Long reach (Cycling)

Longbeach is a property out towards the coast from Ashburton. Each year they have a mountain bike race/challenge. I talked a couple of my co workers into riding in the race/challenge as a team. Needless to say we weren't a threat to the front runners.  


Family Support

There are some things in life you just can’t change. Your parents, the town you were born in and your position in the family order. I was and always will be “the little sister”. I had two older brothers who in turn tried to, drown me, throw me out of trees and generally use me as the crash test dumbie for their various contraptions they built.

The drowning wasn’t intentional. I just happened to be tagging along behind and as the water got deeper they didn’t notice me disappear. AS a result I now swim like a fish, sink or swim. The trees usually had a flying fox attached and as I was the lightest I got to try it out first. Hence I quickly learnt what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

The Longbeach Coastal Challenge is a warm, country, family focused event so it was appropriate that I attended with my pseudo brothers. It helps that the older bigger pseudo brother has the same name as my actual brother. The other one even though younger than me oscillates between acting older and younger. They both still treat me like a little sister.

The first part of the race I spent trying to get used to the traffic. We then settled into a pattern. The two of them would coast on ahead calling back encouragement and I’d pedal flat out to catch up. They’d stop and wait for me and just as I caught up, out of breath, they’d cruise off again, argh! I was back to feeling like the little sister running to catch up. I even fell into the water trap game again, following them trustingly across streams. Though I am taller now so drowning was only an option if I fell into the stream still clipped into my bike and talking (a distinct possibility if I hadn’t been so out of breath).

I HAD been training. Back in Christchurch on the MacLean’s Island track I could comfortably do 30km, so I figured 23km pha! I’d be sweet. What I didn’t realise was “this ain’t Kansas Dorothy”.

A 28 degree day out on the open plains was the first indicator I had that this might not be a cycle in the park. Number two, grassy meadows may be good for cows but they are energy sapping on bike tyres. Thirdly there were the little uppy downy parts to transverse the many ravines. I made that mistake once before with waterways. The Buller half marathon is not down a river valley. The Longbeach ride is not along a nice flat beach. I am still learning. Don’t judge an event by it’s name.

After 10km I stopped talking, always a bad sign (both sets of brothers probably disagree). That whining noise has stopped where is she now? I kept giving the boys the option to go on ahead without me but they loyally waited. With my real brothers it was because they’d be in big trouble with mum if they lost me. With these two I suspect it’s got to do with the increased workload if I don’t front up Monday morning at our shared place of employment. So they waited and waited and waited some more. They said they were enjoying the scenery. Animal, mineral or vegetable scenery, I didn’t ask.

After the 15km mark I was willing to admit that the 35km, which I’d originally entered (and been talked out of) would have had me out after dark. Hi-jacking the marshal’s quad bike looked like a viable option at this point. There was something they’d said at the briefing about broken bikes being picked up. Did that include broken unfit city dwellers who’d been duped into a nice Sunday ride in the countryside I wondered? Besides as I’d suggested we do the ride in the first place I’d never hear the end of it if I faked a breakage of me or the bike.

At the 21km mark with the Longbeach farmyard in sight and only 4kms of road riding to go (or so I thought) I found another gear. The boy with the refreshing water hose was just what I needed to cool me off and clear my head. What a little angel.

Then came the cruellest part of the course. Another river crossing just when you thought you were on the home straight. Once more into the breaches. Dismount, walk, and remount. Then I saw the finish line tents yippee!

We crossed the line together. Well ok they let me go in front just for a change. Brothers can be nice like that. I got them a round of drinks and then collapsed in a heap. After stacking the bikes on the truck and finding some dry socks, we hunted down the famous steak sandwiches, Yum.

Sitting on the hay bales rehydrating and reflecting on the ride I had to admit it had been a challenging day out with a couple of top blokes. The whole event was friendly and relaxed. The army of volunteers were helpful and cheerful. There was a real community feel to the day, the family focus was refreshing and did I mention how delicious the steak sandwiches were?

 
Apparently my brothers tell me we’ll be back next year to do the 35km ride. Best I do a bit more meadow/ravine training before then. Nothing like a challenge, and a bit of family support. Cheers Bro’s 

Neil, Geoff and myself
Photo credit AshburtonOnline.co.nz