C-Grade Grafton to Inverell Race Report

Getting word that Dave was racing in the ‘toughest one day race in Australia’ – the Grafton to Inverell – was all I needed to perform a reconnaissance mission this year. As many of you know, I’d been keen all year. So thanks Dave and congratulations on your race. Hearing later that Nikki Heath had entered in the Celtic de Femme, also finishing in Inverell, added more motivation. Hailing from Inverell, I’d grown up admiring the participants in this race.

My objective was as follows:
1. Meet Expectation – participate & enjoy the day, get up the range and to first feed station at 125km, get in car & drive to finish at Inverell in time to buy some beer, a couple of lamb roasts and watch Dave bring it home with 1000 mad supporters in Inverell, plus get plenty of intelligence for c-graders for a big hit out in 2010 – the 50th anniversary of this epic race.
2. Exceed Expectation – participate & complete the distance in around 8 ½ hours (cut off is 9 hours) and not require hospitalisation & die many years later a happy, content man.

Context – I hadn’t ridden over 125km before but have been regularly hitting the tarmac for a year with plenty leading up to the Cunningham Classic. Bugger all since then though – see ‘meet expectation’ above.

My first and only week of Grafton specific training, I crammed a cootha session; 2 river-loops; a 4 lap of cootha; a brooky and on the Sunday after the Wallaby game did mt mee return. I then eased into my week of ‘tapering’(!) with some TTT training and plenty of pizza. Cycle coaches would probably disclaim all responsibility for my entry but NSW Cycling was none the wiser.

Whilst this may be reading like a ‘dumb and dumber’ draft script, I knew a solid outcome was possible if I kept the fundamentals in check, cracked a couple of cans of HTFU and scored some good weather. Thanks for all the advice from Eldorado, the CIO at Mincom, Limmy and Heathy on food and hydration.

Friday
Bought some chamois crème on the way out of town. 3 ½ hours down to Grafton and booked into Ulmarra, a sleepy, historic village 10km shy of Grafton on the banks of the Clarence River, which time has forgotten. After a roll in along the pacific highway with Heathy & Dave to register, we returned & hit the old pub just across the road. It does as massive spaghetti chicken/bacon carbonara. I left Heathy with his Sudoku & a glass of red for a solid kip (another imperative).

Saturday
After a solid cereal breakfast, we hit the race sponsor up, McDonalds. Dave & Heathy had hotcakes but I nervously sat on a cappuccino. My wife & chief support, Barbara, was as quiet as a mute ghost, wondering whether the product of her 6 month pregnancy would have a father come Christmas.

After giving the A-graders half an hour head start, C grade rolled off at 8.30am, altitude 10m, bright blue skies with the dark hue of the great dividing range imposingly drawing us westward. Inverell lay a distant 228km across the range and rolling hills of the picturesque northern New England region. The race had the entire left lane devoted to cyclists, with each division - 2 spares, 2 cop cars, judge, commissionaire, & first aid vehicles. The roadside supporters were awesome. Traffic was quiet with cars waiting patiently before being escorted around the peleton. C Grade had a mix of Elite and Masters – 140 strong peleton. It stayed together and negotiated cattle creek climb and Jackadgery Gap climb, averaging 31 to the base in 2 hours 15. I was hanging in. I ate & drank like the last supper to the foot of the range.

For the climb, my strategy was to let the competitors head on, and just pace myself up, hopefully making some friends along the way. Starting slow, I began to really enjoy it and ended up passing 40-50 riders in little groups. Speed ranged between 14 and 20 – plenty of cool, shade and the gradient is very similar to Mt Mee, just 2.5 times longer. After an hour of climbing, I came over the top with good ole ‘Rick from Grafton’ and he was keen to chase down some stragglers, which we did (with the knowledge there were sufficient riders behind if things went wrong). Good ole Rick and I were only passed by bikes on car roofs from here in (plenty of cervellos). Collecting free water bottles from the base & from the motorcycle support on the range was imperative.

From the summit at 1000m,with still 35kms to the first feed station, good ole Rick and I rolled over and caught 4 other riders who were fresh enough and keen to join for the greater good. A rider from Sydney, Brisbane (Brian Ferris), England, Rockhampton and Dubbo, all ranging in age from 45 to 67 – 3 were virgins to this race. I heard in the pub later that night that Brian Ferris has completed 27 Graftons and won it in 1974, the year I was born. What a legend. With that unbeknownst to me, I worried for his health the whole time I rode with him – short, sharp breathing. He fell back numerous times, but always clawed back on, with steely determination. He descended quicker than any of us. Maybe 5-10 others we caught held on momentarily but were gone within a k or 2. Our group of 6-7 stayed together from here.

From the first feed station you endure a 20 km, 300m climb in elevation to 1200m where the country side opens up to the elements, thankfully to a light-moderate north wester. I was toast mentally if faced with the typical strong westerly. I organised a rolling echelon which brought us another 20km into Glen Innes (160km in arrears). The town was devoid of supporters but I’ve never liked this town anyway – they’re just upset the race doesn’t end there.

The second feed station lies just outside sullen Glen, at the foot of the Waterloo Range. My calves started slightly cramping, so another couple of nuuns and things settled down, keeping the heal low & gear shifting smooth. From the top of waterloo you descend 550m over 55kms to the finish – so it is a big mental milestone but wire gully knocks you around. I took a couple of water bottles at the 3rd feed station. With 20kms to go, Brian Ferris finally said some words, “we better get a move on as there’s a group 2 kms behind and catching, we’ve gotta beat them to the finish”. So the next ½ hour was working the k’s hard. Entering Inverell is a pleasant 2 km descent - just the way you want to finish a gruelling epic. We rolled over the line together at 8 hours and 6 minutes, feeling 10 foot tall.

Knee caps, feet, right big toe were crucified but otherwise buzzing. Maybe too many gels.

The record books will show equal 64th position for my posse (40 minutes behind the c grade winner) with 92 participants completing inside the 9 hours. 50 aspirants cramped out.

Thanks to Heathy’s motivation, big thanks to Barbara’s long day of support. Big cheers to Dave, I learnt a truck load observing your preparation. I cannot believe you were as fresh as a daisy at the finish line. I hope those that read Dave’s blog, then mine, comprehend what he endured at such a higher pace (but I still spent a hour and a half longer on the bike)!

Last word – this course is an insanely good challenge. Turtle approach is best if the ks aren’t in the legs, drink like a camel, eat like a horse, make friends quicker than facebook.

More relevant statistics:

Distance – 228 heinrich hausslers.
Total ascent - 2574m
Total descent – 1994m
Ride time – 8hrs ish. Start 8.30. Finish 4.30.
Ave Speed – 28.5km/h
Punctures - 0
Crashes - 0
Feed stations – 2 water; 3 food/water
Tour de france ism – taking water bottles from neutral motorcycle support. Roadside supporters.
Master of Ceremonies – Mike Tomalaris
Roadkill identified – kangaroos (25); koalas (1 poor tucker); snakes (4); galahs (5);
Temperature 8 degrees to 25 degrees
Emotionals – roughly 3.
Teaspoons of salt harvested from head - 4
Magpie attacks - 0
Bees caught in helmet - 1
Wind – 15km headwind from top of range
C grade group – 140
% hairy legs – 0.5%
% hairy legs that completed race – 100%
No. of Nuuns – 10
Calve Cramp management – from 165km
H20 – 10.5 litres
Gels – 5
Energy bars – 3
Out of depth factor – nostril deep
Learning Curve – steep
Gear – Specialized Roubaix. Felt like it’d done it before. Chamois crème – 10/10.
Lucky break – weather conditions at top.
Safety factor – excellent. Seriously well organised event.
Wrap up – home in time for dinner. Great day out.
Biggest thanks – Babs. Couldn’t have done it without her long day support.

BE SURE TO WATCH SBS ONE TV THIS SUNDAY AT 12.30PM FOR COVERAGE OF THE RACE.

See you all next year around the bonfire at “Avonlea”.