Racing 50km through the Wombat State Forest

After a week of mild, autumn weather and a forecast for more of the same through the weekend of the annual Wombat MTB marathon (near Woodend) conditions would be perfect. I was excited to join several of the Topgear crew and 8 or 9 of my regular training buddies, and to get in amongst the brilliant trails. My choice was for the 50km race which proved to be the most popular, with 301 pairs of elbows coming out before everyone was corralled for the start.

On “Go” the first couple of rows disappeared around the dam as the rest of the assembly tried to follow 6 wide on a 3 wide track. Nobody came to grief but there was plenty of defensive chat as all did their best to protect their chosen line. The gradient started to rise which both strung out the bunches and knocked most of the previous chat on the head. A couple of keen volunteers welcomed riders to the end of the climb, pointing them in the direction of the opening section of single track. With this the intensity of the general mood dropped as riders settled into their own pace.

As well marked as the course was I still managed to overshoot a turn. 4 or 5 riders took the advantage of my error and the chance to pass on some generous offers of sarcastic encouragement. I resumed behind them and a few more laughs ensued before an inevitable short but steep pinch became the next silencer, with a couple of tricky switchbacks thrown in. Climbs led to plenty of fast approaches down into rutted corners and a couple of rocky descents seemed to appear out of nowhere to keep everyone on their toes. Once onto any open forest road it was good to be able to team up with another rider and maintain momentum.

About 3km after the midway point was the feed station. I refilled a bottle and was joined by Sam with a proposition to work together to catch the next rider we could see up the road. By the mid point of the next single track we were a group of three. We stuck together along the next length of road but it was soon Sam and I again as the third rider dropped off. Our partnership was working well. I wasn’t as strong over the climbs which made me more determined to stay in contact with him to as close to the finish line as possible. Within 10km to go a clearing to our right and behind us allowed Sam a view over his shoulder as he yelled forward, “We’ve got about 30 seconds over the next bunch. Keep it going”. I lead us into the next single track and turned the screws a little further in a hope to increase the 30 seconds. To our advantage there was a lot of trail ahead of us which we paced well, however, the pinches were starting to take their toll on my legs.

As the trail ended we were spat out onto the dirt road behind the event centre which meant we were onto the final kilometre and a half of the course. Still ahead were the last couple of leg-sapping climbs. The road dropped into a gully then spiked back upwards, I needed every option on the cassette that I could select. At this point Sam had taken the front and checked over his shoulder to see I wasn’t much help to him anymore. I cleared the crest to drive back up through the gears and get a run on for the last gentle rise of the approach road to the finish line. I willed the legs to spin and dragged whatever was left from the depths of the empty energy tanks as Sam slipped further into the distance.  The road tipped down through the gates back to the dam which signified the final 100 meters and once again I dropped through the cassette to regain as much speed as possible.

I got to the line to see Sam already across but drop to the ground as cramp plucked him from his bike. We were 7th and 8th in outright placings, my reward for hanging in there with Sam was a category win. Sam was just outside the podium places for his category.

The weather was fine and the trails were tacky to dry (some ground water and big puddles spread across the full width of the four wheel drive tracks). It was fantastic to see so many good results from those I knew racing. It was great fun getting out on the trails. 

How I saw the National Championships - Bright, Vic, 2014

“I’ve just been looking through the entry list… I see Damien Jones is in. There’s a dark horse; he’s been going pretty well, racing hard in his prep for the Cape Epic.” said Pete during a ‘phone call with me a few days before the National Champs in Bright. This was after plenty of in-store chats at Topgear getting my Stumpjumper ready for the event. The bike was in perfect condition and I was ready to race the trails.

Crossing the line to begin the last lap it was broadcast that Damien Jones (Hampton Cycles) and myself had moved up through the field and were now in a wheel-to-wheel battle for 2nd place. We were 40 minutes in, at the lowest part of the course, facing the series of climbs that picked their way up the first 3 to 4 km of the 6km loop.

I had caught Damien at the highest point of the course on the previous lap and he had let me pass at the top of the fast descent, so I thought my best chance to gain any advantage was to push some of the sections of climbing. The underlying flaw with this thinking was that Damien was right there when it was announced that we were both vying for 2nd and had become a permanent fixture on my back wheel. This became more and more clear as we climbed, dropped and climbed again on the undulating trails toward the race summit. Any effort I was putting in was being matched. With a clear image of the track in my mind I calculated the sections that would be my greatest advantage and the sections which I would be under the most threat. I backed off the intensity through the last couple of climbs with no sign of a move from behind, confirming I had better keep some energy available for those ensuing sections of threat.

Cresting the last of the climbing it was time to put some faith into the trails, my setup and my ability to take on the fast, winding descent back to the finish line. Tipping down the hill, crossing roots, weaving between trees and dropping into dusty corners the pace was on. At the midpoint of the descent the course popped out onto a slightly rising, dirt road, using about 150 metres of this before veering off onto the next single track. This was one of the open areas I would need to feed in some power. Holding position and driving hard up the road made for a rapid entry into the single track, resuming the descent with some long, fast approaches to tight switchbacks. At the first switchback I got a chance to notice that, at best, I had a lead of five bike lengths. Continuing from corner to corner we launched across another road crossing before becoming close to over-cooking the entry into the last section of the narrow stuff. Passing under the bridge I hooked left and began my charge up the open grass verge, it was clear to me that this was where the attack would come so I opened the throttle. I passed the feed and tech zones and lined up the final 180 degree bend to the finish line. Damien drew level with me around the bend as we booted it for the last 25 metres. 5 metres, and out of the corner of my eye I could see his front wheel alongside mine but with more acceleration than I could develop. He got me… by a wheel, at the finish line. Congratulations to Russell Collett on taking the win.

The final hairpin to the finish line

20 metres to the final hairpin - trying to hold out Damien

 

Third place in Masters category at the National Championships! The vibe was indescribable, I was grinning from the excitement of the sprint finish for 2nd, charged with adrenalin and emotion as I congratulated Damien on the result. From the call-up to the start line all that was left to do was put the training into action. My full focus was on the race tactics formulated from a combination of my own race plan, confidence in the foundations and open advice from Jen and her excellent Pedallab programs, and also of Ed’s invaluable wealth of knowledge on so many MTB and race specifics tuned to my strengths and weaknesses.

On course Nick Morgan and Tillie played the perfect feed zone support roles, keeping the bottles coming as I’d pass through. A big cheers to them, not only for the on-track support but also for the great company whilst we shared accommodation for the weekend, Nick and I had discussed all aspects of the course as well as our own outlooks for our individual races whilst Tillie patiently wondered when the bike talk might take a rest…

Here's a shot of Nick (racing in Elite) attacking the first single track ramp on the journey to the race summit

Mt Buller XCO - National Round 2

Adrian walks from Start Grid after passing on last minute advice

It was a clean, explosive start as I sprinted with the bunch up the village road. As we rode across the stoney entry to the single track it became a little erratic, more so as any rhythm was sapped while the bikes got bounced across the tops of the rocks scattered along the trail. I was sitting in 6th position as we filed into the wheel-to-wheel charge down Gang-Gangs and into Split-Rock. Things began to stretch out once the climbing started with positions three and four slowly pulling away from Michael Brill (at fifth) and me (sixth). The course levelled once on the Village Family Trail and the speed rose as the gears made their way down the cassette. Passing through the village, the opening lap of just over 15 minutes seemed about 10 minutes quicker than that as the road climb to Gang-Gangs was back on the cards.

The field had spread just enough to make a clear run of the dusty descent. Behind me I could hear Michael's chain slap, not gaining but not getting any less faint either. We had swapped places midway through the first lap and were enjoying the speed of the approach to the cork-screw style left-right bermed descent of Split-Rock. Back at the base of the single track climb to the Village Family Trail I worked a smooth pace across the rock strewn trail, accelerating through the switch back climbs. I opened a slight gap but Michael had that closed again as we crested the steepest of the course's climbs.

Climbing through the third lap I caught some more of the veteran field that had started a couple of minutes before us, driving hard from the exit of the last switch back climb up to the Family Trail to get onto the rear wheel of Adrian Scott for the open road traverse of the alpine village. 

Becs and Adrian U were on deck at the feed zone offering bottles as I passed through. Adrian handed me a fresh bottle as I headed off for the last lap and that last climb of the paved village road. Thanks team, it worked seamlessly. Keeping focus on the 5 minute descent of Gang-Gangs I let the bike drift where there was room and centred it through the minor rock gardens of the trail. The Split-Rock descent section that followed was more technically demanding, it was about committing to the best banked lines as the track showed inevitable signs of wear. Once reaching the lowest part of the course the hairpin signified the start of the climb back to the village which featured several switchback climbing corners.

Popping out onto the Village Family Trail I pushed hard to where the course veered left down an over-grown four-wheel-drive track. This provided a fast approach to a mild pinch where I picked up another place as I pedalled over the crest. I figured that I had best give everything I had left into the last effort up the steepest climb that loomed ahead so as not to lose the place I had just gained, so I kept feeding the power in as the climb steepened, drilling it out of the saddle to the gravel road above. The gravel road was a fast, open descent running into a sketchy esses which led into the second last of two short gravel pinches, the last one tipping back to the finish line. I held position, crossing the line with 3 seconds clear of third, creating a double take moment for me as it was announced I had come through in second place.

The consistent effort over the multi-lap race was my best result to date. Mechanically I stayed out of trouble, although the lead-up week had thrown a few challenges my way with the forks needing repair. However, cheers to Peter and Zeke of Topgear Cycles who were 100% supportive as always, and had me ready for the weekend. Physically it was up to me to deliver from the training that Pedallab is so good at prescribing. Thanks Jen!

Wonder what the view is like a little higher up...

Ollie and I take on the 2013 Hellfire Cup

For the Hellfire Cup pairs race I teamed up with Ollie Klien, a mountain biker from South Australia I have met through several epic and marathon events over the past few years. We were on neutral territory for the inaugural running of the event in the south east of Tasmania, taking on the Male Pairs 40-49 category. When Ollie accepted the challenge to take on the event with me it signaled the start of some pretty intense preparation. I suggested to Jenni King (Pedallab) that I needed a training program to help me stick with Ollie. He is no slouch on the bike and I didn't want to let him down in his efforts to get to the Hellfire Cup.
With logistics and accommodation arranged it wasn't long before we were signing in.

The opening stage was a mass start of chattering pairs teams ready to stake their claim on the event. Heavy rain had fallen through the night making the trail conditions greasy, but this had not dampened any of the collective enthusiasm for the 25 kilometre stage.

It was a sporadic start, that used the vehicle tracks that skirted the race village before setting into a 3 kilometre section of single track. A couple of riders got between us but the traffic through the trails meant more congestion than pace. At the next chance I accelerated to get past and onto Ollie's wheel, then any time the trails opened up we would leap-frog forward a couple of positions. Some brief respite on a downward stretch of open road prepared us for a 4 kilometre climbing 4WD road climb that gradually increased in steepness and brought us in touch with a handful of other teams that had a better start. It seemed everyone was maintaining a similar, solid pace as we swapped positions several times across the next few kilometres of undulating dirt road.

Leap-frogging a position

The course left the road and into an off-camber trail that showed what influence the wet conditions had brought to what would otherwise have been a dusty, rocky weave across the terrain. If there wasn't enough challenge in that my glasses were fogged inside and caked with mud on the outside. The boggy switch back pinches were, in places, too slippery to keep any traction so I found myself running through a few of them, Ollie had the same problem. Soon enough we were skid-steering down a fast link of trails and climbing back out to the top of a generously bermed descent that pitched us back to another open road.

As we tipped back down to the single track approach to the race village the rain began to steadily increase. By the time we crossed the finish line the race village was sodden, with the adjacent creek filling, not only with water but also with finishers looking to clear the mud from bikes and bodies.    

the single track approach to the race village

 

Day 2 set a relay of a 20km lap each. The vibe was good, the rain had ceased and teams were warming up along the adjacent forest roads. The first rider of each pair assembled en masse for call of the stage start. Ollie started and hung with the front bunch for as much of the initial climb as possible. Within 45 minutes the first of the riders were coming back across the line plastered from head to toe with tyre-sprayed mud. Soon enough Ollie appeared sporting the same splattered livery. Tagging me to start my lap Ollie gasped, "30 minute climb…" and I was on my way.
The first few hundred metres escaped downhill but as I followed the course left onto the next road it soon became obvious that the corner signified the start of that 30 minute climb. I don't know which of us had the better or worse deal - Ollie started with the masses and so stayed with a group but also had the pressure of wanting to stay in touch with the front-runners whereas I found myself riding off solo but using the strung out field of second riders as motivation onward through the climb. For 10km the forest road stepped up, false flatted, and stepped up again and again, eventually breaking left for one more climb before picking up the rewarding, 10km return journey. A few diversions into some single track loops honed the skills through the mud-slopped corners and pinches. Although clear skies presented themselves for the day there was still plenty of water flowing across and at times down the tracks we were riding. This explained the spectacle of the mud-peppered riders returning to the race village. It was slick, muddy and fast! I sat with a couple of others through the soggy descents, eventually being spat out onto the forest road that gently rose back to the race village. The three of us pushed hard to get every last drop out of the tanks as we ascended to the finish to post our respective team times.

Ollie on the lead-out lap

the fast and muddy descent

after the 10km climb, Becs enjoys the downhill rewards

The rain was back on the scene for Day 3 demanding another course realignment. We rolled out for a controlled ride behind the Hellfire Van to to the stage start on a farm road alongside Bream Creek. Similarly to the first stage this was a mass start. After identifying our closest competition Ollie and I discussed the loose plan we should follow, which was to mark the other guys and not let them get away. The start seemed to hold a manageable pace along the flat, dirt road for just under 2 kilometres, although looking back at the data the group was pressing on at somewhere between 40 and 45km/h. Rounding a bend the next challenge came into view. As riders noticed the exit across a muddy approach to a sharp incline it was as though a gun had gone off, with riders attacking, knowing that anyone caught too far back in the pack would probably have to get off the bike to get through the rapidly worsening boggy section. From here it became a solid, steady climb over the next 3 kilometres. With Ollie on the front I followed faithfully through wheel tracks, across slight ridges and around edges of deeper puddles. We had broken past our category competition and were keeping the hammer down, unsure though as to whether we were increasing our advantage or being chased and they were keeping us within their sights. A welcome descent of about 1 kilometre dropped us to the base of the next 3 kilometre climb to burn some more fuel from the legs. We soon descended to a much smoother road surface and found ourselves working well with two other teams. We used the chance to keep the pace up but also recover the legs a little where possible. Once Ollie took the front it was the end of the bunch and the recovery as I dug as deep as I could to stay within a bike length or so, as the other two teams dropped back into their own pace. Mindful that the stage couldn't be too much longer we worked to put every second that we could into the bank. The finish line soon appeared on the horizon and we crossed adding another 30 seconds to our advantage.

digging deep to stay with Ollie

Stage 4 was held at the nearby show grounds on a small arena set on the side of a hill. Snaked back and forth across it 5 times the course took about 80 seconds to complete with teams sent off at 1 minute intervals in reverse GC order. Day 4 was another cool, rainy day. The stage had more of a festival atmosphere than a race feel with everybody getting the chance to watch every other team complete the course. Once every team had finished their run it was time to relax into the end-of-event celebrations.

Racing with Ollie was great fun. The three main stages saw me pushing consistently the hardest I can remember, from start to finish, to be sure not to let our pairs team down. The reward was in the result, with us cleaning every stage without mishap and winning our category for the event. Thanks Ollie!!

A major part of our success was in the preparation. It was great to have the support of Topgear Cycles to keep me supplied with all the spares and race nutrition I could imagine might be needed. Thanks Peter, for helping me keep my Specialized Stumpjumper pedaling, shifting and braking smoothly. A broken spoke was the only unrepairable casualty. My thanks to Adrian (team mate for Becs) for generously lending me a spare wheel he had brought along. Becs and Adrian took third in their category and fellow Topgear riders, Karina Vitiritti and Phillipa Birch teamed up to take second of the Female Open Pairs.
I followed the training program and once again I was amazed at how effectively Jen's coaching could push and elevate my own riding performance.

Becs & Adrian - Third in Mixed Pairs (40-49)

Celebrating our win!!
 

 

Surfcoast 100 - same game, different format

It was great to be standing on the second tier of the Surfcoast 100 Masters podium at Anglesea. The race was a key part of my training program in more ways than one, the biggest factor was completing a 100km race, a distance that I had not hit for quite some time.

The start was as casual and cheery as a race start can be, until the gun went off… There was a good size field with plenty of people well versed in MTB racing by history of their successes, and no one seemed to be leaving to chance missing out on early dibs on the track. A long, rolling power line track was used to get the bunch strung out with the first real pinch delivering the frenzied sounds of Shimano vs SRAM as chains climbed cassettes. It was good to see the enthusiasm of riders wanting best position into a tree-tunnelled, single track run that slowly wound its way back to the main start/finish line. This was only the prologue section to string out the masses before crossing the start line of the 25km circuit. The pace was on, the four laps would be plenty of work.

My plan was to hold a high pace through the opening lap. This found me working with another rider, Thomas, for the next 30km. From where I was sitting our similar speeds suggested that there was no point trying to move past. After the first couple of kilometres we fired up some conversation - it wasn't any problems-of-the-world solving, in-depth stuff, more so introductions and where each other mainly rides or trains. We still had a long way to go, so it seemed we were both content with sharing the load for a while. Although twisting through single track doesn't offer any appreciable advantage for the second rider it will always give a firm comparison of two riders' strengths, whether it's climbing, descending, or cornering, and also highlights technical ability. Thomas was descending faster and I was back in touch through the climbs. It was good then to have each other at hand for the open, flat fire road across the back of the circuit as we progressed solidly onward. This is one of my areas of weakness, and once again I rode away with another lesson. The lesson was to learn the fine line between enough exertion and digging that little bit too deep, specially when you're taking a turn at the front.

Heavy rain during the week had left some generous sized puddles (and in some cases pools) of water at several areas of the course. They were the kind of puddles that just look black and give no indication of depth or treachery. One of these near the closing 5km of the lap caught me getting a foot out to avoid sprawling across the track, fortunately Thomas, hot on my rear wheel, was keeping an eye out and avoided any contact. It gave us both a laugh as well as notes to selves which line to avoid in the coming laps.

By the middle of the second lap it was becoming clear that Thomas was a consistently stronger and faster rider as gaps started stretching from 5 to 10 to 20 seconds to… well, I was on my own. Once or twice he looked around to keep me in the picture so at a point where a couple of switchbacks turned back on each other I thanked him and settled my pace down a little.

From the third lap my legs were screaming for some kind of relief. This was not in my schedule but became one of those unplanned situations that needed to be dealt with. I expected there would be some hurt but was hoping it wouldn't come as early as it had. My nutrition program was on track so I put it down to going out a bit too hard for a bit too long and so I had to take responsibility for my own actions. Over exerting from that point was going to lead to clear disaster. I still had a full cassette of gears to play with and continued on, preserving energy where possible, knowing how good I would feel for finishing the entire distance.

On sighting the last climb of the last lap I pushed out whatever the legs had left to crest over to the downhill approach of the finish line. It was that easy… 100km… done.

Those last two laps were a real test of motivation over fatigue. Hanging onto second place in Masters was a pleasing reward.

You Yangs Yowie, 2013

The start of the You Yangs Yowie had it's traditional bunch pace, no-one letting the wheel in front get away, everyone making sure not to push any harder than necessary on the opening 5km of fire road. I was riding the two lap, 66km race option, with a combination of endurance and respect for the technical aspects of the You Yangs. Hiding in the bunch as we approached the first real climb up Great Circle Drive the usual tussle began as riders tried to get a clear run at the up-coming single track descent. Brett Kellett and I hit this together, lead in by a couple of other riders that we were able to break past as we rode through the next cobbled gully ascent.

The climb up Lactic offered the usual pressure to not screw up. I miss-timed the early boulder step-up and dropped the bike, clambering aside while Brett rode past, then jumped back on in pursuit. I kept in touch through the remainder of the climb, and the next couple of descents and climbs, however, as we pedalled on the gap to Brett's wheel kept increasing.

Leaving the more technical side of the You Yangs, it was onto the flatter, Kurrajong side. 

With the constant twisting and winding of most mountain bike trails it is not uncommon to be within 30 seconds of the next rider yet hardly ever see them. After a couple of kilometres on the Kurrajong side the trail hit an open, straight, 800m stretch of fire road on a slight incline. Here I measured my time deficit to the group of four riders ahead of me to be about 45 seconds. Tipping into the next section of flowing trails that wriggle their way through the trees I was soon rounded by the next rider, Stuart.

Part of the attraction of mountain biking, for me, is the interaction on the trails with other riders, some known and many I am yet to meet. Until this point I had not met Stuart, but I was to share the trails wheel-to-wheel with him for a majority of the second lap. Stuart was stronger on the flatter sections and gradually slipped away in the early stages of the second lap, until Great Circle Drive once again steepened. Driving the climb I made back the gap. He then stuck with me for the descent of Trav's, By this time we were catching the slower riders of the 33km event that started an hour after we had. As Lactic began to rise we picked past a handful of other riders before the technical rock step-ups of the climb, getting through these cleanly this time. We picked up more riders on the flowing descents and climbs to get across to Boulder before winding our way across the flats of the Stockyards toward the final climb of Great Circle Drive. We caught up with about 4 or 5 other 66km riders that had broken away at the first descent of Trav's an hour and a half earlier.

After successfully descending the link track to the flatter Kurrajong side Stuart moved past and onward. This gave me a perfect chance to put some work into my flat track game. As the finish line loomed ahead I dug out whatever was left in the legs to cross within eleven seconds of Stuart. Once again, it was great to make the effort to be a part of this event hosted by Geelong Mountain Bike Club. It perfectly showcases the excellent trails of the You Yangs and the fantastic nature of the competitors. 

Forrest 6 Hour - May 2013

It has been a long time since I have done a Le Mans style running start for an enduro, and this was how the Forrest 6 Hour 2013 was set to begin. Team-mate Chris Wallace waited at the top of the hill with my bike whilst I waited about 150 metres away at the bottom of the pit lane for the starter's shout. The swarm of chaos ascended to grab the bikes, with riders trying all manner of techniques to make a start on the pedalling discipline. The opening lap stayed on open fire road for a little more than a kilometre which stretched the field out a bit more before the conga-line into the single track. The first lap can always have an element of stop/start with traffic and bottle-necking but maybe it wouldn't have been as bad if I had a more effective running pace. The first couple of kilometres of single track provided plenty of entertainment with people putting on the pressure, other riders cracking under the pressure, some moves of desperate overtaking attempts and in the later part riders only too happy to pull to the side and let others through.

Chris rounding the final turn to the finish line.

Chris and I decided to do a single lap each and then move into double laps for as long as we felt was effective. I finished the opening lap and handed on to Chris, then watched him rapidly disappear up the pit lane ascent. This gave me just under 22 minutes rest before Chris appeared out of the final corner setting us up for the commencement of double laps.

The atmosphere on the trails was excellent. Overnight rain had left a couple of puddles that were soon cleared out by passing mountain bikes. In general the trails were a lightly dampened hard pack, providing everyone with the time of their life on the ideal trail conditions. Our decision to ride double laps proved to be a good one. Between us, Chris and I were able to keep our double laps consistent, at worst the difference between a first and second lap was 30 seconds through the fast and flowing trails. With a few obstacles enroute to keep everyone on their toes it felt like the course became faster as the day progressed. Several times during some fast, rough descents I wondered how Chris was coping with his rigid fork, hardtail Stumpjumper, I'm still more than happy to have suspension forks.

Some on-course action. Thanks for the photo Brad Hill.

Thankfully we both kept the bikes upright for the day. Chris's fiancé, Sally, and his parents were keeping us up to date with the race positions. We were able to gain a couple of places up the ladder within the last couple of hours of the race to finish 7th, 23 seconds behind the very determined 6th place team.

Thanks Chris for another fantastic pairs race!

Brad Hill's photo bucket of the event