Geekzone Cycling Thread

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2103 posts

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#3228354 9-May-2024 14:23

geoffwnz:

So, Faultline Challenge 100km. Epic day out. Despite earlier predictions of 8-10 hours, I ended up spending 11 hours 15 minutes lugging the Slash around every single peak in the greater Wellington region. Well, it certainly felt like it anyway.

Man that's a lot of ks on a Slash!! Well done!

I felt every single kg and mm of tyre using my piggy Stumpy Evo unsuccessfully for the Whaka 50. Virtually everyone else were on racing XC bikes. So I'll use another bike for it this year. There was no point needing the bike for perhaps fifteen minutes of the trail that dictated it over the four or so hours.

elpenguino

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#3228355 9-May-2024 14:24

geoffwnz:

elpenguino:

Wow, that's massive !! Well done. I saw some signs at Makara recently and wondered what it was for, now I know !

I could do it next year, but ahh, I think I'm washing my hair that day....

Thanks. Really happy with the finish.

They had 4 ride distances this year. 24, 50, 100 and 160km. Seems likely they'll have similar next year, so something for all abilities.

Oh... shame, I have a lot of hair[1].

How did you keep nourished ? I get starving after a couple of hours so how did you fuel the machine.

[1] reports of elpenguino having lots of hair are at this point unverfiable

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geoffwnz

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#3228361 9-May-2024 14:35

elpenguino:

Oh... shame, I have a lot of hair[1].

How did you keep nourished ? I get starving after a couple of hours so how did you fuel the machine.

[1] reports of elpenguino having lots of hair are at this point unverfiable

They have a lot of Hubs and aid stations. Hubs are fully kitted out with water, electrolytes, snacks as well as hot food and drink etc and you can have crew/supporters meet you at these. There were 4 on the 100km course. Then there are aid stations in various locations between those with water, I think electrolytes and sometimes lollies.

I carry a Camelbak with a 3 litre bladder that I topped up at a couple of the Hubs thanks to my crew who also had a selection of food that I'd prepared. Plus carrying gels, lollies and crackers.

With a few years of endurance events behind me, I'm getting reasonably good at planning how much fuel I'll need between restock points.

All that said, endurance events are definitely not for everyone. It takes a special kind of stupid to want to do them, let alone attempt them. :-)

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JPNZ

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#3228368 9-May-2024 14:49

geoffwnz:

elpenguino:

Wow, that's massive !! Well done. I saw some signs at Makara recently and wondered what it was for, now I know !

I could do it next year, but ahh, I think I'm washing my hair that day....

Thanks. Really happy with the finish.

They had 4 ride distances this year. 24, 50, 100 and 160km. Seems likely they'll have similar next year, so something for all abilities.

Whats the elevation in the 100km?

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geoffwnz

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#3228378 9-May-2024 15:04

JPNZ:

Whats the elevation in the 100km?

Garmin recorded 3400m.

So there's a good reason it felt like we hit all the hills. Mostly because we pretty much did.

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JPNZ

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#3228383 9-May-2024 15:23

geoffwnz:

JPNZ:

Whats the elevation in the 100km?

Garmin recorded 3400m.

So there's a good reason it felt like we hit all the hills. Mostly because we pretty much did.

Wow, thats impressive. Well done!

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Handsomedan

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#3228388 9-May-2024 15:37

Madness. I can't imagine doing that kind of distance over a week, let alone one day!

That's a big fat nope from me dawg. Hat's off to you weirdo's who can and do get into this though.

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geoffwnz

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#3228476 9-May-2024 21:36

Handsomedan:

Madness. I can't imagine doing that kind of distance over a week, let alone one day!

That's a big fat nope from me dawg. Hat's off to you weirdo's who can and do get into this though.

If you told me 10 years ago that I'd be running Ultra Marathons and doing endurance mountain bike events, I'd have laughed.

I could barely run/walk a 5km loop.

5 years ago my first trail half marathon scared me and was a daunting proposition. Now I quite happily will "just pop out" for a casual 20-30km training run without even thinking about it. Then I added mountain biking back in to the training as a form of cross training and remembered why I used to enjoy the events I used to do 30 odd years ago.

Turns out that endurance events is my happy place, plus the mental health benefits of the training can't be discounted. But I've never been "normal". ;-)

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geoffwnz

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#3247082 10-Jun-2024 19:35

So because I'm apparently a slow learner I've stacked up multiple endurance events for the next year.

October for the Taupo Ultra 50km run.
November for the Taupo Cycle Challenge 100km MTB.
Feb is some unfinished business with the Tarawera Ultra 102km run.
April wraps it up with the above Faultline 100km MTB but because that wasn't silly enough by itself, the following day I'll line up for the Faultline 50km run.

Maybe a rest week after that. :-)

So, in order to encourage myself to keep up the training even when the weather is not appealing for going out for an actual ride, I purchased a Wahoo Kickr trainer last week and plonked my old Mongoose DH(ish) bike on it. Connected it all up to Zwift and had a first decent go on the platform tonight. Certainly turns what used to be a mind numblingly boring training session into something more game like and engaging.

Aside from the FTP Ramp Test which, predictably hurt like a hurty thing, after three separate activities totalling 37km or so, still felt like I wanted to keep going and doing more things, but boy oh boy are my legs feeling it now. :-)

Definitely feeling like it is going to be a good investment where I can get more structured bike training sessions as opposed to my usual flatish river trails on week nights but I'll still be aiming to get out on the real bike as often as I can, particularly on weekends for some real hills. And since I don't like or want a treadmill, I still have to do my running no matter what the weather is.

Turning 50 next month and I feel like I'm fitter than I've ever been. :-)

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gjm

808 posts

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#3247091 10-Jun-2024 21:28

geoffwnz:

So because I'm apparently a slow learner I've stacked up multiple endurance events for the next year.

October for the Taupo Ultra 50km run.
November for the Taupo Cycle Challenge 100km MTB.
Feb is some unfinished business with the Tarawera Ultra 102km run.
April wraps it up with the above Faultline 100km MTB but because that wasn't silly enough by itself, the following day I'll line up for the Faultline 50km run.
Maybe a rest week after that. :-)

So, in order to encourage myself to keep up the training even when the weather is not appealing for going out for an actual ride, I purchased a Wahoo Kickr trainer last week and plonked my old Mongoose DH(ish) bike on it. Connected it all up to Zwift and had a first decent go on the platform tonight. Certainly turns what used to be a mind numblingly boring training session into something more game like and engaging.

Aside from the FTP Ramp Test which, predictably hurt like a hurty thing, after three separate activities totalling 37km or so, still felt like I wanted to keep going and doing more things, but boy oh boy are my legs feeling it now. :-)

Definitely feeling like it is going to be a good investment where I can get more structured bike training sessions as opposed to my usual flatish river trails on week nights but I'll still be aiming to get out on the real bike as often as I can, particularly on weekends for some real hills. And since I don't like or want a treadmill, I still have to do my running no matter what the weather is.

Turning 50 next month and I feel like I'm fitter than I've ever been. :-)

I'd actually be interested in hearing a bit about your fitness journey if you have a mind to share. Sounds like you have had an interesting 10 years.

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geoffwnz

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#3247222 11-Jun-2024 08:53

It's not overly complicated. Was suggested I start running after I was whining about lack of fitness and weight gain. So started with a convenient river bank loop that was about 5km. Early days were run/walk, slowly improving until I could run the loop non stop.
Still struggling with motivation I got pointed at the Tarawera Ultra 21km event to give me something to work towards. Added more distance to my regular runs getting up to 10km. I think even pushing it out to 12 or so including a decent hill.
Then the very daunting race day loomed.
Managed to make the finish line though blew up with about 1km to go.
Wasn't put off, so entered it again the next year. Mid way through I was running alongside 50km runners and got to thinking that if I can run this pace for 21 and there are 50km runners at the same pace then surely I can do that too. So the decision was made, mid race, to go up a distance the following year. See? Stupid. :-p
A calf ping a few months later saw some physio visits and the idea that adding bike rides into the training would be useful. At that point, instead of running to protect the injury and keep fitness progressing.
So I dragged my old 1998 Mongoose out of the shed, dusted it off, oiled the chain and started riding again. Found some nearby trails and remembered why I enjoyed mtb riding some 25 years earlier.
Spent way too much money upgrading the components to current gear because it was easier than getting stuff to fit the old kit. Rode it some more while getting back into run training and built back up to being able to run the Tarawera 50. It wasn't pretty. It was hard. But I finished and added "ultra runner" to my stats. And armed with the knowledge of what was required immediately wanted to do it again.
Plague hit, so I ended up with two years to train for the next attempt. Which was annoying because the 2022 event was only canceled a month prior. But by now was fully doing cross training on bike and running and had also entered a couple of Xterra Festival duathlon events, because why only race one thing when you can race both, one after the other. All of those got shunted a year so 2023 ended up with T50, two weeks then Xterra Wgtn, then two weeks and Xterra Rotorua.
Of course, I'd already decided I was going to step up another jump to the T102 before I even finished the T50, which, mildly disappointingly, despite two full training years, was almost exactly the same time as my first attempt. But it was more comfortable as far as ultra runs go.
Taha half a step back in time and the family had decided to enter various bits of the Taupo Cycle Challenge in 2022 and since there was an mtb section, figured on entering that. 85km can't be too hard right?
Picked up the Trek Slash mid year and brought myself into the current century with bike geometry. Way over biked for anything I'll ever do but I love being able to point it at whatever terrain and it just soaks everything up.
Forgot how brutal XC courses tend to be with what feels like near constant climbing and only a few short downhills by comparison.
Completed the course in 6 hours and change. Totally spent but happy enough with the effort.
2023 running as mentioned already. Plus add in Xterra trail series. Also joined a run club and gained a coach to help me plan for T102. Training was going well.
Taupō Cycle Challenge 2023 was a shortened 60km course due to storm damage. Finished that in 4 hours something with my Dad on his e-bike only 12 mins behind me. Yeah right, sure you're not racing me.
Discovered in January that covid is not a great training aid, especially only 6 weeks out from the T102. Much frustration and thinking later, decided to go ahead anyway on a try it and see basis. It would either work or it wouldn't.
Turns out it didn't really work. Still achieved my longest run in both time and distance at 58km and 11 hours. But DNF recorded.
Lessons learned and taken from that to next year's attempt.
A couple of weeks later, another calf injury meant running wasn't a thing again. That's great with only a few weeks until Faultline 100km mtb. Though originally I'd entered the 160km but after Tarawera, dropped back a distance. Proved to be the right choice.

And here we are at the present. More focused, more determined, using all the tools I can to get stronger, fitter, faster.

So basically, one doesn't start with an ultra marathon. One starts by getting out the door and doing *something*. Not everyone progresses from 5km. Not everyone wants to go to Ultra marathon level silliness. Pick your journey, set your goals, figure out how to achieve them. And if it doesn't go to plan the first time, learn why, learn what you can change to do it better the next time.
Life is too short for what if.
One of my mantras when the going gets hard is "What will you regret more? Trying it and failing or not trying at all?"

MotorDrive Rallying

SheriffNZ

671 posts

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#3247242 11-Jun-2024 09:09

As they say on the only positive social media platform (IMHO), Kudos.

geoffwnz: It's not overly complicated. Was suggested I start running after I was whining about lack of fitness and weight gain. So started with a convenient river bank loop that was about 5km. Early days were run/walk, slowly improving until I could run the loop non stop.
Still struggling with motivation I got pointed at the Tarawera Ultra 21km event to give me something to work towards. Added more distance to my regular runs getting up to 10km. I think even pushing it out to 12 or so including a decent hill.
Then the very daunting race day loomed.
Managed to make the finish line though blew up with about 1km to go.
Wasn't put off, so entered it again the next year. Mid way through I was running alongside 50km runners and got to thinking that if I can run this pace for 21 and there are 50km runners at the same pace then surely I can do that too. So the decision was made, mid race, to go up a distance the following year. See? Stupid. :-p
A calf ping a few months later saw some physio visits and the idea that adding bike rides into the training would be useful. At that point, instead of running to protect the injury and keep fitness progressing.
So I dragged my old 1998 Mongoose out of the shed, dusted it off, oiled the chain and started riding again. Found some nearby trails and remembered why I enjoyed mtb riding some 25 years earlier.
Spent way too much money upgrading the components to current gear because it was easier than getting stuff to fit the old kit. Rode it some more while getting back into run training and built back up to being able to run the Tarawera 50. It wasn't pretty. It was hard. But I finished and added "ultra runner" to my stats. And armed with the knowledge of what was required immediately wanted to do it again.
Plague hit, so I ended up with two years to train for the next attempt. Which was annoying because the 2022 event was only canceled a month prior. But by now was fully doing cross training on bike and running and had also entered a couple of Xterra Festival duathlon events, because why only race one thing when you can race both, one after the other. All of those got shunted a year so 2023 ended up with T50, two weeks then Xterra Wgtn, then two weeks and Xterra Rotorua.
Of course, I'd already decided I was going to step up another jump to the T102 before I even finished the T50, which, mildly disappointingly, despite two full training years, was almost exactly the same time as my first attempt. But it was more comfortable as far as ultra runs go.
Taha half a step back in time and the family had decided to enter various bits of the Taupo Cycle Challenge in 2022 and since there was an mtb section, figured on entering that. 85km can't be too hard right?
Picked up the Trek Slash mid year and brought myself into the current century with bike geometry. Way over biked for anything I'll ever do but I love being able to point it at whatever terrain and it just soaks everything up.
Forgot how brutal XC courses tend to be with what feels like near constant climbing and only a few short downhills by comparison.
Completed the course in 6 hours and change. Totally spent but happy enough with the effort.
2023 running as mentioned already. Plus add in Xterra trail series. Also joined a run club and gained a coach to help me plan for T102. Training was going well.
Taupō Cycle Challenge 2023 was a shortened 60km course due to storm damage. Finished that in 4 hours something with my Dad on his e-bike only 12 mins behind me. Yeah right, sure you're not racing me.
Discovered in January that covid is not a great training aid, especially only 6 weeks out from the T102. Much frustration and thinking later, decided to go ahead anyway on a try it and see basis. It would either work or it wouldn't.
Turns out it didn't really work. Still achieved my longest run in both time and distance at 58km and 11 hours. But DNF recorded.
Lessons learned and taken from that to next year's attempt.
A couple of weeks later, another calf injury meant running wasn't a thing again. That's great with only a few weeks until Faultline 100km mtb. Though originally I'd entered the 160km but after Tarawera, dropped back a distance. Proved to be the right choice.

And here we are at the present. More focused, more determined, using all the tools I can to get stronger, fitter, faster.

So basically, one doesn't start with an ultra marathon. One starts by getting out the door and doing *something*. Not everyone progresses from 5km. Not everyone wants to go to Ultra marathon level silliness. Pick your journey, set your goals, figure out how to achieve them. And if it doesn't go to plan the first time, learn why, learn what you can change to do it better the next time.
Life is too short for what if.
One of my mantras when the going gets hard is "What will you regret more? Trying it and failing or not trying at all?"

Handsomedan

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#3247248 11-Jun-2024 09:29

I ran once.

Just the once. It was enough.

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Handsome Dan needs to stop adding three dots to every sentence...

Handsome Dan does not currently have a side hustle as the mascot for Yale

*Gladly accepting donations...

geoffwnz

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#3247252 11-Jun-2024 09:33

Handsomedan:
I ran once.

Just the once. It was enough.

Everyone is on their own journey. You do what works for you. :-)

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Senecio

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#3247255 11-Jun-2024 09:34

I bought and Elite Suito trainer back during lockdown. Was and still is a great investment. No excuse now for not getting some exercise in and I find that it complements my running. I did a fairly brisk (brisk by my standards) 11Km run on Saturday morning. Sunday my legs were really feeling it so it jumped on the trainer and did a 1hr easy spin. Flushed all the lactic acid out of my legs ready for a good run yesterday morning.

I actually really enjoy Zwifiting in the garage. Of course I'd rather be outside when the weather is fine but there are some great benefits to inddor training.

All wether training. Rain, hail, shine, day or night
More efficient use of time. 1hr on the indoor trainer in a structured session is ~1.5 to 2hrs out doors. There's no coasting in an ERG mode workout! Also less hassle getting myself and the bike ready for an indoor session.
I have an old TV on the wall in the garage so I can still watch a movie ot TV show episode while working out.

If you're looking for a good workout that will really makes your legs and lungs burn in under 30mins then I can highly recomend the Calorie Crush workout.

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