The (insert race duration here) hour...

My first experience with a multi-lap duration race was the 6 hour at the, now defunct, Kooralbyn track in 2006. At the end of which I have hazy recollections of writhing around on the ground as every muscle in my body simultaneously cramped. Needless to say I have avoided these types of races ever since. Until now...

The Dell XC 6-hour piqued my interest as it was a new course (just outside Warwick) and a new race promoter which is worthy of supporting in itself. It was a while ago now so it’s difficult to go into detail but it was one of the best organised races I have attended and a super-fun course. The best bit of multi lap enduros is that you don’t just go into the bush, ride by yourself for 6 hours and cross the finish line. There are always people passing you and being passed so you’re never lonely! I felt really strong for this one which was fortunate given the amount of climbing – it was deceptive though as you were too busy enjoying the single track to notice much until around the 5th hour. Winning was great but it predictably was accompanied by the previously mentioned spasming which is very unbecoming!

After deciding that the 6 hour was about 2 hours too long I rocked up for the 4 hour at Karingal, near Sirromet winery. Quite a hot and humid day took its toll and with the course being situated in a valley there was hardly a hint of a breeze. I was a bit tired going into this one and decided that a 4-hour was about an hour too long! After one of the laps I had a bit of a snooze in the feed zone and contemplated remaining there until the end. Dragging myself up I managed to punch out a couple more laps to take the win. Another fun track if only someone would turn down the thermostat!

I’m not sure my plan to race myself fit is working but it was terrific to race locally again, something I have not done much of in the past year. It’s nice to be social occasionally without the pressure of a national/world title hanging over your head. These races are also much easier logistically as you don’t need to pull in favours from friends/family/strangers parents to feed you – just drop your esky in the feed zone and pick up what you need as you roll through. Sweet!

World Championships - Canberra

So given the year I have had, exactly how did I end up in the team for Worlds? A big thanks to coach Neil Ross for taking my World Cup 2008 ride at Stromlo into consideration. I had a week to recover from the epic, fly to Canberra, do a time trial at a reasonable pace and maybe stay for the big event.

I had no idea what my form would be like as I had barely started training again but it was worth a chance. Arriving in Canberra on Friday it was as cold as I remembered it. Quite a shock after the 35 degree Brissy days. Ah, the AIS food hall – what a welcome sight, like an old friend. Most of the team had already been there for 2 weeks in the altitude house. I’m interested in the training benefits of altitude but it didn’t sound that fun with all the gasping for air and sharing of a bathroom. Kind of glad I was in the ‘control’ group on that one.

Saturday was our turn to play guinea pigs as we were poked, prodded and needled by the physiology department who are always gathering more data on athletes to improve our knowledge of training effects. We did a VO2 test or RAMP test where you start on an ergo at an easy resistance, which is increased every 3 mins until you can’t maintain 90 cadence and the test is over. You also have a mask over your face and a tube in your mouth to record your O2 uptake, and a nose peg to make sure you only breathe through your mouth. Every 3 mins some one pricks your finger (or ear) and takes a blood sample that is analysed for lactate levels. Sounds great doesn’t it?? In the evenings there were information sessions about training, altitude, diet and other interesting tips.

Sunday was the time trial day – the day I would either fly home or go into camp with the team. I’d been given the cut off times and as long as I climbed within them I was good to go. After 3 laps I had my answer – I was in! That afternoon we moved all our gear to apartments in Kingston which would be the team base for all the Aussie riders (including downhill, 4x and trials). I roomed with Kath O’shea and Row Fry who had been competing in the international world cups this year. We were close to an IGA and a coffee shop which was all we really needed for the rest of the week.

Each night we had a team meeting and were given results of the previous day and a training session for the following day. The issuing of the Australian uniforms was pretty special – that’s when it became real and you actually felt part of a team. It was great sharing in the performances of other team mates as the races were spread out over the week. It was a bit more difficult staying focussed when others were finished their races and hitting the town though! The team had a big boost on Friday night when Australia grabbed both the mens and womens 4-cross world titles – so proud of Jared and Caroline!

My race was on Saturday 5th September. I rode as well as I could, considering my short preparation, and finished 40th, about middle of the Aussies. The course was great and they had made a few changes since the National titles there. It was shorter so we ended up doing 5 laps and there were more fun sections with jumps and berms – brilliant. I only had one crash but unfortunately it was in the section where all the television cameras were and was replayed on huge screens all over the course – me dropping over a rock, straight over the bars and into some soft bushes, all in high definition!

My flatmate, sponsor and awesome friend, Jo, flew down to watch me race and we were out for a big night that night. After some superb Indian food most of the XC team kicked on at the local bar and danced the night away with varied success until my legs finally screamed for me to stop. Post-race dancing is always a challenge!

So that’s how it all happened – a kind of last-minute, half-arsed, against-the-odds race with the world’s best, representing my country. Had a ball and gearing up for next year. A big thanks to Jo of eDiscovery Tools, Rob from Sram, Timmy and the boys from For The Riders bike shop, the physios at QSMC and Felt bikes.

Flight Centre Epic

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 :)

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.

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.

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???

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…”.