October 2010
World Solo 24hr Champs, Canberra ACT
by Chris Hanson
Standing in transition waiting for the call up to the start line, all the big names have been called English, Fenner, Fellows, Waddell, Bell, Douglas, Van der Spiegel. Am I in the right place? There’s nearly no one left, finally my name is called out over the PA then the long walk up to the start line.
On the start line.
So what was my game plan? Finish!
There is a short speech from James Williamsons Dad in remembrance of James and the opening of new track in his name.
The start gun is raised and bang we are off! With 120 solo rides running the 300m to their bikes, the sound of cleats slapping bitumen is loud, but it’s drowned out by the moaning of all riders complaining about being made to run! Finding my bike is the next obstacle - there is a sea of colour, people yelling and because I was nervous racking it in the first place I’ve clean forgotten where it is! But Kiah is there, madly jumping up and down, so I’ve grabbed it and jumped on. A quick check of the heart rate... 180b/m... excellent... well and truly into the red, need to slow down and get it under control.
Go...
Out and away from the madness transition area it’s onto a fire road that leads up to the single track climb where the track makes its way to the observatory at the top of Stromlo. Riders are jostling each other and trying not to get stuck behind slower riders before the single track starts. The Observatory climb is well laid out with places to overtake on corners or the odd wild line if you feel game. The track is mainly smooth, hard packed dirt with the occasional rock section thrown into the mix just to rip your derailleur off if your climbing line is a bit off.
Every so often I catch a glimpse of the faster guys up the hill and think "how the hell do they hold such a quick pace, my heart rate is sitting around the 175B/M this is my lactic threshold"!? It’s so hard not to get carried away with the excitement and dig a big hole, so I start my mantra... "Race your own race. Race your own race".
The view at the top is awesome - it overlooks the tent city below - but there’s no time to take it in as a short descent follows to a fire road and then up to Wedge Tail Gap. The track has now turned to a rocky section with switch backs until I reach the top of the first section of climbing.
Go...
Now the fun part begins! Descending on Pork Barrel should give me some relief from climbing and drop the heart rate? Not really! Pork Barrel is a super quick descent which has me out of the saddle on a rocky, rough section of single-track. Picking a line through this is crucial during the day so at night I’d to be able to keep the speed on.
Half way down Pork Barrel there’s a sign saying "A" line one way and the "B" line the next, this is Slick Rock. I watch the rider in front of me disappear so I blindly follow (I didn’t get a chance to ride the track prior). It was a super steep drop onto rocks with another drop behind it onto more rocks. Indeed a very gnarly "A" line but it did save a heap of time and pedalling. Again I have to pick good line before night or there could be some serious over the hangers time just waiting to happen.
At the bottom it was time to take stock: knuckles white (check); heart rate through the roof (check); and drink bottle still in the cage (check). So I’m straight back to the business of getting to the top, this time on fire road. There is plenty of rocks, ruts and good steep gradient climbs that had just about everyone back in granny gear except for those mad single speeders. Several more granny gear climbs later there is the mother of all climbs which peaks at 17 percent. You do ask yourself the big "why" question at points like this! The "why" question is then answered - Skyline Plummet - a warp nine descent running across the face of the mountain with little or no braking required.
Crossing the down Hill Bridge it's onto Luge Track. This requires no peddling, just lots of breaking, fast cornering and out of the saddle action. Luge Track takes me all the way down to transition which is on a one kilometre section of the bitumen criterium track - the only section of the course my heart drops below 150. I’m then into the Dyna-sys pit area to load up on more food, drink, encouragement from the pit crew, and back out another 19 times! The total course distance is 20km with 500m ascending per lap.
I have a bit of a mental low point when I see Jason English and Mark Fenner cruise on by in the 4th hour just chatting away and not even looking like they have broken a sweat! I’m frothing at the mouth, dripping in sweat and wondering if I will make the 24hours! I’d banked on, and really expected, not to be lapped until the sixth or seventh hour. As the race progresses the pace does drop with the track smashing everyone mentally and physically. I’ve found a great rhythm for riding the whole course with, so my lap times are fairly constant. Riding the course consistently means I have to start taking rests off the bike though… just a quick five minutes!
So all in all I had no major disasters for the entire race and only some small set backs like a dodgy line in the 11th hour resulting in the back wheel not having the factory recommended number of spokes. My food and hydration was bang on the money, and truth been told I was very happy how everything turned out and my overall position of 12th in the elite men’s category.
A big thanks needs to go to my fantastic pit crew - Kiah, my parents and mate Jacci. Without a pit crew it would be impossible to do a 24 hour, because as well as keeping you fuelled during the race, the importance of the encouragement they give you at three in the morning can’t be overstated!
As an aside, for those interested in the heart rates, I tried not to take mine over 180b/m and tried to sit in the 160-170b/m range. Throughout the race my heart rate continued to drop, and at the 12 hour mark my max heart rate was 165b/m. The last lap of the day I was giving it everything and my heart rate was maxing 152b/m! I was trying to get under the 24 hour and slip out for one more lap, but it didn’t happen.
Next time before I ride Stromlo I’m going to ride up down the Cullen Bay hill a few more times and harden up so I don’t get off my bike!
Finished...
