McDonald Downs Race Reports

19 November 2005

The marathon course - Warren Borlase
In the last 12 months I have competed in the Karapoti Classic, Mt Peel and Wildside-Tasmania. McDonald Downs marathon is the ultimate event to test the body and bike. I have now completed this event three times. I’m not sure you can prepare yourself for this crucifying course. This year there was also the heat to contend with. The last hill was taken out which makes the ride to the finish line easier than a 15 minute hill climb. The course was dry and fast. One of our group is such a weight weenie he decided not to carry tubes! I came across the un-named rider sunbathing after just having had a swim in the Okuku River Crossing. Maybe this is a possibility for 2006 – a swim at the 20km mark.

Sixty riders completed the marathon this year. You may wonder why more riders did not do the full marathon course. Many riders would have been put off after reading the course profile and word is out if you are not fit or mad don’t front up for the marathon!

Christof Bischof, ranked 22nd in the world, I note used an old borrowed Gary Fisher and rode around the course or route (Andy) in an impressive 3.18.

Craig, Rebekah and Andy again have done an excellent job in organising this event. Well done. The venue and course or route (Andy) are second to none.

27 November 2004

The marathon course - Rosara Joseph (1st woman)
Wow, what a day! 2300 metres of climbing, five major peaks, rough and rocky downhills and sun and blue skies. This event was definitely the hardest race I have done. The climbs were all steep and rough - the kind of granny-gear, grovelling climbs that sap your energy. In between the five major saddles were relentless undulations, rough downhills and river crossings, which meant that you never had much time to rest and recover. The last major climb (a 10 – 15 minute bike push) capped off an arduous course. The countryside and views, however, were spectacular, and fellow racers were all friendly and encouraging. The course was very well organised, with plenty of markings and also altitude graphs at the top of each major climb letting you know how much further you had to go (which wasn’t always a good thing!) Lunch and showers were available after the race. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and I recommend the marathon race to anyone up for a challenge.

The marathon course - Neil Sutherland
Don’t be confused, racing the McDonald Downs Marathon is nothing like going Down to McDonalds. It’s a lot tougher and it’s better for you (in the long run).
When asked about my previous experience of this race [Neil was the overall winner in 2002] I answered that it was the toughest course I had raced, leaving Karapoti in the shade. Since then the course has grown longer and includes more climbing. The latest version of the Marathon is now the toughest course I had raced and is a true test of human and machine. Everyone who completes this course qualifies as a bona fide mountain-bike-tough-guy or –gal.
It is also a test of the organisers who as ever passed with flying colours. A high degree of inspiration, planning, generating support and long days work are needed to put on an event like McDonald Downs. Rebekah, Craig, Andy and all those who helped deserve our special praise.
Although I didn’t witness much of the battle for the podium I can assure people that from the little I did see of the front of the pack and the times recorded by Julian, Ryan, Tim, Phil, Michael, Daniel et al. their efforts were extraordinary and something for those following behind to aspire to next year. The reduction of proud mountainbikers to shattered units told the story of the race for many of us.
It all starts off gently enough on a metal road. It changes soon enough with the initial 4WD track (added to previous editions of the Marathon), a sawtooth profile of sharp climbs and descents—just enough to warn us of what might lie ahead whilst softening-up and spreading the field. Then it was onto the biggest climb of the day, Fault Saddle which just gets steeper the closer you get to the sky. Having touched the sky, the descent to the Okuku River is a welcome respite before encountering some tough going over the rough terrain of the river valley and its terraces.
The day’s second major hill is the least difficult with mild grades and a good surface, something to savour before the next three hills. Another descent and a short traverse leads the rider along the course to Hill 3. This climb is quite manageable in its lower and upper sections, but beware the middle and be prepared to push. Between Hills 3 and 4 is a long rolling 4WD section, somewhere to maintain momentum and conserve energy. Hill 4 is rideable but you need to be something less than bordering on total exhaustion to attempt it. It is both steep and its alignment hides additional sections above temporary horizons.
After Hill 4 is where the rider needs to steel himself and banish any creeping thoughts of bailing out via the short cut back to the finish, for after Hill 4 comes Hill 5, the toughest of them all. It is not just its position on the course, greeting the riders at their weariest, this hill is the steepest and roughest of the lot, best suited for observed trials in my opinion. The line of exhausted riders pushing slowly up this beast told the story. Audible sighs of relief reverberated around the hills as each “rider” crested the summit and tired legs were persuaded to push onwards and downwards to the finish line. The end, once reached, provided shared solace in the form of tales of adventures, adversity, woes and triumphs all on a fine day in North Canterbury.

The thirtyfive course - Aaron Clark (overall winner)
There are a few words to describe the race, some of them being hilly, steep, fun, hills, 10km downhill, more hills...
The first 5km or so were reasonably flattish along shingle roads, then hills started jumping in the way saying stuff like, "Climb me!" And, "Ha, I will break you, insignificant human." Funnily enough, it was the earlier hills saying the former, and the nasty big one at the highest part of the course threatening to injure me. My back muscles were screaming from the 7km mark, and things only kept heading upwards.
The competitors in the (crazy) 60km marathon climbed 2300m in 60km, which to put in perspective makes the ball-breaking 1800m ascent in Le Race over 100km seem like a stroll in the park! I have never spent so much time in granny gear before, and I thought the Caveman race in August was tough - that had 957m gained in altitude over 24km, while this race was 1221m over 35km.
I had seen the course profile and knew the highest part of the course was at the 25km mark, so just kept plugging away, and hoping the energy in my legs would keep on going. Getting to the top and seeing the marker pointing straight down made me smile, and over I plunged to enjoy the 10km downhill to the finish.
A few minutes later (having evacuated some of my stomach's contents on the course) I was back at the start/finish, and was very glad to be there.

Thanks to Craig, Rebekah and Andy, all good people who organised a very good (and incredibly challenging) event, along with a great team of marshals and helpers.
Thanks too to the landowners for letting us on their property which is in a very special place - even the drive in was inspiring.
Thanks to the event sponsors too - my new Park Tool Bottle Opener has been put to use already, and I'll be into Mainland Outdoors to use my voucher soon.

8 November 2003

The 55km course - Andy Reid (overall winner)
This race is by far one of the toughest mountainbiking courses I have ridden. The race profile is jagged enough to saw the legs off anyone and I certainly had mine sawn right off. As well as being a supreme physical test, I'm sure every rider encountered the mental challenges with a number of options for taking the "easy" 35km route instead of the brutally steep and long climbs that were part of the 55km course towards the end. It was interesting to listen to post race stories which included tales of grief with punctures, navigation, dehydration, hunger flat, crashing and severe bouts of arm cramp. Cold post race beer was key. This event is definitely as challenging as any of a similar length, and all those who finished or even considered starting should consider themselves gurus. NEXT LEVEL!! Special thanks should go to the race organisers and land owners for providing faultless organisation, a truly challenging course and a fantastic post race feed and prize giving.

35km course impressions - Sarah Sinton
This time last year, I completed my first-ever MTB race - at McDonald Downs, at the ripe old age of, well, 40-something, suffice to say! I was very happy just to FINISH the 30km event on my shiny new mountain bike, having done almost no fitness training except one slow ride up the Rapaki track. But the experience had me hooked and longing for the next opportunity to ride in the hills and improve my performance.

This year the course was changed slightly to become 35km, but with some more interesting terrain included, such as a bit of beech forest and more 4WD tracks. This time I trained a little more "intensively" for 3 weeks prior to the event - several 20km rides to and from work (Christchurch to Lincoln), completing the Mt Thomas uphill race held recently and by doing several forays up and around the Port Hills.

On the day the weather turned out to be very favourable - sunny with a cool breeze - a perfect day to be up in the hills. As usual, I was left behind rather quickly by the main mob after only a few kms, and watched with amazement as a rider in front of me was repeatedly dive-bombed by a (usually reclusive) New Zealand falcon! On the way around the course I enjoyed the views while keeping in mind the need to shave off a few minutes where ever I could. One disadvantage of being at the back of the pack is that by the time you reach them, all the streams have been pulverised to unavoidable muddy hollows - this means a definite need to keep your mouth closed as you belt through!

Anyhow, arrived back at the finish line in a respectable time... that is, a little less further behind the pack than the year before. Now, that’s progress! All in all, an exellent day’s entertainment.

2003 Organiser's report - Rebekah
The day after the event we spent 7 hours demarking the course. Since I handle all the administration side of the event it was the first time I had been out on the course since the middle of 2002 and so I would like to say a huge congratulations to everyone who participated. The hills were much steeper and the courses much longer than I had remembered and I think that you are all amazing! I hope that the majority of you found that the course you rode was the appropriate one for you and that you finished with a great sense of achievement.

On a personal level I really enjoyed this years event. The 2002 event was the first mountainbike event we had ever organised so it was a steep learning curve for me and I was quite stressed on the day and didn't really enjoy it. This time around I knew what to expect, had set easy processes in place, had more help, and everything flowed quite smoothly which meant I could relax.

We won't be sending out a follow-up survey this year but if you have suggestions to offer or comments to make on how we could improve any area of the day we would really like to know what they are. You can email them to adventure_events@hotmail.com or phone us on (03) 980 9432.

Thanks to all the people who lent gear to others and assisted other riders out on the course. They were certainly grateful. If you've lost a shimano drink bottle give us a call because we've got it.

Finally I would like to say thanks to God for the fantastic weather. I was really worried on Friday when it was so blustery that we were going to lose lots of arrows and people would have a miserable ride. For your sakes I was so relieved it was a beautiful day.