Kowalski Classic - a good tonic for lost mojo

The Kowalski classic is my comeback race, last year it was my first race back after getting hit by the car. This year it was my first race back after 7 months off the bike and two surgeries… for this reason I’ve done the 50km option both years rather than the full 100km.

We headed down with a posse of Newy Cycos in the Cycobus and bike trailer. This made for a stress free trip down, no driving required (a good thing after a week of night shift). Lunch at the Greengrocer Café in Goulburn was enjoyed and highly recommended before we checked into our tourist cabin next the Bruce Ridge Trails.

The Newy Cycos at Bruce Ridge

Saturday afternoon spinning around Bruce Ridge would have been more enjoyable if I’d had any legs, unfortunately coming off night shift seems to render my legs useless for a day and I could only hope that they would come good for the next morning. I tried to help them out by eating so much I was uncomfortable sleeping on my stomach – probably not the best idea.

Despite forecasts of sub-zero morning, Canberra pulled out a mild one for race morning. We were ready to go on time and reached race start in time for those who have pre-race routines to tick off. I keep thinking I should try this warm-up business, but I never get around to it.

As a result when the gun sounded for our wave start, Tim and Gresho were off like frogs in a sock and I was near the back of the wave. The first hill let me know why other people warm up, but at the same time it got the blood pumping.

The course was completely different to the previous year thanks to logging in East Kowan and fantastic trail building efforts. This year the first 50km was almost all in Sparrow Hill so off we trotted under the highway for some flowy trails.

The thing about the Kowalski is that it’s nearly all singletrack which is awesome and tough! It suits me, I’m comparatively strong in single track. But I was still surprised to see Tim and Gresh up ahead at one point on the trail before realised it was a section that snaked back on itself and that I still didn’t know how far ahead they were.

Then I reached the same point less than a minute later and realised I was riding pretty well to be not far off those boys. I found my flow in that single track, I felt smooth… I was finally enjoying riding again after the year from hell.

Riding with a single bottle I didn’t bother with the feedstation and used firetrail to pass slower riders before getting back into yet more singletrack. The next rider I came up behind was Tim, well this was awkward, time to call track on your partner.

I knew that I didn’t stand a chance of staying ahead of Tim if we got on firetrail but due to the plethora of single track I stayed ahead of him for a good 10km – a first in a race. Then we headed back towards Kowan and the trails headed upwards on firetrail, sure enough the Tim “the metrognome” Nelson powered past me and I didn’t see him again.

The last 10km hurt, the lack of base mileage in my legs was starting to show but I pushed it home down the altered Kowalski Beer Garden descent and finished in just over 2.5 hours. What I didn’t realise it I was less than a minute behind Gresh and less than 2 minutes behind Tim’s split for the 50km (he did the 100km).

I also won my category and was 2^nd overall female by less than 3 minutes. Yet again the Kowalski was a fantastic race which puts the love back into mountain biking and restores my mojo after time off the bike.

It's been a quiet on here! Injuries, Tears and Chocolate.

So, some of you might be wondering why this blog has been so quiet. Well there’s a story behind that and it’s not a fun one:

Following my run-in with a car last year I had the plate removed from my arm in January 2014. This was after a fantastic two weeks of road riding in the Victorian high country. I was feeling on top of the world having ridden the 235km route of 3Peaks over Mt Hotham and up the back of Falls Creek on the 7^th of January with Tim. We had signed up for the official 3Peaks event and booked accommodation.

Feeling strong on Mt Hotham in January

So anyway I had the plate removed, I simple surgery in preparation for more imaging of my bung wrist and more surgery on the wrist later on from a hand specialist. A week after having the plate removed my arm got sore, really sore.

I started work as a doctor, my arm was too sore to drive. I got lifts to work, I couldn’t use my arm. I rang my surgeon, twice… it got brushed off.

I got on the trainer in the garage, I couldn’t hold the handlebars. I cried in frustration, then went to Emergency. Xrays showed the fracture line had simple opened back up, not healed. I had a broken arm, again.

My last ride before the brown stuff hit the fan

The hand surgeon saw me on short notice, more surgery 3 days later, by now it’s February. Big surgery, bone cut and a big f*ck off stainless steel plate in my arm.

When can I ride? At least 3 months was the answer – I cried again. I ate chocolate, I ate ice-cream, I sat on the couch. I probably cried again, lots. I was horrific to live with, Tim put up with me. He could ride, I couldn’t.

I sold my 3Peaks entry, I went back to work in a splint. I got given permission to run. I went for run, carrying an extra 3-4kgs of chocolate/icecream/couch time. I couldn’t run 5km without walking. I cried again.

Then things slowly got better, I stopped eating crap and continued running. I ran a half marathon just before Easter and was doing long runs of 16-20kms once a week. Lots of physio on my arm, hand therapy.

Half Marathon Finish

Then finally in May 2014 – allowed back on the bike! Arm has healed! Mid-May, I rode to work. I cried! It used to be easy, I used to average 30km/hr … I’m fit from running but I can’t ride. I stop running but struggle with riding, I put weight back on.

More tears of frustration. I keep going, 30km rides are a struggle. How far have I fallen, from top form to this? Early June I enter a mountain bike event – I ride solo for 4 hours. It hurts, I get beaten by people I used to beat but I’m back.

Next day – back and neck spasm. Chiro says it’s like whiplash, body not ready for 4hrs of mountain biking. Another 3 weeks off the bike, no exercise, more chocolate, neck sore for over a month.

July, middle of winter… finally start riding again. Still hurts, still slow, still frustrating. Get grumpy at Tim who is fit, have a few tantrums but keep riding.

Wollombi Female Podium

August, it’s getting easier – Tim makes me do my first 100+km on the road since early January. I complain, but I do it. Local mountain bike race – Wollombi Wild race and I win it, mojo coming back. 

September – Starts with a mountain bike race Kowalski Classic, 50km for me this year and I’m feeling good (see my separate race report). Finally back into solid training with 1000+ kms logged this month, but just in time to start in Emergency for work and start shift work!

So there you have it, it’s been one hell-of-a-year coming back from injury for a second time. I realistically had a full 6-7 months off the bike and am still not quite in the form of early January but I’m getting there and I’m enjoying riding again.

I would like to thank Tim for putting up with his psycho partner during that time, and my hand surgeon Dr Myers who went out of his way to ensure I was looked after when the first surgeon perhaps didn’t do so well.