I am so rubbish with keeping up a blog (and a training diary as my coach knows...). Anyway, after being awfully sick for 2 months I managed to get a month or so of just base k's without my body deserting me again. A couple of 5 hour road rides under the belt should be enough for a 100km mtb race right?
The Flight Centre Epic is one of the 'big races' on the calender, with over a thousand participants from elite to weekend warrior. The companion 'half' was my first ever mtb race so it's a bit of a sentimental event for me. I raced the 100k in 2007 and came away with the win from Naomi Hansen and so it was we lined up again for the 2009 version.
Although it was still officially winter we had an unofficial 'instant summer' in Queensland with temps around 34 degrees for the day. It was a bit of a shock to the system for eveyone so despite a dry track it was a long day out. I really enjoyed to course this year, especially through Ma Ma creek singletrack where they had warned us it was a bit rockier than usual due to the rains washing away a lot of the top soil. Down one descent I had Tim McCullough (proprietor of For The Riders) behind me, boulder hopping saying "they weren't kidding!".
After halfway we started to hit the tail enders of the 'half epic' as they started 2 hours later. By this stage the heat and stomach full of gels was starting to take its toll and I was feeling quite nauseous with a pounding head ache. Between checkpoint 2 and 3 I started a conversation with myself about why I do this and whether I should pull out or not. Keep in mind I was leading at this stage and thinking about stopping - not in a good way!
Well I hate a DNF and I had already pre-spent the $1000 winners prize on a new set of race wheels so I was obliged to soldier on. The last quarter of the race was just keeping the legs spinning over and struggling to get corn syrup and water into my protesting stomach. The rocky course was taking it's toll on my hands and I kept checking to see if my forks were locked out...nope, think my arms needed a service instead!
I don't think I've ever been so happy to cross a finish line and from all reports this was a common sentiment. One rider was carried away on a stretcher with heat distress while I hovered around the rose garden, positive everything I had ingested over the previous 5 hours was going to reappear. A big thanks to Kelly and Alicia who got me some Gastrolyte and then into the showers which seemed like instant recovery!
My favourite part of the epic is sitting on the lawn at Peppers Hidden Vale watching the sun go down and reliving the day with other riders - the pain and the ecstasy. Lining up to do it all again next year :)
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Parvo virus - google it!
Straight back from Alice Springs, rushing a uni assignment, off to Canberra 5 days later for a 4 day training camp with the National Downhill coach, Scott Sharples. Turning up in my ‘Brisbane winter’ riding attire really didn’t cut for down south. We stayed at the AIS which was great. The highlight being that for four whole days I didn’t have to cook or clean up! I love the food hall!!!
Most of the sessions were on the world champs course at Stromlo. I wanted to come back from the weekend having ridden something that I couldn’t ride before. I thought it would be the Hammerhead rock drop…until one of the other girls smashed her face on the second day and I wasn’t so keen anymore. I did do my first gap jump though so I was pretty chuffed.
On day four I was less chuffed when I was so sick with a flu that I had to pull the pin on the last session. Back to Brissy and I struggled through the week until Saturday when I couldn’t move my shoulders. The rest of my joints followed and I had to get someone to cut up my pumpkin by Sunday night! Blood test result – Parvo. Nasty virus causing temporary arthritis. Treatment – one week, no riding, no working. Lucky (or not) I had uni exams so I gained a lot of study time. My wrists came good in time to be able to hold a pen for the exams so all turned out ok…in a fashion.
Most of the sessions were on the world champs course at Stromlo. I wanted to come back from the weekend having ridden something that I couldn’t ride before. I thought it would be the Hammerhead rock drop…until one of the other girls smashed her face on the second day and I wasn’t so keen anymore. I did do my first gap jump though so I was pretty chuffed.
On day four I was less chuffed when I was so sick with a flu that I had to pull the pin on the last session. Back to Brissy and I struggled through the week until Saturday when I couldn’t move my shoulders. The rest of my joints followed and I had to get someone to cut up my pumpkin by Sunday night! Blood test result – Parvo. Nasty virus causing temporary arthritis. Treatment – one week, no riding, no working. Lucky (or not) I had uni exams so I gained a lot of study time. My wrists came good in time to be able to hold a pen for the exams so all turned out ok…in a fashion.
Anaconda Enduro
This is a very post-post-race report so not too many details (that I can remember – damn you Black Sambucca!).
If you get the opportunity to take part in this event take it! It was so well organised with lots of fun stages. Most of the days were around 2 hours so basically an XC every day. Terrain varied with a surprising amount of single track and a depressing amount of sand. You can either ride it or you can’t – I sink! After being in the yellow jersey for the first 2 days I ended up with 2nd overall after 5 days with Jo Bennett having a blinder. Highlights – the night stage and post event dancing at various Alice Springs night spots. Lowlights – getting stuck solo for 10ks on a road section into a vicious headwind.
The country side was unexpectedly beautiful…just wide open spaces and a ‘nothing-ness’ that was stunning. I was well looked after by the Fredericksons and even learned how to make home-made pasta.
The Anaconda brought the fun-factor back into racing and it was great to see people of all ages and abilities having such an adventure.
If you get the opportunity to take part in this event take it! It was so well organised with lots of fun stages. Most of the days were around 2 hours so basically an XC every day. Terrain varied with a surprising amount of single track and a depressing amount of sand. You can either ride it or you can’t – I sink! After being in the yellow jersey for the first 2 days I ended up with 2nd overall after 5 days with Jo Bennett having a blinder. Highlights – the night stage and post event dancing at various Alice Springs night spots. Lowlights – getting stuck solo for 10ks on a road section into a vicious headwind.
The country side was unexpectedly beautiful…just wide open spaces and a ‘nothing-ness’ that was stunning. I was well looked after by the Fredericksons and even learned how to make home-made pasta.
The Anaconda brought the fun-factor back into racing and it was great to see people of all ages and abilities having such an adventure.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
A Mother's Day...
What a weekend! The best training I have done in a long time and don’t my legs know about it. A stunning ride on the dirt up to Mt Nebo on Saturday it was nice to fall in the door feeling quite spent, have a feed and collapse into bed. South Boundary Rd on the way to Nebo is quite a busy highway on the weekend with riders of various paces making the trek. Some were have a leisurely spin, stopping for views and others were just on a mission – including the woman who recently bought my last MTB…looks like she was putting it through its paces.
Mothers Day was celebrated with a 5am wake up, fumbling around for coffee and breakfast and my flatmate and I wishing each a good day as we headed off for a ride while our kids slept. I think we may have missed the point of the celebration! I decided on a trifecta of river loops as I wanted the flattest possible ride after so many hills the day before. The first was solo, the second with someone called ‘snake’ and the third with a roadie named ‘horse’. The circles I move in…
It was very nice to be sitting in the autumn sun at Garage café mid-ride, watching the remnants of the Mothers Day Run searching for food and coffee. I returned home to a big bunch of flowers, hug & kisses and a demand for pancakes. Whose day is this anyway???
Mothers Day was celebrated with a 5am wake up, fumbling around for coffee and breakfast and my flatmate and I wishing each a good day as we headed off for a ride while our kids slept. I think we may have missed the point of the celebration! I decided on a trifecta of river loops as I wanted the flattest possible ride after so many hills the day before. The first was solo, the second with someone called ‘snake’ and the third with a roadie named ‘horse’. The circles I move in…
It was very nice to be sitting in the autumn sun at Garage café mid-ride, watching the remnants of the Mothers Day Run searching for food and coffee. I returned home to a big bunch of flowers, hug & kisses and a demand for pancakes. Whose day is this anyway???
Monday, May 4, 2009
Up for the Challenge
I considered entering the Anaconda Challenge in Alice Springs so long that I actually entered and just booked the flights! It’s nice to be planning another race to another part of Australia I’ve never seen. A 5 day stage race, the Anaconda has got some rave reviews and features up on everyone’s “Must do before I die” list.
Had a bit of a surprise with a second at the State Criterium Champs a couple of weeks ago. My legs didn’t explode so that was a signal that I’m ready to start training again – starting very conservatively though as am now quite gun-shy. My coach, Warren MacDonald, is pretty easy-going which is a nice balance to my neurotic obsessive-compulsiveness. Ah, the ying and the yang!
My riding is the one part of my life that’s well under control at the moment with work, while enjoyable, always challenging when you’re the only one driving the business. My daughter’s social life is more hectic than mine and playing taxi in Brisbane traffic is breaking me. As a last hurdle our washing machine broke down…on the Friday before a long weekend…with 4 kids and 2 adults in the house…who all do sport. Ironically we have 9 bikes, 3 fridges, 2 clothes dryers…and now no washing machine. What’s the line from that Alanis Morrisette song – “it’s like 10 thousand spoons when all you need is a knife…”.
Had a bit of a surprise with a second at the State Criterium Champs a couple of weeks ago. My legs didn’t explode so that was a signal that I’m ready to start training again – starting very conservatively though as am now quite gun-shy. My coach, Warren MacDonald, is pretty easy-going which is a nice balance to my neurotic obsessive-compulsiveness. Ah, the ying and the yang!
My riding is the one part of my life that’s well under control at the moment with work, while enjoyable, always challenging when you’re the only one driving the business. My daughter’s social life is more hectic than mine and playing taxi in Brisbane traffic is breaking me. As a last hurdle our washing machine broke down…on the Friday before a long weekend…with 4 kids and 2 adults in the house…who all do sport. Ironically we have 9 bikes, 3 fridges, 2 clothes dryers…and now no washing machine. What’s the line from that Alanis Morrisette song – “it’s like 10 thousand spoons when all you need is a knife…”.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Back on the trails
Well after a quiet Easter today was the first day on the mountain bike in 3 weeks. It has been cruel walking past the new carbon Felt MTB and not being allowed to take it on the trails – which are 5 minutes ride from my house.
It was wet, muddy, slippery…and I loved every minute of it! Two hours of single track and not another soul in sight. And that, people, is why I ride in the rain. My legs are feeling better every day even though the other symptoms are unchanged. While I’ll continue with medical investigation I can at least start a bit of training if I am not tired and sore anymore. I am considering doing the Anaconda Challenge in Alice Springs…just considering…
It was wet, muddy, slippery…and I loved every minute of it! Two hours of single track and not another soul in sight. And that, people, is why I ride in the rain. My legs are feeling better every day even though the other symptoms are unchanged. While I’ll continue with medical investigation I can at least start a bit of training if I am not tired and sore anymore. I am considering doing the Anaconda Challenge in Alice Springs…just considering…
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Health issues
Since the cramping episode in Ballarat in January I have been having a few health problems – just feeling like I am not recovering, constant fatigue, muscle cramps and rubbish performance. My life is pretty full with raising a 6 year old, running a business, training and (recently) university studies so I attributed it to partially overtraining and partially ‘overliving’. I tell my clients that recovery is the other half of the training equation but what do they say about plumbers never fixing their own taps…???
After 2 weeks of recovery after Oceania’s I feel possibly worse than when I was training. I have some strange symptoms such as muscle-twitching when at rest (which I have discovered is called ‘fasciculation’ – google it!) and a metallic taste in my mouth that I can’t get rid of. The latter by far the most distressing as I am now unable to taste red wine!!! A couple of doctors visits and blood tests and I am still none the wiser. My current supplements now include magnesium, zinc, Co-enzyme Q10, Vitamin C and I am thinking of adding Selenium…because, well you can just never have too much Selenium (actually I’ve found out more than 900 micrograms a day is too much). Every time I get my heart-rate up it feels like my legs are about to start the cramp-a-thon again. Luckily I am so busy I can’t dwell too much on it but yes, it’s starting to get me down. Just want to feel normal again L
So I am starting ‘abstinence April’ – cutting out alcohol (yes even the stuff I can taste like cider and beer), chocolate & standing up for long periods of time in high-heels in overrated establishments (read: Cloudland). My diet, which is always good anyway, will be full of antioxidants and I will get a full 8 hours sleep each night. Have to go now as I think a pig just flew past my window.
After 2 weeks of recovery after Oceania’s I feel possibly worse than when I was training. I have some strange symptoms such as muscle-twitching when at rest (which I have discovered is called ‘fasciculation’ – google it!) and a metallic taste in my mouth that I can’t get rid of. The latter by far the most distressing as I am now unable to taste red wine!!! A couple of doctors visits and blood tests and I am still none the wiser. My current supplements now include magnesium, zinc, Co-enzyme Q10, Vitamin C and I am thinking of adding Selenium…because, well you can just never have too much Selenium (actually I’ve found out more than 900 micrograms a day is too much). Every time I get my heart-rate up it feels like my legs are about to start the cramp-a-thon again. Luckily I am so busy I can’t dwell too much on it but yes, it’s starting to get me down. Just want to feel normal again L
So I am starting ‘abstinence April’ – cutting out alcohol (yes even the stuff I can taste like cider and beer), chocolate & standing up for long periods of time in high-heels in overrated establishments (read: Cloudland). My diet, which is always good anyway, will be full of antioxidants and I will get a full 8 hours sleep each night. Have to go now as I think a pig just flew past my window.
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