Tour of Waikanae 2009

This year I rode the Tour of Waikanae for the first time. I felt unfit, slow and unprepared but my work colleague Phillip successfully co-erced me into entering. With a flat battery in my car and a glorious day of weather I decided to try and catch up on training - by cycling 60km from Wellington to Waikanae for the start instead of driving.

Ride Data:
Distance:	97.35km	4,674 Calories
Time:	3:33:26	27.4 km/h
Elevation:	Ascent: 271m	Descent: 273m
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player	MapMyRide
Location:	Waikanae, NZ	11 October 2009

 

The event itself consisted of four 25km laps around Waikanae with a long stretch with hair-pin turn out to Peka Peka and back.

Things were going well for me on the first lap at least until going around the hair-pin and when the bunch I was riding with really put the “gas” on. I wasn’t fit enough to match it as my heart rate leapt over 180bpm. Unfortunately and once I was isolated from the bunch there seemed no way back. It was one of those days where the wasn’t km exceptionally strong but at the same time it was enough that without the help of drafting the resistance was too much to make up the gap and catch back on.

 

Each of the four laps I progressively got slower which showed both my lack of fitness and the extra 60km I had ridden. All the same, 60km there; 100km in the event and a further 60km home again was a solid workout for the day. Hopefully the fitness gained will help with the rest of the spring and early summer cycling events coming up.