K2 2010

The K2 is one of the hillier single day rides that one can find, yet even as incredibly slow hill climber I find it to be one of my favourite events over a wonderfully scenic, 185km coastal course.

Ride Data:
Distance:	184.8km	9292 Calories
Time:	8h08m	22.68 km/h (87.26km/h MAX)
Cadence:	Avg: 78 rpm	Max: 144 rpm
Ride Data:	Summary data only. GPS data borked on this ride sigh
Location:	Coromandel, NZ	30 October 2010

Being a hilly course I haven’t really performed on the course in the past so I entered in the last and slowest group (9). With a three minute gap between each starting group. Approaching the start of the group 9 start a quick calculation in my head made me realise that I was going to have take a whole hour from my previous two rides in this event to be finished before the prize giving began! Today, I was delighted after taking a full an hour and half from my previous two rides in this event.

On the first hill (Manaia) I passed a rider who had the unfortunate mishap of having already broken their chain (and derailleur hangar?).  On the way up the second hill of Kerata, Brent whom I had met the previous week on the GWALoop  caught up with me. It was not a surprise for me to see him ride straight past me as we travelled uphill. However I saw him stopped as I flew down the other side of the hill with my chin on the handlebar stem. I never saw him again until the final climb over Whangapoua where I learned he had punctured coming over the top of Kerata.

I then spent most of the ride along the coast to Thames in a large group, but to be honest the rotations were not particularly smooth and at times even scary. I reached Thames about 50 minutes quicker than I did in 2008 making it my fastest ride over this leg. With the rotation of the starting towns, this first leg this year so fresh legs no doubt helped me gain the my personal best time for the leg.

Once through Thames, it was the climb up the Kopu-Hikuai Hill (425m) for the highest point on the ride. This is a gradual, rather than steep ascent and I unusually found myself near the front of the group that gradually disintegrated on the way up to the summit. I was mostly riding on my own, or in small clusters of riders for the rest of the ride from here. I reached Tairua 2h11m after leaving Thames, now 2 from 2 for personal bests for each leg. I was now on target to be about an hour ahead of my previous best time for the whole ride. Finishing before prize-giving began was now obviously not going to be an issue :).

Estimated section differences 2008 / 9 & 10	2008	2009	2010
Coromandel Town to Thames:	2:44:48	2:51:41	1:54:22
Thames to Tairua:	2:30:00	2:36:30	2:11:36
Tairua to Whitianga:	2:02:02	2:17:01	1:41:35
Whitianga to Coromandel Town:	2:21:01	1:52:19	2:21:12
	9:37:51	9:37:31	8:08:45

Improved form followed me over Pumpkin Hill and down to Whitianga, placing me another 20 minutes ahead of my previous best for this leg. 3/3 for leg personal bests. Undoubtedly, a PB for the whole ride coming right up.

With the revolving start beginning at Coromandel this year, it left the hilliest section to last. The Whangapoua Hill was far more challenging having already ridden 170km! For some reason my GPS data was corrupted on this ride and unreadable afterwards. All evidence of my use of the ‘two-foot’ gear is thereby erased forever! Finishing with the climbs of Kuotuna; Myundermans; Gentle Annie and then Whangapoua really hit the legs and this was the only sector that I did not ride a personal-best sector in.

All up, I took about 90 minutes off my previous times in this event, and had my best time for 3 of the 4 individual legs that make up the event.. 8h8m was good for me on a hilly course. The moderate climbing efforts have improved greatly, the steep climbs need some work yet. Once it reaches a certain level of steepness I am grinding it out far too slowly. This may require more strength training.

Can I find a sub-7h30m in 2011?

Lake Wairarapa Fun Ride 2010

The Lake Wairarapa Fun Ride, organised by the Wellington Veterans Cycling Club traverses a relatively gentle course without a lot of climbing and at just 80km long offers a good option for the first ride of the spring fun rides to blow out the cobwebs from winter.

Ride Data:
Distance:	80km	4,268 Calories
Time:	2h 20m 21s	34.2 km/h (54.3m/h MAX)
Elevation:	Ascent: 226m	Descent: 224m
Cadence:	Avg: 86rpm	Max: 110rpm
Heart rate:	Avg: 81%of est. max	Max: 95% est, max rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Featherston, NZ	3 October 2010

It is a time of year where the wind can be a bit of an issue. I last rode this in 2006 (2h36m5s), with the 2007 called off due to dangerous winds. For 2010, it was fabulous day and the only problem was I didn’t have the legs to hold the 40km+ group down the road to Lake Wairarapa.

The return journey was a bit dramatic with two crashes around me. The first occurred when I was in a group of three, and the rider in front of me briefly stopped pedalling to look behind him. When I stopped pedalling too the third riders front wheel touch mine and we stopped briefly as he climbed out of the ditch with a juicy scratch on his hand.

The second incident happened when I was leading a large bunch that caught up to us. Not sure what happened I just saw multiple bicycles going down together behind me. With plenty of the bunch helping others back up I kept riding through this time.

Craig's Lake Wairarapa Results
2006	2:36:05
2010	2:20:21

After sitting in a large bunch behind a tandem for an unfair amount of time, I took a lead slightly too early at 3km out and watched everyone ride past me over the last 500 metres.

It was pleasing to knock 16 minutes off my previous ride in the event. Nice to start the spring with a PB!

The R4 2010

After last year’s R4, I thought it had to be better weather this year. Well, perhaps not. Friday night’s sleep with interrupted by thunder and lightning and it was pouring down when I left the cabin for the ride. Apparently their fourth successive R4 in the rain! It was one of those days when you just were not sure where the balance between dryness, warmth and over cooking yourself once the ride started was. Thankfully it stopped raining on the start-line so I threw my rain cape to Dad on the side lines and swapped it for a wind vest to keep the chill off.

Ride Data:
Distance:	88.57km	4509 Calories
Time:	2:34:01	34.5 km/h (77km/h max)
Elevation:	Ascent: 422m	Descent: 702m
Cadence:	Avg: 95 rpm	Max: 120 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player
Location:	Rotorua, NZ	15 May 2010

I started near the front with a plan of holding onto the front bunch until the first hill and seeing what happened from there. I didn’t quite make it that far. 42km/h was a really smokin’ pace for me and after about 10km I couldn’t handle it any longer and drifted off the back of the front bunch.

Approaching the first hill after 16km, a large bunch started to form, although disorganised. I sat on the back catching my breath for a moment before hitting  the hill. A little behind at the top I needed a quick descent to get back in touch, during which I lost a water bottle riding over a pothole at about 75km/h. No harm done and I was soon a hundred metres ahead of the bunch prior to the road levelling out. I do find it odd that so few riders at my level try to get low and aero in events like such as this. Even more surprising are those riding on expen$ive, aerodynamic wheelsets worth far more than my entire bike. Surely any aerodynamic gain from the wheelset is lost from sitting up while descending?

A large bunch formed (32 riders finished together according to the results). Unfortunately there was not a lot of enthusiasm to work off the front of the bunch. This is a frustration I may need to used to now that I have improved my fitness. Wanting to improve net time from last time I found myself leading a lot, in a rotation at the front of the bunch with 3 others. No amount of screaming and hand waving was able to get others to come forward. Even when trying to peel off the front to the right, riders behind moved across the road following your wheel. I found this a tad frustrating but looking for net time, not placing I had few options.

Getting nearer the end the four of us leading the pack tried to get a break on in anticipation of what was likely to happen in the final kilometre….. Unfortunately, we could not hold it as the group behind soon closed the gap and most passed us approaching the finish with some dodgy moves over a narrow bridge amongst traffic. The traffic conditions at the time we went through pretty much made a mess of a good sprint finish. Those the did the work and stayed on the left side of the road over the bridge came in the back of the group. This ruined any chance of sprinting at the line, and finishing back of this pack felt completely unjust!

Afterwards another rider commented to me that I was a great tow truck etc. I couldn’t help but feel that we all would have been quicker if all of the group had worked together.

Regardless all that. My 2nd fastest average speed ever in a road funride/event, and my fastest for three years. All managed regardless of horrible weather and an uncooperative bunch.  I finished in 2h34m01s - about 40 minutes quicker than last year. Recently I have been working on smoothing out my pedalling technique.  An average cadence of 95rpm indicates that this has been very successful. This is the best ride I have had for years, felt strong for the entire ride and a higher speed than I have had in ages. The more hilly events in spring will be a greater test I just need to carry my fitness through the winter.

I feel gutted that it is winter already. I’m looking forward to flying to warmer pastures and great company.  And I can’t wait to get back on my bike and find new personal limits for myself.

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.

Kapiti Cycle Challenge 2010

I was feeling exciting heading into the Kapiti Cycle Challenge. This is one of, if not my most favourite course over which annual fun ride events are held. With testing hills that will not  completely destroying your spirits, intertwined with the fast flat sections down the Kapiti Coast and up the Hutt Valley in-between it offers a bit of everything.

Ride Data:
Distance:	91.17km	4,649 Calories
Time:	3:09:30	28.9km/h
Elevation:	Ascent: 1,096m	Descent: 1,087m
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player
Location:	Wellington, NZ	21 March 2010

I went into the ride encouraged with improved hill climbing the previous week during the HospiBikeRide. It had been some while since my last cycling personal best, surely today I could manage one?  My nephew, Jordan had been staying for the weekend. After watching his two consecutive 800m personal bests at the North Island Secondary Schools Athletics Champs he kindly calculated his improvement over the previous twelve months and gave me a time to beat to the nearest second. From memory that was about 8 minutes faster than my 2009 time of 3h31m5s.hew, nailed it with an almost 22 minute improvement in 3h9m30s YAY!!

After the pre-ride safety briefing the mass start went on time at 8:30am. Unfortunately, we came around the first corner and it it was a large peloton hard on the brakes and trying not to make contact with other bikes and riders. The north-bound Overlander train was running a few minutes late. Once the train was through it was over the railway and a brisk pace in the peloton down State Highway 1 to the Paekakariki township before turning left up the Paekakariki hill climb.

This year when ascending Paekakariki there were not masses of riders passing me. I was actually gaining places! Wow! Even on the steep sections. This was a most unusual situation for me and usual lead balloon like approach to hill climbing. The training is paying off. Awesome :). I reached the top of the first climb in a shade over 40 minutes. Wow! 12 minutes ahead of last year in only 20km.

With the help of one other rider we had about a dozen riders in tow from Pahatanui. No amount of encouragement could seem to bring any other riders forward to share the lead. They were just holding on and were only interested in drafting today. By the Haywards Hill summit the rest of the group drop off with just the two of us left for the rapid descent down into the Hutt Valley.

Once into the Hutt Valley we found ourselves in a larger group. Once again lacking in ambition to lead and build good pace. The guy I was riding with up Haywards seemed to be tiring and I found myself oscillating between the front and peeling off to the back until frustration at sub-25km/h pace going straight back to the front. It was difficult to establish any consistent speed along this section as shown in the speed and altitude profile below. I possibly did a bit too much work in this section but my personal goals related to time and not placings. Sitting back and having a rest at 25km/h was not going achieve a significant personal best time. Fortunately shortly before turning for the climb up into to the rides highest point over the Akatarawas a very strong rider in wearing a Marmite jersey took a long strong lead.



The ascent up the 440m Akatawara Hill begins with natural terraces offering short climbs followed by flattish travel. It doesn’t get very steep until the final push for the the summit. During the climb as is usually the case the group we were riding in broke up. Some strong riders that had taken a ‘breather’ earlier took off from the front. A few of us were left around the middle while those that were just trying to hold on to the group up the Hutt Valley disappeared behind.

After winding up the Akatawara Road and over the summit I was greeted by nice, smooth new ‘hotmix’ tarseal on the descending side. Very nice for riding on compared to the usual ‘chipseal’ style road surfaces on most New Zealand. With a narrow and twisty descent to Reikorangi although nicer to ride on and rolling smoother the turns and in ability to see around corners did not exactly allow any speed records on what is a rapid descent.

I crossed the line reasonably strongly showing improving fitness and durability compared to the start of the cycling season in spring. The remaining question being, can I find sufficient improvement to find a further 9m30s time saving to break the 3 hour mark for the third running of the Kapiti Cycle Challenge next March?

It's going to be a long road back to beating the PBs!

June already, I now have 28 days until the half-marathon I entered a few months ago. I entered with a view of improving fitness and cardio to help achieve some cycling PB's heading into the spring and summer cycling events.

Training has been limited to non-existent. It is about 9 years since I last ran this distance. At the moment I have had the odd encourage training run, but really it has been mostly disappointingly slow "jogging". Its going to have be a good effort to get up to speed for this one. Due to my current slothful unfitness I am simply aiming to finish without stopping or walking in under two hours.

So, what do I do over a long weekend while lamenting on my lack of fitness? Well, not much in the miserable gales and hailstorms. Just sitting back and updating my blog of course :). It should be much prettier and more readable now. Thanks to the folks at freeskins.blogspot.com because editing and manipulating CSS certainly is not my forte. I've also added in my Twitter and Garmin Connect feeds for small updates when I am too lazy to write a full blog entry - which happens to be quite often.

2007 Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge

Photos coming soon but for now click here.

It didn't seem to take long for the 160km Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge to come around. For those of you in the know, this is the premier recreation road cycling event in New Zealand which all of us "recreational hack" cyclists aspire for the PB each year. Heading into the event for the second time I had no idea I fit I was compared to last year because every training ride seemed to be a struggle into a gale force breeze. As much as tried to actually "train" this year it never quite got there so the jokes are about a slow buildup of commuter cycling with a late surge (on race day) were not all that far off the mark. (Besides I do have a 150m altitude gain up Ngauranga Gorge every night - good hill training?)

The forecast for race day was excellent but the sound of overnight rain disturbed my sleep. Frustrating, as I left for the start complete with spray jacket. Thankfully shortly before the start of the race the rain stopped and the sun came out. Threw my polypro top and my rain jacket to my father who standing on the sidelines of the starting box. All set now. No rain, no extra layers wahoo!! Then that dreadful sound BAANNNGG spiiiiissssssssshhhhhzzz. I looked back and bugger, thats my tyre not someone-elses! Dad found a floor pump at the mechanics tent and I quickly had the tyre and wheel off. First brand new spare tube had a dung valve. On goes my only spare. Hmmm, long ride without a spare so Dad kindly races back to the mechanics tent for some over-priced inner-tubes Back in the start blocks ten seconds to go. Stuff the spare tubes in my saddle bag. Ready to go! Phew made it!

Somehow found myself on the inside of the front row and led out the second bunch for Group 3 for the only cycling moment of glory in my life. I'll need to watch the highlights on Sky TV in a few weeks. For some unknown reason at the crest of the first hill after a whole one kilometre I felt searing pain go down my arms to my fingertips and right through my legs. I was just all set to jump off my bicycle and roll around in the grass and screaming like a baby, however, having only been one kilometre - not exactly kosher! Only 159km to go! The rough and jarry roads that form the first section of the race were slow and painful. Only 25km/h for the first 40km seemed really slooooooow - sub five hours was looking hard from there. The pain finally subsided as I hit a comfortable 45km/h cruising in the middle of huge bunch on a nice smooth straight - certainly being in an event with 10,000 other riders meant huge bunches and not too much time out front taking the wind. The bunches did tend to dissipate at an accellarating rate on the way up each hill as the race progressed - especially the three larger hills in the race - Waihaha (60km, 125m gain), Kurutau (84km, 100m gain) and Hatepe (particularly brutal at 140km with a 150m gain).

Lake Taupo is a rather large pond to cycle around, with the first 100km very much undulating before a long flat 40km section that abruptly terminates at the foot of Hatepe hill. This flat section is about he only time you see much of the lake itself travelling bum up, head down on your bicycle you don't exactly take in the full splendor of the scenery! I was feeling pretty jaded after 100km so was pleased to get in a small bunch to drag me through Tokaanu and onto SH1. I struggled up Hatepe which seems so much bigger after 140km of riding and what seemed an eternity making the last 20km to the finish. I eventually finished within my five hour goal - just at 4:58:36. This seemed to be aided by someone who passed me near the end and well, I wasn't prepared to put up with that no matter how broken I felt. Strong finish to come in 1075th place. Top 1000 next year?