March 2011

Capital Punishment, Canberra ACT

by Chris Hanson

The weeks leading up to the Capital Punishment hadn’t gone the way I had planned. Missing the Otway Odyssey due to "Bloody Carlos" threw both my mental and physical preparation, although according to all reports I had managed to save my running gear and the paint work! Still not much consolation when all I wanted to do was race... I did manage to swindle a bit of time off work and ride in the Australian MTB championships in Adelaide; it was an eye opener for me to watch Downhill racing "madness".

Coming into Capital Punishment my plan was to go out of the blocks as hard and fast as I could and try and stick with the top guys as long as I could. Then once blown apart I could just limp home. It all sounded convincing in theory until three days prior to the race I managed to pick up a head cold after visiting Victoria. So race day found me standing over the bike at the start line, head thick, nose running, cursing the lousy weather in Victoria, and formulating a new plan: just ride and finish.

The start line was on fire road in the Kowen Pine Forest 12 kms outside of Queanbeyan, about 30kms from Canberra. The first wave of 50 rides where off at 7:00 and then at 4 minutes intervals after that until the 900 something riders were out on the course. The start pace was horrific so all I could do was sit back and ride too how I was feeling. Once in the pine forest and onto the single track I had my spirits lifted with riding on well groomed single track that was fast flowing and gripped really well under the bike.

The track was weaving in and out of the pines onto fire road then back to single track. This was the case for about forty or so kilometres until a very short section of sealed road to the first drink station. Then back into a short section of pines and then onto "Military Land" that runs behind Canberra’s airport. The track then changed to mowed grass paddocks with plenty of small tussocks to slow progress down and make life on the bike that bit hard. One thing that had grabbed my attention during the morning briefing was that you had to stick to the marked tracks on the "Military Land" as there could be "unexploded ordnance" which is apparently something of a race stopper... but overall the whole course was so well marked and well manned there was little chance of getting lost or taking a wrong turn.

King of the Mountain consisted of a sort climb up fire road to the top of Mt Ainslie then a downhill run to Majura pines. This was where the 50km race started. Once again the track was fast following single track using the most of the terrain features to make an enjoyable well planned track.

Out of the Majura forest there was an ‘un-timed’ section of course. Yes... un-timed section. Before the start of the race I may have poo pooed the idea of having a little rest half way through a race, but as I went over the time mat signalling the start of the un-timed section both of my legs simultaneously cramped to a locked standing position. All of a sudden the concept on an un-timed section didn’t seem so silly! The section needed to be un-timed as in order to get the riders from Kowen and Majura to Black Mountain and Stromlo the race had to go through Canberra’s winding suburban streets and bicycle paths... not safe for either competitors or mums and dad’s out with their prams if racing was permitted.

The un-time section was 9 kms and the only deal was that you had to get through it in less than 45mintues - any longer and the extra time would be added to your total time at the end. Apparently for the 2010 race the un-time section had no time limit, so few of the locals took the chance to go home, have a shower, massage, cooked lunch, sleep... you get the idea... then after a bit of R and R they just turned up to timing mat and re started the race to smash out the last 40 or so kilometres fresh. Not so well thought out by race organisers so they put a stop to it this year!

During my amble through this 9kms I noticed one of the guys I’d been riding with sitting on the grass next to his bike. Thinking something was wrong I stopped to render assistance. On stopping I could see a nice spread of food and drinks, just minus the picnic rug! Early in the morning he stashed a bag of goodies in a bush at the side of the road and now was distributing food, drinks and chain lube too anyone who bothered to stop (completely legal according to race rules). After running some lube over the chain and helping myself to a fist full of snakes I was on my merry way.

Approaching the timing mat for the Black Mountain section you come across riders stretching loosening up before blasting off to complete the last 40 kms. Black Mountain is fire road with lots of short pinches and quick downs with plenty of loose gravel making bike handling a little slack. At this point I was starting to catch up to the back end of the 50km rides. As you passed most did have smile on their dials, due to the very cool tracks. I was keeping an eye out for Kiah (out on her first MTB race) and was pleased to not see her in a heap on the side of the track! Out of Black Mountain and the track took a turn towards Stromlo, along bike paths, gravel roads and unfinished bridges that HAD to be walked across or you got yelled at very loudly by the race officials!

Then on to Stromlo and it was a case of déjà vu! This was my chance to use the force to its full advantage and it worked - I managed to peg every berm, corner, switch back, climb and downhill to post a quick time though Stromlo. Not quite enough to make up time on a slower first fifty kilometres and I finished the race in a time of 4:07, some 25mins off the winning time and 19th overall. Kiah finished her first mtb race without injury in the top third of the women’s 50kms field and Andy Barcroft had a great race on his new bike, finishing time of 4:32 and coming 10th in the veteran’s field.

Some things I’ve learn after riding capital punishment:

• You can accept gifts from random men in lycra;
• The amount of snot that can run out of your nose in four and a half hours is both disgusting and amazing;
• Canberra definitely has the sweetest single track in Australia;
• Un-time sections can have a place in racing; and
• I will be back to do this fantastic race again next year.. who’s in?!