It's all about the extras

Knee operation, new LED lights from Nightlightning.

2009-05-23T20:53:00.007-04:00

It has been 3 weeks since my knee operation and finally i can pedal a full rotation on the bike. The operation went really well with the ACL but all the lateral tighting they did to the medial ligament has been restricting. It is finally starting to loosen up.

I am starting to go a bit nutty now after 5 weeks of inactivity. Alister from Nightlighting sent me a get well pack of goodies. The new LED lights have some real kick. I can't believe that they still get brighter every year. With the lights looking at me every day wanting to head out on the trails i will have to up the rehab.

Ways to beat the boredom:

Rehab exercises.
Learn a language if only very minimal.
Read lots of books.
Spend time playing with children.
Stay out of mums way.

The future.

2009-05-11T17:54:00.013-04:00

It has been pending for some time now, that i would have to back off from riding and racing. With life changing and different priorities i have decided to stop racing and now just ride socially.

I was riding at the nationals this year at Easter and about 8 hours into the race i was feeling good and happy to bee in 2nd. But as in 24hour racing if you think about what you are doing it is over.

I was thinking about a few things one and most important was do i really want this. The answer was no. I never started racing and riding these events to win or to be the best. For me it was all about seeing how far i could push myself and enjoy it. I was lucky enough to be very competitive at the same time. Looking back, last years National 24 hour i found out how far i could push myself. Since then racing hasn't been the same. I now know how far i can push my body and with a young family the risk is to great, i suppose until you do a 24 hour and end up in hospital you don't truly understand.

Anyway new trails are still begging to be discovered and I look forward to some non competitive trail blazing with friends. So here is a list of the best products i have used through my racing life:

Lights: Nightlighting blast. Up datable every year and the more than enough light.

Tyres: Geax Sagauro , the best around tyre ever.

Supplements: Ascend sport protein

Clothing: Skins most comfortable cycling Knicks as they don't stretch over a 24 hour race
and become loose.

Shoes: Shimano custom fit shoes.

Grips: Ergon ergonomic grips. Better control and comfort.

Bike: Giant anthem advance.

So a big thank you to all my sponsors and support network for all you have done for me over the years, they are: Nightlighting, Ascend, Giantbikes, GKA sports, Skins, Ergon grips, Shimano, Jeff Williams (Strength and Conditioning for all.) and Warren Keys(Melbourne Bicycle Centre Clifton Hill.)

24 Hour Solo Championships this weekend.

2009-04-06T20:46:00.004-04:00

Has the work/training been done? YES.
Is this the time? YES NOW.
Do you believe? YES BRAVE.

Stay tuned for full race report and what is install for the future.

Chase your dreams.

2009-04-04T19:56:00.005-04:00

With a week of turning the impossible into reality i have been inspired. I was reminded of what happens if you never take your focus of your goals, no matter how far out of reach they seem to be. So for all who have lost faith in what can be achieved you too will be reminded of what can be done even when all is stacked against them.

On a riding note a small Giant rider along with Troy Clark turned the Hell ride into a train wreck, shelling all who tried to hold the wheel. It seems the Ascend nutritional assistance is paying off.

Today i entered the 24 Solo nationals so look out for the results at Easter. When night falls and Nightlightning come out to play their will be a train wreck.

Magic moment.

2009-03-21T16:39:00.006-04:00

After a light training week and breaking another rear wheel spoke on the Hell ride Saturday, i decided to have a MTB ride.

Up at 3am, it was time to get in some night riding down on the Yarra trails. The ride started slow as i woke the body up. This is when the magic moment happened. About halfway into the ride just before Westerfolds Park time was erased and i woke up back at Burke road. Why is this a magic moment? When you ride your bike for 24 hours your best is always when you loose track of time, i call it taming time or is more widely known as deep in the ZONE. To drop into the zone during training means that it is now on tap, something i have been working on for a long time.

Time management.

2009-03-14T19:02:00.005-04:00

I have a few minutes to post an update. Over the last few weeks it has been full on. I have been getting up at 3am and riding for 3-4 hours before work. Yes the Nightlightning lights have been getting a good work out. However this results in some sleep deprivation requiring me to go to bed at the same time as Mitchell and Emma.

Work has had the rest of the day tied up as we have been busy quoting jobs, laying bricks and blocks for various projects. I have been trying to complete as many jobs as possible before Easter because i have booked my knee surgery for the 14th of April. The surgeon has told me to allow 8 weeks for rehabilitation.

Coming up on the 28th of March i will be riding the Owtway road challenge for Ascend who are supporting the event where you can sample some of their fabulous nutritional products.

Owtway oddessy

2009-02-21T21:33:00.005-05:00

One of the toughest Marathon MTB races is over for another year and i believe it was the best one yet. A quick update on my week before i give you a race report.

Tuesday night the family and i went to the MTB critt under Burke rd bridge. After a few crashes on the early laps due to my adjusted riding style caused by the shoulder ligament injury, i was able to work into a handy lead to take out the $100 up for grabs in A grade. I am looking forward to a full series of these races around Christmas as Mitchell loves riding the trails down there also.

Thursday i saw the Knee specialist. He was a bit surprised by the MIR scan as it showed that i have completely snapped my Anterior Cushier Ligament in my right knee. This gives me 2 options, leave it and no longer run or do any sport or activity's that involve twisting or sudden turning. The other is a complete knee reconstruction involving about 8 weeks rehab. I took the complete knee reconstruction. It is booked for the 14th of April just after the Australian 24 Hour Solo Championships.

Back to the Owtway Odyssey. It was an early start as i had to register before the start. They had giving me No.13, just what i needed to settle pre race nerves. It was a fast start again as we rolled out of town and then began climbing. One thing i won't forget was looking back down from the top to see riders snaking there way along the road we had just blown our lungs apart coming up. I came into the first drink station in 7th place feeling better than in previous years. The next loop took allot out of me. This was fun flowing single track but with the shoulder injury i found i had to really focus on what i was doing just to hold a wheel. As we started the last loop it showed as we started to climb and i just rode a solid tempo to get me to the finish. In the end i managed 9th place which i was happy with considering the lead up. I will be back next year hoping for a top 5 finish.

Bushfire fundraiser

2009-02-16T03:31:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to all who supported the 6 hour race at the You Yangs. Apparently $35,000 was raised and donated to the red cross bushfire relief. To all who organized this great event 'thank you' you make me proud to be associated with the MTB community.

As for the race, it was a great fun event. I had a great start which ended 10mins in when i strayed off line hitting a rock, flipping the bars. After repairing the damage i rejoined at the back of the race. A large lump of fluid appeared on my shin and something wrong with my shoulder i road for another 4 hours before getting another flat. With that i fixed it and called it a day. I saw first aid about my shoulder and it was established that i had stretched ligaments in my shoulder. It seems icing and anti-inflammatory for the next few days and i might make the start of the Owtways this weekend.

Don't forget this Tuesday night $100 is up for grabs if you can win A grade at the critts under Burk rd bridge (Yarra).

Bushfire fundraiser

2009-02-12T00:16:00.004-05:00

I had my first hit out since the Scott 24 hour this week. On Tuesday night i took the family down to the MTB critts at the Eaglemont tennis courts under Burke Rd bridge. Mitch was there tearing it up on his walker bike. This was a great fast hit out lasting about 40mins. Next week should be good as there is $100 for the win in A grade.

In other news, this weekends enduro is now at the You Yang with all proceeds going towards the bushfire relief efforts. So for a great day of riding and fund raising, get down their.

The harder you work the harder it is to surrender.

2009-02-06T20:49:00.005-05:00

With the heat set to soar into the mid 40's my early morning ride time has it's advantages. Setting out at 3am so i could get a good 8 hour ride in before the heat wave. With hilly races on the horizon i stayed in the Dandynongs to climb instead of going to the hell ride. All i can say is my knee has never felt better after draining the cyst and cortisone. This particular ride was one that i got a distinct feeling that the hard work was paying off. I could have ridden in the hills forever, i even broke curfew i was that deep in the zone. Today Terry's avenue seemed to flatten out and felt just like any other climb. Day's like these you wish you were racing and if your not you must hold back otherwise you will cook it for when you do race.

Tuesday night MTB critts and Knee update.

2009-02-04T19:23:00.013-05:00

Well after some long and hard training today i had my cyst drained and cortisone injected into my knee. This will keep me going strong until i can fit the surgery in around the racing schedule. I am off to see the surgeon on Monday to find out what is involved with the surgery. One thing that has help keep my going is the high quality Ascend protein recovery, essential after each training session.

Also on Monday i am having an Eco Stess test at the Epworth to check on my heart. Due to its strange behavior over the years the doctor likes to keep a close eye on it and after having chest pain in Canada last year he is not going to take any chances.

Niggling physical problems like these are just events athletes have to deal with. I have learnt over the years you just have to deal with them the best you can as they are often out of your control. So take measures to have them fixed and focus on what you can control. eg Recovery and rehabilitation.

Skins are a great product to help speed the recovery process after training. Check out http://www.truespiritofcompetition.com/ for a look at skins moments in sport calendar that questions some classic moments in sport.

Riding wise i was able to get out on the Fatties Wednesday night ride. I picked my Giant Anthem up from ProMotion in North Road after a full service. It was great to hop on a fresh machine and smash along the Yarra full noise without it missing beat, giving you the adrenalin rush. If you would like to enhance your MTB skills this is the Weekly MTB ride to do. You should bring lights (Nightlightning) as it gets dark by 8:30.

Racing for me kicks of next Tuesday night at 6:30pm at the Fatties MTB critts. They are at the Eaglemont Tennis club Melway 31 K10 and entry is only $5 either A or B grade.

Knee problems.

2009-01-29T00:37:00.004-05:00

I got confirmation today from the doctor that i have what is known as a Baker's cyst. This is a sack of fluid behind the knee that swells up when irritated. I irritated it Sunday night doing box jumps. This is good news as i now know what is causing it to swell up every now and then. It is also what happened in Canada at the 24 hour worlds. What it means is surgery at some time to have the cyst removed. I have decided to have it done in April after the Marathon champs due mainly to the down time after surgery. Until then i just have to be careful not to irritate it.

In sport and life nothing ever goes perfectly. You always have to manage injuries and setbacks. This is all part of the journey. Stay focused on the goal. Adjust your plans to accommodate the injury or setback. By accepting the setback and adjusting your plans you are still moving towards you goal and have taken action to get back on target instead of floating in no mans land waiting to get back on target.

Fast/hard, night/day riding.

2009-01-24T15:08:00.006-05:00

This Saturday morning i was up and out the door by 3am thanks to Mitchell who had finally gotten so tired he fell asleep. This left me wide awake so instead of going to bed myself i went for a ride. Strapping on the trusty Nightlightning light, I spent the first few hours in the Dandynongs then headed toward the beach. Along the way i met the Ivan and Chris heading toward the Hell ride. We also found Bellie in his new bright yellow shoes ( the Wasp known for its repeated stinging attacks.).

The Hell ride was a spacial one with a strong cross/tail wind. When it is windy you must stay up the front or you will be left behind. So when the ride rolled out at 50+km/h and then didn't drop below 55km/h i was not surprised to find that only a handful remained by Frankston. It pretty much stayed like this all the way back as we picked up the main bunch who took a short loop.
By the time i made it back home i was toasted but excited by such a worthwhile experience.

Riding tip: When their is a cross or tailwind the bunch is most likely to split, so stay up the front. If it does split and your down the back at speeds of 55+km/h you can't push any faster so you will never see the front bunch again as it is imposable. At these speeds you also must be able to push a big gear. This requires strength which is the foundation for riding at these speeds for any length of time. Suggested you work in the gym for this followed by Ascend protein to recover faster.

Missing Ascend

2009-01-23T01:05:00.003-05:00

This is the first week that hard interval training has taken place combined with full time work. This is always tough at first as the body adapts to the load. One thing i am noticing towards the end of the week is the legs don't have the same amount of ping. The main reason i think is i ran out of Ascend protein recovery. It probably was a bad time to see how much it helps. Anyway the way i feel right now i could do with some to get me back on track fast.

How to balance Family, work and riding.

2009-01-16T20:09:00.006-05:00

I'm back from holidays and straight into laying bricks. What a week to start back with temperatures into the mid 30's. It was a good time for a rest from training only light riding for the week. Saturday morn was early again as other fellow MTB riders [Andy Bell, Jason Jackson Epix, Jeff Williams, Matt and Ben Randal showed up today, interesting] are now joining me for a tour of the Dandynongs. This ride is been dubbed the dads ride, due to our family commitments and unwillingness to stop riding. We go in the wee hours of the morning while everybody else is sleeping.

Tip: if you love riding and also want to spend time with your family get your arse out of bed early and have the best of both worlds.

Back to bloging

2009-01-08T22:09:00.021-05:00

Happy new year. I am now back from holidays with the family. Due to my body being totally exhausted i have had a good month off the bike to let it repair the damage i have caused it over the last two years. Anyway i have settled back into riding again and all is going a bit to well. Since i have had some time off my body recovers supper fast. It may have something to do with Ascend's range of recovery products in fact i am sure they assist. Basically i will be training up for some racing in February and March and will then assess where i go from their depending on performance. My inspiration for the year is based on these words ' Failure is very often the fertilizer for success.'

Mitchell has developed a fetish for trains. seen here tyring to break into the Bright train museum.

My first ride back from a break was to check out the Marathon Championship course for 2009. With plenty of climbing and fire roads it is sure to be a hard fun day of racing.

Emma is now crawling. She also has started her core training.

This is Jeff trying to fix his flat. What he didn't realize was the rim had a massive dint in it. His new Giant Anthem descends to fast for him and he can't see the rocks.

Jeff was put to the test when i took him out for a 50km MTB ride. It had over 2000m of climbing and pinches that were over 25% grade.

Jeff and Brad on another challenging MTB ride off the side of Mt Hotham

Emma modeling for Skins.

The view from Mt Buffalo

Along the flat part of Mt Hotham. You can still see the damage from the 2003 bushfire's.

Looking down CRB hill on Mt Hotham it is a casual 15% grade.

Looking from Mt Hotham over too Mt Feathertop.

That is an update on what has been going on. I am looking forward to the year ahead and will be updating my blog regularly again so stay tuned for more training tips, long adventures and great products i use and test.

A ride to the playground.

2008-11-23T01:19:00.021-05:00

Sunday the sun broke through the clouds so dad took me on a bike ride to the playground.

It was a fun ride to get their traveling through the back allies of Balwyn.

I took a big tumble when my front wheel got stuck in a hole.

Fraser was leading the way to the playground and i couldn't get their fast enough.

At first i played on the slide.

Then i played on the swing.

The rocking Kangaroo was so much fun.

Then dad left me hanging on the monkey bars. I could have hung their all day.

Leaving the playground i had another big crash.

All was good though. Dad said it i have to keep my hands on the handlebars until i get a bit older.

On the way home their was heavy traffic on the footpath. i had to pull over to let the pamphlet trolleys past.

Dad has also been teaching me to cross the road safely. Looking right and left checking for cars.

I always practice my curb hoping when crossing the road.

The final stretch home was flat out. I was even out pacing Fraser.

We went so fast on the way home we had to wait for dad to catch up and open the gate.

Ergon Grips.

2008-11-21T00:58:00.005-05:00

With work flat out leading up to Christmas i haven't had time for updates. I have however been prepairing for the Kona 24 hour next weekend. For the last couple of years i have been searching for the ultimate grips with some good finds but nothing that improves performance until now.

Jeff found these Ergon grips and gave them a try at the Scott 24 hour and couldn't believe how good they were. He said i just had to give them a try, so i did.

The diagram shows how the design of the grip improves comfort. Been and endurance MTB rider, comfort is one of the things i was looking for in a grip, the Ergon delivers this.

What really surprised me was how they improved riding performance. Let me explain. Because the grip supports the palm of your hand it seems to relax your fingers so you don't grip hard, your fingers just rap around. When it comes to descending fast or flying through single track the only way to do it is by staying relaxed and letting the bike flow. Because you are not griping the bars you have this relaxed feel. By not griping the bars you also push down on the outside of the bars through corners keeping the front wheel from sliding out.

If you don't believe me drop by the Giant tent at the Kona 24 hour and i will let you test ride a pair. you will be convinced.

Also available is a bar end version although i haven't tried them yet. They are available for triggers or twist shift.

Mitch's first big ride.

2008-11-01T02:46:00.000-04:00

I am almost 2 now and have been training up for my first enduro. Today dad decided i was ready as i hadn't been having my day time nap and getting up way to early in the morning. He said i was in great condition and would have no trouble completing the gruelling 5km loop that we have been running in the afternoon's.

I waited in the starting chute, full of beans.

The first decent was a bit hairy but i managed to hold it upright down the gravel path.

Out onto the footpath where i put my head down and drove into the wind.

Crossing the big grassy park was tough.

This is the beginning of the big climb 1km long.

A final burst over the crest of the big climb catching dad unexpectedly.

Steeling the break on dad and going for home.

Road crossings were difficult but my skills are getting better every day.

The home stretch. Dad had no hope of catching me it was a downhill finish.

It appears though dad was smarter than i thought as i fell asleep in my high chair after some food and drink completely spent.

24 Hour fun in Canberra

2008-10-13T19:37:00.000-04:00

This go's down as one of the best yet and one i personally will never forget. We only decided to go to this race 4 weeks ago. Jeff was a bit shocked but up for a challenge. so i entered us into the 2 man category as we had not tackled this category before. All did not go to plan and we nearly had to pull the pin when my dad had a minor heart attack just before dinner Thursday night. After a long night and been reassured by the doctors that everything was well under control and they just had to monitor his condition for the next couple of days we hit the road Friday lunchtime.

Thanks to fellow Nighlighting rider Troy Bailey we were saved a great spot 50m from transition backing onto the food vendors. Always good to be close to the coffee and food. As you can see Giant supplied us with a great new tent with full back and sides, it was just perfect.

Just for some fun i was up for the prologue dash for cash. Unfortunately about 20mins in one of the sharp rocks stabbed my rear tyre and put an end to my chances.

As you can see it was a rather large hole about 10mm long. I was looking for a little more speed and ran a Geax Baro race on the rear, this however was not wise as the course was far to rocky. Jeff and i switched straight back to the ever reliable Geax Sagauro and didn't have any more of these frustrating problems.

I started the run and first lap getting us off to a good start. Jeff followed it up with more consistent laps. Night time came so out came the Nightlighning lights, one on the bars and one on the head. Having this much light we were able to keep lapping out good times and stay on schedule. With the temperature dropping i put on the long Skins bib knicks and my night laps picked up.

By morning we were noticing the affects of using the Ascend protein bars as our legs felt great and neather of us had had a cramp. Also Andrew Bell using the Ascend products had fort his way back up into 2nd place in the solo men's category.

The rest of the race went great. Our Giant Anthems just ate the bumps and rocks making it easy. Jeff and i just went about riding as fast as we could and managed to finish 2nd pushing the Specialized team hard for their well deserved win. Also finishing 3rd was BMC who were also using the Nightlighning lights.

Congrats also to Jess Douglas who took the female Solo win on her 2009 Giant Anthem

A big thank you to all our sponsors and our wonderfull wives for granting us a leave pass for a long weekend.

Hawks win, 6 hour win. Anthem sale.

2008-10-02T20:53:00.000-04:00

Well it has been a while since the Hawks have been on top but now we are here to stay. Mithchell backed the right team going with the mighty Hawks instead of following mum and the Cat's. He was rather happy when they won.

Ending on ebay shortly is the Giant Anthem Advance at a bargin price. You will be dissapointed if you don't pick it up.

The next day I was to be a bit weathered. Packing my bags while under the influence for the 6 hour at Bendigo, i had forgotten to put a jersey in. So raced in a Skins top. With the rocky conditions and twisty trails this was beneficial anyway. As it turned out the race went well establishing an early lead and riding pretty consistently for the 6 hours. It just proves you don't have to do mega Km or long hours to race well over 6 hours. It was great to see the Yeti tribe take the win.

Wednesday night on the fatties ride was a cracker. One section of trail at Westerfolds, Ben Randell worked his way to the front and let us have it. He held 45+km/h along the Yarra river single track. In all my years of riding the trail i cannot remember going that fast. It has me wondering just how fast he is going to go when it is not dark. So if you are up for the challenge and would like to experience speeds like this on the MTB come along and find out just how it is done. We leave at 6:30pm Wednesday nights from Eaglemont scout camp in Ivonhoe.

Thursday we rode the Tour of the Burb's with 100 other riders. The pace was fast up front with a strong pace set up the hills. My legs felt a little flat so will have a couple of easy days.

Next week i will be preparing to contest the 2 man category at the Scott 24. Jeff and i will be racing our Giant Anthem's at full speed for the 24 hours. So we stay stuck to the trail we will be running Geax Saugaro rubber the proven 24 hour tire performer. We will be taking Ascend's new protein bars and electrolyte drinks to give us a huge advantage over our competition and will have some available if you would like to give them ago. Also i am sure you will see us at night as we will be running our Nightlighning Blasst light system's that will have the trail lit up like it was day time.

Time for an update

2008-09-25T06:08:00.000-04:00

I have been having a long overdue break from blogging, training and racing. This is about to change as i kick off back into racing this weekend at the Bendigo 6 hour. Then i will be going to the Scott 24 hour to contest the 2 man category with Jeff Williams.

Currently i have heaps of goodies on ebay including a Giant Anthem Advance for sale. They end on Saturday so be quick.

I have been riding a little. Thursday night Tour of the Burbs has kept my legs turning. Actually tonight's ride has prompted this post as i had a lucky escape. I was descending down Foot st in front of 100+ other keen riders when i hit a hole in the road. At the time i estimate my speed at about 80km/h. There was a load bang as my tires exploded leaving me to hold my line and cop abuse for not signaling that i had a flat. I still can't work out why they would want me to take my hand off the handlebars to do this at 80km/h with 2 flat tyres, maybe they wanted me to crash in front of them so they could slide along the bitch amen at 80km/h. This moment go's down as the scariest i have had on a bike. One thing i can vouch for is Vittori Rubino tyres, reckon they are the only reason i kept it upright.

The other ride i have been doing is the Fatties Wednesday night ride. This has been rather entertaining and has kept the MTB skills up. The other week AJ took a disliking to wildlife colliding with a wombat breaking a spoke in his front wheel, fatso didn't seem to mind though just waddling off into the bush.. That wasn't enough for him as 2 mins latter he ran down a defenceless little bunny rabbit leaving it sleeping in the middle of the track. Latter that ride Erin had a go at log hopping not quite making the height tearing the ligaments in his shoulder, it was rather spectacular.

I also have been riding in the new Skins cycling knicks. I will be posting a full review on their entire cycling range shortly but basically they are the most comfortable knicks i have ever ridden in.

Ascend - what an awesome product!

2008-08-25T01:08:00.000-04:00

My posts have nt been very regular lately because life for me at the moment is flat chat and so the riding has taken a back seat. One thing i have kept up is the Ascend products. I sprinkle the Muscle Protein powder on my cereal for breakfast - this helps maintain the supply of protein to the muscles which finishes the repair process from the previous day of training or work (bricklaying). The Ascend line of protein products has allowed me to maintain my muscle strength during my break from training.

For the lead up to the 24 worlds i was using the Ascend protein to help with my recovery from the training load. The power test proved that it was helping as i hadn't punched out that much power in 7 years. You may then ask if i was in such awesome form from using the Ascend protein, what happened at the 24 Hour Worlds.

To put it simply the human body is not a machine. The Worlds was my 4th 24 hour event in less than 12 months. So apart from a knee injury my body simply would not allow itself to be destroyed. The body would still work well for shorter events and training, but this is still a far cry from racing a 24hour Mtb race at this level. The body knew what it was about to be put through and simply would not allow itself to be pushed as its reserves had not been fully replenished from been emptied out so many times in one year.

Having the Ascend protein is one of the only reason's i have been able to keep going at this level all year. The body just needs some rest from the 24 hours for 12months. I am looking at it as another opportunity to focus on some marathon racing and lots of team events at the upcoming 24 hour races - maybe even a couple of stage races. These races for me have always been used as lead up events to boost fitness but thid year i will focus on this race format.

So if you want to feel awesome on the bike - use Ascend products. Just remember it helps you recover faster so you can train harder and more frequently.

Team Giant win Chase the Sun Series.

2008-08-19T04:03:00.000-04:00

Ok so i have had a break after the worlds. This is common practice for me to just walk away after a big build and have some time away from riding. I have been catching up with my family and work has been crazy since getting back. We seem to be getting somewhere now, finally finding a competent bricklayer to help us get through the work load.

After 3 weeks of zero riding i had to get straight into racing with Rd 4 of Chase the Sun on the weekend. This i was not expecting as i had gotten the dates wrong and thought i had a couple more weeks to get my legs rolling again. We had a great course set for the race using the entire Com games course with and add on of fire track and some minimal single track. I thought this was great as it had rained all week. The Com games track is hard waring and holds up well in the rain. This loop should be used if the weather is bad all the time. I think Full Gas are learning how to adjust according to the weather conditions so we can still have a great race no matter what conditions they are faced with.

I was up first pairing with Murry Spink again. I was surprised i actually came in a close second on the first lap. Murry quickly asserted his dominance sending me back out for a double with a small lead. I held pretty well just holding my place. Murry just never slowed down tapping out the 5 fastest laps for the day taking the pressure off me so i could just survive my laps, sucking up the cramping. In the end we won closely followed by Team Felt and the Torq Team in third. This finishing order worked out better than we thought and gave us enough points to take the series.

My advice to anyone else who is considering racing cold straight of a break. Don't do it. That night i was woken several times , my legs cramping refusing to relax. Anyway a few easier rides over the next couple of weeks before i look at some more races.

World 24 Domination

2008-07-27T16:25:00.001-04:00

Willo at presentations shaking Champagne

Alexander and Willo's bike. This is the best bike man in the business. Our bikes were spotless and didn't miss a beat all race.

Willo with Meg just before he crossed the line to take the World 24 hour win.

Jason English crosses the line in 2nd place.

Mark Fenner crosses the line in 3rd place.

Craig Peacock taking his Age group tile for a 3rd consecutive year.

The race for me was over early but more on that latter. The whole team did incredibly well. In Elite Men we filled the first 4 places James Williamson(GIANT), Jason Englisnh(BMC), Mark Fenner(SPECIALIZED), Jeff Tooey(FELT). Katrin VanDerSpeigle finished 2nd in Elite Women,

Craig Peacock(SCOTT), Troy Bailey(BMC) bothe won their age group category. Also many other placings.

Myself in summary. Battling cramps from the beginning, then a clumsy fall straining my knee i was unable to get going pulling the pin at the 8 hour mark. It was a great experience to be their to see so many Aussy riders preform at their best in the most horrific conditions.

BE THE BEAR

2008-07-25T22:49:00.000-04:00

24 Hours of Aderalin World Championships live at: Adrenalinlive.

Live 24 Worlds Coverage.

2008-07-25T09:07:00.000-04:00

This will be Georges home for the race. Their are more Aussies in Elite than anyone else. We are all in a line up pit ally. Starting with Johnny Waddell, Myself, James Williamson, Jason English, Katrin Van Spiegal, Jeff Tooey and Mark Fenner. The other age group racers number another 20 in groups around the pit area. Tune in via the web and cheer us all home.

The live coverage of the race this year is at:

24hoursofadrenalin.com, World 24 Hour Championships, go into AdrenalinLive on the left.

Bike support and a new room mate.

2008-07-24T18:11:00.000-04:00

The Start/Finish area is starting to shape up as the event approaches.

They were busy setting up the pit lanes for the solo riders.

The rain set in last night. It cleared by morning and is meant to stay away for the race.

I went for a scenic drive with George in the afternoon. This is a view over Canmore.

Here is a photo of George at a lake we visited today.

I was down at the local the Bicycle Cafe here in Canmore having my bikes checked out before the race. I meet up with Johnny Wadell who happened to be looking for a place to stay. Since we had a spare room he has joined us for the rest of our stay here in Canmore. Johnny is going for a solo only approach for the race. Should be interesting to see how it pans out for him.

Thanks to Giant i was contacted by a bike shop in Calgary (pedal head). Alexander there has agreed to look after Willo and my bikes for the race. This is fantastic and means i will sleep better now knowing the bikes will be well cared for during the race. To have them offer their time to look after our bikes is greatly appreciated and gives us extra motivation to preform.

Relaxing in Canmore, New Cycling Skins

2008-07-23T20:16:00.001-04:00

Over the last few days we have been relaxing and taking in the sights. This is a view from a tee at the local golf course here in Canmore.

George and i went on a little hike. It followed a dried up river.

Went through a moss covered forest.

Past unusual landscapes.

Then arrived at a canyon that was a rock climbers paradise.

Along the way we dropped in on some local Bears, unfortunately they weren't home.

Today i was able to try out the new Long Bib cycling knicks from skins. This was my first use of these and i am impressed. They fit perfectly and you can really feel the compression, this feels empowering making my legs like coiled springs.

Practice today was done with Willo. The course was also different today as it had rained overnight making the technical sections very tricky and slipery. We were also lucky to see a Bear cub run across the track in front of us on the lower section of track. This is the bike after one lap of the course.

I went out the other morning just to test my Nightlightning lights. No problem all charging well.

An 'Epix" to do before you die.

2008-07-19T18:20:00.000-04:00

A map of where we were headed. Starting at the top left head across to the middle and down then head back up to the top and across.

The ride started and finished at a car park behind us. We were heading out on a 4-5 hour loop for experienced riders. We thought we fitted the description. The loop set of along a track called the Lusk track. First thing i noticed was the trails here are marked better than our race courses.

The trail heads up and through the woods. The locals tell you to stay together and yell out "Hey Bear" as you blaze through the trails.

About 30 mins into the ride we came across a recently logged area.

Craig doing a bit of hike a'bike. This was steep, I'm talking granny ring 32 at the rear.

After we finished the Lusk track we took the Powderface fire road track to the Jumpingpound track turn off.

The valley below is Powderface road. We came up Jumping pound track which was a tough granny ring climb for an hour.

My Giant Anthem was loving been on top of the world.

We finally arrived at the top of Jumpingpound hill and were rewarded with spectacular views.

This was the ridge we were about to descend down. What a reward for all that tough climbing.

Off the ridge and back into the woods.

We popped out onto the other end of the Powderface trail and had a great view of the ridge line we had just ridden up, across and down.

This was heading back along the Lusk track.

And finally back at the car. It had taken 4 hours and 30 mins. We had climbed 2000m and avoided flat tires in the rockiest of conditions, thankfully to Geax Saguaro tires and sealant. I will never forget this ride it rates as the best yet. I know this is the sort of trail the Felt Epix search for on a regular basis. When they find the trails as good as this i hope i am lucky enough to be their too.

Disecting the course and soaking in Banff.

2008-07-18T19:18:00.000-04:00

Singletrack decent, some ascent's are like this as well.

A climb on the course.

Banff hot mineral springs.

Craig riding the single track descent.

This is a perfect example of the singletrack. Rooted and rocky.

This morning i meet up with Mark Fenner for a quick burn around the 24 hour course. After one lap of figuring it out and piecing it together properly we were able to do one more off the full track in the correct order and direction.

This is by far the toughest MTB course i have in counted. It is 20km long and has 630m of climbing (more than last year). It is different as the course is always amongst the trees. It has a good balance of fire road and single track, this applies to the ascents and descents. This course will test fitness and MTB skills. It truly is fitting of a World Championship.

The afternoon was spent soaking in the hot mineral springs of Banff. The water temp is 39 degrees so after about 30 mins your done. It is however fantastic for recovery. The rest of Banff i didn't think much of. It has far to many tourist wandering around for me. Canmore is allot quieter and way more relaxing.

Day trip to the Glacier

2008-07-17T18:34:00.000-04:00

100 years ago the glacier came up to where the road is.

All that is left of a shrinking glacier.

This is lake Louise. Far to many tourist.

Another lake without the tourist and i think it looked better.

The weeping wall.

After a couple of days riding the course and getting the legs moving again we took a day trip up to the glacier taking in the sights along the way. This country just blows me away with it's raw beauty and endless mountain passes. Tonight we are going to a BBQ at Shane's (local). Tomorrow i am meeting Mark Fenner for a few laps of the course. Cheek out the course profile at http://www.24hoursofadrenalin.com//. You will also be able to get live coverage of the race on this site. Enter site and go to world championships. Then go to rider profiles for live coverage.

Canmore, Canada.

2008-07-16T18:36:00.000-04:00

Looking out my bedroom window.

Looking the other way.

View over Canmore. Heading up towards the 24 Hour track.

The lowest part of the 24 hour track.

The Solo pit area. The track is up to the right.

Looking towards Banff.

Craig Peacock and myself.

Geax TNT Pitstop. This is the best sealant on the market. It forms a layer inside the tyre that acts like a tube that repairs itself if penetrated. It has already been doing it's far share of work.

We arrived safely in Vancover on Monday the 14th of July after 21 hours in transit. The only hiccup was having the Internet cafe shut as they started the last climb in the tour. I had to wait 12 hours to find out that Cadel had taken the yellow jersey by a second.

We went straight to our hotel and freshened up. Then we went straight to the pub for a counter meal and 2 pints. I recon i was halve pissed after that.

With a good nights sleep we were back at the airport to catch a flight to Calgary. This flight only took an hour. Craig Peacock arrived just after us and we all piled in a shuttle bus to get the hire van. This is hilarious when you have your luggage and 3 bikes, nobody else has any room for their stuff.

Driving into Canmore you feel as if you are been swallowed by the world. The mountains rise up so fast and surround you. We settled into our accommodation, built up our bikes. Craig knows a local here (Shane) who took us for a ride around the 24 hour track.

First impressions of the track are a bit daunting. Their is alot of climbing. The surface is like a wet pine forest, say Majura but has a rocky, Shelley feel. Basically tree roots with sharp rocks through it. I have already slashed a tire by getting a bit carried away to soon. Will have more info soon.

Preparing to leave.

2008-07-12T17:56:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning and i was out at 3am for one last long ride before leaving for Canada. I meet Jason (Felt epix) at 4am and we headed into the Dandynongs. After that i decided to cut the ride short as i had alot to do before i left. The day was spent packing and spending time with family.

Sunday i squeezed in a trainer session for an hour in the morning. Now i am just double checking i have everything and all is organized with the business before i leave Monday.

Kate is truly a great wife and mother who always puts her family first. For the next 3 weeks she will have to look after 2 children and run the Bricklaying business on her own. It means more than words can say that i am able to go to Canada to have a chance at the 24 World Championships. I love Kate and my children very much and will miss them dearly.

Growing Confidence.

2008-07-10T05:42:00.000-04:00

Tonight i went to Jeff's shed to do the usual power testing before the big race. I do this test at the start of a training block and just before i tapper for the event. It is a 20 min time trial on the trainer and we take the avg. watts and heart rate.

This simple test tells no lies, it is what it is. I have data going back 12 years on this same machine. This means i know exactly what numbers i need to be at the top. Tonight i smashed the machine apart. It has been 8-10years since i have been able to maintain such an average and i have never done so while in heavy training. The figure is 8% higher than last year and over 15% higher than this years national champs.

As i said this test tells no lies, it is what it is. This has given me a confidence boost i needed, a true confidence boost not a bullshit one. It is not enough to just believe you can do it, although it go's a long way. Back it up with rock solid proof and you have true confidence that you can do it.

All that's left is to get to the start and give it my all for the 24 hours. The result is what happens after the race.

GKA SPORTS

2008-07-09T02:44:00.000-04:00

Genuine Innovations Second wind pump. Holds a 16grm gas bomb and doubles as a pump. It mounts under your drink cage and is an essential piece of equipment if you are racing or out riding trails.

New booties from TUFF. Warm dry feet at last.

Short finger TUFF gloves for summer racing. The easy to pull tabs are great.

Long finger TUFF gloves for Winter racing or overgrown trails.

Tour time with Mitchell. Learning how the race is run and won. Go Cadel.

Geax Baro Race tyres for the 24 World Champs. Light, fast and grippy.

Geax Saguaro. All round tough tyre for all conditions.

I have gotten over the cold i had all last week. My main goal this week is to dial in the race pace intensity. This means long hard sessions on the trainer at race pace or higher.

It is a busy week as i have been finalizing things before i go. This involves what jobs are to be done while I'm away and making sure their is work when i get back. Kate must have contingency plans if jobs are delayed.

As you can see GKA sports have been kind enough to help me out with new tyres, gloves and a pump for my 2nd bike. I have always used their products as i have found them to be tough and reliable. Why even try other products if these work so well.

Shimano XTR wheels.

2008-07-06T05:08:00.000-04:00

The side cage made by Giant for the Anthem range of bikes. One of the easiest bottle cages i have used.

Shimano XTR wheels and centre lock hubs. You undo one nut and the disc slides off. This system is quick, easy and great when you have to pack your bike for travel.

Back training and what a weekend.

2008-07-06T00:46:00.000-04:00

My sister Jen, her husband Paul, Birthday girl Mackenzie and little sister Abby.

Troy Baily out on Sundays Motor pace.

Well by Friday i was feeling better and actually rode on the trainer for an hour to get the legs moving again. Although i haven't fully recovered from the cold i was well enough to get a good weekend in. Friday night was a late one as we had Kate's family over for dinner to celebrate Jenny's (Kate's mum) birthday.

Then it was up early on Saturday for the Hell ride and extras getting in 200+km. The afternoon we tackled a triple 1 year old birthday party in the nongs followed by my niece Mackenzie's 2nd Birthday. By the time we got home and put the kids to bed we were both exhausted.

Emma conveniently woke up at 1am for a feed so i caught the end of stage 1 of the Tour. Then i was up at 5am for a motor pace session down to Sorento and back giving me another 200km day. I must say by the time we came back through Black rock i was a shell. I had the 1000 mile stare and just made it home.

Am i happy with that, hell yes. Sick all week and then back to back 200 km rides. I 'm pretty sure that showed me i am ready for the worlds. All i have to do now is tapper properly and i will actually feel good while doing it.

Tomorrow i will have a well deserved massage at Rosanna Remedial Massage.

Being sick is stressfull.

2008-07-02T04:30:00.001-04:00

Well it has been 3 days now since i have hopped on my bike or done any form of training because i am sick with a cold. It is tough not being able to train but i know better than to train and make it worse. At the same time i know i only have a limited number of days left where i can get any training benefit before the race. This is a sign of true discipline - if you train while sick you loose fitness where as if you rest you maintain your fitness. All i can do is rest and be patient.

After 3 days of nothing you start get real twitchy. The one good thing is after an absence like this you can't wait to get on the bike, which is exactly the way you want to feel leading into a big event.

2008-07-01T04:52:00.000-04:00

Mitchell thinks he is so clever he even gave himself a clap.

Emma posing as the perfect angle.

Since I've been trying to get over a cold i thought i would show you all what I've been teaching the kids. Mum is not happy with Mitchell's progress fearing he will have to learn the hard way. She also doesn't believe this is a real photo of Emma as sitting quietly by herself is unheard of. I think she wants m to start training again.

Sunday MTB ride

2008-06-29T03:17:00.000-04:00

Nightlightning Digital Blast. You to could have this much light. Imagine how quick you could go at night. Early morning is a great time to practice your night riding skills. This works grate for me as the family are still tucked away in bed.

I meet up with Jeff who is always up for an early ride along the Yarra trails.

Jeff rounding the trails out the back of Westerfold's Park.

Jeff and myself heading home from a great spin along some perfect trails in the heart of Melbourne

Hell Ride

2008-06-27T21:20:00.000-04:00

The bunch strung out. Is that Ash?

Skins popping up everywhere.

The bunch traveling through Frankston.

Had a sleep in this morning and just did the Hell Ride. This keeps the intensity up so the body doesn't forget. It seems a few roadies have started taking Ascend after noticing my form improve. I am expecting some improvements from certain riders by the time i get back from overseas.

Rest+Recovery

2008-06-27T04:07:00.000-04:00

Well it has been a quiet week on the bike only getting out for a short MTB ride on Wednesday and short road ride Thursday. It was decided Sunday that i would have a rest week as i was starting to feel flat, tired and developing signs of sickness. Thursday i tested the legs a little and the time off has worked a treat.

Mitchell and Emma

2008-06-24T04:41:00.000-04:00

Mitchell learning to feed himself dinner.

Emma having a bath. The only time she isn't eating.

MTB skills with dad.

The drop off.

Perfect landing. Better skills than dad at 19 months old.

I am taking some much needed recovery time before a short intense training block before tapering for the 24 World Championships. This means very little ridding and a lot more rest. I've been spending more time with the family and have posted some photos of the kids.

Giant 2009 Launch

2008-06-22T05:39:00.000-04:00

Check out the new Giant road range at cyclingnews . I recon the bikes look mean. The new 2009 Durace looks like XTR and gives the bikes that tough mean look.

Sunday i had someone to ride with

2008-06-22T05:01:00.000-04:00

Sam riding up to Joel to try to explain how to ride together.

Sam at Sky High.

The view from Sky high.

Sunday i rode with the boys. It was a farewell ride for Rohin and Ivan before they head over to Europe. It was an interesting ride with plenty of hard riding. The thing is MTB riders can't ride together at all even when we are rolling easy (see top photo). You would think that with such experienced MTB riders they could ride some of the way together, no. I suppose riding together is a roady thing and probably explains why i ride solo for 24 hours.

It was a good ride and i wish them a safe and successfully journey.

I think after the last few day's i need some rest. Key indicator is i am getting night sweats. This is a sure sign that i am pushing myself to the limit. 2 days of rest should freshen me up enough to resume training.

Rain, Wind and Fog.

2008-06-20T21:13:00.000-04:00

Passing through Olinda at 4am on Saturday.

Going up the Tourist Rd in the nongs. Fog and Rain makes zero visibility.

Emma woke up at about 4:30am on Friday so i feed her and instead of going back to bed jumped on the trainer for an hour before work. After work i saw Phil at Rosanna Remedial Massage. Because of the volume and intensity of my training at the moment it is essential for recovery to get a massage every week. The more you do the more important this is.

Saturday morning i woke to the sound of rain. At this stage of preparation you can't be lazy and stay in bed you just put on your rain jacket and go for your planned ride. I went over the Dandynongs and down to the Hell ride meeting Andrew Bell along the way. It seems he is always out when it is raining.

To my surprise there was about 40 show up for the Hell ride. With a South westerly blowing and the rain this was going to be a tough loop. I was right the pace was high and everyone was strung out single file in the gutter. Just to make it hard on myself i rolled the 53/11 for the 2 hour loop.

The only minor incident happened about half way round when going through a set of shops in the pissing rain at 50km/h, bloke of the year stepped out onto the pedestrian crossing in front of the bunch. Yes he was on a pedestrian crossing but he wouldn't have done it if it were a truck. At 50km/h in the rain it is impossible to stop a bike. This guy did it deliberately and you think he would think twice after what happened last year. Why do something that can cause not only yourself harm but others.

At the end i had clocked 200+km in 7 hours. It was another ride that prepares you for anything.

Wednesday. New Skins and Nightlightning's new battery cases.

2008-06-19T02:34:00.001-04:00

Nightlighning's new battery cases.

Skins new cycling range.

Jim seting off after his fall down to the Yarra river.

Jim climbing back up from the Yarra river.

I managed to get out with the boys for the Wednesday night ride along the Yarra. It was very entertaining with the pace been pushed up the front and some of us having difficulty staying on the trails. I headed home early as somebody was playing up at home. This didn't bother me as i didn't want to long a ride as the morning trainer session was a beauty.

Latest edition of Enduro is out and in it are the new cycling range from SKINS.
These will be available for everyone in July. Stay tuned for a full report on feel and effectiveness.

Also Nightlightning now have battery bags that fit snugly to you handlebars. I was using one last night and was very happy with it. They are simple and easy to use but most importantly there is no chance it would come lose and flop around.

Tuesday 17th June.

2008-06-17T04:44:00.000-04:00

I was up early and on the trainer before work today. It seems to be coming together now. With a rest day yesterday the legs recovered better than ever. Tuesday's sessions are usually tough as i normally haven't recovered fully from the weekend. All the data feedback was telling me it was like i was fully recovered. It's a good sign when you start to recover fast. You must be careful though not to over cook yourself when this starts happening as sometimes there is a delayed affect.

On the home front Mitchell is back to his usual self, full of beans and ruining a muck. Emma is sleeping longer between feeds. This is great because Kate and i are getting a better sleep. Kate has had the all clear from the obstetrician and can resume her gym and running again. She walks with both Mitchell and Emma in the pram and Fraser our dog for over an hour each day.

We also finalized our house plans for Bright today and they will be ready for town planing shortly. We are both starting to get excited about finally having our own place.

Mark Fenner is now in Canmor and sending us back info on the course and weather condition ect. You can log onto his blog at http://www.ftptraining.wordpress.com/

A Day in the Dandynongs

2008-06-14T23:47:00.000-04:00

The Elbow. One of the tougher climbs in the nongs.

Where Puffing Billy crosses the road on the way to Emerald

Heading up the wall.

Kallista Road - tough climb and very slippery this time of year.

On the way to Emerald

The beginning of the Elbow

With Mitchell on the mend and Emma behaving i was able to back up yesterdays ride with a strength and endurance ride in the Dandynongs. I love riding in the nongs - you can tell why by the pictures. The roads are alot quieter this time of year - unlike in the summer when you get all the day trippers.

Long Ride

2008-06-14T00:48:00.000-04:00

After a reasonable night i set off on my ride at 3:30am. I was a bit over dressed but i would rather be warm than cold. I did a little test this morning and pushed a solid gear up the Tourist Road to the top of Mt Dandynong. This was a good result and made the rest of the ride easy. From their i went down to the Hell ride where i rolled the 53/11 to build the strength in my legs.

As i got back into the city i realized i had some missed calls from Kate and gave her a call. Mitchell had developed a rash on his feet and hands and was off to the doctors. This meant i had to be home pronto. It turns out he has hand, foot and mouth virus and it will take a week or so to clear up. Hopefully he is getting through the worst of it otherwise it will be a long week.

This also means he has to miss his cousins 1st birthday party on Sunday. I am sure they will make up for this in the future.

In the end i got a 7 hour ride in (200km) at a good tempo. Will be backing this up in the hills Sunday.

NO SLEEP

2008-06-13T04:40:00.000-04:00

Mitchell had a horror of a last night - he cried all night and there was nothing we could do to comfort him. THe only one in the house that got a good nights sleep was Emma. He was so upset because he has a mouth full of ulcers which are causing him considerable pain. The doctor said that it would probably get worse before it gets better and all we can do for him is keep his fluids up, use babyt panadol and bonjella - if we can get it into his mouth. Looks like we are all going to get the perfect sleep deprivation training.

With the rain arriving this afternoon i managed to get a 2 hour trainer session in. After my massage yesterday the legs were back and i was happy the quality of this session. If things aren't too crazy tonight i will be off on my weekly long ride early tomorrow morning. I have got all the winter wet weather gear set out as i am expecting it will be cold and wet.

Tip: When riding in the cold and rain you need the following items: two pairs of gloves, fleecy wintex jacket, rain jacket, fleecy lined long nicks, booties, scull cap and most important of all one pair of wool socks as they will keep your feet warm when they get wet. Also it is a good idea to take extra food with you as the cold makes you hungry.

Thursday 12th June.

2008-06-12T04:20:00.000-04:00

I had a day off the bike on Tuesday and got plenty of work done. We were suppose to be trying out some more bricklayers this week, however with a short week and the wrong type of work on it will have to wait another week.

Wednesday i was up at 4am and on the trainer for a couple of hours. Legs felt like lead so will book in for a massage at Rosanna Remedial. When i got home from work i took Mitchell outside to ride his bike while i did a Kettle bell session just. This was to make sure the whole body was completely hammered before another rest day.

Just as well today was a day off from training as Mitchell had to be picked up from crashe with a slight temperature. Hope this disappears as fast as it arrived as we don't need a repeat of what happened a couple of weeks ago. I was still fortunate enough to get my massage which i needed to keep the training up. If i do get sleep tonight i will be on the trainer before work so i get a good solid 3 days in a row before some recovery.

Another thing we have on the go is our Bright house plans. We should be finalizing the design tomorrow so they can be prepared for town planing while I'm away. Then when i get back the pressure will be on to get the house built.

Nightlightning light sale.

2008-06-08T23:00:00.000-04:00

Nightlightning has 4 iBlaasts discounted $50. The package has helmet mount, 2.2ah 3hour battery, and the iBlaast light unit which puts out 720lumas. Total weight including battery is 350garms.This normally would cost $550 but is yours delivered for $500. If you are interested contact myself or Nightlighthing.

2008-06-08T22:37:00.000-04:00

Monday morning and i had found some friends to ride with. Jeff was to break in his new road bike (Giant TCR zero) and there is no better way to do it than the Kinglake, Yarra Glen loop.

Out on the road on our way to Kinglake.

Jeff hoeing into a mushroom pie at Yarra Glen after we rolled a pace line from Kinglake.

Arriving home at 11:30am i had clocked up 18 hours in 3 days+ a gym session Sunday night. The Ascend is doing its trick as i felt my best on Monday.

2008-06-08T22:10:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning i set off to find someone to ride with. Yes it was early and raining but i still was optimistic.

I rode to the top of Mt Dandynong but did not find anybody else. From here i rode to Frankston and saw but a few unenthusiastic riders. I went back along the beach into the city all alone.

By the time i made it to Croydon my flash looking bike looked exhausted and filthy. So after 8 hours of riding 220km my bike and i were still alone.

The next day we headed into the Dandynongs to see who we could find. After about 3 hours i saw Joel Reed on his MTB carving the trails an the side of the road. Here was Joel having a ball on the MTB and myself on the road bike climbing hills, i think this is why i was on my own.

Wednesday 4th May.

2008-06-04T06:46:00.000-04:00

Nothing wrong with the strength of Shimano XTR, it held firm as the hanger snapped.

After a couple of days catching up on sleep i was looking forward to the fatties Wednesday night ride. This ride ended 15mins into it when a stick snapped my derailleur hanger. Faced with no option i called Kate to pick me up. So instead of having a fun ride with my mates i was back to the grind of the mag trainer dripping sweat and all alone.

One thing on my mind lately is that the 24 hour world champs are drawing near(27th July). I am starting to feel the pressure not from sponsors or others but the pressure we place upon ourselves to perform. The next 5 weeks are critical in terms of preparation. It is vital to cross the T's and dot the I's. Over the years i have found that this final training period is critical to your success. There is no shortcuts over this period before tapering. You either do the work or suffer the consequences. I have to take each day as it comes not knowing what life will throw at me next. I know what i have to do to put the finishing touches on my fitness, i just have to do it. That is the pressure the work must be done now. This last training period always puts incredible strain on family life. With a good plan, an understanding and supportive family it can be done. Luckily i have both.

Emma's back. Monday 2nd June

2008-06-01T21:50:00.000-04:00

Last night Emma returned to good health and has been sent home. Both Kate and i are rapped and look forward to a nights sleep at home.

Sunday was a day that will remain in my mind as a reminder of what you can do when the going gets tough. All week both Kate and i have had little or disturbed sleep and where pretty exhausted by Sunday morning. Kate was looking after Emma who was picking up and i was to race Chase the Sun. Luckily both Kate and i have fabulous family support that looks after us in our times of need. Without their support we could not do what we do and greatly appreciate all you do for us .

I was teamed up with fellow Giant rider Murray Spink again who was in no mood to race either after battling a nasty cold for the last 2 weeks. Because i had to get back to the hospital i was racing the first 3 hours and Murray the 2nd 3 hours.

My mind was on other things when the race started. With a few techniques i have developed over the last couple of years i was able to clear my head and settle into a rhythm. After the first lap i was with the leaders only to be gaped slightly on the next lap by the torq and felt teams. Just before the end of the first lap Scotty had a mechanical and i was back into 2nd. With Adrian Jackson for company we worked together for the next 3 hours to maintain our position. I handed over to Murry and AJ continued on his solo inhalation.

I left straight away making my way into the hospital to see Emma and Kate. Emma had been improving as the day went on and it was looking like she would be discharged tomorrow morning. I gave Murray a call at 4pm to find our how the race ended. He had managed to hold second unable to catch the Torq team of Luke and James.

Second is good enough after what we had been through and the way we had to race the event. In fact i am rapped. We are looking good for the series and with all the top competition it makes it an exciting challenge.

Emma update

2008-05-30T22:35:00.000-04:00

This is Emma in hospital. I am about to go and take over from Kate, she hasn't had a break all night and morning. The grandparents are going to look after Mitchell so Kate can get some much needed rest.

Emma's heart rate at rest is my Maxim. This is what has the doctor's concerned. Her blood test so far have reveled nothing which is good. She is just struggling with a fever. It is going to be another long night.

Sick Emma, Friday 30th May

2008-05-30T17:37:00.000-04:00

Today was not that great. Emma was developing a fever just like what Mitchell had. The doctor said to keep a close eye on her and if she doesn't improve take her straight to the Royal Children's. We were suppose to catch up for Kate's grandmothers birthday but had to postpone due to Emma's condition. Happy Birthday Dori.

By 9pm her temperature was climbing and she was constantly grizzling so Kate took her in to the Hospital. They admitted her straight away and stabilized her condition and it now looks like she will be in over the weekend. The good news is she is now improving and will be back to normal shortly.

With all this going on we nearly forgot to pay the rego and insurance on the utes. Luckily reminders were in place and we didn't miss the due dates.

As far as riding go's, the added rest will just make me faster for the weekends encounter at Chase the Sun Rd2.

Thursday 29th May

2008-05-29T06:36:00.000-04:00

Mitchell still had a fever last night so we had another disturbed sleep. Throughout the day he has improved and seems to be back to his normal self. Kate's parents looked after him for a few hours today which seemed to cheer him up.

I also tried a bricklayer out today but found him to be a labourer who could lay bricks, not really what i am after. We have 4 more to try next week so hopefully one will be just what we are after.

Also had a haircut today to freshen up. Whenever i start to get a bit cranky this seems to help put me in a better mood.

Training tonight was 'Tour the burbs' which was a great hit out before the weekend. Lots of tempo and powerfull surges to really open up the lungs. Ben Randell was smashing it and i am sure Russell Collet and him will be the main competition at Chase the Sun. I am going to have an easy day tomorrow so i will be fresh for the weekends race.

2008-05-28T05:20:00.000-04:00

Last night was a tough one. Mitchell woke in a sweat burning hot, then projectile vomited all over the place. I took him up to emergency to have him checked. Yes he has a fever not much we can do, keep his fluids up and if it doesn't improve in a couple of days see your GP. This threw out the next day with him still going in and out of a fever and occasionally vomiting. He has fallen asleep for now but still has a temperature and if he hasn't improved by morning will go to the doctor.

Everything happens at once. Today also was the day my mentor and best bricklayer retired. I also had an add in the paper to find his replacement. I have decided just to try bricklayers who are interested and hopefully one will fit in with our style of work.

If you think with all this going on i missed training you would be wrong. I smashed out another 2 hour interval session on the trainer late this afternoon.

Last night i also spoke with Alister from Nightlighning to arrange all my lighting requirements for the upcoming 24 Worlds. He will be tweaking my helmet light with some new LED's that are brighter again. We will also be running the Digital Blast on the bars so if i forget to change a battery i will still have adequate light.

Making progress. Tuesday 27th May

2008-05-27T05:42:00.000-04:00

I missed my morning session today opting for some extra sleep. Emma had a good night sleeping for 6 hours straight allowing us to get some quality sleep. I did a couple of small jobs today, a letterbox and patch job.

The usual trainer session was on the cards after work with Mitchell playing in the backyard at the same time. I settled into the 2 hour interval session straight away. A few changes had occur ed: My cadence was faster, my heart rate lower. This means i am now putting out more power for the same effort. This is a great sign that the 12 hour did what i had hoped and stepped my fitness up a notch.

This method of raising your fitness level will only work if you have a sufficient amount of condition eg. a good solid base of quality km. If you don't have the base it will do the opposite and flatten you out.

You need 20-30grams of protein or as i had 1 scoop of Ascend recovery and 1 scoop of Ascend Muscle in 200ml of milk every 5 hours. This not only keeps you preforming at the optimal level but will also assist in a faster recovery.

Monday 26th May

2008-05-26T04:39:00.000-04:00

The problem with a race finishing at 10pm is i can't sleep afterwards. After a restless night and a lack of sleep we had a family roast lunch to catch up and celebrate family birthdays. By 6pm i was falling asleep on the couch and told to go to bed.

I must have needed rest as i slept through to 8am starting work a little late. I was on the jackhammer digging a footing for a front fence most of the day. I got it done just before the concrete turned up and filled the trench back in.

With a quick freshen up i was off to Rosanna Remedial Massage to complete the recovery. The only real sore bit was the arches of my feet. Now i can sharpen up for the weekend.

On the weekend i used the Ascend protein during the race. They claim it recovers you faster and this is proof. During enduro races you need a hit of protein every 5 hours to keep yourself performing. This was the first time i have really been able to test this product under race conditions and i am very impressed. There was no stomach upsets and it seemed to satisfy my hunger. It is great to be drinking a choclate milkshake while racing. I pulled up so well that i even went for a easy ride Sunday morning.

Berndigo 12 Hour

2008-05-24T18:30:00.000-04:00

Friday was a busy day. Work involved getting about 600 blocks up to the 3rd story of a apartment we are doing in Carlton. When i got home i had to get my stuff ready for the 12 hour and help Kate look after Mitch and Emma when all i really wanted to do was sleep. There was no luck there either as i had to feed Emma at 11pm and 5am. Since i was up I left a bit earlier for the race.

It was a cold start with a good frost over the ground to greet us when we arrived. Not much of a turn out with Solo the biggest category. I had a full kit of skins on for this race as i find they regulate my body temp keeping me warm when it is cold and cool when it is hot. This race was just to get some good miles in the legs without stressing the body and also to allow my dad George to put the finishing touches on his nutritional support job for the worlds( he pulled through with flying colours not missing a thing and keeping to the plan perfectly).

The race started on time at 10am with a solid start. I did half a lap with the leaders before backing off and settling into a steady rhythm. The track was perfect preparation for the worlds as it was 12km long and i climbed 400m an hour getting in 4500m for the ride. It had fast flowing fire roads with great technical single track. In the early stages i was lapping with a team from Kyneton Secondary collage which included one of the best saves i have seen from young Cassidy when his bike slid out as he rounded one of the fast fire road corners. The funniest moment for me was with 5 hours to go when i snuck up on Troy Bailey and gave him a little surprise which seemed to wake him up for the rest of the race. In the end i finished fresh on 17 laps taking the win from Andrew Bell who was their just for a bit of fun.

Warning signs.

2008-05-22T04:03:00.000-04:00

I woke up Wednesday with a runny nose. This means I'm pushing to hard and not getting enough sleep so i better back off. I stayed off the bike and managed to get a good nights sleep as Emma only had 1 feed at 2am. When morning came i felt better and my nose had stopped running. Incredible what rest does. I am missing weight training tonight and will just have a cruse on the Tour of the Burgs. It is a fine line, i need a little riding as i have the 12 hour at Bendigo on Saturday but also need rest more so the cold doesn't develop. My experience tells me to rest and let the race do it's job, which is to raise my fitness level a little more.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

2008-05-20T04:45:00.001-04:00

It was an early start today. I am feeding Emma around 4am and since i was already up i did a 2 hour session on the mag trainer. This will continue up until i leave for the worlds. It works great, having to feed Emma at around 4am means i have to get out of bed so i can't slack off just because it is cold or i don't feel like it. It also means i don't have to stress about getting my training in for the day especially when work is flat out.

I came home from work a bit early to look after Mitch as Kate had to take Emma to the hospital to have her tear duct unblocked. All was good and she is on the mend. While Kate was looking after Emma i did another trainer session for an hour with Mitchell.

I spoke with Alister from Nightlighting tonight who has organized all the necessary charges for my lights overseas. He also has some new upgrades for my lights making them even brighter and giving more of a spread. I can't wait to see how they preform.

My dad George had another birthday today, so i would like to wish him the best as he settles into retirement.

When it keeps raining

2008-05-18T22:01:00.000-04:00

Saturday night the weather forecast was looking bleak. I made a few calls and organized an alternative. I gathered a fellow riding buddies and we bunkered down inside for a trainer session.

This is no ordinary trainer session, in fact i am pretty convinced it can feel harder than racing. It last 3 hours with no breaks. My average heart rate for the 3 hours was 165bpm or 85% of max heart rate. Anyone that finishes is very fit, and everyone toughed it out.

This is a great way to still train hard even when the rain won't let up. You don't miss vital workouts and i believe that it makes racing easy. So next time it's pissing down, gather some mates together and prepare to smash the competition.

Ascend Sport.

2008-05-16T20:26:00.000-04:00

I am pleased to announce my newest and most exciting sponsor Ascend. Ascend make a range of protein recovery supplements especially for athletes. I had heard alot about their products through Jason Jackson(Felt epix) and watched his marked improvement over a number of weeks.

I gave Ascend a call and asked if i could try out their product which i have been doing for the last month. Why didn't i announce this earlier, because i needed to know if this range of products worked as well as claimed.

I had just started base training for the 24 hour worlds when i started using the Ascend Elite range of products after each training session. For me protein supplementation is vital as i don't eat meat.

I jumped back into training pretty hard - my first week back on was about 20 hours of training. This can knock you around a bit until the body adapts. The difference i noticed as a result of taking the Ascend products is i felt so much better leading into my 2nd week.

By the end of week 3 i still felt as if i was improving. Usually week 3 is where i start to feel a bit flat - not this time. I still had my scheduled rest week which worked well with Kate having our 2nd child.

So far i am loving the Ascend Elite range of products. I am recovering faster which means i am getting fitter faster. The true test of the product will be over the next two months - i have a heavy training load and lots of racing.

You know you are on to something good when you can train hard and then race well the next day. Chase the Sun rd1 was a good start as i did 150km on the Saturday before and we were still able to take out the win in the Pro male pairs. Stay tuned for more updates.

When it rains, you put on your rain jacket.

2008-05-16T19:28:00.000-04:00

I finally got to try out my new rain jacket. It kept me dry and warm, it also didn't sweet up with the black mesh strips to breath.

Andrew Bell and myself at the start of the Hell ride. Wonder where everyone is today.

Kate was on night feeds last night so i could get some sleep before i got up at 3am for my long ride. With the rain starting i headed out the door to do what had to be done. I was at Ringwood before i reached for a drink and realized i had left my bottles at home. I had to do a u bolt back home to pick them up before starting my ride again. I wasn't going to have enough time to head over the mountain before the Hell ride so would have to make an alternate route. Riding up Boronia rd i spotted Andrew Bell coming the other way( who else would you see in the rain on a morning like this.). So hooking up with Bellie we headed down to the Hell ride, of course there was nobody their. With the rain getting heavier we road back through the city before heading for home. Not a bad morning, 5 hours ride time in the pissing rain.

Friday 16th May

2008-05-16T05:13:00.001-04:00

A typical Garage session on the Mag trainer. Mitch rides his bike, Fraser keeps an eye on him while Emma soaks up the winter sun.

Jeff in action on Thursday night.

Work today was good as we got heaps done. It was after that things got a little hectic. Kate had to go grocery shopping so i was left to look after the little ones. I had to train and as you can see from the photo this is how it is done. I can get away with this form of babysitting for about 2 hours then all hell breaks loose. You have to be well organized. You must have food and drink on hand for everyone. You also must pay attention to what they are doing or it all fails.

Thursday 15th May

2008-05-15T01:25:00.000-04:00

Heading over to Daribin Parklands

Nightlightning Light systems are super bright these days.

Ran out of time to post yesterday. Big day at work and still adjusting to the new family conditions. After bathing and feeding Mitch i went out on the Fatties Wednesday night ride. It was after 8:30pm by the time i got home and i had been on the go since 6am.

Spoke with GKA sports today and they are happy to have me on board for another year. I am stoked because their products are kick arse. I use their Geax tires, Vitori road tires, Gas bombs and pumps, Tuff Gloves and have not had a problem with anything, as a matter of fact these products last forever no matter what you put them through.

Kate has gone for a walk before Mitchell has to be picked up from creche. I am about to head over to Jeff's shed for Kettle Bell training and then out on the Tour of the Burgs. I will sleep well tonight.

Tuesday 13th May. Dodgey

2008-05-13T04:59:00.000-04:00

Mitch waiting for dinner the helmet stays on.

Stated a job today that is a real challenge. It is also what happens when a' do it yourselfer' is involved. These are our specialty, jobs others won't do. This is one side of the house the other is the same. We have to remove the existing wall and replace with a new one.

I arrived home today and was handed Emma and told Mitch was running a muck. Giving Emma a quick feed i then took Mitch outside for a ride on his bike while i did a session on the trainer.

It was short but high quality as i didn't have much time.

Monday 12th May

2008-05-12T04:14:00.000-04:00

I closed another job today and started 2 more. We just can't keep up at the moment. Some clients have been waiting over 2 months for us to do their job. I'm getting stressed again, with Mick retiring. So far we haven't found a competent bricklayer to fill his position. If you are a qualified Bricklayer or know of one who is interested in a job that has flexible hours, good wages and Ute supplied please contact me.

Today is also a rest day so no riding. I get to catch up with family some more. I went with Mitch around the block on his bike. He is a bit out of control as i put smaller wheels on his walker bike which means he has no brakes. This will be good for latter when he's racing.

11th May Mothers day.

2008-05-11T05:54:00.000-04:00

Mitch had a good nights sleep and woke up full of beans about 7am. I was up and about packing for the race. Leaving Mitch in good hands with his grandparents i left for the race. It was great to see so many families their making a day of it. A quick call to Kate to wish her a happy mothers day. Start time was 9:30am and i was off first. With a cracking pace off the start line i was finding it hard to hold the wheel. Towards the end of lap one i managed to take a wrong turn and ended up at the top of the Com's games course with josh and jack. Realizing we had taken a wrong turn we quickly got back on course losing about 4mins that lap. The pace remained high with Murray overcoming a broken chain on his first lap to put a gap between us and the Felt boys. In the end it was that 1min gap that sealed us the victory and the cash.

I took off straight after Murray had finished eating and having the usual Ascend protien shake as i drove to pick up Mitch. Thanking the grandparents for looking after him over the last few days i quickly made my way to the hospital to see Kate and Emma. When i arrived Kate had decided to early release herself and come home. When she got home Mitch gave her a mothers day present and a card (thanks grandma for organizing.) I picked up some fish and chips for dinner. Finally i get time to have a shower slip a fresh pair of skins on for recovery and wind down for bed as i have an early start of 6am.

Saturday 10th May

2008-05-09T22:25:00.000-04:00

Up early for the usual Hell Ride. Mitch was goobering at 5am when i left and didn't go back to sleep. As seen above my trusty nightlighting Blast is essential for my early morning rides. Will be racing in the pro pairs with Murry Spink Sunday(mother's day). I will hear about this one till the day i die. I'm off to take Mitch in to visit mum and Emma now so i will see you all tomorrow.

Friday 9th May.

2008-05-08T21:40:00.001-04:00

Testing my new Oakley's.

Around the yarra trails.

New angle you can see how much travel i get from the Reba world cup's from the oil mark.

Had a little sleep in then unleashed the Giant Anthem on the Yarra trails for 2 hours. I was pumped and had the big ring roaring. When i arrived home smelt something funny. The sewer had blocked and spent the next hour unblocking it. Kate will be pissed as it is now lunch and I'm not in yet to visit. Got to go and post parts to people who have snapped up a bargain on ebay, then pick up some goodies for Kate before i see her and Emma.

Emma Louise Claxton, 8th May 2008, 3.77kg

2008-05-08T06:30:00.000-04:00

Wednesday 7th May

2008-05-07T04:43:00.000-04:00

Today was a busy day. I had a few jobs i needed to rap up and a footing to pour for a front fence. At 10am Kate called and told me she was to be induced Thursday morning so i had better finish everything as i would be having the next couple of days off. In the end all was good - I finished in time and even managed to squeeze in another trainer session like yesterdays before Mitch was returned home. Mitch has creche tomorrow which works well since Kate is having the baby. Tonight will be my last good nights sleep for a while.

Tuesday 6th May

2008-05-06T04:54:00.000-04:00

Another day gone and the baby hasn't arrived yet. Kate offloaded Mitchell to the grandparents for a short stay so she could have a break. It is really quiet around here without him tearing the place apart.

Today i repaired a front fence, nice easy job and i even finished early. The rain set in this afternoon which makes no difference to training as I'm on the trainer Tuesday's. I have had a few big weeks of base training now, and the first round of Case the Sun is on at Lysterfield Sunday (mothers day). This has not gone down well with Kate about to give birth. It has cost me god only knows what but i have a leave pass to race.

So here is a training tip: When getting ready to race cut the volume by 50% of your total weekly ride time but maintain intensity. e.g. Last week i did about 20 hours training so this week including the race i will only do 10 hours. This is not a taper but i find it freshens the legs up for the next block of training and has you flying on race day. Tonight i did 1 hour of intervals at race pace on the trainer instead of the usual 2 hours.

I have more stuff for sale and have it on ebay at the moment. The last lot went really quick so if you are after some upgrades check out ebay.

Life up to the worlds.

2008-05-05T00:41:00.000-04:00

From now on i will be posting daily to give you an insight into how i fit family, running a bricklaying business and training for 24 Hour MTB races into life.

Monday 5th May: Today is a day off the bike for me so that's one less thing i have to do. Morning started with a call from my Foreman asking for a narrower scaffold so he could finish the job. Cancel other plans and deliver scaffold then race over to drop footing plans off to Alex so that could be done.

I took Kate into the obstetricians for her appointment at 11:30am. No good news as she won,t induce her preferring to wait for it to happen naturally. Kate is pretty upset so i will look after Mitch this arvo and work in the office.

I am going for a massarge at Rosanna Remedial Massarge now to freshen my legs up after a few big training weeks.

Just had a call from Mick one of my best brickies. He taught me all about the trade but now has decided it is time to retire. He will be imposable to replace but we will have to try. He has given 4 weeks notice to give me time to find a replacement.

Mitch is in full training just like dad.

2008-05-05T00:30:00.000-04:00

On the bike laps of the driveway

Getting ready at Jeff,s shed

Lifting Kettlebells

Back on the bike.

2008-04-19T23:14:00.000-04:00

All test have showed that i'm all good and can start riding again. This is frustrating because we still don't know why i had hip pain but on the good side at least their is nothing serious wrong.

Back on the bike this week i was out on the Thursday night Tour of the Burgs just feeling how the hip and legs were going. Kate called while i was climbing up to Doncaster Shopingtown luckily it was just to tell me she had sold some more stuff and wasn't going into labour.

Saturday morning i did the usual Hell Ride. I find this ride is good at keeping the speed in the legs as it is the fastest group ride around Melbourne.

Sunday morning i met up with Jeff before work and hit the Yarra trails in the dark. It was great to see Jeff nailing tricky sections of trails straight away on his brand new Giant Anthem.

Heading over to Jeff's Shed for a weights session tonight and will ramp the training up a notch aver the next few weeks to get ready for the first round of Chase the Sun.

Training tip: each week you need to do a ride that is at or close to race pace. This keeps the memory of a hard effort in the legs and makes it easier and faster to get into form.

garage sale update

2008-04-16T03:24:00.000-04:00

The Anthem is still up for grabs - make me an offer, so are the shoes and the Hutchinson tyres. All other items have sold.

Frustrated cyclist visits the emergency ward AGAIN!

2008-04-15T03:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't been able to update my blog in a while due to a bad reaction to antibiotics. This has stopped me from living life and confined me to the couch for the passed 5 days. I also had my second trip to the emergency department in less than a month - not good when your wife is 35 weeks pregnant.

I am having more tests tomorrow to find out why i was also having trouble walking from shooting pains running down the front of my right hip.

With all the sitting around i have put together my finest programme - peaking me perfectly for the 24 hour Worlds in July. When you can't do the things you want to, it makes you real hungry, so be warned training rides will become ferocious and leave you wishing you had gone to a race instead.

I won't be racing until Chase The Sun on 11th May (subject to the arrival of baby #2) where i will be teaming up with Murray to see if we can take out the series.

As for the garage sale mentioned in my previous post all items are still up for sale apart from the seat so if you are interested let me know as the cash will help fund my trip to the Worlds.

Bike and Parts Sale to fund trip to worlds.

2008-04-04T22:28:00.001-04:00

Shimano top of the range carbon sole good condition, size 43. They are one size to big for me.

Selle Italia, Kevlar, XC, SLR, Ti rails

Fox RL100 excellent condition, Steerer length 170cm.

Michelin XCR dry(2) tubeless tires, pair, never used.

Hutchinson air light Parana, pair never used.

Giant Anthem 1, Size 16inch, Fox forks, XO derailleur, Juicy 7, Mavic tubeless, Eastern seat post, ready to ride, in excellent condition.

Make me a reasonable offer on any of the above items and their yours. This is a urgent sale and everything must go.

Contact me at john@thebrickman.com.au

Riding with Flynn

2008-03-29T00:55:00.000-04:00

Riding with Jeff's son Flynn.

Before the race.

2008-03-29T00:34:00.000-04:00

Chatting with Dan and Jeff before the race.

The start

2008-03-28T23:49:00.000-04:00

Nationals (part3)

2008-03-28T23:11:00.000-04:00

After getting out of first aid i headed to the showers to clean up. Most people enjoy a shower but this was a painful and difficult experience. After my shower i collapsed in the pit tent on a bed that had been made up for me. I got up for a pee and felt really dizzy so i got Jeff to take me back to first aid - i knew something was wrong. It was clear i wouldn't make presentations so Jeff did the honours for me - making it look easy to get up on the podium after a 24 hour.

An ambulance was called and i was taken to hospital to be repaired. My wife who is 32 weeks pregnant had been up all night supporting me and was still at my side looking after me. I couldn't do what i do without her, what we do is such a team effort.

Diagnosis:
*Severe dehydration, replace fluid with 6 bags overnight.

*Xrays all clear no broken bones.

*CK level 5500 (100 is normal) this is muscle stress

*Tribonin (not sure if this is the correct spelling) levels in the blood. Not good as this could be heart tissue.

*ECG freaked them a little my heart is not normal - i have what they call an athlete's heart.

*No skin on bottom. Even made the nurse turn away.

The ECG and the blood levels were enough for the doctors to insist on an overnight stay in hospital. After re-checking my bloods the next morning they were satisfied i was well on the mend and i was able to make my flight home.

Congratulations to Jason English on his National title and all other competitors who pushed us to our limits. I gave it everything on the day and am wrapped with my result.

A huge thank you needs to go to my supprt crew:

*My Dad George and Marlene for driving the equipment and packing everything up.
*Kate's parents Jenny and Laurie for looking after Mitchell
*Jeff Williams who fed me and worked on my bikes during the race and stood in at presentations
*My wife Kate who is tireless in her support of my activities

My sponsors:
GIANT: my 2 Anthem Advances performed perfectly throughout the race
NIGHTLIGHTING: my Enduro blasts gave me the brightest lights on course. ( Fastest night lap)
GKA sports: For tyres (Baro races), pump and gas bombs, Tuff gloves.

SKINS: For compression clothing for the race and recovery after.

DIY MTB: For Superior ceramic bearings and fork seals.

2008-03-28T21:55:00.000-04:00

Mitchell keeping an eye on things at the nationals

Nationals part 2

2008-03-26T04:15:00.000-04:00

We flew up to Canberra on Thursday so we could all have plenty of rest and time to set up pits for the big event. My Dad and Marlene drew the short straw and drove up all of the gear in one of our utes.

After a bit of a restless night due to Mitchell missing his day time nap we headed out to the course to establish camp. I also had a chance to check out the course. The day before a big race i like to do an easy lap to get a feel for the course and then i like to do one at race pace to show the body what it is in for.

We were all up about 7am race day after a good nights sleep and headed out to the course about 9am for final preparations. I kitted up about 11am in my new Giant gear and a new set of Skins. I had a feeling this course was going to be a bumpy one so my Skins would be vital in preventing upper body fatigue and soreness.

No warm up for me just a roll to the start line why waste the energy.

I felt very relaxed at the start and when the gun went off and i smashed it up the road getting a good gap on the rest of the field. From here i just settled into that hard fast rhythm and hoped i had the legs to maintain it. For the first 6 hours until night we were feeding faster than XC races, this was also getting dangerous as others were stopping in the feed zone. I also had my first crash for the race trying to leave the feed station.

At 6pm I fired up the Nightlightning Enduro Blasts - one on my bike and one on my helmet so i could maintain fast lap times over night.

By about 9pm i was in trouble not from fatigue but a far greater enemy. I had stripped the skin from my backside and was struggling to block out the pain every time i sat on my seat. At this stage Jason and i had lapped the field so i was in the running for the win which i desperately needed to be able to go to the Worlds in July. So through the night as the pain got worse Jason would put time into me before i would suck up the pain and ride him down again. This would continue until sunrise. Also during the night i had my second crash leaving the feed zone when a lady walked in front of me. The feed zone was the most dangerous place on the whole track. I have the utmost respect for what my pit crew were dealing with and don't know how they did their job flawlessly.

The sun came up and i was still in with a good shot at the win but couldn't break Jason - he slipped away again . I had a bike swap and on it was written 6 minutes in three laps. Little things like this from your support crew do wonders. I lifted again and rode him down again. With 3 hours to go their was 15 seconds between us. This is where Jason finally started to put good time into me. I was flat out down one of the descents trying to catch him and my bike disappeared from under me, sitting me on my arse at 50km/h and bending my bars. Gathering myself and straighting things out on my bike i never really got back up to speed. The pain took over and it really was just a matter of survival.

Coming up to finish my 46th lap i had 10mins to spare so it was decision time - do i head out on one more lap or wait it out. I did the full body Scan and knew i was done. The little voice said 2nd is all you had today - don't hurt yourself permanently just to do another lap. I waited for the time to tick over and then finished the hardest race i have ever completed. After finishing we were ushered into first aid for a check up.

Australian 24 Hour Solo National Championships (Part 1)

2008-03-24T18:16:00.000-04:00

All i can say is what a race. I have finished runner up again, this time the honors went to Jason English. I rode 420km a new PB and for that I have spent the night in hospital with dehydration, muscle meltdown, no skin left on my bum and verious other minor injuries. All is well though and i am on the mend.

I would like to thank everyone who supported me over the weekend. I will have a more detailed report to follow.

Also if anyone is offered a Phillips Plasma TV please return it to my house where it was stolen while we were away.

Sunday morning at Lysterfeild

2008-03-16T00:13:00.001-04:00

Jason off a very loose sketchy jump that lands in a burm.

Paul and I crossing the dam wall.

Paul gets a different perspective of a Giant Anthem Advance in full flight.

Last chance to dial in the skills for the 24 hour Nationals i decided to hit the Lysterfield trails with Jason. I have also been trying to catch up with Paul Cubbin for a MTB ride since the Kona. Since the 12 hour had been cancelled he was keen to come and play.

We meet at 7am and headed out through Churchill which had the lungs pumping furiously. With a quick decent down the Com Games course and into the heart of the Lysterfield trails the adrenalin was pumping and we were all grinning from ear to ear for the entire ride.

It was the perfect ride to set the body up for next weekend.

2008 Giant Advance MTB

2008-03-15T20:49:00.001-04:00

I just received my new bike from Giant. I picked it up on Friday from Pro Motion. Sometimes you get a new toy and it takes a while to adjust and get right but not this time. From the very first ride it was dialed perfect and felt like one i had been riding for years.

Out of the box this bike comes specked with full XTR including wheels, Reba World cup forks, raceface stem bars and seat post and weighs under 10.5kg. Changes for this year are the XTR wheels , Reba world cup forks and a smaller rear disc rotor.

I hit the trails at 5:30am Saturday morning for a blast along the Yarra Trails to Westerfolds. So you think it's dark at 5:30am but if you had of come across me you would have thought differently as i had my Endura blast on the handlebars and one on my helmet (that's about 1500 lumen's) practicing for the 24 next weekend. Things were going perfectly, the bike was hooking up unbelievably and i was feeling good again, then on the way back a bee got stuck between my helmet strap and my neck resulting in a verbal cursing session and me been stung on the neck. I had to get a group of walkers to pull the stinger out so i could continue my ride.

It seems i might have a bit of bear in me as one little sting isn't going to stop me from getting the honey.

Tip: Be the Bear

SKINS SPONSORSHIP

2008-03-07T02:40:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to annouce my newest sponsor is "Skins". As all of you know i have been wearing skins gear for a number of years - both during races, while training and in recovery. As of today skins have offered me their full support so you will be seeing me using all of their latest products.

In case you did not know Skins is an Australian company that make compression product for athletes. Here is a exert from their website about what their product can do for athletes-

"Ongoing testing of elite athletes have proven that Skins™ BioAcceleration Technology™ creates marked improvements in reducing the build-up of lactic acid immediately after periods of sustained exercise (2hrs and 15 mins up to 37% ), and allows for more rapid return to normal levels (up to 38% at 20 minutes). You experience less fatigue, minimise soreness and recover faster.

Even more exciting is that they are about to release a new cycling specific range, which will be on the market for all in the near future. The range will include compression knicks which i am personally looking forward to trying.

If you are at all interested in any of the Skins products feel free to ask me any questions.

Thanks to Andy from skins for all your support. It is great to have the support of a Australian owned company with such a great product.

New road bike. Giant TCR Advance Team SE

2008-03-02T03:08:00.000-05:00

I picked up my new road bike from Pro Motion about a week ago. Leon spent some time making sure the fit was perfect. On the weekend i finally had time to give it a good test ride. It has a great feel with needle like responsiveness. The over sized bottom bracket transfers the power perfectly. The ride feels a little harder but this is due to the pure racing geometry and stiffness of the compact frame with integrated seat post. The new Dur-ace wheels roll along effortlessly. I am still getting over my little problem of a lack of power in the legs but am confident that this bike can make up for any shortfall in the meantime.

Otway Odyssey

2008-02-25T02:47:00.000-05:00

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.

HDATO

2008-02-18T03:02:00.000-05:00

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.

Sunday MTB ride. (Testing tyres)

2008-02-11T03:21:00.000-05:00

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.