2006 National Championships

Two weeks ago Mel and I took part in the National Cross Country Championships. It was a reasonable flat fast course a beautiful estate with a few small obstacles to navigate. The weather was beautiful, a bit hot if I have to nit-pick and MAD had a BBQ after the races.

Mel was off first in the Sports race – she had a great start but broken seals on her front fork (a SID race - order new seals from these guys) mean that she had zero suspension from about 4 minutes in. Mel finished 3rd overall in the Sports Women. Not a bad result for her first year and on a fully ridged bike!

Mel going down a fun section

Kerry going down the same section

She is still smiling too much - it's surposed to be hard!!!

A little later I had my start. The Expert race was four laps – Sport was two. I didn't start very well and crashed on my first lap. (Trying to pass some slower traffic :( ) On the fourth lap my legs were cramping up quiet badly but the end was near and I put in my fastest lap time of the day. I even got my first sprint finish against a Team Work guy winning by a second. I think I was a bit lucky as I caught him off guard :) Almost died after the effort though! I came in in 6th position which I was very happy with.

I think this is the VETs just after the start

It took all my effort to make the smile ;)

As usual, there are lots more photos here.

Sunset

Took this photo a while back out my window.

The MAD Rush

The weekend just gone by MAD were running their first proper race with the current set of members. Several months of planning and trail building left a course that was almost entirely single track with a couple of really fun sections. The aptly named Happy Valley was my favorite which was a chute into a slightly twisty (and very slippy with the rain) valley that had berms in all the right places to keep your speed up. I arrived home from the US the evening before (and then built up two bikes before getting to bed) so my race was basically total pain and lack of power on the ups (just look at my face in the photos) and fun on the descents.

Me entering the Happy Valley

Mel also got to race this race, winning her category, on her new bike that actually fits her – an S-Works hard tail. After giving out to me for a long time about my mens saddles she finally got a womens one with the bike – and guess what, she is changing it back to a mans because it restricts movement too much.

Mel smiling (too much?) on her new bike

The event went very well with everyone raving about the course, so hopefully next year we will be running an NPS :)

This week I'll be taking it easy ahead of the nationals at the weekend.

The last few weeks...

It's been a while since I updated my blog and lots has happened since.

First off I had the fourth race in the NPS series. It was held up in Balinastoe forest again. Unfortunatly, Mel was not able to race as she did not have a bike... (I'll come to that story soon) I pre-rode the track the day before the race in beautiful sunshine (It had not rained in about 3 weeks). Of course it had to rain all Saturday night and Sunday morning so I arrived at a muddy course. The race went quite well even though some sections became unridable. The descents were still great. [More photos]


The following weekend Mel and I took part in the Rogaine. It's basically two person team 24 hour orienteering event around the Southern Wicklow mountains. We were both well prepared kit wise so we happily set out on the long hike. I think that this, for me at least, was mostly a mental challenge. Physically it was not extremely demanding but it was hard to keep yourself going. For the experience, we slept out rough inside plastic bivvy bags for a couple of hours. We both finished well and conked out when we got back home. [More photos]

The next control was at the far side of the lake

Until we went to sleep it was difficult to get a rest because of the flies! We sat here for one minute.

Rain clouds were just leaving us...

Sunrise

For the last two weeks I have been in California on business (flying out the day after the Rogain!). I took my road bike with me so that Kieran and I could go out on a few spins over the long weekend (It was the 4th of July weekend over there). I even ended up doing my first road race when I was there. A Low Key Time Trial race over a 16km slightly hilly course. I enjoyed the race.

Wow - I want to be able to do this!

Found this on the Epic forums. Watch all of it, it gets progressively crazier!

Wicklow 200

Last weekend Mel and I got ourselves involved in the Wicklow 200. It's basically a 200km tour through the Dublin and Wicklow mountains with about 3,300 meters of climbing. Mel left about an hour before me (you can start anytime between 6am and 8am) so that she had more time to complete it and that we could meet somewhere in the middle.

The course was really nice taking in some beautiful mountainous scenery – a good chunk of which I had not seen before. I eventually caught up with Mel, who was riding my cross country bike with skinny tires, about 4 hours in. I was very impressed with that – I was flying along on my efficient road bike (got it two weeks ago – lots of fun - it's red :) ) and it still took 4 hours for me to catch her!

It was a beautiful day for that type of event – mostly sunny, not too warm and both of us really enjoyed it. The pizza and ice-cream afterwards tasted great.

There were photographers along the route – here are all the photos I could find of Mel and I.

The descent off the Wicklow Gap

Starting the Slieve Mann climb

Blue Steel

Mel after she finished

A couple more pictures from Spain

The view half way up a mountain before our first major descent on the first day

One of the streets in Bubion

Clive on a climb

The view up to the next village

Bubion, Spain

Last weekend I went to Spain with a group from Epic to do some mountain biking with a company called Switchbacks. The trip was amazing – easily the most fun 4.5 days of biking I've ever done. The weather was a bit dodgy when we arrived into Malaga but apart from that (and you can see from the photos) it was perfect – not too hot, just warm and sunny.

Bubion - the village we stayed in. This was the view from my house :)

Don (I think) descending the final section of a long rocky trail

Us after the first day of biking - the water was so nice and cold

All of us who went on the trip (apart from Clive)

Kieran descending the "Impossible Corner"

The trails where pretty rocky and almost all naturally formed. My favorite trail was the Cresta Run which was basically a 10 minute descent down a gullied bermed trail. Everyone came away from the trip (more or less) injury free with fully working bikes :)

Riding through a bomb hole

Everyone seems to be putting videos on their blogs... So, here I am going through a bomb hole at the Balinastoe NPS race. It's not exactly a 20 foot gap jump... give me time :)

Wedding in Germany

(The first post by Mel onto the Blog!)

Ryan and me went to Germany to my cousin Gesa's wedding with her long-term boyfriend Joerg of eight(!!) years two weeks ago. As my big sister and Ryan and me had booked different flights from Dublin, Ryan and me arrived first in Hamburg-Luebeck on the RyanAir flight and then were picked up by my parents to then drive on to the Hamburg airport to pick up my sister. So it took actually quite a long time until we arrived happily in my childhood home where my little sister was already eagerly waiting for our arrival. I had not seen her since last year September and before that for about another year or so due to her and me living in different countries for a while (she was actually doing an au pair in the States).

As lots of guests were expected Ryan and me had to sleep in the sauna house of my uncle which was not too bad apart from the fact that the shower of one of my uncles tenants was broken and this person had to use the sauna house shower in the very early morning... he woke us up when trying to open the door which was locked from the inside and I was so tired and confused when he came in I started to talk to him in English! "Was fuer ein verruecktes Maedel" he must have thought. Ah well, the next day saw the arrival of my brother with his family from Munich and so we were all together awaiting the big day.

Dressed in beautiful dresses and gown we attended the wedding that took place in a chapel in a picturesque little castle in the middle of a lake. An awe went through the guests when the beautiful bride went down the aisle in an amazing white dress. The ceremony itself was enjoyable and quite funny actually, especially when we found out we won't have song books and have to sing some songs by heart and therefore they quickly chose some common church song classics were everybody at least knows the first one or two verses but the words got more and more mumbled towards the end which was really funny and then the Pastor wanted to sing another verse but nobody else knew the next one, so the organ stopped as well – hilarious! Anyway, the rings were exchanged after quite a long vow and lips kissed and flowers thrown and pictures taken and we made our way to a really nice restaurant with a big hall which was tastefully arranged with red gaze laid over the tables. Ryan even got a specially translated menu card! When the 80 odd guests had finally all found their assigned table a few speeches were given and then the big feast began with an amazing starter plate of nine different little tasters followed by the main course of three types of meat with crocettes and different vegetables and after a break to let everything settle a bit we had an amazing ice cream buffett. Mmmmh, pity you can't eat more than your stomach can hold, it was sooo tasty! But I understand it's a good thing as well – the amount of cycling and running I have to do to get rid of all that again! Finishing off with a few schnaps to help the digestion, the dj soon put on the tunes and the bride and groom started the dance with a slow waltz and soon the family and friends joined in. The evening was mainly spent eating, chatting, watching funny acts involving an elch and a blue bear and trying to put a good figure on when dancing until about 4am in the morning when the sun started rising again.

After a good nights sleep (no shower interruptions – or at least non noticed) and some shopping in Flensburg Ryan was introduced into the first family tradition of playing canasta – even winning the first time round and into another traditional family ritual (eating LOTS of icecream). After a good nights sleep we had to head to the airport again (this time we all went on the same flight from Hamburg – my big sister, Ryan and me), but what was that: traffic jam from half way onwards! We actually cut it so tight that we arrived 47 minutes before departure only to find out that our airplane was delayed for 50 minutes anyway – ppphhh.... . And so was spent a delightful and tasteful (literally!) weekend in Germany.

NPS Round 3 – Lumpers

Last weekend saw both Mel and I racing again. It was on a course that was reasonably technical and almost completely on single track through the forests above Dundalk (there was a 5 minute fireroad climb at the start of the lap). The weather had been nice for a while and we went on a preride of the course on Saturday, it was bone dry and really flowy. The then rained for the next 12 hours...

What had been a nice dry course on Saturday had now turned in a wet slippy course just waiting for a few hundred bikers to make it super muddy.

Mel started first in the sports category. She was going to be doing 2 loops of the track. After about an hour of racing she finished in 14th position! (out of 23 who finished) Very impressive for a complete beginner.

Mick and Mel at the start of the Sports race (look how clean they are :))

My race started shortly after Mel's ended. Experts were going to be racing 4 laps of the now muddy slick course. After the initial dash up the fireroad the race turned into a parade through the single track as there were few passing opportunities and when a technical section caught out a rider, the whole parade behind also got caught up in the stop. About midway through the lap a guy in front me slid and crashed across the trail causing me to go over my bars too – I got up to find my gears and brakes in the wrong position. Damn it – my first mechanical. I calmed myself down, got out my tool kit and set about fixing (as I watched about 5 people pass me by). For the next two laps or so, I couldn't really get focused on riding properly. I was not very happy with the way I was riding and not very positive about the race (even though the single track was great). By the end of the fourth lap, I pulled back a few positions and finished in 9th position.

On the only fireroad climb of the course

Decending a slick section towards the end of the race. On Saturday, in the dry, I was ramping off this stuff

Overall, the course was excellent – I just wish that it was a nicer day. The rain didn't bother me during the race but it didn't entice me to hang around for the criac after the race. (Cold, wet, tired and covered in mud - a sure way to get a cold)

There are no more XC races until June 18th for us now, so it will be back to going on long spins at the weekend.

NPS Round 2

Mel and I were racing again at the weekend. This time we where taking part in the NPS round 2 which was been held in Balinastoe forest.

This is a description of the course:
Basically, you climb a fireroad, then a really steep fireroad, then MORE fireroad. Then left into some muddy single track. Then back onto some fireroad, then left into a long enough single track section - lots of ups and downs (by the end of the race this was actually quiet tricky as there where big slippy roots everywhere). Then a sharp right onto a fireroad climb followed by a fast fireroad decent. Then a single track climb onto some, guess what... fireroad climb. Then right into some fun single track that ended with a rollable jump and a bomb hole and back out of the forest to the start/finish line.

Mel's race (sport) had 2 laps of the course while my race had a grueling 5. My race started reasonable well. I wanted to make sure that I was ahead of most of the group going into single track (two weeks ago I got stuck behind people on the single track) I managed that but my chain fell twice on the first lap (I had to get off twice) which lost me a position or two. The other four laps went well enough until I crashed mid way through the last lap (damn slippy root!) but it was nothing serious – just a sore knee. I finished out the lap with some energy left with an overall time of 1:48 (something). That was enough to give me 8th position overall which I was happy with. Two races in and I've already learned a lot!

We still don't have the full results of Mel's race yet, but I'll post them when I get them.

Not many pictures this time, but I did find this one of me on my first lap (I think)

NPS Round 1 Mountain Biking

Last weekend saw both Mel and I make our debut in Irish mountain bike racing (UCI C2 event). The race was going to be held in Castlewellan (which is about 2 hours from Dublin, 1.5 hours from Monaghan). We decided to make a weekend out of it all and take a trip via the course on Friday evening to Monaghan where we would stay for the weekend.

Work and various other things meant that we arrived at the course on Friday evening quite late so that we could only get 2 practice laps in. The course is reasonably technical as far as cross country courses go but myself and Mel were happy with it (Mel hadn't actually decided to do the race until she say the circuit).

We arrived at the race on Sunday about an hour before Mel's race to find a dry track and a beautiful day. There was 34 starts in the sports (beginner/intermediate) category. The race consisted of two laps of the hilly course. Mel finished in around 1 hour 6 minutes (there was no exact times available for the sports) to finish 26th overall or first girl to finish.

Mel just before the race

At 1:30 my race started. The Expert field was around the same size as the sport and started off at a frantic pace. Unfortunately, I arrived at the start about five minutes before the start and I couldn't get up to the front for the start. This left me fighting through slower racers for the first lap and a half. The second lap (of four) was my worst (and slowest) overall. I really enjoyed the last two laps – my climbing felt good and the course was technical enough to leave a good smile on your face after the descents (this was important, because you were trying to forget the burning in your legs!). In the end, I finished in a time of 1 hour 28 minutes (40 seconds) to finish up in 12th place. My goal for the race was to finish somewhere in the middle, so I was happy with the race.

About a minute from the end

The view on the way home

The weather was beautiful, the course fantastic and the scenery was breathtaking. A very enjoyable debut overall!

Downhill photos from Sea Otter Classic 2006

Before I blog about yesterdays race - I'll put up a few downhill photos from the Sea Otter Classic. Kieran took all of these. All these guys where hauling going down the course - even through the muddy sections.

Finally, the World Champion on his run

Ryan Leech performing some trials tricks

Sea Otter Classic

Last weekend saw my debut US race (indeed, it is probably the first big and proper race that I took part in). It all started out not so well about 8 or 9 days earlier when I was Ireland. On a normal spin around Three Rock I fell off on a decent almost knocking myself out. A few cuts, road rash, bruised (possibly broken) ribs and an arm that I couldn't move was the result. First off, I didn't think I would be able to recover in time for the race so I held back from registering. A week later, I was in the US and just about able to mountain bike – rough terrain was very difficult due to the complete lack of power in my right arm. I decided anyway, that I should pay my $60 and enter the race. Second wrinkle – registration was full! Damn it, looks like I'll watch the events over the weekend.

Saturday came (the day before the cross country) and my brother was taking part in the road race. We drove down, had a look around and he went to warm up. The nice thing about the Sea Otter is that all the big companies in any way related to biking had stands. (Lots of new products where announced and shown for the first time at it) In addition all the big bike companies where giving demos of their bikes. My interest got the better of me so I decided to take a Connondale Rush 2000 out for a spin around the cross country course. On my way back, I nipped around the to athlete registration booth to check, just in case... Surprisingly, registration was open again so I could now enter that race – suddenly my spin around the cross county course becomes a little more important.

The Rush is an excellent all rounder bike – it's not as fast or responsive as my XC bike but it offers a lot more comfort and is still very pedalable. (It's target market is endurance racers). The course was simply amazing – mile upon mile of flowing bermed single track, steep short climbs, 100m long sand traps, deep ruts, mud pits and about 4 miles of fireroad climb at the end. The spin went well – I took my time around the course and watched out for good passing locations and particularly technical sections (there was nothing serious – at least in comparison to Ireland)

After the spin, I found Kieran who had came 5th in his category (cat 4) for the road race.

Sunday morning started at 5am as I had to drive 1.5 hours to Montaray for the start at 8am! Eeek. I warmed up and headed down to the start. The first mile of the course was on the Leguna Seca race track. (The one with the famous cork screw bend). The race started and a pack formed for the first section – a slow initial pace was instigated (I was happy with that) and we trundled along to the start of the dirt. Once the dirt came, the pace quickened dramatically – suddenly, there was no banter. The first half of the course consisted mostly of single track decent and short(ish) climbs again on single track. From about 30 minutes in to about and hour the race was very hard going – very steep sections and an aggressive pace sapped all your energy. From about that point out it became easier (my body got used to the pain?). Positions changed a lot over the first 40 minutes, I kept moving between 2nd and 7th, but my the time the major climbs started the aggressive passing ceased. On the final climb (with the onlookers shaking bells and cheering you on) I picked off two riders who apparently blew up – a final amazing single track section and I popped out onto the race way again for a long (very fast) right hander onto the straight with the crowds cheering. The finish was an amazing rush!

Coming up to the cork screw corner at the start of the race

This was about a minute from the end just before I cut back onto the race track – I felt grand at this point.

I ended up coming fourth in the race – I was very happy with the result given the conditions. It was a great workout and I had no ill effects after the race. The course was 19 miles with 3200 feet of climb. My HRM reports that my average heart rate for the race was 175 (highest average I've seen myself accomplish in an endurance event) with a max of 199 (again – the highest I've seen)

The whole podium thing was fun (most do it again :)) - there was a big cheer for Dublin, Ireland :)

Things that I learned from the race:
Warming up properly really works
In comparison to mud, sand is easy (and fun!)
Keep with the leaders – if your dropped, your dropped (unless they blowup)
Don't be worried about people with the shiny shiny bike and clothed completely in one manufactures gear (but are not signed by the manufacture as a rider), as they are all mostly crap

My next race is the first round of the Irish NPS on the 23rd of April in Northern Ireland and I can't wait :)

(I think there will be another post about the Sea Otter with photos from all the other events that I got to see)

London Trip

I've been busy this last couple of weeks and a few interesting (at least to me) things happened. I'll start with two weekends ago when Mel and I went to London. My friend Annie, lives over their so we decided to take a trip over to see her and get another taste of London.

The trip itself was a lot of fun. We wondered around the craziness that is Camden Town, went clubbing, went around a few of the museams as well as wonder around the usual tourist attractions. And guess what, over the whole weekend I didn't buy anything (as in clothes, stuff etc...) I think that must be a first.


As you may have noticed, Mel decided to turn her hair blue for the next few weeks. She picked up some semi-permanant hair dye from Cyber-dogs in Camden and went crazy :) It turned out really cool (I'll find some better photos when I get to my desktop) – maybe I'll have to do that some day :)

I'm in California at the moment and getting in a bit of biking – but that post is another days business. The weather over here has been terrible almost the whole time! It's like a bad week in Ireland - not what I signed myself up for when I came over :(

Tech related - I put an extra stick of ram into my laptop a couple of days ago and turned off virtual memory. (It's now got 1.25gig) It's made such a performance boost. Eclipse, Outlook, Firefox, Thunderbird, Open Office, Yahoo Widges... it was all killing the machine but it's got a new lease of life!