TDH - Stage 2

Stage 2, the first to have more than 1 rider, was held on Saturday Afternoon. The race was a 3 hour mountain bike race held at Sparrow Hill and a pretty average track.

I started in the second row behind the likes of Shaun Lewis, Nathan Haas and Jeremy Ross, and shortly after the start gun went off, some keen guy on his fully rigid steel bike with a bag of bottles on his bar crashed causing a bit of a split in the field, but I managed to get around. It was a cracker of a start, harder than any XC race that I have done in a long time, but it got pretty easy once we hit the single track. Someone up front had a good start and held about 10 of us up in the first half of the first lap, opening a big gap between us and the lead group. Eventually I got past them all and was cruising on my own. I was lapping mostly on my own and managed to catch a few guys. At about the 2 hour mark I was blasting around, nailing every corner passing riders not feeling any pain and enjoying myself, but what goes up must come down. Half way through my second last lap I'd had it and wasn't racing anymore. I had a small crash and lost the legs were getting a bit tired, I could have done one more lap as I came in 30 seconds before 3 hours, but I couldn't be bothered. I finished in 13th place overall and 2nd in under 19s. Michael Baker who got 2nd overall blitzed it, I never knew he could ride well for any long races, but he showed us all there's more to him than the sprint machine we see at Nationals. It was a good race, I didn't expect to do very well, and its the first time I've raced that hard for 3 hours and my lap times were pretty good I thought.

There hasn't been as much riding as I'd like, I worked a lot last week and smashed it at the gym so didn't feel like riding much. Was going to ride to Burra and back this morning a nice 80km ride, but pretty tired from work, a big weekend and it was windy outside as well. In the long run its probably best I rest today I smash it tomorow rather then train while really tired for the next 3 weeks. So Ill get back to you in a few days after some more work at the gym, the ride to Burra and a bunch ride or two.

Tour de Holidays - Stage 1

Nick Wilson would like to introduce the worlds 4th grand Tour of cycling: the Tour de Holidays, a 26 day tour around Canberra to make up for lots of lost training.

First day of holidays, woke up with plans of an epic ride up to Honeysuckle Creek, but it was very very foggy, then it started raining and I had second thoughts. The clear sky in the distance made me think it may clear up, so I got ready and headed out. I decided to do a different safer rider on a route I found yesterday. I went out along the Federal Hwy and then the Old Federal Hwy and turned left at Gundaroo Bungendoor Road, which takes you a few kms south the Gundaroo. Here I turned left again back to Sutton and then back into a clear sunny Canberra. It was such a nice ride. No cars, nice roads, trees, very peaceful. I pushed myself pretty hard most of the way as well, by the time I got home I was stuffed for the first time in a long time.

So after stage one of the Tour de Holidays the Nick Wilson is in Yellow, Green, Polka dot, and White. Stage s will see some early morning hill climb reps on Black Mountain, followed by some long ride on Friday for stage 3, before an unusual 3 hour dirt based race at Sparrow Hill. Sunday will be a rest day.

Fun times are ahead.. almost

Thats right folks, holidays are almost here. So Schools been pretty busy, its been wet and cold and I may not have been for as many rides as I'd like. But as of next Tuesday, ill be on holidays for three and a half weeks. I only have to tests left, no classes, which gives me a bit more room to fit training in and study over the next few days. So what have I got planned I hear you say? Well it all starts this weekend with a cracker Fantastic Honeysuckle Tour. Most likely on my own Ill ride up to Honeysuckle Creek for some beautiful native bush, steep climbing and total chillaxing. its about 100km there and back from my place and not too hard except the 20% gradient climb. There will be a Federal hwy return tomorrow and a Bunch ride on Saturday as well as a warm up. Next week I might try to do something Ive wanted to do for a long time, end of Boboyan road and back. I checked it out the other night, it will be about a 50km return with some killer climbs including Fitzs Gap. Highest point is about 1200m. This is something Ive wanted to do for sooo long and Im ready to do it now. There are a few other rides I might do as well: the traditional Corin Dam (but will actually go to the dam this time), Googong Dam, Bungendoor/Captains Flat and many more rural delights. The big one will be a ride to the coast at the end of the holidays hopefully. From home looking close to 200km I think, but will need to check first.

Alto of this is part of my 2009 goal of riding every road in the ACT and the Canberra Region. Excluding dirt roads, which may still be used and Urban Roads as that's just shit boring, who cares about Something Street in Belcompton? There are a lot of areas that I still need to cover in the north of Canberra around Hall and also south east areas between Queanbeyan and Tharwa.

On the racing and training news, raced a club round at Kowen on the weekend. Pretty mush the worst track Ive ever been on, just stupid. Either worn out bumpy rooted old 24hr tracks, or some nice freshly cut ruts that Paul Cole wanted us to set in a bit more. I pulled out after 3 laps, as I wasn't racing anyone or having fun, so what was the point? I'm starting to see some results from my training at the gym, I can really accelerate now and I can really smash it up climbs now.

So thats all for now, Ill get be back after my Funtastic weekend of rides and two more exams.