3 Peaks Challenge 2012 Training Log #11: tduMOTU Week - Days 6 & 7 "All good things must come to an end"

Tanunda Stage 4 - Final sprint from 150m

 This is the 3^rd post in my trilogy of posts documenting my and Team MOTU’s week shadowing the

2012 Tour Down Under

during which, between Sunday 15 January and Saturday 21 January (7 days):

·       914km were ridden;

·       all KOMs summitted;

·       11,390m climbed; and

·       >23,000 calories burnt in the saddle.

To review the 2^nd post CLICK HERE

To watch the tduMOTU video edit CLICK HERE

Day 6 - Stage 4: Tanunda - “BUPA Challenge Ride” (SpecK, SmA, DH, BY and ZZ): 143 km and 1,600 m of elevation

Yours truly ascending Menglars Hill

Once again I decided to register and compete in the Challenge Ride – the Official Tour Down Under breakaway ride allowing amateurs of differing experience/ability to ride a stage of a UCI World Tour Stage.  For 2012, the ride commenced in Norwood (just a very short ride from my home), travelling around the Ranges into and finishing in the wine region of the Barossa Valley.

This was my fourth Challenge Ride in a row, though the first was spent with my painfully watching from the roadside.  Long story; let’s just say I’ve since learnt from my mistakes and nutritionally I’m much more appreciative of the requisite (additional) fuel required for training and recovery.

With only SpecK, SmA, DH and BY also officially registered, SD, ET, AVO and DD had other respective plans for the day.  Snappy decided for a light morning ride ahead of watching the professionals set off later in the morning, and ET, AVO and DD each had their own respective plans to ride abridged routes to see the pros.  In advance I chose to accompany SpecK, SmA and DH, and help them if I could in anyway – if nothing else for moral support.  For myself, I saw the ride as a “recovery ride” ahead of what I anticipated would be a tougher day in the saddle the following day.  I had no target time, and would allow the pace to be dictated by the others.

·        The route itself incorporated three primary climbs, though only the latter two were classified as KOMs.  Curiously the first climb (Ansteys Hill) – that which was not classified, was a harder climb than the second (ie Norsworthy Road).  The third climb – Menglars – was clearly the toughest for riders, though a climb which, for those familiar, isn’t too overwhelming.  For the week, I would rate Menglars behind both Willunga and Fox Creek in terms of relative difficulty.

·        Officially registered for “Fox Tucker Lawyers”, my employer.  I was sans MOTU kit, but thought this year’s “red” was the best since the “yellow” of 2009.  Further, being one among the equally kitted gave me (from a distance) some anonymity and camouflage on the road – which I appreciated. 

·        Not my favourite of rides in terms of safety.  With a lot of nervous cyclists on the ride less familiar with riding side by side, in front or behind, I was a little concerned for my own health.  The descent from Anstey into Chain of Ponds I found incredibly scary; that is, a lot of inexperienced cyclists lacking the legs in the climb trying to make up “lost time” on the descent – risks taken, lines not maintained and mute when it came to calling out their position and intent.

Oscar Friere

·        Organisation for the ride was very good in terms of police presence on the roads; there was not one intersection that wasn’t maintained and which I was given right of way.  In terms of ride support and food support at the end, in comparison to the Ride-Like-Crazy that was held less than a week before, it was somewhat disappointing. 

·        Really enjoyed riding with SpecK and not be drawn into the temptation of trying to ride the stage as fast as I could!  SpecK is designer, moderator and “God” of Adelaide Cyclists, and (with only slight exaggeration) I’m sure knew every third person we passed on the road – was educational having him put a face to a name at times.

·        Watched Stage end in Tanunda in lieu of climbing Menglars a second time to watch the KOM.  It also enabled me to watch Freire take the stage win, and Kohler the ochre jersey.

·        Had always planned to get a lift home rather than ride home – I wanted to save my legs for the Willunga stage the next day.  That being said, in hindsight given how well I felt on Willunga and that entire Saturday, I know I could have ridden home from Tanunda and chalked up the 80km needed that would have given me a total 1,000km for the week.

Day 7 - Stage 5: Old Willunga Hill (SD, BY, ET and ZZ): 136 km and 1,890 m of elevation

Last day on the road for the week before being able to relax and enjoy the satisfaction of having achieved what we did during the week.  Slept well, albeit constantly dreaming about the week and the day to come; kilometres, nutrition, gradients, temperature, hydration, wind direction, when to attack, when to sit up etc etc etc, my brain even when asleep was churning through combinations and permutations as if some type of cycling – flight – simulator.

Met SD to climb Belair, the hills before Clarendon and Willunga Hill ahead of enjoying the festive atmosphere at the summit for stage end.  Feeling in good form, I chose to also ascend Wickhams Hill and descend Pennys Hill Road whilst SD chose to ride straight from Kangarilla to McLaren Vale skipping Wickhams to see the professionals ride their few loops past the town.  Brad, SD and ET (on Dahon) then progressively – in their own time – progressively climbed Old Willunga to the top, they I’m sure, slowing their progress up the hill knowing I had already claimed a great vantage spot :p



Gerro, Rogers & Valverde (tuckd behind Rogers) with 200m to go

 

Atmosphere at the top of Willunga was fantastic.  A lot of enthusiasts!  It is very hard to explain, but to be able to be share in and be among the throng of four deep at the top in the widening channel was a huge highlight for the week.  I have never been to France (let alone watched a mountain top finish at the TDF), so this is as close as I was going to get to experience such atmosphere:

·        A lot of group cyclists heading up Belair and past Kangarilla on their way to Old Willunga Hill, though all seemed to skip Wickhams.  I was alone on the bike for the first time during the week, and it felt nice.  Alone with my thoughts, on the bike feeling physically and mentally very good.  I was able to digest the week, the preceding months and what still lay ahead in the last seven weeks ahead of the 3 Peaks.

·        Descent down Penny’s was taken cautiously.  Upon seeing a kangaroo jump across the road a hundred metres ahead of me when travelling close to 70km/hr I thought... “let’s be careful”. 

Part of the Willunga crowd

·        Was very pleased to be able to welcome BY, SD and ET one-by-one at the top of Willunga with camera in hand, each of them basking in the aforementioned atmosphere as they crested the top to the whistles, clappers et al.

·        Return ride via Range Road and back through Kangarilla, Clarendon and Belair with SD, BY and BY’s friend Dean was fun, so relaxed, and again, feeling very good I tried to bear the pace burden as much as possible.  We missed the opportunity to join BMC as they returned as we were forced to refill our bidons at the Kangarilla service station – no support vehicle for us. 



BY, SD, ZZ and ET



·        To the amusement of SD, I continued to consume gels and bars all the way home, even in the final 20km’s for the week.  So ingrained am I now to keeping properly fuelled on the bike, that I barely noticed that I was even doing it.



·        Got home feeling great!!  I was stoked!  In all seriousness, I feel I could easily have ridden again the next day if other plans hadn’t been made, or have ridden harder/longer in the days preceding.

·        Evening was spent at Team MOTUs “Almost Legends Dinner” at Chianti Classico.  A very lovely evening, although by the time dessert was served I was almost falling asleep in my chocolate torte.


MOTU Family Picnic - Stage 6: Adelaide

Final day of the 2012 TDU was spent in the company of my Boys sharing afternoon picnic with SpecK, ET, and DH watching the professionals as they rode the final city stage. 

A really nice end to a great week.

Day 6 and Day 7 - Route maps and profiles

3 Peaks Challenge 2012 Training Log #9: tduMOTU Week - Days 1 and 2 "How's the serenity?"

This is the first post in a trilogy of posts documenting my and Team MOTU's week shadowing the
2012 Tour Down Under

*     *    *

For those who have read my previous posts, it is abundantly clear that the 2012 3 Peaks Challenge has been the primary focus of all my training for the last 11 months.  With a view to comfortably complete the route and finish the final climb into Falls Creek at the end of 235 kms, I have ridden as many kilometres and climbed as many hills as I could in and around my work and family commitments.  Health setbacks too were tackled with the same intense ruthlessness and sacrifice with a view to a fast recovery and being back on the road.  As the great Eddy Merckx said this past Saturday evening “if the head wants to do it, the body will follow”...

However... in my training regime I had always factored in the week of the 2012 Tour Down Under, which is of course a very different beast to the 3 Peaks; it too has been close to the front of my mind for the last 7 months.

The Plan // Pipe Dream

The plan to ride each day, climbing all the KOMs and to chalk up between 900 and 1,000kms in the seven days, in what could be difficult conditions, was not mine.  Whether serious or not at the time, ET and DD first postulated the idea not long after the end of the 2011 tour.  However, in June when the official tour routes for 2012 were first published, what began as “just an idea” began to take significant shape and I ran with it with exuberant enthusiasm knowing that it provided an additional goal to help maintain my focus on the often cold, wet, dark and lonely winter roads.

Whether we were all (or some of us) biting off more than we could chew only time would tell, but we knew that this would be a fantastic week to remember; there was a good chance of pain and general exhaustion yes, but there would also be a lot of fun, great laughs, the strengthening of existing friendships and possibly the creation of new ones.

Our own routes were planned, contingency arrangements considered, social engagements in and around the week organised, and of course suitably “pro” team name determined and jersey designed (recognising, of course our many sponsors...) :p  This is definitely the subject worthy of its own separate Blog post!

The Preparation

In my head I have essentially labelled the “3 Peaks” as a single day “classic”, whereas the week of the tour akin to riding a personal “stage race”.  This is of course not to suggest the latter is harder than the former (or vice versa), rather that they are different and, as is the mental and physical approach to be taken.  Consequentially, in my training I have tried to accommodate both; for example, recovery time needs to be faster in a multiday tour as is a whole of week focus, as opposed to putting it all on the line in a single day.

Consequentially, my training during the Christmas and New Year period changed, and my mental preparation and dietary build up varied.  I shan’t embarrass myself with detail, because I fear that nutritionists and the more experienced among you will pick (the many) flaws in my approach.  Though in hindsight, I can happily say that whatever I did seemed to work.

I also ensured my bike mechanically was up to scratch for the week ahead, taking it in to be serviced/rebuilt in the days ahead of the tour by the great guys at BMCR.  What I had hoped would be quite routine ended up being quite expensive, as in only the 11 months that I have had my Cannondale I had managed to completely wear out my rear cassette and crack slightly the front derailleur, needing both (and the chain) to be replaced.  To be honest, I'm actually not all that surprised given the kilometres in the 11 months, and some of the gearing issues I was having over Christmas.

I have also worn thin my rear wheel, but believe it safe enough to survive until just before the 3 Peaks in March.  New wheels will be acquired in the final few weeks, but will be changed beforehand if I consider them truly unsafe.

The tduMOTU Week That Was…

It is very difficult to presently write a detailed piece for each day without turning this series of post into a thesis.  Given this, I think the better approach is to try to be as succinct as I can in illustrating the ride and highlighting (in bullet form) the things that stick in my mind and will do so for a long time to come.  Also, pictures tell a thousand words so I hope the pictures in this (and later two posts) and the video above assist in illustrating the experience and atmosphere.

I have also noted the MOTU members who rode, and the kilometres ridden, though acknowledge that not all members rode the precisely the same:

Day 1 - “Ride Like Crazy” (ET, DD, and ZZ): 133 km and 1,610 m of elevation:

The morning of Day 1 was always going to be the “Ride Like Crazy”; a cancer fundraising event boasting (as I understand it) as many as 3,000 riders.   An extremely pleasant route up the Old Freeway to Crafers, before returning in and around the Adelaide Hills.  Not a taxing ride, but an incredibly well organised one for a cause where there is comfort that an extremely high percentage of the registration monies go to cancer research.

·                Slept well and woke feeling “ready” and quietly confident, albeit with a healthy mix of nerves for the week ahead.

·                Weather conditions in the morning were perfect for riding.

·                Heard/watched Greenedge's new anthem for the first time whilst eating breakfast - an apt song for myself that week I thought too;

Greenedge Lasses descending into Cudlee Creek

whilst I repaired my flat

·                Found the number of persons who rolled out early and whom I was catching on the climb up the Old Freeway incredibly surprising.  I always wonder, what's the point, but aren't too bothered by it this morning;

·                ET's constructive advice in managing the bunch was useful – I was taking too many turns up front and needed to be more assertive in getting assistance from the wheel suckers hanging on for a free ride.

·                Punctured on Gorge Road past Cudlee Creek requiring me to stop, though it did allow me to watch the very resplendent Greenedge girls ride past.

·                My 11 year old rode the final 51km and did extremely well.  He was very proud of his efforts (as was I of him).

B2 watching the Down Under Classic

Splashing good times to be had here

The afternoon of Day 1 was spent back at my place for “Team” family poolside BBQ ahead of heading into the city for the TDU Classic.  An incredibly fun afternoon with all the lads, spouses and children, both by the pool and at the city circuit!

Day 2 - Rest Day Riding (ZZ): 91 km and 1,495 m of elevation

Following the previous day's poolside festivities and the excitement of the evening's Tour Down Under Classic today was a planned “D.I.Y” day for MOTU.  For some, it was resting ahead of the longer rides later in the week, others the drudgery of the office, but for me an opportunity to get back in saddle ahead of meeting some of the lads at lunch in the Tour Village in Victoria Square.

My planned route had me ride up the Gorge before turning to ride through Lobethal and the Lobe Road and Mount Lofty Summit, roads that I had anticipated seeing some of the pro-teams in their final day's training.

·                One of the best solo days on the road I have had in a long time.  I just felt extremely relaxed, comfortable and alive!!  In no hurry and being able to just enjoy “the serenity” I can’t recall looking at my bike computer once, bar later to see the time of day.

·                Passed the occasional group of interstate club riders (recognisable by their kit), looking at times confused at intersections not knowing where precisely to turn – I always called out if I could assist.

·                Passed Radioshack-Nissen-Trek between Ashton and Summertown.  Big Jens was out front.  There was not a single “tagger” following, and I thought why intrude myself, so let them ride without my poor company hanging off the back.

·                Sitting and relaxing later with some of the lads at the tour village later was great; I love sitting down and just “people watching”.  We noticed a considerable number of autograph hunters out to get the signatures of Australian cyclists recognisable by their Greenedge kit..., not recognising other Australian stars who happen to be wearing other team kits (eg, Haussler, Rogers, Renshaw...).  Oh, BMC were pretty popular too... “the Cadel effect”.

·                Arrived home mid afternoon to continue drink, eat, drink, eat, drink... ahead of Day 3... (TBC in Part 2 coming soon).