Graeme Simpson: Split Enz for some hair-raising action

It's a long time since I won anything.

So when I got a call from Andy at More FM a couple of weeks ago, telling me I'd won five sessions with a personal trainer, Mitch at Instinctive Fitness, I was pretty stoked.

My fitness isn't too bad just from riding my bike in the forest, up to 30km at a time. My favourite ride is up the south side of Moerangi, followed by the long, sustained downhill of Split Enz and the Pondy trails.

Split Enz is a great 2.5km of trail and a master class in trail building by Murray Avery.

I like how www.riderotorua.com sums it up on their trails pages: it's "very obvious for anybody who has ridden his lovingly crafted trails - the exact squareness of the benching and perfect camber and width of the trail beggars belief. It is a magic carpet ride".

I use a Magellan GPS to track my ride and strava.com to access the data. Strava also charts other riders efforts and I'm pleased to see I'm not that much slower on Split Enz than even the quickest riders.

The rough and rugged Pondy Downhill follows Spit Enz. Open to the elements after the area was logged, Pondy DH is like riding corrugated iron. Hold on and stay off the brakes, even on a 160mm travel trail bike. It's easy to hit 50km/h down here.

Pondy New is next - another piece of Avery magic, handcrafted and still genuine single-track.

Fitness isn't only important on the climbs. To really get the best out of descending you need strong legs and decent upper body and core strength.

Night riding is back starting tonight and continuing till daylight savings returns.

Sign in is from 6.30pm at Waipa and the ride starts at 7pm. The course is about 10km, followed by a barbecue and it is a $2 donation to enter. Call Paul McDowell on 0274987005 if you have any questions.

Xterra Rotorua is this weekend, based at the Blue Lake and in the Whakarewarewa Forest. This is an important event on the calendar with age-group places up for grabs at the 2013 XTERRA World Championships in Hawaii on Sunday October 27. You can still enter at xterra.co.nz

It is 10 days till the Nduro 24 returns to Rotorua after a four-year break.

This event also has international implications. The 2013 WEMBO World Solo 24 hour Mountain Bike Championships are at Mount Stromlo, near Canberra in Australia, on the weekend of October 12 and 13. The Nduro 24 champions get automatic entry to the Worlds.

Nduro 24 isn't just for the racers. It is a good chance to put a team of mates together and have some fun.

The event will be based at the Waiariki School of Forestry campus out past Red Stag Timber. That means secure parking, separate toilet facilities and a kitchen with microwaves, a fridge and hot water.

The course is a figure 8, which means you don't have to ride the full 16km lap if you are in a team. Enter now: n-duro.co.nz The Pig & Whistle New Zealand Singlespeed Championships are on Saturday, April 27 and have sold out.