep sand, wet sand, grassy sand. Riding with Gracie Elvin and Rebecca Rusch we worked together to try to get a lap on the other girls. We were very grateful for the company as this stage was in a word, miserable. Turning off the sand we were faced with a straight fireroad that disappeared over the horizon…into a block headwind. Did I mention the corrugations which felt like a jack hammer going to work on your spine? It was quite funny watching everyone following other peoples lines or veering to the other side of the track when they spied a slightly smoother piece of road or firmer looking sand.
Gracie attacked in the last couple of k’s and Rebecca and I rode together to the finish, keeping her in sight. Crossing the line third all I could think of was food and a good lie down. Not fun, but certainly a test of character, with some competitors tossing their bikes into the bush out of frustration.

Day 4
23km Individual Time Trial
This was my favourite stage last year with riders going off in 30 second intervals and the chance to ride some great single track unimpeded. Either due to the eroded tracks or fatigue I found it hard to ride as smooth as I would have liked and lost a few seconds stalling in corners and steep climbs. I did enough to win the stage by 40 secs but just missed the course record from the previous year.
23km Night race
Held on the same course as the mornings TT, this was a mass start race with a mess of headlights heading off after sunset. I don’t ride much under lights and the first 10 minutes was pretty nervous just trying not to get caught up in any crashes. Trying to discern where the soft sandy patches are is especially difficult at night, no matter how good your lights are. I had a lead over second place of 18 minutes so I just wanted to ride cautiously and get to the end in one piece.
Although I was tired I managed to overtake Elvin in the first 15 minutes and held the lead with only 4km to go. Then the fateful sound of air rushing from my tire had me off the track trying to put a tube in with a headlight and frozen hands. On my way after a few minutes I only got 1km down the road when another puncture struck, again in my rear wheel. I had made the wrong choice in running super-light non-UST tires as a tubeless set up. The terrain was just so sharp and rocky and at night it was difficult to ride the clean lines required. In the true spirit of the race some of the competitors passing me stopped to assist and had my on my way, limping gingerly to the finish line. I had lost 10 minutes to Elvin but was still in the lead. A sleepless night followed and a scamper for a new tire for the final stage.

Day 5 – 45km
Probably the best singletrack of the week the final stage felt like one of survival. I held a lead of 12 minutes over Elvin and we rode together until about half way. Gracie got a break but remained in sight so I was not too concerned. If I could have won the stage I would have, but I had put everything I had into the previous 4 days and honestly raced every stage. The legs just didn’t have it. Rolling over the finish line was just such a relief and was the first time I could really relax and appreciate when we had just completed. I am so happy to have won such a demanding race and ridden with such amazing people.

A big thanks to those who make it all possible: Merida, Flight centre, SRAM, Nightrider lights, Shotz, Adidas, Lazer, Schwalbe and For The Riders.

Australian Marathon Championships - 2nd

Well it's been an inauspicious start to the year, but after a good training block over Easter I signed up to the Nemesis marathon race in Avoca, Victoria. It boasts 3500 vertical metres of climbing over 90km making it the toughest marathon in Oz.

My injuries were almost fully healed but the bad luck continued when I woke up Friday with a sore swollen throat and my body wracked with aches and pains. On Saturday morning I felt so bad I considered not going...then took some pain killers, and got on the plane. For the entire weekend I alternated panadol with nurofen every 3 hours to keep the flu symptoms at bay.

Avoca is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. An hour outside Ballarat there is no mobile phone reception and the nearest Woolworths is 25 minutes drive away. However it has great bakeries, coffee and very friendly people. We had to borrow a couple of saucepans for pre-race pasta for 9, and the lady a few doors down was very helpful. Who gives cookware to random strangers knocking on their door? Avocans, that's who!

The morning of the race was pleasantly brisk with clear blue skies. We drove to the start at the Avoca Hill winery and kitted up. Still feeling lousy I dropped two panadol at the start line and carried 2 more to have at halfway. The weapon of choice was my Merida 0.nine hardtail - nice and light for all that climbing. The gun went off and we were on a gravel fireroad on our way to the first climb. After 15 minutes the road went up and continued like this for 25 minutes. The field broke up and I crested the top in third place.

At 90 minutes my heart rate plateued and wouldn't go above 165 bpm for the rest of the 6 hour race. This is not a good sign and indicates your body is fatigued or ill. I was concerned about doing serious damage but I was in 3rd so decided to keep going. It felt like I was creeping so I assumed 4th place would overtake me at any time. Besides, the single track descents were so much fun it would be a shame to miss them. Its some of the steepest and loosest trail I have ever ridden. The protocol was to rest your chest on your seat, get on the back brake and slalom down. The Schwalbe Racing Ralphs were perfect for the job. Going up was less fun and by 3 hours I was walking a lot of the steeper sections.

This was one of the rare occasions I managed to get my feeding right in a marathon. Shotz electrolyte in the camel back, gels in the pocket and tasty banana cake from one of Avoca's fabulous bakeries. With the legs stuck in second gear I moved into 2nd place at 4 hours. My spirits were lifted as I realised I wasn't the only one struggling. At the fourth checkpoint we had only 22 km to go, which didn't sound right. Then I realised how much climbing we had to go!

This was mountainbiking at its rugged best. The type of race where you feel more like an adventurer exploring new ground. I rode with a guy who was almost knocked off his bike by a herd of deer! He then started wondering if he had actually seen them and thought about pulling out at the next check point if he was hallucinating. Luckily another rider confirmed the sighting so he continued on.

Crossing the line was, as usual, a relief. I was surprised and quite chuffed at my silver medal considering I almost didn't start the race. Sure, my lymph glands are now the size of golf balls, but well worth it I think. This was the first marathon on the Merida o.nine and also the first one where my spine doesn't feel like it's been shattered into a million pieces. Nice one.

Thanks to all my sponsors: Merida, Flight centre, all the guys at For The Riders for the amazing bike preparation, Schwalbe, Lazer, Adidas, Shotz, Rockshox and SRAM.

It's up the mountain I go...again

It’s now 5 weeks post-accident and things are getting back to normal. I got out on the dirt on Saturday for the first time, albeit only on the fireroads. It’s pretty difficult riding past a trail-head when you know single track heaven is RIGHT THERE! My body will thank me later though I hope. I’ve timed my transition from the windtrainer to the road almost to perfection with only brief showers instead of torrential downpours now.

The psychological wounds are being unpicked with my first ride past ‘the corner’ where it all went wrong. I rode up to it, slowly, willing myself to get past it without collapsing in a heap and rocking back and forwards in the garden. Just as I approached it a group of about 30 cyclists came around the corner from the opposite direction, spread out across the path inviting another accident. KEEP LEFT PEOPLE! It’s bad enough the motorists try and pick us off without us preying on our own kind.

The official recovery was made this morning when I headed out for some Mt Cootha reps. Did someone make it steeper while I’ve been laid up? It was good to be on the familiar stretch of road that is the staple of any Brisbane cyclist. They were doing roadworks so I got stopped by a lollipop-man on the way up. I protested that I was “in the middle of an effort” to a guy that clearly had no idea what I was on about. Yep, I’m back.

Road to recovery

It’s been almost 4 weeks since ‘that morning’ and things are going as well as could be expected. My ribs still hurt...a lot. My shoulder stability doesn’t fill me with confidence but I’m working around it. I’ve done more time on the windtrainer in my garage that I care to mention and am getting out for a couple of rides on the road, albeit on my mountain bike. It feels a bit more stable until I stop moving (and feeling) like an old woman.

Being on the bike is not too bad but the first week back at work is a challenge. I’ve lost a lot of ‘massage fitness’ and the persistent injuries have me coming up with some different treating techniques. It never hurts to have a few more moves in the bag.

I am looking forward to getting back to racing but it’s going to be more of a psychological barrier than anything. If I go back racing too scared to take a tumble, it’s guaranteed I will end up in the dirt! So I’m just going to build up the confidence day by day until it all clicks.

Ouch

After sticking around in Adelaide to see some of the Tour Down Under I arrived home with new motivation to train. With a new program and enthusiasm I set out on a sunny Saturday morning to do the Upper Brookfield ride, one of my favourites in Brisbane. It heads out along the western freeway, down Moggill Road and on to country lanes and past pony clubs. In the heat of summer it is often a few degrees cooler on this ride due to the shade of the mountains and the thick vegetation of the surrounds.

Unfortunately I never got to that part of the ride due to an incident at the beginning of the bike path where I was hit by another cyclist coming in the opposite direction. Taking the full force of the collision with my right shoulder and chest I actually managed to hold the bike up (not even a scratch on the frame!) but then the feeling of being winded and in extreme pain forced me to make an emergency landing into a soft garden bed, where I stayed until the ambulance arrived.

The feeling of being winded never went away during the 15 minute wait for the ambos due to a partially collapsed lung, and on several occasions I almost passed out. Quite a bit of morphine later and I was in the Royal Brisbane Hospital being treated where they also counted four broken ribs and a separated A-C joint. I had a pneumo-thorax (pocket of air compressing my lung) but they decided not to stick a tube in my chest but wait to see if it was reabsorbed by my body over time with weekly chest x-rays.

I can honestly say it’s the most pain I have ever been in. I was given a self medication button with fentynol which I refused to use after the first few times. Not because I was tough, but because every time I used it I threw up 5 minutes later which is not much fun with broken ribs. It did provide some entertainment to my friends who brought thai takeaway for dinner though. I have very little memory of what I said but remember nodding off into my stirfry at some point.

So 2 weeks on and I am still very sore. The pneumothorax is gone and I have my shoulder retaped every few days (thanks Kaz at Southbank Physio!). My ribs still hurt because that’s what ribs do but I am logging some good time on the windtrainer. The bad news is that riding in my garage is cracking me mentally! Sure I was smug when it was pouring outside and I was dry but now we are enjoying the last week of summer and the skies are clear. Another week or so and hopefully I can get out on the road bike. Psychologically it will be difficult but a friend, recently injured after being hit by a car, advised the sooner I faced it the better and I am inclined to agree.

In trying to find some positives in the situation I look at how well I dealt with an emergency situation. Although I cannot train normally or work I have focussed on what activities I can do and aimed to improve a bit everyday, even if it’s just to hang the washing out on the line. I have also used to the abundant spare time to catch up on some admin so my business is even better when I get back to it. I don’t think I will ever be ‘a lady of leisure’ but I am appreciating some time to just sit around, relax and heal.

Yes I am already planning my next race so stay tuned :)