Survival Solutions Blog - HEALTH, FITNESS & CYCLING - JEFF & JULIE (DIRECTORS) COMPLETE THE GRUELING ROTARY CENTURY CYCLE CHALLENGE

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JEFF & JULIE (DIRECTORS) COMPLETE THE GRUELING ROTARY CENTURY CYCLE CHALLENGE

Posted: Sunday, May, 15th, 2011

HEALTH, FITNESS & CYCLING

15th May 2011

Well we did! We completed the Central Coast Rotary Cycle Challenge, with Julie completing the grueling 50km route and myself nailing the 115km Mount Penang, Galga, Kulnura, Mangrove Dam and back to Mount Penang route. Well nailed may be a bit of a stretch, but completed none the less in 7 hours and 15 minutes, being the last person back by about 40 minutes (but no short cuts taken!).
Remember though I did this ride on a hybrid mountain bike that weighs a ton, not to mention my slightly large frame, with small wheels, wide tyres and a pair of joggers.
I tried to prepare for this ride with about a half dozen larger rides, with some hills, but this could not have prepared me mentally and physical for this ride.
I was well organised with fluid and carbs, but towards the end at about 30km from the finish this made no difference, as I was absolutely wasted.
Our friends from the Central Sky Surfers Club, John Harriott and Geoff Bednal, joined Julie and I and were gone as soon as we hit the first hill and the pack opened up.
Julie lost the crew from Mingara in about the same amount of time and both of us endured this challenge alone (Julie calls it peace and quiet!).
The 115km ride went out to Calga and back to Mount Penang via Kulnura and Mangrove Dam, whilst the 50 km ride went out to the Mangrove Mountain crossroads and back.
As I struggled my way to the Mangrove Mountain intersection the timing was perfect, almost inspirational as I noticed my courageous wife, Julie coming around the corner.
She thought she was prepared due to the high volume of exercise she had been doing and many slightly shorter bike rides, but she too was spent. She was on the same type of hybrid mountain bike and had spent the previous week trying unsuccessfully to keep a cold at bay.
I offered to cut my ride short and go back with her but she insisted I carry on, which was encouraging but not really what I wanted to do.
I had ridden to Kulnura Store before and felt pretty pumped when I reached it, but the ride went on until we turned the corner to go down to Mangrove Dam.
The comments coming from many seasoned riders was “don't do it” as it was the toughest ride they had experienced, “level 2” which in my naivety meant nothing to me.

I played leap frog along the route with the two nice ladies and we all decided we were up to the challenge together to go all the way down to the dam.
As I was riding down I noticed lots of riders walking beside their bikes and figured the ride back was going to be a real physical and mental challenge.
When we arrived at Mangrove Dam the fantastic team at Rotary were there waiting for us with some goodies of fruit and snakes alive, but unfortunately there was no cake left. They were very concerned for our welfare and dutifully offered us lifts back up the hill. The two girls gave in at that point and took the ride but I was determined to complete this in its entirety and elected to make my own way out, by bike or by foot. They said they would wait for me at the top but it took me over an hour to get back to the main road and they had already headed back.
This now made me officially last!
By the way the comments from earlier riders were good advice as it was the most demanding thing my body and I have ever done together, but we persevered and did it.
The last 35km were some of the most demanding I have ever experienced, with several wee little walks beside my bike on some of the relentless hills. Those hills, they never stopped, all the way out and all the way back.
I was now having to make serious decisions about when would be the right time to use the last of my carbs and fluids as my exhaustion levels were extremely high. Hill after hill after hill kept greeting me as my heart, lungs and legs begged me to call it quits, but the mind was not prepared for failure after such a grueling ride.
After 7 hours and 15 minutes I finally road across the finish line to my very proud friends John, Ladda, Gracie and my beautiful wife who had waited several hours for my return.
I went up to collect my certificate from the registration centre and was humbled by the response I received from all the wonderful Rotary volunteers.
Julie and I have achieved an amazing thing doing this ride and believe me it was the most grueling thing we have both done in our lives.
Now this blog has just about zapped what energy I have left and I am going to bed to join my very courageous and beautiful wife for a well earned rest.

Happy cycling, Jeff