Ramblings of a racing addict

Here's a puzzle to figure out. What do you get if you combine Cabin + a Gary Fisher Superfly.....



..... + Trail running gear, and a.....


.... 2008 Husqvarna TXC 250?

Firstly, you get a whole lot of stuff to pack in a vehicle. But more importantly you get the equipment package that will hopefully see Cabin at the front of the field in his latest challenge. Triplecross. A rather unique multisport event involving XC MTB, Trail running, and Cross-Country format Motorcross. The ultimate event? Quite possibly. And certainly promises to be a hell of a lot of fun.

www.triplecross.co.nz

Huge thanks to NZMTB and Kiwi Rider magazines, along with Husqvarna NZ for helping pull the plan together.

In the meantime though there is the not igsignificant challenge of Karapoti to conquer this Saturday. I've been seeded 5th, and on current form anything could happen. The course should suit the 29'er perfectly. All thats left is for me to find the legs to power it. Watch this space.

If this isn't the definition of irony..... I'm not sure what is?!

I have signed a deal with a new major sponsor (announcment coming in next few days) that means I will no longer race with the MajorDebt logo as my 'Sponsor'. So Saturday's Kurarau Krusher Multisport event was to be the retirement race for this popular kit. And what happens? I won $1000 spot prize - in cash! Majordebt? Well thanks to the Taumaranui Multisport committee, its maybe not quite as major as it was.

The race itself was pretty cool. It started with a constantly undulating, windy, 44km out and back road cycle. Despite my lack of fast wheels or aero bars that all the multisporters had, I managed to force the pace along. Particularly with the help of Pete O'Sullivan. He was one of the few who wanted to do any work, so between the two of us the speed stayed fairly high, and we eventually dropped most, leading it into transition.

My team runner, Jason Cameron had a scorcher of a run, knocking out the 16km in the low 50min bracket. O'Sullivan stormed the Kayak for his team, leaving me with a 2min gap to chase down on the final 26km MTB leg. Thankfully for me there was a loooonnnnggg gravel climb. 29'er territory, and I simply rode away. Fastest on the leg by over 6min, to secure a 7min team victory, and some more cash.

It was needed. It helped to pay for my other new bike. a Gary Fisher 29'er Rig single speed, which I get my hands on today. Awesome!

Next stop.... Karapoti on Saturday. I think I am going fast. And it should be a race that really suits the 29'er (which incidently is weighing exactly 10kg in race trim). Exciting times. At least a PB time should be on the way. Lets see how far up the field that gets me?

Seems I really wasn't meant to race this weekend. On the schedule was a race I was really looking forward to. The Crater Rim Classic in Christchurch. After last year, when my front brake failed and I had to race about 48km with very little in the way of brakes (for 5th) I was a little dissapointed. It was to be a great chance to showcase the 29'ers abilities as well. So it was all on. Or was it?

Seemingly a months worth of rain fell on Christchurch in 24hrs and it was announced Friday that the race would be significantly modified and shortened. However it would still be on. So after a mad cap rush to change tyres, pack bike, drive to Wellington (2hrs) after work, and get on a plane to Christchurch. After not much sleep we awoke to more torrenial rain. Not ideal, but what the hell. It would be slippery.

Turned up at venue. No one there except a bunch of dissapointed people milling round. No race aparently. It'd been cancelled. No officials there to tell us that. Apparently an e-mail announcement had been made. Who checks their e-mail at 6:30am before heading to a race.

I was more than a little pissed off. Surely they must have known Friday there was a high chance they'd have to cancel if the rain kept up. If they told me that I may have reconsidered travelling.

Plan B. There was a round of the round of the NZ Ocean Swim series was on at Lytleton at 10am. So I borrowed a wetsuit. Wasn't ideal fit but what the hell. May as well do something. 2.8km ocean swim? Why not?! Arrived in Lytleton to high winds, BIG swells, and turbulant water. Well this was gonna be, um, fun? No dice. You guessed it. Cancelled. At least I got a race pack as consolation (I hadn't even entered). So I got the T-Shirt. One plus I suppose.

Killed some time in a cafe having coffee and brunch. Drooled over Leyton's car collection, while he and friends drooled over the Fisher 29'er. Packed up bike, and headed home again! Interesting weekend? Yes. Productive? Hmmm, maybe.

As much as I wanted to I guess I just really wasn't meant to race this weekend. I suppose someone is trying to tell me something?

 I should be complaining about how stiff and sore I am today I suppose. As afterall, I am now officially old. Yesterday I made my debut as a "Masters" athlete in the NZ National MTB series. A little ridiculous really as I'm only 29. But the rules say it's your age at Dec 31st 2008. By then I'll be 30.

 So a coped a bit of stick. Understandibly as I'm still going pretty quick. However, I figured by racing Vets all the pressure of expectation would be gone, and I personally wouldn't be tempted to start doing high intensity intervals to be competitive with the Elite's when what I really want to do is ramp up the speed in March.

So it was pretty cool lining up on my home track, the layout of which I'd designed, and sections I'd built. With no pressure it was great fun. I was hoping to have a good battle with Hisky but my bike prevented that. Bloody 29'ers. They roll far too well up the rocky climb and I proceeded to ride away off the front for a personal TT. Mission one was to mow down all the U17 whippets who got a 5min head start.

I finally got them at the end of lap one, so with no real pressure I dropped the intensity a bit in lap 2, As I just enjoyed the flow of the track and the great support out there. I was stoked to see I'd posted some pretty quick laps. As in two of the fastest 4 laps of the day (including the Elites). So I have to be happy with the form?!

While it would have been interesting to see if I could have run with Stu Houltham and challenged for the Elite win.... in reality I was pretty happy not to be in that race. Instead I went for my now customary run afterwards. This time one full lap of the K-Loop track, making it a great XTERRA training session. This weekend its off to Christchurch for the 50km point to point Crater Rim race. With 30km of singletrack its one tough race. Can't wait! Just need to rest up these old "Vet" legs......

Technology is great. Advances in materials have given us some pretty cool products. Case in point my favourite shoes here. Custom mouldable, super light, super comfy. They've been hammered and still feel like new. Only problem the mechanisms are now a bit screwed. Seems the lace tensioner does up, but doesn't release. So here I am removing my shoes with Cable Cutters....

Maybe I need some new shoes? Because cutting my way out of shoes each race might start to get expensive after a while?!

This is the finish at Kinloch on Sunday. I'm in Black. The overall winner (Shannon) is just ahead in the red/black. So close...... but yet so far. Think I'll keep this up as motivation for myself. What could've been?!

Despite my best efforts to be sensible and limit my racing activities..... I really just can't help myself.

This weekend it was time to defend my title at the Matarangi Intrigue. An amazing, scenic, and rather epic 53km single lap race way up on the coromandel peninsula. Since it involved a rather long 7hr drive on Friday afternoon to get there for the Saturday event, I figured I may as well add in the NZ Sprint Triathlon Champs. They were in Kinloch on Sunday. 1/2 way home, so why not stop in for a 'rest' from driving?

Turns out it was a pretty good plan. And somewhat successful. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. They're probably right. My old trick is racing too much and getting away with it. It would seem as I get older I'm just getting better at this 'old trick.'

The intrigue was great. Due to an unfortunate traffic accident the start was delayed an hour and a half. Good for me as it gave time for more coffee. With Scott Thorne lined up against me I was more than a bit concerned. So rather than attacking all out, I rode a rather hard tempo up the initial 4km (ish) steep gravel climb. Going hard enough that I knew some one would crack, and hoping it wasn't me. Thankfully it worked and I proceeded to ride away on my own for a relatively trouble free win. As opossed to Scott, who had the misfortune of hitting a sheep and mangling his crossmax front wheel. Credit to him for soldiering on to what was a rather impressive 2nd place in the circumstances. Not knowing this though, I pushed on and ended up beating my race record by 5mins!

Knowing that the next day I would officially be a veteran, despite being barely 29 (being put in the 30+ age group by virtue of the fact I'll be 30 by December 31st).... I spent the afternoon being rather childish. enjoying ice-cream while playing on swings, splashing round in the pool etc.... Good times.

Thus, I turned up at Kinloch rather relaxed and expecting not much (but quietly hoping for an overall top 10). Swim went ok. Got beat up a bit. Gave some back. Swam in a few zigzags. Didn't mess up transition too badly this time; and headed out onto bike about 1min30 - 2min down. Legs felt average but was humming along ok, carving my way through the field. Thought I might be getting close to top 10 so got serious. Had a great transition and flew out onto the run determined to hang on as long as I could.

Turns out I was already 6th overall and within the first km had moved into 2nd. Apparently I was flying?! Catching sight of Shannon Stallard up ahead, I chased hard. Getting frustrated as Shannon is deceptively quick. He didn't 'look' fast, yet the gap was closing painfully slow, I finally got to his shoulder with about 400m to go. I planned my attack..... yet he pre-empted me and surged before I could respond.

So I crossed the line as NZ 30-35 Sprint Tri Champ, missing the overall title by about 3sec. I'd have been gutted if I had expected anything, but really I was in disbelief. I think I still am. Turns out I had both the fastest bike and run splits of the entire age group field...... and my run time was only bettered by 10 of the 30 odd Elite/U23 race.

Guess I'm a triathlete now? Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks?