Finally got back on the real bike last night and took the ingle speed for a night ride up at Woodhill. Rode with a couple of guys I have not really ridden with before but we were fairly compatible pace wise and I had a good night. The conditions were perfect for night riding, still and clear, cold but not too bad and the tracks were firm.
Rode up Powerball, then half way along Big Mama before one of the guys lights burnt out, smoke and burning smells and everything. Turned round and went back down the road to the carpark were he had some more lights. Back up the road and then down Afterglow and Tortellini – I have never ridden either of those at night, I had forgotten what an awesome trail Afterglow is. Back up the Link to the Cookie where the other riders light started to fade really badly, he went back down the road again and I shot down Raceface to the carpark.
Out on the trail for about an hour and half, it was a good ride. I started off riding like a muppet and fell over once and dabbed a couple of times on roots on the climb up Powerball, once I had my balance dialled in again things went well.
Though I didn’t stat for the post ride BBQ I was talking to 1 of the old school riders after the ride and he passed on a second hand comment on my trail extension. Earlier that night he had been speaking to one of the original trail builders from the bike park, the guy who built all the great trails, he had ridden my extension that day and had commented that it was good… now that is what I like to hear…
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Trainer bike
I have borrowed my brother in laws mag trainer again as he has finished with it for a while.
I have set the Cindercone up on it and took it for a spin last night. I hadnt been on a bike for 5 weeks and my thighs were still sore from the night befores run.
I did a nice 40 minute session, I didnt work too hard, but steam was coming off my arms before I had finished so it wasn't too light either.
I aim to get back to doing 2 hours sessions once or twice a week and at least 1 or 2 shorter sessions. I now have a lot more video to watch so it shouldn'get too boring for a while.
I have set the Cindercone up on it and took it for a spin last night. I hadnt been on a bike for 5 weeks and my thighs were still sore from the night befores run.
I did a nice 40 minute session, I didnt work too hard, but steam was coming off my arms before I had finished so it wasn't too light either.
I aim to get back to doing 2 hours sessions once or twice a week and at least 1 or 2 shorter sessions. I now have a lot more video to watch so it shouldn'get too boring for a while.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Test run for the new shoes
I finally took the new shoes for a test run last night. It was a very cool night, but no cloud and no wind, so nice for running. Though I did find all the wood smoke from home fires to be quite annoying.
I did the 8.5km Godley/Portage/Astley/Taupo route as it is a good tester when I haven’t been out for a while, though it is one of my least favourite runs. The run started off well I had a good pace going down Godley Rd, hit the first Km mark at 4:43. I pulled the pace back a bit as I knew I could not sustain that for 8.5 kms. It the 4.4 km mark at 20 minutes which was still too quick. Dropped the pace up the Astley hill as I was starting to feel the affects and all those parts of me that can hurt during a run were hurting all at once. I picked the pace up again when I hit Godley for the run home. Ended up doing a 43:30 which I believe is the fastest I have done that loop. Though it felt very slow in the middle.
The shoes were Ok, I had a bit of pain in 1 foot, but I am not sure of that is shoe related or just the fact I hadn’t run or a few weeks. I also had
Sore lungs and throat from the cold air.
A really bad stitch at the 3 km mark
Sore legs, thighs still tender today
Sore chest muscles
Sore ears from the cold as I had just had a haircut.
The price I pay for running!
I have borrowed the bike trainer from my bro in law again and have the Cindercone all set up, going to give that a go tonight.
4 weeks till the Woodhill 12 hour.
I did the 8.5km Godley/Portage/Astley/Taupo route as it is a good tester when I haven’t been out for a while, though it is one of my least favourite runs. The run started off well I had a good pace going down Godley Rd, hit the first Km mark at 4:43. I pulled the pace back a bit as I knew I could not sustain that for 8.5 kms. It the 4.4 km mark at 20 minutes which was still too quick. Dropped the pace up the Astley hill as I was starting to feel the affects and all those parts of me that can hurt during a run were hurting all at once. I picked the pace up again when I hit Godley for the run home. Ended up doing a 43:30 which I believe is the fastest I have done that loop. Though it felt very slow in the middle.
The shoes were Ok, I had a bit of pain in 1 foot, but I am not sure of that is shoe related or just the fact I hadn’t run or a few weeks. I also had
Sore lungs and throat from the cold air.
A really bad stitch at the 3 km mark
Sore legs, thighs still tender today
Sore chest muscles
Sore ears from the cold as I had just had a haircut.
The price I pay for running!
I have borrowed the bike trainer from my bro in law again and have the Cindercone all set up, going to give that a go tonight.
4 weeks till the Woodhill 12 hour.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
New running shoes
I finally caved in and bought some new running shoes - Asics Landreths for $230. it hurt...
I have had them for 4 days and have yet to test them out. I was going to run saturday afternoon as the weather was superb but when I returned from track building I was under orders to go out and we didn't get home until after 23:00.
Nice day today (sunday) and may try and squeeze a quick run in this afternoon, but I also have to be home with number 2 son who is grounded and take a quick ride down to the motor vehicle testing station to meet my daughter who is taking her car for its first warrant of fitness.
damn - will have to watch football.
I have had them for 4 days and have yet to test them out. I was going to run saturday afternoon as the weather was superb but when I returned from track building I was under orders to go out and we didn't get home until after 23:00.
Nice day today (sunday) and may try and squeeze a quick run in this afternoon, but I also have to be home with number 2 son who is grounded and take a quick ride down to the motor vehicle testing station to meet my daughter who is taking her car for its first warrant of fitness.
damn - will have to watch football.
Track extension is now finished
Yesterday I went back up to the first and finally I have finished extending the No Brakes trail, there is now a very fresh additional 700 metres in the middle of the trail. I am pleased and 1 day I will even get to ride it.
Yesterday was another 'official' bike parks digging day so I rocked up early and was given the use of a bike parks grom to help finish off the last section of my track, so with the extra help I was done in an hour and a half.
The grom and I then joined in with 4 others to help build a few extra bits of track for the Woodhill 12 hour event at the end of July. It is going to feel good racing on tracks that I have help build. Much as I love to ride single track, we made these short sections fairly wide to give plenty of passing room. The section we were building is going to be a downhill section in the long term but for the event it is being used for a short and not too steep climb, hene the width. Designing uphill and downhill is quite different though so it was quite interesting trying to look at how the trail would be ridden to design the best lines when it is going to be ridden in different directions.
I am 'racing', maybe I should say, riding in the event in a 4 man single speed team. All guys I have ridden with before, 1 from the 24 hour of N-Duro in Feb and the other 2 from the Moonride 24 hour hour. Really looking forward to it, though I have not been on the bike in 6 weeks so really need to kick the training off this week.
Yesterday was another 'official' bike parks digging day so I rocked up early and was given the use of a bike parks grom to help finish off the last section of my track, so with the extra help I was done in an hour and a half.
The grom and I then joined in with 4 others to help build a few extra bits of track for the Woodhill 12 hour event at the end of July. It is going to feel good racing on tracks that I have help build. Much as I love to ride single track, we made these short sections fairly wide to give plenty of passing room. The section we were building is going to be a downhill section in the long term but for the event it is being used for a short and not too steep climb, hene the width. Designing uphill and downhill is quite different though so it was quite interesting trying to look at how the trail would be ridden to design the best lines when it is going to be ridden in different directions.
I am 'racing', maybe I should say, riding in the event in a 4 man single speed team. All guys I have ridden with before, 1 from the 24 hour of N-Duro in Feb and the other 2 from the Moonride 24 hour hour. Really looking forward to it, though I have not been on the bike in 6 weeks so really need to kick the training off this week.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Its winter - laziness has struck.
Well it has been a fairly busy few weeks with work and an extremely lazy 2 weeks when it comes to any form of exercise. I have barely moved at all in the last 10 days. The weather has really packed a sad and my big plans to get out and run have just not come to fruition. I have sort of been blaming this on a lack of decent running shoes as my current pair are stuffed, but I know even if they were in the worn in comfortable prime I would still be sitting on the couch in the evenings and not getting out in the cold wind and rain for a run.
Last weekend we had our work mid-year function and I drank way way way to much. Felt like absolute crap all day Saturday, did not even move for a coffee until 1.00 PM. I have now vowed to not drink until the end of July at the earliest. It can only be a good thing ! I am so so glad I stuck to white wine and nothing else, 1 whisky and I think I would still be suffering.
Sunday I went out looking for running shoes, I know what I want and I really do not want to have to pay $250 for them, but it looks like I am going to have to. – Damnit
Watched lots of world cup football though – go England
Last weekend we had our work mid-year function and I drank way way way to much. Felt like absolute crap all day Saturday, did not even move for a coffee until 1.00 PM. I have now vowed to not drink until the end of July at the earliest. It can only be a good thing ! I am so so glad I stuck to white wine and nothing else, 1 whisky and I think I would still be suffering.
Sunday I went out looking for running shoes, I know what I want and I really do not want to have to pay $250 for them, but it looks like I am going to have to. – Damnit
Watched lots of world cup football though – go England
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
New seat post
I finally got around to collecting - and paying for - a new seat post for the single speed. I bent the original DMR post at the Moonride a few weeks back. I have kept the old one in the spares box as it is only slightly out of straight, just enough to make it tough to drop and raise the post.
The new post is a Phillips. It is about 2 inches longer than the DMR post which means I can raise it to full XC mode and leave enough in the seatpost tube to not put too much strain on the frame, guess I am more likely to bend it like that though. It is also a twin bolt tube which I do like. The DMR post did not allow me to move my seat forward much below horizontal, though I do like to have the seat a couple of degrees below that.
I took it for a test spin around the streets on Sunday and it felt so nice, high and positioned nice. Hopefully get to take it down to Rotorua this weekend for a run on the single track.
The new post is a Phillips. It is about 2 inches longer than the DMR post which means I can raise it to full XC mode and leave enough in the seatpost tube to not put too much strain on the frame, guess I am more likely to bend it like that though. It is also a twin bolt tube which I do like. The DMR post did not allow me to move my seat forward much below horizontal, though I do like to have the seat a couple of degrees below that.
I took it for a test spin around the streets on Sunday and it felt so nice, high and positioned nice. Hopefully get to take it down to Rotorua this weekend for a run on the single track.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
And yet more digging
Went back up to the track again today and got another good 3 hours of raking and digging in. I took the old work digital camera up and snapped a couple of out of focus shots.
I took the rake as well as the spade up to day and it was very useful in clearing the pine needles from the trail.
My plan was to leave the spade on the track and then start walking and rake the trail debris until I hit a patch that requires spade work, then walk back to the spade marking the edge of the trail with logs as I went, then walk back to the rake clearing anything that needed clearing. The plan worked well and I got an awful lot more work down than last week. The most time consuming part of the work was finding decent enough pieces of wood to mark the edge of the trail.
I had to redesign a couple of corners that just did not flow well and I also built a couple of small berms on off camber corners to keep the flow going.
I raked out and marked the trail to completion and kinda left it obvious to riders that there is a new bit of trail to ride.
When I got home I made a couple of small signs to stick on the start and exit of the new section from a couple of liberated old real estate signs.
Sadly I will have to dig again next week, but that should be the end of it and I can go ride again.
I took the rake as well as the spade up to day and it was very useful in clearing the pine needles from the trail.
My plan was to leave the spade on the track and then start walking and rake the trail debris until I hit a patch that requires spade work, then walk back to the spade marking the edge of the trail with logs as I went, then walk back to the rake clearing anything that needed clearing. The plan worked well and I got an awful lot more work down than last week. The most time consuming part of the work was finding decent enough pieces of wood to mark the edge of the trail.
I had to redesign a couple of corners that just did not flow well and I also built a couple of small berms on off camber corners to keep the flow going.I raked out and marked the trail to completion and kinda left it obvious to riders that there is a new bit of trail to ride.
When I got home I made a couple of small signs to stick on the start and exit of the new section from a couple of liberated old real estate signs.
Sadly I will have to dig again next week, but that should be the end of it and I can go ride again.
South Island work trip
I had a work trip to 3 of our South Island offices last week. I flew into Christchurch, drove the 2 hours to Timaru with the Christchurch manager and back again and then flew to Invercargill the next day and on to home.
It was a good trip, the weather on Thursday was just stunning, crystal clear cloudless skies on the way to christchurch afforded stunning views. I spent 2 hours in the Christchurch office which was good and then we dove down to Timaru, nice trip, flat straight road for 2 hours - luckily the Chch manager was good company. enjoyed the Timary visit and the lift back to Chch.
Thursday night I went to a bar in Chch to meet with a few of the South Island Vorb Mafia, who I had never met before. 7 of them turned up ! had a great evening. I like Christchurch more and more every time I visit. I have long thought that Aucklanders are an unsocialble lot, there would never be 7 Aucklanders turn up to meet a fellow biker from another town. There is also some awesome riding to be had around there as well, way way way better than here. Good on ya Christchurch.
Fridays trip to Invercargill was Ok, flight there and back was a bit choppy and cloudy. Spent 3 hours in the office and they were a pretty good bunch as well.
it was a pretty good trip.
It was a good trip, the weather on Thursday was just stunning, crystal clear cloudless skies on the way to christchurch afforded stunning views. I spent 2 hours in the Christchurch office which was good and then we dove down to Timaru, nice trip, flat straight road for 2 hours - luckily the Chch manager was good company. enjoyed the Timary visit and the lift back to Chch.
Thursday night I went to a bar in Chch to meet with a few of the South Island Vorb Mafia, who I had never met before. 7 of them turned up ! had a great evening. I like Christchurch more and more every time I visit. I have long thought that Aucklanders are an unsocialble lot, there would never be 7 Aucklanders turn up to meet a fellow biker from another town. There is also some awesome riding to be had around there as well, way way way better than here. Good on ya Christchurch.
Fridays trip to Invercargill was Ok, flight there and back was a bit choppy and cloudy. Spent 3 hours in the office and they were a pretty good bunch as well.
it was a pretty good trip.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Football world cup
Well we had a long weekend in NZ this weekend, Monday was Queens Birthday so we all celebrated in style, I got out of bed at 11.00.
Well I initially got out of bed at 3:25 AM and went around to a friends house to watch New Zealand get beaten 4-0 by Brazil in a pre-Football world cup friendly match. Apart from that the weekend was a waste. I spent all day Sunday waiting at home by myself for someone to come and pick up the bunk bed they have bought of us - som miscommunication means they are not coming around till next weekend. I did get out for a run yesterday and planned on doing 13-14 km but it rained really really really hard so I went home after 6.5 kms'. And that was it for training or any other sporting activities this weekend. 3 whole days off work squandered, and today was a nice sunny, though cold, day. Family day !
The Football world cup starts next weekend and being English I will be watching as much as I can. so I expect to not get a lot of running or riding in over the next month. Though next Saturday I do intend on doing some more track work...
Well I initially got out of bed at 3:25 AM and went around to a friends house to watch New Zealand get beaten 4-0 by Brazil in a pre-Football world cup friendly match. Apart from that the weekend was a waste. I spent all day Sunday waiting at home by myself for someone to come and pick up the bunk bed they have bought of us - som miscommunication means they are not coming around till next weekend. I did get out for a run yesterday and planned on doing 13-14 km but it rained really really really hard so I went home after 6.5 kms'. And that was it for training or any other sporting activities this weekend. 3 whole days off work squandered, and today was a nice sunny, though cold, day. Family day !
The Football world cup starts next weekend and being English I will be watching as much as I can. so I expect to not get a lot of running or riding in over the next month. Though next Saturday I do intend on doing some more track work...
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Dig dig dig
Went back up to Woodhill again today to carry on working on the track extension. I haven't done any work on this track for a few weeks and the pine needles were thick on the ground again. I seemed to spend more time clearing the trail so it is visible than actually doing the work I intended which was building a sand 'bridge' over some imbedded logs that I could not dig out, realigning a couple of off-camber corners and smoothing some climbs.
The problem with Woodhill being sand based (and very easy to make tracks in) is if you not get lines right or leave downhill corners off camber then you get a lot of nasty wear on the track. Hopefully as this bit of track is quite a way from the carpark it will only be ridden by reasonably experienced riders who will not brake through bends and knowhow to ride the pinch climbs without digging holes in the surface.
I was hoping to get most of the work completed today, but finished about 100 of the 700 metres of track. I walked the rest though so the line is still sort of visible though I do need to more clearly mark it out as it is in quite a dense part of the forest and a lot of needles and brances fall.
Went home after 3 hours which is when I promised my wife I would be home, she was out with number 2 son and when they got home they all disappeared again leaving me home alone... I could have finished the trail if I had known.
Went for a sifty urban spin on the single speed for 40 minutes, it was good to be back in the saddle again.
Plan to get up and run tomorrow morning though.
The problem with Woodhill being sand based (and very easy to make tracks in) is if you not get lines right or leave downhill corners off camber then you get a lot of nasty wear on the track. Hopefully as this bit of track is quite a way from the carpark it will only be ridden by reasonably experienced riders who will not brake through bends and knowhow to ride the pinch climbs without digging holes in the surface.
I was hoping to get most of the work completed today, but finished about 100 of the 700 metres of track. I walked the rest though so the line is still sort of visible though I do need to more clearly mark it out as it is in quite a dense part of the forest and a lot of needles and brances fall.
Went home after 3 hours which is when I promised my wife I would be home, she was out with number 2 son and when they got home they all disappeared again leaving me home alone... I could have finished the trail if I had known.
Went for a sifty urban spin on the single speed for 40 minutes, it was good to be back in the saddle again.
Plan to get up and run tomorrow morning though.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Mid-week runs
After my weekend run and my decision to try some electonica to run to I threw a post up on vorb.org.nz asking for thoughts on good electronic music for running to. Being an old punker I had no idea what artists – DJs – whatever fit into any genre that would be good to run, I do know that drum and bass wouldn’t work and that is it. I did get a whole bunch of suggestions, including a few not too obvious ones like old industrial bands like Front 242 and KMFDM.
I found a few “samples” on the internet and loaded up the MP3 playing phone and took off for a 10k night run on Tuesday night. I was planning on doing the last of the "hog" runs but my daughters car broke down so I had to pick her up and go wait for the tow truck, luckily the repairs only cost $45 - new fan belt.
The night was cool and clear with no wind, a perfect night for running. Some of the music worked and some didn’t, but I kept up a good pace, including the climb and posted a 51:21 – the fastest I have ever completed this loop in ever. Do not know if the music worked or not but after I had warmed up I quite quickly got in to that place where the mind goes blank and I can just run without thinking about anything except the rhythm of my breathing and running. I love a run like this, I am just so mentally refreshed when I get back – invigorating !
I followed that up the next night with a short run home from the salon where my daughter works, 23 minutes, not sure of the distance, felt good again but decided to take today off and aim to get a 20km run at the weekend.
The one issue is my road shoes are stuffed, my left shoe squeaks really badly and is quite annoying and I am starting to ‘feel’ the road through the sole as well. I have been looking for more road shoes but at $220 - $250 for a decent pair of Mizunos or Asics I am going to have to wait a few weeks. Will aim to do an “off road “Exhibition drive run at the weekend where I can use the Vasques without wearing them out too much.
Listening to bad Techno now to find appropriate vocal less tracks.
I found a few “samples” on the internet and loaded up the MP3 playing phone and took off for a 10k night run on Tuesday night. I was planning on doing the last of the "hog" runs but my daughters car broke down so I had to pick her up and go wait for the tow truck, luckily the repairs only cost $45 - new fan belt.
The night was cool and clear with no wind, a perfect night for running. Some of the music worked and some didn’t, but I kept up a good pace, including the climb and posted a 51:21 – the fastest I have ever completed this loop in ever. Do not know if the music worked or not but after I had warmed up I quite quickly got in to that place where the mind goes blank and I can just run without thinking about anything except the rhythm of my breathing and running. I love a run like this, I am just so mentally refreshed when I get back – invigorating !
I followed that up the next night with a short run home from the salon where my daughter works, 23 minutes, not sure of the distance, felt good again but decided to take today off and aim to get a 20km run at the weekend.
The one issue is my road shoes are stuffed, my left shoe squeaks really badly and is quite annoying and I am starting to ‘feel’ the road through the sole as well. I have been looking for more road shoes but at $220 - $250 for a decent pair of Mizunos or Asics I am going to have to wait a few weeks. Will aim to do an “off road “Exhibition drive run at the weekend where I can use the Vasques without wearing them out too much.
Listening to bad Techno now to find appropriate vocal less tracks.
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