ONE TEAM'S JOURNEY
8 January, 2008
With less than a week to go, the preparations are still somewhat sketchy as to how we are really going to tackle the task ahead. Completing each day, while avoiding the lag wagon pretty much sums it up.
While we really need to be stepping up the training – work, home and life in general have had other plans. Sleep deprived weeks, which are turning into months, from waking babies in both Jon and my households, add another level of mental toughness to our training regime. We have managed to implement some consistency in each of our own regimes, pushing hard on the commutes to work, gym sessions, wind trainer and weekend rides. Doing what we can, when we can.
Jon and I also took part in the familisation ride of stage 3 from Mt Hotham to Bright, taking in some spectacular country and setting the scene of what we could expect on the Terra. It also gave us a chance to size up the competition, particularly the ultra fit 50+ yo competitors.
We still had our doubts if we could do this, but our minds were put to ease when we all signed up, rode and completed the Otway Odyssey 100km. While many riders had minimal gear, we were loaded to the hilt; food for a team of 40 and gear bursting from our packs – underlining our novice status for a marathon ride. Nevertheless, we were happy to give it a shot. In hindsight, bulk purchasing a carton of ‘Up&Go’ was not necessary – given that no one drank it anyway.
The 100km was a ‘journey’ with plenty of drama from high speed crashes, twinges of cramps, mechanicals, mind games and general exhaustion. However, we came out of it better riders for it. The king of the mountain set the tone for the rest of the day, where I was slowly, but consistently passed on the hill, only to be continued throughout the day when the 50km riders, who started half an hour later, were busy passing. At around the 35km mark, I came off in a spectacular manner…naturally a speedy downhill section. Gravel, dirt and other debris embedded in my skin, reminded me over the next 65km. The exhaustion really kicked in at around 50km, and decided to stay around for the rest of the race and into the following day. Alex had well timed mechanical issues at 90km with a snapped chain – we finally rolled across the finish line 11hours after the race start, when pretty much everyone had left. All up we were elated to have completed the race and gained valuable information on our race nutrition, mental toughness, bike setup and our current general fitness.
Having completed this ride, and after several reviews of the Terra Australis elevation profiles, several phone calls convincing each other and blind faith, we all agreed that we could ride the Terra and that we may actually enjoy ourselves, while doing it.
Entering our taper week, going from minimal preparation to none – we have continued with sleep deprivation, Jon has also decided to renovate his bathroom, Alex has been busy with family wedding duties and I have been busy with a non-sleeping child and a new job.
Bikes are serviced, last minute spares purchased, logistical and travel plans finalised, accommodation is booked and team lists posted. In retrospect, some constraints (Babies, Weddings, Bathroom) have led us to overlook 2 key elements: 1 - training and 2 - team name. Thus our team name is ‘Mug Punters’. Our working title that never got work shopped!
Given all that has happened throughout our preparation for this ride, we are all looking forward to some great riding, mixing it up with some of the best riders in the country throughout NE Victoria – you can’t get better than that! See you at the finish line.
Malcolm, Jon & Alex
8 January, 2008
Getting serious.
We started with dreamy elation. The race (ride for us) was months and months away. We were initially just high on the feeling of being ‘allowed’ to enter our ramshackle team. Like a couple of 16 year olds in their first 2 minutes inside the their first nightclub. What now ?
In our last post Alex wrote about the rising fear building nicely in our guts as reality set in and we tried to ‘train’ hand in hand with our daily lives, jobs, families and responsibilities. The clock was starting to tick loudly.
I personally had a belter of a work-related Christmas season. My training commitment went as far as still riding the commute home after a few festive ones at lunch – 3 days running. I did find a new challenging route home with a great steady, grind of a climb. I’m pretending my old Norco is a single speed (gears may not shift anyway) and it seems to be helping. My beautiful baby girl, Zara, was born on the 1st of November, and I didn’t get near my dually for at least 6 weeks.
Malcolm wasn’t faring as well. Faced with a long car commute daily, he hadn’t been able to ride much during the week . The odd spin session at a nearby gym was barely making a dent. Malcolm’s first little baby boy, Callum, was born 6 days after Zara, and his household quickly took on the strange elated, yet stunned and exhausted state that new parenthood brings.
Up in coastal NSW, to us anyway, Alex seemed to be preparing well. His training plan had wisely kept his pre TA family to one child. However, his wife had returned to work and during the week they commenced the great juggle, shuffle and get through game. His blessing seemed to be his proximity to Ourimbah and a few enduros with his local crew.
The Christmas break presented a great opportunity – ride, fat arse, ride. And the rare opportunity for us to all do it together. We planned a session at the You Yangs that mimicked the recent Yowie but midway through Alex lost first part of his rear derailleur cage and then the entire assembly. Although disappointed with the carnage inflicted on Alex’s newish piece of hardware, this presented a great opportunity for a real world, stuck in the middle of the bush, Terra Australis simulation.
We cleverly removed all excess metal bits - the rear derailleur – shortened the chain and made ourselves a single speed. We quickly realised we needed more tools, tape, parts, zip ties and mechanical knowledge to know what to do with it all. On the plus side, Alex rode like an animal on his one-of-a-kind single speed Cannondale for the rest of the day and we also got to test out some team work, a different pace and some positive words of encouragement. 
On the home front, for the two of us in Victoria with newborns, we are on the rollercoaster of sleepless nights and trying to find some kind of household rhythm. My wonderful wife and I have decided to add an extra layer of complexity to all of that by attempting to toilet train our 2 year old. Cramming as many sneaky rides in as possible and searching for hills to run intervals up. There is a job to do, and we are getting serious. To aid this seriousness, we decided we needed a catalyst in our training regime. So in a moment of sheer madness we have entered the Otway Odyssey 100km race (ride for us).
Getting serious. Or even more stupid.
If you are thinking of entering the Terra Australis and haven’t yet, just do it. You will regret it if you don’t.15 December, 2008
Fear is a powerful motivator! With less than 4 months til the TA, the fear of not being ready grows steadily by the day. It’s not fear of not being competitive, because the experience isn’t about winning (because let’s face it, we haven’t got a hope!) the experience is about getting together with the lads and a bunch new friends to spend a week blasting ‘round on bikes in the bush. The fear is mostly about not being fit enough to really enjoy the experience. We accept that at times it’s going to hurt, but it’s a fear that you might blow up after day 1 and simply ‘survive’ the rest of race. It’s not about leading up every climb, it’s more about being fit enough to find ‘a little bit more’ to chase the rider in front up the last pinch knowing you’ve only got a sweet flowy downhill run into the finish.
To an extent it’s a fear of the unknown. We’ve all been riding for a few years now, but time on the bike is largely dictated by family & work commitments and rarely extends to more than few hours a week. Ride distances average 30k’s give or take. Knowing that the shortest stage in the TA is 51k’s and that we need to be prepared to string a few long days together is frankly, a bit scary.
Given that there isn’t heaps of spare time for training– especially now with XMAS only a few weeks away – training consists of whatever physical activity you can squeeze in. Commuting to work on the days you’re not doing the childcare run. Going for a jog with the dog after dinner is done and kids are in bed. Hitting the gym for a session on the trainer during that precious lunch break. Weekends and understanding wives provide a critical opportunity for quality time in the saddle. Aside from reminding you why you love riding bikes, weekend rides are a frighteningly useful indicator of whether any of your other “training” is making an ounce of difference. Knowing that you’ve shaved a minute off your previous best lap or cresting that climb you hate without grabbing granny provide the motivation needed to fill any spare time with activity which has the off-chance of making you just that bit faster than the weekend before.
What takes away some of the fear is the knowledge that for us there’s not a lot to lose. There are no expectations of a podium finish, no times to beat, very little pressure other than to keep up with your partner on the stage. You’re there for the experience of being part of the inaugural running of what will no doubt prove to be a benchmark MTB event. You’re there to share sweet single track (and the odd sherbet) with MTB pros and fellow weekend warriors in some of the most beautiful country this scorched brown land has to offer. I’m predicting we might need to remind ourselves of this once or twice during the ride!14 October, 2008
We don’t really know how it started. We were supposed to have a lazy week or so away in the wonderful alpine north east of Victoria over Christmas. Approaching, or just past 30. Coupled up, engaged or already married. Already paying intimidating mortgages, or looking to find one. Mid sections getting soggy and regular sport a distant memory of our teens. We were planning on floating down the river on inner tubes, spending our afternoons cooking, stubbies in hand and wine on ice for ‘ron. La dolce vita. The sweet life.
But someone suggested we throw in the bikes. Just in case we got bored. We all had mountain bikes hidden away somewhere. A spray painted frame that was big in the early 90’s with orange tyres, an off the shelf $500 Norco and a yellow and black thing with a sticker that read : ‘Not for offroad use’. It was 40 degrees; we found some fire trails amongst a pine plantation. We found some hills. And we found a thrill.
Five years later, it shows no sign of stopping. The yellow and black thing got sold to some mug on eBay. The spray painted frame at a garage sale and the Norco switched to commuting duties. It’s wheels hopelessly buckled, it’s front suspension long seized , it’s components falling to pieces, but it’s frame as strong as ever. They were all joined mid way by a rather flash Gary Fisher steel frame from the mid nineties. Together this ramshackle group of rides hooked us on this thrill.
At first we just mapped out silly distances on fire trails. But then we found single track. We found Lysterfield. We found the You Yangs. We found Woodend, and the Great Dividing Trail. We convinced the girls that we should spend an Easter at Apollo Bay. Sun, sand, cafes and shops. And Forrest just out the back door.
Our first rides have been upgraded. All day trail machines. The front forks actually have give in them. We can actually stop when we want to. The rears float on full suspension glory. Gears change when they are supposed to. And the accessories. We’ve upgraded helmets, hydration packs, shoes, gloves, jerseys, shorts, tools. New car purchases have new criteria, bike lugging ability. Magazines litter our households, and dominate our discussions. New gear, new trails, new tips, new stories and new plans.
And we heard about this thing called racing. Enduros, you can do them as a team. Our first couple of races were all about survival. We just wanted to get through. Final laps marred with exhaustion, bloodied knees and cramping uncontrollably in blackberries as real riders whizzed past. Now we will grab any ring-in to fill out the numbers. Diabetes? Been on a tropical holiday for a month? Feeling unfit? – No worries, you’ll be right. We will get you through.
Newly wed couples have become new parents. 20’s turned into 30’s. New responsibilities mean time is now precious, for all parts of these new families. Careers are demanding. Mortgages remain intimidating. But the thrill is there to keep it all together. The smell of the great Australian bush, packed earth beneath your tyres, chest heaving as you lean into any corner you can find, childish smile from ear to ear.
And so we turn to the Terra Australis.
Before we can dream of the challenge, we have to dream of having permission. In our own professions, we are successful and talented men. We are specialists in sales, distribution, marketing and product management. Specialists in our industries of money, food and hardware. The full force of our experience is mobilised. Meetings are held. Strategies assembled. Positions are negotiated. Alliances are formed. Communications are disseminated. And despite the impending birth of two more babies, permission is somehow granted. So know we can turn our mind to thrill ahead. Our weekend ride gone feral. Our biggest challenge and our biggest extravagance. The Terra Australis.
We are Jon, Alex and Malcolm. We are ordinary blokes with strong, patient and understanding wives. We are fathers and a father-to-be. We are proud mug punters who like riding mountain bikes. And together we are going to ride the Terra Australis.
Join us as we plan, plot and prepare for this epic ride.
