JohanDiv

I've been eating and drinking way more than usual and only riding once or twice a week since The Argus. Will have to dust off the indoor trainer now for the coming three weeks and maybe not a bad idea to try and bump the endurance fitness a bit with daily 2-3 hour rides on Zwift. Better eating and drinking is going to be difficult, I have just stocked up on wine and still have a deepfreeze full of meat. Daily routine is probably going to be more or less like this now: Wake up, Zwift a few hours, work for 3-4 hours, pretend to work for 2 more hours, light the fire, open the wine, braai, eat, slaap, repeat x21..

We've actually checked up Bains..his HR sits at 115 while I'm at around 150.. strong buggar!

Haha yes that Basso of his is a beaut!!

Bainskloof Up n Over and back. Troop of around 50 baboons held us up a bit. The only upside about this virus is the lack of traffic, just three cars passing the entire ride..

My EMS experience was quite a bit different.. Ordered wheels at the end of October. Got built within two weeks and shipped around the 15th November with EMS. Shipping was quick. Tracking showed it got to CapeMail Hub before the end of November. And this is where the hold up started.. A week later I get a SARS slip in the mail that I have to send proof of the purchase price etc before CapeMail will release it from customs. Did that as quick as possible. Middle December get message from my nearest Post Office to collect. I paid $550 for the wheels on Aliexpress(Around R8500 back then I think). Slapped with another R900 taxes at the Post Office that I had to pay upfront at the counter before I could get my wheels. Still worth it though!

Aren't we suppose to start the 23 week training plan this week??! [emoji2955]

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A mate of mine decided to do the Gravel Travel 50km after two weeks of cycling. He finished dead last hours after everyone, but at least had the sense of humor left to post a pic on Strava of his vehicle parked all alone on that big open field with not another soul in sight.

Down 10,7kg from 06 January. 1,1kg to go to reach the 85kg target before Argus. Will probably miss this with a few grams because I want to eat a bit more this week leading up to the race. Was also off the bike for a bit more than two weeks in February with a knee injury, so fitness also took a slight knock. Still hoping for a sub 3 Argus if all elements align, but realistically I don't think I can make it with current fitness, will still be more than happy with a sub 3h30min.

The first e-bike caught up to us A riders at around 20-25km on that steep rocky climb almost at the top of Boschendal. We were all slogging up that hill when he came flying up at speed zigzagging through us, and then he lost control going UPHILL! He had to dismount to avoid going into the bushes..I litterally laughed in his face, he deserved that! He eventually disappeared into the distance up that climb only to be caught again on the singletrack where he couldn't make the corners without walking around them for some reason.. the enitre race it went like that, he would pass us with a moerse spoed uphill, and then he'd hold us up or we'd pass him again going down singletracks again. Before this race I didn't care about e-bikes at races, but after Saturday I do.

How can I love this comment? A "like" is not enough!

It was more like 1400m-1500m.

I had a horrible day in the saddle. Pedalstriked a rock not even 5km in, pedal broke, couldn't clip in my left foot for the rest of the race(Yes, should've listened to Rouxtjie)..compensated with right leg and felt the strain later in my lower back. Tried new Hammer Nutrition peanutbutter gels today(rookie mistake testing new nutrition on race day!), puked at waterpoint 3, had to run to the toilet at waterpoint 4, and started cramping up badly from 48km to the end. Ended up doing 3h50ish.. Regarding route technicality that I was a bit worried about: turns out they changed the route slightly from the one they advertised and cut out the more technical stuff..it was still a pretty fun route with a bit of everything.

It didn't.

This wind should cool us down a bit [emoji15]

In AL, but think I'm dropping back, or starting at the back of AL..still nursing the knee injury

Seeding should be out within the next few hours..

All I can see on my seeding page is that Group C eligibility is now 20-25.

It really is as easy(and as hard) as that. You just have to count what you put in your mouth and stay in calorie deficit for the day and the weight will drop. I'm down to 87,9kg today from 125.1kg. Down 9kg since 6 January after slipping a bit at the end of last year. Currently injured and haven't been on the bike for almost two weeks now, still eating good and counting calories and the weight keeps dropping. So I believe the 90% diet, 10% exercise thing. 2.9kg to go for my target of 85kg for my first Argus. Hopefully my knee is also recovered fully by then and not lost too much fitness. I was initially aiming for a sub 3,5hour Argus, then the last month or so feeling good and seeding is good and was starting to dream about a First Year Rookie Sub3.. I think that idea has now already left the building with this injury, but a sub 3,5 might still be possible.

OP posted this more than two years ago guys

You can also have a look at the Winelands Trails website.. our anual membership includes all the Boschendal and Banhoek trails (basically The MTB Challenge route) plus loads of other trails and they're constantly adding more trails to the list we can ride with the magic blue board.

They won't do the shorter route because they are too fit and "extreme" for that.. you, me and 50% of the field fully agrees with what you say, this is what we want..but the point I'm trying to make is the other 50% of the field won't return. The MTB Challenge always attracted masses because it was seen as part of the CTCT week..that will change now and numbers will dwindle over the next few years no doubt.. Last year when the route was still lekker chill I started in B and on that first little technical kicker 10km into the race onto the dam wall at the back of Klapmuts kop the entire field had to get off and push because some guys in front couldn't get up there. If that's the technical skills of people in B I don't know what it was like in E. And now terrain will be far more technical than last year, there's going to be lots of pushing and falling on the day and the average weekend warrior or roadie stretching their legs for the Argus the next week won't return.

2018 the roads were in perfect condition, gravelbike paradise(except the last 10km maybe), although HB Kruger won it on his full suspension MTB. Last year the road conditions weren't bad, but it was a bit worse than 2018. I do this event on my full suspension MTB, lock out the front and back suspension for the entire race, and pump my tyres a bit more than usual. I'd also like to one day do this event on a lightweight gravebike, I can just imagine how you'd fly on those roads!

I love this event..I actually think it's one of my favorite on the calendar. Rolling hills and canola fields all the way..don't spend too much time at the pont(neutral zone) because you will have a second roosterkoek and your legs will get cold, and that 45min go by very quickly before the clock starts ticking again.

Why spoil a good story with facts I say!