Leg 1: Mountain Bike, Distance: 40km Approximate climb:600m
We began at 8am, scurrying out of the woolshed immediately into a fully fledged blizzard, with horizontal snow whipping our faces and every unlucky bit of exposed skin. This made it particularly hard to see, pick route choices, and climb electric fences (RIP Glen). We elected to do the larger bike leg first to get it out of the way, which meant crossing rivers within the first 10 minutes. Withfreezing feet from the get-go, we knew the day was going to be tough. We pedalled along up the valley, with brief periods of beautiful sunshine glimmering off the fresh powder snow, intermixed with gales and falling snowflakes. We soon broke away from the leaders, only to realise that any navigation we made would be so easy to follow in the deepening snow. However this came to work in our favour once the Sneaky weasel gang passed us. Up the valley we progressed, collecting checkpoints and wiggling our toes between river crossings ( in one of which we had to pedal through ice). Our high point was around 1000m, so once we hit that we were happy to turn and leave the bitter, albeit beautiful snow behind us.
The rest of the ride went swiftly, zooming down the valley and back into the sun, collecting a few checkpoints and heading back into transition. We made a quick run through here and onto the next bike leg
We began at 8am, scurrying out of the woolshed immediately into a fully fledged blizzard, with horizontal snow whipping our faces and every unlucky bit of exposed skin. This made it particularly hard to see, pick route choices, and climb electric fences (RIP Glen). We elected to do the larger bike leg first to get it out of the way, which meant crossing rivers within the first 10 minutes. Withfreezing feet from the get-go, we knew the day was going to be tough. We pedalled along up the valley, with brief periods of beautiful sunshine glimmering off the fresh powder snow, intermixed with gales and falling snowflakes. We soon broke away from the leaders, only to realise that any navigation we made would be so easy to follow in the deepening snow. However this came to work in our favour once the Sneaky weasel gang passed us. Up the valley we progressed, collecting checkpoints and wiggling our toes between river crossings ( in one of which we had to pedal through ice). Our high point was around 1000m, so once we hit that we were happy to turn and leave the bitter, albeit beautiful snow behind us.
The rest of the ride went swiftly, zooming down the valley and back into the sun, collecting a few checkpoints and heading back into transition. We made a quick run through here and onto the next bike leg
Leg 2: Mountain Bike, Distance: 20km, Approximate climb: 750m
We hooned out of transition and started up the hill. My bike was making some really ugly sounds as we headed up, but we had learned from our mistakes in China, and I applied copious amounts of chain lubricant, and had no further problems. By this time the sun was out and the day was beautiful. We arrived at where the hill became steep with the Sneaky Weasels in our sights, so we gritted our teeth and headed up after them. Will Jones (a school friend of mine) and the “Over engineered” team must have been close on our tails at this point, as they had been the rest of the bike, so we were acutely aware of the competition and worked as a team to help each other up the hill. As the ride went on, we pressed on up some brutal steep hills, but the Sneaky weasel gang slowly consolidated the lead, until they chose a potentially risky but great shortcut by carrying their bikes up the rough mountainside. We chose the faster but longer route on the track, but their guts paid off and they broke away from us, and we barely saw them for the rest of the race. From here it was a simple ride in the warm sun back down into transition again.
We hooned out of transition and started up the hill. My bike was making some really ugly sounds as we headed up, but we had learned from our mistakes in China, and I applied copious amounts of chain lubricant, and had no further problems. By this time the sun was out and the day was beautiful. We arrived at where the hill became steep with the Sneaky Weasels in our sights, so we gritted our teeth and headed up after them. Will Jones (a school friend of mine) and the “Over engineered” team must have been close on our tails at this point, as they had been the rest of the bike, so we were acutely aware of the competition and worked as a team to help each other up the hill. As the ride went on, we pressed on up some brutal steep hills, but the Sneaky weasel gang slowly consolidated the lead, until they chose a potentially risky but great shortcut by carrying their bikes up the rough mountainside. We chose the faster but longer route on the track, but their guts paid off and they broke away from us, and we barely saw them for the rest of the race. From here it was a simple ride in the warm sun back down into transition again.
Leg 3: Trek, Distance:35km approximate climb: 800m
Flying out of transition, we ran at a fast, but sustainable pace along the farmland to the shoreline of lake Benmore, which we would follow for several kilometres through thick, sharp rosehip and around treacherous cliffs. I had elected for thermal bottoms for the race (in classic Taranaki amber and black of course) but Rachel and braved the cold in shorts, and it was only after we reached the end of the sea of thorns that I realised that her legs had been absolutely cut to shreds, and she hadn’t said a word. Needless to say we were all appalled but very impressed.
After slow progress over these hours, once we hit the open gravel road we increased the pace significantly. Along here, and on the upcoming hillside Glen really earned his stripes hauling the team up onto the ridge. At this point we had 2 hours to go, it was getting dark, and we still had an out-and-back to get control T3, a climb to T4 and the run to the finish, so we knew it would be tight!
The out-and-back long the ridge took 40 minutes, which was significantly longer than we planned for, leaving us with an hour by the time we got to the bottom of the hill at T4. This on the other hand went swiftly, and we managed to get up and down the hill in 15 minutes. From here we plummeted down the road and cut across the farm to the finish, where we were greeted by a massive heater, hot food and a chance to finally sit down.
We placed 1st mixed team, and 2nd overall, 15 minutes behind the elusive Sneaky Weasel Gang.
Flying out of transition, we ran at a fast, but sustainable pace along the farmland to the shoreline of lake Benmore, which we would follow for several kilometres through thick, sharp rosehip and around treacherous cliffs. I had elected for thermal bottoms for the race (in classic Taranaki amber and black of course) but Rachel and braved the cold in shorts, and it was only after we reached the end of the sea of thorns that I realised that her legs had been absolutely cut to shreds, and she hadn’t said a word. Needless to say we were all appalled but very impressed.
After slow progress over these hours, once we hit the open gravel road we increased the pace significantly. Along here, and on the upcoming hillside Glen really earned his stripes hauling the team up onto the ridge. At this point we had 2 hours to go, it was getting dark, and we still had an out-and-back to get control T3, a climb to T4 and the run to the finish, so we knew it would be tight!
The out-and-back long the ridge took 40 minutes, which was significantly longer than we planned for, leaving us with an hour by the time we got to the bottom of the hill at T4. This on the other hand went swiftly, and we managed to get up and down the hill in 15 minutes. From here we plummeted down the road and cut across the farm to the finish, where we were greeted by a massive heater, hot food and a chance to finally sit down.
We placed 1st mixed team, and 2nd overall, 15 minutes behind the elusive Sneaky Weasel Gang.
Things that went well: Effectiveness and ease of running tow lines connected by Karabiners, electrolyte tablets (as opposed to powder), importance of carrying bike lubricant, discussing team expectations and contingency plans beforehand, having different people towing on different stages, good communication about fatigue levels, had contingency plans for if we ran out of time
Things we could have done better: Worn better leg protection, made more comprehensive, effective contingency plans for if we ran out of time, wearing eye protection in blizzard faster transitions, coversealed the maps.
New ideas to try: ‘head for the hills tactic' -pumping out the hills first and finishing on the flat. This might have given us a bit more energy for the big climbs on the trek
Check out our path on my strava!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1176596520 (bike sections)
https://www.strava.com/activities/1176596524 (run sections)
Things we could have done better: Worn better leg protection, made more comprehensive, effective contingency plans for if we ran out of time, wearing eye protection in blizzard faster transitions, coversealed the maps.
New ideas to try: ‘head for the hills tactic' -pumping out the hills first and finishing on the flat. This might have given us a bit more energy for the big climbs on the trek
Check out our path on my strava!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1176596520 (bike sections)
https://www.strava.com/activities/1176596524 (run sections)