A little too Mammoth

Before the now infamous altercation I had with a wombat, I had entered the Graperide Mammoth which is a 1010km over ten laps of the 101km circuit, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Graperide event. I was confident of riding well at that time when I entered, however as I continue to rebuild strength in my right shoulder and attempt to regain fitness lost, and lise weight gained whilst  injured - for the first time I will be starting an event that I do not expect to finish. It remains however, an opportunity on the long road to recovery.

I have made some bike setup changes, including a ridiculous 34-30 granny gear to enable me to climb without aggravating the injury. While I am able to stay inside the generous time limits of Randonneuring, I am sone way from being at "race" or optimum pace. With a 51hr time-limit the 1010km Mammoth's timecut is a full 24 hours shorter than a Randonneuring time limit for that same distance. It is also 9 hours less than an UltraCycling time limit set @10.5mph. As such I expect to see many DNFs or unofficial finishers among those that have entered this event as a challenge, rather than as a race.

Good luck to all the riders in this event.

There will be live tracking available at: http://graperide.co.nz/graperide/gps

The Graperide Ultimate 505k

One year ago, I allowed a blot on my record. The ugly consecutive letters of  D, N & F. I failed to complete the 505k Graperide Ultimate. This remains the only time that I have failed to complete an endurance event (although, in one instance I completed the course but narrowly missed the final time-cut). I had to avenge this terrible blot on my record and complete the Graperide Ultimate in 2013 by completing the 505km in under the 24 hour time-limit. I have ridden over 500km plenty of times, but never within, or close to 24 hours before. 

Ride Data:
Distance:	494.7km
Time:	22h40m (elapsed) 20h44m (moving)
Elevation gain:	3,623m
Ride Data:	Strava / Garmin Connect
Starters / Finishers	14 / 10 (71% finished)
Location:	Renwick, Apr 5-6, 2013

Leading into the ride, I felt I had been riding stronger. Strava agreed, with (“post-Strava”) personal records being achieved almost everytime I sat on my Brooks saddle and pedalled for the month beforehand. I also reminded myself, that to improve on last year, I just had to get less than three punctures on the first lap! Thankfully, I was able to carry this form into the Ultimate, which I successfully completed in 22h40m. I was especially pleased to finish strongly, even after this distance rather than suffering, hurting and stubbornly pedalling to the finish. This finishing performance has left me pumped and motivated for larger challenges coming up later in the year.

Many of the usual New Zealand Ultra gang were at the startline – New Zealand 24hr Indoor Record holder Eugene Collins; NZ 24hr Outdoor Record holder Stu Downs, the first, and fastest Kiwi to finish the RAAM Joshua Kench, defending Ultimate champion Greg Manson, Tim “the Potato Guy” Neal, Uwe Paschke, Brandon Skilton, Damian Day and few others I hadn’t met before, including Craig Harper who finished 2nd. It looked like a strong field, and the high pace was evident with defending champion Greg Manson riding 12 minutes faster than 2012, to finish third.

Lap One (3h39m +12m):

Lap one began with most riders in a bunch, rotating out the work off the front until some of the faster guys decided to step on the gas as Blenheim approached, at which time I quickly found myself spat out in my usual place - off the back. I was resigned to not seeing any other riders for a few more laps, but was surprised to come across Eugene struggling a bit in the vicinity of Queen Charlotte Drive, and the Linkwater straights. I has passed him, but he came back riding fast and strong along the straights. I joked to myself at getting him on the approaching right-hand bend (Eugene had recently obtained the NZ Indoor 24 hour record on a velodrome, only turning left) and sure enough I did. Eugene was still overcooked from his record breaking feat and withdrew shortly after that.

Matt Oliver kindly helped me refill my bottles etc (thankyou!) and I was back underway after about 12 minutes replenishing my food and drinks, and putting my hi-viz gilet in my pocket for use later in the lap.

Lap Two (4h14m +25m):

I rode the second lap in solitude, but recall Matt Oliver advising me that Tim was aiming to catchup to me on this lap. Surprisingly, even after a bit of faffing making sure I had the right spare clothing for the pending cold of night, I still hadn’t seen Tim anywhere.

Graperide Ultimate 505k 2013
Place	Rider	Time
1st	Joshua Kench	17h46m
2nd	Craig Harper	17h49m
3rd	Greg Manson	18h47m
4th	Jamie Campbell	19h00m
5th	Gary Bence	20h29m
6th	Stu Downs	21h13m
7th	Craig McGregor	22h40m
8th	Uwe Paschke	23h10m
9th	Brandon Skilton	23h41m
10th	Jon Shutt	23h59m
Source: http://www.thetimingteam.co.nz

Lap Three: 13:15 (4h51m +15m)

Ugh! Punctured. Right outside the pub in Renwick to ensure that I got a running commentary as I changed the tube, and confirmed that bar patrons don’t know what Lance looks like (or that, he never had repair his own punctures). Following the repair in haste, I could feel a bump in the tyre as I rode off, and a short way down the road, I had to deflate and reseat the tyre into the rim wall correctly again. It was getting cooler, but the knee and merino arm warmer combo was working well.

Uwe passed early in this lap, on Queen Charlotte and I returned the favour between Havelock and Renwick. We must have been riding at a similar pace, with variance in speed depending on conditions, as this occurred a few times over the next couple of laps.

Definitely found maintaining speed in darkness an issue, especially without a high volume of cateyes and road-side post-mounted reflectors. Suicidal hedgehogs were all over the road to add some slalom action!

I completed the lap and arrived to Damian sleeping in the TPG shelter, and no sign of Matt Oliver (who I later learned had gone to fetch Tim whom had withdrawn due to achilles tightness late in his third lap). Pure self-service for refilling this time round. It was definitely getting cold. I placed a balaclava in my back pocket, for if it got any colder on my fourth lap.

Lap Four:  18:15 (4h45m +18m)

Ahead of me, was fast approaching behind me. The head to head duel for line honours between Joshua Kench and Craig Harper was on. I understand that Josh punctured, when Craig passed him. Craig passed on Queen Charlotte while I fought hard not to be lapped with my light battery slowly fading away. I swapped my battery over on the Linkwater straight and heading over Mahakipawa Hill where Josh came through and lapped me, on his way to a narrow three minute victory.

Lap Five: (4h07m)

I managed to depart for my fifth lap marginally ahead of the one-lap riders start and received some encouragement from Josh and others as I departed for my final lap. I hoped to make as much use of drafting as possible. This was good in theory, but the bunches that had just started had far too much enthusiasm for my 400km+ legs. I passed Uwe, for the final time on the way up Old Renwick Road to Blenheim. I received plenty of encouragement from other Onslow Tarbabies – Frank et al as they whizzed by. Gillian kindly offered some drafting assistance on the way into Picton until she was able to hold onto a bunch. In general, I was okay on the flats on this laps against those with fresh legs, providing they didn’t attack. I was grinding out the hills a bit more than usual on this lap.



I briefly saw fellow Tarbaby Rachel at Linkwater on her way to winning the two-lap Magnum – congratulations on your victory. Once over Mahakipawa for the final time, I was amongst split bunches of riders riding one lap in about 3h30 and was able to hold their wheels, and even lead the bunches at times. With the final hill about 6km from the finish I gave it a nudge and went hard for the line from there. When I saw Rick & Jo from the Tarbabies in their car next to me over the Wairau River bridge I knew I couldn’t let up and remained in the big-ring and down in the drops riding hard the whole way to the line – after all, this is where the cameras are, and it is important to look good for the cameras!!







All done in 22h40m13s. This is by far my fastest 500km or thereabouts. My trip data is showing a little less distance than the claimed 505km. Most likely due to both GPX file straight-lining, and not coming in and our of the Forrest Estate Driveway on each lap.

Just 80% Ultimate

Ride Data:
Distance:	396km
Time:	21h04m (elapsed) 16h40m (moving)
Elevation gain:	3,561m
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect
Location:	Renwick, NZ March 23-24, 2012

 

Stu, whom I met during the Lake Taupo Extreme Enduro (8 laps) did a great job drumming up support for this years 'Ultimate' by encouraging enough riders to enter to ensure we were above the 10 rider threshold required by the end of 2011. My rubber arm was once again easily twisted and my entry was in.

 

When March came around and the Graperide approached I was still recovering from some big efforts in February's Kiwi Brevet and Southern Kiwi Hunt double header. Never one to pike, I was always going to be at the startline regardless.On the way I met Andrew Morrison whom, I had previously only known from the Facebook Endurance Riding group. It is certain that there is enough comradary between endurance riders that when we see each other or even first meet, its like we're all old friends.

 

My first lap of five was certain one of deflation. It began in the bunch of 13 or so starters of which I feeling comfortable and spent most of the first 30-40km near the front until puncturing heading toward Koromiko, and then my second a few more kilometres down the road before arriving in Picton. After the second puncture, the motivation was well and truly waning and left me barely ambling around Queen Charlotte Drive, through Linkwater and Havelock back to Renwick to sign in to complete lap one. There was one brief check of my bearings when I saw a cycle race up a side street that I was not the direction of the course. On the way into the sign-in area I received my third puncture. Unbelievable. I had recently asserted that I was wearing out more 700x25C Continental GP4 All Season tyres than I had punctures when riding them. In just 100km the law of averages rapidly came back and bit me. 3h53m was disappointing for lap one on fresh legs. I was a little surprised that I was not last to sign in.  I had I somehow passed The Potato Guy without seeing him? I suggested he may have turned left down the road where the cycle race sign was. Indeed he had. TPG receives the award for the most kilometres covered during the first lap. (Thanks heaps for the spare tube Tim!).

 

Tim dropped me on the way up Blenheim on Lap 2. I think I spent the entire lap cursing the fact I lost the group so early with my three punctures on lap 1. The highlight of the lap was probably the ice cream I stopped for at Spring Creek. When I came around to check in with lap 2 complete (8h53m elapsed), the attrition was already showing with a couple of riders out already. While puncture-less this time around, I was already slowing down.

 

I had some soup and coffee between laps (thank Tim & Liz) and dragged Brandon and his sounds out to start lap 3. Brandon's MP3 player and speakers soon disappeared in front of me so I stopped in Blenheim for a pie and some chocolate milk and later curled up for a short a nap on the way out of Koromiko, getting back on my bike as race leader Greg Manson was about to lap me. We mostly rode together, or at least near each other until Linkwater when he powered beyond me along the Linkwater straights. Thankyou Greg's supporters for the coke and snacks :).

 

When I checked in to complete lap 3, the attrition rate was once again showing with Brandon was back at his motel, Tim asleep and a a couple of withdrawals on the sign in sheet. I headed off for my fourth lap with the main achievement of this lap being that I did not stop for pie nor chocolate milk nor ice-cream. However, my legs were gone as I ambled around, lapped by Colin on Queen Charlotte Drive and Nick Dunne at Linkwater. I surprisingly pulled the lap back from Nick on the run in to the finish which will have had more to do with his knee injuries than my own (not-so) strong form.

 

With lap 4 done and dark clouds over the Richmond Range I pulled the pin and recorded a very rare DNF. I was pretty knackered, but ultimately if may re-use that word I had no chance of finishing in under 24 hours and riding in the rain if it came would not be that much fun. I have ridden 500km many times, and just grinding out the final 100km was would neither prove, nor achieve anything. On the other hand the craft beer recovery drink on offer from Forrest Estate the "Peddlers Pilsner" was a fine drop and went down very well before I headed back to the motel for a shower followed by dinner at the Allan Scott Estate with the familiar faces of the Onslow Tarbabies.

 

I do find rides of this distance difficult. It is short enough to contemplate not resting at all which is possible when starting well rested. The increased average speed of a 400-500km ride over a 1000km ride makes them quite different beasts to tackle with muscular endurance coming more to the fore with less restful recovery opportunities. Stopping to eat as has become my habit doesn’t quite work that well for this distance. For myself, as much as I see the attraction of the multi-lap courses for logistics and support crews. I definitely prefer events that are not multiple laps of the same route to keep myself mentally stimulated.

 

I will likely ride the Ultimate again next year with my main motivation being that I know I can do much, much better and with the correct pre-event focus should be able to finish in 22 hours or less.

The Forrest Graperide 2010

After last year’s Graperide I was eager to improve on my time. After the previous weekend’s Kapiti Cycle Challenge I was confident of smashing last years 3h27m25s. In fact, I felt like I could give the 3 hour mark a good nudge. 

Ride Data:
Distance:	100.04km	5,077 Calories
Time:	3:03:28	32.7km/h
Elevation:	Ascent: 689m	Descent: 689m
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player
Location:	Renwick, NZ	27 March 2010

With the Bluebridge on as sponsors for the ride this year, the discounts for the weekend ferry sailings made it an economical jaunt over to the South Island. The ferry was chocker with cars carrying as many cycles as they could possibly manage. Surprisingly, I was the only person to cycle off the ferry in Picton – just a short 37km ride to Renwick.

Having entered the Graperide a few months earlier, at a time when I had much less fitness I had entered myself in the under 3:30 group (2000 series numbers) rather than the under 3 hour group (1000 series numbers). In hope of leaving with the 1000 series numbers to try and get a bunch riding at good speed, II arrived at the start early and lined up in the start area near the back of the 1000 series numbers. Some of the event marshals observing y 2000 series race number insisted that I drop back to start with the under 3:30 group. There was no convincing them to allow me and some other riders from the Wellington based training group Gear Shifters to advance to the faster starting group :(.

Somewhere between being sent back to the 3:30 group at which we were at the “front” of and finally starting a couple of hundred other 3:30 group riders managed to utilise the tandems starting area and start ahead of us. With a minute or two between each starting bunch of up to 100 riders I eventually left the start line 14 minutes behind the front of the 1000 series (or under 3 hour group).

Keen to break 3 hours, riding out of Renwick I put on as much gas I could to try and both advance to stronger riders and pull some stronger riders with me that might help establish a speedy bunch to aid this cause. With my ticker pumping at 199bpm, a tad over my theoretical maximum heartrate. Phew, no cadiac arrest :D.

Heading toward Picton there were about six of us pulling a large pack. Once hitting the only real hill of the ride, up Queen Charlotte Drive the pack dissipated behind us. Descending back to sea level we were now riding past riders that had predominantly 1000-series (sub-3hr) numbers on their backs that had obviously fallen off the back of their groups in front. The twelve of so of us left from the large pack cycled together as far as Linkwater. I had been feeling far stronger than I have for the past year or two and had done a fair amount of leading. Possibly a little too much? But it feels good to set the pace rather than trying to hold on to the back of a bunch! Near Linkwater, as I rehydrated at the back of the group I missed a crucial break that halved it’s size. With a moderate headwind, I lacked the enthusiasm to jump and chase them. I rode more restfully on the way through to the small climb at Havelock.

At Havelock I got onto the back of a well paced group and found my “second-wind” with the increasing pace. At about 5km to go the strongest rider in the group was off into a sprint for the line. I knew I didn’t have that distance of a sprint in me and hung with the group until we crossed the bridge over the Wairau River and 2km to go. As I increased my pace I had a few riders in my sights as I entered the windy driveway into Forrest Estate where I picked a couple more places from riders with most their energy already spent. No sign of the guy who had left our bunch in his wake a few km down the road though.

On net time I finished in 3h3m28s, a little outside the 3 hour target I had set myself. As convinced I am that I would have ridden a sub-3 if I had started sooner, I can’t be too disappointed after taking almost 24 minutes off my time from last years Graperide!!! I am determined to do a sub-3 next year and I’ll be sure to start with a 1000 series number on my back.

Cycle: 2009 Graperide

Ride Data:
Distance:	101km	4658 Calories
Time:	3:27:25	29.2 km/h
Elevation:	Ascent: 692m	Descent: 687m
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player	MapMyRide
Location:	Blenheim, NZ	4 April 2009

The Grape Ride is a relatively flat, 101km fun ride through the wine growing region of Marlborough.

It seemed an ideal event to try and work on increasing my recently disappointing pace. Having a best time over this distance of 2:42, I thought I had conservatively placed myself in the 3 - 3:30 starting group with bibs numbered 2000 to 2999. I was hoping to slip in at around 3 hours, but that is going to need to wait until next year. Yep, too fat, too slooow again. That said, on the plus side I am seeing my average cadence rate increasing which should help my speed and recovery in the long term? Fingers crossed anyway :).

The start was staggered and released in very small bunches. It was a very compressed starting area with thousand or so cyclists in the middle of the Forrest Estate vineyard. That said, they put on a great atmosphere with their location and sponsorship of this event. At the start area there is very little room to move, making it tricky to get into the exact place you prefer, e.g. near the front of your desired starting group, or for many it appeared even into their desired starting bunch. It took over 30 minutes from the gun, before the small bunch I was released with made it to the start line.

Mental note: Get to the start uber-early next year to be at the front of my starting group

Once across the startline, I quickly caught a bunch of 100 or so heading towards Blenhiem. The 20km/h along the flat was too irritating for me, so I cleanly made way to the front of the bunch. Through to Blenheim in good time at ~36km/h, with 50-60 passengers remaining.

From Blenhiem, the going was slower as we turned left into a headwind towards Picton. Our bunch had 4-5 workers at the front of our bunch a large trail behind us. As we hit the small hills on the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive the bunch soon broke up, and the mixed ability of the 20 or still on the front of the bunch became apparent. I saw the same people come past me on every incline :(, and then I went past them on each descent :).



Unfortunately, I dropped off the back of this group while eating and drinking into the headwind as we headed towards Havelock. I was unable to find my way back on and was really starting to feel my legs, possibly a result of the previous weekend hilly ride at Le Race.

Mental note, learn to use my drink-bottles with my left hand so that I can still change gears and stay with the bunch

Thankfully, it was an uneventful day for me, but I was surprised at the number of crashes that had occurred in front of me. I saw St John cleaning up three people who had heavy bunch crashes from what I could tell. Some concerntration lapses in front of me that made me pleased to be slow off the start-line. I was also directly behind someone's rear whell as their derailleur hanger broke, sending their rear derailleur going straight into their backwheel. An unfortunate and expensive ride for them today.

I really enjoyed the finish through a flat and twisting lane among the grape vines. I found it fun putting in my final dash through there.

I finished in 3:27:25 this year which leaves me a good half-hour to try and chop off my finishing time next year.

You can see more of this event in this Youtube Video - of people who were a long, long way in front of me.