Road Cycling 1:05:22 [3] 32.33 km (2:01 / km) +180m 1:58 / km
Put on some warm clothes then road 5km to Balook. Had a coffee then went to the opening of the Grand Strzelecki Walking trail that just happened to be on today. Stood around freezing my arse before jamming some brochures up my jacket and headed back down the hill to Loy Yang.
Road Cycling 53:13 [3] 21.46 km (2:29 / km) +610m 2:10 / km
Gippsland Road Cycling Hill Championships
I'd always wanted to do this race but first time it fitted in the calendar. I really wished I had have been on the road bike more than twice in the last 5 weeks though. The plan was to come out and test the course during the week but it was such crappy weather every afternoon. And I couldn't find the start so didn't have time for a warm up. Luckily there was a controlled start from Loy Yang, and a pretty cruisy ride to Traralgon South before the fun started. Course had changed this year to go up Red Hill Road, a much steeper, shorter option than the Balook Road. Probably suits me better anyway but I didn't last long up the front. The course climbs 600m total, but 450m in 7km with 6 spikes over 10%. It wasn't actually as tough as I remember but perhaps that's because I have a bigger cluster than previously.
I settled into 7th position. Caught back to 6th but then couldn't hold on when it flattened out. That was a bit annoying as I got left in no mans land for a the short intermediate descent- with a group of 2 in front, and 2 behind. Gafa and Justin took a huge amount of time out of me in two k's and we were together up the relatively easy last 3km to the finish. Typically I got out sprinted to finish 9th. But 3rd in Elite class- sounds pretty good anyway.