The biggest disappointment ever!

0530 the bag pipes started and continued until we started the race. We had arrived late Saturday night to ensure we got a nights sleep so we would be as fresh as possible for the 167km ride.

0710 race brief for a 0730 start. We placed ourselves three quarters of the way up the field to ensure we got away clean (which we did) as we have about 4km on hard packed gravel then farmland started. Half way through the farmland (this was paddocks with a mowed strip cut into the grass) i was around 100th then on a small climb surrounded by trees 80% of the people in front missed a turn to the right, this resulted in them heading up a hill and fence line rather than right along the face of the hill, I saw this mistake and was one the first on the correct track, then about 300m along the correct track there was a tight bit of single where a massive bottle neck was about to be created for all that took the detour.

0915 arrived at transition 34km in and on target, quickly changed bottles and took in some food before feeding out,
This was to be a long hilly stage of 54km and also the temperature was starting to raise as we had clear skies and little wind. About 10km into this stage we jumped into some neat single track and this is where the elite 100kmers went through flying and they started 30mins behind us. Shortly after this the cramps started in the legs as i was pacing my water (3 bottles for 2-3hr of riding). At one point when I was having a drink in the next single track approx 20km in this stage on a corner and the leg ham string locked up so i ate the dirt a good tumble and drew blood from the left knee. By this stage my bike computer stopped working so i was riding blind so i did not know where i was until i caught another rider or as passed someone that i could ask. The half way tent was in sight and i discovered there was a water drop, but i did not need any of this at this stage as i had passed my water well

12.15 into transition (4hr 40min in 91kms down) Food and liquid in the off out again, generally i was feeling good and ready to keep going. For the next 2 hrs did not see a sole (so had plenty of time to think?) until i passed a big boy who was battling with the 100km distance. At this stage the single track was very packed down the smooth perfect for riding. I was just cruising as i thought i had plenty of time to make the 1530 cut off, but without a speedo i did not know how i was travelling and the volunteers did not know and the lack of distance markers left me in the dark, so it was down to memory and at this stage fatigue was starting to hit in,
Stopping quickly at the half way tent to top up water as i had finished 2+ bottles in 26km compared to 1 on the first lap due to the heat. At this stage I was still on target given this was truly half way? So pushed on and started to feed the body caffeine gels this picked me up even through they would be the worst tasting thing i had eaten all day but they worked. I just keep saying i had to get to outer limits (last identified section) up the hill along the flats and i was in.

Got to the top and started to pick up gears and counting the clock and pushing into the head wind i was teh only person on the road, i hit the 5km marker, then a turn and a guy said 11mins until cut off and you have 4.5km to go, so I grabbed the biggest gear and hammered it to transition (passing around 8 people in the process and none wanted to help)
1531.15 I missed the last cut off by 1m15s (142km 8hrs in), absolutely gutted helmet hit the ground hard and tears almost flowed, a friend (official) came over a gave me a hug and said i can not do anything, even through i know you would gone under 9 1/2 hr completion time.
Only 14 riders got through the 167km course. I am sure if my speedo had not stopped things may have been different as i would have known where i was, as i was just cruising when I should have been pushing, also the volunteers did not know either until it was to late,

I had it in my legs to go under time easy but was saving them for the last 26km home which i never got to. Since then i have worked out all the locations i could have saved a minute!

Redemption Next year!!!!!!

A new hurt box!

This was to be the longest ever kayak race I had attempt and I was going into this under done due to my wife having a baby 6 weeks earlier. Going in to the race we believed we could go around the 10hr as we had been told if you cut corners it was only be 99km not 111km, but I not do not believe this statement. This could have been achievable but I went into a hurt box like I had never experienced. The day unfolded like this

12noon depart springwood heading for Windsor for rego and safety checks, once this was complete we had a couple of hours to chill and eat for the journey ahead, when I was looking at other boats and personnel you could see some had done it many times with bladder systems and food lay outs.
We finalised our plan to push straight through to Wiseman Ferry 64km in and then bring it home, Once the Crew the solo hunk of a man arrived (this being sleep Train) he got a de brief on gear and food, and then he started to get excited about being involved in another endurance event, this made us nervous! As he could run off into the bush and never be seen again! And Mrs Sleep Train was also very pumped and flexed her guns a few times to intimidate others surrounding our boat.

1700 geared up and carried Cyril (the Kayak) to the river removed foot wear (This foot wear would never be seen again,) forgot something sleep train?


1715 in and ready to start and there was no turning back and everyone started to eye each other off. Then we were under way. Boats and blades went everywhere and we all tried to tuck in behind each other to ride wakes.
After 30min or so everything started to settle down and the pace came off a little and next time a checked the watch we were 2hrs and chewing through the km’s, we pulled out of the train of 6 doubles for food. Out the 6 boats we would have had the youngest average age, And the old boys were giving us a lesson how to paddle. There was still plenty of rubbing and bumping as we pushed each other around.

5hr, 35min (64km)in we arrived a Wiseman ferry and the body was feeling good all things considered so sleep train met us and was bouncing off walls and he proceeded to tell us a few times we looked better than most other people through. This picked us spirits but then he went on to advise us he could not get the stew from the can and could not get the gas cooker working (this had an electric igniters?) questions were raised at this point about his bush skills, as I had been told he could start fire with wet sticks?? No problem I can cook our food!


6hr re fuelled and back in the boat and heading east, from this point is was the unknown. We started to pass boats for the hour or so as we keep good pace but then the hurt box began to open! Shoulder was stiff and the right wrist started to give out sharp pain. So out came the nurofen plus and this took the edge off, MH was also starting to have the same issues and chucked some nurofen down.

8 hrs the body continued to hurt and the rain started to fall this making the river very dark as we were not meant to use lights (also sleep train ripped ours off the front of our boat at wisemens?)


9hr 15km to go the nurofen was now not working and the wrist was like running on a broken ankle (I have done this also) Aka a knife being wedged into the moving bones, this meant I could not put power through my right wrist and was lucky to still hang on the blade. Lucky we were running with the tide home. Once finished we worked out that our rights wrist had rotated over 22000 times! No wonder!


10hr 20min We could now see the finish line we had the tide behind us but it was still so far away 3-4kms so we tried to wind it up a little, but nothing was left, then the leading K2’s went through flying, and we wished we had something to give, but then we realised they probably trained for this?


10hr 45min Complete, tried to stand but were wobbled around the boat ramp must have been a little fatigued!

3rd in open Long Rec 2 class, Thanks Sleep train for the support and enthusiasm (a couple of little thing to work on for next time)

So close but so far

Saturday morning 2am woken by a screaming baby (this has been pretty standard for the last 6weeks), then laid in bed trying to convince myself to go to sleep until the alarm at 4am, but no success.

0415 into car with my green tea and muffin heading to wyong for the AROC sport adventure race. bike drop at 0600 and started to eat as i will need all the energy i could muster to keep up with my other team members, then on the bus heading to start at 0730.

Start was 2km south of the entrance.
Leg 1 2km soft sand run, this proceeded to blow the chest and legs to bits and then a swim across the channel as we headed to the kayaks. I needed this swim to drop the body temp as i tried to stay with the leaders and my team members which were both 20kg lighter and alot fitter than me! Heart rate was up in mid to high 170's
Leg2 7km kayak across the lake heading NW to Wyong, conditions were perfect light southerly breeze and clear blue sky. But we were in bigger yellw bath tubs with shit paddles, tough going
Leg3 swim 120m across a brown jelly fish infested water, it was not pleasent as we did not know what we were hitting? and by the time I got half way it was starting to mess with my head and could not get out of there quick enough. Plus my pack and PFD was riding up making swimming tough.
Leg4 MTB 15km we headed west from Tacoma into Ominbah forest where we discovered groomed single track which was great fun. So we blasted through there with me hitting a small tree as i took in the scenery. I just wish i had my cleats on as my shoes were sliding around all over the place of the nylon flat peddles (or metal peddles)
Leg 5 2.5 Rogaine in the middle of the forest we jumped off the bikes and headed out on foot to collect 5 check points.
Leg 6 MTB 15km back in the saddle and finish the single track loop more fun to be had, and will have to go back. My first sign of cramp as on this leg which was no great surprise.
Finished Second and were sent back out on a bonus leg
Bonus 3km run around the Koringah Waters estate
Finished Second by 8mins 3hr.50mins- The winners are almost pro racers as they are about to go to New Caledonia for a 4 day race. So very happy after no real training for 6 weeks.

Off the Radar

For 2 weeks i have been off the training radar with the BMMC as work and the lack of sleep with the new son has pushed the body enough let alone any additional exercise.

Hopefully next week every starts to settle down and i can free up a few hours to go bush.

Last weeks conference at Coffs did see 4 mornings surfing, tough days

Loosing my wisdom but gaining a son

WHAT A WEEK!, Friday before last I got home feeling good after the morning ride and a day at the office, had dinner and the mouth started to feel weird, so a couple of panadol and off to bed, a few hours later the jaw started to swell more panadol and back to bed, and this went on until the morning panadol every 4hrs with very limited sleep. As the sun came up i started to ring all the dentists in the yellow pages and got in 1.45pm Saturday, walked in had an xray and in the chair around 2.30pm before he open my month he advised i had a chronic infection under a wisdom tooth and it was starting to go down my throat so 2 teeth had to come out. He did chuckle and said at least it is not acute only chronic otherwise I would be on a drip for the night. Instead strict instructions were given not to stress the body (less hours at work and no exercise) otherwise the inflection may grow and effect the bone.

Once the teeth were out and he had milked out all the puss from the inflection (which took around 20mins) i was released to go home but only got to the front desk as i opted to lay on the floor for a while as i was light headed, after about 10min got in the car and drove to the pharmacy for the 4 bottles of drugs and then home to bed before the local wore off.

5 days of R&R drove me mad, So wifey through in so action late in the week has i was requested to take her to her last baby scan, where the doc advised she we be induced tomorrow so she could have him naturally as he is a big boy. After being at the hospital all thursday night, on Friday Archer Kingsley Price was born 1.50pm 3.44kg / 7lb9o.

Hopefully now life will settle down and training can wind up again.

Blown Away

This week was low key with the child becoming crook and therefore a lot of long nights and very little sleep. so the body was very fatigues but managed to drag myself out of bed Saturday after 4 hrs sleep to charge up and down the oaks with a quicker time, so happy.

More importantly the Kathmandu Blue Mountain race has been announced and with plenty of ban ta at the BMMC runs sleep train and bullant want their title back. But it will be tough as we do not want to let it go. Training has started with this title defence the main focus as this head to head battle will be second. You will hear sleep train talk about world champs but that is just a stepping stone to the big one on the 16th of January. Pride is everything! BMMC must hold on to it.

At the Sunday BMMC dinner the wings were spread and Mrs sleep train is in for the club multi sport (in stead of Duathlon) and it is set for 8am this Sunday, Panthers Tri club inaugural multi sport race.

Chasing the BMMC Boys

Now the body has starting to settle into the early starts and exercising. The big thing this week was increased sunshine in the mornings and spring warmth! Over the week I acquired some new equipment which seem to be firing on all cylinders especially the Road shoes and peddles for the bike. They are like standing on a milk create, more drive and my feet are very solid. You do not move around in the paddle half as much as the MTB SPD peddles. Ay up lights, brilliant just got the new V4 kit for training and racing, simply brilliant for the size as most of the BMMC have now seen. 2XU compression bike knicks another stab in the dark that seems to have paid off as they seem to keep my bun's very tight (plus a great fitting chamois) and they fit my new Stella Italia gel saddle well, the old girl was flexing enough that it would fit the top of the seat on a moderate bump in the road. It was always a good jolt through the arse end that i will not miss. Thanks Kevin for my tax return!

Tues Run 11km BMMC
Wed Rest day
Thurs Forced rest day due to child
Fri Ride 25km, Swim 1.5 (good morning session)
Sat 56km MTB up oaks
Sun 27km recovery ride, Run with TE 13km
Mon 35km chasing TE on the bike
Tues 11km BMMC