With showers all day i guessed we were in for a hard slog for the 100km from Apollo Bay to Forest. First of all to all those who finished the race - well done. I believe that it was one of the toughest courses ever put together for a race. Chris Jonglewood made us all look like punters riding away from the start to once again confirm he is a class above all other MTB riders in Australia.
The race for me did not go all that well. I managed to hang on to 16th place dropping about 10 places on the last loop. At the moment i am suffering from lower back pain and while racing it seems my muscles around my hips tighten up putting my hips and back out of alignment causing a loss of power to my legs. While this is very frustrating and badly timed all i can do is keep getting realigned and address why this is happening.
Tip: When things are not going well, you have to address the cause but focus on the aspects that are going well. If you focus on the negitives it will take longer to turn things arround. Find positives, this will keep you mentaly alive and hasten recovery. Put a plan together to get you back on track, then work on that plan.
Next race is Mt Bueaty 6 hour, then the 24 solo nationals at Easter.
Also have just recieved my new road bike from Giant and will be posting photo's and comments shortly.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
HDATO
Sometimes things just don't go to plan. The first race for the year and it appears that Scott Chanceller (Orbea) will prove to be very stiff competition. He absolutely ripped the track apart, flying past me just before the 4 hour mark and he didn't look like slowing.
On the day i had to pull the pin due to back pain and dehydration. All i can say is "i will always be unpredictable".
So here is another tip: When it is hot and you are working outside doing a manual labour job such as bricklaying make sure you wear a hat and drink, drink, drink (which i did not do all week).
If you are racing in the heat you don't stand a chance of winning if you start the race dehydrated. Even a 1-2kg drop in weight will zap all your power and stamina.
Sometimes it is better to pull the pin. You must know the differance between good pain and bad pain. Is it just the negitive voice getting inside your head or are you in danger of causing yourself damage that could take weeks to overcome?
Remember it is only one race and the next one has not been raced or won. Don't dwell on the past, don't predict the future, you can only control the present. See you all next week at the Ottway's.
On the day i had to pull the pin due to back pain and dehydration. All i can say is "i will always be unpredictable".
So here is another tip: When it is hot and you are working outside doing a manual labour job such as bricklaying make sure you wear a hat and drink, drink, drink (which i did not do all week).
If you are racing in the heat you don't stand a chance of winning if you start the race dehydrated. Even a 1-2kg drop in weight will zap all your power and stamina.
Sometimes it is better to pull the pin. You must know the differance between good pain and bad pain. Is it just the negitive voice getting inside your head or are you in danger of causing yourself damage that could take weeks to overcome?
Remember it is only one race and the next one has not been raced or won. Don't dwell on the past, don't predict the future, you can only control the present. See you all next week at the Ottway's.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sunday MTB ride. (Testing tyres)
On Sunday i headed over to Jason's with Jeff for a ride in the Dandenongs, which was lead by Jason's neighbour and keen adventure racer Matt.
My mission for the ride was to test some new tyres from Geax - the Baro Racers. They have the same tread pattern as the Baro Mud but have lower profile knobs. They come in a 2.0 and weight under 550 grms (TNT tubeless).
We had a fast ride along the bike track and were quickly at the base of the Dandenongs where we enjoyed some fine single track. We spent the next couple of hours zig zagging up the nongs before ending with a long fast descent. This was a great ride and solid preperation for the Ottway's race in a couple of weeks.
How did the tyres go?
They did everything i asked them. They climbed with no loss of traction. They held the line while descending. They soaked up the rocky sections of trail. Most importantly they accelerated incredibily fast.
So far i am really impressed with these tyres. The next test is under race conditions at the Hard Day at the Office, where they will undergo a full 8 hours of harsh punisment. A race test like this is a true indicator of a good tyre as the will be pushed to their limits. I have a feeling i will not be dissapointed this weekend as Geax tyres have always been a class above the rest.
My mission for the ride was to test some new tyres from Geax - the Baro Racers. They have the same tread pattern as the Baro Mud but have lower profile knobs. They come in a 2.0 and weight under 550 grms (TNT tubeless).
We had a fast ride along the bike track and were quickly at the base of the Dandenongs where we enjoyed some fine single track. We spent the next couple of hours zig zagging up the nongs before ending with a long fast descent. This was a great ride and solid preperation for the Ottway's race in a couple of weeks.
How did the tyres go?
They did everything i asked them. They climbed with no loss of traction. They held the line while descending. They soaked up the rocky sections of trail. Most importantly they accelerated incredibily fast.
So far i am really impressed with these tyres. The next test is under race conditions at the Hard Day at the Office, where they will undergo a full 8 hours of harsh punisment. A race test like this is a true indicator of a good tyre as the will be pushed to their limits. I have a feeling i will not be dissapointed this weekend as Geax tyres have always been a class above the rest.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
