'Maungatuks Crazy' Fun Ride

On Sunday 21 September Maungakotukutuku Road, just off Valley Road, (and several kms from Paraparaumu), will be a hive of activity.  Between 8am and 2pm cyclists will be climbing the 2km ascent to surpass a (collective) total of 1,000 climbs for the day.

There will be plenty of prizes up for grabs, with the male and female with the most climbs winning a Hammer Nutrition bundle of goodies.  Additionally, all riders with 15 or more climbs are in the draw for a pair of Bolle sunglasses from Grylles optometrists.  And everyone who completes ten or more climbs will be in the draw for a host of other spot prizes.


Contact Stu Downs directly for more information...
Cell - 0210-261-9648
Or email

This page outlines details for the event.  To enter the event you need to sign both the Waiver and also the Ride Briefing, and have these enclosed with your entry fee.

The Waiver and Ride Briefing files can be downloaded below...
Ride Info Page 1
Ride Info Page 2
Waiver and Briefing Page 1
Waiver and Briefing Page 2

Additional information can also be obtained from the No Shadows page on Facebook.

Entering the Ride

Entering

Entries need to be made by Wednesday 17 September.  All entrants pay $20 to enter the Fun Ride.

Late Entries

Entries between Thursday 18 September and Saturday 20 September are considered late.  Late entries cost $25.

Entering on the Day

Entries on Sunday 21 September are strictly limited.  Entering on the day costs $30.

Payment – No cheques please.

 All payments to Stu Downs – 8 Manawa Avenue, Raumati, Kapiti Coast.

(Confirmation of entry will be made within 24 hours of receipt.  Hearing nothing indicates it hasn't arrived as yet arrive).

*** 100% of the proceeds goes to charity ***

*** 50% to Wellington Free Ambulance and 50% to Heart Kids ***

Riding in the ‘Maungatuks Crazy’ Fun Ride

Riders entered in the ride will leave at 15 second intervals from 8am.

The starting order will be determined by the order of entries.

If you miss your starting slot, then you are placed to the back of the list.

All entries require the Waiver and Ride Briefing to be signed.

As riders reach the summit they have their ride number recorded by the time keeper.

Upon reaching the bottom of the hill riders are to stop and look for traffic.

If safe, they proceed to the back of the starting area to have their number recorded by a timekeeper.

When your number is recorded you start the next ascent.

Schedule on the Day

7am – Collection of ride numbers, and riders entering on the day.

7:45am – Ride briefing.

8am – Ride starts.  (1 rider at a time).

2pm – Ride ends.

6pm – Dinner at The Boundary.  (Family and friends welcomed).

Prizes

Hammer Nutrition ‘Most Climbs’ Male and ‘Most Climbs’ Female.

Both riders receive a Hammer Nutrition bundle.

The two winners do not have to be present at the dinner to receive their prize.

In the instance of a draw – the winner rider is the rider who reached their final summit first out of those riders equal on climbs.

Grylles Optometrists ‘Bolle 15 Climbs’

All riders who completed 15 climbs are entered for the Bolle sunglasses spot prize.

The rider must be present at the prize giving to receive the prize.

Spot prizes

All riders who complete 10 or more climbs are in the draw for all other spot prizes.  These include…

Karolina Stus Photography – One colour print, and full set of digital prints relating to that cyclist.  (Three prizes).

Bike Barn – An assortment of clothing and bike items to assist with your cycling.

Future Now – A free session of NLP with Karren Kerrisk.  These are valued at $180 each.  (Three prizes).

Suzanne Stokes – A signed copy of Suzanne’s published book ‘35 Day Detox’.  (Three prizes).

‘The Bike Whisperer’ – Adam John will carry out a full bike fit free of charge.  (One prize).

*** Riders must be present at the prize giving to receive spot prizes ***

The location of the Maungatuks climb.  You follow Valley Road until you reach the base of the climb .  (Please ensure you park on the Paraparaumu side of the base of the hill, so you don't drive around cyclists preparing for the ride.

The Maungatuks climb.  2kms of climbing, with a spectacular view from the summit.

The 'Start' - All riders need to ensure that the road is clear before they turn right to have their ride number checked.

The 'Summit' - Ensure the road is clear, and then provide the time keeper your ride number.

Taking Turns on the Front in a Cycle Group

It is said that cycling is an endurance sport.  Whether this is a 4km pursuit race on the track, or an overnight race, the concept of ‘endurance’ remains true.  In short, if you can find a way to reduce any unneeded expenditure of energy, then you are gaining a competitive advantage.

Bunch cycling (opposed to triathlon) allows for cyclists to take turns at the front of the group.  With everyone taking turns, the group as a whole benefits, with weaker cyclists able to ride further at that speed, and faster cyclists fresher at the finish.  As with all things ‘cycling’ there is an etiquette that should be followed, and it is usually expected that you arrive armed with this knowledge before the group sets off.

Firstly, the golden rule is this – know where everyone is.  Everyone.  Those next to you.  Those behind you.  Those in front of you.  The traffic.  What is coming up that may disrupt the group’s flow.  And importantly, where you are in all of this.  You job in the group is to act as a shield for everyone else from time to time, with you making your way (anti-clockwise) through the group as smoothly as possible while getting back to the front again one cyclist at a time.

The right side of the group is the ‘faster’ side, with the cyclists moving past those on the left.  When you get to the front right, your job is to hold a smooth speed (as those behind you are going to follow your speed), watch for anything on the road that may break up the group or create a risk (glass, potholes, or a larger object – point and communicate as these item get closer), and finally you are also well advised to keep an eye on your fatigue (you are going to remain on the front of the group when you move to the front left, and if you start to struggle it will break up the flow of the group).

When you move from the front right to the front left the main focus is keeping the movement smooth.  A slight (reads “slight”!!) increase in speed allows you to pass the person on the front left, and as you pass them you are fully aware of where their bike is.  Once they are passed your back wheel is 1 to 2 feet in front of their front wheel.  (If you are 10 to 15 feet clear of them, then you are breaking up the group).  You will then allow the speed to go back to what it was, and you are in front of the person you were next to.  The cyclist who was behind you, is now next to you.

When on the front left of the group, you have lost some control over the rotation of the group.  (This is effectively decided by the person on the front right).  Thus, you are obligated to tell the person on the front right if you are getting tired, and need them to go in front of you.  When they do, let them know when they are clear of your front wheel, and they will move to the left.  (They should also be looking).

The flow will continue like this, and you’ll find that a cohesive group will achieve a lot more than a group of individuals.  Communication is key, and if speeds start to differ amongst individuals later in the ride, then it needs to be discussed.  (Generally speaking, the 2 problem areas are starts that are too fast, and later in the ride some individuals being too tired to keep a smooth pace when on the front).

The time spent on the front differs.  Some groups will encourage 3 to 5 minutes for each rotation.  This will generally be an easy to moderate paced ride, with chatting (and mileage) the central focus.  In faster groups the time on the front can be less than 30seconds, with some preferring a constant flow of rotating.  Ensure everyone knows what is expected.

Like anything, communication is key.  If you feel uncomfortable, then voice this, and see what the response is.  It may be that the group has a specific goal they are training for that differs from yours.  Or maybe they are just used to a specific approach to the cycling, and haven’t tried anything different.  Keep it friendly, and you will all be fine.

The 6 Senses of Cycling...

We all want to complete our goals, and by using the abilities at our disposal we can better our chances of being safe while out on the roads. The following tips have been used while I've trained for events over the last 7 years / 75,000kms…

Sight 
There are two key areas here…
1) Being seen - It is critical you are seen by traffic. This means (where applicable) the wearing of both reflective gear, and the use of lights on both the front and back of the bike. Any lights should be flashing to increase the likelihood of being seen as early as possible.
2) Knowing your surroundings - Some cyclists will ride around parked cars and like without so much as a glance for traffic approaching them. If you expect drivers to look for you, then you need to look for them also. Always make eye contact with the driver if possible, and use hand signals to let them know where you're going. Most drivers will be more than happy to let cyclists merge with them, but they need to know what you're planning to do.

Smell
If you wear it - Wash it. Staying healthy means you stay as clean as possible. This means your gear gets thrown into the wash as soon as you walk in the door, and it also means multiple sets of clothes if commuting.


Taste
Eat what works for you on training rides and events. It's not a secret that I prefer Hammer Nutrition products for both training and recovery, but if you can complete your goals using other products, or even - as I've witnessed once - eating lollies…then power to you. The big thing is to be open minded about what may (or may not) work, and be prepared to try different things occasionally.


Touch 
Unless I'm doing an extended ride, (or it's very cold / wet), I don't bother about gloves. If the road is dry you'll get a good feel (literally) of what's happening with your tyres with a quick touch as you're riding. (This may include checking them while riding after cycling over glass and debris).


Hearing 
In the same way you'll need to look for traffic, you also need to hear the traffic. This means no I-Pods or MP3 players while cycling on open roads. (The track is another kettle of fish - But this assumes you're on the track alone). The issue of 'boredom' should never arise, as you'll constantly be scanning the road for debris, and additionally the road well ahead should be thought of from time to time. All in all there is plenty to do, and listening for the traffic could be the difference between a safe ride or a close call.


The 6th Sense
Go with your gut. There is a big difference between being nervous about completing Taupo, and nervous about riding to work in the dark with no lights. Simply put, you know how motivated you are to complete your training, and within the context of that motivation, if something sends you the message that things aren't right, then your properly correct. In these situations the best starting point is to think about the above points. If you are still unsure about a situation, then approach someone who has successfully addressed this situation in the past. Bottom line - Safety first.


I hope these points help. Feel free to also use the 3 'rules of thumb' below for keeping yourself safer…
- Always be prepared to get off the road. (You are entitled to be on it, but that is a small consolation if a truck drives too close to the side of the road…where you happen to be).
- Wave to vehicles whenever possible. (Very few drivers are dangerous, but they are all giving you room - You wear distinctive gear and will be remembered either way).
- Know why you're out there. (Cycling becomes a chore relatively quickly if you see your weekends simply as being tired in the saddle and later tired at home).

Reach out and grab what you want from this world before you. Cycling can bring you a new life, but you must embrace it. This means enjoying the rain, the dirt, the traffic, and most of all enjoying those smaller moments when you carry on because of the discomfort. With any luck these moments will collectively make you into a better person...who has a well balanced view on life.