Those hills just don't get any smaller!

by Pip Read - Australian & World Masters Champion

I've had a few weeks off the bike after the Australian Masters Road Championships and the World Masters Games, and to say the legs are not happy on the bike would be an understatement.

As you may remember I had six hard races in three weeks so I guess I can't blame the poor old things. To make them suffer even more I headed to Bright for my club's elite training camp with the big three climbs in three days; Falls Creek, Mt Hotham and Mt Buffalo. The Falls ride was on Friday after a five hour drive from home. I was looking forward to getting in some serious climbing.

I arrived in Bright 45 minutes before the scheduled start of the first ride. I was not to confident about the upcoming 120km course from Bright over Tawanga Gap up to Falls Creek and returning via Tawonga Gap. All started out ok. After a briefing from the camp leader and ex Olympian Rob Crowe, we headed out on the track. Approaching Tawonga Gap I decided I'd had enough and after a longish stop headed back to Bright and a sit in the icy Ovens River.

On day two, after a bit of a quiet evening sitting around the pool and enjoying the company, we headed out for Mt Hotham. After a short ride to the turn off to Tawanga Gap we stopped for a pep talk and stretching session from Crowie, then we headed for Hotham. At some stage during the gruelling climb I was reminded as to what I said to Fran and Madam Lash at the end of this stage of the Tour of Bright two years ago (if I say I'm doing this race again hit me, hard). At least this wasn't a race but I still don't think they hit me hard enough! The difference this time was that we got to do the descent, and what a descent! I'd even do the climb again just for the trip down, I've got a smile on my face right now just remembering it!

Day three and I often wonder what some people must think of cyclists. For the last two days I've returned to the motel in Bright, put on my bathers, shown no embarrassment about the award looking tan lines, and hobbled down to the river and sat in the very cold water. This makes the legs feel great. After a bit of socialising Saturday evening and a lovely meal we all headed out for the last of the big three rides, Mount Buffalo.

I started out feeling a bit odd in the tummy and struggled a bit on the early climbs but after some encouragement from one of the support staff I actually rode through it and finished climbing well and feeling quite ok by the time we reached the chalet and the summit. A quick refuel and back down the mountain. I again enjoyed the descent immensely; maybe I should start looking for races that start on the top of hills.

I spent three days of climbing in quite hot conditions, learnt heaps and as you always do realised that I need to do more work on my climbing, as over the past 12 months or so I've been concentrating on time trials and criteriums. I am really enjoying the new bike setup and appreciating the extra gears. Was having a chat to Rob Crowe on the ride back to Bright and he is planning to have a women's training camp incorporated in with the elite camp next year. Think I'd better plan to be more prepared next time.

The other big change for season 2010 is a tree change. Fran will be working in a nearby town and I will be a full time cyclist, gardener and all round maintenance type person. I will be undertaking a long commute to work for a little while, so I will write some tips on how to keep up a training regime while spending over two hours a day driving. Monday's shopping bike and trailer SE sessions will be out, I will still be doing my Tuesday ergo sessions with 'Madam Lash', the rest of the week is still a bit up in the air. I've even thought about parking the car 20kms away from work and riding in, but as I'm not sure of the traffic I will have to see how things go. I'll, keep you all up to date on my modified training program.

Cya

Pip