Joined: Aug 14, 2003 Posts: 215 Location: Palmerston North, NZ
Posted: Wed 16th Jul 4:11pm Post subject: Legal Performance Aid's
In the last 2 weeks I've been forced into taking more than a few of that famed supplement....... the "harden the f#$% up pill." Seems they work damn well. So well in fact that I won the latest 50km of the ever popular N-Duro series at Rotorua on Sunday: on my Singlespeed!
Two weeks ago, after enjoying a full two weeks off of doing pretty much nothing at all, daytime tv was wearing thin and I'd managed to pry myself off of the couch and into some training. Unfortunately this coincided with a weather bomb hitting NZ that had me running in hail, cycling in weather that literally had ice-icles forming on my legs (reason #56 to shave your legs. No hair = no ice-icles), and seriously struggling to motivate myself to go to the pool.
Any training I did do wasn't exactly intense, so I figured what better way to snap myself out of it than do a race? Not wanting to have to clean the Superfly, I decided to drag out the Rig. Big fat/heavy training tyres and all, for its first MTB ride since SS nats. At least I swapped the 16th sprocket for an 18th this time. I figured I could use the strength training.
Being that I still haven't registered my car, I had to ride 25km on the main road to meet Big Gav at Sanson. Usually a pleasant ride when you have gears, but on a SS MTB in cold rain it was anything but. Can you spell f r u s t r a t i n g?
Anyway. Race day, and I took the lead at the top of the start climb. I really had no choice if I was to keep the gear turning over. After briefly giving up the lead to Gav and Patrick Avery, I decided to put my head down and open a gap as surely I'd get caught on the open going? However that was the last I saw of anyone. Eventually clearing out to a 5min win.
Was it painful? Yes. I just keep thinking Craig Gordan in 24 solo. "Its in the dog. love it love it love it" But that took some convincing. Was it fun? The muddy rutted Downhills certainly were. There I used Sam Hill's advice on his "greatest DH run of all time" as motivation. "just rode it like it was dry." Kinda worked, till I hit some trees. Confirming it wasn't dry at all.
Will I do it again? Hmmm. First reaction, no. With the upcoming Highlander being extended to 80km the SS isn't that appealing. But I'm getting a wee bit of lets say 'encouragement.' I'm told that 'pain is temporaray, fame is forever.' But trying to win an 80km MTB marathon overall on a SS seems a bit stupid right now. Then again, its not like I haven't done plenty of stupid things before......
My hot line cyclocross styles across the creak. Truth be told I just didn't fancy trying to get up the bank on the other side on SS gearing..... And at this point my feet were still dry. What a woose
Joined: Jan 30, 2006 Posts: 6,348 Location: driven' the Church Bus
Posted: Thu 17th Jul 12:43pm Post subject:
80k's on a single speed I'll leave it to you........
I was just reading back through some of your reports and found this
http://cabinracing.blog.com/2008/5/ wrote:
The youth of today
Story from Saturday's Crazyman that needs to be re-told.
A certain young man, argueably one of the area's most talented MTB'ers, is down to ride the MTB leg for his team. Head's out determindly, focussed on a fast time. High up on the Hutt Valley firebreaks, mashing away at the gears he breaks his chain. Bugger... pull out the chain break. Oops, look like he doesn't carry tools. This is going to a long and cold walk back. Not to worry. Out comes his cellphone, and he text's his mates to pick him up.
What?! Doesn't carry basic tools in an MTB race.... yet carries his cellphone? Oh dear. A rather concerning sign of the youth of today's priorities, no?!
A young Miles Davis was seen in this exact situation before the first single track in the weekend........ his only saving grace was, he was in running distance of the car, so he ran back fixed it, then started the 25k race and got second in that
Joined: Mar 15, 2002 Posts: 14,243 Location: Not quite sure yet...
Posted: Thu 17th Jul 12:52pm Post subject:
ryda wrote:
80k's on a single speed I'll leave it to you........
I was just reading back through some of your reports and found this
http://cabinracing.blog.com/2008/5/ wrote:
The youth of today
Story from Saturday's Crazyman that needs to be re-told.
A certain young man, argueably one of the area's most talented MTB'ers, is down to ride the MTB leg for his team. Head's out determindly, focussed on a fast time. High up on the Hutt Valley firebreaks, mashing away at the gears he breaks his chain. Bugger... pull out the chain break. Oops, look like he doesn't carry tools. This is going to a long and cold walk back. Not to worry. Out comes his cellphone, and he text's his mates to pick him up.
What?! Doesn't carry basic tools in an MTB race.... yet carries his cellphone? Oh dear. A rather concerning sign of the youth of today's priorities, no?!
A young Miles Davis was seen in this exact situation before the first single track in the weekend........ his only saving grace was, he was in running distance of the car, so he ran back fixed it, then started the 25k race and got second in that
That certain young man did carry some tools, just not a chain-breaker.
He has learnt from the experience I can assure you.
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nice report cabin. 
