Time to Head off

Well it's time to go....all of the training, endless km's on the road and mtb, sessions in the gym to strengthen the core. It's an achievement with the fine balance of family, work and train gong just to be able to stand on the start line ready to race. However as we all know that's just the beginning

From my perspective, my preparation has been ideal. I have the luxury of having done this race twice before in 2012 and 2014. Both my time on the bike and km's ridden have been about 20% up on the previous preparations l, however as I am not getting any younger, I deliberately reduced the intensity of my training to get more in. For the last 2 weeks, I have been what's known as "tapering" where you reduce your time on the bike to ensure you are fresh and not tired coming into  the race.

I tend to compartmentalise everything so up to know it was all about the training, eating and resting right, not having a crash or fall and completing the training.  Now that's done, I will start o turn my thoughts to the race and build up the mental side of what is coming at us over the next 8 days. Then as the race unfolds, I take it a stage at a time. Even breaking down the stages and "ticking" them off mentally as we complete them. Teamwork and working together shouldn't be a problem. This is the third time Buzz and I have done the race together. He is a fierce competitor and I trust him implicitly. We team well and race well together. He has had a much harder time balancing a young family together with

training and we also have a third member of our team, Jarrod's wife, Christelle who has been great support as its not easy doing all the required training with 2 kids under 2 years old. Thanks Christelle for all your support. It's appreciated. 

It's a long trip from Sydney to Cape Town via Jo'berg. This year, besides Buzz and I, Damo is 

is back with a new partner Brad riding for Hampton Cycles Melbourne and these guys should be knocking on the door of the podium for Masters as they are both Australian Masters MTB champions in their age groups. Buzz and I won't be far behind them and are looking to go top 10 In Masters (we were 11th in 2014).  Usually, less than 30 mins will separate places 10-25 in Masters in over 40 hours of racing. Thats how competitive it is!!  The 3rd team this year is Mark and Carter riding for Jet cycles in Sydney. Both newbies to the Epic, but are well prepared and should do well.  We are all travelling and racing together. It should be a great week!! 

Here's a couple of photos of us on the way over

Back to the Epic 2016

Well, I said after the 2012 Epic that we wouldn't be back. And after the 2014 slugfest, with my knees giving out, I definitely said "enough!l having said this before, South Africa weaves its magic, as does the Absa Cape Epic and we managed to find a way to get an entry into the 2016 race

So here we go again!! Buzz and I hope to line up for a 3rd time, to join the exclusive Amabubesi Club, which is reserved for those who have successfully completed the race 3 times. That would be very cool!!

So life is doing its usual thing and impacting our race planning. Buzz is 13 years younger than me, so he and his lovely wife Christelle at expecting their 2nd rug rate in a couple of weeks. It's gunna be tough for Jarrod to be able to get the balance right to fit it all in. I hope he does!!

For me, with 2 previous races under my belt, I am thinking about what I need to do different with my training and preparation. The race is a little earlier this time, March 13th, so I won't be doing much till Sept 1 when training will kick off in earnest. In the interim, I will be hitting the gym pretty hard to get the core nice and strong. I also plan to do more training miles on the MTB rather than the road bike and also a lot more racing as part of my preparation.

Damo from Hampton cycles is back again, so once again there will be a Sydney team and a Melbourne team. Damo has a new partner this year and apparently he can ride a mountain bike. Both of them have won Australian Masters MTB titles so they should do well

I will try to keep some postings on the FFT blog on a semi permanent basis.

I am currently sitting in the Qantas lounge writing this about to board a flight to Tokyo. Have the chance to take the bike, so I Amy post a photo or two of the early "base miles" Training I am kicking off

The Absa Cape Epic 2014.....done!!

Team Fixed Wheel getting its medals!

The last day of the Epic is one of mixed emotions. Pure joy that a week of enormous physical challenge is almost over, yet sadness that an amazing week is over and the culmination of months of planning and training is over.

How did we go? We ended up having another solid day on the last stage. I was in the hurt box from the Get-go with my knee just hanging in there. Damo rode the stage with us and Buzz was riding well. We managed to be 11th in Masters on the day and 80th overall which is similar to where we finished in the GC. If we hadn't have had the mechanical on Stage 2, we would have been well inside the top 10 of masters (however everyone has their challenges in this event).

I got stronger once I got over the day's climbs and we came home strongly. It was magic with the 3 Hampton/Fixed Wheel boys riding down the finishing chute together, with our arms around each other. I did feel for Rusty who didn't finish the race after severe dehydration on Stage 4, but I know he will be back to finish what he started in the future. We had our medals presented to us by an ex world champion and then had a lazy afterno

Damo and I with our medals

on in beautiful Lourensford eating, drinking and relaxing.

What makes the Absa Cape Epic so special. It is a number of things that combine to make such a successful recipe.

The first ingredient is the physical aspect. Words cannot describe how hard physically this event is. It's not only riding the event, but the 8 days of getting up at between 4:30 and 5am, getting to the race, eating right recovering etc. There are times in the race where you physically don't think you can carry on. However some how you do.

The second is the mental side. If you aren't strong mentally then this race will break you. Going into my second Epic, I was much better prepared mentally. I knew that the bad phase on a stage would pass, I knew not to pay attention to my mind telling me to stop. I knew there were times I just had to push through the mental barrier and that besides a fall, that nothing could seriously hurt me.

The third aspect is teamwork. This race is a pure example of how teaming should work.

Couple of happy finishers

 First of all pick the right partner, be similar in fitness and ability, train together, know each other's strengths, and weaknesses and have joint goals going into the race I couldn't have asked for a better teammate than Buzz. He understands what is required to be a good teammate and he knew when to push and when to back off. He rode very consistently and when he had a bad day, I was strong and vice versa. He was our team captain and after 2 Epics together, not only do I know every aspect of him physically by the hundreds of hours riding with him, I can also see how down to earth he is and what makes him a great competitor. The rest of the guys were great fun, Damo and Rusty in Team Hampton and David doing all the hard work supporting us logistically. We laughed and took the mickey out of each other all week. A great group to travel with. We also had fantastic support from Caryn, our physio and Buzz's sister in law, Karen also couldn't do enough for us. A big thanks to them both.

The  next ingredient is the location. South Africa is a magical place, not without its problems, but around the Western Cape magnificent mountains, lush Valleys, plenty of fast flowing trails to ride and friendly people.

The final ingredient is the event itself. They call the Cape Epic "the Tour de France of Mountainbiking". It is not without justification. The scale of this event cannot be understated. Everything is huge, from the logistics, the food, medical, accommodation, sponsor support, spectators and riders from 46 countries. If you are good enough as an amateur (top 100 teams), you start with the Pro's, ride the same course in the same conditons on the same day in the same race. It is a race that gets into your skin and you want to go back, however while you are doing it you wish for a lightening bolt to strike you to put you out of the hurt you are in.

The highlight for me? Definitely has to be Stage 2 in the rain and mud. For what was supposed to be one of the 

Happy campers

easier stages, the torrential rain and the extent of the mud were conditions I have never ridden in before and (hopefully) will  never again.  It was a memorable stage. Imagine riding your bike as hard as you can for 100k over unmade potholed trails and someone spraying you with muddy stinking water directly into your face and you will get the idea!!

Will I be back. I think I have too. Buzz and I need 1 more race to become a member of the exclusive Ambesi club. Damo and Rusty have unfinished business. I am keen to give Supermasters a go as I think I can go close to a podium in that category, however Buzz is too young for that so we will have to see. 2016 will be the next time for me.

All done!!

Finally a big thankyou to all our sponsors:

Specailized Australia for all the kit. Their bikes are second to none. They are beautiful to ride and didn't miss a beat on a very severe course. Their grid tyres are superb and there is a reason why nearly 50% if competitors at the Epic ride Specailized.

Hampton Cycles for their kit and support, the same for The Fixed Wheel. When in Melbourne, see the boys at Hampton and if you are I Sydney you want to visit Danny in Manly.

Hincape for the great race kit, Barfly for the garmin support, bonk breaker for their great bars, Symantec for their support and finally The Taste of Belgian Cafe in Seaforth. Didier always had a coffee and a pastry waiting for us after a ride and I can't wait to visit  him for a coffee when I get back to Sydney.

2015 will be a gap year, maybe we will hit the Alp's following the Tour that year.

Then in 2016, back to South Africa.....

Absa Cape Epic completed.

Have limited access to the internet so will do a final blog tomorrow when I have the internet again

Stage 6....the next to last

riding amongst the treetops!!

This was the last morning we had to get up at 5am for what has been the ritual for the week.  Get up, dress in our race kit and jump in the van and head to the race village.  It is interesting to see how the mood has quietened in the van as the week goes on.  Last Sunday, we were all excited, chatting amongst ourselves as David (the designated van driver) navigates us from where ever we are staying to the race.   Now, we pile in

Team Fixed Wheel getting ready for the day ahead

 the van at 5;15-5;30am and there isn’t a word spoken.  Everyone is wondering how they are going to get through the day, and are thinking about the challenge of that days stage.  The drivers here in South Africa are crazy, and there doesn’t appear to be much adherence to the road rules or personal safety.  They overtake where they want, and when they want.  It is more dangerous driving to the race, than racing it!!

We hit the breakfast tent, a huge tent that seats about 1000 people and we eat till we are full.  David has a liking for the porridge, He polishes off two or 3 bowls every day! Then we grab the bikes and get into the start chute. 

The Chopper is never far away- It screams over the
top of all the riders

We have about 30 minutes of nervous wait time while the announcers introduce the top teams, made up of World Champs, Olympic Champs, and various professionals.  They have many categories, like open, elite, masters(which we are in), super masters (both riders must be over 50), womens, and mixed. I think Mixed is the hardest as they have a male and female rider and the female is normally riding on the limit the whole time, and then the male has to be strong enough to ride himself as well as push the female up the hill if she is falling off the pace: Very Very tough.

While in the start chute, they crank up the music. The songs they played in 2012, are indelibly etched into my mind, so when ever I hear Titanium or Adele now, it takes me back to being at that race. This year it will be ‘Happy” by Pharrel Williams.  There is also a local African character who runs between the races, putting a 

This fellow was very popular for his good luck rituals he put
on all the riders

good luck charm in his local language to the racers.  He is very popular amongst the riders.

Today was a shorter stage, 85k’s and 1800m of climbing, much of it on flowing single track. The start was crazy as usual as the pro’s wanted to get to the single track first, so the field was stretched from the gun.  We got an average start. Buzz finds it hard to go from the gun and he needs time to warm up. However we both back off for each other and ride together the whole race, which is one of the main reasons that the good teams do well.  As we hit the first hill of the day, it was my turn to call the pace down. All week my right knee had been blowing up and the pain was getting more and more prominent.  Every pedal stroke was painful. I was now riding with the knee heavily strapped. I was worried it was going to give way.  I couldn’t put load on it which is hard in a race like this with all the climbing and acceleration required.   Caryn, our physio said it was the meniscus…..not good.  However after about 20k it started to warm up and became less of an issue.  Buzz was riding strongly and I was hanging on the back, as we overtook and were overtaken by many teams. 

Very strange sensation riding over the top of the crowd!

Damo and Wayne from SXC Racing were riding as individual riders and were both enjoying the high percentage of single track that made up the stage today. Both ended up with some significant times. Well done to both.  Wayne told me after the race, that his partner Brian, hadn’t broken a collarbone as first thought.   He had a couple of days in

me catching up with Wayne from SXC racing to see
how Brian was

 hospital as a large piece of shale rock had lodged itself into his elbow and it required surgery to remove it.  We wish Brian all the best.

The highlight of today’s stage was two things.  The first is the flowing single track, both up and downhill that Buzz and I both enjoy zipping through.  The second is the specially built mountainbike park that the race went through.  It had suspension bridges and ramps to ride up and down.  Great Fun!! David, our trip photographer was there snapping off shots.  He is enjoying that camera!!

Results wise, we had another solid ride today and were 11^th in Masters and 84^th overall.  On the GC we are also 84^th overall and 13^th in 

Fixed Wheel coming to the finish line

Masters, 9 minutes off a top 10 result.  In 34 hours of riding, it isn’t a big margin, however tomorrow is a short stage of 65k and the other teams will be fiercely defending their spots and all the teams are watching each other. We start in the beautiful ElginValley and ride over the ridge line back towards Cape Town and finish the race a Lourensford.

While we are racing tomorrow, David is riding a 51k mtb race that 

The big guns are coming out to race tomorrow!! Race Favourite D Foster with
Mechanic Rusty Edgar preparing their weapon of choice -
An SWorks Epic 29er.....

starts and finishes at the finish so he can have a little Cape Epic experience for himself!

I hope my knee doesn’t blow out.  It has to do 65 more K’s then it can have a rest!!

Sunset from our B&B in Gordons Bay

The Boys in the Start Chute

Buzz always knows where David is with the camera.
This was as we came into the first water point today

A great MTB park with all sorts of riding challenges. Here is Damo
coming over the suspension bridge

Team Fixed Wheel racing coming into the MTB Park

Damo coming into the Finish

Catching up with Christelle and her sister Karyn after the race

Dad was pretty happy to see young Bo after a week.Maybe
a Father/Son pairing in a few years?

Taking the bikes to the mechanics after the race

tough place we are staying at here a Gordons Bay!

The Crosby/Van Niekirk clan

David making himself at home at one of the stands in the race village

What a difference a day makes. We have a top 10 result in Masters today!!

The boys leaving after a hard days racing

Every morning when I open the race book to read about the days stage, I see the same headline….”Today will be the hardest stage of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic.” I thought yesterday was?? When is there ever an easy stage.

Dinner last night was up at the local pizza and pasta place.  It was quite good.  It is interesting in a farm town

Damo with his race face on - again. 

 like Caledon, that there is definitely a “whites shopping area” and then there is the rest.  The whites shopping area is normally built in a quadrangle with all the shops facing in to the quad with only one entry in and out and the car park is in the middle.  It is either that or a razor wire fence around the whole complex.   You do need to be aware of where you are in some of these small towns. The security in the B&B’s we have been staying in is way beyond what we are used to in Oz. Walls, electric gates, razor wire, cameras, bars on all windows and doors. Like the owner of the place we were staying in said: now that Mandela is dead, there is going to be big trouble in South Africa.

The Fixed Wheel team leaving the waterpoint

It is amazing what a good dinner, massage and early to bed does.  Yesterday, I couldn’t turn a pedal, today,  I was feeling like a new person.  We had early breakfast, I even got a few eggs on toast down and we got to the race earlier than the day before.  It was foggy when we arrived and stood in the start chute.  Every day there is a special guest firing the start gun.  Today it was the farmer whose property the Absa Cape Epic was leaving from.  The announcer said that he had bought his grandson along, who also bought his own gun.  And he was about 8 years old!!  This is a gun culture for sure.

The race took off and it took about 50 minutes for the pace to settle down. Damo was away and I also got a 

Me -showing the effects of a hard weeks racing

good start, right at the front of the field.  However when I looked around for Buzz, he wasn’t there, so I had to soft pedal for a while until we were back together.  We were much further up the road than on yesterday ‘s start and had made good position.  However today was 114k (it is always longer than what is in the race book), with just under 3000m of climbing.  After the first food station, we hit the biggest climb of this years race,  a 6km 650 metre ascent on what was basically a track.  That is 11% average gradient.  To give you an idea, if you drive up Spit road in Seaforth in Sydney, that is about 11% gradient, and that is 800m long and paved.  Imaging doing it on a rocky old trail for 6k?

Buzz showing the effects of a hard weeks racing

We hit the hill.  I find it best to get your own rhythm. Buzz just behind me for the first half of the hill and then he takes over for the second half. You are basically doing between 5-7kph, the sun is beating down on you, there is no air, and you cant see the top.  It is relentless. Sweat pours off you, running down you arms, back, legs, filling your shoes. You can’t wait for the pain to stop. Your mind is telling you all sorts of things.  Oh, and there is one other thing, you are racing, so you do everything to not get overtaken or make sure you catch the team in front of you.

Eventually, after about 45 minutes of relentless pedaling, we stop climbing, and reach the crest. Then comes the reward – the descent. It is exhilarating, flying down a track on the side of a mountain, skipping over the rutted surface, concentrating on keeping a good line. One mistake and it will be a big one!

Damo leaving the first waterstation

We knew we were having a good ride. I had recovered from yesterdays hole and Buzz was riding well.  We ended up coming in about 82^nd overall and are now 12^th in the Masters category.  A good result for the day.  Damo also whizzed around the course and he was flying, but even the good guys can have a mistake.  He hit a rock and was over.  Broken helmet and a corked thigh, otherwise he is fine.  He finished as well and is enjoying the race, even if he is on his own. Another Aussie team from the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney also lost  a rider.  We heard Brian from SXC Racing was in Hospital after his fall yesterday,so we hope he recovers quickly as well.

The Fixed Wheel boys coming into the finish

Tonight we are at new place to stay,  Gordons Bay, a  very nice part of the Western Cape.  Dinner at the Juicy Oyster!!

More tomorrow!

Off we go for another punishing day - going to the start area

Foggy start area

foggy start area

And the're away

I am too old to do a race this demanding, then have to sleep in oneof these!!

Rusty at the finish - 29c today.  Nice and hot

Damo coming into the finish chute

Tough day for the Rad Man today with a fall

Lucky Damo had a helmet on. This one is for the bin now