Race Report: Crowe Horwath Dalby Triathlon, 6 March 2016

The Dalby Triathlon is a fantastic local event which is well supported by the community and superbly run by a committed committee. It is a day that I always look forward to. 

Open Teams (750 m swim / 20 km bike / 5 km run):

This was a Dalby State High School team of me, Jason Caruso (Deputy Principal) and Charlie Ford (year 12 student). Jason had a smoking swim and gave me a good head start. I was very happy with my bike leg and Charlie finished it off nicely. We won by a good margin. The actual distance of the bike leg was a little shorter than advertised at 18.5 km and I managed a 26 min 43 sec time for this (this was my actual ride time, it was officially 27 min 12 sec with transition added). This was an average of 41.8 km/ h, which I am pleased with, given the technical course (left turn, right turn, u-turn, u-turn, u-turn, u-turn, u-turn, left turn, right turn). There was also a significant headwind on half of the course. 

The thing I am most pleased about though, were my power numbers. It has been a long, long (long) time since I have been able to produce numbers like that. This is hopefully an indication that I am getting close to being where I was before my two shoulder operations this time last year.

My ride also won me the Greg McVeigh Memorial Prize for the fastest bike leg by a local. Greg was a very keen Dalby cyclist who passed away some time ago. I am honoured to have won this prize:

Business House Challenge (300 m swim / 7 km bike / 2 km run):

This event is a lot of fun and is hotly contested each year. This year there were twenty teams entered; all representing local businesses. Dalby State High School had two teams and mine was the same as in the open event, except that Bronwyn Henschell (Sport / Physical Education - Head of Department) did the run instead of Charlie. All team members need to actually work at the business that is entered. Jason again had a great swim and I went full gas on the ride. Bronwyn had a very slick run and we managed to win with a couple of minutes to spare. I must admit that my legs were a little cooked in this one (we only had a thirty minute rest after the end of the open event) so my time was not blistering. For the 7 km I managed a 9 min 54 sec time (again, my actual ride time, it was officially 10 min 19 sec with transition added). 42.5 km/h average on a shorter version of the same technical and windy course. It was a great team effort and the trophy is now proudly on display in the school office:

Junior Event (100 m swim / 2 km bike / 400 m run):

The Junior Event was a big deal for me for two reasons this year. Firstly, because my new coaching business (DRP Coaching) sponsored the event. Secondly, my two little girls, Megan (8) and Hayley (7) were competing in their first ever triathlon. They were two of the youngest in the Under 10 years field and did really well to get through it. Very proud dad!

Credit to Paul Renner from the organizing committee for all the photos on the day.

Race Report: Masters State Track Titles, MMAS 3 (Men 40 - 44 years), 5-6 February 2016

Happy, frustrated, satisfied, dissatisfied, annoyed, motivated...all words I can use to describe the racing just gone. Allow me to explain...

Team Pursuit

We lined up with a different squad to the one that won the elite state title back in November (Rob Walker out and Matthew Sander in). Matthew Locker and Tom Galbraith completed the Bikeline racing line-up. We started on a fairly quick schedule and were looking good, when it all went pear shaped. Matthew Sander had an issue with a wheel that had pulled a little. He washed off some speed coming into a very windy bank and I was caught ever so slightly under his wheel (my stupid fault). This forced me down the track a bit and I ran over one of the pads at the bottom of the bank. These pads are supposed to be to stop you taking a short cut, but they are not supposed to puncture a tyre and crack a Zipp disc wheel, which is exactly what happened. On the aero bars at pace, on the bank of a velodrome, with a punctured rear wheel, is not an experience I would recommend to anyone. I managed to not crash, but the team was in disarray and went on to qualify last of the six teams. This was extremely disappointing. We were a realistic shot at winning that state title.

Time Trial (666 m)

This is an event that is more for the sprinters, but I have reasonable speed endurance over a minute so I was keen to have a crack. I rode 48.8 seconds, beating my time from the Omnium last November by a full second and snagging the bronze medal. I was very happy to get a state medal in an event not really for a slow-twitch enduro like me. 

Individual Pursuit (3000 m)

After a million rain interruptions (yes, a million, I counted them), we finally started the qualifying rounds. I rode a pretty well controlled race in extremely windy conditions (it was a block headwind coming up the home straight into the bank). I qualified against the current state champion and managed to put three seconds into him, in a time of 3 min 50 sec. I was really wanting to get a few seconds under 3 min 50 sec, but in the ugly conditions it was tough, and qualifying in the last round, I knew the time I had to ride to make the final so I was maybe just a touch controlled in the closing stages. I did qualify in second place overall, behind Robbie Reid who rode a 3 min 47 sec. Robbie has won the Australian MMAS 2 pursuit title before and won a silver in the World MMAS 2 points race in 2014. He goes alright!

Regrettably, the rain kicked in big time and the final was postponed. Robbie and I both lived out of town (Robbie had travelled from Gladstone) so the commisaires let our result stand from qualifying without riding off a final on Sunday. So it was a silver medal for me. The rain 'thing' is standard for racing at Chandler and this will hoppefully be the last time it happens as the new indoor velodrome nears completion. I think Robbie and I both had faster rides in us and it would have been nice to have a good crack at it, but it wasn't to be. I will take my silver medal though thanks! 

Scratch Race (10 km)

I was down to race this event, but as it was postponed to the next day, I didn't stay around to race it when it was decided I wouldn't be riding a pursuit final either. 

Bikeline Racing members had a great state titles also, with Rob Walker, Karl Morris, Megan Stevens and Matt Locker all coming away with medals. Thank you also to club member Laura Brazier who gave up her weekend to come down and volunteer by helping with the running of the event and by supporting her club mates - thanks Laura !

So there it is, two individual events and two medals. If you throw my Omnium silver medal from November into the mix it is three medal from three events in MMAS 3 state titles this season. Given that this is my first season back on the track for eighteen years, I have to be pleased with how this all went. I still have some physical deficits in terms of what I need to be successful, but my coach Mark Brady is doing a great job of helping me iron those out. My dodgy left shoulder is also still running at about ten to twenty percent weaker than my right one, and that hasn't helped at all in some of the high load situations you find yourself in on the track (especially standing starts). That situation is improving all the time though and I am hoping it is corrected before long. 

So what now? The calendar is pretty quiet for a while so I will get back into some basic training. The state individual time trial title is not until June but I will have a crack at that. One of my big goals for this year is to get my body ready for track season next year. I will get this arm right, sort out my standing starts and work on my power in the one to five minute ranges. Also looking to have a decent road season as a foundation for next year; something I was sadly lacking this time around. I am very keen to race the track state titles again next year and then the track nationals in Adelaide.

There might also be a state madison title to have a crack at with a willing partner...

Race Report: Rockhampton Cup on Wheels, 8-9 January 2016

Getting back on the track after an eighteen year absence has given me a lot of 'first time for a long times'. One of these is carnival racing and the Rocky Cup on Wheels would be my first track carnival for exactly twenty years. Rockhampton is my hometown so the carnival would give me an opportunity to race on the track I spent hours and hours and hours racing and training on under the watchful eye of Ken Tucker Senior (Reggie) all those years ago. It would also be a great chance to catch up with many old friends. To be honest, seeing mates who I hadn't chatted with for ages was probably the highlight of the weekend. But enough of that sentiment, on with the racing! I was originally in the program as Combined B but there were a handful of late changes with some riders going up and others going down, so I raced the weekend in Combined A. This was an absolute challenge as that grade was full of eighteen year old rockets who were in red hot form. There were thirteen or so of us in Combined A (this number did go up and down over the weekend).

15 Lap Scratch Race: A nice and fast way to start the carnival. Finished in 7th.

5 Lap Handicap Heat: I just followed wheels and made it into the final.

5 Lap Handicap Final: My group didn't make a lot of progress and I finished nowhere. 

50 Lap Scratch Race: This was an extremely fast and aggressive race. Only five finished and I was in there for 5th. Very happy.

3 Lap Handicap: My group didn't make a lot of progress and I finished nowhere. 

Elimination: Very frustrated with this. Was positioned well but a moment's inattention had me out in 7th.

Rocky Cup on Wheels 5 lap Handicap Heat: Had a good race after being forced to lead out and came 2nd (with $$ !).

Rocky Cup on Wheels 5 lap Handicap Final: Had a good dig at it but ran out of distance and finished nowhere.

6 Lap Keirin: The men's divisions were cut from top to bottom into groups of six and I ended up in Division 3. I finished 3rd, which I was happy with, given that I was almost put onto the grass at 200m to go (with $$ !).  

24 Lap Points Race: My best race of the carnival. It was supposed to be fifty laps but it was almost midnight so it was reduced. It was a very aggressive race and I ended up in a two man break with a young guy from Townsville. We were eventually caught but I had another attack (unsuccessful) with two laps to go. Ended up 4th (don't worry about the official result on the CQ website - that just shows where we crossed the line in the last sprint). Very happy with this ride and given how my legs felt I wish we had the fifty laps. 

So there you have it, a great carnival after a twenty year absence. An awesome weekend overall and I am very grateful for all the Rockhampton friends who came out to support me.

From a 'big picture' perspective, this weekend does give me some confidence that my return to track racing is on track (pun intended). It has still been less than three months since I got back on the fixed wheel and I am hoping that this weekend just gone is a sign of good results to come. I think my coach Mark Brady is all over this!

Me and Rockhampton rising star Bailey Goltz:

It has been a super long time...

It has been a super long time since I blogged. Life has been busy-crazy (cycling life and 'real' life) so have had precious little time. A few things to share:

Club Racing: I have only raced at club level twice since my last report. A combined handicap race on the Bunker's Hill Circuit (2nd) and a Twilight Criterium at Glenvale (5th). I love, love (love) combined handicaps and this is something that all three of the local clubs should be running more often. 

Australian Masters Road Titles: I was supposed to take part in the road race and the time trial in the week of 24 September. Regrettably, I had to withdraw before the start after getting knocked over by an especially nasty sinus infection. As well as working hard to recover from my two shoulder operations this year, I have had a very bad run of colds and sinus infections. Now we are in the warmer months I am hoping for a slightly better run. I am also in the early stages of exploring some immune system issues I may be experiencing as a result of prolonged raised cortisol levels. Prolonged high cortisol levels can suppress the immune system making you more susceptible to illness. I apparently have the 'triple threat' for this situation. Busy job + endurance athlete + wound up personality = raised cortisol levels. 

DRP Coaching: The coaching thing is going from strength to strength. I have a great bunch of riders working with me on monthly plans and many other people who 'come and go' on some of the other plan types I do. I am also very pleased to be finalizing the very first order of DRP Coaching kit:

You can order the kit here if you are interested: DRP Coaching Kit

Track Cycling: This is far and away the most interesting thing to have happened in my cycling world for some time. I have been keen to get back on the track for a while and am also looking for something to focus on in the warmer months. I purchased a beautiful Fuji Track Elite from iRide in Toowoomba and off I went. I thought I would throw myself in the deep end and do the State Titles Omnium for Masters 1 - 4 as my first race back. I really enjoyed myself and somehow managed to pick up the silver medal. I had a crack at the Elite State Titles Points Race a fortnight later. This was a tough affair. After picking up quite a few points early on I faded and pulled the pin a little after half way. The next day, Bikeline Racing rode the Elite State Titles Team Pursuit. This is what I posted on the DRP Coaching Facebook page after that event:

For the past couple of months I have been a part of the Bikeline Racing Team Pursuit Team. The team has been me, a current Masters QLD pursuit champion, a current Masters QLD sprint champion and a very keen roadie who was completely new to the track. My three team mates had never ridden a team pursuit before. Amazingly, we managed to win the Elite QLD Team Pursuit title yesterday. This is the classic case of the 'a champion team beats a team of champions every time'. I don't believe we were anywhere near the strongest team on paper, but we understood that technique, efficiency, aerodynamics and a well-measured effort, all combine to make a winning formula in one of the most technically difficult and tough events in cycling. Congrats to us!

Needless to say, I am very happy to be back on the track!