Geoff Clark asked me to photograph competitors at the start of Junior Mountain Climbing Championships Individual Time Trial yesterday.This isn't my usual style of photography,where I would move around the course and photograph what I choose,but rather to locate myself near the start and photograph each competitor on the start line and as they launched themselves into the race.I happily agreed to help out and the whole Clark family were on board helping too.It was a very different experience for me and quite full on,making sure I had enough memory cards,and also photographing the presentations,which were sometimes happening at the same time.Luckily Ros Clark was there to grab one of my cameras occasionally. I even had to synchronize natural breaks to coincide with race start times.
I really enjoyed the day and saw many local friends volunteering their time,from John (the missile) Myles,on parking duty. Allan (golden tonsils)Mills on the microphone and Aaron Smith(from Alpine Cycling Club) keeping an eye on the course on his Ducati.Many others were there helping and giving up their Saturday's to ensure the event ran like clock work.

But the day was really about the racing and the Juniors efforts against the clock on what would be a very demanding course. The race started near the Porpunkah roundabout and used the Mt Buffalo Rd with various distances depending on age. The Wangaratta Cycling Club, of which I am a member,had some excellent results on the day.Thomas McDonald won the under 15 mens Time Trial and Abby Gray came 3rd in the under 15 female event. A strong showing also by Tomarsh Loki finishing 14th out of about 50 competitors, in a very strong field in the Under 17 men's event.Nicole Clark finished 8 th in the under 17 women.I hope I haven't missed anybody but if so somebody let me know and I'll add their details to the post.

Image Galleries of the ITT are currently being added to my website as I get time to edit them. Keep checking here to see how I'm getting on. Also another photographer Mark Riley is putting photos on his website of the action too as I was unable to attend Sunday's Road Race Stage.

Here are a few photos of my house renovations. I realised today when asked,that I havn't posted anything about the  house for ages. We have now finished 2 bedrooms and the ensuite and are working on the third bedroom. It's coming along well and looks fantastic.

I've had a pretty big couple of weeks on the bike from a training point of view. Both in quantity and intensity,throw in a couple of races finishing of yesterday with a 20km Time Trial and I don't mind admitting to feeling a little weary.

During the week, Cycling Tips ,probably Australia's premier cycling website ran a story on one of my bikes. I took all the photos,which took quite a bit of time and planning,and wrote a bit of a story to go with them. If your interested in reading Cycling Tips blog on my bike click here 

Yesterday I competed in Wangaratta Cycling Club's first Individual Time Trial of the year. Roughly 20 km out and back starting at Glenrowan out the Winton Road and return.It's a undulating course with the climb back up into Glenrowan at the end  to make you work that bit harder.The conditions were cool with a pretty stiff southerly wind meaning a head wind out and tail wind home. 
Shane Miller had made the trip up from Melbourne as well as a couple of his compatriots, which is great for our club to have some extra riders as well as somebody of Shane's calibre to compete with. Shane and Tully Lyster have a friendly rivalry in the TT's but at the moment Shane is pretty well unbeatable in this discipline.Shane won A Grade setting a course record in the process.

I had a decent ride and was quite satisfied with my time.I managed to win C Grade reasonably comfortably,I would have liked to have ridden in B grade but when I registered there were no starters in that grade.My legs felt quite heavy and I struggled to get a decent rhythm going.It's one of my goals in cycling to get better at Time Trials, as to me they are not called the "Race of Truth" for no reason.

Also it would be remiss of me not mention Matthew Clark winning the 2012 Mt Buller Road Race last weekend. Mathew won A Grade against some of the countries finest cyclists.If only we could get him up Mt Buffalo he might give the Challenge a nudge.

 

                                 Glenrowan ITT 24th April 2012 - Results
                                                          Seniors
                                                  Distance 18.8 km 
                                      Min            Sec            Avg Speed
 A Grade
Shane Miller                     25            18            44.6            1st
Tully Lyster                     26            59            41.8           
Allan Thrum                     27            23            41.2           
Martin Lama                     27            24            41.2           
Jarod Hughes                  28             0             40.3           

B Grade           
Jason Desalli                   31            52           35.4            1st
Adam Cartwright              32            7             35.1           
Gavin Frawley                 32            45            34.4           

C Grade
Tony Reeckman             30            46            36.7            1st
David Wohlers                33            27            33.7           
Seamus Lane                 34            1             33.2      
Fergus Samon               34            52            32.4         
Liz Randall                    35            8              32.1           

D Grade
Paul Lane                      34            46            32.4            1st
Jim Samon                    35            35            31.7           
Norm Gray                     35            47            31.5           

Junior A
                                       Distance (km)     10           
                                      Min            Sec            Avg  Speed
Abby Gray                     19            17                 31.11          1st

Junior B           
                                        Distance (km)            3.8           
                                    Min            Sec            Avg Speed
Alex Little                        8            8               28.03            1st
Nick Metcraft                   8            34              26.61           
 XJ Loki                           9            1               25.29            

Location: GLENROWAN
Race Title: "Anniversary Handicap"
Race Distance: 61 km
Weather: Warm
Total Riders: 24 entries (DNS 0 : DNF 0)

1 - Terry Halpin (18) - 1.47.20 (33.82kph)
2 - Colin Stokes (18)
3 - Rob Belsher (18)
4 - Brett Caddy (18)
5 - Tully Lyster (scr)
6 - Mark Currie (scr)
7 - Mathew Grealy (scr)
8 - Laurie Lyster (6)
9 - Tony Reeckman (6)
10 - Ian Strang (12)
Fastest Time: Tully Lyster (scr) 1.31.04 (39.85kph)

Yesterday was a beautiful day at Wangaratta although maybe a little windy making bike racing pretty tough. I was a race marshall for the day and managed to take some photos as well.

1st. Tully Lyster
2nd. Heath Mullavey
3rd. Pete Gottschling
4th.Alan Thrum
5th. Jason Desailly

Fastest Time. Tully Lyster 1hr 08min.( 41.3kmh av. I think???)

Every Wednesday there is a bunch ride from Wangaratta,leaving "Espresso on Ovens" @ 7.30am,to Beechworth and return.After a coffee in Beechworth of course. I try to join in most weeks, and now there is a Strava segment for the section of rail trail we travel up,there is the added incentive to improve your time.It was particularly pleasing to see Pete Goodman this morning who has been threatening to make an appearance for some time. Tully Lyster, and his father Laurie, showed their pedigree on the decent out of Beechworth, leaving us gasping in their wake. 

Yesterday was the first race of the season on the Wangaratta Cycling Club's Autumn calendar. I was expecting to see a few more people lining up for the first race of the season,although being a long weekend, I'm sure some were out of town. But my tally, looking at the results sheet, was 24 for all grades so that's reasonable.
A,B and C grades were all started together and it was suggested that we'd work our grading out as we went. I had been feeling unwell all morning (upset stomach) and thought of pulling out altogether. That's my excuse anyway for a pretty poor or should I say stupid performance. This is only my second serious year of racing (I entered in C grade) and I have so much to learn about pacing,tactics etc.
I found the pace too hot when we turned into Warby Range Road after James Boal went to the front and accelerated. I was following young Tomarsh Loki up the inside and really had to ride above my limit to get to the front. This happened again shortly after, I wasn't thinking about sitting on the back for a rest (the sensible option) and just went bang,off the back. Not a great feeling in any race. 
 At the same time I got dropped my Garmin 500 also died which was really disappointing as I was racing with my new powertap rear wheel and it would have been interesting to see the power data before the blow up occurred. Luckily I wasn't the only one who was dropped and I was joined by John Myles and together we hammered out the rest of the race.It was one of those beautiful North East Victorian days,late summer, early Autumn,sunny,hardly a cloud in the sky. But, I don't know about everyone else but the wind always seemed to be against us,was this just my mindset or real??
I managed to get my Garmin back online as we rode through Glenrowan on the out leg,turning right, out Boweya Road to the Lake Mokoan turn off before returning via the same course. I enjoyed riding with John and I thought we rode very well together and averaged about 35 kmh for the remainder of the race.I kept thinking I could see riders ahead and if we rode well maybe we could catch somebody. Always the eternal optimist as this was pretty unlikely but there is always the hope in the back of your mind. I remember saying to John at one stage, "why did I give up golf?", when I was feeling a little ordinary.
It's great to get that first club race under the belt and I learned plenty from the experience. Don't get your ability confused with your hopes for one( I know there is a good quote for what I'm trying to say). Below is the entry list which also includes the results. I'm leaving you all to work it out for yourselves. A little brain work is good for the mind. The only hint you'll get is Rhys Lyster won A grade and I think we'll be seeing Rhys' name on the results sheet quite a bit this year. Here is a link to Wangaratta Cycling Club for more club info. 

I've just been out on a short expedition into the flood waters with my camera. All these photos are taken within 5km of my Home at Norong which is approximately 15km west of Rutherglen