2012

Well the new year has hit us already, that means race season is on the door step! Yep National series starts on the 15th for us here in NZ. Round 1 is in Dunedin followed by Christchurch and then Nelson for the National Champs, three weeks on the trot. We then get a week or two before the series picks up again in the north island mid Feb with Wellington and finishing in Napier, giving us one weekend off before the Oceania champs in Rotorua.
Since my last up date and after a lot of asking questions I finally found out about the 2011 national marathon champs race, Because the race was called off half way through it was not classed as a marathon so no title could be awarded. We had a race in "Rotovagas" and it used the new rock garden, I was with two others swapping about for the lead and on the second time down the raoc garden I burped a bunch of air out my front tyre, I rode the next lap with about 8psi in the front tyre before stopping to pump it up and loosing the lead guys. Ocne I was back up and running I was back in 4th or 5th but was able to make my way back to third by the finish.    I was lucky enough to get away up to the Coromandel to stay with one of my "second families" for a few days leading up to new years, we got out a couple times in the boat and caught some fish, I slipped out for a few rides (when it wasnt pissing down with rain), and caught up with some friends I havent seen for a few years. Yesterday I shot through to "Rotovagas" for a ride on the mtb with my coach Bobby Tuxford and the other guys he is coaching, it was a good fun day out until we were almost at the 2hr mark and Bobby told us he wanted us to do 2 laps of a block of tracks at race pace! Yep that hurt!!!  
Looking back on 2011, well it had its ups and downs, both on and off the bike! I had an average NZ season (by my standards) on the bike and decided not to go away over seas so I could try and work on a few things for this year, we will see if they have payed off in the next couple weeks I guess.