John's Epic Camp blog

31/10/2021

Camp day + 1 - World Frisbee Golf Championships

We're done but not flying until 4 so it was time to take revenge on Mandy who absolutely dominated me last time we played frisbee golf in Queenstown. With a strong Southerly, it was like playing a highly technical Links course.

She won by 7 throws. Again.

Still, Epic Camp was wonderful. A few reflections:

1 It was really, really hard. 1,110km and over 10,000m of climb is massive. I am absolutely knackered.
2. Last year was incredible - cycling the entire length of the South Island but this year was tougher - more vert and more big days?
3. I found it much more comfortable than last year. I think I was much better prepared - thanks Gerrard. Mr Smith's IronTeam training programmes are available for 2022.
4. Our slower "Groupetto" was awesome this year - no surging off the front, no rider left behind. Totally supportive. We did 1-2 hours more each day than the faster groups given how long the days were and it was a total pleasure riding with you all Helen, Zarnia, Nadia, Grant, Tracey and Laurence 🥰
5. I've got to plug Dr Eric's miracle 12-minute-a-day back exercises for getting me through this with no pain relief at all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI "Do this every day: no back pain. Ever." I do and it really works.
5. Modular packing is the business - see photo. Different coloured bags for all items ... just sayin'
6. I've now been on 6 camps that John Newsom has organised and they've all been superb. It's an absolute privilege to be able to do something like this at my level of ability - thanks John 😃
7. Wife Mandy is the best training and event companion 🥰 and her hill climb on the final day is quite intimidating 😳
8. Over and out ... for now

30/10/2021

Day 9 - The Remarkable Triathlon

Final day of camp and a leisurely start by the standards of the last week, we assembled at 8.30, rode to the pool and had rolling handicapped starts over the next 45 mins. 1500m swim, cycle 9k with 1000m of climb to the end of the tarseal on the Remarkables Ski Field access road and then "run" up the remaining 3k to the top.

Swim went well despite my ridiculously aggressive handicap - I'm sure I must have mistyped my pre-camp run time that's used for all the seeding. Bike was surprisingly ok. It's crazy steep - long pitches of 13-14% but with incredible (remarkable?) views.

More fell off the bike at T2 than jumped off it and erupted into a very slow walk for the final section. Another first - I was able to send texts and real-time race coverage as well as take photos on my way up. Helen and I brought the active phase of the camp to a dignified conclusion and then a very fast descent to the apartments for bike packing and wondering where the day had gone (again). The reason Epic Camp is such a great holiday is that you're busy from the minute you get up (ridiculously early) until you collapse into bed. I haven't thought about work for days!

Final dinner tonight - reflections post tomorrow 👋

29/10/2021

Day 8 - Te Anau to Queenstown

On paper this was pretty massive - 165k and 1200m of climb and it was ... we're all knackered and it was big distances today - endless farmland. Red tussock reserves, sheep and their lambs, cows (of course) and llamas!

Groupetto was on form but ENDLESS rotations through 5 mins on the front. Everyone seems to have a sore backside and everything hurts - moan, moan moan.

And then we got to the bottom of Lake Wakatipu. We did this last year in reverse - like yesterday it's a treat to ride these roads with so little traffic and even State Highway 6 was pretty quiet - just amazing.

1 more day to go. Last year we relaxed on the Friday night and spent Saturday being destroyed by the wind. What could possibly go wrong?

28/10/2021

Day 7 - Te Anau to Milford Sound

On paper this looked pretty tough - 120km and 1500m of climb. With closed borders and poor Auckland and the Waikato under lockdown the roads were empty and this was the sort of ride you remember for decades.

South Westland is the most spectacular part of NZ - deep fjords, massive mountains, huge spaces and endless lakes. We had it all. My groupetto left at 6.25 in the twilight to make sure we got to the cruise in time. The moon was up and it was 3 degrees when we rolled out of town on an empty state highway 🌛 past downs and lakes in next-to-no-wind.

This was a privilege - the road is normally insanely busy with tourist buses and camper vans but not this year. There were only 3 coaches going there today, 2 of which arrived after we did and none of them were full. The weather was perfect and apart from a sheep traffic jam we had it to ourselves 🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑

Downland, hidden lakes, big lakes, sheep, primordial beech forest and mountains, mountains, mountains 🌳🐑🏔🏔🏔. The sides of the valleys got higher and closer together until we peaked at the mouth of the Homer Tunnel - a steep 1.25km descent that you don't just turn up and ride. They closed it to all traffic (not that there was any) for us and we plummeted a vertical kilometre to NZ's favourite chocolate box photo.

We haven't been beyond the Hollyford Valley since before Callum was a twinkle in the eye - over 22 years, and never approached Milford Sound by road. The 20km descent was unbelievable and Mitre Peak as picturesque as the marketing photos.

Cruising on the Sound was a welcome change from Epic Camp activities - the sides of the fjord just insanely imposing. I slept all the way home in the bus and we even managed an hour's "run" before dinner 😴😴😴😴

27/10/2021

Day 6 - Gore to Te Anau

120ish k of rolling Southland farming country. Started in cloud so I really couldn't see a thing for the first hour, peering over my fogged specs like a librarian for the first hour or so. Things improved when it dried out a bit and even more when the sun came out. Still - very pretty rolling farmland. Saw a lot of sheep 🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑

A mere 6 hours riding time to Te Anau - felt quite quick after yesterday 🙄. Then the "eliminator" run where for some insane reason I'd submitted a run time that seeded me between 2nd-woman-overall Leah and running-royalty Helen. Also my legs don't work any more. Mandy and I came over the line dead last - with huge style (like yesterday) and went for a lovely run to make up the distance along the lakefront which is impossibly pretty.

But wait - we weren't done even then. Points challenge swimming in Lake Te Anau 🥶 ... which turned out to be 🏖: 14 degrees! That's only 2 degrees less than it was when I did the Long Swim in February a few years back! 1500m, 3 points 👊

Milford Sound tomorrow. Ride is fantastic and we haven't been there for 20 years!

26/10/2021

Day 5 - Cromwell to Gore

Hump day and we got it done. Optional run first thing - declined 👎

A cool 172km on the bike with 1700m of climb - rolled out at 7.45 and about 300m down the road I got a puncture. No problem - all fixed and ready to go as the new inner tube poked itself through the side wall of the tyre. Mercifully Dave turned up with my day bag and spare tyre. Told the crew to keep riding and faced the prospect of a very long and lonely day on my own.

20 mins of solo riding down a scarily busy State Highway 8 in rush-hour, group 2 turned up. "You're coming with us - no rider left behind". "I'm too slow". "You'll be fine". 2 hours at FTP later we caught my group at the magnificent Roxburgh Power Station as we sailed down the Clutha.

Next leg was along the eastern side of the Teviot Valley which I've never been to before - beautiful! Handbrake turn at Millers Flat and up to Ettrick for a King of the Mountains race which Zarnia and I talked our way through and finished last with the most style of everyone. Very pretty Downland scenery - which I've never heard of or seen before ...

The "3k to lunch" turned out to be 25k in "Historic Heriot" which I have also never heard of after 25 years in NZ! All good. We'd been riding for 6 hours and on the road for more than 7 at this point with over 45k to get home 🥴

Groupetto excelled itself back home with 5 min rotations through. An hour turnaround and then off to the pool to be completely humiliated in lots of sprint events and then disqualified in the only thing I actually won because my backstroke turn violated FINA rules 🤷‍♂️

Just in case you haven't had enough of this, there are interviews in this week's IMTalk podcast - I'm about 14'30" at https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/imtalk/id143250328?i=1000539728962

25/10/2021

Day 4 - Omarama to Cromwell

Allegedly the toughest day on the camp - more on that later.

Early start for a handicapped team trial from Omarama to the top of the Lindis Pass. Groups were picked and handicapped with similar results on the first day's uphill TT and what a fine body of people we were: Grant, Laurence and Helen. No idea how we did but it was a very smooth and clockwork performance. It's a lovely climb - never too steep and super-scenic.

The descent is even better - it's 55k downhill from the top to Tarras - and even after that you're either flat or descending slightly. Sun came out, light wind on our tail - what's not to like?

Rapid turnaround to run the new "Dunstan Trail" between Clyde and Cromwell. Keenies did the whole thing, we ran/walked (mainly walked) from Cornish Point to the rather cool Coffee Boat on the Clutha and back. Superb trail, millions of mountain bikers, great views and flipping hot 🥵. I went for a swim at the coffee boat in the river which sorted that out 🥶.

But wait - there's more: 1 hour free swim at the pool in Cromwell. Chance for more points to try and reclaim second place in the couples' competition. Mandy and I both managed 1km bands-only (1 point), 10x200 (1 or 2 points depending on speed) and a total of 3k (1 more point). I know Simon and Tracey tacked on for extra points on the bike today though ... 🤞

Now - this 'hardest day" thing. Tomorrow is 170 very hilly k to Gore, the next day is 151k to Te Anau, then 119k to Milford Sound and 165 back to Queenstown 😳

24/10/2021

Day 3 - Mount Cook to Omarama

Yet again I short changed you yesterday - forgot to mention that we were next to the Alps to Ocean route almost the entire day which is unbelievably beautiful - and you'd be going downhill most of the way - I can see why it's such a popular thing to do 🤩

It actually starts at Mount Cook village - as we did this morning. Shuttle from Omarama to the Ho**er Valley trail - awesome run in the glacial mountains with awesome company Kylie and Belinda.

Exciting news in the Hancock family was that overnight my butterfly antics had put us in second place in the couples' competition and as Kelly and Leah are actually winning the thing overall the jersey passed to us. It was so small that I would have needed a kilo of industrial grease, a very long shoe horn and several hours to get into it. Mandy looked great in it though 🥰

Cruisy bike back home (a "mere" 97k) with a friendly tailwind and net downhill with the awesome Groupetto Nadia, Tracey, Zarnia and special guest Helen.

Quick interview with John for the IMTalk podcast next week and we were done.

Apparently this was the easiest day of the camp - it certainly was a lot easier than the first two - but it wasn't actually easy ... massage helped.

23/10/2021

Day 2 - Oamaru to Omarama

Sorry - I short changed you all a bit yesterday as I was so tired. We had an amazing 14k "time trial" on the way to Oamaru on day 1 on the way into Karitane which was a massive climb - just like last year's - and incinerated my legs - just like last years. Message to self - re-read blog posts before Epic Camp as revision.

The other thing that was the same as day 1 last year was that it was very tough but pleasingly I remembered to eat and drink properly rather than bonking spectacularly like I did 12 months ago.

The thing that wasn't the same as day 1 last year was discovering Trotters Gorge near Moeraki (of the boulders fame). Absolutely amazing cliffs like the Gorges de Verdon in the South of France and I've never heard of them - see photo.

So that was yesterday. Much more civilised start today but back in the pool for an "eliminator" - handicapped 100m races where the last 2 drop out each time. I got completely rogered in this last year as I put in an honest 400m time for the handicapping and was starting when the leaders were over half way through so wasn't hopeful. Then Kylie suggested I could do the butterfly challenge 🦋. This went well last year - I managed 550m and it's the only swim challenge with unlimited points: 200 fly nonstop (needs to be continuous, two hand touch each end) = 1 point. Bonus .25pt for each 25m over 200m.

I reckoned I was on for another rogering in the eliminator so gave it a go. Haven't done as much fly in prep this year though Coach Emma may have other ideas after this 😬. Just about managed 200m with correct technique and then made it to 1k but having checked the FINA rules I'm worried the last few might not have been kosher 😇

The eliminator was a complete write-off after that. I started 41 seconds after the first person and finished dead last 🤷‍♂️

Then to the bike - 120k-ish to Omarama. This was gorgeous. Beautiful roads I've never been on before - disused mills and the major Waitaki power stations that rather incredibly I've never seen. Tail wind, sunshine and good company. Quite a bit jollier than yesterday 🥳

Didn't get in until after 4.30 but we weren't done ... quick bit of sightseeing at the amazing Clay Cliffs and then a 5k "guess your time" run out. Not my best work but again - lovely location, great company 🤷

22/10/2021

Day 1 - well that was a humdinger. Standard Epic Camp start - an hour of swim projects at the surprisingly nice Taieri School pool. Absolutely nailed the "guess your time 1000m" to within a second ... and then miscounted and did 2 lengths too many so was exactly 46 seconds over making me nearly last ... 🙄

Then a lovely run along the dunes near St Clair with a 5k TT. Home for breakfast and into the main business - 120k to Oamaru.

This is an amazing stretch of coast which I've never been to in our 23 years in NZ - some fantastically pretty minor roads along the coast itself with endless beaches and cliffs. Oamaru is pretty amazing - OTT Victorian architecture and massively wide streets with no traffic after 6pm. Self-styled steampunk capital of NZ.

Our ride was "enhanced" by not-ridiculously-gusty-but-relentless headwind and some very hilly hills. Over 6h elapsed time - less than 20 km/h average 🥴 I am very tired. Wish me luck tomorrow.

20/10/2021

... and if the itinerary wasn't bonkers enough, check out the even more insane points competition 🤪.

"I'm not getting involved in that this year" (M. Hancock - notoriously competitive fellow Epic Camper) 🙄

Briefing tonight and it all kicks off at 5.30am tomorrow 😳

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PMo7KuQYYURFAdhT4O3hvkitvDhm6s5W/edit?fbclid=IwAR1m1tdD0l-zAiEvJla7-FLt1bDI-bfFNKJHhGOIIwHx8USCrYF_aokkfxk

Epic Camp NZ 2021 Points System The points system is designed to give you an extra nudge each day to ensure you keep pushing. Treat it as some fun and motivation. Every athlete who comes on the camp should be aiming for “camp completion”. Below you will find an outline of the competition. The...