National Marathon Champion or not, that is the question???

Yesterday (26^th “MO”vember) was the Grate lake cycle challenge, NZs largest cycling event with close to 10,000 people taking part. From a four person team doing 40km each to 10 laps of the 160km ride around Lake Taupo or the “HUKA” a 85km MTB ride/race.

I am lead to believe this years Huka race is also the NZ  National Marathon Champs, it is on the UCI web site for 2011 http://www.uci.ch/templates/BUILTIN-NOFRAMES/Template3/layout.asp?MenuId=MTUyMjU&LangId=1 but every time I asked an official about it, no one knew any thing about it!?!  I guess I am going to send a few emails and try and sort it out.

OK now about the race it self. The wind was out of control! We started at 7am and I attacked about 500meters in to the race, Yep at the bottom of the first climb! I went clear and one or two younger riders bridged the gap for a short time. I was getting away from them when the top of a tree fell and landed on the track just in front of me although I was able to dodge most of it and kept going, This was the start of what was to follow as a rather scary ride in the forest. I had the gap out to 30sec before to long and settled into a steady pace not to go to deep but keep the pace high and try and stay out of sight, As the race went on more and more trees were snapping  all around us, pine cones and branches falling from above hitting people (myself included). As I was nearing the rely change over I was sent the wrong way but because this is my fourth time doing this race I knew it was wrong so I pinned it along the bit of single track until I could get back out onto the road and down to the change over where I slowed to tell the organisers what had happened, One of them was on the phone at that time and put it down to yell to me to stop “the race has been stopped” As I stood there in confusion (along with all the team members and supporters) about what was going on, the top of an old pine tree snapped and fell to the ground missing some kids playing near by.  We were all told to go down the road a bit and meet up with all the other riders then all ride the last part as no trees had fallen and it was deemed safe enough to ride. The race was over and it was just a social ride from here on so we got a bunch of the top riders together and rode the track doing skids and jumps along the way having a laugh as we went. It was decided that the results would stand as per the order of riders on the track when the race was stopped, Myself 1^st, Dirk Peters 2^nd and Tim Wilding 3^rd . This result gives me a record of 2 seconds and 2 wins in the four years of this event running , not a bad tally if I do say so my self.

The right call was made at the time with the conditions we were facing and it is just lucky on one was killed out there   

new ride all pimped out!

So 2012 is closing in rather fast and things are starting to happen on the new look Mikey Northcott front as well, I now have my new bike and a swoosh new set of white wall GEAX tyres. With a few other things on the go at the moment, its busy and exciting times. A big thanks to Ross and the team from Jamis NZ for getting my new bike sorted and so quickly, As for those swoosh white wall tyres from GEAX, Id say dont delay and order a set today if you want a set they wont last long 

Finally, update time

Well where do I start, I havent done many races since my last up date. Winter N-duro final =1st, JAMIS day/night thriller =3rd team and now the "spring fling"=5th.
With the weather having being so good in the last few months I have been able to get some good training done with some mint views and only a few magpies attacking me so far,
I had a good first two laps in the JAMIS day/nighter putting two of the fastest laps of the day, riding with current NZ Nat champ Carl Jones who had just returned from racing in Europe and the World Champs (I think he was a little bit shocked with my speed considering I have spent the winter at home training and not racing). The spring fling today was more of a fun race with only 33 racers and my VERY last minute decision to go, I grabbed the wheels off the single speed on the way out the door and some mud tyres and tried to change them when I arrived as the rain was coming down by the bucket full, Two pinched tubes latter I decided to flag that idea and just ride the GEAX AKAs that were on my bike already. The track was Jumps track and Corrners then down the road to Nat DH finish, about 11min30 for the fastest time. It was rather wet and muddy so riding my Carbon JAMIS hardtail (as per xc race set up) with the AKA tyres was always going to be fun! My first run went ok just trying to find my way down finishing that run in 7th, the second run I new where we were going and felt better on the top part but messed up a few corners towards the bottom loosing speed and time. With the two times combined I finished 5th over all, Not to bad considering no practice my bike set up and some of the guys that were there.
Well I better go get some gear packed as Im off to Hamilton for another fun week doing tests at trade school

Craters classic,Taupo

On a nice frosty morning my first mission was to let the car warm up for ten minutes while tipping water over the windows with the wipers going so they would stop freezing! The tracks in Taupo are always fun to race on with good flow and a high average speed, not many tree roots or stuff to make it tricky so the key is to go as fast as you can to make things interesting. We raced over most of the tracks in the park and a few spots were lacking in the tape and arrow department, but we will get to that soon. I took the lead almost straight away, young Nigel McDowell was on my wheel and away we went leaving the rest of the field. After about 10min Nigel made a mistake and I was gone slowly extending my lead to about 30-40sec, Then I got to "better than p" we almost always race over this track and with only a tiny bit of tape between two trees (and no arrows to be seen) I decided to do "better than p" in favor of "young pines" ( better than p is longer anyway) I stopped at the end of the track and asked if I had gone the wrong way. About 10sec of trying to work out where I went wrong Nigel and Garth Weinberg came through, I jumped in behind them and then a stick jammed in my chain rings. Once going again I was able to catch them on "coaster" and Nigel and I rode away from Garth on the next climb. As Nigel is about to head over to get ready for the World Champs in Swiss land I decided I would set a good solid pace and keep him in the red zone (kinda like motor pacing him I guess) as we neared the end I put in a couple little hits as the pitch went up. I broke the elastic and pulled away on the last single track to take the win. I raced with my BRYTON and have decided to unlock the file to be viewed so you can all check it out and get a taste of some of the cool stuff able to be done with the bryton  www.brytonsport.com/mapLatestTracks/2?         keyword: mikeynorthcott
It was awesome to race again as I cant remember the last time I have had this much time between races, Single speed Champs was my last race during easter weekend and the race before that was the Oceania champs mid March. I think the lack of racing has been good as Im keen to be back out there hitting it again. I cant wait for next year

No world champs this year

This year I wont be heading over to race the world champs. During the NZ season I felt I was struggling to find the form I wanted, It didnt seam to happen until the Oceania champs. I had a good long brake off training which was just what I needed both for the body and mind. I tried a few different things and have looked at a few ways to mix up the training. I have decided to stay home this winter and work on a few things for next year, One is the usual $$$ issue plus there are a few things I have been working on with the body and mixing things up to keep the mind fresh as well. Some times staying back home can work in ones favor, I have been getting up in the middle of the night watching the world cup races on "freecaster.tv" and learning alot along the way!
Training in the winter after working an 8hr day has had its challenges but things have become alot easier lately, I have hooked up with Nite lights and the amazing 1200 lumen light set that is so bright I went riding a few days ago and forgot to take my sunglasses off when it got dark! check them out at- www.nitelights.co.nz/destroyer-1200-lumen-bike-light. I am also now able to keep track of all my training with alot more detail than ever before with Bryton, Im using the rider 35 with a cadence monitor on the road bike. The Bryton has SSOOOO many functions and thing to keep an eye on when uploading to your profile. I can also use power meters with the Bryton down the track and then I can really get down and work out just what is and isnt working. www.brytongps.com/bryton-rider-35-gps
Yep the good old winter is hitting us with all its got at the mo, -5 one day then blowing a gail and rain the next. With these new training tools it is alot easier to get out in it all.

Training in the winter

The bad part about having to work full time and train in the winter is having to go out after work as its getting dark and cold with piles of clothes on and flashing lights hanging off the bike as so cars can see you. I shouldnt have a problem with not being seen for much longer though as Night lights are hooking me up with a set of destroyer lights so I cant wait to get my hands on those. I have had a few weeks of good training now with spending a week in Nelson on the MTB in the wet every day, riding up some down tracks (and then back down). Since returning home I have been racking up some road kms and getting out for a play on the dirt in the weekends. On the days the weather is not being so nice to me I have been trying to make friends with my erg, although it dose have a nasty side to it and I know all about that!
No matter the weather, enjoy your time on the bike and remember "ALL WORK AND NO PLAY IS KNOW GOOD AT ALL"

"Sunny Nelson"

Since The Single Speed Nationals, I had a bit more time off training (although finding myself out riding more and more, having fun on the bike). I made it over to the Moon ride 12hr teams race in Rotorua but was full of a head cold that was trying all it could to get into my lungs, so I decided not to race and just go for an easy ride in the forest instead.

 My geared race bike is all back together and with a couple small changes to my set up it now feels like I want to race every time I get on it. I am currently spending a week in "Sunny Nelson" riding some of the many tracks I have been told so much about of the years. It strange to think Ive been to Nelson almost every year since 1998 and this is the first time I am riding all most of these tracks as I dont have a race to prep for. It has been raining down here in "Sunny Nelson" for a couple weeks now (so Im told) and the tracks are rather muddy and slippery! One of the first tracks we went to go up and ride down has the access road blocked off for logging so we decided to ride up what is normally a decent that had a couple stream/river crossings, water running down the track towards us and the track got steeper and steeper towards the top. After a bit of hiker bike we reached the top and decided to go down another track that linked onto the track we just came up near the bottem. This was a good tester for the skills, with some steep hear pin corners a small rock garden that was more like a river and lots of slippery rocks and roots. I am glad I am riding my trusty old GEAX SAUGARO tyres and my BRAKE AUTHORITY brake pads which are allowing me to pull nose wheelies around some of the tighter hair pin corners!. So four rides now and all have been wet, and good for the skills as we dont have much to challenge skills in Rotorua where I normally ride. Only a couple more days before I head home and most likely have to strip and rebuild my bike again (oh well gotta take the good with the bad) at least its been warm, we have been riding most of the time with shorts shirt and maybe a vest (now thats what I call winter riding!!!)