Rage, Rage...so much Rage

So that's the Rage done and dusted!

Chris and I were better prepared mentally, hugely more prepared physically and APPARENTLY were riding a much better prepared bike....well as the saying goes -two outta three ain't bad!

so what went wrong? did we fail physically?...hell no; we were machines! did we fail mentally?....hell no!...we are still mental! Yuppers; the bike failed!(#$*^&! thing!)

After taking the bike in for a pre-race tune, lube and chain replacement we had a little leg turner before the race during which time we could hear a slight click in the gearings...but figured it was the new chain bedding in....wrong!

At 9am, with "Somewhere over the rainbow" blasting out of huge speakers we set off on the Rainbow Rage from a side road which runs parallel to Rainbow Road before joining up with it at about the 3k mark.. Some 140m from the start we encounter our first ford of the day...a little stream into which we treddled -leaving behind a huge bottleneck of riders and clearing the road ahead of us...but something in that water and something in the "new?" chain didn't agree with each other and the gears went downhill from there...buggar! some tinkering with the cable at the shifter end by Chris had it settle down a little but at the 30k mark we decided to take a look as the sounds that the chain was making as it rolled through it's revolution were becoming very sic sounding.

Chris quickly identified the issue -a very stiff chain link...how stiff?....well Chris couldn't move it without putting huge amounts of force into it! Equally as quick Chris came up with a solution...release the link pin with the chain breaker...then put it back in; this seemed to work and the chain began to run more freely without making chewing noises...we were off again!

Now was our time...a nicely moving chain, nice warm weather and a reasonable road...we were flying along, quickly picking up those cyclist who had passed while we made our repairs...this was our day now........Not!

some 20k on -not long before our big climb up Island Saddle, the chain was again making disgusting noises and we chose to stop and take another gander...lucky we did! The pin that Chris had tweaked was working itself out(This is a new chain apparently!)....what to do now. After our chain repair exercise following our last Rapaki training ride we knew what a shit of a job splitting the chain was going to be -but Chris had ensured that we were carrying a quick link(These things are great...two bits of a chain link that clip together and remove the need to faff about with the link pins) Decision made...Chris whipped out the stiff link and inserted the gold quick link...about 30mins all up I figure..but with the application of some borrowed lube the chain sounded wonderful!

This did however put us at the bottom of the Island Saddle climb with a well working bike...well; well enough if you remove both Chris and my apprehension about the amount of pressure we could put into the pedalling given that we were riding on what can only be described as the mountain bike equivalent of the space saver spare tyre!

But onwards and upwards...

After a brief stop to refill our water we began the climb in earnest. Now we had been told that there was no shame in walking up Island Saddle ..and I'm not sure that there was anyone actually riding up it when we opted to join the walkers -having ground our way up the first km or so...so walk we did and personally I'm glad we made that decision. The climb is long, gradual and unforgiving -think of Rapaki but about two times as long -if not more. At the top we took a quick rest to allow calf muscles a chance to relax, food to be consumed and minds to be prepared for what was reported as being a downhill course to the finish(some 42 odd k's.)

ON the bike and racing now! Whistling down Island Saddle we were quickly reminded of the speed that the tandem can achieve..quickly! We were flying, blasting past riders who were pedalling as we cornered under brakes..yes we passed people while braking -that's how quick the tandem goes, and that is without us turning the pedals for anything other than to clear the inside corner!

50kmph off the bottom of the Saddle downhill and grinding along at that speed for about 2k before hitting what can only be described as rapid 2 inch judder bars...braking corrugations that began to shake my legs, then my core...before wobbling my helmet due to their regularity and our speed ...but we were in our element now.

The forecast Southerly began to pick up and we found ourselves riding into quite a stiff breeze from about 35 k out from the finish...then the temperature dropped and the rain came, went and then came again.... 20k out...our last quick butt break and a chance to get some more food in without choking and we were into the homeward stretch...

Time began to pass quickly from here on in...but the k's dribbled by...we were doing the same work, covering the same ground with each pedal stroke but we were knackered..and it made each Km feel like 10...and then it was time to climb Jacks pass!

Up, up we went...Chris reporting that the low cloud was getting closer and closer ...and then up and up we went into the low cloud.... I said we were physically better prepared -and we were. I'm so rapt with the way we climbed Jack's Pass...no groaning, no screaming...just grind grind grind and without too much worry we rolled over the top.

then it was down, down down...brakes progressively screaming more and more as Chris fought with the bike to keep us at a controllable speed...but after what seemed like 30k(it was only 1.5 or so probably) we were off Jacks Pass and into the finish line.

Our time? Just on 7 hours by the recorded transponder...but just under 6(5:58) by the bike computer!

So after being riding for nye on six hours and spending an hour stationary doing repairs we had completed the Rainbow Rage...and in much better condition than we were at the end of the Molesworth Muster -which is some 20km shorter!

What next? A rest! Oh and a visit with Vaughn at the bike shop to ask if the chain was indeed new and to suggest he take some time to consider where he might like me to place the chain!!!

All in all ...a great event and I'm hugely happy with the way in which Chris and I dealt with the physical aspect of it....Keep an eye out for us..we'll be on the tracks again soon!

A little music, maestro

It seems every time we make a change to the bike, we add some weight. When I commute, I like to listen to my iPod (although it's switched off when I'm in traffic) and I thought a small upgrade to the tandem might be in order to allow us to enjoy some music while we ride. Then I found the perfect tandem music solution! Yes, it adds some weight, but we're used to that.

What could be better? Imagine doing some hairy singletrack downhill sections while Logan taps out "a bicycle built for two" or maybe we could ride and busk at the same time, hopefully raising enough money to buy Logans kidney back.

Normal service will resume shortly...

Knocked the bastard off

Some comments have been made about how quiet it's been on the blog since Logan's 'last will & testament' posting. Did we expire on our way up the hill? Did we expire on the way down? Broken limbs? Hospitalisation? Chopper rescue? Or, maybe, did we not even do it? Well, sadly the latter is the truth. The fateful Sunday rolled around and one of us (Logan) was too unwell to participate in the activity planned. Maybe it was too much wine the night before, maybe it was too much time spent out partying, but whatever the reason, only one of us went riding that day.

Yep, I did it alone. I met a friend at the top of the Rapaki Track and we did some sweet singletrack riding in the sunshine and wonderful weather the day provided. While descending the Captain Thomas Track I managed an endo and was landed on by my companion (who did the same thing in the same spot) and a short time later was waist-deep in blackberry bush after another mistimed corner. So, I figured with scarred leg and broken spoke and flat tyre I was sufficiently punished and ready for another training week and belated hill climb.

Tuesday: We attached the new cycle computer with cadence counter to the bike (much cursing and swearing) and went for a test-spin that evening. All systems go! Not many k's but a good little leg turner.

Thursday: A trip to McLeans Island, along the riverbank, 2 x laps, then back again. Some good k's (about 55km) and some good speeds - we were advised by a chap hooning on the riverbank we were doing 35kph. He was impressed, we had a speedo and so it was old news. Still, not bad pace for the both of us to be able to maintain.

Saturday: The day. Hill day. Time to repeat the trek we last tried in November of last year - tandem up Rapaki Track, then do a bit of road/hills, then home again.

10am, we set off. Weather was quiet, slightly cool, but perfect for riding. We rode the train tracks and park and some road (only one wrong turn) and before long were at the foot of the hill. We spun up the tarseal section, stopping only briefly to help the chain to the smallest ring, and attacked the track. Through the first gate, up the track, through the second gate and still going well. We pushed up the new smooth surface for a while, but had a small pause about halfway up the first hill. The short pause was enough to rest the legs (hey, we'd done over 15km just to get to this point!) and we started on again. This push got us to the top of the first hill, through the third gate and down the small descent ready to tackle the next half of the climb. We hit it and were spinning well, in the groove, and thankful we didn't bring jackets as it was getting warm now. We almost made it to the top before we had to stop for another small breather, then pushed for the summit. More spinning, more panting, more sweating and we reached the top! Goal achieved! Yea baby yea!

So, on we went, up to Castle Rock, down the other side, up under the gondola to the top of the hill. We were at 26km and decided that aches and pains were not going to get any better by riding up more hills, and so far it had been mostly uphill! We turned tail and headed back, knowing it was going to be mostly downhill in this direction so we were happy and ready for the journey. And plain sailing it was, we only had one climb, back up Castle Rock, and then were heading down Rapaki Track at a moderate/high speed. Trouble was first dealt at the halfway point of the descent where the level bit required a gear change and we gunged the chain. With a couple of twists, we got it back on but while preparing for the second part of the hill, it was jumping and skipping and making awful noises. We did the descent all the way to the bottom and jumped off to check the chain. Turns out there was a very bent link in it. So, out came the chain breaker, and we hacked a couple of links out of the chain on the side of the road (yay for it not raining) then put it back together again. This is a task that requires 5 hands to achieve, but eventually completed. I'm buying a magic chain link so future incidents don't leave us on the side of the road for almost an hour fighting with stupid chains!

We trundled home, arriving at about 2pm, and about 2 hours of that actually moving, the rest panting or repairing. We'll do a few gentle rides in the coming week, then it's time to rage! Yup, less than a week till the Rainbow Rage, 106km of alpine trekking madness in the saddle. We're quite a bit better prepared both physically and equipmentally than we were for the Molesworth. Wish us luck and we'll see you at the finsih line!

Hills and my will (& testament)

I, Logan, being of totally insane mind and body declare this as my last will and testament.... and it just may be!!

Chris has had some nuclear powered virus this week and I've been spending far too much time on that dammed static trainer! so, when the dreaded lurgy had supped itself on enough of Chris's bodily fluids and tissue, and he pronounced himself well enough for a ride I was rapt.

We stuck to the basic idea formed late last week (when will we learn) and planned a hill climbing session for the weekend.

Our basic idea was to drive to vic Park, ride along the top of the Port Hills, dropping down Evans Pass to Lyttleton, turn about and then ride back up Evans, along the top back to the car.... then doing it again!
But, could I keep my mouth shut? Hell no!
So determined on getting away from that static spawn of hell was I that I opened my mouth before I engaged my brain!
"Can we ride there?" I asked to which Chris replied "We could..but I hate that much traffic!"
...did I engage brain and bail out then?...hell no!
"so what about we ride to Rapaki, go up there..then along the top of the Port Hills, drop down to Lyttleton ..then back up to the top, back to Rapaki and blast on down there before turning the pedals over back home for a stretch out?"
.....to which Chris replied "Yeah, that sounds ok!"
Some mumbled calculations and we (Chris) worked out that it'd be a 60k+ride

I know I had some common sense before I started this mountain biking thing... sure not much, but some! I now believe that the sudden blow to my testicular region has knocked something loose - not my brain, but the last shred of logical reasoning that I had.... I'm now officially as mad as a sack of badgers!

see you up on the Hills!

Logan.

The Pros and Cons of Static Bikes

As you all know both Chris and I have been using static bikes to supplement our on bike training - some fricken genius told us they'd be good for us!!

So, these basic trainers (or more precisely put... these medieval torture machines) sit unassumingly in our garages... looking, to the unwitting victim, like mere bits of steel and plastic. It isn't until something (lets say... a training program) reveals the lethal potential of these cunningly disguised predators that one fully realises the degree of your own insanity for even considering using one!

Screaming, aching, groaning and panting - these things all describe my reaction to Chris's glorious sprint training program... but how would I describe the pain, the muscular ache, the rectal throb not to mention the buckets of sweat which I experience whilst IMPROVING myself on the static trainer.... umm..... Sheer Hell(that's the full fat, give me more sugar kind of Hell, none of this low fat, Ponsonby kind of hell!)

Sure, the benefits of this time spent training will result in less physical pain during the upcoming Rainbow Rage... but I've decided that there is no way the design for these things came out of a sane persons mind!!

These things are more dangerous than being an Indian shopkeeper in South Auckland, more painful than haemorrhoids the size of cannon balls, Less appealing than vomit flavoured ice-cream and more frightening than an internal prostate check done by a proctologist with no fingers!

Here's just two of the programs Chris and I are using to build our fitness and strength -now anyone can totally disregard my warnings and give a static trainer a go:

#1 .Time taken - 49 minutes
15 minutes - warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity - 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity - 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity - 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity - 20 sec. low intensity)
5 minutes cool down

This program is designed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption (That is... it is designed to make you gasp for air!)

#2. Time taken -60 minutes
10min warm-up
3min (semi-high intensity)
2min low intensity
8 x (3min high intensity + 2min low intensity)
5min cool down

This program really shatters me -it gives you a big chunk of time at high oxygen consumption... let me assure you the breaks will seem far too short!!

So, there ya go... static bikes - training partners or satans work?

Time flys when... Yea right!

It's less than 3 weeks till the rage. Yep, on the 21^st of this month we will set forth from soft beds and comfort food somewhere near the top of the South Island and head to Hanmer in the middle of the island via 106km of rough as guts track with rocks and rivers and dreaded hills!

So, training continues... I'm still commuting daily by bike with the occasional static bike ride, Logan is doing static rides and together we're doing stupid long, hard or fast rides around the area.

Sprint training is a horror. Static training is almost as awful. Both make my legs scream as we do them, and my muscles ache the next day. Which is worse? Well sprint training is slightly better, but only because hearing Logan crying behind me motivates me a little more. When doing training on the static bike, the only crying I hear is mine. When we're doing spring training, knowing that Logan is suffering at least as much as I am gives me added strength.

So, last week we did the sprint training; just over an hour with 30km+ distance and 7 sprints thrown in. Awful, just awful. Today however was a nice, peaceful ride to and around Bottle lake. It was warm, and wet, but mostly clean, and there have been repairs to the track, so areas which normally ate the tandem were easily ridden. A nice day out.

It speaks volumes that way back when we started riding together, a ride through the singletrack of Bottle lake would have scared the crap out of me, and left me drained and exhausted. Now however, it's a gentle weekend jaunt, a ride we do just to turn the legs over. The 8km-each-way leg is just a warm up and cool down not 'the ride'. The 15km ride through the forest and singletrack is done in one hit, not in several stages with tea parties to break it up. We're chatting not gasping. We're having fun, relaxed and riding fast, not spinning in a low gear with every muscle tensed. It's good. It's fun.

So, why the hell do we sprint? Why the static bikes? Why do we not just amble through the countryside, splashing through the occasional puddle and having a jolly old time? Because that's not why we started doing this in the first place. Any man and a monkey can ride a tandem, but it takes a certain amount of lunacy to do it fast, to do it on a mountain bike and to do it up and down hills. The pain we suffer now means the tracks and trails later seem easy and can be enjoyed. Each hard ride we do sets the bar just a little bit higher. Each sprint we do sets it up another notch. And each hill we take on sets it even higher again. Today's ride was a testament to that.

So, Rainbow Rage, I am ready for you mentally, and over the next few weeks will be making sure I'm ready for you physically too! We'll be doing hills, up and down, gravel, mud, rain, hot, cold, grass, sand, stone and more, so when that day does roll around in the very near future, we'll be ready, and we'll knock the bastard off, and head away happy and victorious!

Please note: if we fail to complete the rage, or have a miserable time, I reserve the right to delete this post.