Let’s make it a double – My first Double Century on The LA Wheelmen’s Grand Tour

Seeking a new challenge, instead of flying straight home after visiting my beautiful Yvette, I spent a short time in California and entered the LA Wheelmen’s Grand Tour: Highland Double Century. This provided an opportunity to enjoy the Californian sun during the New Zealand winter and to ride almost twice as far as I have previously ridden in a single day.

Ride Data:
Distance:	315.92km	15,002 Calories
Time:	13:01:11 (moving) 14:33:31 (elapsed Garmin) 14:40:10 (Official)	24.3 km/h (moving) 21.7 km/h (elapsed) 67.8 km/h MAX
Elevation:	Ascent: 2,589m	Descent: 2,588m
Cadence:	Avg: 78 rpm	Max: 166 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / MapMyRide / RideWithGPS
Location:	Malibu, California, USA	26 June 2010

While  many questioned my sanity for my desire to ride 200 miles in a single day, I was determined to take up the challenge. After all, I may as well see the place while I am there.

The Grand Tour is the original double century ride in the United States and began in 1959 when Marge Gall suggested it might be possible to ride 200 miles in one day. You can find more about the origins of the Grand Tour here: http://www.lawheelmen.org/gtorigins.htm.

Today, the Grand Tour consists of options for a 200K (Double Metric Century) ; the Highland Double Century; the Lowland Double Century (a little less hilly) and extensions to make a Triple Century and a Quadruple Century. All courses to be completed within 24 hours.

I entered in the Highland Double Century route that would take from Malibu, up the Pacific Coast Highway to Port Huneme and inland through Westlake; Thousand Oaks and Ojai before climbing up past Lake Casistas and back down to Carpentira, and the Pacific Coast Highway to return to Malibu.



Staying only a few miles away in Santa Monica, I had resolved that regardless of the 200 miles in front of me, the most convenient means of transport to the start would be RIDE. The Grand Tour does not have a mass start, but my intention was to start at 4:30am - opening of the starting time window. This was to ensure I had travelled over the inland portions of the course before the heat of the day set in. The coastal sections being about 10 degrees C cooler.

Riding to the start was all fine until the dreaded pssssssst sound screamed out of my front tyre. Riding in the dark I had ridden over something that left a huge gash in the side of the tyre wall. Ironically, I had just been thinking about whether to cable tie the spare tyre in my backpack onto my bike before I started the ride. No need to worry about that now. Time to put it to use already! After a small delay I was moving again and eventually left the start at Webster Elementary School at 4:57am amongst a stream of well lit bicycles.

After the prior frustrations en-route to the start I was well warmed up and feeling strong at the start and regardless of darkness and nerves about not pushing too hard I was easily averaging about 19mph/30km/h when I rode over a rock in the middle of the lane and for the second time of the day I heard that awful sound of pssssssst. I was just about ready to sulk. A mere 22 miles, or ~10% of the way and I’m stopping for a puncture already. Fortunately, I could not find any damage to the tyre wall this time. Some volunteers on their way to Ojay (lunch/rest-stop) pulled up behind to lend me hand with a floor pump – THANKYOU! Surely this was the closest to a team car that I will ever experience. Just 5m14s to check the tyre for damage or embedded debris and change the tube was pretty snappy.

As the sun rose through thick fog my 900 lumen headlamp was no longer necessary, the coastal scenery came into sight at the first check-in/rest-stop at Port Hueneme (~mile 34). After registering my ride number at the check-in I was on my way again amongst a group of about 20 riders. I was looking forward to some pacelines and competitive encouragement up the pending hill of Potrero Rd. Unfortunately, this didn’t quite work out when I turned right with one other ride for the hill whilst the rest carried straight on for the Lowland Double Century route.

In hindsight I had probably over anticipated Potrero Rd, sure the last half-mile is one steep gradient, and no I don’t want to climb it every day. Yes, I did need my 34t chain-ring and 25t cassette granny-gear but, I have climbed far mightier beasts before. While I felt the hill in my legs, conscious of the remaining 150 miles I was probably far more conservative than required. The Highland Double may be hillier than the Lowland Double, but relative to distance is probably still flatter than most rides of this distance.
 


A little past the summit of Potrero Rd, I stopped in at a rest stop to top up my drink bottles. Spending less time at the rest stop than others I departed among a small group if experienced double century riders (most of them were wearing California Triple Crown jerseys) as we rode around Westlake and through to Thousand Oaks. Unfortunately I lost contact with this group amongst the many traffic lights through Thousand Oaks and spent much time in solitude. Not being used to so many traffic lights on an organised ride I consider it possible that I may have slowed down in frustration. Like the Californian location, travelling through more than two sets of traffic lights was completely new territory for me. I eventually ambled into the Moorpark rest-stop at mile 77 some 5h17m after departing Malibu.

After a little climbing on the way out of Moorpark a long descent offer some rest whilst winding down the Grimes Canyon. Once travelling through Santa Paula there was an eight mile gradual ascent somewhere near mile 100. This may not have been steep but it certainly was persistent. This is certainly an section I would like to travel to faster if I do this ride again. Having ridden this section, it is surprising how much it shows up on the elevation profile. Thankfully after there was a downhill before making it to the lunch stop at Ojay.

The lunch stop at Ojay was serving a mighty feast. Something I have never seen before. Recreational rides are structured quite differently in New Zealand. Not too keen on having a lot of solid food in my stomach I stuck to some watermelon and some fruit juice to make some variation from my diet of Hammer Nutrition gels (Although the new Montana Huckleberry is the best flavoured gel ever!) and sipping on a drink of Perpeteum as my primary food source.

The riding was initially flat and level when leaving the Ojay lunch stop. The climb up Casita’s Pass offered great views of Lake Casita and I have to say, while it barely registers on the elevation profile, I sure felt it having already ridden some 127 miles. The rapid descent back down to sea-level sure was appreciated. Once at the coast we reached the Carpintera rest area, where I well, rested for a bit and ate a few noodles.

The last 60 miles / 100K was mostly flat (thankfully) with a few rollers thrown in at the end. Now back on the Pacific Coast Highway with flat travel and less intersections I was able to pick up the pace for the last two sections. With some pacelines - mostly from a group riding together from Arizona, not riding in solitude sure helped me lift my tempo. It was a bit odd when after a 140 miles three groups merged together form the largest peloton of the day. Unfortunately one slightly dodgy moment as we moved into a left-hand lane to turn left and had a car accelerate rapidly into the gap we were moving into. Thankfully no contact and we were all well as we headed for our final check-in/rest-stop, and our second visit of the day to the Port Huneme rest-stop.

Leaving Port Huneme I tried to hold on the back of a tandem for a while but lost contact going past the naval base and rode the rest of the way in solitude, although I did pass some fellow cyclists on my way to the finish, and others did likewise to me on the way up the rollers approaching the finish. The left turn of the Pacific Coast Highway was difficult manoeuvre to get over two lanes of fast moving traffic into the left turning lane for the lights that didn’t seem to have a great deal of knowledge about the colour green.  It seemed like a long wait, and after analysing my Garmin data it was – five minutes! Once finally over the intersection it was back to Webster Elementary, my first double century complete, and lining up to sign in and get my official time.

Thanks to the LA Wheelmen for organising the event and all those who volunteered that were helping out with the timing, rest-stops and SAG support.

Double Century accomplished. Now, when can I ride another? Or do I make it a TRIPLE? :D
Genuinely epic rides like the PBP do not seem so impossible any more. Who knows what’s next my little worn out legs?

Rough Time Analysis
Time "on the pedals":	13:01:11
Time spent at rest stops & puncture repair:	1:05:31
Time at traffic controls:	0:26:52
Time between Sign-in/start ride & Stop/sign-out:	0:07:07
Total Elasped Time:	14:40:41

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.

Onslow Tarbabies Criterium – May 2010

My local recreational riding group organised a short criterium race for our members in a traffic free, yet to be developed industrial area near Trentham. The stated objective of organising this race was:

to foster better riding skills, better fitness, a chance to try something you'd otherwise be afraid of, but most of all to "flex your muscles" and participate in some friendly rivalry on a quiet road rather than down SH2.

Ride Data:
Distance:	14.14	800 Calories
Time:	23m16s	36.5 km/h
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player
Location:	Trentham, NZ	1 May 2010

For me, just riding without fear those steel cyclist crushing objects known as cars was a huge bonus!

 

This was my first ride in a criterium style race. I entered the “C” grade race which was set at the same level a those that I typically ride with on Sundays. My work colleague Phil, had been trying to get me to enter the “B” grade race with him. I suspect that this was because he was looking for the satisfaction of beating me head-to-head. With a damp day and limited numbers of participants the “C” & “D” grades were combined as were the “A” & “B”’s.

 

I had been given advance tips that criterium events can be very tactical and often if you get caught on the front for too long you can use too much energy and get destroyed in the final sprint. With this mind during the race I made sure I wasn’t leading for more than one lap at a time and made sure I was position to follow anyone who thought about making a decisive break. These tactics seemed universal in the “C” grade race with with any gaps the opened quickly sealed to ensure there were no breakaways established. On the couple of laps when I was leading I tried to increase the pace a little to get a feel for where the wind was, which could be critical on the final lap and to see how the riders around me were handling the pace. Ultimately no gaps opened and we increased our average speed and we built to higher speeds each lap around the course.

 

I was sitting comfortably in 2nd place when the bell went indicating two laps to go and then heading into the final lap assumed the lead. I initially tried a surge as I assumed the lead but the rest of the pack surged with me. I figured with the inside running in the remaining corners, meaning everyone else had to get around me  the biggest risk would be to go for a sprint too early and get run down. I thought the action would most likely occur into the wind on the straight prior to the final corner. I was wrong and Mark found an acceleration with half a lap to go that none of us could match. I possibly dropped as low as 4th as I made maximum use of my ticker into the wind and then down the final straight to take 2nd place with a comfortable margin back to 3rd and nowhere near running down fast finishing Mark. 

 

I was breathing pretty hard crossing line with my heart pounding. That 221-Age thing maximum heartrate thing is after all just an estimate :D.

 

The combined “A” and “B” grade race followed a different style altogether. Throughout their race there were various attacks trying to establish breakaways but while breakaways were established, they never actually stuck. By the final lap all the riders were together again with Phil managing a narrow victory in the sprint finish. Thankfully back at work he has contained himself enough to not have reminded us of his result more than 100 times (yet?).

 

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?