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Post by Between the Tape... on Oct 16, 2008 11:14:41 GMT 10
Interesting stories Crummy....good read. Now why dont you use these skills and get some writeups in the local rag??
If you're keen, contact me and I'll give you the details you need.
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Post by crummy on Oct 16, 2008 15:27:26 GMT 10
The pace at the front was fast, but as we climbed through the first sections of the blue lap I could see Mr Bell just seconds ahead. My aim wasn’t to go out fast and the pace of the riders around me was comfortable, on the first fire trail section team members blasted past us. I was in for the long haul and my back felt good. As we worked our way through the lap, I could for see the rocks getting exposed, just like last year. Was last year this rough to begin with? I cursed the rocks and popped out insight of the Stromlo camp after the flowing DH section. Crossing-up over the small double before the grassy (?) mound that would lead around towards the transition. Through the tunnel and finally back to the tarmac. The first of many.
I grabbed a new bottle, carb gel and muesli bar and it was off for a nice red lap. Bozz and the rest of the top 10 riders were up to three minutes ahead. It was a good lap; I took it steady on the climbs and pushed for an overall faster speed when the trail sloped downwards. There was a small amount rocks to negotiate over the top then it was a flick of the rear shock, a whoop and we were down the hill. Rail the corner, launch off the rock, back into a right hand corner, and hold on tight down towards the caravan. Ease on the brakes for the caravan corner then stamp on it, pump the first mound, fly over the rocky section on the right hand side into that left hand corner. Don’t look down on the right then it was into the massive180 dusty berm. On the pedals again, watchout for the loose right hand corner before the small gradual climb. Pump the mounds, fly though the rock section, fingers off the brakes. Smashed the sections, the A line is much faster, ease up before Fenners double, past the pink tent and the Binder clan. Nice DH rush!
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Post by lefty on Oct 18, 2008 8:01:23 GMT 10
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Post by crummy on Oct 20, 2008 12:50:43 GMT 10
A few more laps and I have settled in, the bike is comfortable and my back feels fine. I am running UST tubeless cross marks again at 35psi and the F100 RLC fork at a low pressure (50-60psi) so that I can achieve maximum travel. A thing I could have changed were the grips which are still the standard thin rubber grips that the bike came with, but as it turns out with a good combination of fork and carbon bar my hands weren’t copping the thrashing they did last year. Seats are a personal thing and the Silverado WTB saddle has been the best I have perched on. The RP23 shock was the thing that tied the bike together, I ran it a 140psi and in the pro-pedal 2 mode for most of the course, switching to fully open for the DH section of the red lap and sometimes the last section of the blue. I have made up time and now have a small lead on Bozz. I believe we were placing well within the top 10.
About the eight hour mark things were starting to turn. Sure I feel a bit tired, isn’t everyone? But I was having trouble stomaching the muesli bars that had become a big part of my riding diet. Fenners words ring in my ears about changing to savouries. No more muesli bars I need vegemite sandwich, I instruct my crew. Also my left knee is hurting a lot more than my right. I make the decision to get off the bike, do some self physio with a bit of dencorub. It is not the only thing that is uncomfortable; the carbon soled shoes have finally caught up. The soles are so hard, I have never had to ride longer than eight hours in these shoes and I change to my old shoes that I luckily brought. I head out for a few more laps; I am happier with the vegemite and shoe change. It is just the left knee; I feel I have to stop every lap to massage the knee, blowing out my lap times. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, I am falling from the top ten. I am in pain and it is not fun. I call it quits, deciding it is better to give my knee time to rest. I reluctantly crawl into a sleeping bag.
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gaz
BMX'er
Posts: 21
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Post by gaz on Oct 20, 2008 21:32:00 GMT 10
I'm really enjoying reading the stories crummy. Keep 'em coming!
gaz
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bozz
Novice
EAT IT
Posts: 32
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Post by bozz on Oct 21, 2008 14:27:27 GMT 10
come on crummy part 3 of i love the red lap
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Post by crummy on Oct 21, 2008 14:50:41 GMT 10
It is early with the first signs of dawn breaking over Canberra. My alarm has gone off and my knee still hurts. I slide out of the sleeping bag; it is time to get back on the bike since the rest has left my knee unchanged. I say “morning” to a few people, lube the chain and it is out onto a red lap. The air is fresh and cool; it is a nice warm-up climbing to the top of Stromlo. The sun peaks over the horizon as I reach the summit, an orange blaze in the clear sky. I had been running the RP23 on pro-pedal 1 since the eight hour mark; I flicked the shock to open and hammered the DH for the first time on Sunday.
My power output felt like 20/80 left and right leg, I felt unbalanced and often rode with just my right leg to give my left a rest. But there were other nicer things to report. A half a blue lap ridden with Andy Bell, he was looking comfortable and smooth, not overly fast at this time of day but a steady pace. I guess there was a bit of people spotting going on, Craig Gordon smashed past me in an early part of a blue lap on his hard-tail. Fast man Josh Carlson passed me through the switchbacks on a blue lap. Flemmo was hooting along when I was passed by him too. But nothing beats a random shout-out from the crowd or campsite on the way past. This is what makes my riding especially in the latter stages a lot more enjoyable.
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Post by crummy on Oct 21, 2008 14:53:05 GMT 10
Kev Bristow had been talking about doing a red lap as the last lap. I had been keeping an eye on the time and estimating the final lap. Close to the finish of a blue I cleared the dust from my watch and it read 1040. A lap of the red would put me past the 1100 official finish time; I like the idea of a read lap as the final lap too. In front of me Boz had pulled out from our blue lap feed point; I was fed something and exchanged bottles. This was cool; I could encourage Boz around what could be his final lap. I scooted past solo-ally shouting out to Jason Dreggs who I had ridden with for a bit the previous day; get back on your bike! He is on about some food as I wind through the slow point, do the final 180 at the transition. I raise the bike on its back wheel for a bit then but the hammer down. As I pass Dreggsy I see he is holding a small piece of broccoli covered in cheese, he attempts to pass it to me but to late. The final lap, and a red one, excellent.
Boz is wrecked, he has only slept for 20 minutes he recons, he looks sore and his cadence is slow. As we head to the foot of the climb Fenner passes us. He has a few words of encouragement in his upbeat way, and then in his usual racing fashion he is a mere pink streak on its way up the mountain. Boz is having trouble keeping up as we begin the climb. The catch call “eat it” is used on our way up. I pass Marc Ware some where near the observatory ruins. I tell him it is not far to the top and in the usual twenty plus hours of riding solo way, it is all but ignored. I have lost Boz by this time; he could be a couple of minutes behind. I am getting more aped as I knock over the final rocky climb sections. Then it is between the two large rocks and all downhill from there, clicking the rear shack to open for the final time. Flying past the caravan I call thanks and then focus on safely passing slower riders on the DH section. There are quite a few people on the lower sections and it is nice to have spectators after flying through these sections so many times over the day. I ease on the brakes for the double and pop a bit of air off the back. I am home and hosed, happy to reach the smooth asphalt.
I gave what percent I felt was necessary, it wasn’t 100% but with a bike and body still intact (my support crew and partner are afraid I wont ease up Gordo style). Boz comes in 5 minutes later, placing 6th. Shane Taylor went hard on the outset and pulled a 4th against the world class field. A managed an easy 30th place with 16laps. I have to thank Russell and Tony from Energy Supplements Australia for their support with the product FRS (well done on your result too). Thanks to Shane from Bikes at the Basin for all his support and words of wisdom. To all the guys from Albatross MTB a big thanks for making such a good camp and putting up with my stuff. Lastly to my support crew who made every effort to make sure I had everything I needed, they are the unseen part of all my efforts. Solo 24 Nationals or Rotorua 24 anyone?
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bozz
Novice
EAT IT
Posts: 32
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Post by bozz on Oct 22, 2008 6:51:49 GMT 10
i am keen for either or both [Solo 24 Nationals or Rotorua 24 anyone] whip them legs crummy.
good sum up of the race crummy
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Post by crummy on Oct 22, 2008 16:31:38 GMT 10
i am keen for either or both [Solo 24 Nationals or Rotorua 24 anyone] whip them legs crummy. good sum up of the race crummy This time I will be properly ready, prepare for a serving. |
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bozz
Novice
EAT IT
Posts: 32
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Post by bozz on Oct 22, 2008 18:33:48 GMT 10
ok then its on ;D
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bozz
Novice
EAT IT
Posts: 32
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Post by bozz on Oct 23, 2008 16:55:58 GMT 10
anyone up for the 12 hrs of darkness next year?  chech out the Two wheel promtions website. The event willl be sponsored by Ay Up mtb lights. |
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nat
Sport B
The QLD Connection
unleash the gears within
Posts: 236
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Post by nat on Oct 26, 2008 5:06:40 GMT 10
yeah ,this is a battle i want to see ...you can t fake endurance....go bozz go crummy...
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Post by dirtdiver on Oct 29, 2008 21:35:50 GMT 10
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Post by crummy on Oct 30, 2008 6:59:30 GMT 10
Thing to look for is the seat, it tells you which way the back end is going. The photo, pure gold. |
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chech out the Two wheel promtions website. The event willl be sponsored by Ay Up mtb lights.
