Monday 31 October 2011
The course is revealed
The live web site now shows the course. A few long legs, some wet legs and some very remote legs. Just done our packing, one box is a bit over weight which may be to do with the 40 hours worth of food in it, plus warm gear for overnighting on the Tarkine river. We're all a bit apprehensive for different reasons. Colin doesn't like caves or abseiling. Jill isn't looking forward to swimming in 13 degree water on the trek. I'm just nervous about .. all of it. We are now pouring over maps in detail to keep ourselves occupied, 19 hours to go.
More info on the kiwi team.
Keep an eye on http://kiwixpd.wordpress.com/ . Annie will be doing updates from the field on all the kiwis she can.
ARWC T minus 36 hours
Just back from the race briefing and pasta dinner. No real surprises in the briefing. Burnie confirmed as start and finish points. We are betting on a sea paddle to start. There will be really long legs. Be prepared to get very cold and wet. Watch out for snakes, they saw nine in one day while scouting the course, inclunding Tiger snakes with attitude that don't move so you have to go round. They didn't specify a safe distance for going round. There are also a lot of bio-security requirements, including bagging all clothes after one of the legs! Lots of queries as some teams are travelling light and are worried about having to race naked. Maps and final briefing at 8am Tues.
Sunday 30 October 2011
Live web site up and running
The www.xpd.com.au website now has the live section. We haven't started yet though, Wednesday 2 nd November
Saturday 29 October 2011
Some people just can't take the pace, and we haven't started racing yet.
Thursday 27 October 2011
Packing
Arghh. I have had all week to get ready and packed, so I have taken all week! I am sure if needed i could be out of the door in 30 mins, but as Ihave all day I expect to be doing the final touches at 4:45am tomorrow morning. The compulsory bits (safety and warm gear) are easy, as is putting in about 15 pairs of lovely Bridgedale socks. The hard bit is weeding my way through a huge pile of my fashionable lycra and polypro clothing. It was easy last week as weather report was clear, WET. Now they are saying it might be dry. Decisions, decisions. It's a good job black is in vogue.
Monday 24 October 2011
5 More Sleeps, t-shirts and socks packed.
evening off to support the All Blacks. The new team t-shirts have
arrived to distinguish us from the other teams with less comfy feet.
Unfortunately we let slip our greatest secret weapon - bbq tongs. I bet
no other team carries a set. A good night was had, just! Which obviously
means that if we harden up, make our tackles and hang in there for the
full 80 minutes we will do well at the Adventure Race World Champs ....
5 More Sleeps
Sunday 16 October 2011
Why on earth ?
We'll all think it a few times, certainly those around us voice it quite regularly and randoms who find out what we are about to go and do definitely ask it - Why on earth ?....... Life is too short to not know what you can do. There you go, that is my answer.
It's all about the journey, Jerome is the man for journeying with. Best teammate ever - positive attitude, very rarely gets phased and maintains group harmony even when cooked. You need someone like that. Everyone is different and has different foibles. Jill is unstoppable, goes and goes usually with a smile. Dave trucks along displaying his normal grim humour and determination. I whinge a lot but am really enjoying myself. I sometimes even laugh you know!
So the journey is a long one, along the way we'll probably do 5 marathon distances on foot, we'll bike the equivalent of 2.5 times round Lake Taupo and we'll likely climb (and descend) the equivalent of Everest and a half over the race. Oh and of course we'll paddle what are in essence large inflatable rafts from Wellington to Masterton and back to Martinborough. Whereupon we won't have a glass of wine. No, we will sleep where we can , when we can, normally huddled together to keep the cold away for an hour. Or we'll cram 4 sweaty, minging, people into a 2 man tent which is always an enjoyable experience. 10 minutes sleep can feel like the best thing ever. Unless someone (not naming names Jerome...) has a "Russell" moment and uses a foil blanket whereupon you lie still seething for half and hour listening to him snoring. Then get up, get back on your bike and promptly fall asleep.
We'll laugh, we'll really really not laugh sometimes, sometimes we'll be a wee bit lost, usually we'll know where we are. We will eat anything and everything. A shop will be like some sort of miracle and a decent coffee is almost something that reduces grown men (Dave) to tears.
The strangest thing about it is that I am massively looking forward to it as usual. Not sure what that says about my state of mind generally.
It's all about the journey, Jerome is the man for journeying with. Best teammate ever - positive attitude, very rarely gets phased and maintains group harmony even when cooked. You need someone like that. Everyone is different and has different foibles. Jill is unstoppable, goes and goes usually with a smile. Dave trucks along displaying his normal grim humour and determination. I whinge a lot but am really enjoying myself. I sometimes even laugh you know!
So the journey is a long one, along the way we'll probably do 5 marathon distances on foot, we'll bike the equivalent of 2.5 times round Lake Taupo and we'll likely climb (and descend) the equivalent of Everest and a half over the race. Oh and of course we'll paddle what are in essence large inflatable rafts from Wellington to Masterton and back to Martinborough. Whereupon we won't have a glass of wine. No, we will sleep where we can , when we can, normally huddled together to keep the cold away for an hour. Or we'll cram 4 sweaty, minging, people into a 2 man tent which is always an enjoyable experience. 10 minutes sleep can feel like the best thing ever. Unless someone (not naming names Jerome...) has a "Russell" moment and uses a foil blanket whereupon you lie still seething for half and hour listening to him snoring. Then get up, get back on your bike and promptly fall asleep.
We'll laugh, we'll really really not laugh sometimes, sometimes we'll be a wee bit lost, usually we'll know where we are. We will eat anything and everything. A shop will be like some sort of miracle and a decent coffee is almost something that reduces grown men (Dave) to tears.
The strangest thing about it is that I am massively looking forward to it as usual. Not sure what that says about my state of mind generally.
Two weeks to go. Go the All Blacks
A quiet weekend for the team, too much rugby stress to focus on training. Weather persuaded us to trek on Saturday, while sunday was an early paddle before Jerome and Colin did some navigation practise at the local orienteering event, Jill went for a ride and I went to the Phoenix. If the lead navigators role was picked on the O results, Colin would be starting with Jerome on the bench!
Monday 10 October 2011
Thinking, thinking, thinking
Well, it must be 3 weeks out from the race as my little brain has started to tick into "Expedition Race Details" mode.
Experience of the last 3 races has shown me that there is absolutely no way you can be overprepared. Details, details, details are the things that make the race run smoothly. All that time training, all the money spent on gear, trips and the race itself - we owe ourselves the best run at the race. Sadly that means busy brains in the weeks before the race.
What sort of stuff am I talking about ? Well, last year I, the organisation freak, managed to kill my lights on the first leg paddle - saltwater and Silva L1 LED lights do not a good bedmate make. I had no spare light available for the 100km mountainbike leg - at night. Jerry thankfully had something but of course that meant we were already compromised - Day 1, Leg 1 and I had made a massive F&^%&$% up of it. Saying that, Jerry had also lost one of his trekking shoes in the paddle as well ! That made me feel better and a good trade was made as I have the same foot size as him and use the same shoes!. This year - waterpoof lights !!
It's all the little things that count - this is 700km, possibly 6 days. Sanitation and health are two key things - keeping your hands clean when eating and not sharing bugs with the rest of the team. So having settled on what bum cream to use (vaseline mixed with nappy cream by the way ...), small bottles of hand cleaner, wipes, anti-everything sprays, Nuun tablets - you name it. Then we get down to gear. Oh. My. God. Gear - where do you start ? Well we start with luggage allowances which mean we have to be quite efficient in what we take. We also know that there is a finite amount of gear we can spread around boxes and trunks. Key things - best quality gear we can get means light, quick drying and comfortable. Anything on top of that is a bonus. Good rain gear is paramount - thank you Earth Sea Sky in ChCh who make the BEST wet weather gear and first-layer gear you will find. Designed and made in NZ so support local. Warm comfortable feet with good sock - TICK, thank you Bridgedale Socks. We choose these socks as they are the best by miles so this year we are very lucky to have LOTS of socks. Good drybags thank you Seal Line. And of course FOOD - we learnt a valuable lesson last year and that is that not every race means we can use the same food. Everything we had we didn't want which was a bit annoying at times. This year we are onto it - I'm saying no more so as not to show our hand. However, as always our friends at backcountry Cuisine have given us access to their amazing dehydrated meals and we'll be munching on our favourites every day - porridge, muesli and yoghurt, roast chicken, thai chicken NOM NOM NOM. Amazing how good you feel after a proper meal. That stuff is already in tassie - you see, preparation is everything.
So why then am I contemplating building a Corflute bike box 3 weeks out ? Who knows....
Experience of the last 3 races has shown me that there is absolutely no way you can be overprepared. Details, details, details are the things that make the race run smoothly. All that time training, all the money spent on gear, trips and the race itself - we owe ourselves the best run at the race. Sadly that means busy brains in the weeks before the race.
What sort of stuff am I talking about ? Well, last year I, the organisation freak, managed to kill my lights on the first leg paddle - saltwater and Silva L1 LED lights do not a good bedmate make. I had no spare light available for the 100km mountainbike leg - at night. Jerry thankfully had something but of course that meant we were already compromised - Day 1, Leg 1 and I had made a massive F&^%&$% up of it. Saying that, Jerry had also lost one of his trekking shoes in the paddle as well ! That made me feel better and a good trade was made as I have the same foot size as him and use the same shoes!. This year - waterpoof lights !!
It's all the little things that count - this is 700km, possibly 6 days. Sanitation and health are two key things - keeping your hands clean when eating and not sharing bugs with the rest of the team. So having settled on what bum cream to use (vaseline mixed with nappy cream by the way ...), small bottles of hand cleaner, wipes, anti-everything sprays, Nuun tablets - you name it. Then we get down to gear. Oh. My. God. Gear - where do you start ? Well we start with luggage allowances which mean we have to be quite efficient in what we take. We also know that there is a finite amount of gear we can spread around boxes and trunks. Key things - best quality gear we can get means light, quick drying and comfortable. Anything on top of that is a bonus. Good rain gear is paramount - thank you Earth Sea Sky in ChCh who make the BEST wet weather gear and first-layer gear you will find. Designed and made in NZ so support local. Warm comfortable feet with good sock - TICK, thank you Bridgedale Socks. We choose these socks as they are the best by miles so this year we are very lucky to have LOTS of socks. Good drybags thank you Seal Line. And of course FOOD - we learnt a valuable lesson last year and that is that not every race means we can use the same food. Everything we had we didn't want which was a bit annoying at times. This year we are onto it - I'm saying no more so as not to show our hand. However, as always our friends at backcountry Cuisine have given us access to their amazing dehydrated meals and we'll be munching on our favourites every day - porridge, muesli and yoghurt, roast chicken, thai chicken NOM NOM NOM. Amazing how good you feel after a proper meal. That stuff is already in tassie - you see, preparation is everything.
So why then am I contemplating building a Corflute bike box 3 weeks out ? Who knows....
Sunday 9 October 2011
Another great day in the capital
training plans), we headed out for a paddle, trek, paddle around sunny
wellington. Harbour trip first, out round Matiu/Somes and over to
Eastbourne, then a trek behind Eastbourne (the bush tracks in there are
one of wellingtons best kept secrets) before paddling back to Kupe. A
solid 5 hours and back in time for a kip before the rugby.
Jerry has a new bike
new toy. After trying to kill himself riding it down the stairs at home
(luckily most of the blood missed the carpet), we persauded him to get
it dirty out and about round karori
Friday 7 October 2011
Time to practise Speed Tourism
[DR] With only 3 training weekends left before we go, it is time to move
on to race specific training. One of our race strategies is Speed
Toursim, making sure we get as much local flavour out of our travels.
Where better to practise than in Wellingtons hidden gem - Karori. Much
maligned by ignorant Wellingtonians as having poor weather & traffic
issues, Karori is in fact a high altitude mountain biking nirvana. Once
above the cloud, and if suitably dressed to prevent shivering, the views
and single track are stunning. We restricted our mtb tour to 3 kms of
my house, so started with Wrights Hill (Deliverance, or Salvation for
the Wimps - Me? a wimp!), then into Makara Peak MTB Park for a look at
the route for Sundays PNP MTB race and out via Zacs and varleys, along
Skyline to take in some different views then down into the cemetary
across to the upper St Johns Pool track to the Scout Den, and a final
sprint up Wrights Hill. Back down the Burrows Ave track (now legal to
ride) before heading home for hot soup & bread. All is well.
on to race specific training. One of our race strategies is Speed
Toursim, making sure we get as much local flavour out of our travels.
Where better to practise than in Wellingtons hidden gem - Karori. Much
maligned by ignorant Wellingtonians as having poor weather & traffic
issues, Karori is in fact a high altitude mountain biking nirvana. Once
above the cloud, and if suitably dressed to prevent shivering, the views
and single track are stunning. We restricted our mtb tour to 3 kms of
my house, so started with Wrights Hill (Deliverance, or Salvation for
the Wimps - Me? a wimp!), then into Makara Peak MTB Park for a look at
the route for Sundays PNP MTB race and out via Zacs and varleys, along
Skyline to take in some different views then down into the cemetary
across to the upper St Johns Pool track to the Scout Den, and a final
sprint up Wrights Hill. Back down the Burrows Ave track (now legal to
ride) before heading home for hot soup & bread. All is well.
Tuesday 4 October 2011
In 4 weeks we will be off and running
Only 4 weeks to go before the start of the 2011 Adventure Racing World Champs in Tasmania. We've just received the final competitors update from the organisers with a little reminder about gaiters - "we've seen lots of snakes in the area", dry bags (surely Tasmania is sunny and warm?), and not drinking unpurified ground water (as if I would after last race in Cairns).
They are also pushing Tassie as a tourist mecca in case we have time and/or energy t explore after the race so check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik0ce-eH9Cs
Saturday 1 October 2011
Putting the bike miles in
headed out on the Big Coast circuit. From Petone, south and east round
coast to the Wairarapa. A road section from Wharekauhau up alongside
Lake Wairarapa to the Rimutuka Incline. Over the incline and through
Tunnel Gully to the Hutt Valley, and down the berms back to Petone.
Sounds a straight forward 130km ride. Just to spice it up we invited
Barryn, Trevor and Samara - you know, just to keep the pace honest!
The pace line got a little streched at times but there were moments of
respite, like when Jerome broke his bike just avoid going any further,
and the coke stop in Upper Hutt. It was the best conditions any of us can
remember for the trip which normally involves cold, wind and rain. There
was a 30km head wind up the Wairarapa but that was generated by
Barryn and Trevor. The section from the Orongorongo River to Wharekahu
is in good condition and mostly rideable except for the soft sand.
AND we got back in time for the rugby. It was a great night in Wellington
to be Tongan. Colin was home alone with whiskey and ipad for England
Scotland game. The updates dried up after 60 mins but we think he is ok
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