We’re joined by Classics royalty, Karen Norris ahead of the 2023 Snowy Classic. 
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 was pretty nervous heading into last year’s maxi classic event, I wasn’t confident that I’d be able to handle 3000 metres of elevation and the incline. But I did and that’s given me a lot more confidence for this year’s event, maybe too much confidence as I haven’t really been doing too much climbing in my training. I am going to start doing some longer rides with more elevation overall!
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?
There are plenty of hills around the eastern suburbs of Sydney, I’d love to say that I have been seeking them out to get some vertical metres into my legs but I’ve actually been avoiding them. However, with only a few weeks to go I’m going to start do some hill repeats on some the steeper hills around and less flat rides from centennial park to la Perouse and back.
Your advice for riders thinking about the Snowy Classic but yet to register?
Just register, get a crew together and head down to the snowies. You don’t even need a crew I meet so many new people on course last year as I was riding by myself and had the best time. I literally had a smile on my face for the entire 170km, It’s such a fun event and everyone is so friendly.
Cycling is the best way to explore the Snowy Mountains and the sense of achievement you feel after making it up to perisher is incredible. I’m still on a high from last year’s event, I’m already dreaming about the descent from perisher.
If you are a bit nervous about the elevation my advice would be just to give it ago, I’m not the strongest climber but if you just stick to your own pace you’ll be fine. I promise the downhill from perisher is worth it.
I think it’s important to know that you don’t have to be the strongest rider to take part in the event, I’m definitely not but I’m not going to let that stop me joining in the fun . If you don’t want to climb to perisher do the challenge classic, it’s the same stunning course minus the big climb.
OK, five quick questions-
1. Your weekly kilometre, training hours or altitude targets? I’m terrible when it comes to training, I’m just trying to fit in as much riding as I can. I don’t have any specific targets, cycling is something that I get a lot of joy from for me I find that setting targets takes away some of the joy. Not sure how much joy I’ll be feeling climbing up to perisher, however I can confirm that I was very joyful after making it to the top in last year’s event, there may have even been tears of joy.
2. Your ultimate Snowy Classic bike and set up? I’ll be riding my Trek Madone SLR9 with SRAM Red etap which I’m still in love it but it’s on the heavier side so I’d love to try something lighter like the Trek Emonda . Getting a lighter bike is a better option that decreasing the pastry intake to get lighter and I definitely have enough love to share to 2 bikes. Trek are you listening, I’m open to offers, ha!
3. What’s your preferred nutrition hydration for a 60 to 100km training ride? Coffee before and water during the ride.
4. Coffee before, during or after a ride? I like my coffee before but if it’s been a bigger ride I might need one afterwards so that I can make it through the rest of the day.
5. Top recovery tip? Being a yoga teacher practicing yoga is my top recovery tip, specifically practicing with me!!
Join Karen (@lifeinangles) in Jindabyne this April 1st – Register now!
