A.R.S.E.

Flinty72 wrote: 43.1km/hr.

Full Results now up: http://www.carnegiecycling.com.au/wp-co ... s-Race.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SystemicLogic 6am-ers finished 9th in B-Grade & 6th for Masters. Personally I was placed 58th.

Well after saying last year that I was done with the Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic I have since decided to do it again.
So my training for it started this week as it's already only 12 weeks till the big day. So with it I thought it might be interesting to document the whole lead-up on my blog plus it'll keep the blog fresh with new content. So if you're interested keep an eye out over there, first post about it is already up: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... arny-time/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Warny training blog for week 1 is now posted: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... ny-week-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Journey to Warny - Week 2 now posted: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... ny-week-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Woot! i can finally contribute to this thread..

I signed up for my first ever bike race, a local cyclocross event . I'd gone last time to check it out and take photos, and figured it looked like a bit of fun so i grabbed a 3 race permit and signed up in the open/mtb category

Showers were predicted, but held off, which is probably fortunate since the course was already slippery and muddy in places from rain during the week. I was under no illusions of victory, so i was out there to make up the numbers and have a bit of fun and possibly get covered in mud

lined up about 3 rows back on the start line and was stunned at the speed straight out of the box from some of the guys.. immediate thought was wtf had i got myself into? I settled into a bit of a groove and had tried not to overcook it in the first lap. Nearly got involved in 2 peoples crashes in the first lap which woke me up and had me on my toes

The course had a decent mix of bitumen, gravel, sand and mud.. including a a detour into the Forest of Broken CX Dreams One aspect i very soon realised i need improvement on is bike dismount, carry and remount with me easily losing 20-30 metres on the guy in front on that one section of course. I spent most of the race catching the guy in front, only to lose all that time over these obstacles.. frustrating! trying to lug a 14kg MTB uphill and lifting it over a barrier isn't the easiest thing to do at speed!

I decided that i only had 3 realistic goals:
1) Beat the unicycle guy
2) not crash
3) don't get lapped

fortunately i achieved the first 2, and almost managed the 3rd.. so, pleased overall. Final position was 17th

Final lap i sprinted over the line to make up a place on the guy that was ahead of me all race, so i hopefully redeemed myself on all the time i lost over the obstacles

Race results

race data

Photo of me on course courtesy of Miss V

isn't it funny how you picture some people and they are not like what you expected. For some reason i pictured you as a skinny guy with a long tied back pony tail, glasses and a light beard. No idea why.

w00dsy wrote:isn't it funny how you picture some people and they are not like what you expected. For some reason i pictured you as a skinny guy with a long tied back pony tail, glasses and a light beard. No idea why.

Well, you got one part right.. i do have a pony tail.

Congrats on loosing you MTB racing virginity CLP. You look like a seasoned Pro in that pic.

I have put a new post on my blog of what a typical Warny Winter training day can be like for anyone that's interested.
http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... all-about/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Journey to Warny - Week 3 now posted: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... ny-week-3/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Along with me talking crap about which pedal I have ended up buying: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... pondering/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Flinty72 wrote:My Journey to Warny - Week 3 now posted: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... ny-week-3/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Along with me talking crap about which pedal I have ended up buying: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... pondering/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

you do as many km in a week as i do in a month.. insane.. and at a lot higher intensity too


re: pedals.. sounds like a good choice. staying consistent between bikes is pretty important i think! i've considered switching to something different, but that would mean changing over pedals on 3 bikes.. price of entry seems to increase substantially!

Yeah & I just ticked over 1000km for this month already & 9,000km's for the year, I guess there is nothing like a goal of doing the Warny to get the k's ticking upwards.

My Journey to Warny - Week 4 is now posted: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/08/ ... 93-week-4/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Journey to Warny - Week 5 (Recovery Week) is now posted: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/09/ ... 93-week-5/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Flinty72 wrote:My Journey to Warny - Week 5 (Recovery Week) is now posted: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/09/ ... 93-week-5/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

what brand of pedal was it that ave up the ghost? that doesn't sound like fun

CLP wrote:

Flinty72 wrote:My Journey to Warny - Week 5 (Recovery Week) is now posted: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/09/ ... 93-week-5/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

what brand of pedal was it that ave up the ghost? that doesn't sound like fun

Shimano Ultegra 6700 - just over 12months old & never crashed. Yep very ordinary, it happened while seated with little pedal pressure so no crash luckily. No idea what the cause was, faulty obviously.

My Journey to Warny - Week 6 is now up: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/09/ ... 93-week-6/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just got back from my second Cyclocross Race..
After the last one I had a bit better idea how to handle it.. or so i thought!

the course included climbs of mulch hill (x2) and the Spiral of death .. much more technical than last time, but still with some fast sections

Birthday Girl Miss V (in her first race) and I were lined up on the second row, which wasn't too bad, though i think Miss V would have preferred a start position nearer to the back of the field.

The flag was dropped and the race started off in similar fashion to last time.. fast guys shot off the front at lightspeed.. no chance against them! This time around i put more effort in and within the lap i had opened up a fair sized lead on the next person .. and an even bigger gap beyond that. for the rest of the race the guy behind me closed up, and then i'd get away from him.. so the gap yo-yo'ed quite a bit. eventually i was pretty much done (needing to lift the bike 2x plus push it up 2 hill climbs each lap takes it toll!) the guy behind passed me.. the leaders were closing fast and I just didn't have the energy in the legs to prevent them from lapping me in the home straight. so my goal of finishing on the lead lap eluded me again.... next time!

Miss V survived the experience with a massive smile on her face and seemed to enjoy it.. and already is talking about the next one! Similarly, Miss V's parents were in Adelaide and took time to watch and seemed to enjoy the event!

My stats:
http://app.strava.com/rides/1648995" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

edit with photo:

CLP on Mulch Hill

Excellent report Carlos. Happy Birthday to Miss V as well.

norbs wrote:Excellent report Carlos. Happy Birthday to Miss V as well.

and just a small update.. after a recount of the results, turns out that Miss V finished in 3rd place in the womens open class, having passed a national level track rider on the final lap

CLP wrote:

norbs wrote:Excellent report Carlos. Happy Birthday to Miss V as well.

and just a small update.. after a recount of the results, turns out that Miss V finished in 3rd place in the womens open class, having passed a national level track rider on the final lap

Faarrr arrrkkkkk!

Well done Miss V.

It's about a week late but at least it's posted, My Journey to Warny - Week 7: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/09/ ... 93-week-7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Back on track with My Journey to Warny - Week 8: http://wgtproject.norbtech.com/2011/09/ ... 93-week-8/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also have a read of my team website to read a great story from one of our riders who trasted success on Sunday
http://6amers.com/racing-reports/there- ... tter-team/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I'll post my version on my next weeks Journey to Warny. It was a fantastic day & race.

Carl, I didn't realise you could just rock up on a MTB for these events. Is there any more running this year? I'm rather keen to come and give it a go. AMTBC used to run summer night Dirt Crits around the parklands, I got excited when I read about them only to find they no longer exist. This might be an alternative.

Are the courses mainly flat? is it a lot of stop start stuff or is it more getting in to a rythm?

Hz-Lab wrote:Carl, I didn't realise you could just rock up on a MTB for these events. Is there any more running this year? I'm rather keen to come and give it a go. AMTBC used to run summer night Dirt Crits around the parklands, I got excited when I read about them only to find they no longer exist. This might be an alternative.

Are the courses mainly flat? is it a lot of stop start stuff or is it more getting in to a rythm?

current series is finished, but there's plans underway to have a summer twilight series.
you need a race license to take part, but PACC do a 3 race permit for $44, then you just pay the $10 race entry.
apart from that, the open class is all MTB and flat bar roadies and heaps of fun.. Miss V says you should give it a go

the courses are mainly flat, given their location in the south parklands, but they do manage to get a few climbs over mulch hill in there on occassions. other than that you can get into a bit of a rhythm

here's a helmet cam from the first lap of the last race (open class) to give you an idea what it's all about
[youtube] [/youtube]