Mark Mckenzie at the start of the Windy hill time trial.

Tour De Tortola

Race day July 18.

Distance: 44 gruesome miles.

Route for expert riders: Road Town to Steele Point to Carrot Bay, Windy Hill, Great Mountain, the Ridge Road, the prison, Beef Islands, East End, Brandywine, Road Town.

Route for novices and women: Road Town to Zion Hill, Carrot Bay, Windy Hill, Great Mountain, the Ridge Road, down to East End Police Station, Brandywine, Road Town.

That is the basic background information.

The Lead Up

Mine Shaft Challenge – Virgin Gorda

A few weeks earlier we had the Mine Shaft Challenge in Virgin Gorda. On race day we caught the 9.00 a.m. Speedy’s ferry from Road Town to Virgin Gorda. From the ferry dock in VG we mounted our bikes and rode to the Mine Shaft restaurant for the start of the challenge. Along the way to the Mine Shaft I had to plead my ignorance and enquired whether this ride was the actual race. As far as I was concerned that was the race. By the time I got to the official starting point I was extremely exhausted, dizzy from the blistering morning sun and barely able to stand on my feet. Mine Shaft Challenge took us from the Mine Shaft restaurant, down through the Valley, out to Nail Bay, and back to the Mine Shaft via Handsome Bay, and the Copper Mine. The challenge started at the top of what I consider a very steep hill. By the time the starter said go all the cyclists had literally disappeared in a matter of seconds all but Jackie (my teammate) and I. At least I had some company to descend the hill at the start. Jackie and I had a good laugh. However, privately we played the physiological game of “cat and mouse”. In the end Jackie feared far much better that I did. My other teammates Rick and Pat did even better. The Mine Shaft Challenge was neither a challenge nor a race but rather a wonderful sightseeing tour of VG for me on very hot VG day. By the time I got back to the finish line at the Mine Shaft restaurant I was totally out of it. After the challenge (sightseeing for me) we had to ride back to the ferry dock to catch the 1.00 p.m. Speedy’s ferry to Road Town. As the self appointed team leader, I called the team to an assembly and laid down new rules. We will no longer simply turn up for the races/challenges/time trial. We will implement with immediate effect a regimental training programme and of course dieting (see section on dieting later down.) I have a lot at stake having just acquired a new road bike which is a significant upgrade from my $100.00 Walmart heavy like a tonne of lead bike! Cycling is now serious business. No more leisure rides. We are professionals. We have the right tools all we need to do is prepare!

Windy Hill Time Trials

Next race (challenge I should say) was the Windy Hill Time Trials on Sunday July 4, 2004. You need to pay close attention to the title given to the races by the BVI Cycling Federation. Mine Shaft Challenge could easily be Mine Shaft Sightseeing. Windy Hill Time Trial should have been Windy Hill Challenge Pain and Torture or Windy Hill Walk and Ride Where You Can. Enough!

We had exactly 1 week of regimental training that is cycling more. Hence the Mon., Wed., and the Fri. morning before the time trail we went from Road Town to Packwood Pond and back. We were committed to start as early as 5.30 a.m. each morning but actually managed be off by 6.00 a.m. Not bad I would say since we are in serious training. On the Fri morning we got completely soaked from an early morning shower of rain. To the passing motorists we would have looked a bit silly cycling in the rain but we were in serious training.

After our final preparation on the Fri morning for the Windy Hill Time Trials it occurred to me that we were in serious regimental training but our programme all week was grossly wrong! Here was the team preparing for the Windy Hill Time Trails but with the exception of Pat none of us had ever ridden up Windy Hill. Logics one would assume would dictate that our training should include riding over Windy Hill. This shortcoming in our preparation needed urgent attention. Again as the self appointed team leader and motivator, I called the team to an urgent meeting. I told the team that we had to ride over Windy Hill at least once before Sun. Sat. was out of the question as it would be too close to race day. The best alternative would be to go our riding Fri evening after immediately after work. We had one problem our gears were completely soaked on Fri morning. We had to be creative in getting our gears dried by Fri evening. Oh…………..Rick would not be joining us certainly not on a Fri evening. At lunch on Fri we kept this little secret from Arden since he would now be more than convinced that we (the cycling team) were more than “nuts”. We never second guess what we were doing, as professional cyclists we have long ago place lesser importance on Fri Happy Hour!

Even walking, Mark stays determined!

Jackie, Pat and I went for our ride over Windy Hill. That story I will share a next time. I knew from that Fri evening that I would not be able to ride all the way over Windy Hill. The course for the Windy Hill Time Trial was Bomba’s Shack in Apple Bay, passing through Carrot Bay to finish at the summit of Windy Hill. For the Windy Hill Time Trials riders started in 1 minute intervals. I was the fifth rider off that is I started about 5 to 6 minutes after the first rider. The winner did the race in under 22 minutes. I did it in 54 minutes. Needless to mention that I took my time to admire Nature’s Little Secrets. I was dead last but I finished. I was proud of myself. My confidence was high.

Pre-Tour De Tortola

The Mon. after the Windy Hill Time Trial was a bank holiday. However, I was able to convince Pat (and Jackie was willing until……….) that we needed to do at least half of the course in preparation for the Tour De Tortola. Most importantly we secured the volunteered services of a “coach” (or should I say two coaches). Basically two riders with more riding experience than us. Now this is a national holiday, day for the beach and quiet time to watch a good movie or read a book. My own intention was to finish the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Well I am still reading that book as my time is totally consumed with cycling – addictive!

It is Mon July 5 and at about 8.30 a.m. Pat and I met at Rite Way in Pasea Estate. Our 1st coach arrived and gave us our instructions and tips for the mammoth task we were about to take on. He also informed us that he would not be riding with us – I am not sure of the reason but I have my suspicions – remember although I now consider myself a professional cyclist to the pros I am still a novice! If I could barely managed Windy Hill the day before how in ………………..am I going to cycle from Rite Way to West End up Zion Hill through Carrot Bay over Windy Hill over to Skyworld down Great Mountain, along the Ridge Road and down the …………….of a hill behind Rite Way?

Coach no. 2 arrived and will ride with Pat and I. The ride took us 2hrs and 20mins. Not bad I thought. If we train really hard we will be able to do the Tour De Tortola on July 18th.

The following Wed. morning Pat and I set off. We started by climbing the wet hill behind Rite Way turned right along the Ridge Road down to East End Police Station back into town. Our time 1hr and 20mins.

The following Fri morning I went on my road bike with coach no. 2 and another rider. For that week I must have done between 70 to 80 miles of riding. Not bad. I am in training.

Sun. July 11th I went out with a professional rider from T & T visiting the island.

Jackie is back out. With all the preparation and coaching we are riding with easy from Road Town to Beef Island and back. We are now masters of the hills between Road Town and Beef Islands. We are ready for the Tour De Tortola.

The Diet

No red meat 5 days before the Tour De Tortola only chicken and fish. During training each morning I have a bowl of Quaker Oats lots of water and of course Gatorade.

On the morning of Tour De Tortola – I had 3 boiled eggs with my pasta and my usual bowl of Quaker Oats. I was sick by the time I finished my 3 boiled eggs and pasta but I have a big race ahead so I must eat the right food.

Cycling gel…………This is a cyclist’s lifesaver during a long ride or at least so I am told. I had my first pack last Thur morning it awful must I have to acquire the taste to be a real cyclist. It is to be taken just before your ride with liquid (please remember this bit as it will be crucial in relating my Tour De Tortola experience). You should also have another pack around 30 to 45 minutes into your ride.

July 18, 2004 Tour De Tortola Race Day

I am professional cyclist so I have to look the part……………………After having my 3 boiled eggs with pasta and my bowl of Quaker Oats……………….It was time to get dress. A cyclist must wear bright colours……….I donned my bright orange pair of cycling shoes, my black shorts and my red and white Nike jersey. Very colourful. Coordinated?????

On Fri our 3 international supporters arrived on the Island from Grand Cayman. We party hard Fri night into the early hours of Sat morning. Sat was my birthday but I will not be able to party Sat. so we made the best of it Fri. night. A cyclist must be disciplined sportsman!

On Sat. we were entirely focus. Every second conversation was about the ride on Sun. Mid-afternoon on Sat. Jackie gave our 3 international supporters a tour of the Islands. Essentially she showed them the course for the Tour De Tortola. At 5.15 p.m. on Sat. I went to have a look at the course myself. I drove along Great Mountain down into Carrot Bay over Zion Hill out West End over Steele Point along to Smuggler’s Cove passed Long Bay. From Jolly Roger’s over Steele Point to Smuggler’s Cove to Long Bay took me about 15 to 20mins (cycling I suspect would take me at least 10 mins. more). It seems quite challenging if not dangerous to ride. I thought to myself that I will make my final decision on whether to do the long course or the short course on race day.

Anyways………….I came back over Zion Hill and drove into town heading towards the prison. After making left at the prison the road is paved for about 100 to 200 meters and after that it is all off road. The drive from behind the prison to the bridge at Beef Island took me about 10 to 15 minutes (cycling would take another 10 mins.)

Sat night I retired very early. By 1.30a.m. I was suffering from anxiety. By that time it was raining. I am absolutely sure I am not doing the Steele Point leg and the prison leg of the Tour De Tortola. I am going to enter the Fun Novice/Women course.

Sun morning the race started at about 7.45a.m. Pat and I are together all the way to West End and to starting our climb over Zion Hill so too was Olympia (a 14 y.o rider) and an another rider. From outside Prospect Round About all the way to West End Pat and I played “cat and mouse” with Olympia and the other cyclist. Jackie is somewhere behind us. As we went by Pockwood Pond I said to Pat “take it easy, they will not be able to climb like us because we had trained for the race.” Pat acknowledge but it was still important to keep the distance small. Cycling is physiological warfare.

I would estimate that we were at Big Ben’s in under 30 mins. that is very good time! We started our climb over Zion Hill. I heard Olympia’s chain burst and saw the nuts and bolts flew by up the hill. I am ahead I can not look back but I am certain that is the end of the race for Olympia. I am sorry for her but in my climb I can help her. Pat is somewhere behind me. I breeze down Zion Hill. This was very unusual as Pat is exceptional going down hills. I passed Bomba’s Shack heading towards Sugar Mills. Pat and I are riding together and I am trying to retrieve my second Cycling Jell as I am approaching 40 to 45minutes in the race. I urgently need my “steroids” to kick in before I start the gruesome climb up Windy Hill.

By the time I had my second Cycling Jell I had already started to climb of the hill at Sugar Mills to get down into Carrot Bay. Remember the Cycling Jell must be taken with liquid! I descended off the hill into Carrot Bay at about 25 to 35 MPH. As I am level off in Carrot Bay at that speed I reached for my water bottle and loss control of my bike. I “kilkittie - Tri” or “kinpoohpalick – Ja) and without my cape I landed like a very fit breadfruit on the blistering asphalt in Carrot Bay. My glass went south, my shades went north and the 3 men standing on the side of the road must have had a very good laugh! For a minute I thought I had to exit the race. But my mind ran on Lance Armstrong in this year’s Tour De France. Lance had fallen early last week and from my last update he was still racing. Battered and bruised and bits of blood flowing I got myself together re-mounted my bike and I was off again. Only soon to discover that my seat was out of position and I had absolutely no clue how to fix it.

The mechanics of monetary policies does not easily translate to the mechanics of bike. With my seat wobbling I managed to make it half way up Windy Hill. My prospects for finishing the Tour De Tortola is fading very fast unless I can figure out how to fix the …………………..seat. Struggling half way up Windy Hill I came upon a faithful Toastmaster, TM Bobbi. TM Bobbi held my bike while I examined the seat careful. Luckily I had my Allen keys to tighten the seat.

Riding, walking and crawling I made it over Windy Hill to Sarge Mountain pass Rudy’s Bar up to Skyworld. By this time I had loss all confidence in my bike. As I approached my house at the top of Great Mountain the thought of going home crossed my mind. In the scheme of things it seemed logical since by that time I was pushing bike rather than riding it. But I am soldier I must persevere to the end. By the time I got to the Ridge Road Jackie and I was “tit for tat” and Jackie now approaching her house was brave enough to say it would be good idea to go home. Of course I would not have any of it since I had already passed my house. As matter of fact Jackie as true soldier I know was only thinking out loudly!

I am now doing good because I am the part of the course that I know I can do very well. Oh, I should mention that I was surprise to know that I had other cyclist behind me as a few passed me along the Ridge Road. You must understand I am always at the back in these races whether or not I fall or I stay on my bike.

As I approach the last very steep hill to start my climb down towards Jossiah’s Bay/East End a few children at the top of hill said ride up you can catch her (i.e. Jackie) because she is not riding. For the first time in my life realised how very “evil” children can think. Here it is all I want to do is to get off the ………………..bike and push it down this very steep hill and the innocent children without know my own fear could only be urging me to my own perils. I ignored them completely and with all the grace in the world got off my bike and started pushing down the hill.

Along the way I breezed passed Jackie and in a flash I was in East End heading backing into town. I was now on roll. In no time I was over Brandywine Hill. I was over the second hill in flash. Jackie caught up with me part way up the third hill into town. The last bit of energy I had went with Jackie and my leg crapped immediately and froze. My feet are clipped on to the pedals. With the all the grit and power and determination I made it to the top and release my right leg from the pedal. As I descended I flexed my leg as I will need every bit of last energy, strength and power to take me over the last hill.

I finished the Tour De Tortola in 3 hrs and 10Mins. Jackie did 3 hours and Pat 2.20+mins.

With all the aches and bruises, I had fun and a great sense of achievement and satisfaction and most importantly a wonderful Tortola experience.

To my Team Mates


Cheers

© Copyright 2003 BVI Cycling Federation

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