A word about the event. The Motatapu website notes:

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1 Warm Up I ve put this little blog together mainly for my own enjoyment to go with other experiences in my diary folder of adventures. Hopefully family and friends who read it can enjoy some of my own enthusiasm for this lovely part of NZ and for a fairly special event. Prep My Motatapu 2018 story really began in mid I wanted to achieve a reasonable level of fitness. A recent hernia op and ongoing trouble with my hip hadn t helped. So a question to Dave at the YMCA could I (reasonably) train with the goal of completing Motatapu in 2018? His answer yes, so long as I was not worried about time (and provided that I didn t fall off my bike in training a couple of falls spoiled my biking last year). In late winter I got back into instructing Spin at the YMCA (1 2 classes a week) and with Suvi s help I started in on some fairly tough mobilization and weight training. Plus at least one long Sunday ride and shorter weekday rides on my bike. I sensed that if I could get fit enough for Motatapu I could also manage better some of the other things that had become harder. (Like mowing the lawns and digging the garden!). Overall, I enjoyed the prep. I noticed that whatever exercise I did helped reduce the arthritis symptoms. The pump after a weight session or the burn after a bike ride both felt good and I felt better. A word about the event. The Motatapu website notes: Figure 1 Instructing a YMCA Spin class The iconic Motatapu Off-Road Sporting Event is held annually in March in Queenstown and Wanaka, traversing Motatapu, Soho and Glencoe stations. Known for its challenging-yet achievable course, the 1

2 event snakes its way through stunning high country terrain only accessible to the public one day a year for the Motatapu event, making it even more unique. The inaugural Motatapu Off-Road Sporting Event was held in 2005, offering a mountain bike or marathon option and attracted 1,000 participants. Now over 4,500 people take part in five different events, all held on the same day. The mammoth event has gained iconic status in Australasia and is known as THE bucket-list off-road event for both elite athletes and weekend warriors. Figure 2 The route of the Skoda mountain bike event. 2

3 A word about my bike. It is a 2015 GT Helion Carbon frame Pro dual suspension 27.5 cross country mountain bike. It is a very nice, light, forgiving bike that s capable of far more than I am, and I love it. Being able to participate at all in Motatapu has also been thanks to Rod and Sheila their generous hospitality at The Sheiling in Arrowtown and warm encouragement with the event. Figure 3 The bike A word about the photos. One or two were taken on my cellphone. Some were either official competitor photos you paid a fee on entry and got e-copies of all photos where your number was recognizable. Others were -screen-snipped from Motatapu organisers Facebook posts. The main channel of communication was via a cellphone App which seemed to work surprisingly well. Pre-event A week before the event I was taking a more than usual interest in the weather. This time it was looking very positive for a nice fine day. (No excuses to pull out on that score!). I was double checking that I had all the requisite gear. There is quite a list. The bike had been passed by helpful and friendly Pete at Ride Cycles as fit all bikes must be checked by a bike mechanic recognized by race organisers. And so Friday. The drive to Arrowtown with Pam. Registration began at Wilcox Green at 4.00 p.m. and at around 4.15 I joined hundreds already in line. Figure 4 - Friday night registration Saturday morning. Up about 5.00 a.m. to have breakfast and be out the door by 6.00 (trying not to disturb Pam). All my gear on me and lights on the bike for the short ride into Arrowtown to catch the pre-booked shuttle bus. A lovely clear morning, no wind, autumn chill, promised a lovely day. The shuttle trip involved the only bit of poor communication in the whole day. The bus was a Go-Bus school bus one of those truck cab-bus body things that segregates the driver from the passengers. We set off from Arrowtown with lights flashing all over the dashboard and something obviously wrong with the bus which was laboring badly. At the Crown Range turnoff the bus (very sensibly) decided on its own that enough was enough and it would go no further. So the driver parked it, got on his cellphone 3

4 and arranged for a relief bus but all without a word to his passengers until someone from the back called out asking what the F was going on. Figure 5 - Making friends - a guy from Nelson with his e bike That meant we were about ¾ hour late at Glendhu Bay, had all missed the briefing, and some had missed their opportunity in the early seeded start. Glendhu Bay was calm and lovely, with the sun peeping over the mountains promising a fine, dry day. Figure 6 Glendhu Bay 4

5 I made new friends on the bus and at the start but I missed the company of Rod and other Invercargill friends not taking part this year. There is quite a lot of gear you must carry with you for the event but it is up to you what you actually wear. I was comfortable with a merino base layer and my Team Skoda top and padded bib shorts. In hindsight, I was too comfortable and should have stripped the base layer. The Start The Skoda Mountain Bike race was arranged as a rolling start. You had to seed yourself according to your estimated race time. Options ranged from elite to cruiser. The reason for this is to minimize log-jambs with faster riders trying to overtake slower ones. I classed myself as a cruiser and seeded myself accordingly. We started with the e-bikes (yes, they were allowed as a separate class). We were lined up in roped-off races and flagged away in groups of half a dozen or so. Our race time did not start till we passed under the starting arch, which triggered the electronic timing. The First Stage The first part of the race us op the Motatapu valley on a good gravel road. There are signs indicating that public access is not allowed after a certain point, after which the route is a good farm track as far as Aid Station 1. The track averages uphill with some steeper pitches and some flowing descents but at this stage the riding is reasonably straightforward. It is beautiful Otago high country scenery. The important thing at this stage of the ride was to keep food and hydration levels up (and generally keep plenty in the tank for the tougher riding ahead.) Starting at the back of the race had the advantage of reasonably clear riding but the e-bikes were vaguely irritating, smugly whirring up the hills that the rest of us were working for. (Several people commented on this). Aid Station 1 was about 15 k s into the course. I took everything I was offered (drink and snack) and ate the first of my bananas. Stage 2 Just around the corner from Aid Station 1 is a steep hill that keeps going and going. Only the best can bike this and some of those pushing bikes were stopping for an occasional breather. (I stopped to take a photo..good excuse.) Towards the top of this hill the first of the ultra-marathoners started to come through, looking incredibly fit. Figure 7 - The first killer hill 5

6 Figure 8 The first long killer hill At the top of that long killer hill there are a few ups and downs as one tackles the first creek crossings of the day. The track is rougher and some of the crossings are moderately technical in that there is definitely a right and wrong way to approach and traverse them. Figure 9 Some of these corners must have an interesting history I came across a group, assisting a cyclist obviously in distress as they were administering CPR. I stopped and offered assistance (as a Level 1 First Aider) but they said I could do nothing to help so I carried on. Soon the medic quad bike passed us on their way to the scene, and shortly after we heard the rescue chopper. (Significant injuries re helicoptered out weather permitting.) I understand he died later that day. With my stiff hip I am slow getting on and off the bike and this cost me time in this section. 6

7 After the ups and downs the track flattens as one enters the upper Motatapu valley. By this stage the route is a farm track with grass between wheel ruts, in places quite rough. It crosses and re-crosses the Motatapu River. Figure 10 Lovely view of the Motatapu valleu from the event facebook page Figure 11 - One of many river crossings 7

8 The river crossings can be a challenge. It is surprising what the bike WILL do and find its way out of, if you re in a nice low gear before you start the crossing. (You DON T try to change gear either mid stream a prime way of wrecking derailleurs or climbing out the other bank a prime way to break a chain.). But you are riding across a rock garden and if you fall off there is no soft spot to land so it s going to hurt. (I didn t fall off but went closer to the photographer than either he or I intended). Aid Station 2 is just after one of these river crossings. It really does pay to have an extra cup of electrolyte drink. People were starting to cramp and plenty of electrolyte drinks help prevent that. Time for another banana and to start nibbling my higher octane bike fuel. Just on from the Aid Figure 12 Missing the photographer Station a runner measured his length on the track in front of me, with bad cramps. I stopped and with one other cyclist we helped him straighten out and I gave him a puff of my Crampstop. (The stuff does work but once you have had cramp you need to keep using it). It was nice to get some appreciative comments from the other runners. Once he was on his feet again we carried on. The track at this point is little more than two mown wheel tracks in the grass, all the time tending uphill. The going is slow. Its harder riding with the runners most are good at keeping left but not all and not 8

9 everyone knows their left from their right. I was feeling a bit tired. It was too easy to cruise at the runners pace and pass where it was convenient, but I should have been more aggressive about it. Stage 3 Aid Station 3 is at the head of the valley, about 2 k s from the highest point. More electrolyte drink and a Goo and words of encouragement from the volunteers (who commented that the people were much nicer at this end of the race!). The volunteers do a great job, manning the aid stations, overseeing the river crossings and pointing out special hazards. For many it involves a night out camping. Back on the bike, twiddling a small cog, and just grinding away until HIGHEST POINT. Yea! That s what we ve been looking for. Except the downhill doesn t start straight away, there is still a k or two to grind. I am a timid downhiller. I have some of the basic skills saddle down, pedals midships, out of the saddle, hips back, one finger only on each brake, remember which is the front one (right=front), look ahead. But I tend to wimp out early and walk bits I should try to ride. Maybe downhill skills will come with time (just like the basic single-track skills that I also found a challenge.) But steep downhills scare me. The first part is reasonably easy, although the track was rough. Then comes the Soho descent. In previous years they warned us about this in the briefing make a mistake on this section and you die.. Last time I rode it, three years ago in the wet Motatapu, it was heavily rutted, there were lots of runners and I had to walk it. This year the track was much improved, and I rode it, albeit slowly. Figure 13 Arrow valley Near the bottom of Soho is Aid Station 4 more nice people with good stuff to drink. 9

10 Stage 4 Figure 14 Arrow valley Stage 4 follows the Arrow river. The track is a 4-wheel drive track but is quite rough. There were some steep little pitches that I should have ridden but didn t. There are almost vertical drops down to the Arrow River but one is not looking down! At this stage it is just a case of grinding on, feeling tired, not wanting to spoil it all with a silly mistake or ride over a runner. Then one comes to the river crossings. There are several. They are quite deep (up to your Figure 15 River crossings thighs in the shallowest crossing routes. As you can see from the photo, some ride these crossings but quite a few walk them. This is where I was a marshall last year fishing cramped runners from the river - but the water was higher this year and progress seemed slow. 10

11 However it was familiar territory now and not far to go. The final crossing is a bit of an anticlimax an artificial didymo wash where one of the photographers had chosen a vantage point. (Probably to make sure everyone went through the wash). Figure 16 Didymo wash 11

12 Then it s along the river track some friendly people offering encouragement and up on to Wilcox Green and the finishing line, remembering to acknowledge the people who were nicely greeting even the tail enders like me. A stiff and sore dismount, a text to Pam to say I had finished, then I sussed out the Team Skoda tent where they had kept me some lunch. (I was part of Team Skoda but had chosen not to start with the team just after the elites! I was quite disappointed in my time. But at least 15 minutes of that was helping others, another 5 taking photos, probably 20 minutes just being slow on and off my bike, and probably half an hour being too timid! And the scenery is stunning.. But I was pleased to finish upright, having ridden much of it with reasonable technique, having had no tumbles, and in reasonable physical shape. 12