Stage One ABSA Cape Epic!!
Km: 101
M: 2700
Time: 6 h 30min
Quote of the day: “Chris my butt feels great (30km into the ride”... this would soon change!!)
Knysna – Uniondale (middle of no where!)
Well well they said that this race was going to work us and break us, so far they aren’t far wrong! The first three days are supposed to be the toughest, survive them and you should be fine (don’t quote me on that though) we so far so good! But not without incident!
The first half of the route was so cool as we wound our way through the forest with the odd clearing revealing some of the most amazing views imaginable! At the 70km mark the cool shade of the forests were a thing of the past and a taste of the little Karoo hit us full on with an impressive 14km pass! Nice Mr Bain very impressive! I would love to know how long it took an ox wagon to ascend this engineering master piece! Chris and I took our time and tried all the tricks in the book to keep our mind off the road ahead which disappeared up, up into the distance!
We eventually reached the summit after a couple of scenic stops to stretch our muscles! The butt factor is still a concern and it’s incredible what a 2 min stop makes! The thought of our LPG treatments kept us going!
Jigs and Andrew were waiting patiently at the 90km mark with some much needed sustenance! It is essential that you keep taking in food and fluids and a solid sandwich is the business, energy bars and high sugar food can only keep you going for so long!
The final 11km were no cruise, a 250m rocky climb kept us on our toes and the sight of the race village once at the top was a very welcome sight!! The decent down into Uniondale was almost as tiring! One thing you really look forward to after you struggle up the hill is a bit of fun well well Dr Evil (race route marker) had different ideas! Then again I don’t think he had any other options!
All I could think of on the way down towards our support team, fresh clothes, LPG treatments, cold drinks it that the little Karoo is going to be an intense experience! The lack of trees, gravel roads etc are going to test us!!
Chris’ five cents worth....
Well... day one down and the body is feeling it a bit!!! I thought I might just have to make a few comments regarding Richard’s commentary on the first day of this amazing race. He definitely was not far off describing the first 30 or so k’s, I didn’t realize the beauty hidden within the hills between knysna and Uniondale.
As for the little hill we went up courtesy of Mr Thomas Bain, it was definitely very challenging, 14km of climbing of road is no easy task and Richard’s strength and positive attitude definitely helped me up the last the last five k’s. After the decent and a welcome water stop, Dr evil’s final twist in the tail (a little understated by rich) really tested our stamina and many riders around us soon lost their sense of humour after the fifth or sixth bend in the “final” climb!!!! After eventually cresting the summit we could see the finish and I felt like a horse heading for home!!!
All in all it’s been a great day... see you same place, same time, tomorrow!
Bring on Day 2!!
Sunday, 25 March 2007
Friday, 23 March 2007
Getting into the spirit!
We have arrived safely in one piece and the excitement has risen to a new level! The millions of bikes, banners, racers and organisers confirm the reality of the situation! Riders from as far a field as Austria, USA and even Uganda are all putting their final touches to their bikes!
Rich couldn’t help himself and had to get a couple of pic’s with the excited looking Uganda’s!
All is on track, TEAM LPG has registered and raring to go!! Look out here come’s TEAM LPG!!!
Rich couldn’t help himself and had to get a couple of pic’s with the excited looking Uganda’s!
All is on track, TEAM LPG has registered and raring to go!! Look out here come’s TEAM LPG!!!
On the road
Its 9.30 on fri morning, the day before the race and we are on our way to Knysna!!!!!! The nerves are definitely eminent but excitement still rains supreme at this stage! (Stage –1) We managed to get everything into the landy and left a rainy Cape Town close enough to on time, so things are looking good so far! Richard is driving and apart from a couple roadworks it has been smooth sailing all the way!
Pre Race Nerves
Mlevi (Drunkard in Swahili, due to his poor drink habit of high octane substances!) the legendary Landy is packed and ready to hit the road again on another Epic adventure! 4 as excited participants are about to climb into bed after a crazy final days preparation! It has been over 6 months in the making, from when we initially found out that we were accepted as an official Cape Epic entrant! Hours in the saddle and many early morning rises later we are finally here! For Chris and Julia who are living in Northern Natal their precious day light hours have either been spent stretching those muscles out on the open road or working hard to be able to get out there as early as possible! I phoned Chris one evening at 8pm and found that he was already in bed! This is late for us he replied – we are usually in bed by 7:30pm! So yes Chris has been looking forward to this day for a while! Even if its just so that he gets to lie in and see the 8 m-net flick!
We are aiming to get going by 5:30 am tomorrow so catch you then, currently 11:11pm....
We are aiming to get going by 5:30 am tomorrow so catch you then, currently 11:11pm....
Why?
A question often asked, why put you rself through such pain, agony, physical and emotional trauma? Why?
Because we can, the challenge is there, there are few opportunities which make you feel as alive! To take part in such an amazing event together as a team, which winds its way through some of the most beautiful parts of the world!
The pain and agony is only temporary (weakness leaving the body) but the impact on ones character, the friendships made and memories are irreplaceable and some thing which will mould who you are!
Times of suffering are opportunities to grow!
We all have our own personal reasons but for the 1000 participants, a high percentage who have been through it all before feel that the bruises, soar butts, mental stress isn’t enough to prevent them from taking up the challenge again!
There are few circumstances when you are pushed to such extremes! Both mentally and physically. When your body has had enough, your legs are burning, your energy supplies are depleted, sucked dry and yet you have to keep going!
All you can think of when is putting your feet up, being pampered by Julia and the LPG Sports machine and relieving your butt of its agony!!
All this pain and agony makes you feel ALIVE, with your blood racing around faster than SA’s strike rate against the Netherlands!
Because we can, the challenge is there, there are few opportunities which make you feel as alive! To take part in such an amazing event together as a team, which winds its way through some of the most beautiful parts of the world!
The pain and agony is only temporary (weakness leaving the body) but the impact on ones character, the friendships made and memories are irreplaceable and some thing which will mould who you are!
Times of suffering are opportunities to grow!
We all have our own personal reasons but for the 1000 participants, a high percentage who have been through it all before feel that the bruises, soar butts, mental stress isn’t enough to prevent them from taking up the challenge again!
There are few circumstances when you are pushed to such extremes! Both mentally and physically. When your body has had enough, your legs are burning, your energy supplies are depleted, sucked dry and yet you have to keep going!
All you can think of when is putting your feet up, being pampered by Julia and the LPG Sports machine and relieving your butt of its agony!!
All this pain and agony makes you feel ALIVE, with your blood racing around faster than SA’s strike rate against the Netherlands!
Intro LPG Sport
Team Manager: Andrew Thomas
Claim to fame: Best chain cleaner in town
Team Physio: Julia Thomas
Claim to fame: Completion of the 2007 Ironmaiden!!
Riders:
Christopher Fisher
Claim to fame: Riding a hard tail! Hard Man Chris
Why: Because I can!!!! And I want want to!!!!! And i will!!!!
Life’s a garden...... dig it!!!
Richard Thomas
Claim to fame: Pulled these crazy enthusiastic adventures together and yes admits it, he's a Softy, riding a soft tail!
Why: Intense love for butt sores, sorry MTB and being pushed to his physical and mental threshold! It makes me feel alive!
Sponsor: Decade Marketing (Sole suppliers of LPG products)
http://www.endermologie.co.za/
Without the above support this team wouldn’t have had the privilege of entering this amazing event! LPG products are leading the way in various massage techniques including Sports recovery!
Recovery is the name of the game in these endurance events and the LPG Sport machine is key to getting the riders ready for the next day and the next and the next!
Richard has been training on a radical new machine focusing on core muscle strengthening - the Huber, also by LPG,. Its purpose is to involve and combine concentration, balance, movement and posture in the development of the muscular chains. A strong central core is critical in all sports, and the Huber is used by Lance Armstrong, Ernie Else and many other international sportsmen.
Key facts to the ABSA Cape Epic:
Knysna – Cape Town
8 days
900 km
1000 crazy riders
16 000 m climbing
NB rules:
· 2 riders per team, have to be within 2 min at any time!
· No towing! Seriously in the past you were allowed to tow your team mate (consider to be too dangerous!) Sorry Chris!
· Team has to cross the finish line before the 5pm cutoff!
· Team must walk, run or crawl if they have to, to specific designated technical support points if they require external technical support.
Claim to fame: Best chain cleaner in town
Team Physio: Julia Thomas
Claim to fame: Completion of the 2007 Ironmaiden!!
Riders:
Christopher Fisher
Claim to fame: Riding a hard tail! Hard Man Chris
Why: Because I can!!!! And I want want to!!!!! And i will!!!!
Life’s a garden...... dig it!!!
Richard Thomas
Claim to fame: Pulled these crazy enthusiastic adventures together and yes admits it, he's a Softy, riding a soft tail!
Why: Intense love for butt sores, sorry MTB and being pushed to his physical and mental threshold! It makes me feel alive!
Sponsor: Decade Marketing (Sole suppliers of LPG products)
http://www.endermologie.co.za/
Without the above support this team wouldn’t have had the privilege of entering this amazing event! LPG products are leading the way in various massage techniques including Sports recovery!
Recovery is the name of the game in these endurance events and the LPG Sport machine is key to getting the riders ready for the next day and the next and the next!
Richard has been training on a radical new machine focusing on core muscle strengthening - the Huber, also by LPG,. Its purpose is to involve and combine concentration, balance, movement and posture in the development of the muscular chains. A strong central core is critical in all sports, and the Huber is used by Lance Armstrong, Ernie Else and many other international sportsmen.
Key facts to the ABSA Cape Epic:
Knysna – Cape Town
8 days
900 km
1000 crazy riders
16 000 m climbing
NB rules:
· 2 riders per team, have to be within 2 min at any time!
· No towing! Seriously in the past you were allowed to tow your team mate (consider to be too dangerous!) Sorry Chris!
· Team has to cross the finish line before the 5pm cutoff!
· Team must walk, run or crawl if they have to, to specific designated technical support points if they require external technical support.
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
It’s All about the….?
What is the first thing Lance / Ullrich and the boys look for at the beginning of the season, when they have all returned from a long rest and their winter training session? Is it the new bikes and latest gizmo’s, the size of their carves…? Yes these factors are considered but the most important indicator as to whether their competitor is looking strong and going to be a real contender is the size of their behind! Yes their buttocks! This is the first thing to tell how much time in the saddle one has spent during the off season!
This too is the one factor which causes most Cape Epic riders the most grief, there are numerous housewife tales going around how to prevent your behind from ruining your race!
- Change your saddle, the harder narrow the better
- Change your shorts, only the very best Italian shamie is worth it!
- Apply milking cream used for milking cows!
- Apply mentholated spirits 3 weeks prior to the start!
- Use a coke bottle to…..sorry won’t go into details!
What has Team LPG done to protect their sensitive parts?
- Richard changed his saddle, today, less than a week to the start!
After repeatedly waking up from night mares of having to use the coke bottle he has replaced his wide ladies saddle with a narrow hard plank!
- The team is off to the shops tomorrow to purchase the state of the art cycling shorts! Sorry not Italian but locally produced Capestorm kit!
- Richard has gone through half a bottle of meths and says that it is making his behind softer!
So no this is not the end of this topic but for now I think that is enough!
Watch this space!
This too is the one factor which causes most Cape Epic riders the most grief, there are numerous housewife tales going around how to prevent your behind from ruining your race!
- Change your saddle, the harder narrow the better
- Change your shorts, only the very best Italian shamie is worth it!
- Apply milking cream used for milking cows!
- Apply mentholated spirits 3 weeks prior to the start!
- Use a coke bottle to…..sorry won’t go into details!
What has Team LPG done to protect their sensitive parts?
- Richard changed his saddle, today, less than a week to the start!
After repeatedly waking up from night mares of having to use the coke bottle he has replaced his wide ladies saddle with a narrow hard plank!
- The team is off to the shops tomorrow to purchase the state of the art cycling shorts! Sorry not Italian but locally produced Capestorm kit!
- Richard has gone through half a bottle of meths and says that it is making his behind softer!
So no this is not the end of this topic but for now I think that is enough!
Watch this space!
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