The Cape Epic Journey

ABSA Cape Epic Route for 2012:

So what does team 4 Wheels, a Worm and a Horndog think of the route we will taking on at the end of March 2012…..

Route info from www.cape-epic.com and comments from us below:

Prologue: Meerendal Wine Estate, Durbanville, Cape Town (27km – 900m of climbing)

The 9th edition of the race kicks off with a 27km prologue. It will be the fourth time in the race’s history that a short team time trial opens proceedings at the Meerendal Wine Estate on the Durbanville Wine Route, passing through protected Renosterveld. Far from just a ceremonial stroll, it will be flat out from the start ramp heading through Contermanskloof, Hillcrest and Kliprug, railing the sublime single-track in the Tygerberg Hills. On the final push on the lung-bursting climb up to the mountaintop finish, riders will be looking to spectators lining the trail for support, with magnificent views of Table Mountain and Table Bay in the background. Teams will open up their throttles for a good seeding at the official start in Robertson on stage one.

 Horndog: I’m looking forward to the prologue…we definitely won’t race it but we wont take it easy either. There is no point in taking risks on the prologue all in the name of a good seeding or your GC position for the start of what will be a mighty Stage 1. The hill top finish will be a nice touch and I am hoping for some crowds out there while we ride! Should create an awesome atmosphere!

Worm: I’m also looking forward to the prologue. With 900m climbing, it is going to be a real challenge, but all the training will come into good use early in the race. I suspect (having done the race before), that we won’t need to race the prologue to get a pretty good seeding for stage 1. The prologue is important to get into the flow of things for the Epic. Remember, there are 7 LONG day challenging days to improve your GC position. With the crowds, and I think there’ll be a lot at the mountain top finish, it’ll get the riders really motivated for the next 7 days of riding.

Stage 1 – Robertson to Robertson (115km with 2 350m of climbing)

Stage one is always a rude awakening for participants. Combining the length, climbing, severity of trail surfaces and speed of fresh-legged hares at the front of the field – all will be a shock to the system, even for the best prepared. Three major climbs will loom ahead of the athletes. The first 3km rise will be littered with loose rocks and tilting to 25%, forcing portage, and there will be a risky descent lying in wait. Hangman’s Tree will follow, which may be short, but could take up to half an hour to conquer. Beautiful flowing trails then traverse the mountain ridges, showcasing the breath-taking scenery riders have come to expect from the race. Tortoise Peak will be the third major obstacle and riders will be creeping up this slow, yet rideable 5km ascent, named after its ancient residents. Riders with bar ends will need to take care on the descent, with grabbing branches on the off-camber dual tracks. For their considerable efforts, riders will then be rewarded with a beautiful section of trails through Nama Karoo, with a few gentle rises before finally turning East, back towards Robertson with a final rocky plunge into the picturesque town.

 Horndog: Hot, long, dusty and dry…. That is what springs to mind when I think of my past 2 Epics and Stage 1… We have never had a good Stage 1 – I ran in to problems in 2009 on Stage 1 and the Worm had his problems on Stage 1 in 2010 but I am quietly confident about this one!

Worm: 1 thing I’ve learnt, and learnt very quickly at the Epic is that the downhills can be way more challenging than the uphills. This is mainly due to the terrain, and it’s normally after a proper hill. This stage seems like it could be very challenging on the downhills, so concentration is going to be of utmost importance on the descents.

Stage 2: Robertson to Robertson (119km and 1 650m of climbing)

The route will traverse the beautiful rolling dual tracks through the stony Klein Karoo, passing through the charming village of McGregor. It will be a special day out for the riders. For those who manage to avoid tunnel vision, it will be a geologist’s paradise, with remarkable sandstone formations. Some might say this is too much fun for the Absa Cape Epic, but riders will soon be brought back down to earth as the rocks will be sharp with knife-edges shale and deluge of thorns, heavy duty tyres will be essential. Passing through Van Loveren Wine Estate on some severe vineyard hills, a district road will take the race past Ashton as they head towards the mountains for some short, but steep climbs before returning to Robertson.

Horndog: This stage to me just highlights the importance of tyre choice. A lot of people are worried about the extra weight of certain tyres but I think rather have a heavier tyre than suffer multiple punctures. Going to have to watch my lines on Stage 2!

Worm: Along with punctures, this stage could be causing some people a sidewall cut or two. Tyre choice will be of paramount importance. As the Horndog says, rather have a heavier tyre, and less risk of problems, than a nice light tyre only to sit on the side fixing punctures. A saying that I think is perfect for the Epic is this. “He who fails to prepare, prepares to fail.”

Stage 3 – Robertson to Caledon (147km and 2 900m of climbing)

Route planner Dr Evil cites four major climbs on the longest stage in Absa Cape Epic history, with the action starting around the 40km mark. The first is a 6km dual track, where riders will fight for traction over large rolling rocks. This will be followed by a 4km mast climb, with a view over Villiersdorp. The next lump in the profile will be a smooth and comparatively easy rise to the “Toll House”, the highest point of the day, with a fast 5km descent dropping 500m into the valley. At the 110km mark, there will be a humungous climb to scale. A sharp rise will be followed by a tricky descent, undoing all the hard work. Then starting again, from the bottom, will be a steep rocky trail where riders will be switching to their granny gears. Riders will then be able to clock up some mileage on the fast downhill district roads before the last 10km slows them down again, traversing farmlands. Riders will be welcomed to their new race village in Caledon.

Horndog: So 40kms to get the legs going and then 107km of kaking off! The first climb sounds interesting…wonder if we going to be walking there or wishing I had a 29er! HAHA The Mast climb around Villiersdorp is one I know… I could be wrong but we have been there in 2009 & 2010. Although it is a long stage I don’t think it is going to be the hardest stage of the Epic but one we will have to prepare for nonetheless…. Could be a 7-8 hour day!

Worm: The longest stage in Epic history! I’m not quite sure what to think of this stage. Historically the aim is to get past stage 3, and then things get a bit easier physically. The body by this point has become used to the pounding it takes over 100+km’s a day. I think the biggest challenge for this stage will be mental. If you can get through this stage mentally, you’re looking good to make the finish at Lourensford.

Stage 4 – Caledon to Caledon (105km with 2 600m of climbing)

Two major climbs jab upwards on the day’s route profile. The first is the loose, long and steep Babylonstoring, followed by the brutal, stony ascent to Charlie’s Heaven with several false peaks. Riders will be watching the weather report closely, hoping for some cloud cover to take the edge off the scorching heat. With views as far as Cape Point and Cape Agulhas it will be worth going through hell to get to the top. Danger will lie ahead on the rough, steep descent, with jagged rocks and deep ruts on this washed out road. The run into the finish will include open farm roads, fast paths along a railway line, some tight single-track through Middleton and a few hundred metres of trails in Caledon’s botanical gardens.

 Horndog: This could be a nasty stage! After 3 big days in the saddle 2600m of climbing in 105km is going to be hard on the legs! Hopefully we have Dorylee with us in 2012 to keep the legs turning and fresh! Dorylee has been our physio of choice for both the 2009 and 2010 ABSA Cape Epics.

Worm: After the longest stage in ABSA Cape Epic history, I’m hoping the legs will be in cruise control for the first 2 climbs of the day. Again, it sounds like a day with challenging descents, so after a tough day mentally in Stage 3, remember to have full concentration for this Stage. It’s getting close to the end, and you don’t want to end the race on this stage.

Stage 5 – Caledon to Oak Valley (119km with 2 350m of climbing)

Leon Evans, aka Dr Evil, has one aim on Stage 5 and that is to get riders to that famed Oak Valley single-track as soon as possible. It will be a fast, flowing start, before heading to the fynbos-lined mountain tracks. As participants edge closer to Elgin/Grabouw, their morale will be buoyed by the striking views from the Highlands Plateau onto the Botrivier Lagoon and Kleinmond Beach. A steady 10km climb will take them through the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, famous for its biodiversity and rare fynbos. A combination of new and old flowing single-track will wind through Lebanon, Thandi and Oak Valley on some unforgettable loops in apple country. However, the last few steep single-track climbs will throw agonising combination punches to the legs in the final push towards the lush fields of the race village in Oak Valley.

Horndog: Hmm….how are we going to get around the Groenlandberg?? The thought of the single-track in Lebanon, Thandi and Oak Valley gives me goose-bumps already! Really one of my favourite places to ride! Really looking forward to this stage!

Worm: I guess we could call this “Single Track Day”. In the Epics that we did in 2009, and 2010 the stage into Oak Valley is a 2 emotion day. You have some of the most enjoyable riding when you go through Lebanon and Thandi, and a bit of Oak Valley, however just when you think you are near the end of the stage, Dr. Evil throws in some tough climbs. They’re made tougher because you’re not expecting them. You can smell home, and you’re on such a high after the amazing single track you’ve ridden, only to be confronted by some nasty climbs (even if they’re short).

Stage 6 – Oak Valley to Oak Valley (85km with 2 200m of climbing)

Riders should not be fooled by the distance of the stage. It will be a hard day of climbing and Nuweberg will be the first big challenge ahead with the dangling carrot of stunning vistas at the top. On the penultimate day, nearing the climax of race week, the grand old lady Groenlandberg, will appear. Deep into this highly unique and remote landscape, riders will savour the solitude of the 30km of dual tracks through this pristine Cape Nature reserve as they tackle her in two parts. The first steady rise will bring them to a rutted descent. From here the path will contour along the side of this beautiful mountain, followed by the final ascent towards the saddle, followed by yet another tricky, washed-out descent. Riders will then get to enjoy the coveted single-track in Oak Valley.

Horndog: With the end virtually in sight this is going to be harder to get through mentally than physically…. Your legs will be fine-tuned to the climbing, but it is the descents that can catch you out! Stay sharp on this stage and you will survive. I’m going to enjoy an ice-cold beer after this one!

 Worm: Waking up on the morning of Stage 6 I remember feeling extra happy for some reason. You know you’ve only got 2 days to go, but do not underestimate the 2nd last stage. If you concentrate on this stage you will be rewarded with some of the best single track to be ridden in South Africa. This day you really are rewarded at the end of the stage. It’s almost a little present for getting so far. Just be careful on the way into Oak Valley. There is a video on youtube of stage 5 of this years Epic, that just proves that even on a track that you wouldn’t expect any problems, you just can’t be too sure. Keep the focus, it’ll be worth it.

Final stage

Stage 7 – Oak Valley to Lourensford (64km with 1 350m of climbing)

Dr Evil has found a new way to the Champs Elysees of mountain biking, again reminding riders there will be no easy day at the Absa Cape Epic. Lourensford will await the tired athletes as they make their way from Oak Valley over Twin Peaks above the Elgin Dam, and down the ever-familiar portage section of Gantouw Pass. Extended single-track sections will then offer a final reward, before a last test of resolve – a few steep ascents with magnificent views of False Bay and Table Mountain. Once again, Lourensford hosts the Grand Finale festivities as riders experience that bittersweet feeling at the end of the arduous, yet epic journey of the Absa Cape Epic.

 Horndog: The last gasp! The last stage of the Epic has never been kind to us with mechanical troubles always hitting us on this day….. You can never predict these things but same rules apply as Stage 6… Stay sharp!

Worm: You won’t know what to do with yourself on the morning of the Final Stage. You’ll wake up at the normal time, only to remember that the stage starts an hour later than normal. For once you can relax a little before getting ready for the stage.  The vibe in the camp is awesome. Everyone is in a great mood with the biggest smiles. It’s truely a wonderful morning. Don’t get into the moment too much though, as the last stage is by no means easy, and there is always the chance of a mechanical. In 2010, I broke the flex plate on my GT Marathon, and while I had a spare, it broke in such a way that half the bolt was stuck in the frame, and I couldn’t get it out. Luckily the bike was still rideable, although it felt weird, and we managed to get to the finish in Lourensford. Strange though that when I saw the last KM sign, my bike seemed like it had no problems. This is when I have a beer. My only beer for the year.

Summary:

Horndog: Good preparation is everything for this race. The ABSA Cape Epic is a toughest thing physically I have ever done. It isn’t cheap either but all the money you have spent, and time and effort you have put into training mean nothing until you cross the finish line. You can’t buy that feeling….. It is a just reward for the hundreds of hours of hard training! The Worm and I will be ready!

 Worm: While it might come across that we think parts of the route are going to be easy, this is by no means the case. If something seems easy, like a 10km downhill, you can be sure that it will be the trickiest 10km downhill you’ve ever done. This is a race where mental concentration is just as important as physical preparation. We are quietly confident for the race. This doesn’t mean we are going to go out there and win the race. It just means that with our past experience, and all the training we have done, and will do, we are confident that we will make it to Lourensford again. We also know not to underestimate anything on this race, so we’ll be focused everyday. It’ll be a tough 8 days. There will be times that you want to give in, and times where you say you’ll never do it again. Make sure you have a good partner (I’ve got one in the Horndog -he’s got me through a lot in the past Epics), and these times will be very short lived. Then, when you cross the finish line, you’ll feel like you’ve never felt before. It is a feeling that you just can’t describe.

Road Race

Time:  3hrs 8mins

Distance: 114kms

Climbing: 1080m

Average Speed: 36 kph

This was my first outing at the Satellite Challenge and I really enjoyed this one even after a very tense start! The group was quite big and very compact for the first 70 odd kms. You really had to be awake and careful not to cross wheels! At the 70km mark the route turns upwards and you hit Hekpoort Hill or Vrekpoort and some of the signs said on the side of the road. I managed to keep a good pace up there and even got in to little break. We worked pretty well together for a while. We caught some of the “VC” riders
and turned the pace down a bit. We were caught by some more “A” batch riders before the finish. The finish line was on a nasty little uphill but a nice touch I thought!

MTB

Time:  1hrs 31mins

Distance: 40kms

Climbing: 515m

Average Speed: 26 kph

This was a milestone race for me personally. I felt really good that morning even after a hard ride on the road the day before. The Worm and Big-Blade Doug had the usual poker-face thing downplaying their expectations for the race but they both had a good day out as well! The Worm said something to me on the start line “Top 5 from you today” which really sat in my head….when the race started I was out of the blocks like my bib-shorts were on fire! I was in 3^rd place at the top of the first climb! I ended up with a chase group of 4 hunting down the top 2 guys which quickly became 3 then on the second 20km lap was just 2 of us. I made my move on the last climb and managed to get my first podium finish in a race! I was 3^rd overall and 1^st Sub-vet! Very happy with my results and I could not have done it without the worm setting the bait!!

This is a huge motivator to train even harder….watch this space!

I was entered into this event by a friend with a bunch of other guys with the hope that just one of us would get in! As things go we all got entries and ended up entering the event. This is one not to be missed!!! I think the word “race” is the wrong word for this one and so is “tour”… perhaps “challenge” is the best way to describe it! The route is marked all the way…there are a few subtle markings on route (bunting and stickers)…but mostly in places like homesteads or to indicate the best place to cross a river. The stickers and bunting do go missing or end up as trendy headgear or face-art on the local children

Accommodation between the stages is a mix between “Euro-trash” backpacker’s type accommodation and luxurious hotel accommodation but it is all very comfortable!

Day 1: Hawane to Bulembu

Time:  7hrs 2mins

Distance: 62kms

Climbing: 1870m

Average Speed: 13 kph

After a night in the “Euro-trash” setup we hit the hardest day or the Swazi Frontier. The route was unreal but very technical in places. The climbs hurt your legs and the descents hurt everything! We learnt the difference between a rock and a stone…..A stone is something you can pick up and throw with one hand and a rock is something you need 2 hands for….Day 1 was all about rocks and big climbs! It took us some time to get used to the self-navigation process and the pace notes but we managed ok! Highlights for me on this day were the 3 big climbs (Baboons Back, Gogo and Too Brutal).

Day 2: Bulembu to Orion

Time:  5hrs 18mins

Distance: 63kms

Climbing: 1395m

Average Speed: 15 kph

We spent the night in a School hostel type thing which wasn’t bad. The food was excellent! Day 2 started with a nice sharp climb to wake up the legs and then some really fast downhill sections and technical single-track taking us to a main road which went past one of the schools that proceeds of the race support. The road took us up another climb out of town back into the mountains an awesome 20km downhill stretch through the Mganda Valley with 40 odd river crossings! This was my favourite day of the Swazi! The last few kms out of the valley were uphill and the climb was called “The Phopah” which was a nice sting in the tail. We ended up at Piggs Peak Orion Hotel for the night and many many drinks at the pool!

Day 3: Orion to Maguga Dam

Time:  5hrs 52mins

Distance: 57kms

Climbing: 1380m

Average Speed: 16 kph

After a festive afternoon/evening at Piggs Peak we were in for a hot day in the saddle! My partner (Ralph) was really feeling the last 2 days so I pushed him a bit but not too much! We had 2 big climbs and 1 little nasty bugger at the end of the day to get over on Day 3. The terrain for this day was probably the easiest to cover at speed…and we had our “eye-in” on the pace notes. The second and probably the toughest climb of the day was the Nginamadola Hill….very eroded track up a mountain but the reward at the top was the only water point of the day. The rest of the route was pretty much downhill until we got to the lower parts of Maguga Dam….then a long hot climb to the top and then home!

This is an event every mountain biker should do! It is very well organised. The only thing I didn’t like was the bike wash after the last day. At every other stop your bike was washed and placed neatly on a tennis court or make-shift bike stand for the night but at
Maguga the bike get washed and then dumped on top of each other….was not happy about that at all! But I will be back!

Time:  2hrs 11mins

Distance: 55kms

Climbing: 740m

Average Speed: 22 kph

It has been a long time since I have posted anything on the site and since I have been lazy I thought I should quickly report on a few races that we have competed in the past month or so…  2011 was my 10^th Grace 2 Grace and I was pretty motivated to make it a special one! I was teamed up with a friend Andrew for the race but we didn’t stay together all that long in the race! HAHA Sorry Andrew! The Worm was also there but played the role of the perfect team mate to his partner on the day and stuck with him….well until the last few kms where the Worm put 30mins into the guy in the space of 10kms! My race was slightly less relaxing but no less enjoyable! The start was quiet fierce for the first 10 or so kms and what made things really interesting was watching the lead pack (including me) go the wrong was all together!! I woke up early and managed to get back on the route without hurting my position too badly….

I managed to catch an early brake early on in the race and then I broke away from them around the 10km mark to find myself out in the lead on my own! What a feeling that was! I managed to stay there for the next 2kms before being passed by Burry Stander and his partner on the day. The route was slightly longer than previous years and not overly technical. End of the day I managed to finish inside the top 10 (7^th) and only 9 mins behind Burry!

So this is my 3rd attempt at making a post today. They seem to get shorter each time though. :p

This weekend was a really enjoyable weekend of riding. I always enjoy riding, but this weekend I seemed to enjoy it a bit more. Maybe it’s because I am feeling a lot stronger than I have in the past. Who knows, but I’m not complaining.

On Saturday, 5 of us headed out to Breedts to see how our old hunting ground was doing. Was good to be out there again, and to actually ride a proper hill in the JHB area. I’ve always enjoyed the Breedts ride because it is quite challenging, although I never enjoy the headwind on the way back (which was particularly bad this time). I find it a good training ride for the Epic, so I’m sure we’ll be making more regular visits to Breedts. The initial plan was to have a nice chilled ride, but for some reason this didn’t happen and we pushed quite hard. I decided to try and ride both sides of Breedts in my Big Blade (a 42 teeth crank – I run 2×9). It wasn’t easy, but I managed it. I can really feel my climbing is improving, and I’m getting back to my best on the hills. The horndog and I demolished both sides. I think we’re looking good for achieving our goals at the Epic next year.

Unforunately on the way back to the car 1 of the guys had a minor technical, and ended up having to ride back in 1 gear. He was spinning a lot due to a bad ratio, but the horndog and I did push him whenever we could.

Sunday BBD and I joined our club for a nice chilled ride. It was a very very relaxing ride, which was a welcome leg loosener after pushing quite hard on Saturday.

I must say that I am feeling really good on the bike at the moment. Looking forward to doing Sabie X in December with my brother. It will be some good training for the BIG 1 next year.

Mmmm….. BRING EPIC!

So this past Saturday was the Silverstar MTB race. It’s a race I’ve done since the first 1, and it seems to get better and better each year. That said, I preferred last years route to the route this year, but I still enjoyed the route this year. As usual we started up Krugersdorp hill to spread the field, as there are no seeded starts for this race. The hill does do quite a good job of spreading the field, but if you start at the back of the start chute, you could still get stuck behind a few slower riders at the top.

Normally I don’t train during the Winter months, but this year (with our Epic goal in mind) I have done a lot of training during the Winter, and I find it is really paying off. It was not my intention to race this race, but to take it relatively easy as a good training ride. However, I got into such a good rhythm on the first climb (up Krugersdorp hill), that I was sitting in the top 50 positions or so. I slowed briefly to see if I could see Big Blade Doug, but I couldn’t so I decided to carry on, and see what result I could get. I found out later that BBD’s chain dropped as he got off the tar section. I felt good the whole ride, and settled into a good pace. I didn’t struggle at any stage, and I was pushing quite hard. HR average for the ride was 164. I met a guy on the route that rides in the area often, so we got chatting. I rode with him at a decent pace for a while, and was preparing for a strong finish. Just as I was getting ready to put in an extra hard effort, we came out of a section, and we were right at the end. We had a nice little sprint finish. After not having a great Spring Classic, and being sick, it was great to feel so good for this race.

Once again the Horndog had a storming ride (even though his legs were a bit tired). I can only but wonder how much better he would’ve done if he had his normal legs with him. In the end I finished around 3 minutes behind the Horndog, which is an improvement on the 20 minutes he demolished me by at the Spring Classic.

The Horndog finished in 15th Overall, while I cam in 22nd Overall. Pretty good riding by us if I say so myself. BBD finished in 88th. He had a bit of the flu so was fighting with his HR the whole race. Still a good finish. My brother also did the race. He is just starting his training now, so he took it nice and easy, and finished strong. We’re doing the Sabie Experience together at the end of the year, so he needs to get cracking on his training.

On Sunday, we joined the MTN Club 100 guys and gals for a ride at Rietvlei. I’ve never been there, so this was a first. WOW! What a wonderful place to go riding. It can be really challenging in parts, but 1 thing for certain is that it is really enjoyable. They’ve recently opened up more trails not far from the “old” trails. I would definately recommend getting out there to do some riding. We were also lucky enough to be joined by Paul Cordes and Miss Speedy. Was really good chatting to them, and learning from them as well. What nice people.

I’ll try upload the stats of the Silverstar race when I get home.

So once again it’s been a while since my last blog post. For some reason whenever I want to start blogging more I just get busy at work, and then tend to stay away from my computer when I am at home (since I work on them most of the day).

Anyway, I am going to be doing my best to at least make 1 blog posting a week. I’ll really make a big effort to do this.

All that said, I did the Spring Classic MTB race a few weeks back. The week leading to the race I had the flu, so I did no training in the week so that I could be as healthy as possible for the race. Come Saturday I was feeling much better and really looking forward to the race. Sunday morning and I was feeling even better. Was really happy that I did no training in the week, as it looked and felt as though it had paid off.

Big Blade Doug picked me up, and off we went to the race. We met the Horndog and his dad there and then got ready for the race. I was meant to start in the A batch with the Horndog, but since I had been sick, I decided I would take it a bit easier and start in the B batch with Big Blade Doug. If I had started in the A batch, I would really have suffered trying to keep up with the Horndog after doing no training in the week, and also having the flu. Off the A batch went, and then it was our turn in the B batch. Doug and I had some motivation to catch his cousin who started in A (but really shouldn’t be in that starting group), as he was going on about how bad us B batch riders were. After about 12km’s we had caught him, and dropped him. A few km’s later I wasn’t feeling to good, and even had to “chunder” while riding. Thankfully there was nobody behing us, as it could have been messy. Anyway, after this I couldn’t drink anything as it just made me want to throw up. I was still feeling pretty good on the bike though, and felt I had good legs. I think I was very lucky that it was a bit of an overcast day, so I was not affected by not taking any liquids on. Doug and I finished in 79th and 80th overall in a time of around 2:14. This was an improvement of 40 minutes on last years route. While the route was a little different, I think the winter training is the main reason for the BIG time improvement. The Horndog rode a spectacular race to finish a few seconds outside the Top 10. He is really strong, and I am looking forward to the training ahead to catch up to him. It all bodes well for the Cape Epic next year.

I must say that even though I wasn’t feeling my best, the route was very good. Really enjoyed the mix of trails that we had.

Other news is that I’ve added spinning to my training. I’m going to be spinning at least once a week, but hopefully twice. This will be in addition to the 2 weekday rides, and all the riding that I do on the weekends. Feeling very motivated at the moment, which is something new for me at this time of the year. Normally I do little to no riding in winter, and the motivation to get back into riding only comes closer to the end of the year.

This weekend we are all doing the Silverstar MTB race. Should be another good race. Really enjoyed this race last year. It has improved every year that I have done it, and I suspect it will be the same this year. Not sure if I will go all out as I have just got rid of the flu completely.

What have you all been upto this winter? Anyone doing the Silverstar race this weekend?

So last week was quite a good training week. Did 3 rides in the mornings during the week. 1 of them being hill repeats up Munro drive.  Then we did a shorter ride on Saturday as there was the Walkerville Classic race on Sunday.

I started to feel the hill repeats during Saturdays ride, so wasn’t sure how well I’d go in the race on Sunday. Anyway, off we went to the start. Left my house at around 6am so that we could get to the start venue with enough time to find good parking, and to not have to rush to get ready. After my brother and I got our race numbers we chilled in the car for a bit. Got a call from the Horndog, as he had arrived. The Horndog and I were doing the 60km race, while my brother was doing the 40km. He hasn’t been riding much, and didn’t want to suffer.

The Horndog has done well in a lot of the seeding races so he had a nice A batch seeding, while I had to settle for a C batch start. I don’t mind this because I tend to get into the racing a little slower than the Horndog. The route started off quite fast, before hitting the big climb of the day. I really felt my legs on this climb, and on pretty much every climb after that too. I got chatting to a guy, so we rode together for a while, before I dropped him on 1 of the climbs. Carried on riding at my own tempo, and eventually had to stop for a nature break. A while later I needed another nature break, and also decided to get rid of my arm warmers as I was starting to overheat. After this stop, it was all guns blazing to the end. I ended up finishing in 3:04, which is a lot better than I was planning for the day, but I was a little sad I didn’t manage to break 3 hours.  All in all though I am happy with the result, and how I felt after the race. I’ve got some catching up to do, as the Horndog managed a brilliant ride, and finished in 2:38. He managed a 30th overall, and 11th in our category, while I managed 113th overall, and 44th in our category. I’m sure I’ll catch up to the Horndog in the coming months. I think we’re on track to achieve our goals at next years Epic.

Overall, I must say that I enjoyed the race. The route was well marked, and marshalled and had a bit of everything. Some good single track, some technical ascents and decents, and a decent amount of climbing. Just short of 900m’s ascent for the race. If it starts at 8:30 again next year, then I think it’s a race that’ll stay on my calendar.

This weekend I am doing the race at Teak. Only doing the 40km race though. Still deciding if I am going to give it my all, or use it as a nice, short training ride.

I am really enjoying the training at the moment. Yes I missed 2 days last week, but I pushed quite hard on Saturday to make up for it. Also, I played some good squash on Friday, so the body was put through it’s paces. Anyway, back to the enjoying the training at the moment. I’m really looking forward to the rides, even the rides on Tuesday and Thursday mornings which start at 5am. I’m enjoying the training so much at the moment, that I’ve actually been spending time on Google Earth (thanks to a friend at work) trying to map routes out that I can ride in the afternoons after work. Managed to find a 10km loop around my area with just short of 200m’s climbing. I reckon that if I can do 3 laps of the loop after work, it’ll be a bit of help in my training. I’ll then do 30km’s after work on a Monday and Wednesday, and 35km’s before work on a Tuesday and Thursday. Squash on Friday, and then more riding on the weekend. Things are looking good for the Horndog and I reaching our goals for the Epic next year.

Better charge my batteries for my light tonight. Not keen on riding in the dark…

Well, it has been a seriously long time since I’ve updated the site. There are a few reasons, but I won’t go into them.

You can expect a lot more updates from now on. The Horndog and I are entered into the ABSA Cape Epic next year, and it just makes sense to document our Cape Epic Journey. AGAIN!!

Already more training is going into our next assault on the Cape Epic. The winter training is going strong, even though it is seriously cold at the moment. Looking forward to see how strong we are going to be come March next year. We have set ourselves some goals we would like to achieve, and I think that the training we are already putting in is a good sign. I think we will achieve them. I’m not going to tell you just yet what those goals are.

Next race is the Walkerville Classic. Hopefully the weather will be a bit warmer than it has been the past few weeks, but that said, we have been riding in the cold so it shouldn’t be a problem.