Chase the Sun 3

There was a gap of nearly 2 months between Round 2 and 3 of the Chase the Sun MTB series, and in the heart of Winter, this was not optimal for a good preparation for round 3. Lots of excuses not to train, either too wet, too cold, too windy, too tired, all the excuses in the book. I also added a new excuse to the list 'training for the Melbourne Marathon'. I decided at the end of June that I would enter the Melbourne Marathon this year. After listening to some old marathon war stories from my uncle and my former junior footy coach, I felt left out! I wanted to create my own war story. This idea had been floating with me since November last year when the said war stories were being re-told, so I had done a couple of races earlier this year with the thought that they would be the start of a slow build up to October. I ran the Run for the Kids and the Great Train Race, and felt pretty good with how I went. I had the Run Melbourne half marathon in my sights next, but ditched it so I could watch Ez at her first dance competition. I did a couple of the Run Melbourne tuesday night training runs anyway, as I thought, when I do commit to this, I want to start with something in the legs. So at about the time Run Melbourne was run, I sourced some marathon training programs from the bro and worked out a plan. I started training with 16 weeks to go.

I worked out it is much easier to head out for a run than it is to ride. It didn't matter if it was raining either. Just throw the runners on, shorts and shirt, do the run and your back in 30mins! Well for the short runs anyway. Stretch well, and you're good to go for the next day.

I didn't not ride during that time though. One day on the weekly program said to cross train. So I used that option to the fullest. Even moving the program back a day so the cross training day fell on a sunday. I also did the odd MTB ride mid week, and the odd road ride, but overall, I didn't feel overly prepared for round 3 which was a 6hr Enduro.

In the week prior to the race, the overall series results were posted. I was coming 3rd in the Mens Solo category. Although happy to be in this place, I realized I should be trying to defend this position, and was thinking about all the lack of riding I had been doing. I did the right thing and backed off the running in the 3 days prior to the race, and sort of hoped that 6 hours riding will be similar to doing my weekend 'long' run with regard to my marathon prep.


Number 3 plate

The forecast was looking a bit shaky in the lead up to the race, but come race day, there had been enough wind to dry out the course, and it was in pretty good nick. The start was back at the Comm Games area, so it began with the usual prologue hot lap of about 1km before starting on the course. I tried to stay at the pointy end during the prologue, and this paid off as I had clear track, finding a nice position behind the guns, but ahead of the rest. I'm not sure why, but I maintained the high pace for the whole of lap 1, the HR was well over threshold and I ended up not drinking too much on this lap. This was not sustainable for 6 hours, so I settled into more of a reasonable pace from that point on and started drinking more. Although maintaining good fluid intake over the next few laps, I started to feel a bit shabby on the tough Cloverdale Track climb, and felt the signs of cramp! This was early in the race for cramp, but I maintained the fluids and had some gels and kept on going.

Around lap 4 or 5, I started on the sandwiches. This was the start of some more serious problems. I had half a sandwich in one hand while traveling over some rough terrain, when I went to eat it on some smoother track, I noticed I was just holding the crust of a corner. Not good! This happened 2 laps in a row. So by lap 6, I started creeping. I had a couple in my category pass me, but I had nothing to give. My gut was crook and that damn Cloverdale Track climb had me on the edge of cramping. I noticed the lead solo woman coming up from behind. This gave me some extra incentive to ride faster for a while, but eventually, she passed me as well. I stopped for a bit in transition, then started lap 7. This was pretty much the same as lap 6, riding with no pace, close to cramping again and not enjoying it at all. I decided I would call it a day.

As I was approaching transition, Erin was leaning over the barricade screaming 'Go Dad!'. Oh, this is not good. In transition I stepped off the bike and said to Jo, I've had enough. I felt like crap, back was aching, motivation gone. She tried to give me a banana to eat, but I didn't want it. Then Erin grabbed the banana and put it in my mouth. I took a bite. It was good! She forced me to have more. It was great. I loved that banana! 4 solo riders went through transition while I was standing there. I said to Jo, look, there's no point in going on, I just lost all those spots. Jo said I was coming 7th as of a couple of laps ago. I wasn't sure she was serious, but she said I should keep going. I decided I would do one more lap, then at least I would have ridden close to 6 hours and the result wouldn't be too bad.

So I set off on lap 8 after a few minutes pit stop, and tried to catch the guys that went through in front of me. Surprisingly, I had some zing back in the legs, and I felt good again! I caught and passed all the guys that passed me in transition, although 1 of them stayed with me over the climbs and down to transition again. I thought that I can't give this guy an easy spot, and as I was feeling better, I decided to do another lap. This lap would take the duration over 6 hours, so it was to be the last. The other guy stayed behind me for about 2 thirds of the lap, when I noticed another solo rider overtake him. This was just prior to the last time up the Games course climb. Although I did feel better, I wasn't exactly as fresh as lap one, and this new guy was slowly pegging me back on the climb. I just thought I needed to stay in front of him by the top and hopefully he doesn't descend so well. It was a matter of a few metres, but I just crested the climb in front of him. No time for a drink here, time to fly. Whether it was a bit of local knowledge or just determination at this point, I gapped him on the long straight section before the berms. At the berms I took it a bit more cautiously and he gained on me again, but by the bottom and over the boardwalks, I was still going OK. I got through the 2 rocky switchback climbs without error and started putting the power down leading into the final descent. My hardtail was bouncing all over the shop down here, but I made the final corner and started powering up to the finish. I finished in front of him by about 30 secs in the end and my race was done.

I ended up in 6th place. This was very pleasing considering I had called it a day a couple of laps earlier. The girls cheering me on and Jo's support in transition certainly helped me get a good result. I'm not sure where I stand in the series points now, but with a 6th place, I am probably close to the top 3 still due to a few different riders racing this round.

There's only 3 weeks till the last round. I will attempt to do a few more bike k's in this period so that I'm a bit better prepared.


Coming out of transition


Transition


Jo with food/drink