Next up in our Snowy Classic Ambassador series, the one and only Julie-Anne Hazlett! Here to chat all things Snowy.
The second Snowy Classic is on April 1, 2023. Can you tell us what course you’ll be riding and how your training has been going?
I’ll be doing the 170km Maxi Classic with almost 3000m of climbing and my training…well I could say I’m fitter than ever and feeling super strong, but I’d be lying. Let’s just say, I have a bit of work to do over the next 7 weeks but with a bit of consistency, I’m hoping my legs will come good just in time. I don’t think I’ll be breaking too many Strava records lol.
After experiencing the alpine climbs and particularly Beloka at the inaugural Snowy Classic, how are you preparing for the epic climbing at the 2023 event?
I’ll be trying to build my strength and FTP by doing hill repeats and some specific workouts on the trainer. Some friends went out and found 13 of the steepest hills on the Northern Beaches at the weekend so I might try to do a few of those over the next few weeks.
Not many of us have the benefit of living near long alpine climbs, how do you get vertical metres into your legs in more urban environments?
I live on Sydney’s North Shore where there aren’t many flat stretches of road. Everything feels like a climb around here????. Admittedly they aren’t as long as the alpine climbs but there are lots of short, steep hills to make my legs burn. I also do repeats on hills like Bobbin Head and Akuna before work (now that my training has started). It’s not too hard to find a route on the weekend where I can get in over 2000m of climbing so I’m planning a few long days in the saddle over the next few weekends.
Your advice for riders thinking about the Snowy Classic but yet to register?
Do it! If you haven’t ridden in the Snowy Mountains, you’re missing out. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, and there is always a great buzz when you get lots of cyclists together for an event. I’m sure you have friends who have already signed up and you don’t want to get FOMO. If you don’t have friends doing it, it’s a great place to make some new ones or get a group together and come along for a fun weekend away. Any way you look at it, riding in the Snowy Mountains on 1st April, is a great idea.
OK, five quick questions-
1. Your weekly kilometre, training hours or altitude targets? The key thing for me now, is getting some consistency during the week and then longer rides on the weekend so that 170km doesn’t feel too daunting. I’ll try to get a couple of 150km rides in before the event and in terms of weekly distance at least 300 km/week if not more.
2. Your ultimate Snowy Classic bike and set up? I ride a Chapter2 Koko with 12 speed Sram Red 50/37.
3. What’s your preferred nutrition hydration for a 60 to 100km training ride? Depending on the distance, I’ll carry 1x bottle of water and 1x Electrolyte hydration.
4. Coffee before, during or after a ride? Yes definitely…before, during and after the ride ????. Ok, not in the actual event but if I have time on a training ride then often I’ll have a shot before I leave the house and possibly one or 2 along the way (on long weekend rides). I like the social side of training and going for a coffee with my training buddies is a big part of that.
5. Top recovery tip? Drink lots of water and make sure you get enough sleep. I usually try to go for an easy swim, at least once a week, if I am training hard and find it one of the best things I can do for recovery.
Don’t get FOMO – Join JA in Jindabyne this April 1st! You can register here.
