Back to amputate your legs: The Angry Doctor, 2009

Lanky Love

Lanky Love

Likes Dirt
Bring your climbing legs. From memory, last year there were only really two big climbs (from memory maybe a 5km climb in the 2nd 50?). But there are a lot of short, really steep climbs.
 
S

spudatm

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I agree I did the 5o last year. I don't remember any massive climbs like you see in DW or highland fling is just like a roller coaster which gives it all the ascending
 
Tom Foolery

Tom Foolery

Likes Bikes
I did the 100 last year. Despite what everyone says, its all uphill. The track layout defies physics.
Good luck to all.
 
Jackstack

Jackstack

Likes Dirt
The Angry Doctor goes up and down never flat but the up bits seem to get longer as the race goes on. It's a cracker of a ride though! :D
 
{ScarFace}

{ScarFace}

Likes Dirt
How competitive are these sorts of events, is it like crazy stuck-up racer style of things, or are they nice and laid back.
 
EzyLee

EzyLee

Likes Dirt
Coming from a punter's point of view it is a really friendly race. You do get the odd dickhead here and there, but 99% are there for a bit of fun and a good day's ride.
 
Lanky Love

Lanky Love

Likes Dirt
These events are aimed at punters doing it for fun/personaly challenge, but people do race it. It attracts a lot of big names who race for the prize money, but even amoungst them it seems to be pretty chilled.
 
B

bingobong

Likes Bikes
Last year it felt like there were more short steep climbs in the first 50km and then the long but slightly less steep climbs came in the second 50km, including one really long one shortly after the half way stop that seemed to never end. The previous posters are right you don't get alot of flats on this course it's mostly up and down all the way but some of the most awesome single track on the enduro calendar.
 
Mad German

Mad German

Likes Dirt
Hi all,
I have to sell my entry for the 100km Angry Doctor including accommodation. Anyone interested flick me a message

Cheers....... :(
 
EzyLee

EzyLee

Likes Dirt
For those that missed out... why not volunteer and then try and get the job of course sweeper?

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If anyone you know is interested in volunteering for the event, please email alina@arocsport.com.au. We need a few extra people to help out on the Saturday with the Nasty Nurse and on the Sunday with the Irate Intern and Angry Doctor. This would include manning the feed stations and critical junctions, course sweepers and various other tasks. All volunteers will get a guaranteed entry into next year’s event.
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Lanky Love

Lanky Love

Likes Dirt
I have a question for those that have experience racing a 100km. In the past I have stopped at the halfway point, or 30/70km in the fling, and cleaned/lubed my chain and taken on a bit more food. In the fling last year it cost me 2 minutes, 2 places and a podium (in my catagory). So how long do you spend at the half way feed zone? do you just change bottles, chuck food in your pocket and go withing within a few seconds or stop for a minute or two?
 
D

drasnian

Likes Dirt
Lanky Love said:
I have a question for those that have experience racing a 100km...So how long do you spend at the half way feed zone? do you just change bottles, chuck food in your pocket and go withing within a few seconds or stop for a minute or two?
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I've only done three 100k races (three MTB races actually), but in terms of pace i suppose i give it some reasonable stick. So here's my 2 cents' worth...

To be talking about podiums, you're obviously riding up where there's some action and can pedal 100km offroad no dramas. So if you find you're dying to hang around at an aid station, you've been on the pace a bit too hard and you'll pay for it later -- if you take a break at that point, you'll get some freshness back but will finish just as far back anyhow.

The optimal pace is an even tempo. Obviously you can never get it totally scientific in MTB, as you're punching climbs one minute and riding out rocky descents the next. But if you train long and hard for it, you pretty much know where your sweet spot of intensity is during the race.

Regarding aid station shenannigans, be there only as long as it takes to get what you need. If you're riding sub-5 hours, you don't need a roast dinner and can take ample fuel in your jersey pocket, viz. bars & gels. Heck, you can fit a day's worth of gruel in a camelbak. But if you'd rather rely on what's on offer at the table, then stop, jam in a face full, and get the hell outta there. And if you need liquid, then fill 'n' go.

If the mule starts to flag and needs some good oil at any stage, same applies: lube her up, then get on it.

Before my last 100k, i spent ages thinking about packing and stop strategies. Three aid stations allowed me to ditch the pack and ride with just 2 bottles on board, and the bottle drop provision meant no fill-up necessary -- just lock & load. Jersey pocket had bars, gels & pump, and my small saddle bag contained 2 individual allen keys, spare tube, 2*CO2 cannisters and a fun-size sample of chainlube (complimentary in the showbag).

Compared to my first two races, i was riding with an average of something like 1-1.5 kg less ballast the whole way, which made so much difference over the long haul. Even if you have to stop quickly 2 or 3 times to fill up with water, the fact that you'll be riding literally minutes quicker than if you start with a 3L bladder stuffed in a pack full of unnecessary crap will mean you'll finish a lot less sore and be several places further up in the lunch order queue at the end.

Oh, and if the race you're planning for is Mogo, get your roadie mate to standby with supplies ready on the oval at 50k. So there's two fresh bottles taken care of, plus the second 50k worth of fuel. Quick refill at 30k (or again, get your mate to locate that table to keep you moving), then a 15 second refill at 80k with a can of bull thrown in the pocket, and you're home.
 
PDogg

PDogg

Manly Warringah MTB Club
Lanky Love said:
I have a question for those that have experience racing a 100km. In the past I have stopped at the halfway point, or 30/70km in the fling, and cleaned/lubed my chain and taken on a bit more food. In the fling last year it cost me 2 minutes, 2 places and a podium (in my catagory). So how long do you spend at the half way feed zone? do you just change bottles, chuck food in your pocket and go withing within a few seconds or stop for a minute or two?
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You seem pretty on the ball Nick. To me, when I do a stop like this I'm not looking for rest as such, but at the same time I don't rush it as a few seconds to stop is always welcome :D . If you have everything organised waiting for you and ready to go 1 minute is plenty. Longest bit will be a dismount, quick rag of the chain, and lube over.

When I stop I always feel like I should do it at mega speed because my brain is in race mode, but last year in the 'doc you pipped me when my chain snapped ;) . If I'd been less of a rusher and spent an extra 20 seconds making my chain happy at half time,maybe things would have been different for me.

You lost spots at the Fling by stoppping, I've maybe lost em by not stopping. Which ever way of 'losing' you're more comfy with might be the way to go!
 
Lanky Love

Lanky Love

Likes Dirt
Ok thanks guys, I guess I should just have everything ready to roll, hopefull my mum will be there and can help speed things up a little.

Another question, what do you guys do at creeks? ride through and save time or walk and save your chain?
 
knickr

knickr

Squid
The Angry Doctor has the best feed stations

A great reason to stop for several minutes..

Last year they had GU gels in every flavour, GU20 pre mixed with water, Red Bull cans with and without sugar, Sustagen drinks, Lollies, Fruit, Rolls, Muesili and power bars, etc etc. It was so good I didnt want to get back on my bike and face the hills and cramps...:D
 
D

drasnian

Likes Dirt
Lanky Love said:
Another question, what do you guys do at creeks? ride through and save time or walk and save your chain?
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Last year there was the odd creek or two, one just before the last drink station, and one at the bottom of a nasty steep pinch with about 5k to go. Given that by then i'd stopped 3 times to re-strap my knee, and missed a left turn somewhere near 55k and got lost for 20 minutes before somehow climbing out of a gully to get back on course again......i had no reason to pedal through creeks after that. I was in limp home mode.

I guess it depends on how much rain there is in the weeks before the race as to whether it's a piss trickle or a stoopid torrent. If it's the same as last year, the creek at 80k can be ridden easily (and should be ridden if you're having a shit fight with someone or counting the seconds.) At about 95k, the final creek itself wasn't difficult, but getting up onto the bank would've been a tall order. It was steep, muddy, rutted & rooted. Their were wheel tracks leading out when i got there, so the angry goats at the front got up it.

As for the question of attacking through crossings to save time versus carrying bike through to save drive train, my thoughts are:
- Near the start of the race, keep the bike clean and quiet;
- Near the end of the race, you might be more inclined to throw your rig at
a few crossings as you're more confident it will go the distance

And in the interest of looking after your bike for the duration, look for the cleanest, dryest, smoothest line on the track every km of the race.

And don't snag your bars on trees as you belt the singletrack descents in the first 25km (as some poor bugger did behind me last year).
 
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