A very brief moment of Strava Glory!

 

Strava is a GPS based training motivation tool. They reguarly have challenges, to ride at least a certain amount of time, or as far as possible within a certain timeframe. As a Randonneur, naturally the distance based challenges are well suited to me and during the “January Base Mile Blast”, while not at the top of the overall leaderboard, I successfully logged the longest ride. Not because I tried to, but because I needed a 600km brevet completed for qualifying for The Big Wild Ride 1200k in July.

 

 

It was nice to receive some goodies earn a small reward, after opening the Picton-Westort-Picton 600 with 300km of headwinds. I was impressed to get a handwritten note from a technology focussed company.

 

 

I’m a “Super Randonneur” again..

 

The Super-Randonneur award is awarded for the completion of 200km/300km/400km/600km rides within a Randonnuering year (Nov 1 – Oct 31). It is also the qualifying requirement for many 1200km events, which was my primary motivation. This is the second time I have completed a Super-Randonneur series, the previous time being while qualifying for Paris-Brest-Paris in 2011. Here is the 2011 medal, I’ll need to wait a while to see what the 2013 edition looks like.

 

 

 

 

Randonneuring (or Audax) rides have a low profile in New Zealand, which is a shame because we have found some nice rides, in very scenic areas. If you would like me on any of these rides give me a yodel or see http://www.kiwirandonneurs.org.nz

 

 

400km – Marlborough Mayhem

Riders: Craig (22h36m); Rita (AB)

Time-limit: 27 hours

 

It is often argued that 400km brevets are the hardest to complete due to being longer than a 300km, but not reducing the average speed enough for a sleep break like a 600km brevet. So, naturally that is what I started with, jammed into the Christmas crunch, was our Marlborough Mayhem 400km brevet. With a desire to qualify for  1200km ride further afield later in the year, I promptly rescheduled my flights home for Christmas and booked a ferry across Cook Strait and back again.

 

As I rode up the long false flat that is the Wairau Valley the misty morning cleared albeit, not enough to allow us to see the mountain vistas of this area. As St Arnaud approached the false flat was replaced by real climbing as we made our way up to this alpine village. With Elaine's cafe which I frequented on many a past tramping trip no longer trading, I bought a snack from the general store, before heading to Kawatiri Junction and up over the Hope. It was soon obvious that I was not a climber as I struggled up the steep pitches.

 

I had a brief flat patch, with zero energy and feeling mildly faint just before reaching Nelson and had to stop for an emergency snack on the cycle way, just moments away from Nelson. I must say that I was very impressed with Nelson's  integrated, and signposted cycle network.

 

Leaving Nelson required climbing the Whangamoa Hill, with sea fog set in on a warm and humid night. There was another bump before dropping into the Rai Valley and onto Havelock well after the shops had closed for the night.

 

I waited a few minutes for Rita to arrive but unfortunately it getting too late, and tiring, she chose to abandon and take a 20km shortcut back to Picton via the hillier route on Queen Charlotte Drive. Meanwhile I proceeded the flatter, but more distant route via Rapura Rd, although I will admit that I did sneek in a much needed needed a ten minute snooze to manage my tiredness en-route back to Picton.

 

 

 

300km – Round the Tararuas

Riders: Craig; Simon; Tim – All 17h51m

Time-limit: 20 hours

 

After Christmas I returned home to Wellington and was joined by Tim and Simon. We were able to meet Paris-Brest-Paris ancien Ed Allen for a snack at our first control in Carterton. Before the devastating heat of the afternoon kicked in, with the thermometer well over 30 degrees for most of the day. In Wellington we think it hot if it reaches 20 degrees! This led to us many time consuming rest-stops to eat more ice-creams, in all contributing to over four hours off our bikes.

 

 

 

600km – Picton – Westport – Picton

Riders: Craig (38h57m); Rita (AB)

Time-limit: 40 hours

 

It briefly looked like we may have had up to five riders for the 600, but after late withdrawals, it was just ride organiser Rita and myself.

Two days beforehand we swapped the route around so that more services would be open, and the overnight rest stop at Murchison could be at 382km instead if 440km. This seemed like a good idea - until getting our bikes at 5am on Saturday morning and riding into a headwind up the long false flat that is the Wairau Valley. At the top at St Arnaud we were a mere 40 minutes ahead of the time limit, so it was starting seem a tad tight even at this early stage. Time for fruitful hours of sleep was already seeming unlikely.

 

We met up with Kiwi Randonneurs stalwart Duncan and Tony in Murchison, where after 290km into the headwind Rita decided it wasn’t much fun and chose to abandon. As for me, this was the only 600km ride I had available for qualifying so I pushed on into wind and rain down the beautiful Buller Gorge to Westport, where all businesses decided to celebrate my arrival at 9pm by either closing or ceasing to be serving anymore food. So, it was nuts and snackbars on a concrete step outside New World (thanks for the extra snacks Duncan – was looking grim).

 

Then it was a climb up to Murchison for a 90 minute sleep in the motel before setting off over the Hope and into Nelson. No sign of the rain of the Buller from the night before as a sun shone and the temperature soared, especially felt when climbing over the Whangamoa Hill. The strategic placement of a control point at Pelorous Bridge for a good pie, didn’t quite work out as all I wanted was anything frozen to help cool me down before the final push around Queen Charlotte Drive and back to Picton.

 

 

200km – Taranaki Spin

Riders: Andrea (12h30m); Craig (12h30m); Rita (8h45m)

Time-limit: 13h30m

 

This was “multi-sport” weekend for Kiwi Randonneurs, with Rita backing up from a half-ironman the day before, and myself from an ascent of Mt Taranaki. I mostly rode with Andrea who was visiting from Brazil, although I wasn’t sure if I was going to finish when I broke two spokes near Stratford. Thankyou ‘Z Stratford’ for the loan of some tools, which enabled me to loosen the in tact spokes so the wheel would turn between the forks and enable me to complete the ride, and my Super Randonneur Series.

 

Our route was a variation on the Round the Mountain which would have only been 150km. Ironically, some of the best riding was in the quiet rural roads, and the scenic finish along the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway (a shared path) which had been added to bring the distance up to the required 200km.

 

MTB: Skyline to Red Rocks

I made another feeble attempt at pretending I was mountain biker. With Mark who had recently arrived in Wellington, and is hanging out with with the folk  from the Wellington Tramping & Mountaineering Club joining in the fun. I must say, I am not (yet?) a very good mountain biker, and it certainly showed. We started with the hardest bit, as I described as “aerobically challenging” with the slog up to Mt Kaukau. At an hour for the first 3km, completed it wasn’t looking good to make it all the way down to Red Rocks.

 

 

Once over Mt Kaukau, the riding seemed to get easier and we picked up the climbs up Johnsons Hill, Makara Peak, Brooklyn Wind Turbine, and Hawkins Hill along the way. Not the fastest, but had a lot of fun finding new local territory to explore. In general the tracks in the mountain bike parks, even with their deliberate obstacles were easier to ride than lose rocks, and deep rutting we found on the shared walking/livestock/biking trails. I particularly enjoyed the end-to-end aspect of the route that provided a feeling of having ridden somewhere – especially with a contiguous route off-road route free of motorised traffic  (until the return ride home). Mark, told he me he saw more of Wellington on this ride than in the previous two months he had spent living here. There were plenty of views, and I should have taken a lot more photos while I was catching my breath.

 

It was a fun outing for the day and raises the question of why hadn’t ridden this ride sooner?

 

Mt Kaukau

Wrights Hill

Slightly contradictory set of signs approaching Hawkins Hill. Don't bring your road-bike, and don't run! But is a mountain bike a vehicle?

 

Air traffic radar on the top of Hawkins Hill

To Ride, to Race or to experience Adventure? – choose three!

My post-Taupo thinking, now that have the full collection of helmet caps is toward not only finishing but being competitive. I am certainly no natural athlete and are unlikely to come close to that top step. The goal is to be competitive with those that choose to race. To not be making up the numbers, a few of hours off the back. I have more than proven I can finish events, including those with high DNF rates. Time to step it up. I have always said “ride" when others have said “race”. Can I change my mind-set?

 

As I have always said:

Never again until next year

But next year, the goal is set, and it has set both early and high. The goal is four laps in under 30 hours in next year’s Maxi Enduro. This is a high-bar, an hour per lap less than 2012. To achieve this I am going to have to achieve a few things that are foreign to me – proper nutrition and a methodical, planned approach to training. This should see me drop 7-10kg of the “insulation-wrap” that I carry with me everywhere.

 

I have always favoured adventure, over racing in my outdoor activities and this no doubt, will continue to be. But for multi-lap events, and events I have done before I think it is time to “step it up”. To step it up, I will need to be leaner, fitter and stronger. It is always important to me to keep the fun, the adventure in all things. It keeps you fresh. It keeps you inspired. To this end, obtaining the base fitness I’ll spend more time on the mountain bike finding new places to explore, tramping and climb the odd mountain. Dabble in some trail running (or more likely marginal trail-jogging) and use randonneuring rides into new and different places as a means of building the base. It will be about incorporating the desire and fun of adventure with a more disciplined training focus. Without fun, without adventure, the risk of becoming stale and bored in training is too great. In boredom all fitness gains are easily lost. With careful thought, adventures will build the base, but 10 weeks beforehand a tunnel-visioned focus must consume me. A time to focus on the specificity of training what is required to achieve the goal that has been set.

 

Then there are other races, that are simply unobtainium. I was a bit surprised when Tim kindly pointed out I was on the qualified list for the hardest, most gruelling and most epic of all endurance cycling races: The Race Across America. I would have thought I was many hours behind the qualifying pace, but as errant as my appearance amongst far stronger, and many truly great riders – could anything else possibly be a greater motivation to attempt to train to such toward such a  high standard? [NB: I am unlikely to ever be of RAAM Solo standard, but I am huge RAAM fan!]

 

 

 

Buckle your seatbelts, and lets enjoy the ride, or is it a race?

 

For some final reflection on the 2012 Maxi-Enduro, few more photos…

 

More start-line, and Maxi-Enduro photos taken my Mum, Dad & nephew Jamie

Before the start with my Mum & my Dad.

 

Team Potato Guy

 

Assorted start-line photos

I wasn’t this near Joshua Kench for very long!

 

 

 

The official event highlights video:

Official event video – mostly the one-lappers on Saturday.

The Lanterne Rouge of the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge Maxi Enduro

 

I recently returned home from my annual pilgrimage to Taupo for the Lake Taupo Challenge. I've Now completed 7 challenges, and 18 Laps of "the pond". This year I entered the four-times round "Maxi Enduro 640km" category, and whilst this is my quickest 600km ride by about an hour and a half, this was no rando ride and I decisively came last out of the seven finishers. With this I can provide a definitive guide on how to claim the Lanterne Rouge in this category:

• Get really severely crook six weeks beforehand.
• Roll on the floor crying like a girl while passing kidney stones with five weeks to go. (Trust me, Strava doesn’t know what suffering is)
• Ride 1200km with mild heatstroke three weeks beforehand.
• Arrive in Taupo, on the startline overcooked but pedalling on all the same
• Stop at Burger King Turangi for a snack two or more times during the ride!

Ride Data:
Distance:	328.5km
Time:	34h50m
Elevation gain:	7,625m
Ride Data:	Strava / Garmin Connect
Starters / Finishers	15 / 7 (47% finished)
Location:	Taupo, Nov 23-24, 2012

Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge 640km Maxi Enduro 2012
Place	Rider	Time
1st	9810 Josh Kench	23h50m
2nd	9811 Rich Baty	25h02m
3rd	9805 Paul Lewis	25h55m
4th	9800 Colin-Wal Anderson	26h56m
5th	9801 Steven Berveling	29h29m
6th	9808 Alistair Davidson	30h09m
7th	9804 Craig McGregor	34h50m

 

Start-line

The start-line contained many familiar faces with legends Joshua Kench, Colin “WAL” Anderson, Graperide Ultimate Champion Greg Manson, Tim “The Potato Guy” Neal, Andrew Morrison and others. And others with non-riding support from Stu Downs, Lis, Helen and Tarbabies Paul Barnes and Rick & Jo.

 

Team Potato Guy was represented by Tim, Andrew Morrison and myself. Unfortunately Tim & Andrew were only able to complete two laps each, so we have since claimed to be the first ever 3-person 8-lap Extreme Enduro relay team as we completed the eight laps between us.

 

 

 

Lap One

Off the start-line I was able to hold Josh’s wheel for at least 3 metres – in the “neutral” zone! I didn’t see Josh again until he lapped me on the way up Waihi Hill on my third lap. The last 50km of the first lap, following the left-hand turn onto SH1 was in reasonably heavy, but friendly traffic with many cyclists arriving for the 160km and relay events beginning the following morning. I also received great support from some of the Onslow Tarbabies on their way, with Mike Faherty & Dave Flynn stopping to wave their Tarbabies jerseys as support flags – thanks guys. I really appreciated the support. I rolled around the first lap in 6h30m which was a half hour outside expectations. I found myself amongst some of the next days one-lap riders out for light spins, enquiring about the Enduro events on the way into, and out of the Caltex Station that acted as the interlap checkpoint. Traffic in Taupo was heavy as I idled my way through town, More concerning however, were the stats coming out of my heart-rate monitor. I knew that I would not able sustain these stats for another three laps, with my heartrate well up on where it should have been relative to the effort. This most likely pointing to a lack of recovery from my previous ride, the 1200km Great Southern Randonnee.

 

 

Lap Two

 

I stopped for a snack at the farmstay 10km into the second lap, which turned out to be well timed as the a heavy rain shower passed over while I was dry inside. In the first half of the lap, Alistair and I rode past each other a few times whilst faffing about eating, or organising lights and/or reflective clothing etc.

 

With Mt Tongariro letting off some steam earlier in the week, I thought there may have been viewing in the night but the live screening of “Volcano” had apparently been abruptly cancelled.

 

I had Tim on my wheel as I approached the Turangi checkpoint. Whilst I felt like some solid food, as good as the Hammer is, I need to chew and popped inside for a late night burger. A French Patisserie would have been more ideal?  

 

I came back out for my bike to find Tim in the van icing a sore knee but was soon back on his bike. We exchanged places a few times en-route to Taupo, where Tim was unfortunately unable to continue. Two meal stops on a 100-mile lap, may make the 8h50m slightly more respectable. I certainly wasn’t racing and had very much slipped into 1200k generous time-limits cafe-hopping rando mode.

 

Lap Three

 

I knew that lap three would be key for me. It would be a lap in the darkness and this is where fending off the sleep wombles becomes critical, especially once the moon goes down. Thankfully, I had good support with Dad tailing me and just before day break I jumped in the car for warmth and a 15 minute snooze before sending him back to the farmstay while the road was open. Alertness did not fully return with the arrival of the sun which has been my usual experience as I struggled to get the legs going after day break. As I made my way through the Kuratau and Waihi hills, Joshua Kench came through and lapped me. It had to happen sooner or later. He was sounding a little disappointed to be outside of record setting pace as we exchanged a few sentences.

I was feeling a bit clammy and exhausted by the time I reached the Turangi Checkpoint, and shockingly returned to Burger King for breakfast, where I was able to swap “nutritional advice” with iRONman Skelton who had just finished first in the Extreme Enduro for the second year in a row. I also briefly saw Paul Rawlinson at this bustling establishment as he grabbed some food to go while supported some 2-lap Enduro riders. I seemed to be riding better with more food in my stomach as I departed BK to get the job done, passing a supportive Stu Downs who was rolling into Turangi on his touring bike. The elite race went through like I was standing still, but I did receive a rousing reception up Hatepe and into Taupo. I suspect none of these people had any idea I still had another lap to go! I was a little surprised to see Andrew Morrison cheering from the grassy slope on the way into Taupo, but he had unfortunately been forced to withdraw after two laps (his blog post here).  Now realising I was the only TPG rider still rolling I was even more determined to finish.

 

 

Lap Four

 

Unfortunately I was too late through to gain the benefit of any of 160km bunches and I ambled through a very hot lap. This was my 18th lap of “the pond”, and the first time I can recall absolutely no wind or movement, nor cloud or rain around the back of the lake. The tar was melting, and the stones from the chipseal sticking to my tyres. On this lap I had pretty much had enough of riding of the rough chipseal that had seemed to have been dropped on wet tar, with no roller applied afterwards. I did not want to see it again! I was struggling to find any pace and appreciated the opportunity for the chance to get an ice-cream in Turangi to help cool down before final 50km to an anti-climatic finish with no timing equipment at either the Caltex checkpoint or the Great Lake Centre finish line.

 

Job done. I have now earned the full set of Enduro helmet caps. Yellow for the 320km Enduro, Pink for the 640km Maxi-Enduro & Green for the 1280km Extreme Enduro.

 

 

 

Post Ride Thoughts

Riding around the Lake, in clear weather, without a requirement to keep a close eye on a wheel in front, or a bunch around me showed many more points offering great views over the Lake than I had previously noted in single lap 160km events, or enduro’s in more inclement weather.

 

I find myself more of a randonneur than a racer, which can make these multi-lap events with a much greater focus on performance  a conundrum for me. Should I race them, or should just ride them? Should I try force myself to save time by staying on the liquid on-bike fuels the whole way? Could “racing” them make me a stronger randonneur?

 

Could I train myself fit enough and light enough to “race” such events? I’m not sure, but I do feel like I have some unfinished business and am likely to give the Maxi Enduro another crack next year, with an aim of breaking 30 hours. This will require quite a different lead-in to the event to this year.

 

 

Thanks to

• Keith Crate & Lynley for volunteering your time to running the Enduro events.
• Mum, Dad & Jamie for supporting me on the course, even if I was occasionally grumpy
• Stu, Matt Oliver and anyone else whose photos I ripped off Facebook :)
• The other riders that help create the event
• All those mentioned above that provided moral support
• “David” who gave me a wheel to follow into the Caltex checkpoint on lap one.
• Random strangers passing me food on laps three & four