To do K2 or not?

The Bach

Our big weekend away in the Coromandal, the misson: to ride the largest of the K2 hills (Kopu) and confirm whether the thought of riding K2 is possible.  The operatives:  include Liza (of course) and two mates from the support team, Carron (aka Camp Mother) and Christine (aka Jason).  Camp Mother has co-ordinated the perfect kiwi bach and provided a minimum of 3 bike routes for Saturday.  We travelled down on Friday night with plans to awake Saturday morning fresh and ready to ride.  Unfortunately the weather was not favourable with low cloud and misty/medium rain.  A quick look around the room Im sure we were all ready to bail, it was lucky we had made such an effort to be there, it just had to be done.

Carron and Christine at the Top

Time taken to eat a good breaky and check over the bikes, finally we headed away around 9ish.  Riding from Wangamata heading towards Kopu.  The first set of undulations to the turn off was fun, some mild hills for warm up and a nice we down hill.  Whilst we contemplated the Kopu hill, parked on the elbow of the road. Actually we were trying to convince one of us (not me) that the down hill would not be too bad despite the slippery conditions.  Perhaps it was not a great time for a milk tanker to go screaming by, especially since it took all the road (no room for a bike and rider) and highlighting the wet roads with its water spray.

Carron (red) and myself at the Top

We all headed for the Kopu hill, from memory only a 10k slog to the top.  Approx 500 metres from the top (actually I thought we had reached the top) hence why I likely lost concentration and had a wee mishap which saw me fall off the bike into the path of Camp Mother who had no choice but to land on me and the bike.  Lucky for us we were heading up hill so NOT a high speed crash but we did manage to score a couple of war wounds.  Unfortunately for us Mrs Jason kept riding to enjoy the glory of the top all to herself! How selfish :).  Anyways we dusted oursleves off and continued our ride to the top, where Mrs Jason came from behind and stole our glory once again!!.

Momento from the ride

Opting not to head down the other side of the hill we headed back the way we had come and decided to call in reinforcements (Liza) to meet us in Tairua for a spot of lunch, oh and a car which could take us home for a few beers and a competitive game of UNO.

We did knock off a tidy 70k and some of us even went for a run off the bike (ok I might have been kicking and screaming!) :) we followed up the weekend with a little 30k on Sunday with a ride out to Onemana and back.

Many thanks to Camp Mother, Mrs Jason and my wife, Liza for a great weekend and all your inspiration. Now whether to take on K2? Lets see what happens once I talk with coach tomorrow ....

Well oiled machine

So yesterday was running out of time to collect my bike which was getting a well deserved service.  I could see an opportunity to skip the 2 hour ride this morning, unfortrunately so could one of my support buddies, dam it!.  So they kindly collected by bike and we did an exchange later that evening.

Wouldn't you know it, I really enjoyed the ride this morning, you know some days (not often) you just feel strong.  I was even a little cheeky today and raced a few folks up a couple of hills (very small and short ones!).  I also tried to stay in touch on the downhills, got up to 60k on some of the short downs.  :) Don't tell Liza.

The bike is going like a dream, clearly in need of it's service!, although dangerous to go to the bike shop too often.  On Tuesday I had to drag Liza out before we ended up buying new tyres, which would have escalated to new wheels and then another cassette .... $$$$$.  Did you know that racing wheels on average are around $2,500 each, so $5,000 + tyres, tubes, cassette for back wheel.  To put it in perspective you can buy a very nice full carbon bike for $3,000 (thats an entire bike) Well Liza didn't know either until I pointed it out, she thought $2,500 covered the lot, which is bad enough in itself.

You know they do say the sport of Triathlon is becoming more popular with the older generation, thats because they are the only ones who can afford it! :)

Yay day off tomorrow, but don't worry I will be packing and readying myself for a huge weekend ride in the Coromandal as we test some hills and decide whether K2 race is something I could do .....

My support network

Monday morning and turned the "data" back on for the blackberry, I stopped watching when it reached more than 300 emails.  Instead I got another coffee and settled in for a busy day!.  No opportunity for a run but happy to get a chuck of work cleared as taking Tuesday off work for Liza's 40th Birthday.

I love my wife, on Tuesday 4.45am I rolled over, planted a kiss and wished happy birthday before slipping out of bed for a 2hour ride with the Quay St guys.  Awesome morning apart from the wind !.  Enjoyed a coffee then headed home for a quick shower then jumped back into bed. :) and to be honest Im not sure Liza even realized I had sneaked away.  A great start to a very special 'relaxing day' of massages and luxury lunch and a lazy afternoon.  Even my bike got a birthday surprise with a service from the local bike shop.  I pick it up today, Wednesday. 


I have realized I am no longer someone who can go train by themselves, I think it is because I am not so contented to be at home.  So lucky me, I have a support team ready to give me a gerry up! People who have a positive look on life and just happy to train with you. So although a took a break whilst on holiday I am back into it without mucking about.  Ride yesterday and today a morning run with the ladies and a blinkin ocean swim today (if I can end my work meetings in time).  Nice one all, Thanks :) 

Would I lie to you?

Enjoying rehidration in Noosa

A busy but enjoyable holiday on the GC (Gold Coast) staying at Mum and Dads apartment in Broadbeach, after a weekend in Sydney.  Check out the views from the apartment in the photos below.  Only a 9 day holiday but it did consume two weekends which traditionally are my key training opportunities with Saturday brick and Sunday long ride.  A total of 11 sessions missed, and I hear a very special brick session where there was a marrige proposal, congrats!!


Now as previously mentioned coach did adjust my training schedule, and I could lie and say I ran everyday during my holiday, but frankly I don't see the point, cos in this week (my first week back) it will be obvious that I have been a slack bum.  But I did do the shopping marathon, when Liza nipped back to NZ for a meeting.  Our friends did a 2 day solid shop from opening to closing.  And to be honest I was buggared!!

I nice break and great to spend time with everyone, and well done to those who secretly joined us and managed to surprise Liza, and special thanks to those who knew but managed to keep the secret.  Nice one!  But now Im back, gosh I need a holiday, a relaxing one .....

Looking up to Surfers Paradise

Looking out over the reserve to the beach

Holiday guilts

6am sitting in bed with a coffee and listening to the waves crashing into the beach, contemplating a run but continuing to stay in bed..... A good week last week although slipped a little in the final few days as I focused on getting work to a state where I didn't have to take the work laptop. Other than my honeymoon it will be the first holiday for this to happen in the sometime.  Instead poor Liza took hers and has had to race back to NZ for a meeting today.

A normal weeks training session at this stage consists of ...
Monday - 50min run, drills and core
Tuesday - 2hr road ride, 60min swim
Wednesday - 60 - 80 min run
Thursday - repeat Tuesday's effort
Friday - day off
Saturday - normal brick session, 60min of each swim, bike, run
Sunday - long bike ride 5hours +

This week coach has been kind and amended my training plan to include alternative swim, run days just to keep me moving but also to let me enjoy the holiday.  I know when I get back I will be back in line ASAP as I have some training buddies who won't let me slack off.

Another good start ..

Off to a great start for the week yay!....

Monday and again a mate popped in after work so I had no choice but to go running!, even Liza was able to join us.  We headed to a discrete local park for some running drills.  Not only do you look like a bit of an egg, hence the need for a discrete location, but they are actually harder than you think.  One of us (Liza) is not so coordinated :) hence looked more of an egg than some hehe.  Although in her defence it was her first time and we have looked like eggs for much longer than her.  The run was a good hit out, I was feeling awesome on the first half so sprinted to the turn around point, but well, not so cool as they both kicked by butt in the run for home.  I was the sad sack out the back. Buggar!

This morning (Tuesday) back on the bike for a 5.30am start (2 hour bike).  A few of us started earlier and raced out to pick up some ks, but duh we didn't realise we had a tail wind until we headed back to meet the rest of the group at 6am.  Huge head wind!!!!  Anyway a great ride, thought it would hurt more after Sundays effort, but once I was warmed up, not so bad. We knocked off a steady 45k yah!  Celebrated with a egg on toast at the Quay St Cafe.

Now about to slip into the togs for a 60min swim..... I see a 8pm bedtime coming on ......

First 100K + on a bike

NZ-Cyclists Sunday Riders - Im in Blue

It's Sunday, on the training calendar is a long ride.  So a mate and I are looking to join the nz-cyclists again this week, but unlike last week we plan to stick with them for the full ride.  A hilly 110k!

I was worried about Albany Hill but it seems that was the easy bit !!! Lots of undulating hills, take a look at the elevation below.  Happy to report I wasn't first but I certainly wasn't last - all the time anyway :)  Struggled the last 20k, I think Ridge Road was a nasty surpirse towards the end. Unfortunately even the Albany downhill was difficult with the gusty wind but still managed to reach 60K +, PS don't tell Liza she will only worry. 

Now one trick to having a fancy Garmin, don't forget to restart the timer if you happen to stop duh!!! So if you read the stats below it says 106K, but the agreed consensus is 110K in 5hours 8mins.  Based on the average of everyones Garmin.  I swear !

Was planning for a afternoon on the couch, but not possible today so it's 8.30pm and yes Im about to head to bed ....zzz..............