Rapid Ascent

4 hours ago

# Protips for the Otway Odyssey #2. Here’s another excerpt from Marathon MTB’s fantastic article on how to prepare for the Otway Odyssey (here: marathonmtb.com/2021/12/15/protips-otway-odyssey/).

#𝟮: 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆.
Whether you’re racing for the win, a top 10, a personal best or just to beat your mate Dave, it pays to have a race strategy. “The Otway Odyssey is a big day, but goes much faster when you find another rider or group to push on with or hang on to,’ Samara Sheppard told me. “It’s also a nice way to enjoy adventuring through the Otway Ranges and the trail network in Forrest.”

The women’s only start means finding the right group is important. “Riding good position on the early road section can put you in a good place to ride with a solid group once the dirt and climbs start,” Justin Morris said. “If you fancy your chances, make it a priority to hold a position in the top 20-30 of the bunch for that first 10km.”

“The first sector is the hardest, and it is easy to completely cook yourself in the first 35km,” Justin added. “A good strategy is to ride at a difficult but manageable pace on the long climbs then really keep the hammer down over the top and on the pedally descents. Many of your competitors will go full gas on the climbs then immediately go into reco mode as soon as they crest the climb. If you can hold your power for a little while over the top of the climbs you should pick up some positions.”

Sam Fox takes has a little more fluidity with his strategy, adapting to those around him. “I always like to know where I’m strongest and be in front there. That way I can go my pace there, and they have to work to keep up.”

Tasman Nankervis reckons it is all about pacing, and being honest with yourself about it. “Don’t go out too hard, if you think you’ve gone out just right… you’ve probably gone out too hard. No one finishes a marathon going ‘boy, I could’ve emptied the tank more’. Ride your own race and don’t get excited by all the others around you, pick a group that suits your abilities.”

“Study the profile, look to where you can take it easier (saving energy) and where to push. The Odyssey is easily broken down with portions of fire road climbing vs singletrack in the middle half.” Imogen Smith says part of her strategy is using any time before the event wisely, especially if it’s your first visit to the Odyssey. “Using the Friday for some prep is a good idea. Lots of the singletrack is close to Forrest, so if you have time to take a look on Friday, it’s worth while. Alternatively, follow someone in the race who looks like they know where they’re going!”

Peta Mullens’ strategy is to break the course down, into smaller sections. “I like to break the course up into sections… all about 1-1.5hr in length and I’ll have sections where I plan to rest, and other sections where I plan to be on the attack. Resting on the fire trail might seem straightforward, but in terms of race time, you’ll get more bang for your buck for an effort on a fire trail, and then turn the dial down a few percent on the singletrack so you aren’t sprinting and braking into corners. Again this comes back to the level you plan to race at. If you’re taking it on as a real challenge event, then rest and eat on the fire trail to keep your mind sharp for the technical aspects.”

“The course is tough… but the toughest part for me is when I get deep into the race and I’m surrounded by less people,” adds Peta. “Some years I’ve gone 20km without seeing a person, and then comes the game of keeping your mind focussed on the task, or even just keeping it entertained. When you start to fatigue mentally you’ll need to draw on physical reserves or you’ll find yourself bouncing from tree to tree instead of riding around them!”

Content credit to MarathonMTB.com and the riders quoted.

RACE DAY: 26 & 27 Feb. Enter now: www.OtwayOdyssey.com.au ... See MoreSee Less

Rapid Ascent

5 days ago

#Protips for the Otway Odyssey #1. Marathon MTB prepared a fantastic article on how to prepare for the Otway Odyssey (here: marathonmtb.com/2021/12/15/protips-otway-odyssey/).

Because there is a lot to digest we’ve broken the article into 3 bite sized editions and will roll them out on facebook over the next 3 weeks.

#𝟭: 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail, and eating and drinking correctly are of vital importance – like any marathon mountain bike race.

“Eat as much as you can!” Sam Fox told me. “I used both gels and carb/electrolyte mixes last year.” If you want to keep hammering, nutrition is key.

Justin Morris agrees, being adamant that you can’t skip a feed zone as you can’t catch up. “Use every feed zone and be sure to inhale plenty of water or hydration mix, especially early in the race.” If you don’t have the ability to have a bottle at each feed zone, Samara Sheppard says “a quick stop to refill your bottles from the water drums provided in the feedzones is also a good option.”

Tasman Nankervis says that your nutrition needs to be planned, “make a plan and stick to it and don’t forget to carry out the plan. When you’re making yourself dizzy with singletrack it’s still worth slowing of for that few seconds taking a bottle or gel. More time will be lost with a poor nutrition strategy than that 10 second mid singletrack sit up.” Tasman had further tips, based on finishing in good shape as well. “Finishing a marathon hunger flat/bonked is a scaring experience and will put a dampener on post race celebrations!” So eat up – and recover well!

The feed zone at Forrest is an ideal place to have a stash of food and fluid, but as Imogen Smith points out – everyone does this. “The main feed zone in Forrest fills up a lot more than you might think, so if you don’t have someone feeding you, put your things somewhere very obvious, and remember where that is.”

Peta Mullens, who has won 6 Odysseys, uses her understanding of what she needs and matches it to the course to create her nutrition plan. “I can’t stress enough how important hydration is in an event like the Odyssey. If it’s a cooler day I’ll run carbohydrates in my bottles. If it’s a hotter day I’ll switch to electrolyte half way. Usually I can only tolerate about 3 litres of liquid with a coke at the final feed. For the OG course (from Apollo Bay) I traditionally run a hydration pack because the feed stations are further apart. If you’re a slower rider and feel a little less capable on singletrack, then it’s nice to run a hydration pack through the technical sectors to promote drinking. I try to drink every single time I finish a singletrack sector.”

As for energy, Peta doubles that up with her hydration. “I cheat by use of carbs in my bottles, but I also go crazy on gels. I don’t usually have a start line gel on the Forrest course because we have a nicer lead-in, but for the OG course I need all the amp I can get at that time of the morning. I’m a unicorn in that I’ll have Coco Pops for breakfast and I also try to fit in some toast. During the race I’ll have anywhere from 8-10 gels. Because of the intensity I don’t go for whole foods; I don’t want to draw the blood away from my muscles into my stomach to help me digest a bar. It’s also easy to rip the top off a gel and the liquid form hits you a lot faster. Sometimes I’ll have a gel with just 3km to go because it helps me even after I’ve crossed the line.”

From her vast experience of 15 Otway Odysseys, Peta still knows that it’s no walk in the park. But trusting the process pays off. “Some years my body lives up to its hydration and nutrition routine easily, and then other years my stomach struggles to deal with it. The times you don’t feel like you can handle it are the times you need it the most. Take the 10 seconds to have that gel or that 30 seconds to fill that bottle and your body will repay you with faster, fresher legs. If you’re racing beyond the 6hr mark I recommend you take proper food. If you’re out there for that long chances are you aren’t riding for a podium, so take the 1-2 minutes to stop and eat a jam pikelet, banana, muesli bar… whatever you enjoy eating on your longer rides.”

Content credit to MarathonMTB.com and the riders quoted.

RACE DAY: 26 & 27 Feb. Enter now: www.OtwayOdyssey.com.au ... See MoreSee Less

Rapid Ascent

2 weeks ago

Happy New Year to all our kind and energetic supporters. We hope 2022 delivers plenty of clean air and clear horizons for us all. See you out there!!

Pic is our GM Sam Maffett enjoying some fresh mountain air on Mt Feathertop. @angleseaadventurer

#happynewyear #bitumenisboring ... See MoreSee Less