Crazyman MTB Race 2009

Damn!  I am 4th again!  Everyone says 2nd is the worst place to be but obviously they haven’t been 4th as many times as I have…

The week leading up to the race was wet and windy, a true Wellington southerly, so many of us weren’t looking forward to race day.

Yet we were lucky and had fantastic weather for the whole day and the track was in great condition, nice traction.

I started out well with Nic Leary on my arse.  I was waiting, looking in the shadows for her to come passed but she never did – phew!  No girls did only a few boys.  One came steaming passed on a hill aptly named ‘Everest’ and others much later on on the down hills, and yes they were butts I recognised and had passed on the up hills – damn!

I enjoyed the downhill a lot more this time and really loved the race along the river.  A guy had passed me on the last piece of down hill and as I knew I was fast on the flat I thought there is no way you are going to get away with that.  Then when I saw him cheat and ride on the footpath I had to catch him up to at least tell him he had cheated.  Once I was on his arse the momentum was good so we kept the fast pace up until the end.  He started to give a little near the end so I pushed him along telling him we are nearly there you can’t give up now. 

There was another rider up ahead that I saw we were going to have to dodge, we both went in different directions around her not missing a beat.  I looked back she looked dazed.

Through some mud, up a bank and ‘walk your bike down the stairs please’, ‘only 600m to go’ – Yes! as my legs did not want to go fast anymore.

2:25hrs for a 4th – Go the Boulcott Babes!

Also I won my first spot prize!  It was more exciting than the race, it was the first thing everyone told me when I rode over the finish line.  Ironically it was a Merida lime green hydration pack – matches my lime green roadie and a friend of mine is sponsored by Merida and even he doesn’t have a bag with lime green flames on it – stylie

Next year I think I will do all three disciplines myself  :)

Porirua Grand Traverse 2009

I had been unable to preride the course as it is on private land and I had missed the one opportunity I had to ride it due to another race.

However, on Sunday morning Craig and I set out for Battle Hill – yes, Craig came too, it was exciting having him along as he’s never been to a race before.  He was chief bike holder while I gossiped with everyone.  I think he was overwhelmed with the elite looking riders and how skinny but strong they looked – it was funny.

3, 2, 1… and we were off, pedaling like snot trying to get a good place in the line of riders heading down the track over a river and straight up in to a long hill climb.  We had a few more of these hill climbs and gravel down hills as we headed West over the Belmont Hills surrounding the picturesque Patahanui Inlet towards Porirua.

2:26hrs later I rode in to the transition area for the 18km trail run.

This is a great little multisport event worth supporting in Wellington each year – check it out at Porirua Grand Traverse.

Tineli Bikewear Rainbow Rage MTB Race 2009

It had to be done, even though it is considered a family ride, it really isn’t like that out there on the track, it is everyone for themselves!

Four of us ventured down to Blenheim on Friday for a early start on Saturday morning to ride 106km’s from St Arnaud to Hanmer Springs via private farm tracks.

The late arrival of portable toilets meant everyone was peeing and doing number twos in the trees.  The tree section was starting to smell like a toilet.  I wouldn’t want to be that farmer.  The toilets turned up 10minutes before the start of the race – pointless.

I had a gromet say I was a machine on the up hill to Iron Saddle as I bombed the hill passed everyone.  Pity I am not like that on the down hill!

I came 4th in my class, it should have been 3rd but I was such a girl on the down hill on the gravel and got passed near the end – Grr! There were about 650 entrants. Check out the Tineli Bikewear Rainbow Rage for results and information.

It was nice to have a plate full of food that had been prepared for riders after the event and a relaxing swim in the Hanmer Hot Springs.

Photo’s of us prior and after the race.  Then during the race.

Would I do it again?  I do not think so, too bumpy for this kid!   The experience was great but the butt ache from the continuous water ruts along the track are not worth a second look … or maybe they are from a 4WD as that is what you would need for a slightly more comfortable ride.

The scenery was beautiful, the dramatic hills lining the valley you rode up along side a fresh river that you could still drink from was worth the pain once.

Wild Wellington MTB 12hr Race 2008

Score!  My team came first this year, we won gold.

Leading up to the event it was proving difficult to get a 12hr mixed team together but two days prior I manged to merge with a friend who had a 6hr team that had fallen apart around him.  The only dilemma we had was do we do 6hr or 12hr, majority opted to 6hr.

So 6hr it was!  We had five of us and we did 17 laps of a 6km course winning our mixed category and overall by 2 laps.

Mike from Searletech Moble pimped my bike after I had completed my first lap which made me quite a few minutes faster next time around.

It was actually quite nice finishing at 4pm with the sun still shining then toddling off home at a reasonable hour.

See results and photo’s on Wild Wellington, our team was a sponsored team, Searletech Mobile 6hr.

There were a few red faces due to a sunny day, probably the first of the summer season for most.

I think everyone enjoyed the course which had a lot of new single track, the mud dried out over the morning.

Thanks to Jill, Lynne and Annie for all the hard work behind the scene’s.

Jamis Day Night Thriller 12hr MTB Taupo 2008

“Da da, Da da, I am dancing in my pants!”

It is Monday and I have finally found out how many laps I rode in the 12hr solo MTB ride in Taupo on Saturday… drum roll please… 19 laps of an 8km circuit!  I came 4th in the female solo section kicking arse of a lot of males and teams.  Yes, that is 152km’s equivalent to riding 304km’son a sealed road. I am happy with the outcome as it was my first solo. Check out Day Night Thriller for results and photo’s.

The day did not feel too long, first 3-4hrs flew by nicely, the count down to the half way mark was a little daunting.  The 6hr teams and solo riders were finishing which made it nicer on the track, 150 less riders, but it made me realise I still had 6hrs to go and the body was just starting to hurt.

Then it was 6pm, time to eat some hot pasta and done on the warmer clothes and lights for the night time hours.  This was a nice change for the day but the feeling soon diminished.  I kept thinking I would come in at a certain time but I would be half an hour quicker which threw me and made me realise I had five laps left. 

I thought I was on my last lap but I had 45Min’s to go, time for one more, so around I went again finishing with 12 minutes to spare.  But still none the wiser on how many laps I did Grr!

The solo community out there on the bike is brilliant, everyone cheers each other on and often chat for a minute on their way passed.  Even some of the team competitors cheer you on or give you a slap on the back or push you a little on their way passed.  All encouragement is appreciated!

The overall atmosphere of the event is fun, there was Darth Vader, a gorilla, a yellow cat suit (male), fat people in baby blue Tour de France team uniforms. It was crazy!

I saw everything on the track from tandem’s, to road bikes, pants up butt to boys in dresses – it kept me entertained.

And, yes, I will do it again.

N-Duro Highlander 80km MTB Marathon Event 2008

It’s Saturday 23rd August 8:45am, briefing time for the 80km marathon MTB event in Rotorua’s RedWood Forest.  Hmm… am I ready?  Do I have enough food?  Enough gear?  Do I know where I am going?  How long is this going to take?  Will the course people still be out in force when I come through in the late afternoon?  Boy, these people look like pro’s… hmm.  “Is that a light on your helmet?” I ask a pro – he was very put out that I thought he was planning on being out there in the dark.  It was a video recorder.

Please do not let it rain!

Sunday, driving home, in the rain…

I survived!  And the weather was perfect! And… I’m not walking to badly today … the back hurts more than the legs.

I came second in my category and only 20Min’s behind a bunch of blokes, so not too bad.  6:58:34hrs for 80km’s over pretty tough terrain.  The first guy was three hours faster than me <gulp> Cabin Leishman - the legend.

What a brilliant ride up hill including various tracks, soak hole, frontal lobotomy (must need one of those to do this) through the forest up the ridge line to the start of the New Zealand down hill track Billy T.  I have my first feed and chat with the marshals.

I am now heading towards one of my favourite tracks, Split Ends, it flows downhill nicely.

Oh look they have thrown in a piece where I need to walk, that is nice… little did I know what was coming later :)

Wow, another rider – oh no he’s got the wrong colour number plate, shit have I gone the wrong way, panic, panic, brain thinking back visualising the signs miles back while I am still surging forward.

Wow, how stunning does the Green Lake look? I feel like a swim.  Water truck 100m – a human being, it is exciting!  And, no, it wasn’t me that went the wrong way, the other guy missed his turn off for the 40km race that started later in the day.

Now the real race begins, off up to the look out (shit did I remember to look out at all) and down deep into the outback through an amazing overgrown part of the forest.  Carrying my bike up and down stairs, over fallen logs bigger than Ben Hur, through mud, past rusty old cars.

OMG another water stop, this means a human being – yeah! What, you say I have 30km’s to go, that means about 3hrs… oh boy

But charge on I did with much gusto and 1 1/2hrs later I made my way back to the Waipa Mill car park over more familiar tracks.

Lucky Chinese menu tracks were not my favourite, they are only Grade Two but they are a head ache for much of the time, all over the place, no flow – Grr!  By this stage I was talking to myself quite a bit as it had been a lonely day riding all by myself with very limited people contact.  I did two bad gear changes and berated myself and said sorry bike my bad out loud.  If I burped after sucking on the water I laughed out loud.

As I am dropping into another track a marshal said I have 5km’s to go – yippee!  I can do this, no sweat.  That was the longest 5km’s I have ever come across… a dogie call that one.  I popped out on to the 4WD track just as the van was going past with the DNF riders in it.  This was exciting the car park was right there.  Oh… what was that out of the corner of my right eye, another sign pointing back into the bush.  Bottom said Pooh as I turn around to face a Grade 4 track, and to top it off I had to cross a river to finish – I walked a log while my bike had a swim.

But I made it in to time to see everyone start packing up.

My legs were okay pain wise, it was my back and neck that were killing me.  I needed a bath.

The guy running the event was friendly enough but the grumpy old tart running the computer system could have done with a happy pill or two.

Looking forward to going back and riding the Green Lake and outback again with a camera and some friends.

Non Cycling Commuter Woes

Who cares about the woes of a non cycling commuter?! 

I could not believe it when I heard a non cyclist, of whom I know quite well, complaining about cyclists riding two a breast (which is legal!) on a narrow street and that they were in the middle of the lane. This is actually the safest place for cyclists to be. This way traffic has to purposefully overtake you rather than try to squeeze passed and potentially knock you off.

The attitude and the impatience that you heard in their voice because they had to wait a few seconds until the other side of the road was clear for them to overtake properly.

Then they had the audacity to say it is illegal to slow traffic down too.  (Ed – What, for all of 10seconds?)

I think all drivers should learn the cycling road rules so they know what to expect from the cyclists out there on the roads.

Not a good attitude… it makes me cringe as to what drivers who do not know any cyclists think and say.

Rotorua 12hr MTB Cateye Moonride 2008

Yes, the forecast was for wet southerlies – just what every hardened mountain biker needs to show they have what it takes.

Kingsgate hotel here I come! I am not silly enough to stay in a tent in that weather.

Turned up Friday night in Rotorua to pouring down rain to put up a couple of tents – three jacket layers later I was still soaked through – thankfully I have a hotel room.

The thought of a BBQ for dinner was quickly vetoed by the crew for a more sophisticated (and drier) Italian dinner in town. Which was closely followed by grocery shopping in anticipation of a wet days riding tomorrow.

We were back in time for the start of the 24hr solo and team event. Go Lee go! Imagine doing 24hrs solo on a single speed? Well Lee did 39 laps of a 7km course and came fourth, the only one on a single speed. He is a legend.

Time to head off to the hotel for a bath and a dry nights sleep – I might add I wasn’t the only one heading that way. I hardly slept hearing the rain pounding on the roof all night long – those poor riders out there, they are nuts. Gulp, what are tomorrow’s conditions going to be like?

8AM Race day – back at camp for bacon and eggs on the BBQ and guess what? The rain has stopped!

The mud was like nothing I had ever seen before. Crazy stuff! I learnt new skills and honed others for sure. I experienced my rear trying to pass my front as well – huh what are you doing up here, pedal pedal, get back there. I am sure if I hadn’t laughed at times I would have cried, the mud was seriously hard work.

I laughed my first lap around it was so much fun, then thought I will do another one, so away I went again. I rode in one hour lots in the end, easier on the body and getting dry afterwards.

Our solo 12hr male did very well, 20 laps in total.

Highlights I suppose were the four naked female riders and the one naked male rider that went past, with mud up his butt. Note the girls got a prize that was better than the second place achievers – must be ranked on entertainment value.

Check out the Cateye Moonride site for results and photos.

Thankfully I did not crash all weekend and I am physiced for the 12hr solo in Taupo in September… bring it on!

MTB weekend Rotorua

Back from a long weekend of mountain biking in Rotovegas (Rotorua) Redwood Forest MTB park.  I am not as sore as I thought I would be but a few of the boys seem to be wary or with ‘light’ injuries – scratches from offs!

It was fabulous weather, everywhere else was having snow and rain while we sweated in sunshine.  We couldn’t have asked for better conditions.  The traction was great under foot.

We rode the new tracks Billy T and Split Endz which were fun.  The boys caught the shuttle in the afternoon but I didn’t, I enjoy the uphill grinds.  There were some great downhill sections but also some scary pieces where you sucked it in and closed your eyes waiting for the tumble through the bushes – nah it never happened - I got off and walked down those bits

Something can be said for professional sports people, no matter what they put their hand to they can normally pull it off – Aaron Slight was a rocket up and down the hills and Hendi still had it in him.  The other pro-elite riders were guns as well, then there was ‘us’ the Sunday riders

Hendi and Southward flew in by chopper for the days riding - wanker comes to mind but only with jealousy – landing in the car park.

A few of us headed to Kerosene Creek for a hot swim after the days riding.  A great spot that I will only disclose to those that ask, otherwise everyone will be there.  It is busier these days as it has turned up in the Lonely Planet Guide book. 

We stayed at the Redwood Holiday Park which was a bit of a flea pit but very close to the park and had a bakery/cafe and bike shop across the road.

Wild Wellington MTB Race 2007

A podium finish for both Searletech Mobile and Mixers teams – the boys rocked! 

We had a physical day on Saturday traipsing around Mt Vic’s 7km course on our mountain bikes. I was in a four person team with some hot shot lunchtime riders.

Our site had nine teams piled on to it with sponsor Searle Tech providing a lot of equipment.  We had a mini campsite with everything but the kitchen sink and the cast iron bath.

It was a stinking hot day and you could definitely feel the heat riding, I still feel slightly dehydrated.

The main Searletech team was first in the Cateye ‘Legends’ category by two laps; the boys were riding 18min laps! They came third over all – impressive for a bunch of 40+ lads.

Our team cruised a little, popping out 20+min laps. Half way I checked the leader board and realised we could have a podium finish if we worked out a strategy for the last 6hrs.

So, we cranked up our times and concentrated on the last half of the race.  It was touch and go all night with a puncture and various other odd ball mishaps but we did it!

It was a great day with a fantastic bunch of people and an even better finish as we had not realised we had cracked the prize.

Well done to Wild Wellington organisers as the facilities and tracks were great.