Hope you enjoy reading about my travels recorded herein!
Sorry, the pictures aren't working - the hosting service for them went down, and I haven't fixed them yet.
Actually, now they work! - re-hosted them, so enjoy.
Tuesday 21 October 2014
Monday 22 April 2013
Jorgenson Park 4 hr, 2013
Sitting with complaining legs as I type this: having competed in the Jorgenson Park 4 hr MTB Marathon yesterday I'm feeling a little delicate in the lower half region. Well, the upper half isn't all that uncomplaining either!
The JP 4 hr Marathon is the first in a series of 5 races on the yearly calendar for the Marathon crowd in Perth - well I say Perth but it actually is spread out a bit around the state, with this year seeing the inclusion of rounds in Dunsborough and Karratha!
The series is organised by a bunch of MTB enthusiasts going under the moniker of Single Track Minds - click to check out their web page, events for 2013, and operating philosophy.
Last year I did the Jorgenson 4hr and the Kalamunda 50/50, both organised by Single Track Minds, and have no idea why I didn't blog about it: 2012 wasn't a year of stellar blogging on my part. Or it could have been something to do with the fact that the 2012 Jorgenson Park half killed me, and the Kalamunda 50/50 finished me off! For someone who pottered around occasionally on the MTB (at least in terms of ride length) both were a rude shock and amply demonstrated that road bike fitness has nothing to do with MTB fitness. I suffered rather hugely from leg cramps, especially on hills, and the ignominy of walking larger rises was forced upon me on more than one occasion during the events. I guess I learned quickly that MTB'ing places more rigorous demands upon one's legs than the road, especially with all the out-of-seat work needed.
So, to this year's JP 4 hr.
I decided to take a much more stringent management approach to my ride this year, with strict lap completion criteria, energy and fluid intake, and on-bike technique. Of course, all this is of little value if you decide to forget it all in the heat of the moment, but after a rather nutty first 3rd of a lap I soon woke up and adhered more to the plan.
Last year I'd completed a total of 7 laps for a distance of 40km (yes, I know: it seems very feeble!) and had basically knackered myself after 4 laps and well within half race time. The final three laps consisted of cramp-filled struggles around the course with long interludes in the solo rest area in between. Out of the 4 hours of the race, I had a riding time of just under 3 hours. Not saying I didn't enjoy it, but it was an eye opener!
This year I stuck to my plan - no great over-achieving dreams but an aim to do 8 laps at a steady and measured pace, with blocks of two completed laps followed by whatever amount of time left out of an hour per those 2 laps to rest.
I ended up doing the 8 laps for a distance of just over 50km on the slightly longer course, and with a riding time of a little over 3 hours. So, my management plan got me an extra 10 km and 1 lap over the 2012 race at a much improved pace, and with only a small period of cramp on the 8th lap after first raising its niggly little head on the 7th.
I ended up finishing the 8th lap with around 15 mins of the 4hrs remaining - not close enough to do another lap, but a big enough gap that 9 laps next year will be the goal. A realistic goal I think, as the strategy of 2 laps and then a rest for the remaining hour time was, upon hindsight, a little generous. I spent a fair amount of time resting (I rested between the 7th and 8th laps as well as I'd started to cramp a little on the 7th), and getting less rest minutes between lap blocks should easily give me enough time next year for a final lap time allowance of 30 min. With an average actual riding-only lap time of 22 mins per I should be fine.
It was a much more fun experience this time around - sticking to the timing plan, ensuring hydration and nourishment, and making sure I rested my legs when riding by staying in saddle when I could (my full suss helped greatly here) meant I was much fresher out on the track, and rather than fighting the track, rolling along with it.
Of course, post-event I was thinking I'd slacked off and taken it far too easy and another lap was there for the taking - this morning however, with sore legs and a even sorer shoulders (got to get rid of that tendency to death-grip the bars!) I think I made the right decision, and 9 laps can wait until next year!
Ride Safe!
The JP 4 hr Marathon is the first in a series of 5 races on the yearly calendar for the Marathon crowd in Perth - well I say Perth but it actually is spread out a bit around the state, with this year seeing the inclusion of rounds in Dunsborough and Karratha!
The series is organised by a bunch of MTB enthusiasts going under the moniker of Single Track Minds - click to check out their web page, events for 2013, and operating philosophy.
Last year I did the Jorgenson 4hr and the Kalamunda 50/50, both organised by Single Track Minds, and have no idea why I didn't blog about it: 2012 wasn't a year of stellar blogging on my part. Or it could have been something to do with the fact that the 2012 Jorgenson Park half killed me, and the Kalamunda 50/50 finished me off! For someone who pottered around occasionally on the MTB (at least in terms of ride length) both were a rude shock and amply demonstrated that road bike fitness has nothing to do with MTB fitness. I suffered rather hugely from leg cramps, especially on hills, and the ignominy of walking larger rises was forced upon me on more than one occasion during the events. I guess I learned quickly that MTB'ing places more rigorous demands upon one's legs than the road, especially with all the out-of-seat work needed.
So, to this year's JP 4 hr.
I decided to take a much more stringent management approach to my ride this year, with strict lap completion criteria, energy and fluid intake, and on-bike technique. Of course, all this is of little value if you decide to forget it all in the heat of the moment, but after a rather nutty first 3rd of a lap I soon woke up and adhered more to the plan.
Last year I'd completed a total of 7 laps for a distance of 40km (yes, I know: it seems very feeble!) and had basically knackered myself after 4 laps and well within half race time. The final three laps consisted of cramp-filled struggles around the course with long interludes in the solo rest area in between. Out of the 4 hours of the race, I had a riding time of just under 3 hours. Not saying I didn't enjoy it, but it was an eye opener!
This year I stuck to my plan - no great over-achieving dreams but an aim to do 8 laps at a steady and measured pace, with blocks of two completed laps followed by whatever amount of time left out of an hour per those 2 laps to rest.
I ended up doing the 8 laps for a distance of just over 50km on the slightly longer course, and with a riding time of a little over 3 hours. So, my management plan got me an extra 10 km and 1 lap over the 2012 race at a much improved pace, and with only a small period of cramp on the 8th lap after first raising its niggly little head on the 7th.
I ended up finishing the 8th lap with around 15 mins of the 4hrs remaining - not close enough to do another lap, but a big enough gap that 9 laps next year will be the goal. A realistic goal I think, as the strategy of 2 laps and then a rest for the remaining hour time was, upon hindsight, a little generous. I spent a fair amount of time resting (I rested between the 7th and 8th laps as well as I'd started to cramp a little on the 7th), and getting less rest minutes between lap blocks should easily give me enough time next year for a final lap time allowance of 30 min. With an average actual riding-only lap time of 22 mins per I should be fine.
It was a much more fun experience this time around - sticking to the timing plan, ensuring hydration and nourishment, and making sure I rested my legs when riding by staying in saddle when I could (my full suss helped greatly here) meant I was much fresher out on the track, and rather than fighting the track, rolling along with it.
Of course, post-event I was thinking I'd slacked off and taken it far too easy and another lap was there for the taking - this morning however, with sore legs and a even sorer shoulders (got to get rid of that tendency to death-grip the bars!) I think I made the right decision, and 9 laps can wait until next year!
Ride Safe!
Wednesday 13 March 2013
MTB Track - Forsyth's Mill
Just getting back into the MTB groove after a break from late 2012.
I've decided to try and hit up a few more tracks this year as I tend to get stuck into riding just a couple of favourites - chiefly because it takes me forever to learn the layout and only then do I get up any semblance of speed!
Anyway, hitting up the Perth Mountain Bike Club website I picked out Forsyth's Mill near Sawyers Valley, which sounded fairly good and not too far of a drive (45 mins from my inner city suburb as it turns out).
Nice drive out to the place on an early morning weekday, arrived at 6:45am to an empty and well laid out carpark, complete with picnic tables and ablutions block, and some cool but just-up-sunny conditions, and after a quick warmup, checked out the trailhead info and then crawled off down the trail for an initial exploratory lap.
Ended up doing three laps for 17km in total (the main blue level trail is 5.5kms) - was thinking of a fourth but my shoulders were complaining after my having tried to go through trees instead of around them! No offs, but a few grazes from this non-advisable tree-butting technique.
Short story: looks like I have another track to slot into the favorites!
Characterised by the closeness and abundance of trees throughout a significant portion of the circuit (there's quite a few close tree gaps to squeeze through, including a through-tree, and more than one low hanging branch), the run is nevertheless very flowy with no great elevations changes, and one I'd characterise as toward the easier blue diamond level.
Whilst generally narrow, the track is fairly smooth, with only a couple of rock garden sections (nothing too challenging in that regard, although one garden is strategically placed at the end of a longish slow, winding climb) and the major restraint to progress is the often tight twistys and proximity of trees to thread around. There's generally a small or sometimes larger berm on the turns (a few with loose pea gravel) and maintaining speed is fairly easy, although if you are on a 29er as I was, some of the tighter turns require you to use all available real estate. Passing may be a bit of an issue, with the occasional wider fire trail sections spread apart and quite short in length.
Apart from the aforementioned rock gardens, there is little in the way of other natural ground impediments, with the occasional small log over and odd rock drop. On the last portion of the track there are a number of TTFs classified as single black diamond, including a Shore feature comprising a ramp, small gap jump to a flat and then a metre drop off; a wood ramp log over, and a log ramp log over. Didn't try the Shore as I'm a bit of a safety weeny when I'm riding by myself, but the ramp and platform are fairly wide, the gap isn't that great as long as you carry some speed up the ramp from the clean approach, and the drop off isn't anything too daunting, with the landing area straight and clean. If you'd rather take the B line around these TTFs no problems, as both the black and blue lines are clearly marked on top of very visible yellow poles. Interestingly, only the B line for the wood ramp log over ads any significant time penalty if you are racing around.
There are a couple of really great sections in the last third of the track: a very swoopy and bermy turns section which is huge fun and rewards smoothness, a short twisty up and down section with jumps and dips through close dense forest, and a two jump series which can be taken at high speed as long as you remember the 90 degree right hand berm immediately you hit the ground after the second jump!
All in all, a great little track, and one that doesn't require a lot of familiarisation but will reward repeated laps with noteable speed increases. As a lower intermediate level rider, I really loved it.
There is also a very short green level track for beginners, although as it merges with the blue level track at the end, keep an eye out for faster riders.
Here are some details about the track location etc: Perth Mountain Bike Club - Forsyth's Mill.
Ride Safe!
I've decided to try and hit up a few more tracks this year as I tend to get stuck into riding just a couple of favourites - chiefly because it takes me forever to learn the layout and only then do I get up any semblance of speed!
Anyway, hitting up the Perth Mountain Bike Club website I picked out Forsyth's Mill near Sawyers Valley, which sounded fairly good and not too far of a drive (45 mins from my inner city suburb as it turns out).
Nice drive out to the place on an early morning weekday, arrived at 6:45am to an empty and well laid out carpark, complete with picnic tables and ablutions block, and some cool but just-up-sunny conditions, and after a quick warmup, checked out the trailhead info and then crawled off down the trail for an initial exploratory lap.
Ended up doing three laps for 17km in total (the main blue level trail is 5.5kms) - was thinking of a fourth but my shoulders were complaining after my having tried to go through trees instead of around them! No offs, but a few grazes from this non-advisable tree-butting technique.
Short story: looks like I have another track to slot into the favorites!
Characterised by the closeness and abundance of trees throughout a significant portion of the circuit (there's quite a few close tree gaps to squeeze through, including a through-tree, and more than one low hanging branch), the run is nevertheless very flowy with no great elevations changes, and one I'd characterise as toward the easier blue diamond level.
Whilst generally narrow, the track is fairly smooth, with only a couple of rock garden sections (nothing too challenging in that regard, although one garden is strategically placed at the end of a longish slow, winding climb) and the major restraint to progress is the often tight twistys and proximity of trees to thread around. There's generally a small or sometimes larger berm on the turns (a few with loose pea gravel) and maintaining speed is fairly easy, although if you are on a 29er as I was, some of the tighter turns require you to use all available real estate. Passing may be a bit of an issue, with the occasional wider fire trail sections spread apart and quite short in length.
Apart from the aforementioned rock gardens, there is little in the way of other natural ground impediments, with the occasional small log over and odd rock drop. On the last portion of the track there are a number of TTFs classified as single black diamond, including a Shore feature comprising a ramp, small gap jump to a flat and then a metre drop off; a wood ramp log over, and a log ramp log over. Didn't try the Shore as I'm a bit of a safety weeny when I'm riding by myself, but the ramp and platform are fairly wide, the gap isn't that great as long as you carry some speed up the ramp from the clean approach, and the drop off isn't anything too daunting, with the landing area straight and clean. If you'd rather take the B line around these TTFs no problems, as both the black and blue lines are clearly marked on top of very visible yellow poles. Interestingly, only the B line for the wood ramp log over ads any significant time penalty if you are racing around.
There are a couple of really great sections in the last third of the track: a very swoopy and bermy turns section which is huge fun and rewards smoothness, a short twisty up and down section with jumps and dips through close dense forest, and a two jump series which can be taken at high speed as long as you remember the 90 degree right hand berm immediately you hit the ground after the second jump!
All in all, a great little track, and one that doesn't require a lot of familiarisation but will reward repeated laps with noteable speed increases. As a lower intermediate level rider, I really loved it.
There is also a very short green level track for beginners, although as it merges with the blue level track at the end, keep an eye out for faster riders.
Here are some details about the track location etc: Perth Mountain Bike Club - Forsyth's Mill.
Ride Safe!
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