Old men and Zimmer frames

So I decided to race Masters category at the Mt Vic final of the Nth Island Cup (Nationals..)series yesterday. There were a few reasons. 1) I wanted to race for training. 2) I figured hitting up 4 laps at race pace was a good way to preview the course for Nic and help formulate her race plan. 3) Hisky needed some competition. and 4) We thought it might be fun to see how many Elite's we could beat on lap time average :)

After heavy rain overnight the track seemed like it would be a mess. The steep technical descents would provide carnage a plenty. So I went with plan B, the safety option. Don't use the bling race wheels/tyres. And sit in with Hisk to pace each other.

That soon went out the window. I got a lead, and 'ran away' to a good win. Good thing I did, as Hisky finally woke up and came back at me on lap 4 doing his fastest lap of the day then! As it was, my lap average was good enough for top 5 Elite, even though they had a dry fast track. So no need to call for the zimmer frame yet...

Different uniforms, same old story. Stuck together by the invisible bungy

Lap 1, and what were technical chutes in the dry, had gotten more than a tad dicey

Clear in 1st and abused... I mean cheered on.... by the infamous Oli 

Podium time with team Hiskys.... "wheres our medals?!" Too right Cohen, you tell 'em

For Sale

One Gary Fisher Superfly for sale. One careful owner... only ridden on sundays.....

The 2009 model has arrived and is waiting so this one has to move. Anyone interested flick me an e-mail cabinracing@gmail.com

2008 Gary Fisher Superfly - Size MThe ultimate 29er hardtail.

Race proven in NZ's premier MTB events throughout 2008. Light, fast rolling12mths old. well maintained in v good condition

17" (M) Carbon frame

Fox F29 RLC ForkSram

X.0 derailleur/shifters

Avid Juicy Ultimate brakes

Bontrager Carbon cranks

Bontrager Carbon seatpost

Bontrager Race X-Lite Wheelset (Tubeless) or Superlight Stans/WTB Wheelset

Choice of tyres

Wild Moa in pictures...

Thanks to Will Kelsay for the photography..... here's Saturdays Wild Moa Off-Road Tri in pics. They're all pre/post race 'cause we were too fast for pic's during the event. Seriously. Cabin even overtook the guy who was suppossed to be putting out the timing stands during the run.... and arrived at the finish to a half inflated finish arch; so just dive rolled thru the small opening instead!

Wild Moa Offroad Tri 2009

Mens: 1st Cabin 2hr29 New race record, MTB record, indiv run record

Wmns: 1st Nic 2hr52 New race record, MTB record, indiv run record

Cabin, Cam, and Nic. Pre-race consultation. "How do you swim again?"

Looks fast... It's because my feet are on land and I don't have to swim anymore

L-R: Graeme Pearson (1st Vet men... all round legend), Cabin, Cam Durno (2nd overall. XTERRA star in waiting), Patrick Harvey (3rd overall, and 2008 XTERRA Age-group World Champion)

"Ready to race again tommorrow?"

Geez, its been a month since I posted anything. Oops. Not so good of us. We’ve been kinda busy doing, um, stuff?! Check out http://www.willkelsay.com/ for reports on his travels to NZ, which covers a lot of what we’ve been up to. However, the last month in brief

Cabin resigned from work. Finishes up mid-Feb. Moving to Ohakune with Nic. No job yet. Might have to pick carrots?!

Raetihi for Xmas. Cabin rode 160km+ in the rain to get there on Xmas eve.

Fleeting trip to Temuka (way down south) on boxing day for a wedding. Back home to sleep it off.

Will Kelsay (Mr XTERRA 2007) arrived from USA for a month of NZ summer goodness

Headed to Rotorua for 12 days (ish) of relaxing, training, eating ice-cream etc…. Multiple days on Rotovegas singletrack = Nic being scary fast on MTB now. Roll on nationals.

Cabin stole Craig Pattles Intense M6 and riding gear for an evening of DH shuttling on Rotorua’s mint DH trails. Demonstrated “Mad hucking skills”. Or maybe not…. Did some cool jumps though?!

Ate some more ice-cream….

Raced Wild Moa Off-Road Tri. New race records resulted in wins for us both. Cabin posting new MTB leg record (overall), and individual run record. Nic doing the same in the women’s and finishing 6th overall!

Backed up the next day with summer N-Duro 45km XC. Cabin and Scott resumed their never ending battle, and gave the N-Duro guys timing gear a real test….. Scott grabbing the win by something like 0.06sec. Stu Houltham was 3rd a few minutes back. Nic was riding strong in the women’s behind Annika Smail. Too strong for the bike as a bent hanger, munched chain/derailleur ending her charge.

Today…. Both back at work. Boo. Nevermind. Long weekend this weekend and the final of NI Cup XC series in Wellington to look forward to. I love summer….

Leap of Faith

Leap of Faith? I guess I could be talking about my training?!

So its been pretty hectic the last couple of weeks. For me, Dec 1st marked the start of training officially and its been pretty simple..... Swim before work, run at lunchtime, and get on the bike after work. A few weeks of that steadily and I'll be back in shape to train properly.

Meanwhile Nic's collarbone is pretty much healed up, and shes punching out some quality training on the MTB ready to smash some people come National Champs.

We didn't race the Eastern Express on the weekend, instead cramming together a fairly hectic social/training/adventure weekend. Try this schedule

Friday arvo: 80m bungy (Sport Manawatu Xmas function)

Friday evening: Xmas drinks in Ohakune (Nics workmates)

Sat 6:30am: 2km Swim in Taupo 1/2 ironman

Sat 8am: 3hr MTB around Craters (Taupo)

Sat arvo: lots of coffee, hanging out, drive to Auckland

Sat Night: Xmas in the Park (Auckland)

Sun am: 'Rugged as' Trail run in Waitakeres

Sun arvo: Physion Rehab Group Xmas party/Tennis Tournament

Mon am: Fly home, and straight to work

Glad to be home for a rest and to recover from the weekend! For the record, I won 3 out of 3 matches at the work xmas tennis tournament (I'm not competitive at all!?!)

Role modelling?

I can't help posting this. I work for a Sports Trust. Promoters of all things active and healthy. We should be role models. No? Check out the below pic of food in our staffroom this morning. 30mins ago the basket was full of chocolates.

Grapes, Rice Crackers, dried fruit still there now, barely touched....

Do as I say, not as I do.... ring a bell anyone?

So I guess we're training again. After a mint 3hr+ ride on Saturday with a group of 15-16yr olds I coach, Nic thought It'd be a nice idea to ride up nearby Wharite Peak. She'd never been up it, and it was over 2yrs ago I last was there. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Can I now say that my new 2 x 9 set up on the 29er hurts sometimes when you are trying to ride easy?!

Wharite Peak..... 12km & 1000m up

20 min into the climb. Still no where near the bushline....

35min in and the windmills are starting to look pretty small

Nearing the summit....about 60min in

At the top. 60min up..... and just 14min to get back down! It was loose! Even better, we found a tramping track off the top from this trig. Reckon its a pretty gnarly 8km or so rugged 'single track' down. Should make for a pretty epic loop. Can't wait to explore it.