The Boy in the Man

I think most Aussie Weet-Bix kids have spent their fair share of time on bikes while growing up. I’m sure this still rings true for anyone growing up in the suburbs but I do worry sometimes about what the kids growing up in the big cities are missing out on. Growing up in any Canberra suburb presents endless opportunities for getting out and getting a new scab. Be it chasing your brothers around a col-de-sac, jumping your best friend by building a kicker out of a piece of wood and a brick, or venturing further into the nature reserve to dig, build and mould the local BMX track.

The individual who isn’t so common is the 10 yr old who gets into trouble for getting home after dark, because the day just wasn’t long enough to finish that fresh table top. The boy who aimlessly follows dirt bike tread marks, deep into Stromlo forest, in the hope that he might catch a fleeting look at the machine that left them behind. The boy that takes to bunny hopping horse jumps in the effort to smash the local stair jumping record. Only to clip the top of a log, get sent straight over the bars, be left alone in the dust and wondering if, that one breath, will come back in time to survive another day. The boy who follows the slippery line of the storm water because it feels cool when the front wheel slides from side to side. Yep, this obsessed little boy was me, and he is still in there, a little more subdued these days but still comes out most times I hit the dirt.

These days I have a better sense of timing when it comes to pushing the limits, no doubt. Definitely because I don’t bounce and bend as well, but mostly because I have found a new instinct, one of survival, one that is paternal, one that in mid flight over a double, presents vivid images of my wife and 1 yr old son. Don’t get me wrong, I am still made keen on making a bike perform at its best, and in doing so strive to perform at my best. To the point where I find myself visualising how the tread is flexing over the terrain and thinking about what I might be able to do get better traction in that moment.

So from 1991 to 2011, from 20inch to 26inch, and from boy to man, I find myself in the present, letting the past shape and form the new trails that are unwinding in front of me. Now it’s just up to me to find the best the line.

Race this weekend, yeah. Tumut 3hr Enduro. Goal is to survive and pump out my fastest lap on the last lap.

The Bottom of the Climb

Well I've started my first ever blog because I reckon the next few weeks and months are going to present some really exciting times.  I'm going to be experiencing heaps of cool things for the first time and this next journey of my life is definitely worth putting down on the interwebs. This  will hopefully provide some insight and maybe a little entertainment to friends and family who read it, and will give me a good tool for tracking my progress.

I've committed myself to12 months of mountain bike training and racing, and that's going to be the main focus of this blog. I want to cover my training progress, race results and overall experience with getting a little serious about this fun and dynamic sport. I'll try and mix in some other life stuff that at least seems relevant but will keep it racing focused.

Where's my head at?

I've been a bike boy for ever, have tried just about every class of bike available and have plenty of scars to prove it. I raced BMX for a few years, raced a couple of local downhill MTB events, raced Moto-x on and off for 6 years and have done a few snowy mountain road bike tours on a Ducati 1098.

I'm going to be honest here, and this will annoy a few people, but coming from the BMX culture I've always viewed the sport of mountain biking as a little second rate, sort of like a dusty version of road cycling. I mean how could they even think about riding hard with their seats up that high?!?! But over the last 5 years, my opinion has been changing, and it's been changing fast. I've entered a few 24hr team events, and have got to know some great peeps who are already established on the scene. Canberra has been investing millions into the trails in the area, the tracks are getting pretty gnarly and I'm finding more and more mates from the old BMX and Moto-x days who are getting serious about MTB racing.

MTBing has become the divine answer to many of my dilemma's in life. The combination of mates, racing, fun and fitness all in the one activity. MTBing is as near to perfect as I have found. Not to mention the cost of MTBing is still cheap in comparison to many other sports/gym memberships..

My goal for the next 12 months is to get a bit more serious about how I train, about refining my riding skills, and about what I eat. I want to enter the club racing season as an unknown/underdog, and be mid field in A grade by the end of the year.

Where's my body at?

I'm 31 yrs old, 86kgs and 176cms tall. Natural build for me is somewhere between an Endomorph and Mesomorph body type. I've currently got a few extra skin folds that will get shaved in coming weeks. Definitely not the best stats for a hill climber or fast racer but I got a few things on my side as well.

I've got genes that are pre-programmed for middle to long distance and I'm finding more endurance in my legs and lungs as I get a little older. My legs have good speed and strength, so with some development in my aerobic capacity and endurance I should have the makings for some consistent speed on the trails.

So until next blog...

Ride on!!!