Mt Buller Road Race. March 17th 2013 - Masters A.

My race report from the Mt Buller Road Race last year caused a little controversy for telling it like it was. Fast forward 12 months and to the credit of the race organisation team, Cycling Victoria, sponsors, and volunteers, they stepped up and addressed everything to make the event a better experience.

Pre-registration the day before, electronic timing with results online in real-time, a grading system (finally! Not perfect, but a great start). Add to this the inclusion of the Victorian Road Series and ability based Masters grading. You can't deny that things in our sport are progressing at a rapid pace.... So much so that a few riders are drifting off the back of the collective bunch waving their fists screaming "This isn't how my sport used to be! Damn it!" More on this later on.... First up, a race report!

Masters A

Masters A Grade wasn't the biggest field of the day, 40 riders on the start sheet. Quality over quantity, with more Tour of Bright podium place getters than you could poke a stick at and a few well known flat landers to keep everyone honest before the hill. Nobody knew who to watch. Still too early in the season to know who is flying and who is creeping.

Masters A - Start line.

Roll out. New Kosdown kit on show too.

Right from the start the Charter Mason boys had the numbers and used their riders to perfection. 2-3 of them on the front driving the pace in the gutter for the first 20km. One rider thought it best to ride in the gravel on the shoulder of the road..... and was soon a DNF with a puncture. No surprises there. Charter Mason's man mountain, Rohan Andrew, was providing the best wind break we could ask for. He was stomping along! I heard there were a few splits in the bunch within the 20km of gutter action. No surprises there either, this kind of riding takes a lot of energy, concentration, and risks.

The two riders just off the front of the bunch were soon swept up as we started the climb at 31km. Stephen Lane (Kosdown) went to work on the front. Full gas can only half describe the pace he set. What was left of the climbing group after only 2 minutes were all in the hurt box! All except for Michael Gallagher (VIS). He was soon on the front setting an even higher tempo, dropping more riders from the climbing group. Not content with just a high tempo, he was throwing in accelerations every few minutes.

Decision time. Do I keep fighting and respond to every attack, or peg my power numbers and never push too far into the red? Bugger it! Fight! Attack after attack was thinning the climbing group. Down to 8, 6, 4, then it was only Gallagher and I for a short while. I told him I'd pull through for a turn and keep us clear but I wasn't able to contribute much as the road pitched up harder. I did a few token turns but the pace wasn't high enough. Two riders rejoined us and Gallagher soon put the nail in our coffins with a few kms to go. Experience and ability like that is hard to beat!

~30 second gap to Gallagher at this point.

Race status - Gallagher up the road by 30 seconds. Brett Kingson (Hampton Cycles) still on my wheel. Danny Kah (Charter Mason) still within striking distance of a podium spot. After some encouragement, swerving, and a handful of brakes, Kingson came through for a turn. We knew Gallagher had the win in the bag. We needed to keep clear of Kah to get on the podium. The pace was off near the top and I mistakenly backed myself against Kingson in the kick to the line, he stuck to my attack and launched off me for a deserved 2nd. I rolled over a few seconds later for 3rd, 48 seconds down on Gallagher.

From the gutter action out of Mansfield to the slaughterhouse on Mt Buller at only 2 degrees, the race had character. We were all outclassed by world-class Gallagher and I was pretty happy to be standing up on the podium next to him.

Top 10 - Masters A

1. 170  Michael Gallagher 1h41:23          Carnegie Caulfield CC
2. 148  Brett Kingston    1h42:07    +44   Carnegie Caulfield CC
3. 178  Shane Miller      1h42:11    +48   Coburg Cycling Club INC
4. 156  Danny Kah         1h42:49    +1:26 Carnegie Caulfield CC
5. 150  Ciaran Jones      1h43:35    +2:12 Carnegie Caulfield CC
6. 171  Paul Mason        1h43:54    +2:31 Carnegie Caulfield CC
7. 185  Aaron Knight      1h44:01    +2:38 Team Mount Beauty
8. 151  Craig Johnson     1h45:15    +3:52 St Kilda Cycling Club INC
9. 152  Damien Jones      1h45:15    +3:52 Carnegie Caulfield CC
10.184  Tully Lyster      1h47:07    +5:44 Wangaratta Cycling Club INC

Results:
Masters A - Full Results
All Grades - Full Results

Photos:
Tony Reeckman Photography
Jo Upton Photography

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My take on the grading system/ear chewing.... 

With progress there are grumbles.... Let me address those, as best I can, after my ear was chewed off a few times over the weekend - "The handicapping isn't fair. Masters needs to be age based, not ability based. Scrap Masters altogether. What the f&#k are you in grade X for?"

- Cycling has changed in the last few years. A lot. More people. More events. More private sponsorships. More money involved. Racing is popular! Charter Mason and Kelly Coaching, both had cars and team vans there to support their troops. Only the VIS and Drapac had this luxury a few years ago.

- The quality of racing has changed. A LOT. A Elite Grade is super fast. Masters is faster than ever.

- The grading system is in early stages of development. There is only one rider you need to worry about, yourself. CV have provided all the info you need here, http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/default.asp?Page=49473 along with a feedback form.

- Grading exists to offer more riders a chance to be competitive. I think this is fair. We're not all ProTour contract seeking Elite A Graders. Most of us just want to be competitive in a bike race.

- Ego aside, you need to evaluate which grade you'll be competitive in, and race that. If you can honestly tell me there isn't a grade you'll be competitive in, I'll be surprised.

- The grading system is not set in stone. You have the ability to question/change/state your grade assignment. Have supporting information, previous results, etc to make things easy for them.

- Aged based Masters racing forces a 44yo D Grade club level master to race 32yo A Grade club level riders. I don't think this is fair.

- The grading system will have the ability to identify and relegate those who are continually 'over graded'.  Hypothetically speaking, if you're always finishing in the bottom 20%, I'd be pretty nervous about expecting a start in the same grade in the next race.

- Re: Tour of Bright qualification points from the VRS. Anyone collecting points in the VRS who has already gained a top 20 last year are allowing more spots to be opened up for people who don't collect any points all year. Something to consider before complaining about how you won't get a start at Bright. Support your ToB Top 20! :)

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Other Random Stuff....

Coach! - With the level of competition at the ToB last year and the introduction of ability based Masters grading in the Victorian Road Series, I knew if I kept doing the same training then I wouldn't be as competitive in 2013. So back to basics. Working on the engine under the guidance of Mark 'Fenz' Fenner (http://www.ftptraining.com). After years of doing my own thing and ticking off a few goals, working with Fenz will leave no stone unturned when it comes to getting 100% out of what I have. Only a few weeks into the program and things are looking good. Racing Mt Buller was a good indication we're on track already.

Mont24 - Von and I have been invited to be a part of THULE's mixed team up in Canberra next weekend. 24hrs. Mountain bikes. Camping out. Something well outside our comfort zone. Scott and the team at THULE have been a sponsor of mine for a few years and really do live the lifestyle their company is all about. We can't wait to be a part of it.

Easter Vets - One week after the Mont24 Von and I will be doing all five races at the South Pacific Vets Championships in Maryborough. Vets is still an eerie parallel universe of racing that I enjoy. High quality racing too. Worlds away from any grading system/pro contract chasing niggles!

2012 Masters of the Year! - My last post mentioned my nomination. The awesome news is I won! This will take pride of place on the shelf at home!

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Random Pics

Mansfield accommodation... The 'tin shed' was exactly that. A tiny shed.

This driver also failed grade 3 colouring.

Country town gingerbread men supporting the CFA! Awesome! Nom!

Llamas. Real llamas from Argentina, thanks José! 

Horsham Tri 2013, Grampians Vets Rifle What!?, CV Awards Nomination.

Late Friday night, Western Hwy.

Horsham Tri 2013

We were back in Horsham last weekend for the annual triathlon. A great excuse to get out of the city and enjoy more time in the country.... and race bikes while we're there.

Carbon copy conditions from last year, bloody hot! Our swimmer came in about 6th or 7th out of the water, so I had a few carrots up the road to aim for on the bike. The first lap was great, then the heat took its toll on the second and third lap where I switched to economy mode to survive. It took 13km to mow down the carrots and have the lead car all to myself. It is nice having a car tooting other riders off the center line. I was first off the bike and into transition. Our runner, my sister Kate, was now the carrot up the road for the runners.

We won the mixed team category by 4 1/2 minutes. A three-peat for Team Tripod! Lots of spectators on course and at the presentations. All well fed by the 'gold coin donation' snags that the Lions club were cooking up.

Full Results

Mark, our swimmer.

The Superman position is BACK!

Run Forest! Kate takes off for her 5km run.

Watching on with my nephew Logan. He was on spray bottle duties for the day.

Kate finishing her run.

Team Tripod! Winners!

Our team, my brother in law (2nd in 40+ short course),
and Callum (my nephew who did the kids tri)

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Grampians Vets Rifle What!? Rifle Butts!

46km handicap race on a flat-ish loop. A perfect summer morning roll out to the start with Von, 20 degrees at 7:30am. Lovely!

15 starters, four groups, spread across 18 minutes. I was off scratch with three others who I'd ridden with on the same circuit in early October. Von was in the 6 minute bunch. One scratch rider mentioned he was a little nervous as he didn't know how much it was going to hurt. I helped cement his fears with a friendly, "this is going to hurt, a lot, so hang on". The others chuckled as they knew I was just having laugh.... kind of... :)

Old school racing. No fuss. No worries.

Pre race half-smiles.

The scratch group all worked to our strengths on the long flat roads and echeloned perfectly each time we turned into the wind. We caught the combined 6 and 11 minute bunches at the 35km mark. Three limit riders still 90 seconds up the road. The tailwind pushed the pace through the roof and split the chase apart. The three limit riders were swept up at 40km, leaving 6kms to go. Von was still in the remaining lead group of 6, with the rest of the field not too far behind hoping to get back onto the lead group before the finish.

5km to go nobody was rolling through. All eyes were on Von and I as the 'visitors'. We'd ridden the final few kms before the race so we had a good idea of where to get away from the bunch. Those plans were soon thrown away as everyone was getting a good rest. Time to go solo! Yes, I attacked the wife and left her to fight it out with four other guys. (I pity anyone who doesn't understand cycling terms who reads that last line! hah!) Von was soon just off the back of the four chasers. I managed the gap for the next few kms then was able to get off the gas for the final 2km tail wind to the line. 1st & Fastest. Von rolled across the line for 6th and was the first woman home. It is so good being able to roll up to a country race and be so warmly welcomed, even after putting them through a little bit of pain.

Grampians Vets race report.

Post race big smiles! Time for a coffeeeeeeeee!!!

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2012 CV Awards Nomination

Victorian Masters Cyclist of the Year (Male)
Finalists: Roy Clark, Shane Miller, Simon Quirk

I had a nice surprise in my inbox the other day, an invitation to the Cycling Victoria 2012 awards function. I don't know the exact selection criteria but I had a pretty good year at all of the events I did under the CV/CA banner here in Victoria and interstate. I'm not sure of my chances for the win, if it was a three up sprint from a break away I'd have them covered... :)  I'm pretty happy with just the nomination. Fingers crossed!

Classic Adelaide Vets Series 2013 - Tour Down Under Week

Veterans racing. A parallel universe of bike racing that a lot of people don't even know exists. Different clubs, difference licenses, and governed by the  International Cycling Federation (ICF), not those wacky pranksters at the UCI.

Each year during the Tour Down Under the SA Vets put on a number of races throughout the week called the Classic Adelaide Vets Series (CAVS). A road race, TT, hill climb TT, and a crit. All spread out over 8 days so we can enjoy the TdU too. We couldn't make the road race on Saturday but Von and I made it to the other three events. At $22 a race SA continues to lead the way for value-for-entry (their state championships are about the same).

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22km TT: Woodchester to Langhorne Creek-return. Sponsored by Seaton Tyres. Monday.

I've raced the Cycling SA Masters State TT champs at Langhorne Creek for the last two years, it is dead flat. We expected the same when we drove out to recon the course before the race. Berg ahead! The first km was straight up a hill, then into 3km down, then it was pretty flat out and back from there.

The bling on show was impressive. Even I felt out of place with my clincher front wheel and old-school Limar TT helmet with no visor. The ride went pretty well, nailing the key points. On the return leg my motivation dropped. This turned out to be ideal pacing as I was fresh for the 3km climb near the end. 29:30 on the line, just a touch over 45km/h. I rode the fastest time of the day. 1st M35-39 Age group, 1st Age Adjusted, and a massive winners jersey.

Von was 1st in W30-34 and scored herself the Strava QOM for the course.

Results: Outright, Age Adjusted
Strava Segment: Woodchester TT Loop

Large jersey! Lots of 'pie room'.

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6km Hill Climb. The Old Freeway (Kennels to the Bollards). Sponsored by Pave Cafe. Wednesday.

A climb much like the 1:20, with a lot more bite. The Strava KOM was sitting at 14:21 and with a 20-30km/h head wind near the top of the climb I thought 15:00 would be what I'd be looking at. With a few aero things thrown on for every advantage I could get, I pegged the watts a little higher from the start and reassessed when I got to the 3km mark. That went something along the lines of, "Fark this hurts... but you're over half way now... keep going...". I only dropped a few watts in the last km while looking like a complete mess passing other riders on the climb who were not competing. 13:44. Fastest, first in age group, and first in age adjusted.

Results: Outright, Age Adjusted
Strava Segment: The Old Freeway (Kennels to the Bollards)

Von warming up.

Presentations.

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Criterium. A Grade. 50mins +2. Regency Park. Sunday.

Marked and hands down the hardest race I've done in a long time. Roy Clark and Stefan Kirsch were the two riders I wanted to get up the road with, they were marked as well. The one break I let go up the road ended up with one of the three sliding on his arse through a corner. Not sure of the cause, no major damage done, a lap out and he was back in the race. At 40 minutes we finally established a break of four, Roy Clark being one of them. Solid turns by everyone to keep clear, I was happy to take it to the line in a four up sprint.... until the cat and mouse started 800m from the line and I took off. 1st in A Grade.

Results: A, B, C, D, E

Toot toot! That isn't a smile, it is a hurt box grimace.

Llamas don't play cat and mouse.

The racing was good, the competition was tough, and the organisation was smooth. The Bakers Delight overload after each race was impressive! If you're old enough and crazy enough, keep an eye on the SAVCA website and sign up for 2014.... oh, and check out the Tour Down Under and other support races on in Adelaide while you're there.

2013 CA National TT Championships - 47.4km/h. Top 10!

Photo by Jason Richards

The lead up events, training sessions, and recon laps of the course were all worth it.


It doesn't matter what brand of bike you're on, or who you're sponsored by in a TT when the clock is ticking. Just ride hard and keep going.


It is only the people around you that count.




- People who went to the event to ring cow bells and shout.
- The people who took photos and posted them online for everyone to see.
- Competitors sharing 'good lucks' at the start and 'well dones' at the end.
- The officials behind the scenes running the show.
- And if you're lucky enough, your own support people handing you a cold drink when you're warming up, or taking your bike off you at the end when all you want to do is collapse in a heap.

All these people are the event.

Mars and Subaru might be plastered all over the place helping CA fund the event but I still had to buy a bloody full priced Mars Bar... and our Subaru!

The biggest surprise to me was how many people followed the results. The messages I received after the race from both cyclists and non cyclists have all been awesome.  Support from the people is something you can't buy.

37km at 47.4km/h was good enough for 10th place at the 2013 CA National TT Championships. Let's go faster next year!



Results: CyclingNews

Committing Somewhat

As a fan cycling I read the odd blog and opinion articles by other top amateurs and pros, most who are a lot higher up in the cycling food chain than I am. A new favourite is Huon Genesys rider Jono Lovelock and his work over on The Roar. An insiders view on things relevant to the local cycling fan, and bike racer in all of us. Add his work to your bookmark list, you won't be disappointed.

Yesterday I read an article by a very successful professional cyclist entitled "Committing Fully" published over on SBS Cycling Central. You can read the article here. I loved the title. I wanted a look-in at what it takes to achieve so much success on the bike. 

It started out well. Outlining a few of the more obscure times of the day to train, giving up family time or that extra Christmas pudding. Things I think every serious cyclist/athlete can relate to. Further into the article we're hit with references to the pro men vs women salary debate, the amount of punters in bunch rides acting the fool, there is even a reference (crack) on how serious Strava users take their KOM hunting by using race wheels for what are essentially training rides.

Wait a minute! Wasn't this article about what it takes to achieve the highest levels of success? Why am I now feeling offended? Probably because I'm a cyclist seen as a punter/amateur by the author, and I'm someone who uses Strava (albeit not with "race wheels"). I ended up ignoring the key details of the article about the commitment required for success and I was left feeling like I was the target of these references to the daily niggles that irritate a professional cyclist. I really want to think I'm not. But I must be. I am that every-day punter on two wheels. Bugger. To cheer myself up, I wrote my own version of the same article.

I present my story......

Committing Somewhat

We left the family behind in Ballarat on Christmas day to spend a week up at Falls Creek with other like-minded people. We loved every second of it. Alarm buzzing, 9am New Years day, rolling out of bed and looking forward to smudging chamios cream on my choad and cranking out more intervals on the TT bike at altitude with my good mate and training partner. I don't have a coach, I don't have a written plan, I follow a path cemented by a few good years of experience only.

There is already a hive of activity outside. People starting their runs, coming back from a swim session, and the occasional overweight cyclist rolling into the village after taking 2-3hrs to get up the 30km climb from Mt Beauty. Everyone pushing themselves hard, some harder than others, all with a similar goal of becoming a better athlete, a better person, or just to feel alive. These people don't have hangovers, they're too busy ticking off achievements in the first few hours of 2013. 

Passing nods, smiles, and waves are shared between everyone regardless of what activity they've chosen. They all love what we're doing. By any 'normal day' these people are lawyers, doctors, accountants, retirees, students, the unemployed, mums, dads, anything - call them whatever you like. While they're outside enjoying their sport, they are athletes, regardless of their physical appearance or size of their trophy collection at home.

My own goal at this point in time, like a few other club-level cyclists, is to aim for the best possible performance I'm capable of at the National Championships in the Time Trial. Having goals is one of my key motivators to train. It makes every drop of sweat in training worth while. Sacrifices are made, but they're purely personal and pretty selfish when it comes to the bigger picture of life.

Is all this 'investment' in my own goals worth it? Not professionally. Not financially. Not even socially. But nothing compares to the sense of achievement I get out of knowing I've put 100% into something and cross a finish line completely exhausted.

A lot of riders have a more structured season, professional teams, management, and access to world class training facilitates. A number of men and women are even making a living out of this sport. Not me. Nor any of my peers. We're still on the same bikes as the pros. Some of us do the same hours in training too. We're just not as genetically gifted, not as lucky, or just don't have the right contacts in the industry. Not to worry, that isn't why we do it.

When it comes to the Nationals, we mere amateurs have a choice: to enter or not. Some do it for experience of racing a big event, some enter just to see how long they can hold on for. We are the grass-roots athletes. We are the majority of registered racing cyclists. However when it comes to the big events, we hardly even exist. We've paid our money and we're on the start list, that's about it. Posting a mid pack time in the TT or a DNF in the road race after being pulled at 1/2 distance is all we can expect, at the most. The rest is up to us. To tell our friends, family, and supporters what we're up to. To get them involved in our journey.

At a recent bike event I was handed a glossy promotional card and was told I should make the trip to Ballarat to cheer on the pros. "Yeah, thanks buddy, I'll think about it."

My first Open Elite National time trial was in Buninyong in 2007. I came in 21st out of 25 riders. 9 minutes down on a multi-time national TT champion who has now bowed out of the sport due to a doping violation. Was I fighting for the green and gold jersey on that day? No way. I was just trying to ride as fast as I could. Clean.

Six years on, over 100 time trials, a few Open TT wins, multiple National Masters TT titles on the road and track to my name. I've been passionate (obsessive) about my quest for self improvement. I've followed a similar path to those professionals in regard to nutrition, travelling, sacrifices, keeping within the same UCI regulations (no drugs, equipment regulations, etc). Is this interesting, maybe. Do you really care? Probably not.

What did I do the morning before I got married a few weeks back? A 40km TT course recon in Ballarat. Was I in bed before 12am on New Years? Yes. Do you care? Probably not.

This is just what I do. And I love it.

I'm not alone though. There are 1000s of people just like me. Some going a little slower, some going a faster. If they're on bikes, running, swimming - who cares? They're active, they're athletes, and they're awesome!

I don't do too many bunch rides. Most of my training is structured, either indoors or outside trying to rip up a Strava segment on my training wheels. As I've mentioned, I'm goal orientated. If there is a Strava segment from A to B that I can aim for while training, I'll have a red-hot go at it. It turns a rather dead section of road into a race, at any time of the day.

Just be aware that:

• I'm not a pro and I've never been paid a salary in this sport. I envy those who are, and who have.
• I've beaten a few pros in a few different races. It didn't mean a thing to them, their employer, or my financial state.
• I cringe when reading about the day to day struggles of paid professional cyclists that we all encounter as athletes. They're the lucky ones living their dreams, ffs.

So why do I bother? Ever since I learnt to ride a bike I've loved to go fast, then faster again. Without a coach there is nobody telling me what to do or when to do it. The motivation is mine, and mine alone. If I fail, I am to blame. If I eat the chocolate cake, then I've eaten the chocolate cake. I'll ride it off in tomorrows session.

Today is 40 degrees outside. Too hot to train on the road. I've loaded up a new Sufferfest TT video I paid for yesterday and I'll get stuck into it at 100% on the ergo. That is my plan. Is this interesting, maybe. Do you really care if I do it? Probably not.

Only 5 days to go till Nationals. 6 days till I'm back at work.