VIC 2012 Kona (Otway) Odyssey

[Anarchist]

No pics of me, oh well! Looks like lots of the 50km riders missed out

Yep. None of me either. Nice work lens folks. Just as well the fam was there to get a pic of me across the line and at 25km. There's some room for improvement there too...

John, well done to Jnr! He finally got you, huh?

 

[singleminded]

If I'm not mistaken, John's son did run rigid this year I think, with a Niner carbon fork.

Correct! (apparently my response was too short so I'm forced to add this!)

 

[Coaster]

Far out John. Do you and your son eat nails for breakfast!

Again, great effort to you both.

 

[singleminded]

John, well done to Jnr! He finally got you, huh?

Guess it was only a matter of time. Only got myself to blame, I trained him too well! :tickled_pink:

On another note, some fantatic stories coming out this event. Congrads to L. Norris and all but some of the tales from folk on here are truly inspirational.
Fergos' story is one that should be handed to all first timers to assist with alignment of commitment. Its stories like that, that get me punching hills when I least feel like it so I don't experience that degree of low....but what an effort to pull through?!?

....And the guy who left half his face on the track! Is he a robot.... or maybe the 'Terminator'! Hope your doing OK 'cause the next day things didn't like they had improved for you.

Can't wait for next years highlights....hope I don't feature in them!

John

 

[singleminded]

Far out John. Do you and your son eat nails for breakfast!

Again, great effort to you both.

Ok, firstly sorry for hijaking the thread.

2ndly, and I hope this doesn't upset others, but SSing ain't that big a deal! I say ride what you enjoy. I'm a simple guy and SSing just pushes my buttons!
Once you reach a resonable level of fitness I'm sure your stead won't make that big a difference to your times. Can't imaging I'd be any quicker on 27 gears than my SS in this event. In fact I think the KO is perfectly suited to a SS compared to 'flatter' events (well for mug punters like me anyway). Only thing to remember is that when the going gets tough (as in your knackered) thers's no gears to hide behind, hence the need for training (or anti-training!).

For me it goes deeper.
I use to ride a full sus., 27 speed which I loved but always ended up with sore knees. Almost gave up MTBing!! Took a Carver 96er SS for a test ride and ended up riding 60km that day, about double the distance I'd ever ridden B4. I was hooked!....and no sore knees..ever!! even after this recent trip...

http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/showthread.php?208953-The-Self-Sufficient-Bike-Camping-Thread/page48

Also I believe that SSing is so much better as a full body workout. Most SSers I know don't come packaged with huge (or even noticeable) calf muscles. Why? Because all of your body is involved with the experience not just the legs. On a tough ride I generally find the upper body feels it more than the legs, and for me, thats a good thing.

Last year I watched a 'chick' ride the whole of 'Sledgehammer'. I was totally impressed! But for most SSers thats never going to happen. If you can't handle that idea then SSings probably not for some. Mate of ours once said he hates walking so he'd never try SSing, and we still ride with him!!

So go give it a fair 'ol crack and see if it works for you. I'd hate to think the whole SSing thing becomes a 'them-and-us' contest. After all, its about the journey.

John

 

[Timbers]

Anyone thinking of doing the 100 SS in the future consider this.
Regardless of ratio or fitness you wont be able to ride the bigger steeper climbs, so if you are going to walk/ run why not run a bigger gear so as to make up more time on the flats and DH? Why spin your legs off with everyone passing you on the flats so you can get 5m further up an inevitably impossible climb?

This year I went with 36x18 on 29" wheels and ended up with 5.29.40.]
This was only 25 seconds faster than my SS course record but considering I am 4kg heavier and did no real training beyond commuting I will take it.

I was going a little hard for my lack of training/ strength and had to back off at around 40-45km due to cramping but ultimately would love to go top 20 outright on an SS.

Maybe next year?

 

[bunchie34]

No pics of me, oh well! Looks like lots of the 50km riders missed out

Yeah, not even a finishing photo! Weird....

 

[cleeshoy]

Yeah, not even a finishing photo! Weird....

there was a camera chick at the finishing line when I crossed and I thought she stood in front of me to take a snapshot but I guess she left the lens cap on

 

[.stu.]

there was a camera chick at the finishing line when I crossed and I thought she stood in front of me to take a snapshot but I guess she left the lens cap on

or very quickly realised what she'd done and reached for the delete button

 

[cleeshoy]

or very quickly realised what she'd done and reached for the delete button

heheheh its quite possible my mug cracked the lens ruining photos of people after me

 

[mtb101]

Anyone thinking of doing the 100 SS in the future consider this.
Regardless of ratio or fitness you wont be able to ride the bigger steeper climbs, so if you are going to walk/ run why not run a bigger gear so as to make up more time on the flats and DH? Why spin your legs off with everyone passing you on the flats so you can get 5m further up an inevitably impossible climb?

This year I went with 36x18 on 29" wheels and ended up with 5.29.40.]
This was only 25 seconds faster than my SS course record but considering I am 4kg heavier and did no real training beyond commuting I will take it.

I was going a little hard for my lack of training/ strength and had to back off at around 40-45km due to cramping but ultimately would love to go top 20 outright on an SS.

Maybe next year?

I've got to ask, how long is your commute? Is it Geelong to Melbourne return? great OO time for a commuter, have to say, you can't underestimate how fit you can get by commuting everyday.

 

[markyh990]

Timing

Is anyone a bit suss on the official timing of the event?
Up the first KOM my Computer and HRM had me nearly 2 minutes quicker than the official timing. Also I don't think I could have nearly gone down red carpet as quick as I did according to official timing, was cramping all over the place and stopped for a stretch half way down. Also when I crossed the line, the timing clock was 10 minutes slower than my official result. Not sure if anyone else noticed these things, and I don't really care, but I just plan to use these times as references for training this year.

 

[mtb101]

Is anyone a bit suss on the official timing of the event?
Up the first KOM my Computer and HRM had me nearly 2 minutes quicker than the official timing. Also I don't think I could have nearly gone down red carpet as quick as I did according to official timing, was cramping all over the place and stopped for a stretch half way down. Also when I crossed the line, the timing clock was 10 minutes slower than my official result. Not sure if anyone else noticed these things, and I don't really care, but I just plan to use these times as references for training this year.

haven't heard anything official but yes my garmin showed 10 minutes less than finish time on clock. results on site showed the garmin time so they must have corrected it.

 

[jathanas]

All riders had the opportunity to verify their official time at Forrest. Yes there was a significant discrepancy between the time on the finish line and the official result.

Funnily enough I rode the timed descent like a chook and was surprised that my time wasn't as bad as I expected.

 

[Stevob]

Is anyone a bit suss on the official timing of the event?
Up the first KOM my Computer and HRM had me nearly 2 minutes quicker than the official timing. Also I don't think I could have nearly gone down red carpet as quick as I did according to official timing, was cramping all over the place and stopped for a stretch half way down. Also when I crossed the line, the timing clock was 10 minutes slower than my official result. Not sure if anyone else noticed these things, and I don't really care, but I just plan to use these times as references for training this year.

Can't validate the timing, but I can tell you that the results show I passed 9 people on Red Carpet, and was in turn passed by another 5 people. I can also tell you no-one passed me at all. 12 mins 45 seconds was the time.

 

[Stevob]

Anyone thinking of doing the 100 SS in the future consider this.
Regardless of ratio or fitness you wont be able to ride the bigger steeper climbs, so if you are going to walk/ run why not run a bigger gear so as to make up more time on the flats and DH? Why spin your legs off with everyone passing you on the flats so you can get 5m further up an inevitably impossible climb?

This year I went with 36x18 on 29" wheels and ended up with 5.29.40.]
This was only 25 seconds faster than my SS course record but considering I am 4kg heavier and did no real training beyond commuting I will take it.

I was going a little hard for my lack of training/ strength and had to back off at around 40-45km due to cramping but ultimately would love to go top 20 outright on an SS.

Maybe next year?

Kudos on a great time Timbers. I went with a similar plan this year, 32:17 on a 29er, and it proved a little too tall, making me walk some sections that I rode easily last year on 33:19. I did manage to cut 34 mins off last year's time, but my base fitness was much greater this year. I don't attribute my time this year, 6:11, to the taller gear. My bike was much lighter, and I was probably a couple of kg lighter also. Specific OO training was practically non-existent, with only an average of about one ride per week and a 6hr race at Ballarat the week prior. I don't commute.

My concern with the taller gear is that it fatigued me much earlier than I was expecting to. I was knackered after Red Carpet, and had to walk a couple of ups on Britney's that I rode last year.

A mate I ride with set a time of 5:54 on 32:19, and I should have been much closer to this.

I think it's poor advice to suggest a taller gear for this course. There's just not that much spinning on the flats to be had. Indeed where there is flatter sections, like the start and the Forrest-Skenes Creek road, the taller gear didn't prove to be that much beneficial in terms of being passed or not, compared to what I experienced last year.

Good luck for next year. I wish you well on your top 20 quest. I shall be chasing you to the best of my ability.

 

[singleminded]

The timing clock was 10 minutes slower than my official result. Not sure if anyone else noticed these things.

Think you will find that the clock (the one you saw at the finish line) was started at 7.15am ie. when the 'gun' went off for the start. Where as official times start and finish when you go over the mats.

 

[singleminded]

Anyone thinking of doing the 100 SS in the future consider this.
Regardless of ratio or fitness you wont be able to ride the bigger steeper climbs, so if you are going to walk/ run why not run a bigger gear so as to make up more time on the flats and DH? Why spin your legs off with everyone passing you on the flats so you can get 5m further up an inevitably impossible climb?

This year I went with 36x18 on 29" wheels and ended up with 5.29.40.]
QUOTE]

You make an interesting point, one I've been thinking over since you posted it.
I know I don't have the 'legs' for that sort of gearing. I was only just keeping it ticking over on some of the less intimidating climbs. I guess some of us are spinners and some of us are grinders.
In regards to spining on the flats, my results show that I finished where I started after KOM, meaning every one that pasted me on the flats I over took on the climb (give or take!).

With all the too-ing and fro-ing re: SS gearing, I think it comes back to 32:18 or 32:19 for the KO for average/medium fitness level.

Timbers, I would hazard a guess that your fitness level is a little/somewhat above the average punter here. I know you didn't get the result you wanted, but congrads on a fantastic time (geared or SS). I can only dream!!

 

[mtb101]

Can't validate the timing, but I can tell you that the results show I passed 9 people on Red Carpet, and was in turn passed by another 5 people. I can also tell you no-one passed me at all. 12 mins 45 seconds was the time.

doesn't this mean that from the start to finish of Red Carpet you were quicker than 9 and slower than 5 during your descent at that time frame, even though you didn't get passed etc.

so if you came into Red Carpet 2 minutes behind me, but caught me near end but didn't' pass, theoretically you did from a timing perspective.

 

[Stevob]

doesn't this mean that from the start to finish of Red Carpet you were quicker than 9 and slower than 5 during your descent at that time frame, even though you didn't get passed etc.

so if you came into Red Carpet 2 minutes behind me, but caught me near end but didn't' pass, theoretically you did from a timing perspective.

I wouldn't have though it worked like that, besides, being 35th quickest overall (not just category) for that section, and being a fair way behind the leaders I would doubt there were 5 quicker people on there at the same time as me. Possible, but highly unlikely. I think the faster riders would have been miles ahead of me.