2010 challanges

So the most common question I get asked is “ So what have you been up to lately?”

With committing to another Cape Epic in 2011 with the Ox - Roeloff Burger this time around we will be gunning to finish in the pointy end of the field. So much time is spent on building my base and just really enjoying some real technical long rides mixed up with few races. Have completed the K2 which is dubbed as the toughest road race in the Southern Hempishere in 5:45mins top 25,a few 100km MTB races around the Transmans.

Top 15 in the world finsh in 2010 at Worlds:
The race of the year had to be the Singlespeed World champs was a blast down in Rotovegas with the most eccentric charters in the world but still a tough 40km fast paced race with a 1000 people entering managed to ride at 95% of my heart rate for 1hrs odd to get infront of the pack to finsh in the top 15 in world of one geared MTB bikes-was a wicked weekend, just bummed SA didn’t win the bid to host next years race. Check my kitty cat costume that the crowd just could help but shout out "go pussy go":


TO answer the most common question is hard to put into one or two words so made a short clip which sums it up.

Day 8 -crossed the finish line.

Of the 1172 riders who started their epic journey at Diemersfontein, 83.6% successfully completed their Absa Cape Epic adventure by crossing the final finish line at the Lourensford Wine Estate. In the remaining 16.4% figure that is not classified as official finishers, the blue board riders (riders whose partners dropped out) are included. 445 teams were ranked on the GC (General Classification), with both team riders awarded the medal as official Absa Cape Epic finishers. 90 individual cyclists successfully completed the 8 stages without their partners. So for Team Mio to cross the line together as partners is a great success story, and a race that both us will remember for ever and stories to tell for years to come.



So for the Team Mio guys to finish the race in the mid field of the pack was a great result. Given the training Kav had to endure and limited gaps in the weather that the entire Euro's had to train we finished ahead of most Pommie's teams. They are some dark moments for some riders and many tales of heartbreaks for those who invested so much into this race and unfortunately didn't finish. Some travelled two days to ride and miss the cut off times by 1 minute on day 1 many shattered hearts. Others partners blow out and would be found on IV dips at nights in the medic tents and many dehydrated from the 40 degree heat. But most common where riders found lying on the side of track not knowing what day it is nor being able to remember there name. But not for Kav and myself.



This race is not easy, and can honestly say that most people in life will not come close to pushing their bodies to the level Kavan had to endure to get through. The pain barriers and saddle sores day after day cut deeper and deeper as the race goes on. For the riders to push through these barriers mentally and physically in order to cross the line is a feeling of accomplishment second non - respect to all.



As I think back on what made this race, the most engraved memories where the spectators and side support that every little township and school that stood on the dusty road high five'ing us as we rode each stage. The crowds which gathered at the water points and vantage points where great as the commentators shout out of the loud speaker" Here comes Team Mio GPS -Kavan from the United Kingdom and Paris from New Zealand" and everyone would cheers and shout words of encouragement as we rode by. The scenery and mountain ranges that I was able to take in was simple Epic, South Africa is truly impressive at 9 am in the middle of the fynbos filled mountains but harsh at 2pm under 42 degrees of direct sunlight!



Asked if I would ride this again, my answer would obviously be " Hell yeah". However the coin spent on this event is huge and the race fees are going up even more next year to R32 000 which many just not be able to condor up. Many local South African's and international's will be forced to look at riding cheaper events i.e.: Sani 2 C, BC, Rockies as the event status is now that of caliber that only the exclusive team and rich self funded internationals can afford. As I have a confirmed entry for 2011 through Carrie's volunteer’s roles, my plan is to try obtaining a sponsor to ride under for 2011. Now that I understand what it takes to race this event and the training needed, I will be aiming for a Top 30- 50 position in 2011. So let me know if you know of anyone wanting some the best exposure through one of the world's most elite sporting event in the world.

Well till next year, thanks again to everyone who supported us from Mio GPS, Carrie, Claudia, Alistair, Rick and Lor, Temple bikes, our families and friends.

Cheersy
P

Day 7 99km and Day 6 -123km completed -7:14hrs

Well a cold rainy weather conditions greeted us this morning- stage 7 in Oak Valley. Today’s stage was beautiful, but hard.


Most riders are relieved that tomorrow will be the final stage of this year’s epic adventure and are looking forward to returning home with their finisher jerseys and medals, a treasured possession for all.


We rode over 99km and 2 160 of climbing. The short sharp hills early on really burnt with five minutes up and 15 seconds down making riders work hard. At this point after 12km, Kav was hurting and the words came out something like this ”shit dude, you going to have to leave me”. A dark moment, but we managed to pick up the emotions and I had a plan to break things down. We would ride water point to water point (33,68,80km) and just see how Kav felt t at each water point. After the descent past Houwhoek Inn riders passed Botriver onto some fast gravel roads through the farmland gave our legs some relief and sprits picked up.


The main obstacle of the day up to Lebanon Highlands Plantation, rocks and loose ground forced them to get off their bikes in the steep areas. This was super tough as the sand was once again boggie and energie sapping-killer



Dassenberg proved difficult due to its sandy surface as well as level of complexity. Not long in kilometers, this climb took even the most experienced participants more than half an hour to master. After crossing over to Houteq, it was singletrack heading into Lebanon for some of the most coveted trails in the Cape. More short, steep climbs stood in the way of a final stretch of swooping paths to the finish line , our momentum gained near the end and we where rolling at a decent pace to reach the finish line. Yes, this was a hard day for some after 7 days of ridding

Today we were in the saddle for 7:18 hrs,



Day 6- 123km

Hay All,

So another long hard day in the saddle, we started out feeling bit nervous knowing the route had over 2600m climbing including a 7km climb then over the “craters of the moon” with rocks and bogie sand patches which sapped your energy like no one had ever experienced before. The route had everything today with sand, single track , rockie climbs and semi desert moon like conditions. At one point we where onto the highest point overlooking so amazing terrain (not that many where taking in the surroundings).




Believe this was Kav's best day in the saddle and maintained a steady pace over the hard terrain. Kav only rode into a vineyard pole once which was pretty funny and went over the bars of the bike on the single-track within 500m of the finish line. Whenever your partner comes off the bike, your nerves twitch and that feeling of O s#*^% is he alright, is the this the end of our race? But all was good just a few minor sock hole a touch of blood, nothing major. However once off the bike Kav’s pain began. Screams of pain bellowed out from the shower as he tore off his bum plasters, to leave two raw holes on his cheeks.


Two more days to go, many teams are feeling the same pain. But am sure that we will persevere and be receiving our medals at Lourensford.

Stage 5 - finish-3days to go

Hay ALL

Yip 3 day to go, still getting through some tough track and high km's - tomorrow is 126km with over 2400m climbing.



Today's time trail super fun, as trails where nmore open and not as much traffic in the way with no roadies walking down fast techincal trails! Killing me have people slowing you down on a sweet section of the track.




Kav is hurting on the hills a bit as the high km's and tough climbs taking there toll on the legs, arms and thumbs!!Our butts are in quite a state with puss oozing out Kav's butt cheeks, mine isn't much better.



The race moves on to Oak valley for some single track and then only 2 more days in the saddle then onto the finish. Our bikes are holding up well with Kav opting for a serviced bike support as need every help he can get to make it over the line smoothly.

Day 3

Hay so hit 120km stage today with around 2000m climbing 7:42mins in the saddle, huge stage and hot. I had puncture in first 10 km s and had to stop 10 times, but managed to regain the time and pretty smooth sailing after some huge rockie 25% gradient climbs.

Still replying bum cream like no tomorrow! The cuts are opening up as the race goes on.

Many more people dropped out, and sadly a racer from Australia died over night in his sleep, pretty rude awakening for all of us racing.

So 90km tomorrow, easy compared to the past 3 days...

All good and enjoying the trails... more pics to follow tomorrow!

P and K

RACE UPDATE DAY2- 210KM COMPLETE

So we have finshed 2 days of riding under harsh sun and rough tracks.

All we can really say is the pictures tell the tale! Kav has been booking double massages and both been in the medicaltent for bum treatments!



We are currently sitting in the top middle half of the field but doubt a poduim finish is an option at this stage Kav is working at 90-100% max rate just to finish so we are happy where we are at this stage.



Heaps form people dropping out every day 68 on day 1, am sure many more to follow (just hope it is not us)

Only one tech problem thus far - me blowing side wall of tyre! So was almost race over but made a plan and finshed in 6:55mins

So many people in medical tents on drips and treat some hard core grazes/holes/damged bodies.


The next 6 days will be challanged for everyone, as for me can say I am enjoying the pain /terrain/ tracks/ riding and the most of all the overall sportmanship amongst the riders.

ps: Sa has some awesome scenery.

The Day before the race

Hay All,

So we are set to start tomorrow alongside 1198 riders from 56 countries, the SE wind has been pumping for past 5 days.

So the Argus (largest road cycle race in the world with 25000 people starting) race was once again held in 50-60km winds which slowed times down over the 110km route by 20-30mins, our group C only managed to 3:15hrs finish. However finished in 18th/310 in my group; 607 out a total 22696 riders.




However tomorrow looks good calm so should be all good on the trails for the start of the Cape Epic. The hype for the event is as big as ever making front page of the newspapers today, along with the pre event parties.

The route looks tough and the field is made of all the top riders in world.


How to watch the race:

The best way to watch the race is to download our spectator guide and get to one of our Vantage Points on the route or at the finish line. All the details you need to be at the race and to experience the event are available for download in our spectator guide. If you can't come out to visit the race, then be sure to watch us on SuperSport daily at 22h30. For detailed SuperSport TV schedule or for international TV coverage, click here. Alternatively, live results are posted on our special Absa Cape Epic Live Site during the race

Grand Finale at Lourensford on Sunday 28 March

The final day of the Absa Cape Epic is a special family day out in the Winelands. In addition to welcoming riders at the finish line after their journey through the Western Cape, you can participate in your own 1-day mountain bike or trail running race. There is a 26km and 55km route for the MTN Cape Times Vigne à Vigne mountain bike race and a 6km and 12km trail run in the Cape Times Lourensford Vineyard Run. There is a Spur Children's Fun Ride for ages 2 - 12 years at 9am and the Spur Kids Play Canyon for kiddies entertainment throughout the day. There are shower facilities available after your race so that you can stay to welcome the Absa Cape Epic riders and to watch SA's favourite band, Watershed, live at 12h30 with free entrance.




How to watch the race:

The best way to watch the race is to download our spectator guide and get to one of our Vantage Points on the route or at the finish line. All the details you need to be at the race and to experience the event are available for download in our spectator guide. If you can't come out to visit the race, then be sure to watch us on SuperSport daily at 22h30. For detailed SuperSport TV schedule or for international TV coverage, click here. Alternatively, live results are posted on our special Absa Cape Epic Live Site during the race, and for the first time this year, we will have intermediate results coming from 2 of the vantage points

Cool we will keep you posted on our progress over the next few day!

Team Mio kit

P's 2x10 speed Sworks which will be ridden in the Epic

Kav's sweet Carbon Epic Sworks ride.


Some of our smart:Team Mio riding kit, excuse the model pose!

http://www.justgiving.com/KavAndPCapeEpic2010

Family, friends and colleagues...

Ok so I realise at this time of year people are suffering from donor fatigue, but this is no easy challenge we are asking you to donate for . We are cycling over 700km and climbing over 15,000 vertical meters over 8 days, all for a great cause, Starfish Greathearts Foundation (www.StarfishCharity.org).

Donate here: http://www.justgiving.com/KavAndPCapeEpic2010

Please see below for more details.

Our Story…

OK so the Cape Epic (www.Cape-Epic.com) is an 8 day Mountain Bike Race set in the surrounding areas of Cape Town. It is a gruelling event allowing amateurs ride side-by-side with the pros to cover 722km of perilous mountain terrain. Riders face a daunting 15,000km of climbing (that’s 1.5x the height a Jumbo Jet flies) and we have little respite between each race day.

Early on we managed to secure sponsorship from Mio (www.mio.com), so a big thanks to them!

The Race is ridden in teams of two, the rules clearly stating that we need to be side-by-side at all times. Cute, yes, but my partner Paris Basson is a total mentalist and is not allowing me to take photos. "We are racing, Kav!" We have been friends for 25 years, which you would think would help but if you know him like I do, you understand my concerns.

Training for me has been tough in the never ending Northern Hemisphere Winter of 2009/10. This has forced me to train mostly in the comfort of my living room.

To pass the mind numbing 100+ hours spent on the indoor trainer, I have:

listened to Harry Pothead,
-watched a few seasons of 24 (they are all exactly the same but it seems no-one has noticed),
-followed the football (come on Chels!) and the early Super 14 games (Stormers!),
and watched a stellar 2010 Winter Olympics (biathletes are super-human, sliders should be committed to a mental health institution).
Thanks to Claudia for putting up with the incessant whirring of my bike on the trainer!

By all accounts Paris has had it a bit easier, in terms of weather. But his tales of riding 100km+ to work 4x a week and his gleeful giggle of "breaking" any rider who has dared to hit the hills with him has put the fear of God into me. Anyway he has promised to be gentle. But I don't believe him.


This has all been for two reasons. Firstly, bragging rights that we have at least entered into the Epic. And secondly and more importantly, we are doing it to raise money for Starfish Greathearts Foundation (www.starfishcharity.org), a charity aiming to bring life, hope and opportunity to children in southern Africa who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. So please give as much or as little as you like. A fiver is far better than naught!

All those who do donate, I will put onto our "followers list" who will receive daily race updates on our progress with photos. For those of you who can't donate/donate in your own way just ask and I will add you too.

We will be updating this blog throughout the race, letting you know if we survive each day so stay tuned.

Please leave comments! All good wishes (and others) are wanted!

The JustGiving link for donations:

http://www.justgiving.com/KavAndPCapeEpic2010

Big thanks to Carrie for seconding us, and keeping the blog up to date! And a final thanks to our sponsors Mio, (www.Mio.com).

Best regards and thanks for the support!

Cheer Kav

Team Mio- Cape Epic 2010

So 12 months ago, Kavan and I committed to this event why? Because it must be one of the hardest physical challenges that exist on two mountain bike wheels. So we have created this blog cos after 12 mths we are sick of people asking hows the training is going! Nay, really we hope to keep this blog updated for everyone around the world who has had an interest in our endeavors and helped us to get to this point.

The event is not only physically battering but a huge financial investment, from race entry fees (R25 000) , bikes (R90 000), 8 pairs of riding kit (R5000), nutrition (R1500 week person person), massages,spares, bike maintainance, flights then the hours of training over and above us holding down demanding jobs.

The hard work that is put into training for this event is enough to make or break any person without enough inner strength.

Although officially the adventure only begins on the 21 March, this one started way before the gun goes off.

For two naughty Bosch boys who used to ride 3km into school together on their BMX's at the age of 12, down the snake park bowl and over the A team rugby field to riding together for 8 days covering 722km under the harsh African sun.




So now we both live in opposite hemispheres whereby I have the perfect training environment with some of the world’s best tracks and stunning terrain on my doorstep to train on. New Zealand is a place that if you love the outdoors and don’t mind getting a little wet then you’ll love. For me it gives me a good balance of secluded waves(not as good as the Kaapse punt) and some insane riding terrain.


So I guess the harshest elements I had to endure for training for this event was 5am starts in the pitch dark, thermal gloves,booties, neck scarf for warmth a set of HID lights on my helmet before I set off over the Waitekare ranges for my 100km ride into work in 0 degrees temperatures and howling Westerly winds.

Now I tell you this as because it is nothing compared to what Kav has had to endure in the UK. All I can do is laugh really deep down, as it has been a hell winter there and when Kav describes his riding conditions it just does not sound like fun. The terrain is made up of mud and more knee deep mud on the good days, once the ice packed mud has melted. Kav describes how his rear wheel just spins in circles in the mud and he merely is propelled forward more like S turns along the trail for hours on end, very different to the groomed singletracks of NZ.

So most of Kav’s training has been on the indoor spin bike. Now if anyone has ever hopped on the spin bike you know after 20 mins you are dredged and have sweat coming out of all pores- even your earlobes. Kav has been hammering 2 hrs at a time listening to Harry Potter audio books (68hrs available) and English footy, you won’t catch me on the spin bike longer than a 1 hr, call it ADT or boredom. Now that alone as a training regime deserves RESPECT!




Now all up the training is easy part, try keeping some weight on when you are going averaging 400-600km per week, spending 4 -5hrs per day exercising, feeding that empty hole in your stomach with the right foods is a fulltime job, how Carrie puts up with me I don’t know?

To maintain enough energy to hop back on the bike after work and ride for a further 2hrs without blowing up over the hills home takes a lot of food glorious food. I need to constantly eat all day long otherwise I fade away and eat the right foods otherwise I find that there is not enough energy in crap food to carry me throughout the day. So my plan of attack here has been to let the domestic goddess in the form of Carrie take acre of that job, because - A I don’t have time and -B my food just tastes shit. Over and above food come supplements you name if it helps with recover and easy the pain then I take it: Vit C, Magnesium, Glucosamine, fish oils, 100% Whey protein, electrolytes and multi-vits.

So then you read the above and just spells out that clearly your social life is non-existent and the rare beer you have has to stop at 2 odd otherwise waking up in the morning to have saddle under you for another 4 hrs is just not fun with a hangover. Or you become a full party pooper of note and 11pm is way past your bedtime. I look forward after the event as I will be even more of a light weight drinker than before. The beer will flow and am sure I will fall down flat on my face! Goodtimes will be had.

So although our aim this year is to cross the finishing line each day within the time cut offs, no podium finishes set. We have also taken on to give back to the SA community. With the help of some of our sponsors MIO GPS www.mio.com we plan to give a few under privileged communities a few bikes which will help them in there daily commutes to schools and run there amenities.

We have also set up a donation site www.giveback.com to go to our charity which we will send out more details in next week.

Cool, so as we go into the last 2 weeks of training let’s hope those saddle sores clear up and arrive injury free into the event.

Will keep you updated on the happenings...

P