Great Ocean and Otway Classic Ride 2013

The Great Ocean and Otway Classic Ride, or #GOOCR13 as was the preferred twitter hashtag - mouthful i know, is one of the popular mass participation bike rides in Victoria.

The event starts in Torquay and follows an anti-clockwise loop through the edge of the relatively flat western district farmlands, crossing over the Otway Ranges to the coast, before returning 145 km later to Torquay via the Great Ocean Road.

Event Route and Profile

While not being an overly tough ride for experienced, as far as rides go, it could quite easily be turned into a challenging ride, by treating it as a race, or by trying to hang onto one of the quicker front packs of riders.  However, for novice cyclists and those without too many long rides under their belt, the rise up from Deans Marsh followed by the numerous short rises along the coast would indeed be a challenge - particularly with the winds on the day ignoring the prevailing weather patterns, which would provide a tail wind for this final 50 km stretch, and instead delivering a headwind!

I had no delusions of grandeur here.  This was going to be my first ride in excess of 80km / 3 hr for about 20 years!  My plan was merely to roll around the course, attempting to keep my HR under control - particularly after my DNF at Xterra GOR 2 weeks ago - hoping that my base fitness would get me through, if I didn't redline my HR too often.

I awoke at 3:45 had some breaky, loaded the car and was on my way by 4:30.  Quick coffee stop at the road house on the Geelong road and i was at Torquay by 6:30, just in time to get ready and take the obligatory bike and sunrise photo with the phone!

Obligatory iPhone photo for social networking purposes

Then it was time to go and catch-up with a mate who i've been chatting with on Twitter for a while but never "met" (we'll refer to him as "Nigel" to protect the guilty).  Sure enough, he actually did exist and wasn't just a little plastic man on a little plastic bike - as his twitter profile suggests...

Just like any of these events, the participants lined up behind the start line according to coloured wrist band, based on their expected finishing time.  So we made our way to the start line and after a quick chat "Nigel" kept moving forward into the Green Zone, while i was more than happy to stay back in the "Orange Zone". 

BANG!! And we're off - well, the first wave was.  After about 3 minutes i was in the start group and GO!! 

hmmm... that's strange, my cleat wouldn't click in... no worries i've only got 145k to ride on a dodgy cleat - anyway, quick stop, gave the cleat and the pedal a quick once over (no idea what was wrong or what i did, but it worked).  Take 2...and, GO!!

The start was always going to be a little nervy for me, not being a big fan of pack cycling. I just rode on the edge of the road and let a few packs go past.  There are two little hills (of 2km and 1.5km length) within the first 10km and i found myself getting stuck behind some quite slow climbers. I was feeling strong, so i started cruising onto the wrong side of the road (massive move for Captain Conservative) passing groups of slower riders.  That was just what i needed to do - ride at my pace, not being dictated by what people around me were doing.

The route took us in a general westerly direction along gently undulating roads for the next 50 km or so before turning south.  This was a nice easy section of the ride, where you could just relax, get into a good rhythm and ride.

I was going quite well until we made the left hand turn, putting us on an easterly course straight into the wind! This is where things got a little tougher, so i dialled things back a notch knowing that i was going to enter the "i haven't ridden this far before" zone part way up the looming rise from Deans Marsh up to Benwerrin...

There were numerous rest locations / water stations set up along the route. I'd managed to reach Deans Marsh (approximately 75 km) without stopping, but was running low on water, so figured this was a good place to stop to re-fill the water, have a quick bite, stretch the legs and answer the call of nature.

Now...time to get back on the bike and climb!!

The Climb!

For the data nerds, the details of the climb are something along the lines of 11 km, 250 m elevation difference (an average gradient of ~2.2 %), with 300 m of climbing... yes, there is some minor downhill sections, and quite a few flats  - so as far as climbs go, it's not too bad.

Knowing that i still had 50 km of winding, undulating, Great Ocean Road into a headwind after this, my plan was to take the climb relatively easy and enjoyed the view.  I almost achieved this, my cadence and speed got a little bit too low on a couple of occasions - as my HR started to nudge into the 170 bpm range (this ordinarily wouldn't bother me - but still a little worried about any residual effect from my recent bout of man-flu).

In all honesty, I actually enjoyed the climb, and can see people actively seek out insane climbs to ride up!  Refer to The Climbing Cyclist website for such insanity!!

One of the features of my new Garmin Edge 500 (purchased the day before the event) that i think i'll steer clear of in the future is the gradient function...too many times on the climb i was seeing numbers like 9 %, 10 % and 11 %. But having said that, it was great to know that i was climbing with relative ease (not very much speed or power mind you)... 

Typical rainforesty-esq view on the climb from Deans Marsh to Benwerrin

Yours truly looking...well, like a cyclist riding up a hill.

The Descent!

And down....

Well, I believe I can officially lay claim to being the world's most conservative / slowest / worst descender!! At one stage I was certain I was being overtaken by a group of toddlers on tricycles!

Checking the Strava segment for the descent, my average speed (excluding the time at the top to stretch) was approximately HALF that of the KOM...

I just can't let go and fly, I generally go faster on nice smooth gentle slopes than I do on massive high speed downhills!! I don't know why?? Maybe with a bit more time on the road I'll gain the confidence i need...who knows??

Anyway, I eventually made it down! My nerves were a little frayed so i took a quick break in Lorne to re-group.

I left Lorne feeling great.  There's a bit of a climb out of Lorne, up Big Hill, which isn't really that big.  But either way i was feeling pretty comfortable, and before too long the Garmin clicked over 100 km... Woo Hoo!! 

The ride from Lorne to Anglesea, follows the coast. It goes up, down, and around, and is a fantastic way to see the coast!

The typical view along the Great Ocean Road, it's pretty hard not to enjoy the ride! 

I even managed a smile for the camera. I thought about getting out of the saddle for
the photo - but my legs sensed what i was thinking and threatened to cramp!

Approaching Airey's Inlet i was starting to cramp in my hamstrings, and continued to cramp for the remaining 40 km, so stretching stops were required at Aireys Inlet, on a little climb coming into Anglesea, the drinks/rest stop at Anglesea, and finally just before Jan Juc.

The view into Anglesea is pretty amazing. This is also the area where Xterra Great Ocean Road
was held a few weeks back. The swim was at the beach in the mid-view, the ride in the hills beyond
that, and the run back up the hill this shot is taken from.

Anglesea to Torquay stretch...wow!

The final long climb, coming out of Anglesea. 

This section seems to be a continual climb all the way to Jan Juc...but no...once you summit after leaving Anglesea it's pretty much slightly down the entire way!!! DAMN EASTERLY WIND!!

After rolling over the top of a little climb i looked up and was met with a view like this... no more beach, no more forest...down town Jan Juc!!  From here i knew it was just a matter of rolling down this hill, back up the other side and then through the main street of Torquay to the finish line!

The view from Jan Juc toward the finish at Torquay

Once i got up the little rise into Torquay the excitement of finishing kicked in and i raised enough energy to put in a bit of a sprint past the cafes full of already finished competitors drinking beer!! 

And then, after 6 hours riding time (and another hour spent stretching, etc)....THE FINISH!

About 5 minutes after i finished i received a message from my mate who we're still going to refer to as "Nigel", simply saying... "Are you dead ?" to which i simply replied "dead man walking - just finished".  As it turns out, he had a pretty good day's cycling, and was sitting on a couch enjoying a cuppa!

Looking back now, it was a really enjoyable ride. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes spending a few hours in the saddle!!

Conclusion: Bumblebees are not capable of flight. Fortunately, no one told the bumblebee!

I've spent the last week and a half with an annoying "man-flu" sort of thing, and consequently my physical activity has been limited to my ill fated Xterra off road triathlon. Consequently, my ironman training has involved intake of carbs...cheers ;) ... and reading!

I've been reading The Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel and Be Iron Fit by Don Fink.

The main purpose of reading these books has been to see whether I believe I can successfully develop my own training program to get me through IM Melbourne or whether I'll need help to get a training program sorted ... anyhow, that's another blog entry for another day.

Today I read a story in Joe Friel's book, which I want to share. So here's a summary...

Several years ago, as the story goes, scientists at NASA developed an interest in the bumblebee. The lab folk reckoned that the little insect held some secrets of flight that might provide answers to questions about operating in space. After all, they asked, how could such small wings produce efficient lift for a relatively large and hairy torso? And how could a round body, and a flight position that violated so many principles of aerodynamics, move so effectively through the air? Indeed, there was so much to learn from the little hummer.

So the scientists set about studying the bumblebee to discover its flying secrets. After weeks of study they came to one conclusion: Bumblebees are not capable of flight!

Fortunately, no one told the bumblebee. The silly insect goes right on believing that flight is normal for them, despite what the best minds in the scientific world knew as fact.

We can learn a lot from the bumblebee. The single most critical piece of the multisport puzzle is believing in yourself and your capability to succeed. "If you think you can or you think you can't" Henry Ford said, "you're actually right." The bumblebee thinks it can fly. Actually, the thought of anything else never crosses its tiny mind. It just keeps on flying...

Why the relevance...

Well, here's me...(December 1974) as a two year old bumblebee...

DREAM ... BELIEVE ... SUCCEED 

My 2 Bays 2013 Trail Run Experience (or If you can't be good at it, at least look good doing it) - REPOST

This was first posted on my other blog - but it thought it was worth a re-post here for obvious sporty reasons.

First a warning: I didn't know whether i was going to write this because it's very self indulgent in a "look at me, i injured myself but still finished" sort of way... But that was my race, and i wanted to record it.

The 2 Bays Trail Run is an event which is largely ignored by the mass participation event runners - but carved into the calendar for all local, and some interstate, trail / endurance / adventure racing types. 

It's a run of either 28km or 56km, depending upon your level of endurance or insanity. (My kids refer to my mate Graham, who came down from Qld to run, as crazy Graham - because he's doing the 56km...AGAIN!) 

The run, as the name suggests, follows the 2 Bays Trail - commencing at the Information Centre in Dromana and finishing near the lighthouse at Cape Schank. Well, it does for the 28km participants, the 56km runners start and finish at Cape Schank, dropping in at Dromana to turn around!

Apart from the trip up Arthur's Seat, which climbs in excess of 300m in 3km, the remainder of the trail would be best described as gently undulating (another ~360m of gain and ~600m of loss, in 25km).  The trail itself comprises numerous conditions underfoot, including shifting gravel, loose sand, boardwalk, fire trail, and packed sand with tree roots.  Just enough variation to ensure you spend most of the time carefully placing your feet to avoid coming unstuck...

The course and profile dump from my Garmin

The race itself commenced at 7am, and with my mate Graham (down from Qld to race - so Claire and the kids were his support crew also) running the 56km, required two drop off points prior to the start.  As his start was also the finish, it made sense that i'd get dropped first. So hello Dromana, it's not quite 6am - how you doing?

Luckily Steve from fstop5.com was also at Dromana early to catch me looking excited, nervous, clean...but most of all bright, in my Hawaiian Shirt. Little did i know, that would be the last time i smiled until the end was in sight... 

Looking nervously excited pre-race
Most photos courtesy of fstop5.com

Why on earth would you wear a Hawaiian Shirt to run 28km? i hear you ask (after asking why i would run 28km in the first place - why not)

To add a little colour and fun to the trail run, those wearing beachy type gear got to start at the front of the pack. So i figured i'd follow my sporting motto of "If you can't be good at it, at least look good doing it"...and off to the front row for the start i headed.

There i am...front row LHS - ready to race!

I'm in the far left of shot, looking over my shoulder just to check i'm not about to
be overtaken by any kinder age children ;)

And as you can see, after going about 10m about half the field had already passed me - but that was all part of my strategy...

So here i was starting a 28km trail run...let's look at my running career for a second...

Number of trail runs i've competed... 1, 15km in length with 330m gain...

Number of times i've run more than 20km... 3, 1 1/2 marathon race and 2 training runs...

How often i run hills...hmmm, i live in a reclaimed swamp...

This could really hurt!! 

To be fair, i've done a couple of triathlons which took in the order of 3 hours (probably should've taken closer to 2:40, or so...but we'll overlook that) so i knew if i kept my HR under control, and didn't trash myself in the first 3km dash up Arthur's Seat i should be OK. Hence my slow conservative start.

OK...now i'm finding my rhythm...

OK...going alright, i've made it up Arthur's Seat. 

There's no other way to describe that climb except brutal - with an average grade in excess of 10%.

But on the upside that's half the elevation gain done with, just gotta get through the other 25km or so and i should be OK...how's that view!

Note my elbow is free from blood and my LHS isn't covered in dirt...this is about to change!

The view from the trail was simply amazing.  The path cuts just below Seawinds Gardens, so the view which is normally obscured by trees is open to enjoy...

However, when one is running along a path covered with loose shifting rocks i strongly recommend stopping to enjoy the view...unlike i did...

Photo from http://twobayswalk.blogspot.com.au/

One minute i was running along - watching the path in front of me - feeling quite strong, the next i was looking over the Mornington Peninsula...within a split second i was in the middle of the path, blood streaming (nah - let's not get too dramatic) trickling down my arm and in pain, unable to move my ankle.

I must say that the support and concern from my fellow runners was fantastic. For the next minute, or so, as i lay on the side of the path wimpering, almost everyone who passed asked if i was OK, could i walk, did i need a bandage, etc - it was great to see! It was only later that it was suggested i was probably in the way and slowing them all down, hence the concern was a polite way of saying "Get the &^%$ out of the way!!" ;)

So after feeling sorry for myself for a while, i decided i'd trained hard (well i'd trained) for this and was going to finish.  The fact i was 25km from the line, and i'd never run that far before, let alone with an ankle that wouldn't move, was completely irrelevant.

So tentatively off i set. It wasn't long before i realised that i could only run hobble/jog with a flat foot, which mean't walking sideways down all the hills and doing some hybrid limp-jog-shuffle on the flats and uphill...but i was going forward...

Nearing the 10km mark, saw the photographer so put in a bit of a jog

10km down in about 75 minutes...my slowest 10km ever, but i was making progress. Only 18km to go. I've run 18k before, i can do this...

At about the 11-12km mark, the leaders of the 56km race (having done 16-17km) started coming from the other direction - man, these guys and gals were flying!!  I remember seeing Graham, luckily i was going uphill so i could actually run - once again, it's all about how you look when your mates see you. He was looking strong - a well inside the top 10!

It was great to see and hear the top 56km runners yelling support as they passed by. Having your name on your number bib is great...running along hearing "Go Tim" or "Go Hawaiian Shirt Dude" definitely gave me a lift.

There were also a few aid stations and road sections where you got contact from supporters - although most were there to support "their" person, they were generally cheering everyone.  You could hear the noise building from about 5 minutes away, and when you passed by the cheering, combined with your name was fantastic!!

So on i struggled, through some amazing scenery, just ticking away the km's...

20km down in about 2 hours 30 minutes...all i was thinking here was if i can get home inside 4 hours, it'll be auto entry next year! 8km...90 minutes...seemed achievable...

Now my foot really started to hurt. Previously i was able to do more limping-jog than walk, but now it was shifting - it was definitely more walking. The 6/7/8 min/km were being replaced by 8/9/10 min/km... just keep going forward... 

What was really frustrating was that as my foot was worsening i could no longer run on flats either, so it was walk on downs and flats, and jog uphill - which was pretty much the opposite of what everyone around me was doing - but on the upside, my energy levels were good and my legs were otherwise good, so when my ankle let me jog - i could!

25km down, 3km to go - those last 5km have taken me 43 minutes...oh look, the photographer...Run - ok, Jog...Smile :)

Bushranger's Bay - 25km gone...3km to go.  

The last 3km, took me over 27 minutes...i turned the final corner and i saw the finish gantry, then I saw Claire and the kids....i made it! 

Two thirds of the support crew!!

YEAH!! FINISHED!!!

Distance:     28km
Time:          3:37:18
Ave Pace:    7:49 min/km

I was hoping to go sub 6 min/km - so about 2:48...but i'd finished...

Bloodied and bruised...but very, very happy!

And enjoying putting the race medallion to good use...

CHEERS!!

The below video comes from http://wildplans.com/ and gives a great overview of the trail and the fantastic spirit of the competitors...

Thanks to everyone involved in putting on the race: the organisers, volunteers, and fellow trail runners, it's a fantastic event!!

As I write this, with my ankle ligaments trashed and hobbling around on crutches, I don't know whether I'll be around for the event next year, due to it being our normal family holiday time - but i'll definitely be running the trail again, i've got unfinished business!!

Do or do not!! There is no try!!

This Yoda meme reminded me of my favourite Yoda quote: 

"Try not. Do or do not! There is no try."

If you do something with the attitude "i'm going to try and do this" there is always the option of not doing it!

If you decide to do something...do it!

I entered Ironman Melbourne, compared to many athletes I am slow. 

I will train. 

I will improve my endurance so i can get around the 226km course.

I will end up faster than i am now - not fast, but faster!

DO OR DO NOT! THERE IS NO TRY!

My new stead... *cue The Sunnyboys - Happy Man*

Any reason to play a bit of Aussie Rock from the 80's can't be ignored, so there's a sound track to go along with today's post... The Sunnyboys - Happy Man!

Earlier in the week I started writing an entry on why i didn't need a TT / Triathlon geometry bike to do an Ironman.  I surmised that there were 2 basic aims of the 180 km bike leg: 1 - get around the course as fast as possible; while, 2 - being able to run off the bike.

The tri bike is designed to go fast in a non-draft situation, so as long as i could stay "aero" for most of the 180 km, i would tick off #1.

And the more research i did, i discovered that my best chance of being in a position to run off the bike involved the geometry of the tri bike and a correct fit...tick for #2.

So...BANG...enter the pedal-less GIANT TRINITY!

So all being well, assuming delivery from Giant, this time next week my new stead will take its place in our lounge room - Yes sorry Claire, a second bike inside...i really must clean up the garage :)

My (lack of) Xterra Experience or The Race That Summed Up My Season...

When i planned out my season, Xterra Great Ocean Road off-road triathlon was going to be a fun way to end my triathlon season, which was going to go: Noosa OD; Sandringham OD: Portarlington Long Course; and Xterra GOR Long Course.

Things didn't really go as planned.  Injuries (and, i think, low electrolyte replacement) saw Noosa not quite turn out as well as i hoped.  Then an ankle injury sustained during the 2 Bays Trail Run meant i couldn't race Sandringham or Portarlington. So Xterra had all my focus.

In the weeks leading up i was feeling ready. My open water swimming was strong (for me), my MTB skills were improving, and my running (considering lack of training since 2 Bays) was solid.

Well, as Murphy would have it - the week before the race i got sick...BUGGER!! Wednesday / Thursday / Friday off work... easy run over part of the course Saturday felt OK. Yeah, i'm still a shot, let's do this. 

Nice simple pasta for dinner and a good sleep and come Sunday morning i was ready to go!!

Bike racked - front right corner #199 - and transition laid out.

Wetsuit on and ready to go, was a balmy 20 deg C at race start, with a freshening offshore wind blowing. Yep, feeling good, this'll be fun :)

Well...that swim was way too energy sapping.  The 1 k swim was a chore, the conditions were ideal (a little lumpy out the back, but as you can see from the above photo, no swell to speak of) - but i just had nothing, upon exiting the water i had walk and even stop on the way back to transition...

So had some water, downed a gel and thought - this is OK, i'll take the bike easy and hopefully i'll have something left for the run...

Take the bike easy - had i forgotten the ride i did last weekend! There was nowhere to hide on this bike course, it was up and down, round and through, some rutted tough uphill sections followed by fast flowing downhills and single track - my legs had absolutely nothing. downed another gel, took some gatorade - nothing!!

After about 6km the Hurst Road hill was looming - i thought, OK, i'll get up this and then just ease through the internal loop. Nobody in the long course is left behind me, so i'm not going to get in the way - yep, still a shot at getting on the run...

Nup! Wrong! The Hurst Road Hill Smashed ME! I got to the top - yes i was determined to make it to the top - and had to stop. 

To put it in perspective, it's 60m overall gain in a bit over 2k with a few downs and flats, with the final pinch maxing out at a touch over 13%, so not that tough really.  Last weekend i did it in about 9 minutes, according to Strava the KOM (i just created the segment for this comparison) is bit under 7 minutes...yesterday over 13 minutes...

RACE OVER!! I knew what was left to race, and i had nothing left...my first ever DNF!

It was disappointing to have to pull out - but i gave it all i had... so this one gets added to the "I will return and complete" list!

Thanks to Bec (random support crew of another entrant), who gave me and bike a lift back into Anglesea! Gotta love the friendly nature of the adventure sport crowd!!!

And a massive thanks to Claire for once again playing support crew on another one of my crazy adventures... :) 

The untold history of Ironman Triathlon...

Couldn't resist...

Blatantly stolen from Triathlon Memes Facebook Page

What have I just signed up for...?!?!

Like most the kids i grew up with, we spent our weekends playing sport, either organised or just kids having fun, or watching sport.

Beside from the usual fix of AFL and cricket, as was the go in Melbourne, one of the events that left a lasting memory was the Hawaiian Ironman (Triathlon).  The images of Mark Allen and Dave Scott racing along the roads through the lava fields seemed the ultimate test of endurance for the super fit lunatic fringe!

During my late teens i caught the triathlon bug and competed in sprint distance triathlons (500m swim / 20km ride / 5km run) for a couple of seasons before the drain of spending 3 (plus) hours travelling to Uni and back each day put a halt to that!

Well, roll forward 20 years or so...

I'd dabbled in some shorter distance fun runs, with Run 4 The Kids (15km - flattish) and Puffing Billy Great train Race (13.2km - up and down through the Dandenong Ranges), being at the longer end.

After on-going knee issues, my physio and I decided that i should lay off the running a little - you know maybe cut back to running 3 times a week.  Well, i saw this as the perfect opportunity to start to do a bit of cross training.  Why should i only trash my legs but trash my legs when i could trash my entire body - so i entered the an Olympic Distance triathlon and started training!

After doing a handful of Olympic and Sprint distance tri's, as well as numerous road and trail runs over distances ranging from 7 km to 28 km, over the past 2 years and commenting that one day i may consider doing an Ironman Distance Triathlon...

I Entered Ironman Melbourne!!

For those of you who aren't all over all things triathlon and endurance sport, and as a reminder to myself as to what i have just signed up for, it entails:

a 3.8 km swim;

a 180 km ride; and

finally running a marathon - 42.2 km... 

As i have a tendency to spend a bit of time on social media, i figured if i kept all my training, nutrition, and various other training related crap on this blog i wouldn't need to endlessly spam facebook and twitter. 

Anyway, here commences what will undoubtedly be a very interesting 12 months!!