Nu forstar jag innerborden av namnet Bannockburn Gutbuster (vet inte hur det kan oversattas till Svenska, nat som far magen att vanda sig ut-och-in tror jag, det ar de tva bergen som ska cyklas over som namnet refererar till, inte omgivningarna for de ar supervackra). Det ar en riktig gutbuster bestaende av 75 vilda kilometrar fran Garston till Bannockburn, over tva berg (med hogsta punkt pa 1300 m), via supervackra Nevis valley, totalt runt 2000 m stigning over Hector mountains och genom delar av Remarkables nationalpark.
Det har aret stod hagel, motvind, snobyar och solsken pa menyn. De 25 floderna som maste korsas var ganska fulla av gardagens tunga regn, och vattnet var iskallt. Nevis valley ar helt fantastiskt, och det foranderliga vadret gor det bara annu mer spannande.
En av svarigheterna med ett langt, kravande lopp som detta ar att veta hur man ska fordela energin. Om man gar ut for hart i borjan finns risken att man inte har krafter kvar i slutet. I gutbuster ar det bra att ha energi kvar eftersom man ska over ett berg i slutet av banan, over Duffers Saddle. Det ar ett skapligt stort berg, speciellt om benen ar trotta.
Jag kande mig inget vidare de forsta 30 kilometrarna. Jag hade ett stort pollenallergiutbrott (ingen sarskrivning har inte!) veckan innan och var ratt sa trott och inte speciellt sugen att trampa 75 km pa en cykel i elandig terrang. Men jag hade ju sett fram emot det har loppet i ett ar (jag backade ur forra aret da jag kande att jag inte var tillrackligt tranad), sa att strunta i det var inget alternativ for mig. Jag hade ocksa krashen for tre veckor sen i minnet, och kande inte for att pusha mig sjalv for mycket.
Efter den forsta stora backen var jag trottare an jag brukar, blev omkord av en dros med folk, och blev ikappcyklad av min polare som ocksa gjorde loppet. Han sa till mig att ta en energigel och halla uppe vatskenivan, och det gav mig en energikick. Jag drog ivag igen och den sista uppforsbacken till Duffers Saddle kandes riktigt bra. Den sista branta nedforsbacken var snabb, och det var kraftiga kastvindar vilket gjorde att manga fick sakta ner dar.
Jag slutade trea i min klass, under fem timmar. Aven om jag rejsar bara for mitt eget hoga nojes skull (manga ifragasatter nog nojet i det hela) sa ska jag inte sticka under stol med att jag var stokad att fa pris igen. Jag ar supernojd att ha gjort loppet, och an en gang ar jag sa tacksam over att ha halsa och kondition att kunna gora det. Jag laste i en nyhetstidning har att "For de som inte cyklar sa ar tavlingen som barnhistorien "Vi gar pa bjornjakt och vi ar inte radda"". Den beskrivningen fick mig att skratta!
Tack sa mycket Bren Dyer Photography i Cromwell for fantastiska bilder (kolla in fler foton pa hans facebook sida)!
Now I know the meaning of the name Bannockburn Gutbuster. It is a gutbuster of 75 wild kilometers from Garston to Bannockburn, over two mountains (highest point 1300 m), via beautiful Nevis valley, a total of around 2000 m climb, into the Hector mountains and through parts of Remarkables national park.
This year had hail, headwind, snowflurries and sunshine on the menu. The 25 river crossings were a bit full from the previous days rainfall, and the water was icing cold. The Nevis valley is a fantastic place though, and the changeable weather makes it even more amazing.
One of the difficulties with a long, demanding race like this is to know how to distribute the energy. Going too hard in the beginning might mean that you don't have much energy in the end. In Gutbuster it is good to have energy in the end, since there is another mountain to climb in the end of the course, over Duffers Saddle. It is a rather big mountain, especially big when the legs are tired.
I didn't feel very good the first 30 km. I had a big pollen allergy the week before and was pretty tired from it, and not sure if I was very excited about 75 km in rough terrain on a bike. But I had looked forward to this event since last year (when i backed off because I didn't think I was strong enough for it), so there was no options for me. I also had the crash from three weeks before still in fresh memory, and was afraid of pushing myself too hard.
After the first hill I felt more tired than usual, got passed by too many people and after 35 km a friend of mine who also did the race caught up, told me to eat a gel and keep the water levels up. He really gave me a boost and some positive energy. I took off again, and actually the last hill up to Duffers Saddle felt totally okay. The last steep descent was fast and the sideways wind was gusty, and I think most people had to slow down a bit.
I ended up on third place in my category, just under five hours. Even though I do this only for my own entertainment and fun (some people might question both the entertainment and fun part of it), I must admit that I'm stoked to get a prize again. I'm so stoked to have done it, and once again I'm so grateful to have the health and fitness to be able to do it. I read in a Cromwell news that "To non-riders, the event sounds more like the children's story "We're going on a bear hunt and we're not scared"". That description cracked me up!!!
Thank you very much Bren Dyer Photography in Cromwell for the great photos (check out more photos from him on his facebook page)!
Det har aret stod hagel, motvind, snobyar och solsken pa menyn. De 25 floderna som maste korsas var ganska fulla av gardagens tunga regn, och vattnet var iskallt. Nevis valley ar helt fantastiskt, och det foranderliga vadret gor det bara annu mer spannande.
En av svarigheterna med ett langt, kravande lopp som detta ar att veta hur man ska fordela energin. Om man gar ut for hart i borjan finns risken att man inte har krafter kvar i slutet. I gutbuster ar det bra att ha energi kvar eftersom man ska over ett berg i slutet av banan, over Duffers Saddle. Det ar ett skapligt stort berg, speciellt om benen ar trotta.
Jag kande mig inget vidare de forsta 30 kilometrarna. Jag hade ett stort pollenallergiutbrott (ingen sarskrivning har inte!) veckan innan och var ratt sa trott och inte speciellt sugen att trampa 75 km pa en cykel i elandig terrang. Men jag hade ju sett fram emot det har loppet i ett ar (jag backade ur forra aret da jag kande att jag inte var tillrackligt tranad), sa att strunta i det var inget alternativ for mig. Jag hade ocksa krashen for tre veckor sen i minnet, och kande inte for att pusha mig sjalv for mycket.
Efter den forsta stora backen var jag trottare an jag brukar, blev omkord av en dros med folk, och blev ikappcyklad av min polare som ocksa gjorde loppet. Han sa till mig att ta en energigel och halla uppe vatskenivan, och det gav mig en energikick. Jag drog ivag igen och den sista uppforsbacken till Duffers Saddle kandes riktigt bra. Den sista branta nedforsbacken var snabb, och det var kraftiga kastvindar vilket gjorde att manga fick sakta ner dar.
Jag slutade trea i min klass, under fem timmar. Aven om jag rejsar bara for mitt eget hoga nojes skull (manga ifragasatter nog nojet i det hela) sa ska jag inte sticka under stol med att jag var stokad att fa pris igen. Jag ar supernojd att ha gjort loppet, och an en gang ar jag sa tacksam over att ha halsa och kondition att kunna gora det. Jag laste i en nyhetstidning har att "For de som inte cyklar sa ar tavlingen som barnhistorien "Vi gar pa bjornjakt och vi ar inte radda"". Den beskrivningen fick mig att skratta!
Tack sa mycket Bren Dyer Photography i Cromwell for fantastiska bilder (kolla in fler foton pa hans facebook sida)!
Now I know the meaning of the name Bannockburn Gutbuster. It is a gutbuster of 75 wild kilometers from Garston to Bannockburn, over two mountains (highest point 1300 m), via beautiful Nevis valley, a total of around 2000 m climb, into the Hector mountains and through parts of Remarkables national park.
This year had hail, headwind, snowflurries and sunshine on the menu. The 25 river crossings were a bit full from the previous days rainfall, and the water was icing cold. The Nevis valley is a fantastic place though, and the changeable weather makes it even more amazing.
One of the difficulties with a long, demanding race like this is to know how to distribute the energy. Going too hard in the beginning might mean that you don't have much energy in the end. In Gutbuster it is good to have energy in the end, since there is another mountain to climb in the end of the course, over Duffers Saddle. It is a rather big mountain, especially big when the legs are tired.
I didn't feel very good the first 30 km. I had a big pollen allergy the week before and was pretty tired from it, and not sure if I was very excited about 75 km in rough terrain on a bike. But I had looked forward to this event since last year (when i backed off because I didn't think I was strong enough for it), so there was no options for me. I also had the crash from three weeks before still in fresh memory, and was afraid of pushing myself too hard.
After the first hill I felt more tired than usual, got passed by too many people and after 35 km a friend of mine who also did the race caught up, told me to eat a gel and keep the water levels up. He really gave me a boost and some positive energy. I took off again, and actually the last hill up to Duffers Saddle felt totally okay. The last steep descent was fast and the sideways wind was gusty, and I think most people had to slow down a bit.
I ended up on third place in my category, just under five hours. Even though I do this only for my own entertainment and fun (some people might question both the entertainment and fun part of it), I must admit that I'm stoked to get a prize again. I'm so stoked to have done it, and once again I'm so grateful to have the health and fitness to be able to do it. I read in a Cromwell news that "To non-riders, the event sounds more like the children's story "We're going on a bear hunt and we're not scared"". That description cracked me up!!!
Thank you very much Bren Dyer Photography in Cromwell for the great photos (check out more photos from him on his facebook page)!
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| The startline. Photographer Bren Dyer Photography. |
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| The last descent. Photographer: Bren Dyer Photography |
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| Cromwell in the background. Photographer: Bren Dyer Photography. |
Thank you for sharing and linking my photos. I hope you are doing well.
ReplyDeleteRegards, Bren