It has been well over a month since I have last posted on my site, radio silence indeed. The writing has not been given up in all though as I have been writing and posting on the renowned MarathonMTb.com website through the Tankwa Trek and GR300 races.
If you didn’t catch a link on the social media channels or via email, the posts can be found here
February was busy, racing was in full swing and Hanco and I travelled the country from one event to the next. Whilst the form improved, the podium still proved to be unfortunately elusive.
The Cape Town Cycle Tour was shortened (as we all know) and provided us with some down time to take a step backwards and re-asses.
In this same time the Cape Epic crawled up upon us, and whilst it wasn’t on our schedule, I was asked to be a backup rider for a potentially sick team mate. Of course taking to the line last minute is never ideal, but then again the Epic is: ‘The F*cking Epic’ and I would have grasped the opportunity should it have arrived.
Crit dog?
Image credit: Capcha Photography
Hanco 2nd at the Kingfisher Marathon.
The Joberg2C is a target team race for us and with it only being week’s away, attention shifted towards it. I myself lined up for two of the Light’s By Linea criteriums in Cape Town, what used to be my ‘staple diet’ in the US has become an almost foreign concept to me now. The idea behind racing them was that I wasn’t feeling the mojo to go and smash out intervals, so go race instead. There wasn’t much success, but the effort is banked.
A few hundred kilometres away Hanco was more successful than I when he placed second behind the German Tom Ettlich in the Kingfisher Marathon, Heiko Redecker was 3rd. It is a good indication of what is to come for the Ginger Ninja.
Over the past weekend I again took to the skinny wheels at the Western Province Championships held on the Lady Loch circuit just outside Wellington. I had good legs in training through the week, and the circuit with its punchy climbs is one that suits me. On the day however I was nowhere, from pack fill to shrapnel it was a day to forget.
Image credit: Capcha Photography
Image credit: Capcha Photography
The Old Mutual Joberg2C is less than a month away now and is the sole focus of our training and efforts. The 900km race is a tough one, it may have less climbing than the Epic but it is by no means easy with many other challenges throwing the participants more than one curve ball. The cold mornings, rough terrain and long stages certainly ensure that you earn that finishers medal, although reward along the way in the form of some of the most pristine single track is a welcome distraction.
