24 Hour racing returns to SE QLD!

Blog has been quiet of late as I work my way back to health and slog my way through base.  Not much racing to speak of....  but here is one I would not have missed for anything! Doubly so as they had used me as a poster girl, and not turning up would have been, well, embarrassing.
Finally, a 24hr race of our own again in South East Queensland.

What a great race and a corker of a course at Hidden Vale.  I still think it is one of the toughest 24hr courses I have ever ridden.  Period.  I got to ride with a great team of Koiled mates - Shannon Duggan, Andrew Kelk (on loan from Rapida Vecchi!) and the great Matt Dog.  We all talked about being out of form, slow, there for fun but 30mins from the start the unmistakable silence dropped and race mode was engaged.  Once a racer, always a racer huh?

It felt strange not to be soloing but I have work to do before I can be back there.  And I know I will, but it must be done in a controlled way - the right way or I will be waiting a whole lot longer!

At the end of the day we took out the 4's overall, a lap clear of the opposition.  Thanks boys, that was uber fun. 

thought for the day....

I am in the base phase of training, rebuilding and preparing for the 2013 round of the 24hr solo world champs. Coming back from some reasonably serious illness means that things seem tough for a perfectionist like me.

It's hard work, it's boring at times and is going to be done for months yet.  It means the day to day local racing is done when I am belted and it is prep for something that is still so far away.  It is tempting to go easy the day before local races or skip sessions to focus on what is in the right now.  The desire to do well at an unimportant race that is right now is stronger than remembering the real game is October.  Does this happen to you? Why am I so tempted, every time???

There is a simple explanation for this.  There is psychological theory that supports all of this.  The subjective value of a reward is affected by temporal factors.  It is the basis for what we call 'impulsivity'.   In simple terms let's say we were choosing between a gummy bears and and sour worms.  We choose the gummy bears because we like them more.   But now, let's say we could have the sour worms right now, and we have to wait 5 months for the gummy bears.  Typically people choose the sour worms.  We generally end up deciding something that we can have right now is more valuable than something that is a long way away.

In understanding how our brains typically work it helps us to be aware and shape our behaviour.  There is some good news! Specifically engaging the medial PreFrontal Cortex allows us to temper this behaviour. WTF I hear you say??! It's simple - i f we stop and THINK about it, we can reassign the appropriate values and make the right choice to align to our goals.

So I am doing the work. On the bike, and in my head :)  Hope you are too!

And so it begins...

I am setting out on a journey.  It will take over a year to get there, and for a change on this one I am not going it alone.  Some of you know I have qualified for a RAAM solo attempt, the Race Across America.  Widely considered one of the hardest things you can do on a bike - RAAM takes in over 3000 miles and 8km of vertical ascent which must be conquered in 12 days or less.

It is not a stage race - it's the ultimate baptism of cycling fire.  From the time the gun goes until you cross the finish line the race is ON. It is up to you when and how you rest.  And every minute the clock is still ticking, race time slipping through the sandglass.

And this is how I plan to do it....

something wrong with this picture?

Tandem.
Why?  Because it is the hardest way you can.  Harder than solo - but that will be a topic of a whole other post!

So the work has begun.
Our first race bike has arrived.  It's a co-motion periscope.  Very cool set of wheels, imported and available in Australia through Koiled.  The guys at Calfee are making us some very slick carbon race frames to get us hammering for race day - but for now, the co-motion is the workhorse. Get to work!

We began with a fast and furious Crit race at our local, HPRW.

When we decided it was on, this is all they got to see (that's for you Jules!).

While it took a lot to ramp it up (understatement - the BURN!) once we were there we just rode away!  Pretty exciting.  Tandem riding is actually quite tricky and requires perfect synchronization of body weights and movements.  Especially so at race pace!

Drop it like it's hot.... time to ride off the front.

Harder than it looks!

There is a crazy amount of stuff to do.  Learn to ride a tandem properly, build the team, secure additional sponsorship - maybe even make a movie!  But I love doing it and the preparation is a key part of the overall adventure.

The current Tandem record has stood since 1990.  Yes, that's 23 years people.
At this point the plan is to get there prepared, with the best team, and to cross the finish line  becoming one of a very select group that have finished a RAAM solo, on a tandem.  I know we will do that.  But you gotta have a stretch target right?? :)

Ride on.

Brisbane Blast.

The QSM Brisbane Blast saw my first real ride in the open Women's A grade, courtesy of a mixed field.  At the moment I am in Base training, coming into the crit with a three week build up in my legs.  I have also started up my Yoga classes at Revive. My strength coach warned me that someone like me doing yoga would be like a heavy metal fan listening to classical music.  He was probably right.  Managed to make myself well sore somewhere in all that restoration and relaxation.  So to the job at hand - Ok brain - don't expect to be nailing my top speed sprint and do expect my legs to be screaming.  Expectations set, now ignore it and ride.

It was a blinder.  With some ex-pros and national champions present it was the deepest quality field I have raced with.  And with A, B and C combined it gave us a field of 30 something girls.  A tight, technical circuit with hard cornering, roundabouts and a hill made for a great course and increased the difficulty.

From the moment the neutral car rolled off, it was full on.  The girls were aggressive, smart and skilled.  Hmmmmmm. Yes - not in B grade any more.  I had to ride my legs off just to stay in the bunch!  As my legs burned I spared a thought for the lower grade girls, though a quick look over my shoulder told me most had been shelled and there was now a fraction of the bunch left racing.  There were a few solo girls and a three teams riding.  My first experience of really seeing these tactics in action.  It was interesting to compare how the different teams worked together.  In between bursts of searing pain I contemplated who was doing it well, and who wasn't as good. 

A break went up the road and most of the field sat up, having a team member up the road.  That left it to the lone wolves to do something about it.  No-one wanted to play and even though I knew a solo rider would not make a dint in lead group I had a couple of digs - mostly because sitting up does not sit well with me.

After a couple of goes Dyane from Data 3 and Jess from QSM joined so we strung it out but the break girls of Sam, Carla and Jasmine had the day sewn up and we were well out of time.  Chapeau girls!

Like most big races there was a little bit of bitchy behaviour.  I guess you can train the legs but you can't teach class.  From my perspective I have respect for those around me and find that kind of attitude distasteful and out of place.  Here we are joined in battle, going hard and yes people want to win.  However you can be fiercely competitive and still be respectful.  Yes there are winners and losers in every race, but there doesn't have to be assholes.  Perplexing.

Still nothing a good dose of mtb DIRT goodness wont flush away!

Rock on :)

2013 and the 1%

As every athlete reviews their season and looks to the next they ask the question - how will I improve this year.  When you have a few hard seasons under your belt you get to the point where you have the discipline to hit all the sessions and ride to the best of your ability on race day. You have fixed all the easy/dumb things and now this question gets hard! 

This year I am shaping up racing plans that allow me to tick a few items off the bucket list.  Do a proper roadie Stage racing Tour.  Get to A Grade.  Get my SS mountain bike up and running again. Find a european MTB race and get my bad ass self there (Finale you ruined me for LIFE!).

This year I know at the start of the season I am fitter and faster than I was this time last year.  It follows that as I load in my training the adaptation end point should be higher up the awesome scale.

But what can I do to get that extra little bit out of myself?

Great Coach?  Sorted.

Bike Friendly Family arrangements? Sorted.

Willingness to hurt? Sorted.

Kick Ass Riding Krew? Sorted.

Strength and Conditioning? Sorted (thanks to Andrew the animal at Body Buzz).

 

Nutrition and Body Comp? Sorted (yep, more poliquin biosignature stuff from Andrew!)

So what can I add. REVIVE.
It is time to start nailing my recovery, both active and passive.  And the key to this is going to be adding the discipline of yoga and stretching classes through my generous sponsorship at Revive.  It is funny that as an athlete you can push yourself to failure time and again training but cannot manage to stretch a muscle in front of the TV to save your life. Maybe it is because I don't watch TV! But I know you guys know what I am talking about... The thing I love about this place, where I have already been a client for over year, is that you can have treatment AND do preventative work all with the same people - and typically with one who is specialised in your sport.  Invaluable.  Though racing your physio is always a challenge - what is the etiquette there!?

Revive is supporting an amazing bunch of athletes.  In addition to the services I get access to, I am also deriving a lot of motivation and inspiration from the dedication and talent of those around me.  If you want classes or need a physio you should consider going here not just because they are exceptional - but perhaps because of their fantastic support for athletes.  23 of us in total.  They are passionate about us and it shows.

In 2013 this will be my 1%.  What is yours?

Base Miles

So this week saw a return to some structure after three months of mayhem.

2012 delivered some significant changes in my life which have a heavy impact on two wheels.  But I believe you can figure anything out and I will.  If you want it enough you will do it.  If you don't, then you will make excuses. I want to be in Canberra in October.

So let's begin.

We are blessed weather-wise this summer.  I hope 2013 brings blue skies!

I also have awesome training partners and teamies who are right by my side.    Whether it be a friday morning bunchie.....


or a one on one, targeted smashfest.

And I am still signing up to rides I have no business being on.  Turns out Masters A is somewhat quicker than Masters B.  Still someone said to me once 'If you want to get better, ride with people who are better than you".   It is true (mostly).  

These guys are better than me, on this day.  But who knows what the future holds if I am willing to work.  And I guarantee with the Koiled guys shoulder to shoulder - I'll enjoy the ride!

 Let's roll.

Off in the Off Season

Now is the time to take a bit of unstructured downtime.  Time to recharge the mental and physical batteries so that they have what it takes for my 2013.  Which is going to be huge.  Lining up for a host of big races.  Battle on the Border, Cunningham, BIG TT's, and of course my priority the WEMBO 24 Hour World Champs on home soil at Stromlo.

So what do you do in the offseason?

I think it is whatever you feel like.  Ride, don't ride but whatever you do keep active.

I've been hitting the dirt with my bestie dirt skirt Mifflin.

Cupcakes & Rocks Rock.

Been getting out to a crit or two as well, just to keep the fitness there and to put some hurt on the boyz.

Twilight Series Points Race Podium.  Heat + Gales + Points = HURT.

Twilight Series Race One Podium

Getting stuck into it with TR-Frank.

Hopefully a week of cross training with a snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef will bring me back here ready to roll. 

Can't wait really :)