Training Log Archive: peterk

A welcome day off

Started understandably slow due to yesterdays big day. Considered just walking the course but I warmed up and continued at a resonable pace. Very clean except for 14 when I tripped, fell hard and had me wondering where I was for a moment. 14-15 seemed to be affected by magnetic deviation and a misread of the contours. The fence angles were all wrong and I realised I went too far right 1-2m error. Finished in good shape.

A quick reconnaissace of western part of the Lovers Lane area. Very different map to our other maps in a number of aspects. Steep spur gully terrain with quartzite scree with zones of granite. Add a messy mine environment. The mines department enviromental people would have a field day. Mostly open, but paches of scrub will mean some route choices to be considered.

The mining mystery is solved. The stone mined is quartzite with a green mica tinge. The stone is of poor quality as it varies in thickness and has irregular joints. The only use that I can think of is for "crazy paving". The up side is the mining waste has created an interesting environment for orienteering.

H3 - Splits

Event: (Autumn Classic) Peterdine
 

CTAWA 10,000(ft) in 8 (hr) Challenge Ride. Starting at Kelmscott Railway Station.

Climb 1:
Up Brookton Highway, then up the very steep Peet street. Cold morning not warmed up hit bottom gear very quickly. A cruel start. Up Chevin road (low level climb) to Brookton Highway. Back down the hill via Araluen. Smooth road, fast downhill, very pretty with autumn colours, no wind what more could you want.

Climb 2:
Up soldiers road past Churchmans Brook Dam. One steep section which seemed to be very manageable despite changing to the lowest gear. (It seemed harder on the 5 Dams ride) Up to Albany Highway to the Canning Dam turnoff. Worst part of the ride, as the road shoulder is very degraded and rough. Speeding cars keep you off the better bitumen.

Climb 2a:
"Small" hill on the way to Canning Dam. Then very fast down hill past the dam. Cross the river at the bottom at a sharp right turn (almost did not stop in time) then

Climb 3: up out of the valley on the same road we came down on earlier hitting high 50's which means it is steep back up. Managable but the last corner, before it flattens out, is a little steeper than earlier and has me out of my seat as I do not have a triple. I am starting to think that I am riding a fixie not a bike with gears. Up to Brookton Highway and over to Canning Mills road via Chevin. This where we get to have a look at Climb 5 as we storm down hill reaching a reserved 69kph. This area was severely burnt in the Summer.It is amazing how some of these houses survived. A few km round the base of the scarp to the base of Canning Mills East road.

Climb 4: Tough climb up Canning Mills East road - bottom gear - 8kph - sore back now - a psycological battle as much as a physical one - very hot now - I have wait to until the top to take the thermal off - if I stop I may not restart. A U turn at the top of the hill and straight back down at high speed. Passed a BMX rider who had been driven up half way cheated on the climb. Round the base of the scarp to

Climb 5: Canning Mills Road - straight into the lowest gear and into a rhythm - I keep going by focusing on any thing else but the climb. We see the tail end of the CTA group going down - along day ahead for them. The climb goes on for ever. Even when it shallows of I cannot change up gears as there is nothing left. Then through Rollystone to Brookton Highway and fast to the bottom again

Climb 6: Patterson Road - Carradine road. I have attempted Patterson Road before and failed due to short section of 14% slope. With no petrol in the tank and inadequate gears I bottomed out and pushed the bike up this section. ( walking was still hard work). My partner had a triple but still only managed it by zig zaging up the road, a dangerous occupation with 4wd's looking for an excuse to take you out. Slow up the last section around Settlers Common (no climbing legs left) until Albany Highway. Let fly down the smooth surfaced Albany Hwy knowing there is no more climbing. Very happy to get off the bike in the end but satisfied with the acheivement. How do they do those climbs in the Giro??? What we did would be less than a normal day for thes guys.

With rest stops all finished in under 6 hours - riding time 5:15

C • You're insane. 2

C • Giro 4

Started Slow and decided to take an easy day to work. Thrown out the window when passed on a small hill. Passed him on the down side and did not see the poor fellow again as I picked up the pace on the flat to +32kph

Left late in the dark and rode most of the way partially blind. I need a better brighter light.

C • Ah Bike gear an obession 2

Slow and slightly sore from yesterday, slight head wind did not help.

Some good +30kph sections and up to 40kph drafting for 1km before I bonked. Added some hills at the end for variation

Worked harder than normal, with some sharp sprints, need to build the base level of fitness

Very Brisk this morning (cold on the lungs) and not a lot of enthusiasm. However not missing the usual easterly down Reid Highway. Caught onto the back of riders passing but could not even keep up my normal average pace. Took the shorter option to Thomas Street to go up the steeper Kimberley street

Amazing what a difference a positive attitude and a slight tail wind makes.