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
