Surfcoast 6Hr - wash up

The brothers Kellett teamed up for the first time ever, to ride a pretty consistent race to finish 4th in male pairs and 8th overall. The Anglesea scout camp course and the conditions were excellent. We were beaten by the Apollo and Felt teams who won the the event overall but considering the lack of training that brother Dean does, he rode an awesome one, albeit on a course he's familiar with. Top work Deano! I had a great race too and am feeling good on the bike at the moment. I think Jen's coaching is certainly doing the trick and looking forward to taking some good form into the Gravity in a couple of weeks.

Result: 4th (male pairs)

Over and out now for a recovery spin and giggle around Torquers.

Flat Hill Dirt Crits - Tuesday hitouts in Ivanhoe

Daylight savings fires up a lot o things and one that I've been really hanging out for is the Tuesday dirt crits. I missed the first but rode this Tuesday with a dozen turning out including a few quick young stars, MTB hardmen and I.
The course was run in reverse, no problem (apart from the hole at the top of the small pinch). After 30 minutes of racing I ended up 3rd behind some Van Der Ploeg bloke
and Matt. I'm happy with that but will still try and hunt down (or stay with) the young guns a bit longer next time...

1st Paul,
2nd Matt,
3rd me!

Dirt crits again in 3 weeks...

Jayco Hun Tour - Lygon St support crits

The chance to race with a great bunch of blokes on Carlton streets (closed to traffic) in front of a bit of a crowd was just too much to pass up. Ben at The Power Tool Specialists in Carlton and Sam at The Spin Room invited me to join their motley crue to try and win our Masters B grade race, and that we did! After spending half the race on (and off) the front of the bunch, I tried my best to lead the team into the sprint by burying myself on the last lap. It worked and Ben came away with the win, and the cash!!!
Great fun on a great street circuit that suited me with 3 hairpin corners and 2 fast left handers. A bit sketchy when the we had the light shower and my back rubber slid a few inches sideways on a fast corner, but great fun.

Again next year? You betcha!

Marathon Champs 2009

Hmmm...

I've had better races but was still pleased I stuck it out to finish despite chronic back pain after about 20k into the race. Don't know what triggered it, maybe even trying to move my weighty Kurt Kinetic trainer around at home with disregard to my delicate back, doh!. So to be able to battle on through the race meant getting off the bike every 15 or so k's to do a yoga session on the side of the track. It's not great for you're race time though. And it showed in my 5hrs51min race time. Disappointing.
All the masters of the masters category were there, Wornes, John, McColl, McCrory, Williams and me ol' (friendly) nemesis McGrath. The start was off, as expected, to a solid pace on the undulating fire road. As I kept telling myself to start a little slower, ride my own pace and finish faster for a change, I let go of the lead group a bit.
But after the slippery in places, paddock section the ol' back started to come back to haunt me.
The course was much better than last years with much more single track and less frickn bitumen. Always good for a MTB race. A gold stamp to the organisers for this years course.
Ride, pain, more pain, stretch, repeat, repeat, repeat. (excuses, excuses, excuses)
13th place in Masters - grrrrrrr...

Core exercises for me I think.

Oh well, let's move on....

Next?

Gravity 12hr?

I'm comin' to gitcha.

MTB worlds

The trip to Canberra to ride and watch the racing was as expected, F*%#@'N GREAT!!!
I just couldn't keep off the bike, so I spent pretty much all day, everyday riding. With some spectating thrown in there.
Those blokes and chicks ride fast at that level, real fast (oh really?).
To watch the two mens XC leaders still belting it out at break neck speed at the end of the race was awesome.
Just fantastic to ride Stroms and Sparrow's without it being a race and with mates for a change.
I could nearly move to the nations capital just for the riding, road and MTB (no really).

Can't be fagged writing anymore detail, just to say the trip was well worth the effort.

The test.

It's been a couple of weeks since 'the test' and shall try to remember it as it was.

A 9am Saturday start with Dean (Torq boss), Cam (physiologist) and Jamie (set-up expert) in attendance and after an explanation of the process, a short while to set-up the test bike to my previous bike position they had me getting comfortable with an easy warm up. Easy.
Then mask on, no talking and light resistance applied.... easy.
Take blood for lactate level via pricked finger then increase resistance by 50w, 3 minutes pedaling then repeat, repeat, repeat process until my V02 levels reach their peak then start to drop off. Resistance off, light spin, recover, drink Torq recovery, test completed!
Actually not as painful as I was expecting but no stroll in the park mind you.
The detailed results were forwarded to me, and my new coach Jenni, the next week.
Jen peruses the results and constructs the cunning plan to make me ride faster for longer.
Next I was under the instruction of Jamie to assess/change my current bike/s set-up to create more power, less fatigue and more comfort. First up was my Scott road race bike then the Scapin roadie and finally the Yeti. All bikes are now significantly different to ride and from the riding I have done so far they are more comfortable and I feel somewhat stronger on them. My seat and bars were lifted from my super low euro pro (wank, wank) position and seat moved forward to allow me to power more over the top of my pedal stroke. It so far feels real good!

Now all I have to do is ride it, follow it, eat well, rest well, stay injury free and avoid the pig flu (and any other nasty bugs) and podium here I come..... hopefully.

The process was a wonderful experience and I reckon anyone with enthusiasm about their bikes and racing, at any level, would get a lot out of it.
I certainly did.

Physiology test (or breaking point) and other stuff

This Saturday morning's bike time will be a little different than usual in as far as I will be undertaking (or suffering) a physiology test and 3D bike fit. (oooo, 3 dimensions)
This will be done with the Torq Australia crew who know a thing or two about elite level cycling, especially MTB. And hopefully they can help me achieve either; a/ Olympic gold, b/ National success or more realistically c/ better results than I get now.
Also with my very limited time to train, I have become extremely interested in training with a coach, training program and power meters to get the most out of the time I do have to train.
So I have arrived at the decision to pretend like, I'm like, a pro n that and have a crack and I'm really looking forward to putting myself under close review.
Am I a slug, a pocket rocket or just extremely average? We'll soon find out ay?

MTB World Champs trip to Canberra is only a week away now, very exciting, beer and bikes, no babes though.

The Loop.

3 fun laps of Hans' loop last night in the dark and mud with Cam.
Clockwise, then anti clockwise, 2 tracks in one.
I could enjoy riding that all day.
One day I think I will, soon.
The Yeti loves everything.
I love the Yeti.

Spoke(n) Classic + maiden You Yangs roll...

A last moment decision was made to have a crack at the Spoke(n) Classic/Northern combine 100k race .... in A grade.
What???
Oh well I thought I'd be right, maybe not win it or even come close but a goal to survive and learn (Grasshopper) was set. And survive and learn I did. A mix of conservation of energy and work for others where I could. Although I still can't seem to avoid the evil cramp at precicely the wrong time, despite keeping well hydrated with Torq product , resulting in being dropped from my bunch 10k from the end. No matter. Otherwise is was a training exercise and I think I came in 15mins behind the winner. Not too bad in my books for the stage I'm at, at the moment. I enjoyed riding/racing with my Degani/Spoke(n) mates for the first time in a road race. Mal, Tim, JJ, Mark, Jarrod and Simon all rode strongly, top work.

But really, after all that road work, I was looking forward to Sunday at the Yangers with Bruce, JD, Cam Wells, Gez and Jez for a fat tyre adventure on the wonderful trails that make up the network there.
An 8.30am start and 3 hours riding time was perfect and with JD setting a consistant pace most of the time, the legs were tired but ok.
The ASR is such a joy to ride, whatever trails I have used it on so far, I've been stoked with the ride. Perhaps not set-up perfectly yet but the process is underway to get it there. I'll say it again, "...rides like it's on rails" (in a good way).

Onto this weekend.

Starting with the Spoke(n) shop ride on Saturday with maybe an extended roll to Mt Eliza.
Then.
Chase the Sun (round 4)
I have entered to ride solo but will belt out as many laps as I can until I'll have to leave at 12noon to enjoy an afternoon family gathering.

No riding this week thus far but a road session wit Cam Wells to Eltham tonight is on the agenda.

Powerful owl TT

I've just discovered round 2 of the Powerful Owl time trial at Bruce's loop is on tomorrow night. I think that will be the first hit out for the Yeti in a race.
Better fit the candles on then ay....

Molto grazie! Spoke(n)

I'd like to sincerely thank the Spoke(n) crew for their support and supply of my new ride, nice work and it's greatly appreciated. And if you want to experience the joy of a Yeti ride, trust me and put your current ride on ebay or bike exchange or sumfink get your ass into the shop and get one.
It's as easy as that!

Gush, gush, gush...

The Yeti ASRc was rolled out for a 4 hour ride out to Hans' loop yesterday and if the body wasn't telling me to turn and head home to eat, I'd probably still be out there now!
It quite simply must be the greatest MTB riding experience I've ever had, possibly an unfair advantage over those without one or, sex on wheels.
As previous reviews from others who have experienced the ASR, I can confirm it begs to be ridden FAST!!! Feels like it's on rails and all that gush, gush, gush...

My initial concerns about passing up the highend xc hardtail race experience were quickly put to rest. I am happy to carry the extra 1kg or so extra bike weight to bang around on the plushness of a quality dually that the ASR is. The slacker head angle is great and I'm happy to adjust to it from the twitchier set up I was running previously.
I was able to hunt down other riders on the trails with stealth as the bike is, as we all dream of, quiet. No chain slap, no squeaks, no knocks.... love it!!!
But, bikes don't ride themselves (good one), so I'll just have to get myself up to top speed to ride it to it's full potential.

The Yeti ASRcarbon is a 5 star ride (if not better).

I'm like a kid at Crissy at the mo' and all week I'll be dreaming of hitting the Yangers on Sunday to enjoy the great and varied riding out there.

The new ride...

Drum roll please...........
Introducing the Yeti ASRcarbon with Pro kit set-up!
No time to discuss now but will blab on about it after the weekend.
Off to ride now......
There's a pic near the end of this blog, take a deep breath and scroll below.

Melbourne to Ballarat Classic

All signed up for this 99 year old race (yes it's as old as the Giro pretty much).
It's a handicap and I'll be riding off 16mins (mid way in the field).
Strong northerlies predicted and I'll be doing my best to conserve, conserve, conserve energy, as us smaller blokes must do in the wind.
93 kms of uphill and flat to Ballarat.
Result posted next week.
I'll be telling myself "It's all good training!" and "ya gotta suffer for success" and all sorts of weird and wonderful things en route.
Look'n forward to it.

New Yeti not far away now... WOOHOO!!!

.....and back again.

Big things have happened since last posting to say the least (blogging not being a grand priority. No really.) What with moving house, renovating, blending families harmoniously, falling pregnant, work trips, etc..... WHAT? PREGNANT??? How did that happen? Let's not worry 'bout that then ay. I am extremely excited to be having a baby with the wonderful "Baroness of Pizza", but this is not the place to gush my excitement so I shant.
Also I'm stoked to be now riding for Spoke(n) after a generous offer to jump ship from MBC. I sincerely thank Warren at Melbourne Bicycle Centre for his support over the last 15 months or so, it is greatly appreciated and I still recommend them if your looking for a new ride (with wheels I mean).
The Spoke(n) relationship means the Scott Scale LTD has gone to a new home:-( but a new Yeti ASR Carbon is on the way, hip horray. Can't wait and I will be giving my humble critique when I've given it a good ol' fashioned thrashing!
Training pretty hard at the mo' and feeeeling good after 6-8 weeks off the bike.
Melbourne to Ballarat is in my sights on 18 July, so I'll soon find out just how I'm track'n.

Got that itch goin.....

Itch'n to race.