How does someone training for ironman kill a Saturday? The answer is spending 8hours in the saddle riding 220km Tauranga to Auckland. Thats exactly what myself and training buddie Craig Kirkwood did on Saturday. We thought it would be a good way of kicking off the ironman base phase of training.
On the Jamis T1 At 7am rugged up in as much winter cycling kit as we could, we set off from Tauranga, expecting variable weather but more importantly a tail wind (well thats what we thought). The first 3 hours of the ride took us from Tauranga thru Katikati to Paeroa, where much needed nutrition in the form of a couple pies were taken on. At this stage we were looking forward to getting to Ngatea so we could turn north and get out of the stiff head wind we had been riding into since Katikati. Boy were we mistaken, by the time we got to Miranda and was heading up the so called Seabird coast towards Kawakawa Bay the head wind was still there.
This was good time to enjoy the lovelly veiws across the firth of Thames towards the Coromandel Penninsula and also spot some chicks, well i mean Sea birds from which the coast apparantly gets its name. I must say that the day was not a good one for spotting Sea birds, however Craig did seem to get some excitement out of seeing a couple of Seaguls in the carpark at Kaiaua. This theme of trying to spot seabirds carried right on up the coast untill we turned and started the climb up over to Kawakawa Bay, oh and we still had a head wind now stronger than before. Kawakawa marked the 165km mark and what would be the final part of our ride.
From here we had Clevedon, Whitford and two nasty climbs ahead of us before we hit Auckland streets. One of these climbs i was later inform as one apparently no one in the Auckland cycling community would do, just due to the share steepness of it. But after 180k of riding you still need a bit of a challenge even if that is the last time you will feel your legs for 24hours. Thanks for that one Kirky.
From sandstone hill the ride was pretty much flat all the way to Mangere bridge where we would finish up, with a hot shower, a cushion and a bowl of hot fresh Pumpkin soup kindly prepared by Craigs Mother in Law. So around 220km all up, 200 of that into a head wind (good prep for Kona) in excatly 8 hours.
Oh and i got up the next morning and went with my Uncle Ken and Aunty Judy to ride with the Counties Manukau Vets Cylcle club on a fairly quick 65km Ride which resulted in a fairly fast last 10km and a sprint finish which I managed to get up to take out. I celebrated with a couple of cream donuts.
Thanks to Craig Kirkwood, for not only the idea but the company and those great tips, they might come in handy soon. Ken and Judy for your accomodation, the Counties Manukau Vets Cycle Club for putting up a great ride and ausome company and Kylie Kirkwood and her Mum for the transport home (in a car, yahh) and the post ride hospitality.
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