Brisbane Coot-tha Challenge 2011

[notwal]

Here is the output from my Garmin:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/73944682

I probably wouldn't use this as a baseline for comparison. It took me a bit over 14 minutes to get to the top and the two guys I was riding with got there faster than me, even though they got off and walked for a bit. Happy to say I rode all the way to the top, but it didn't exactly happen in a hurry

Surely the Garmin doesn't pick up GPS sigs underground? Maybe it just draws a straight line between the the entry to the tunnel and the exit.

[Zynster]

Time: 06:38
Extra details about the climb I entered at the hill climbing website cycle2max. It allows you to track your best times so you have that benchmark to improve on.

If you haven't entered your times on cycle2max you should

here is mine:
http://cycle2max.com.au/ride-time.aspx?id=26427

I think that the time is made on that really big incline before you go round the corner to see the tv station on the right. You need to trust that you can recover when it flattens out again and then when u are recovered put in your final dash for the line.

Another thing I did was get my heart rate up about 10 mins before the climb. That way when you are going flat out your body won't tell you to stop as much because you already numbed those receptors.

Congratulations Correy. You've set the bar pretty high. Well done.

[marinmomma]

Here is the output from my Garmin:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/73944682

I probably wouldn't use this as a baseline for comparison. It took me a bit over 14 minutes to get to the top and the two guys I was riding with got there faster than me, even though they got off and walked for a bit. Happy to say I rode all the way to the top, but it didn't exactly happen in a hurry

Surely the Garmin doesn't pick up GPS sigs underground? Maybe it just draws a straight line between the the entry to the tunnel and the exit.

That's correct Notwal, mine just drew a straight line between the entry and exit.

[laager]

.

[dclnmurray]

Time: 06:38
Extra details about the climb I entered at the hill climbing website cycle2max. It allows you to track your best times so you have that benchmark to improve on.

If you haven't entered your times on cycle2max you should

here is mine:
http://cycle2max.com.au/ride-time.aspx?id=26427

I think that the time is made on that really big incline before you go round the corner to see the tv station on the right. You need to trust that you can recover when it flattens out again and then when u are recovered put in your final dash for the line.

Another thing I did was get my heart rate up about 10 mins before the climb. That way when you are going flat out your body won't tell you to stop as much because you already numbed those receptors.

Excellent time. I wonder how quickly the elite pro's could climb mt Coot-tha as I see you are an A grade cyclist.

cheers

Dave

[London Boy]

Sniff... missed the 10 minute club by 5 seconds!!! OUCH. Still pretty happy though for not back riding for a year!

Hah! That's nothing. I missed it by 2 minutes and 23 seconds... I got 13.22, which is what I should expect with the extra 5 kilos I'm carrying around just now.

The Ipswich Imperial is going to be a good hard ride. Have you seen the route?

[brokenbus]

I wish there was a few how far to go signs going up Coot-tha as I ended up getting off and walking for a 100m or so. I reckon i could of kept going had I known how far i had left which was approx 300m.
I learnt a few things though
1 Dont drive 7hrs to get there the day before (I was coming to visit my brother and added the ride cause I could)
2 Dont sit up to midnight drinking with brother even if it was only 4 or 5 drinks.
3 Get more than 5hrs sleep that is not interupted.
4 Try not to get a flat on the way to the ride
5 Most importantly dont listen to Comedian about how if you average 13kmh you will get in the 10min bracket as you (meaning me) are too old and fat and will be absolutey knackered after 500m and will only be able to do 5kmh at best after that.

Anyway I had heaps of fun despite the rain and hope to back to do it next year.

Cheers
Nicko

[Undertow]

I wish there was a few how far to go signs going up Coot-tha as I ended up getting off and walking for a 100m or so. I reckon i could of kept going had I known how far i had left which was approx 300m.

Theres actually markings on the road in yellow paint every 250m, looks like

-------
0.25

-------
0.50

etc

Though if you haven't ridden it before you could easily miss them.

[brokenbus]

Yep missed them- bugger!!

[Comedian]

I wish there was a few how far to go signs going up Coot-tha as I ended up getting off and walking for a 100m or so. I reckon i could of kept going had I known how far i had left which was approx 300m.
I learnt a few things though
1 Dont drive 7hrs to get there the day before (I was coming to visit my brother and added the ride cause I could)
2 Dont sit up to midnight drinking with brother even if it was only 4 or 5 drinks.
3 Get more than 5hrs sleep that is not interupted.
4 Try not to get a flat on the way to the ride
5 Most importantly dont listen to Comedian about how if you average 13kmh you will get in the 10min bracket as you (meaning me) are too old and fat and will be absolutey knackered after 500m and will only be able to do 5kmh at best after that.

Anyway I had heaps of fun despite the rain and hope to back to do it next year.

Cheers
Nicko

Sorry BrokenBus!

I actually reset my bike computer just before I went up the hill so I had average speed and distance there to see. Not that I'm a pro, but I think you've got to set your pace and then when you can feel the grim reaper breathing down your back just ask yourself if there is any good reason why you can't keep going.

[marinmomma]

I wish there was a few how far to go signs going up Coot-tha as I ended up getting off and walking for a 100m or so. I reckon i could of kept going had I known how far i had left which was approx 300m.
Cheers
Nicko

lol, sounds like my hubby...got a flat/blow-out 200 metres from the top of the climb, it would have been quicker for him to walk the last 200 and change the flat after the timing gate

[Comedian]

I wish there was a few how far to go signs going up Coot-tha as I ended up getting off and walking for a 100m or so. I reckon i could of kept going had I known how far i had left which was approx 300m.
Cheers
Nicko

lol, sounds like my hubby...got a flat/blow-out 200 metres from the top of the climb, it would have been quicker for him to walk the last 200 and change the flat after the timing gate

[brokenbus]

I wish there was a few how far to go signs going up Coot-tha as I ended up getting off and walking for a 100m or so. I reckon i could of kept going had I known how far i had left which was approx 300m.
I learnt a few things though
1 Dont drive 7hrs to get there the day before (I was coming to visit my brother and added the ride cause I could)
2 Dont sit up to midnight drinking with brother even if it was only 4 or 5 drinks.
3 Get more than 5hrs sleep that is not interupted.
4 Try not to get a flat on the way to the ride
5 Most importantly dont listen to Comedian about how if you average 13kmh you will get in the 10min bracket as you (meaning me) are too old and fat and will be absolutey knackered after 500m and will only be able to do 5kmh at best after that.

Anyway I had heaps of fun despite the rain and hope to back to do it next year.

Cheers
Nicko

Sorry BrokenBus!

I actually reset my bike computer just before I went up the hill so I had average speed and distance there to see. Not that I'm a pro, but I think you've got to set your pace and then when you can feel the grim reaper breathing down your back just ask yourself if there is any good reason why you can't keep going.

Hey not your fault Comedian- I should of known better but the first couple of hundred metres seemed pretty easy and it was fun overtaking people while I had the energy. Not as much fun when they overtook when I died though- I reckon I spent a good minute leaning on the bike when I stopped before I could even contemplate walking- The Grim Reaper felt a little bit closer than comfortable!

Marinmomma I can understand why your hubby fixed his tyre and rode through the gate as it would of felt much better doing so- I made my self get back on for the last bit too- Almost clip stacked in some lose gravel doing so too- now that would been embarassing!
Cheers
Nicko

[notwal]

The photo may tell some of the story

Arrrrgh. Sunglasses required. Go and stick those feet in the sun. They're so white they are overexposing the image.

Looks like a nice shiny new pair of 'go fast' feet you've had grafted on.
I guess you'd call that 'feet doping'.
Some people will stop at nothing.

[goneriding]

Sorry BrokenBus!

I actually reset my bike computer just before I went up the hill so I had average speed and distance there to see. Not that I'm a pro, but I think you've got to set your pace and then when you can feel the grim reaper breathing down your back just ask yourself if there is any good reason why you can't keep going.

Correction. When you feel the Grim Reaper breathing down your neck ask yourself "What would Jens do?". If you ask yourself if there are any good reasons as to why you can't keep going, you'll find the list is endless.

The best thing that happened to me was when some guy passed me and said to keep it up as we were nearly there. For some reason that gave me the pip and a bit of an extra kick to push over the top.

[correy]

Time: 06:38

Excellent time. I wonder how quickly the elite pro's could climb mt Coot-tha as I see you are an A grade cyclist.

cheers

Dave

Hi Dave,
According to cycle2max that time is equivalent to 7w/kg over 6:38mins the very best in the world can put out 7.6w/kg over 5 mins. I think they could prob do 6:20mins or a bit less.

Cycle2max allows you to compare watts/kg ( rough estimates ) so you can see how you compare. Here is a good comparison chart for you:
http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_fac ... obench.htm

To get accurate you really do need a power meter which I don't have yet ): and to me the 20 min interval is the most important indicator of how good you really are. As there is no use having a world class sprint eg 24.04w/kg if you can never get to the end of the race to use it.

[notwal]

I've have to say I find that time stunning correy.
I wish I had been standing about at the top to see you hurtle over the line.
Are there any photos of the finish of the climb?

[licensed]

Hello Guys,

I tried mt cootha for the first time today on my road bike and made it up to the top in around 15 minutes or so.. but i couldn't seem to work out where the start and end gates of the time trial section are located (as used in the cootha challenge event). Can someone please let me know where abouts they are so that i can more accurately find out my times for the climb?

Is there some road markings or anything like that that i missed? Any help on this would be appreciated. I was also unsure where the top of the mountain was really.

(I went up anti-clockwise).

[Comedian]

Hello Guys,

I tried mt cootha for the first time today on my road bike and made it up to the top in around 15 minutes or so.. but i couldn't seem to work out where the start and end gates of the time trial section are located (as used in the cootha challenge event). Can someone please let me know where abouts they are so that i can more accurately find out my times for the climb?

Is there some road markings or anything like that that i missed? Any help on this would be appreciated. I was also unsure where the top of the mountain was really.

(I went up anti-clockwise).

The start point is the white (actually yellow) line on the road you can see here just next to the sign.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&sour ... 6,,1,13.88

You go past channel 10 on the right and another station on the left (I'm always too busy to look) and just on the crest there is another mark. You can see it here although it is now yellow and not quite as clear.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&sour ... 00667&z=21

[licensed]

Thanks Comedian, i really appreciate it

Now i've just gotta find some daylight time to get out there and time myself!!

[Comedian]

Thanks Comedian, i really appreciate it

Now i've just gotta find some daylight time to get out there and time myself!!

Who needs daylight??? I'll be there at 5:30 tomorrow morning!

I better go to bed

[elantra]

Thanks Comedian, i really appreciate it

Now i've just gotta find some daylight time to get out there and time myself!!

Who needs daylight??? I'll be there at 5:30 tomorrow morning!

I better go to bed

How was Coottha this morning ?

I don't like it much on winter mornings caus the cold air hurts on the descent and my eyes water

[Comedian]

Thanks Comedian, i really appreciate it

Now i've just gotta find some daylight time to get out there and time myself!!

Who needs daylight??? I'll be there at 5:30 tomorrow morning!

I better go to bed

How was Coottha this morning ?

I don't like it much on winter mornings caus the cold air hurts on the descent and my eyes water

Well I did my first lap and it was still dark... got there about 5:40. Second lap was in the daylight (just) and it was good too. I've got some warm gear and it wasn't too bad to be honest. Unzip the vest on the way up and when you get to the top do it up. It was a little cold on the down hills but I wasn't uncomfortable. Yes, my eyes did water at speed but I find if I close them that problem goes away.

There were lots of people there and I noticed that they were all pretty fast. Normally I overtake lots of people. Not this morning though. I had a bit of a sore leg so I was sparing it a bit... but none the less the conclusion is that the serious people get out there early and often and as a result they are fast!

The only downside to the morning was that we did a riverloop afterwards and there were cars everywhere. I've never seen so much traffic. In the calm cold conditions there were lots of fumes which wasn't the best.

[gooldin]

Mount Coot-tha Timed Section using Garmin Edge 500

Gooldin

Fatrobo

PS dont forget to hit "view in metric" up the top right!


Hi guys,

Myself and my work mate recently bought a Garmin, I the Edge 500 and him the new Forerunner 310XT!

After completing the mount coot tha challene this year we both decided we would try and go up once a week on the way to work in hope of bettering our time! Needless to say, I only went up last week for the first time since!
Anyway, the idea is, now that we are both proud owners of these fine machines, is to use the Virtual Partner to race against ourselves to help us get quicker! Expectedly, I was almost a full minute slower than my time on the big day earlier in the year.

Has anybody else used a Garmin for this section only? I started and stopped exactly on the line. So it would be good to find something similar to race against also!

I noticed some differences between our two readings, if you look at my (gooldin) elevation chart, it is almost a dead straight line, where as his (fatrobo) is a little bumpy. Is this as a resulf of gps readings from two different modles, therefore having different levels of GPS accuracy resulting in different readings? Or could it be that there were less sattelite's on the two different days? Which one is correct?

Elevation chart accuracy is not massively important, however you will also notice a difference in the overall distance - given that we both hit start and stop as we crossed the lines marked on the road!

There is also a difference in the heart rate chart's, mine is a mass of small straight lines and his is a smooth curve - its almost like mine is only taking a reading every few seconds compared to his being constant!

Why does it show you this, and why are they different seen as he was moving constantly -
Time: 00:14:32
Moving Time: 00:14:15
Elapsed Time: 00:14:32
Whats the difference between the "Elapsed time" and the "Time"?
Then on my info the "Moving time" is 14.04 but "elapsed time" is 14.03..very strange! Surely the total "Elapsed time" should be equal to or less than my "Moving time"??

It will be good to see the second reading from both computers next week to see if they are consistantly incorrect/incorrect!

Here's hoping we can knock 3 mins off our time over the next year!

Any tips on using the Virtual Partner would be great!

Cheers

Gooldin

Fatrobo

[stevenaaus]

Sorry to dig up a zombie thread, but a mate was looking for his old Mt Cootha times (2009 to 2013 or so), and i found this post, though the link and user-contact seem dead. Any ideas about if they still exist somewhere ? Cheers.

I've done stats analysis on the Coot-tha Challenge for the last few years.
2009 is on this Bicycle Qld web page about half way down
http://www.bq.org.au/bq-info/news.shtml

2008 to 2010 results are here
http://users.on.net/%7Ethefirstbruce/Co ... 202010.zip
I only entered the 2008 ride and had a chain come off.

A few pointers:
- Unless you are a seasoned hill climber, it is easier with a lower geared bike, like a roadie with a compact chainring (32-34) and at least a 25 cog gear on the cassette.
- most mountain bikes would have low enough gears.
- good idea to get some practice in on hills before attemtping it.
- the most acknowledged grade from memory is 9.4%, but the 300 metres to Channel 10 is probably 10.5%.
- the distance ridden and measured is 2320 metres.
- the vertical ascent is 217 metres.
- make sure your bike is in good condition before riding. Cleats need to be firm in pedals so they don't slip out when riding up. Gears need to be adjusted properly so you have smooth changes on the hill. Brakes need to be 110% reliant for the downhill bits. Wheels need to be true. Ensure you are well hydrated beforehand, and keep drinking all the way.
- hold a straight line when riding up, otherwise you are likely to be involved in accidents.
- the best time to practice riding up the hill (anti-clockwise) is Sunday mornings before 6.30am. There's fewer cars. If practising riding up, be very wary of cars coming downhill (and cyclists). Don't presume they'll stay on their side of the road.