Paluma Push Social Rides
Paluma Social Ride # 1
When: Sunday, 26 April 2026
Where: Meeting point is at the Paluma Community Hall (start line of the Paluma Push), 65 Mt Spec Road, Paluma.
Ride description: The group is leaving Paluma at 9am, heading to the Lake via Paluma Dam Road (17km one way). When we get to the Dam, we will have a break, before returning the same way.
This ride is ideal for Paluma Push rookies as we stop at the Dam turnoff as well as Birthday creek to recover and get some insights into the course and race.
Paluma Social Ride # 2
When: Sunday, 17 May 2026
Where: Meeting point is at the Paluma Community Hall (start line of the Paluma Push), 65 Mt Spec Road, Paluma.
Ride description: The group is leaving Paluma at 9am, heading to the Lake via Paluma Dam Road (17km one way). When we get to the Dam, we split into two groups. One group continues along the Paluma Dam Loop (12km). And the other group rides to CP3. Once back at the Dam we ride back along the Dam Road to Paluma (17km).
This ride is ideal for rookies wanting to ride past the Dam to CP3 as well as those wanting to experience the Dam Loop.
Hidden Valley Social Ride
When: Saturday, 20 and Sunday, 21 June 2026
Where: Meeting point is the Ted Furber Memorial Park aka the Cricket Grounds in Hidden Valley. This is the finish line for the Paluma Push as well as the After Party and camping location for the event. Please note, this is private property and the trails are not accessible outside of the social rides and the Paluma Push race day. Please respect these restrictions in order for the event to have a long-lasting and positive relationship with the property owners.
Ride Description:
Saturday: We are leaving the Cricket Ground at 3pm on Saturday afternoon and we will ride out to the Grave Yards before returning to CP6 near Running River. After crossing the River (your feet will get wet), we will follow some Single track back to the Cricket Ground. This ride is approximately 20km return and we will ride together stopping at certain points to re-group.
Sunday: Our group will leave the Cricket ground at 9am in the morning to ride the Jacobsen’s Loop which features in the 70km and 100km course. This ride of approximately 30km will have some hills so bring your climbing legs. That said, this is a beautiful part of Hidden Valley station and you will not be disappointed. As per Saturdays ride, we will ride together and re-group on a regular basis. Please allow about 3 hours for this ride.
If you would like to camp at the Hidden Valley Cricket Ground on Saturday night, a $10 Cash donation will be collected that night. This goes to the local Rural Fire Brigade to help with the maintenance of the facilities. The Cricket Ground has a large shed as well as showers and toilets. Please bring your own food and drinks.
Access: The Paluma Range Road will be open for the Social Ride, with no TMR permit required. Access will be managed via an escort system, operating on the hour, every hour, between 6am and 6pm under convoy arrangements and note that trailers and caravans are not permitted. As the drive up the range and out to Hidden Valley takes over an hour, your last escort time on Saturday will be 1pm and on Sunday will be 7am.
Training Tips
With 2 years of triathlon and 20 years of mountain biking in the blood, Haydn Tilley shared his training suggestions for Paluma Push. Haydn was a founding father of Rockwheelers.
There are obviously many different training plans. This is for the COMP course with 3 months training.
The Paluma Push comp course is around 70km’s. It is definitely not necessary to have completed 70km’s non-stop on your bike to be able to go the distance comfortably. My father-in-law completed the 42km course twice after only ever having done 20km’s on the road! Obviously, the more preparation you do the more comfortable you will feel and hopefully the more fun you will have. The fundamental flaw many of us make is to train/ride at the same intensity all the time. Then the hard sessions aren’t hard enough and there are no easy sessions.
If we are just training for the Push at the end of July and we are a bit unfit then let's break the training into a BASE, STRENGTH, and SPEED. Using your current time schedule as the beginning.
BASE: 4-6 Weeks
This is designed to ease the body into the training. We are working on endurance first so easy, longer rides. Depending on your current level of fitness and endurance add approximately 10% each week to your schedule. Everyone’s time limits are different so I have tried to generalize. Form is very important; as is comfort on the bike. Have a bike shop or experienced friend check your bike fit. Choose gears that allow you to maintain around 90rpm on the road. As you climb this will decrease but keep it easy in this phase. We are developing new blood supplies to the muscles as well as increasing the efficiency of the heart and lungs.
RECOVERY
This is extremely important. Do not ride every day. Have at least 2-3 days off the bike a week. At the end of the Base phase cut the time back by 1/3 for that week, this is a rest week.
STRETCHING
Often underutilized but especially important for stressed muscles. The legs, lower back, and shoulders all get hammered with MTB. At least 2 stretching sessions weekly.
STRENGTH: 4 Weeks
Hills are our friends! I don’t believe you need to do long hill sessions. The longest sustained climb on the comp course is no longer than 2 k’s. Twice per week do as many 5-minute hill repeats as you can, without losing form i.e. maintain revs and keep shoulders steady. Better to do 2 X 5-minute intervals well than 1 X 15 min poorly. I have found Easy Street is ideal as is the new climbing trail to the summit. Alternatively, the bitumen climb to the tank is great. Some like Castle Hill. If you’re already strong then this may be OK but I still prefer shorter intervals holding good form. No point in practicing bad habits. Each week you can add another repeat. The aim is to climb faster not longer. Keep at least one long ride as well ie. 2-3 hours.
RECOVERY
Again I have to say how important rest is. This is when our muscles repair ready for the next exercise. Drink lots of water. Have a rest week with one long ride and one hill session.
SPEED: 4 Weeks
This is when we add the racers edge. 1 long ride per week, 1 session of MTB race simulation i.e. at race pace 2 to 3 X 15minute intervals, and some shorter rides with max sprints, 30secs to 45 secs. These can be on a slight incline or on the flats. There is no need to increase distances now. We don’t want to get so tired that we get sick or injured. As our bodies get fitter we can actually lose some resistance to infection so eat and drink well and get plenty of sleep.
PRE RACE:
1 week of tapering, no long hill sessions or long rides. Just 2 X 1-1.5 hr rides at a steady pace with some short hard efforts. We want the muscles supple and a spring in your pedaling. It’s too late to train hard. You are ready to roll.
Rockwheelers Events
We suggest to find a shorter distance event in the lead up to the Paluma Push and you use it as your practice run. his way you can fine tune your bike, gear, water and nutrition. Check out their events calendar here.
