Lisa Morgan - Kiwi Mountain Biker

Best read with a glass of red

Oce’s XC

Your legs can’t help you if your head’s not in it… This was the first time since I started racing competitively that I felt like I didn’t give it everything.  I always have that one goal, first and foremost, to feel that I’ve left everything I could out on the course.  I didn’t achieve that on Friday…

As the week went on and I spent more time on the course (and we learned about additional sections that were getting added) I felt a bit better on it every day.  By the time Kaytee and I finished up one final lap on Thursday morning I felt like I had it in my head, though I still had concerns over the first climb which was long and relentless, and completely non-technical.  At the very least it would make a good training ride.  But I was definitely missing the anticipation of a Rotorua/Mt Vic type of race where you’re feeling the race vibe and trying to keep it low key, but still amped to get out on the trails and enjoy them.

All my pre-race routines went like clockwork, but there was definitely a different feel to this event.  The morning race was small - less than 20 riders in total - so there wasn’t the usual familiar buzz that happens at that time of the day.  I followed my usual race day schedule and made my way to call up with a few minutes to spare.  Call up was based on 2007 UCI points - Kaytee was top ranked Kiwi called up 2nd.  Having no 2007 points I was at the back of the grid so was hoping for my usual good start to pick up some places.  It didn’t happen, and when Gen Matthews almost elbowed me down a gutter I lost some rhythm - the starts can be really frantic with everyone vying for the best position before the track narrows and I think it’s worse at the back of the grid.

The first lap was reasonable - the front of the field split off and the rest of us formed an orderly train up the climb and after making a couple of passes (phew!) I saw the familiar sight of Erin right in front of me.  We held our positions up the steep first climb as it passed under the Centre of NZ monument and along the open dirt road out to the back of the course.  We hit the walk almost together and a quick glance up showed most of the rest of the field also still making their way up the climb.  I’d decided to go Karapoti styles for the hike as I get more effective strides with my bike on my back but I still wasn’t fast enough to make up any places.  From the top it was a fast open downhill in to a fresh piece of track that dropped us on to another walking track with a short pinch then a longer, steeper climb before heading down.  The first part of this downhill was gravelly walking trail with switchbacks that were dry and sketchy, and then we dropped in to part of the old downhill course - the only really techinical part of the whole course.  It had only been added in on Wednesday but had already change and rutted out since my last ride on it on Friday morning.

From there the course went up again to another off-the-bike section, only very short this time.  Then back on through some singletrack.  Sam caught me here and jumped in front of me.  We’ve had a good laugh about what happened next… being OTA of my race I didn’t want to interfere with hers - I got some good track stand practice in while she negotiated the downhill switchbacks.  Then we swapped places a couple of times on the final climb back to the start loop and I sat in behind her on the way back down and through the grass - then we just about took each other out in the feedzone both pulling in to feed!  We rode close for a short while after that and I felt as though my legs were feeling good and ready to take it up a notch - physically I was all there, but mentally I couldn’t get it to engage.  The pain wasn’t there and I just couldn’t seem to bring it out.  Eventually I had to resign myself to the fact that it just wasn’t going to happen today. 

On the 2nd lap in to the technical downhill section I managed to ride in to a tree - not really a stack, just an unplanned stop but steep enough that I had to get off and run til I could get back on.  My wrists had taken the impact against the bars and I had a few problems changing gears for half a lap or so as they were quite sore.  The 3rd lap passed without incident but also without much fire.  I had a very keen look at the 80% official as I came passed noticing a few of the boys had been pulled (not suprising as the Aussie boys had started passing me after a lap and a half) but I was let out for my final lap.  After the feedzone I brightened up a little bit as I realised in some ways that was an achievement in itself - the top lap times on this course were very quick and Dellys set a blistering pace to win by about 4 minutes over Kaytee, so I was going to get my first ‘international’ under my belt without getting lapped.

Then, with all of a kilometre to go and having had no stacks all season, I went down in a massive cloud of dust on the technical section.  It was just as I was thinking to myself ‘man, this has gotten really blo…’ and I hit the ground pretty hard.  I got up, didn’t dust myself off (because I thought it looked rather impressive) and jumped back on thinking well, I had a decent stack finally and I’m riding out of it so that’s good.  As soon as I had to pedal I felt all sorts of pain but it wasn’t far to the line.  I was growing a pretty good bump on my arm by then and got lots of comments on my new look!

And that was it - the last official race of the season.  Not my best work I’m afraid and there are lots of reasons, but at the end of the day I can’t complain about the season.  From the eye-opening first elite race in Christchurch where I learned just how much of a step up it was, to the recovery issues after 2 long elite races back to back in Opotiki, to getting my first UCI points in Rotorua and the far-from-ideal lead in to Palmerston North.  Then on to the home track National Champs where I achieved everything I’d set and carried the form through to another PB at Karapoti and the top 5 I was chasing.

Oce’s Short Track

The Sunday after Oce’s XC I had a chance to race the short track so I thought I might as well give it a go.  Well… BEST FUN EVER ON A BIKE!!!  The course was mint - a slightly uphill back straight, down in to a paddock, through a creek, along a bumpy paddock, up a short semi-technical climb, down a chicane, around a tree and back up on to the straight.  I had a SHOCKER of a start almost having to stop in the end to get clipped in and losing about 20m to the field.  But I was back on them by the top of the straight and right in some argy-bargy across the paddock.  After that, each lap I picked off one rider up the back straight until I found myself in 6th and chasing Bob.  At first I was closing the gap, but after another lap it was growing again.  And then halfway through the lap before I would have started my final 3 (15 minutes + 3 laps) I punctured through the creek.  It held air long enough for me to get across the line and then as I hadn’t been pulled or lapped but had no air left I ran another lap.  Dellys (leading again) passed me at the top of the back straight and then the others started coming through.  The crowd, which had been amazing the whole race, was really supportive and I got lots of sympathy from them and the riders coming past.  I watched the final couple of laps with the others who had been pulled.  What a fun thing to do on a bike!

Thanks

Since it’s the end of the season, I really want to thank a whole bunch of people who help to make the whole thing happen.

My sponsors - Bicycle, Santa Cruz and IO.  John and Campbell have been backing me for 3 seasons now including local racing.  They’ve made a huge difference to the equipment I’ve been able to race and train on, and through my time in the shop I get to keep in touch with the masses, something that is really important to me because I only ride because I love it so much.  Mike got me on my beloved Blur - we had a great conversation before agreeing to it and I was really impressed with how well he knew his product.  It’s amazing to ride such a hot little bike.  It fits me like a glove and never has a problem (looks wicked too!).  Bronwyn at IO keeps my asthmatic lungs in check (most of the time).  I’ve been really pleased to have stayed strong through to the end of so many races and even when my asthma has played up, it hasn’t stopped me and I recover from it much better than I used to.

My family - especially Mum.  I moved home to help save to get overseas (good thing too when I lost my job!).  Mum has looked after all the stuff that used to get done super early in the morning or super late at night (cooking, cleaning, washing…) and enables me to focus more on recovery and just not have to worry about all that stuff.  Where would any of us be without our mum’s?  Dad just likes knowing that I’m happy.  And Sara and Tempo - the little fur balls who give us all lots of laughs :o)  And Michelle, Holly and Lydia (cousins) who came out to support me at champs and are put off mountain biking forever even though I tell them how much fun it is!

The crew of riders and racers - one of the things I love so much about this sport is the fact that so many of us know each other and support each other, even when we’re competing against each other.  We’re all out there for the same reason so we’ve got something fundamental in common.  A huge thanks to Gav who had an inspiring season - he does so much work on my bike while we’re on the road it hardly needs anything doing when we’re back home!  To the rest of the road trip crew - Ricky (getting older but faster), Scotty and Celia (great to see C achieve her goals), KC (even with all the pink stuff!), and Connor - another great season - make sure you get to Italy nipper!  Nic - the Monday rides, the Maxxis tent and the wonderful boy you bring to the races who supports us all so well.  Sam - great value for one so young (keep your weight forward on the downhills…), Trev and Sam’s folks who are always watching and cheering, ‘Mrs Avery’ - always yelling great support - and everyone else out at the races yelling so loud I can’t hear my breathing - especially the parents who get in behind us all, and the junior girls at the Mt Vic race, that was awesome.  Bob and Chris - for letting us take over their house in Nelson for a week in return for banana cake and a bit of deck building - and Chris especially for the sounds up the hill in the race.  All the vorbettes for never-ending support - Paula, Jo, Catherine, Jen, Rita, Jude, Rachel (get out of my head!), Michelle, Karen (I hope I haven’t forgotten any).

My club - PNP, Marco in particular for providing such great local races that help us prepare for the big ones.

And the coach - Robyn.  An inspiring mentor who laid an opportunity in front of me that has changed the direction of my life.  I used to be addicted to riding… now I’m addicted to racing!

What’s next?

For a few weeks at least I reckon I’ll take a bit of a break and concentrate on a couple of other things - study and hopefully making a bit of money.  I’d always set in the plans for this year to get overseas for racing and while the job loss has been a pretty major spanner in the works I’m still planning on getting there.  The destination is Canada for the 5 race Canada Cup series and 2 World Cup races at the end of that.  It’s been a bit of a rite of passage for a number of Kiwi racers and I’m hoping to hook up with some others over there for at least part of it and make the best use of contacts of friends of friends (of friends).  So I’ll also be looking to do some fundraising in the coming weeks.  It’s going to rock around pretty quickly! 

Thanks again to everyone for your ongoing support.  It’s a wild ride, and it’s not over yet!