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.

Going Extreme - eight laps of the pond in 2011

Shortly following last year’s Lake Taupo Enduro (2 laps), I pre-registered for 2011. I did not have to choose my category immediately so I had thought I would choose on the basis of what is left of my little legs when I return from riding 1200km in France. However, I have now received an e-mail to confirm my category before 31 July, and that would be before I leave.

Early Bird Registration

Thank you for making an Early Bird registration for the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge2011.

As advised your Early Bird entry was a preliminary registration & now that full registrations have opened you need to complete a full online entry using a VIP code to complete the process.
…


PLEASE COMPLETE YOUR ENTRY BY 31 JULY.

On the basis that the ultra-distance cycling is helpful for the “diesel engine” staying power, but not for responding to sudden accelerations and attacks, I had ruled out the Solo (153km/1 lap) long ago. So it had to either the Enduro (313km/2 laps), the Maxi Enduro (626km/4 laps) or, the Extreme Enduro (1252km/8 laps). After much deliberation I decided to go hard and enter the Extreme Enduro, for which I have been allocated bib number 9902.

Your bib number is: 9902

I have yet to ride a 1200, but will have three months between the Paris Brest Paris and the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge to either regret the decision or look forward to improving my time over this distance. Usually I would usually prefer more variety by not circulating around the same course.

“The Pond” shrinks by 3.5km?

Climate-change? Volcanic activity? Seismic shift? No, just a minor course switch-a-roo.

I just noticed on www.cyclechallenge.com web-site that the there are some course changes for the 2011 Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge. Obviously it still goes around Lake Taupo, so affectionately known as ‘the Pond’. This year, the relay riders are riding up Poihipi Road, instead of the undulating Whangamata Road, and the solo riders are taking the more undulating option along Whangamata Road.

The descent at 11km could get “interesting” in a large bunch? In all, for single-lap solo riders there is 3.5km less terrain to cover. If you have been close to a goal like sub-5 hours, or 4h30m etc it may be an ideal opportunity?

I'm yet to commit to a specific event at Taupo this year, but it most likely to be in one of the Enduro categories so I will not get to ride on any different roads this year.

Added 19/6/2011: While the net climb of the routes is obviously equal, there is an extra ~90m of cumulative vertical ascent on the more undulating Whangamata Road route. I estimate it would be approximately 4 minutes quicker for an average slow-coach like me when accounting for 3.5km less distance, 90 metres more climbing and a more undulating course rather than a persistent climb to open up.

Twice Around the ‘Pond’–The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge Enduro

Often referred to as a pond by cyclists that have been ridden around it many times, Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s largest lake with a surface area of 616 square kilometres. I have previously ridden around ‘the pond’ four times, one lap in each of the past four years. For me, the 2010 Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge featured a stolen bicycle, a brand new Trek and two enjoyable laps of ‘the pond’.

It was a disrupted lead in after my Specialized Roubaix Expert was stolen just 12 days prior to the event. Thankfully AMI resolved the case promptly, albeit at second-hand value and not replacement value of the bicycle. Capital Cycles gladly accepted my “emergency visa”  to top up the insurance and had me going on a new Trek Madone 5.2 quickly. They were also kind enough to loan me the factory wheels while they built some strong and durable Mavic Open Pro’s with a full compliment of spokes and Dura-Ace hubs. I was lucky to work like this done at the last minute immediately before the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, New Zealand’s largest cycling event. These wheels are more suited to my sturdy frame and the ultra-distance endurance cycling goals I have over the next twelve months. Capital Cycles finished building the wheels on Thursday morning, so I only had a chance for 10km commute home before travelling up to Taupo the following morning.

Ride Data:
Distance:	315.47km	15,078 Calories
Time:	12h42m50s (elapsed) 12h10m53s (moving)	24.8 km/h (avg) 25.9 km/h (avg moving) 75.5 km/h (max speed)
Elevation:	Ascent: 3,512m	Descent: 3,516m
Cadence:	Avg: 86 rpm	Max: 123 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Taupo, NZ	27 November 2010

On Thursday evening I tried to swap the light and fast but not particularly puncture proof Bontrager tyres that came with the bike. Will be handy tyres next time I ride a shorter race or perhaps a criterium. Unfortunately, while I am usually able to change tyres without the use of tyre levers, this tyre and rim combination was simply too tight for my bare hands. With my tyre levers still in the toolbag on my stolen bicycle, the best of  intentions to be prepared in advance came to nothing and I was buying tyre levers at the event hours before my 1:30am start.

With a stiffer frame on the new Trek compared to the stolen Specialized I opted for 25C instead the “standard” 23C tyres. This allowed me to run the tyres at lower pressure without risking a pinch flat. 95-100 PSI both feels better over chipseal and offers lower rolling resistance than at 115-120 PSI I usually run at with 23C tyres. With the chip-sealed roads in New Zealand I am surprised the use of wider tyres for the many of us over 90kg is not standard practice. You may wish to read the excellent article "Tyre Pressure and Load by Jan Heine” which appeared in Adventure Cyclist in March 2009. Thinner tyres are not always faster.

My replacement Ayup headlamp mounts had not arrived from Australia before I left Wellington (In hindsight they had arrived just seven minutes after I left!). Thankfully my work colleague Phil was able to loan me a mount to use, which I fitted when he arrived at the cabin next door. I matched the Ayup light with a Cateye HL-EL530 headlamp to meet the dual lighting requirements for Audax rides. It also gave me a combination of a rechargable system with long battery life, and an backup system that could run off off-the-shelf batteries. Both have a good run times and are bright enough to be used alone for night-time road riding. The EL530 has a small concentrated bright spot, with plenty of less lit, but acceptably right area around it.to see all you need.  The Ayup lights are smaller, yet brighter and offering a far broader and consistent coverage area. The Ayup system offers better lighting, but the EL530 runs on four easily purchasable AA batteries.

With the bicycle complete, I had enough time for about two hours sleep before it was time to get up and head down to the 1:30am start. Tiredness was not a problem for me when I woke. I was excited to get out for a good long ride and see how my nice new Trek would perform. On arrival at Redoubt St, there was a lot of broken glass about but thankfully I did not hear any tyres puncture from it.

I started near the back of a field of about eighty of riders. At 1:33am we were off. To my astonishment as we rode through the initial 16km of predominantly ascending to the highest point I was still holding comfortably in the main bunch. If you are a regular reader my web-log you will be aware that I am quite used to being dropped on climbs. Whether it was training, the enforced 12 day break or the new bicycle I was adamant my new Trek was a “Rocket Ship”’!



The “Rocket Ship” verdict was confirmed through the night as I continued to stick with the bunch up, up, up and over Waihaha, Kuratau and Waihi Hills. I tried to jump the bunch to give myself time to get my brevet card signed at the Turangi Truck Stop. Ultimately, this effort was futile. Even a stop of just a few minutes, is a lot of time on the road. At 30km/h it was a matter of losing 500m per minute to the bunch. With no-one else stopping here I was obviously the only one in this bunch riding as a 300km Brevet to qualify for the Paris-Brest-Paris in August.

The remaining ride through to Taupo was mostly in solitary, although there were a few moments with two other riders. Unfortunately were unable to find speeds that we were able to ride together at. Once through to the Caltex in Taupo in a handy 5h45m. I had a short break, getting my brevet card signed, putting on a clean shirt and swapping two empties for two more bottles of perpetuem. I put some sun block on too, but by the finish it was obvious that “some” was not even nearly enough! Thanks Mum and Dad for meeting me at the controls with my pre-made drink bottles and things.

I passed through Taupo to start my second lap at about 7:30am and instantly was inundated with one lap riders with fresh legs riding straight past me. It was almost impossible to hold the bunches because someone with fresh legs would undoubtedly lead a new wave of attacks at the slightest sign of an incline. With one lap already in my legs I was feeling much more in the mood to ride in a consistent speed and effort zone than for following attacks and accelerations.

The hills sure seemed harder during the second lap. Was it just from having more work in my legs? Had the darkness flattened them during the night? Does heat make them this much harder?

The first 3/4 of the second lap was a procession of riders attacking each other and passing me. After the stopping at Turangi Truckstop for the second-time to get the third row of my brevet card signed there was a dramatic difference in the one lap riders I was riding with. With the stronger one-lappers well through now I was now leading packs, passing one-lappers with cramp or sleeping in any piece of shade they could find. This was surely the hottest day of the year? By Hatepe, I was cooking myself and a brief stop in the shade before riding up the hill past numerous other riders, some of whom needed to use the ‘two-foot’ gear. I am convinced that the key issue with Hatepe hill is not only that it occurs late in the ride, but that there is little shade, maximum sunshine and it can be stinking hot riding up here. At in 140km (or 300km) already ridden in the legs, and this non-mountainous hill suddenly feels like a wall.

Once over Hatepe I focussed on efficiency, ensuring to keep my head down and arms narrow downhill ensuring good speed without needing to pedal. This gave me excellent recovery and I was back to full power on the pedals to cross the finish line in 12h42m looking fresh, strong and ready for another lap!

More distance is certainly coming up. This ride counted as the 300km qualifier for the Paris-Brest-Paris. I now need to focus on the 400km and 600km qualifiers and then onto the 1200km epic in France in August 2011.

Tour de Manawatu 2010

The Tour de Manawatu has a couple of short steep climbs early on, on the way out of Ashhurst. After this there is a long but incredibly gradual climb and fall with one other lump before the finish back in Palmerston North after 116km. This sort of course would normally suit me, but today I was backing up from consecutive 200km epics with the GWALoop and the K2 from previous two weekends, and the Tour of the Bay the weekend before them.. This was weekend four from four and for me it was one of those days where if I had not entered in advance and paid an entry fee I may well of not turned up to ride and stayed home for a sleep in.

Ride Data:
Distance:	115.47km	5726 Calories
Time:	3h47m35s	30.4 km/h (60.4km/h MAX)
Elevation:	Ascent: 933m	Descent: 929m
Cadence:	Avg: 91 rpm	Max: 119 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Palmerston North, NZ	7 November 2010

I was managing to hold my own on the initial part of the climbs which denotes significant hill climbing improvement from the past. Unfortunately, I had a combination of four different riders either dropping their chains or getting punctures immediately in front of me on the way up the hill. The net effect of this was the same as my past hill climbing experience – losing touch with the bunch by the top. Ultimately this mattered little. I didn’t have a great deal of power in my legs today. Riding my fourth event in as many weeks was catching up with me so with tired legs I rode it out in generally solo riding through to the finish.

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?

The 204km Gisborne–Wairoa Loop (GWALoop)

At a distance of 204km, GWALoop is the longest supported single fun ride in New Zealand. The course is very rurally scenic with most of the motorised traffic encountered generated from the event itself via relay teams moving bicycles and supporting the team around the course. 

Ride Data:
Distance:	204km	9954 Calories
Time:	8h31m28s	23.8 km/h (74km/h MAX)
Elevation:	Ascent: 2,419m	Descent: 2421m
Cadence:	Avg: 80 rpm	Max: 117 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Gisborne, NZ	23 October 2010

There are a couple of sizable hills, which are always a challenge for me as “clydesdale” rider. Having now ridden the course, these hills probably were not as big they appeared when studying the elevation profiles in advance of the event. The event rides around the loop in a clockwise direction which is sensible as not only does it mean that the ascents are generally more moderate, and the descents steeper but the the first section on the busier state highway 2 is completed early in the morning before there is any traffic to encounter.

With 204km to cover and three hills in the last quarter of the ride I was surprised at the speed that most left the startline with a cracking pace over 40km/h. I knew I would not have the legs if I kept that up and soon found myself in a group of four riders that were able to rotate and work together. Unfortunately I was dropped after a 50km on the way up the 490m high Wharerata Hill. This meant a lot of solo riding until a relay rider wearing a ‘LOOK Pro team shirt’ caught up to me help me along. We soon caught up with Brent from Toronto. After 107km ‘LOOK’ pulled out to swap with his relay partner and Brent I rode together until about 140km when like most/all? riders in this event Brent proved to be a far better climber than I and I couldn’t stick with him up to Tinorito.



At Tinorito I stopped briefly to refill my water bottles and ground my way up the 430m high hill. There was some respite from hill climbs for the following 20km with a 230m net descent before the climbing back up to 400m at the Kiteroa Hill. At about 185km there is a rapid descent back down to 85m, although one of the corners needed care due to bouncing over rough seal.

Once at the bottom it was back into the wind that has turned 180 degrees during the day with a further 12km solo slog into the wind. Just after a rubbish truck stalled in front of me I was able to reach the finish line in 8h31m28s, at which point I was pleased to be camping at the Showgrounds Motor Camp with just a few metres to crawl to find my things and get into a hot, clean shower!

There is some debate among riders as to whether the K2, or the GWALoop is the harder ride. I think it comes down to if you are not a strong hill climber K2 will be harder, but if you a good climber but not as strong after a long day in the saddle then the GWALoop may be harder with an extra 20km of road travelled and a lot of coarse chip-seal on the road surface.

Tour of the Bay

The 2010 Tour of the Bay was a ride of differing weather with beautiful Hawkes Bay sunshine in Hastings and dampness in the hills. Seems to be a nice course. I would like to come back and maybe get more views over the top next time?

I started reasonably strongly but could soon feel a few of the wines in my stomach after a mere 25km. I had been staying with a few of the guys from the Onslow Tarbabies whom had introduced me to a different form of “carbo-loading” than I was used to the night before. This was very normal to these seasoned veterans, but as for me The Hawkes Bay wines were tasty but, whilst not being a tea-totaller I am a seldom drinker and usually I stick the brews which may have been kinder to my belly. Meanwhile, this was normal for these seasoned campaigners.  

Ride Data:
Distance:	108.72km	9292 Calories
Time:	3h53m24s	27.9 km/h (66.7km/h MAX)
Elevation:	Ascent: 857m	Descent: 850m
Cadence:	Avg: 90 rpm	Max: 115 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Hastings, NZ	17 October 2010

After the climb up Clarksons Hill and my usual uphill loss of the bunch I rode alone for a short time before riding small paceline for four heading heading toward Tikiokino. I thought we were travelling well but we were soon chased down by a large bunch that caught us after about 50km. This bunch circulated well until it fragmented a bit over a long undulating section where I dropped off the back at about 75km. After a quick descent, I slogged my way into the wind back to the finish.



This year I have twice ridden days over 300km, but today I was happy to make the finish at a mere 110km.

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 Feilding Festival of Cycling: 90km Recreational Ride

Scheduled in late winter, the Feilding Festival of Cycling offers a great chance to blow out a few cobwebs before the spring Fun Ride season begins. This event offers a range of rides beginning with a critierium on Saturday, followed by Sunday’s Graded Road-race 90km and recreational rides of 90km, 50km and 20km. This leaves plenty options for all mixtures of fitness and ability. I entered the 90km recreational ride which followed an “Out and Back” course up a 30km false flat/gentle climb followed by 15km of rollers to  Peep-o-Day and return.

Ride Data:
Distance:	91.48km	4,207 Calories
Time:	3h 16m 25s Out: 1h 52m 21s Back: 1h 24m 05s	27.9 km/h (61.3km/h MAX) Out: 24.5km/h Back: 32.6km/h
Elevation:	Ascent: 1,094m	Descent: 1,086m
Cadence:	Avg: 91 rpm	Max: 114 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Feilding, NZ	29 August 2010

I was feeling tired as I drove up from Wellington and stopped to purchase the obligatory triple-shot mocha. At this time it was absolutely teeming down with rain and without my raincoat in the car I was almost ready to take the soft option and turn around and drive home again. During the coffee stop, the weather improved along with my mood and by the start of the event the rain had just stopped falling and the weather essentially just got better as the day went on.

Once again I could not find enough speed straight off the line to move through the pack and ride amongst the leading group. In these recreational rides it can be useful to be able to start hard and fast to be in the correct group when it settles down 10-15km into the event, of course this must be done in fine balance as not to blow out and struggle in the latter half of the event. We were able to get a group organised  into a good rotating pace-line. Unfortunately after a mere 15km this group fragmented as we began riding up the 30km long false flat. At this point a group of six got away off the front of this group and were generally in my sights but I was unable to catch them until that group also fragmented near the turnaround point when I caught each rider one by one.

With no benefit of drafting I thought I rode well alone on the return journey. Admittedly after the first few rollers it was all downhill, but there was a cross wind into my right shoulder.  In a really weird kind of way, I found it satisfying to pass a guy in $10K worth of fast aero kit on the crest of the last roller on the way back and made it through 30km of straight, flat to downhill road without being caught.

I resolved that the next person I see make such poor use of great kit like that should give it to me!

Whilst aero kit isn't of so much use climbing, he should have easily caught me. Cycling is an equipment sport and you can buy up to about a 4% speed improvement. 

I picked up a few more places in the last few kilometres and crossed the line strongly, and felt good enough to possibly hold that pace for another 90km? Endurance is feeling good right now. Not bad after a mild struggle to stay awake at the well on the drive to the start!

Thankyou to all organisers, volunteers, sponsors and of course for the tyre that I won at the spot prize draw that followed the event :D.

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?

The Rev120 in 2010

The Rev 120 is a 120km cycle event, following less used roads around a loop to the east of Hamilton.  Whilst the state highways 1, 26 and 27 servicing Hamilton, Cambridge, Matamata and Morrinsville form a wider loop just outside the The Rev 120's perimeter on very flat roads the area in the middle is very undulating and forms an interesting ride on roads with very little traffic.

Ride Data:
Distance:	118.97km	6022 Calories
Time:	4:21:14	27.3 km/h
Elevation:	Ascent: 1253m	Descent: 1251m
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player
Location:	Hamilton, NZ	20 February 2010

With an almost flat opening 30km it makes for a fast start in large bunches. I started on the "second wave". There seemed to be much more than normal levels of middle-of-the-bunch braking. This seemed to mostly be occurring from fellow cyclists moving forward, but not to the front of the bunch. The result was some interval work with the speed of bunch making sudden changes 38km/h / 44km/h / 38km/h / 31km/h / 43km/h without changes in road surface, nor incline. I wasn't quite getting on the gas as other riders and was slowly drifting backward among the large bunch with each rapid surge. While this surge and hold approach was not my preference I remained with the whole bunch at the base of French Pass with an average speed a shade over 35km/h - a good speed for very average me at my current fitness level.

Climbing non-performance is certainly something I need address. Although steep, French Pass is still only 170m high as I saw the bunch disappear over the hill in front of me. I'm not sure how it is that I seem glued to the road when climbing hills recently. Living in Wellington provides plenty of practice after all! Surely I should be better than this? Now isolated and riding alone, I had a lot of time to mull over the significant improvement needed from me uphill.

I was in a small group again at about the half way point but fell 200m behind them trying not to choke on an insect that I had swallowed after about 64km. For some 30km or so I was almost exactly the same distance behind and never caught them. Heading up the last hill a small group caught up to me and and we worked together toward to the finish. As we caught up to other riders the group expanded a little before increasing pace with 5km to go saw us dwindle to just three as we reached 3km to go.

Aaron (also from Wellington) pulled in front of me with about 1km to go. I was appreciating the breather as I contemplated the best time to dash for the line. Eyeing the left-hand bend 300m from the line I bolted out of the corner pretending I was a sprinter and crossed the line traveling around 42.5km/h, and five second lead built over that final 300m. Thanks for the lead out Aaron :).

Chasing the Lanterne Rogue – The Ruapehu Cycle Classic 2010

After a gorgeous night sky sleeping under the stars near Ohakune I was amped up for the Ruapehu Classic. It was a cracker of day. My only concern was the potential for a long “time-trial” with limited opportunities for drafting with a smallish field. In the end it was an unusual and eventful day for me out on the course.

Not far out of the start in Ohakune, I found myself in a small group of 6-8 riders. Regardless of jittery beginnings with different approaches to operating as a bunch we were soon all taking our leads and then peeling off for a rest at the back of the group. My legs felt good and we were travelling well along the Desert Road with views of Mt Ruapehu dominating the landscape.

BANG!!! It sure did sound like a firearm, but no, it was not from the live firing military site beside us. That was my back tyre. So loud and echoey, my initial reaction was not ohno, I have a puncture but do I still have a tyre to continue on? SIGH!

Ride Data:
Distance:	143km*	6,214 Calories*
Elevation:	Ascent: 1715m*	Descent: 1714m*
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player
Location:	Ohuakune, NZ	6 February 2010
* Some missing data due to short ride with SAG etc.

Surveying the damage, the bead that holds the tyre to the rim was, well, holding onto the rim. However, the bursting explosion, (or in this volcanic area should I say eruption?) of my inner tube had pushed the a large section of tyre away from the bead. Hence, the bead was holding onto the rim, but the tyre was not holding onto the bead :(.

Conventional wisdom suggests that a tube failure of this nature occurs when the inner-tube is not correctly located within the tyre walls, and the explosion occurs from part of the tube being exploded outside the tyre wall or from pressure from the tyre bead. With some 1000km since my previous puncture, including events over the previous three weekends of 150km, 110km and 152km without incident it is hard to understand how this could have been.

[[I would have an impressive photo of the tyre to go here if I had remembered to collect it from SAG after the event]]

With no sign of the SAG Wagon or any mechanical support I pursued the futile endeavour of replacing the inner-tube and attempting to mount the tyre. Nope. I just proved it was broken like I already knew! About 40 minutes later the St John Ambulance came by. The had lots of bandages but no tyres and told me that the SAG Wagon was still a further 20 minutes behind. The SAG Wagon arrived 58 minutes after my tyre went BANG!. Unfortunately no spare tyres were on offer so I reluctantly loaded my bicycle into the van after a mere of 31km of riding. It seemed all over for me today.

Travelling in the SAG Wagon (well van actually) we followed and accounted for the last few riders in the event as we travelled up and down this section of the Desert Road a few times before following them into the first relay changeover point at Tukino. While I was shaking my head, musing about only riding 31km and quite possibly sulking in disappointment, I was offered the use of one of the relay riders bikes. The sizing didn’t look too good for me and I negotiated to borrow a tyre. Thankyou #359! The only condition was that I put it back on her bike afterwards :). After swapping the tyres over and getting my things back together I was soon back on the course, but being substantially behind last place I was now the new lanterne rouge. It would be a handicap race now and a matter of how many places I good make up.

Excited to back on the road after a two hour delay I was travelling well along the Desert Road as the dominant views moved from Mt Ruapehu to Mt Ngauruhoe considering the unavailability of any other riders to draft. Following the twists and turns through the Three Sisters I had to wait about five minutes for the oncoming traffic before I was able to make my way through the road works. Waiting with a rider here, once we were through I lost the title of lanterne rouge.

Soon through to Rangipo, it was time for what I believe is the worst climb of this route up past Ketetahi. It is not steep, but it does keep coming and the road surface is not particularly smooth with very large stones used in the chipseal here. I must have been doing okay as I picked up another 3 or  4 places on the way over this hill.

By the time I was on the set of hills that make the climb past Mangatapopo, I was certainly slowing. I think this was some combination of some over enthusiasm as I rejoined the event, not seeing any riders ahead of me to aim for and well, far enough ahead of the SAG Wagon now to not get caught slacking :>. In fact it wasn’t until about 9km to go that I picked up a further two places. I finished with another ride in sight sight that I was unable to reel in, even with a big sprint at the line. The event timing had my finishing time as 7h38m40s, which didn’t seem too bad with a two hour delay and a lot of riding by myself.

I had a lot of fun today. Certainly the day did not unfold how I expected, and paying for new parts is never fun. Beautiful weather and a scenic course. Back again next year for hopefully a less eventful ride.

The Ruapehu Classic takes place over a beautifully scenic course. I think that riding across the Desert Road, where many drivers often appear to think that speed limits do not apply puts many cyclists off entering this event. With a 7am start, and blowouts excepted leaving the Desert Road by 10am doesn’t make this as much of a problem as is perceived due the distance from here to the major cities.

A big thanks to the people in the SAG for rescuing me, sorry forgotten your names now, and to #359 for loaning me the tyre that enabled me to make it through to the finish. Hope you are enjoying the sunglasses that you won today.

Yarrows Taranaki Cycle Challenge 2010

A night under my tent at North Egmont shared with possums chewing - the trees, not my tent! With a clear and moonlit sky I knew I was about to actually ride in an organised cycle event on a beautiful sunny day. I am not sure when this last occurred but it was long enough ago for me to appreciate it. I have ridden around this mountain and barely seen it four times before – twice in cycling events and twice while cycle touring. Could riding around the cloud be replaced with riding around the mountain on this day? Yes it can!

Ride Data:
Distance:	152km	7,549 Calories
Time:	5h03m50s	30 km/h
Elevation:	Ascent: 1145m	Descent: 1142m
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player
Location:	New Plymouth, NZ	30 January 2010

The Yarrows Taranaki Cycle Challenge is a well organised and supported event. There were close to 2,000 participants this year, while dwarfed by the 12,000 Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge participants it is one of the larger cycling events in New Zealand.

With the undulating hills between New Plymouth and Okato at the start of the route I was quickly into a group of cyclists relative to my current (non) fitness level. Without much breeze this time, the route through to Opunake went quickly in 2h31m, some 38 minutes quicker than in the gale force winds of the Round the Mountain on a similar route two weeks prior. While I had already made a sizable time improvement, better conditions were most noticed after turning left out of Opunake for the climb up to Kaponga and onto Eltham. The Te Kiri relay interchange wissed by as bunch that was moving well. Quite a change from the previous time struggling just to move in a forwards direction. I stayed on the bunch until just shy of Kaponga when I dropped a little off the back swapping my drink bottles around. As I pedalled harder to try and rejoin the bunch it went down for no obvious reason. Lack of concentration and wheels touching I suspect. Not such a bad time to have let them go. Safely around the bunch (for me) it was mostly solo riding to the finish. Through the first 100km to Eltham in 3h21m I was now a remarkable 1h17m ahead of my time at the same place from only two weeks ago.

With recollections of barely pedalling from Eltham to New Plymouth I was looking forward to the last 50km. With no 120km/h southerly at my back on this occasion I quickly noted the fact that from Eltham to Midhurst it is uphill. With an afternoon breeze building, while not strong was enough to hold back a little on the way through to Inglewood and down to New Plymouth. It was a warm day and just shy of Inglewood I was finished my third and final drink bottle. As I past each of the remaining organised drink refill stations I looked at the stations and at my bottles and thought to myself “There’s no way I’m stopping” as continued in an ultimately futile pursuit of a sub-five hour ride. With the temperature close to 30degC and I was feeling a tad dehydrated when I reached the finish in 5h3m50s. Under five hours would have been nice, but can’t complain about being 1h7m faster than a mere fortnight ago.

With good weather there were some fast times set today. Unusually however, the quickest recreational riders finished a minute or so quicker than the winner of the more serious premier race which started after the recreational event as the temperature rose. Warmer or not, an amazing 61 riders from the recreational solo category were around the mountain quicker than Matthew Gorter’s Premier winning time of 3h53m33s.