Barwon Heads to Bright

Here I am back in Melbourne and back to work after two awesome weeks away.  In summary it was time to relax in my two favourite locations, with my four favourite people in the world, I got to climb my three favourite mountains with lots of coffees, hedgehog slice and fresh blackberry softserve in between.  The 4 days at Barwon Heads was bike-free as a forced taper before Alpine Classic in Bright.  Although lots of walks to the beach with the kids challenging me daily to sets of beach sprints.  I can ride 8 hours plus on a bike but 10 mins of running on sand and I am stuffed - go figure!

Chris and I - Test Ride

Back to Melbourne for 3 loads of washing and then repack the car for the trip to Bright.  The truth is 48hours before my third Alpine Classic I am very excited.  24 hours before I am just plain anxious.  And the family pick up on this.  Which is why their support this year was just amazing.  We met up with our good friends Chris and Sal in Bright.  Chris and I did the traditional 'test ride' on Saturday.  Just a 14km loop to Porepunkah and back.  The eat, rest, drink, pee and hopefully sleep before the big day.

Ok so this is how it panned out.  Chris and I started together, but of course my excitment gets me jumping into some big bunches at the start.  The start this year was very busy.  Everyone was looking for a good start and I got in the third big bunch leading to Tawonga Gap.  I felt good up Tawonga and was happy to let lots of people to pass me.  I met a guy on a custom steel frame Baum bike hand made in Geelong with SRAM Red and a spec bringing it in at 7.2kg.  Not bad for steel.  See what you can learn when you are climbing!

Tawonga Gap - Mt Beauty side

Good descent of Tawonga.  This is my Top Shot pic.  Across the valley to start climb to Falls.  I found the conditions very humid from the start.  Usually you get a cool freshness from Bright to Falls even on the 30 degree plus days.  But this day I found hot from the beginning.  I kept an even pace to Falls and recorded my best split to date.  With a 7 min stop at the top I was descending again with less than 3 hours on the clock.  I was hungry for a sub 9 hour total time for the 200km. Back a cross the valley and then starting the climb up Tawonga again.  Here I found my mate Darryl in full 6am-er kit and on his faithful black Avanti Carbonio.  Darryl is my 9 hour benchmark so I was determined to climb with him up Tawonga even if I was still a little too quick for me at this stage of the day.  We paced-lined together into Bright and caught one or two others.  Again maybe using the quads a bit too much but still getting in and out of Bright at the 5 hour mark.  4 hours to climb Mt Buffalo and back - no worries!  Famous last words.  Because from here on there were lots of worries - for me and Darryl.

Darryl was out of Bright before me as I took time to at least down a custard tart.  I saw Myf and the kids waving and cheering for me outside of the resort as I passed by.  The emotional charge this gives me is undescribable.  For such a selfish and potentially ego-centric pursuit that endurance cycling can be, I am nothing without these guys, and am painfully away of the sacrifices they make to let me do such a sport.  It is there greatest gift to me.

With Mt Buffalo ahead, cheers from the family and custard tart sitting well in my tummy I see the slowing figure of a 6am-er.  It's Darryl.  "I'm cramping.  It's bad. I'm finished." I couldn't believe it.  Darryl was looking so good and would have smashed it for sure.  As he called the Misses for a lift I continued on riding most alone.  The heat was oppressive.  It is no enjoyable.  Every bit of shade on the road side temps you come along side and bath in it's illusion of coolness.  But nothing is cool on Mt Buffalo in January at 12noon.  The north facing slope offers no relief.  I was slowing 14 kph, 12, 8 kph.  I started to cramp.  I was stopping 5 mins here, 5 mins there.  "4kms to next drink station" a volunteer yelled out.  I was cramping when I rose out of the saddle.  No worries, I will just stay seated.  I then cramped when seated.  I was in trouble.  I made it to the drink station.  I go off my bike and just fell into an empty chair.  Even the slightest movement gave way to cramp.  To all the crampers out there I now share your pain.  As I sat considering my future and loosing lots of time (20mins plus by now) up rode Chris.  He was looking good - no cramps.  He had ridden a beautifully even paced Alpine Classic.  Chris is an amazing athlete.  I definiately rode more kms in preparation for this event than Chris and the truth is I need to.  I don't have the natural ability to do this stuff.  But Chris, he is a different animal.  I admire him and this year I would have been stuffed if he hadn't arrived when he did.

We left the drink station together.  8km to the summit, another 4km to Dingo Dell.  This could still take me an hour.  I had stopped doing the calculations in my head.  I just was focusing on pushing the next pedal stroke.  I told Chris to go - damn he looked good.  A few more chats with people on the way up.  I had plenty of cardio left as my heart rate was only at 75%.  It hit the top of the summit and smacked the bike into the big chain ring.  Like a dog sniffing for home I charged for Dingo Dell.  The hellish gradient behind me and the cramps just at bay I wanted to get back some time.  There was a chance at redeemed this disaster after all.  Maybe not a sub 9 hour but at least a personal best (PB-9hrs 20mins).

Pulled into Dingo Dell as saw Chris halfway through his Frosty Fruit.  People will do anything for a free ice cream!  I went and got mine.  Chris offered me his seat.  He was off.  I knew he would descend quicker than me.  Maybe I could catch him on the flat into Bright.  8 hrs 8 mins on the clock.  I would be over 9hours but not by much.  Come on legs!

Chris and I - the after shot!

38min descent of Buffalo (2hrs 16mins to climb the old girl!).  Pass the National Park Exit I was riding like a man possessed.  Staying the big chain ring as much as I could I maintained a 34kph average speed for the last 22mins.  All the time looking to see if I could catch Chris (never happened) but more importantly looking to better my PB.  Bright Arrival - 9hrs 15mins 1 sec.  Happy with that!  Chris 5-10mins before me.  Awesome effort.

The love affair with this event will continue for me and Chris and thousands like us.  For me the event takes me to a place emotionally and physically that I don't get to go at any other time of the year.  I am so thankful for the support and encouragement of my family.  If I haven't emotionally scared them enough they my just let me do it next year.  With the goal of a sub 9 hour ride their is definately enough incentive to come back.  Who will join me?