Ramblings of a racing addict

Funny how much attention you get when you do something a little bit "out there." I expected my efforts in Beige at SS Champs to generate some interest in the Cycling community. But references to the day keep popping up all over the place. The local paper is more interested in this than my XTERRA efforts.

And.... I even made it onto the official beige brigade (NZ cricket supporters)website. www.beigebrigade.co.nz/blog
For you North Americans reading that would kinda be like being featured on some MajorLeague baseball fan site.

Brilliant. I really have made it now

I wrote up a better (i.e. much longer) and more entertaining report on the singlespeed champs..... but sticking it up here would take up too much room. So if you want to read it, click here

The innagural NZ Singlespeed championships on Saturday quite simply went off. Huge field. Classy field of legendary NZ riders (and a bloody fast Aussie ring in). Wicked atmosphere. Best event of the year, period. What happened? As per usual I'll write a proper story later, but the short version as follows.....

Turn up in Rotorua and pre-ride on 32-16 gear (on 29" wheels). Realise this is too big but can't be bothered changing it. Decide to employ Tuckie logic..... If I could push that, I'd win....

Raceday, get kitted up in my "special" costume. Proceed to scare young children with hideous outfit.

Race starts, course is rather demanding. Pick my way through field and soon get to Mr Weinberg's wheel.

Play Cat n Mouse for first 2/3 of race.

Make judicious use of the beer shortcut and establish a 'race-winning' 45sec gap. Get distracted deciding where the tattoo should go. Weinberg gets back on my wheel. enter last lap (of 6) wheel to wheel.

Epic battle continues. My legs are blown to pieces, struggling to turn the gear. Start to make mistakes. Fatigue or beer? Weinberg pounces. I dig deep and time gap sewsaws.... but I just can't get back at him. Weinberg wins, I get yet another National Championship 2nd. My legs swear to never co-operate again. Dissapointingly there is no best dressed prize as surely that was mine?! Children.... avert your eyes....

So I was trying to assemble some new funding proposals, and working on a media profile. You know.... demographics, reach of coverage, etc.... So I googled myself. Turned up all sorts of 'interesting' info!

But most humbling, was to find a few posts on various blog's I wasn't aware of. Best/Funniest one I found was this one I've cut and pasted below from www.triupdate.co.nz   Kit hasn't come off yet though, although the special skinsuit will be busted out this Saturday at SS Nat's. Should be good.

Get yer kit off, Cabin

Pop quiz.... name this fruit

If you said Orange. Well done. If you didn't, then maybe you should apply for a job at my local supermarket.

Now, I'm quite used to checkout operators being not too sure of the produce I put in front of them to ring up. Afterall, there was a long time where it was all buckwheat, millet, and the like. Not too common. But when the 15yr old checkout operator hesitated while scanning my items last night and asked with a confused look on her face:  "Are these oranges" I was stunned.

I mean...come on.... I know fresh fruit and veg is sadly lacking in many youth diets. But an orange? Are you serious?

Swim over. Contemplating only 3 min to chase down. Wahoo?!



3km left. Wide eyed: Somewhat stunned I can actually still see Terrenzo

As you now know, I had a great day at XTERRA NZ, taking 2^nd, a mere 20 sec down on professional Terrenzo Bozzone. Probably best I give you an account of the day huh?

For me, the result was extra satisfying in that it was the culmination of a long build up. One where I actually succeeded in a one-off targeted event. Too often in the past I’ve been solid year round, yet never pulled off the big result when I needed to.

Unlike Australia last week, I went in with the right frame of mind. As Stu Houltham had text me the night before “I don’t wanna here any coulda, shoulda, woulda. Leave it all out there. No questions.” He was dead right. I went in thinking it was my course, I had the best equipment, and if anyone was going to beat me they’d have to earn it. And so it proved.

Lining up on the beach I don’t think I’ve ever been so relaxed before a swim. I lined up behind a few guys I knew swam a good minute or so quicker than I, and simply planned to follow their feet for as long as I could. That may have only been 300m or so…. But it started things out well. I felt solid, and exited the water feeling good. I’d decided against using a watch. Didn’t want to know. Just race hard as you can were my thoughts. Later I would find out I had swum a PB by about a minute (yet was still giving up 3min to the front).

Out onto the bike I was flying. The 29” wheels, and Stans tyres combo rocketing along. I proceeded to hammer past most of the field and knew I was flying. So I was a bit disappointed to hear at the top of Billy-T  I was still 1min50 down. Hammering the singletrack I quickly disposed of the 4^th and 5^th place athletes. Before promptly clipping a tree hard with my hip. “Calm down” was the key. A solid ride followed, with numerous pockets of spectators yelling lots…. Although many were mistaking me for Terrenzo.

Despite never getting to the front, I was confident I could run down a couple of minutes gap. As it transpired that’s just what I needed to do. At the end of the bike there was 2min to Tim. 30sec to Scott Thorne. As a steadily narrowed the gap, spectators continued to mistake me for Terrenzo. I took it as a compliment. At least I must look like I can run I figured?!

By ½ way I had taken the lead, running free. Although the crowd was still cheering for Terrenzo….. and at that moment I realised they really were cheering for him; he was on my shoulder. Bugger! 5km to go and I’ve got a 30min 10km runner to chase. I was screwed. My thoughts turned to salvaging 2^nd until on the sidelines Brian Hall urged me to chase. Something clicked. Why not. Leave it all on the course. So I chased; hard. And at 8km retook the lead. “I’m actually going to win,” I started to think. Until a red flash blew by at 2.5km to go. I couldn’t respond.

A 20sec gap established, and I held that till the end. Close enough to watch Terrenzo break the finishing tape just ahead. Not the view I wanted, but to race so well was amazing. I’d said anyone that beat me would have to earn it. It took a race record run split from Bozzone to do it. I think he earned it?!

Amazing how many people know what you got up to on the weekend when it features on national television news..... TV3 did a nice piece on XTERRA last night which it seems many people saw. Click on link below to view footage of the worlds best XTERRA (disclaimer: totally 'unbiased' opinion of cabin...)

http://www.tv3.co.nz/VideoBrowseAll/SportsVideo/tabid/317/articleID/52351/cat/70/Default.aspx#video?articleID=52351

 Yesterday I had probably the race of my life (thus far) to grab 2nd overall at the XTERRA NZ Champonship. Just 20sec behind ITU phenom Torrenzo Bozzone. Making the day even better, my partner Nic grabbed 3rd in her pro debut (in only her 2nd XTERRA). A more detailed story later, but for now....

I gave it my all, left nothing to chance, and in the end was trumped only by a truely class athlete so I can't be dissapointed. After solid Swim and MTB legs I headed onto the final 11km trail run 2min20 down in 3rd, with Torrenzo just over a minute behind me.

I proceeded to produce the best run of my life, grabbing the lead at 5.5km, before Torrenzo came past at 6km. At the urgings of my supporters I held tough , and actually retook the lead with 3km left. However one last attack from Torrenzo with just over 2km remaining was one too many. The gap stabilised at 20 sec and I held that till the end.

I'm excited to have finally put together an overall performance. In XTERRA you really need at least two strings to your bow. Until now, I've probably had 1 and a half at best (A good MTB, and OK run). But now I've developed my run to the point it is a strength. Case in point, my run yesterday was 9min faster than my 2006 NZ XTERRA effort. Turning myself into a runner just might be the sporting achievement I am most proud of.

I can't wait to see what future XTERRA's hold for me.

8^th was not the result I was looking for, but in the end it was a pretty solid start to my XTERRA season for 2008 when I crossed the line at Daylesford on Saturday at the XTERRA Australia Championship. 8^th, but in an amazingly competitive field, a mere 70sec behind 3^rd

 
The race was won by current XTERRA world #4 Chris Legh of Australia. A 70.3 guru, and one of the fastest runners in the sport.
 
Going into the race my goal was to race strongly and get a good hit out for Rotorua this weekend. And all going well, achieve a top 5 finish as a bonus. Having promised myself not to dig to deeply, and risk compromising the Rotorua race, perhaps my mindset wasn’t where it should have been. Because in the final washup, I was capable of a top 3 on the day, but didn’t deliver.
 
For me the race was always going to be tough, as the bike course whilst physically tough, didn’t feature any technical riding (nor big climbs). It was a strongman’s course, so maybe I talked my way out of things a little? Anyway….
 
The swim was interesting. With a separate pro start I perhaps underestimated my ability. I immediately searched for feet to follow, and did so for the first 350-400m…. until realizing these guys were slower than I was capable of. So went off on my own, and proceeded to put 40-60sec on those guys before the end. I had wasted the first 400m following and lost valuable time I would rue later in the day.
 
The MTB went well. Despite my negativity towards the course, I managed to maintain focus throughout, and made great forward progress. Thus, I was a little dismayed to reach transition and see 6 bikes already there. With no idea of the time gaps I headed out on the run with more of a training mindset. Run solid, and steadily I told myself. I was told the leader was 4min ahead, and presumed the others were close to him.
 
By the 1/2way mark of the run I’d reached 6^th, but with no sight (or time splits) on the leading 5 thought that was probably my lot for the day. Resolving to maintain my pace to the finish, be happy with that, and look forward to Rotorua.
 
Bad decision. Easing off slightly cost me two spots. And unbeknown to me at the time… I had been steadily closing done 3^rd/4^th/5^th.  In the final washup I had posted a top 5 run split against some of the faster runners in the sport. Which combined with a top 3 bike split (on a course that didn’t suit me) left me a mere 70sec from a top 3.
 
Could I have done better? Probably. Am I disappointed? In retrospect, a little (especially at the prizemoney I didn’t win!). Am I satisfied with where I’m at heading into Rotorua? Yes.
 
My swim has improved. My bike and running legs are stronger than before. The Rotorua MTB course is singletrack infested, with big climbs. The run suits me well. And importantly, I have the benefit of a solid race distance hit out in Australia under my belt.
 
 Quite simply, I can’t wait for Saturday!