3 Peaks 2013

[Endo]

So, whos all fired up for Buffalo again ??

yeh, it's a bit disappointing, but who are we to b!tch and moan when it's not our homes that are threatened by fires...?

[Saturnstarzz]

So now that its only a few days away, hows everyone feeling.

I'm nervous but excited at the same time.


Oh and how many peeps that have posted here are doing 3 peaks this year.
Depending on our start times we should all bunchup .

If it doesn't rain I'll be wearing a really bright Harpoon India Pale ale (Cannondale Jersey) .

Feel free to push me up Falls.

[__PG__]

From the comments section of The climbing cyclist

Matt. Firstly let me thank you for your great website. For people new to the sport and new to this event and region it is invaluable.

To other readers……..please read this. I have learnt a lot about my body and I would like to see others learn from my near tragic experience.

Firstly……I finished my first 3 peaks event. For those that try to fit cycling in amongst life, family and everything else that pops us the change of route is not important. The spirit of the event for me is what I come for.

I am writing this post from my hospital bed having been here since late Tuesday suffering from Rhabdomyolysis. If you don’t know what it is search it and it will frighten you as it did me.

I started the ride well prepared. I put thought into nutrition , fluid intake and treating it as my own race and not against others. I have failed in other endurance events when I have focused on others and not my own goals.

I won’t bother you with the gory detail of each climb as other have written far better than I. Suffice to say …… Tarwonga – great. Buffalo- working but comfortable and well within limits. Ovens to Mt.Beauty -a mental push to get through that.

The stage that caused the damage was the final climb and cramping. I arrived at Mt. beauty at 4:05pm. In some pain with minor cramps but good spirits. Knowing I was falling behind my planned time I thought long and hard about how to ride the last climb and changed my plan. I was now riding to be comfortable and to see my wife as I crossed. I was in a great place.

The cramping started literally in the first 500m of the club and continued all the way. I pushed through them, but with 3:30 to compete the climb I was happy to stop when needed. By the last 5 km I was in agony. All I could think about was finishing. I got to the line very happy. I continued my rehydrating plan which involved lots of water down sports drinks, only 1/2 glass of champagne with my wife and a good meal.

Where it went pair shaped was tuesday morning. I saw some blood in my urine. It continued thought to lunch time where I pulled the pin on work and went to my GP. In my job I have to have a medical every 12 months so I know my doctor well, which paid dividends later. He ran a blood test and said to keep the phone on in case his fears were proved true and I had a mild case of ” Rhabdomyolysis”

By 8:15 I was dozing on the couch feeling awful. Muscles hurting ( as opposed to sore) feeling hazy, and in a bad bad mood ( according to my wife anyway). The doctor rang my phone and said that the blood test were not great. My Creatine Kinease levels were over 10000, normal is 0-500. Off to enemergcy I went and here I sit 38 hours later still here. during my stay my Creatine levels peaked at 18000.

It turns out, according to the advice I received , that because I pushed through my cramps to far ,my muscle started breakdown and was in my blood and heading for my kidneys. This is BAD. Really BAD apparently.

I caught it early as I didn’t suck it up. Any blood from either end is bad. Listen to your body and get help.

I am sure many of you seasoned punters know about Rhabdomyolysis but for us new to long distance events I have learnt a lot.

Matt , again thanks for your informative website and I hope my lessons can help others not end up where I am now.

A mate of mine DNF'ed on the last climb. He finished at Bogong village. He had cramps. His wife finished in under 12 hours (10:40 riding time).

[jimsheedy]

I'd be interested to know what that blokes previous longest ride was and how much he's ridden in the last year.