Capital Punishment - Super Masters

I ride in Super Masters category (nothing in the drop down menu for that yet...). Have gradually been chipping away at improvements over the years, from reading training techniques (thanks Mr Shippard, and others), to attending nutrition talks, and of course just getting out there and riding. It's interesting to see the results over time.

The first Cap Pun in 2010 was that mudfest - 7:19, 54 in Cat, 249 o/all. The horror, the horror...
2011 - didn't race it, as still too traumatised from the year before!
2012 - 4:40, 10 in Cat, 185 o/all
2013 - 4.39, 13 in Cat, 167 o/all
2014 - 4:15, 8 in Cat, 118 o/all.

The first 30 or so kays of mostly single track is always my favourite section of this race. I went off in the 3rd wave, and everyone was having a hoot! I hooked up with a couple of riders through the Defence Land section and swapped off turns to speed this section up. By then the wind was starting to kick in, so it really helped.

Then the neutral untimed zone which throws me every year. I prefer to keep the boiler stoked for the whole race distance, but it's so hard with this race, especially with the cycle path, traffic light palaver we have to go through. Sure, there's no option, and that's just the way it is. For me, it's always hard to get going again once you enter the Black Mountain fire trail section (and aren't those little descents around the back of Black Mtn treacherous! Like riding on ball bearings). Then the arboretum slog - head down and tail up to get it over and done with as quick as possible. A large group of riders passed me on the cycle path before Stromlo, with Elite Naomi Hansen leading out. I tried in vain to jump on but thought better of it and backed off to a sustainable pace, knowing the Stromlo climb to come. Chipped away up Stromlo and, when checking my Strava result, had taken about 2 and a half minutes off last year's climb. Couldn't believe that. As they say, it doesn't get easier, you just go faster. Gradually caught up with Naomi on the descent, but once we reached the crit track she took off like a scalded cat. We'd crossed the line of the Brownie Points Burner together last year, having crossed paths in that infamous "stolen direction signs" debacle, and decided to ride together to the end.

Really happy with the result. Knocking that much time off the previous 2 years was mostly down to better training and just more riding - especially over the last few months. Keeping control of leg cramps has always been my nemesis, and this year, the twinges appeared, but were held in check. I use Hammer Endurolytes capsules regularly along the way.

Nutrition wise, I've been using Hammer Perpetuem exclusively over the last couple of years, and find it works really well for me. I also have plain water in a hydration pack. I don't know how people get through these races with just a bottle or 2, considering the distances between fills!

No mechanicals this year, so thanks to Jordan at Ride in Workshop for giving the beast a great service last week.

So my season opener went well for me, and looking forward to the next one.

cheers

Simon