Pumptrack Nationals

Photo: Helen Brumby

I shot down to Taupo for a day late in November, to try my hand (and pinky) at the Pumptrack Nationals. After 4 weeks off the bike I wasn't expecting big things, but I was hoping for maximum fun. Megan rode shotgun again, and we managed to arrive in time for one quick lap of the track as a warmup and preview. We really needed an hour or so to get the track dialled to a level where we wouldn't make silly mistakes.

What I did at SSWC 2010

Mello Velo
Photo: Helen Brumby

What an amazing opportunity. A World Champs in New Zealand, that I didn't have to qualify for! It was my only reason to see in the new year - tickets went on sale at midnight. I remember sitting there, enduring a few technical glitches (overloading), and loading up my credit card with the entry fee and a few extra souvenirs.

What an amazing event. I had originally planned to make a week of it with the family, but circumstances changed and my big riding holiday was whittled down to one night away. I chose wisely and decided to forgo the so-called "compulsory" briefing on Friday night. The briefing essentially instructed competitors to be responsible with their irresponsible drinking.

Te Little Whaka

Photo: Helen Brumby

I did the Whaka 25km short course last Sunday. Conditions were good - a little bit chilly, but not cold and with grey clouds overhead a reminder of the threat of rain later in the day. Preparation was poor - not much riding in the weeks prior and a 'just-in-time' approach to getting to the race start.

I arrived on the start line cold, but relaxed. I almost felt like I shouldn't have been there and would have been better off staying home. I certainly didn't feel like racing. It was a small turnout for the 25km course and I didn't have any trouble with the pace off the start line, except that I started too hard for my cold legs and idle brain. I soon felt flat (got passed on a climb like I was going backwards) and had to ease off the pace to find my rhythm. I found it about 10 minutes later but the speed never came back.

New Zealand Cyclocross Champs 2010

Once again, the team at Il Treno Dolore (The Pain Train) put on a top notch event, with excellent support from some generous sponsors, and even the weather played its part this year.

I rolled up just after 10am to sign in and get my kit ready. The bike was ready, having been shod with my trusty second hand CX tyres and flipping the rear wheel onto the freewheel side earlier in the week. True to form, I hadn't changed a thing from last year. Still running too high a gear at 39:18, and I still hadn't trained.

N-Duro Winter MTB Series Race 3 - Final

Photo: Helen Brumby

It was with some trepidation that I drove out of the driveway on Sunday morning, heading to Rotorua for the third and final race of the N-Duro MTB Cup Winter Series. Having the petrol station attendant remark, “have fun… and look out for those trees!”, added to the sombre and ominous feeling I had. The night before I had a house full of Andrew’s relatives to celebrate his 40th birthday and I was feeling a bit jaded. A sugar free Red Bull and a good dose of Metallica soon had me feeling a little more neutral and in a headspace more focused on having a good day out.

N-Duro Winter MTB Series Race 2

After another less-than-satisfactory build up, I found myself drifting onto the back of the start group for Race 2 of the N-Duro Winter MTB Series. The temperature was a smidgen above freezing, but with the sun out I could pretend it wasn’t that bad. After a bit of smack-talk, sandbagging, and philosophising, we were rolling over the start mat. I stood up and chucked my legs up a gear into ‘flail’. I wanted to get past a few people before the traffic jam into the first forest uphill. Orangecruz tucked in somewhere behind me, with a few hoots of encouragement. I also heard a cry of “Oh! Its Mel! – GO MEL!!” and an echo say, “Go Mel!”. I have no idea who that was because I was too busy trying to pick my way past some people on the last couple of inches of track and not get caught up in the blackberry!

Shazam!

A big photo of me on my bike. Nice one! Thanks to www.fotoengineers.com for the great shot.

N-Duro Winter MTB Series Race 1

Race 1, of three... and I've entered the whole series. What have I done?!!

That's what I was thinking on Saturday night before the first N-Duro race. Then I soon forgot about all my non-training and lack of activity, by getting buzzed on a couple of beers and eating a huge plate of pasta. I had been granted a leave-pass to spend a night and a day remembering just how much fun road trips and mountain biking weekends are. It also reminded me of how much riding can hurt.

It's been ages!

I'm not quite sure if I have been too busy to post an update, or just plain lazy?!! The past six weeks have been pretty busy in our house - with kids, work, and selling our house, I have not had a lot of time for anything else! After the Black Stump ride in the middle of February, my mountain bike had been left hanging cloaked in mud on the garage wall. I finally took it down a couple of weekends ago and zipped out to Pukete for a ride. I had a blast!

Oliver's Pukete Kids Race

Oliver had his first bike race today. A few people from the Hamilton MTB Club put on a morning of fun races and competitions for kids. We took Oli along on his Mocka balance bike. Ella was on her tricycle, but she seemed happier to run around, because it was faster than her trike (she's not self-propelled yet and still needs someone to push her).

Rev 40km

I did it! I survived the Rev 40km race. I haven't ridden that far on the road in over 3 years. My last big road ride was 100km in the Rotorua to Taupo 100K Flyer when I was (unbeknownst to me) pregnant with Oli.

This time things were different. I don't have a road bike any more, the closest thing I have is my singlespeed cyclocross bike - an On One Il Pompino. To make it a bit more urban friendly, I have some fat 35c Maxxis Overdrive tyres on it. And to make things a little more interesting, I often run it with a track cog giving me a fixed gear ratio of 39:16. That will work, right??

Fast or stupid?

The question I had rolling around my head on Saturday night after the Black Stump Adventure Ride was: "Am I fast, or stupid?" I raced (sort of) the women's singlespeed class over the 30km course.

Sneaky mid-week

The ingredients for a sneaky mid-week ride:

220 kilometres, 1 energy drink, 1 OSM, 2 Ham & Cheese sandwiches, 2 hitch hikers thumbing in choreographed unison, 20mls sunscreen, 1 iPod, 1 zillion school kids, 1 "gidday" to a runner, 1 pause to stretch, 600% humidity, 0 rain, 1 Power Bar, a dash of slippery fun, 25 kilometres of Rotorua goodness, 1 mystery muesli bar recovered from the bottom of backpack, 2 litres of water, 1 catch-up in the carpark, 1 burger combo, 1 call to *555...

N-Duro Summer MTB Cup: Race 2

On Sunday I packed up the family and headed to Rotorua for the second race of the N-Duro Summer MTB Cup. I had missed the first race because I was on holiday in Hihi (a perfect excuse!). We somehow managed to get ourselves organised the night before, allowing us to throw everything in the car, get the house tidied for the open home, and be on the road just after 8am.