#fanievb you asked for a race report ........... grab some coffee RACE REPORT - 36ONE SOLO Oudtshoorn, Western Cape 17 May 2019 18h00 Friday night, arrived in instant fashion, and there I was standing on the start line of the 36One mountain bike race, yet again for the 5th year in a row! Trying to figure out as I stepped in and out of my subconscious doors wondering what the hell I was thinking entering again and to subject myself through the onslaught, the agony, the mental games, the highs and lows that this race brings for me, all 361km of unrelenting climbs, long roads, endless night and the fight for the finish in one shot! It’s all exciting when you’ve entered and in the rut of things, training and all but when you get to the start line, sh*t gets real! 2015 was a DNF and bailing at just only 80km into the race with a bewildered and shell shocked demeanor on how the hell I thought I would succeed in this race with the little amount of training done at that time. With renewed determination and more structured training, 2016 and 2017 were finishes that allowed my mind to be polished in the aspect of how the mind will shut down first before your body will and that it is something you have to work through to succeed. These two years I recorded finish times of 27hrs and 7min, and 27hrs and 47minutes respectively. 2018 was a frustrated DNF 30km from the half way check point with suspension failure. I met up with my old mate Martin at the start and he was looking his happy jovial self. As per 2016 and 2017, we both finished together and again this year there was no talk of riding-racing together as per those past years, but we just did. Martin already had the 1000km Munga 2018 under his belt and I was certain 36One was going to be a walk in the park for him. In all honesty for the 2019 edition of this race, I was feeling quiet, inner apprehensions but I tried to quell those derange bats flying around in my gut, trying to instill some confidence by telling myself I’ve got this! I kept playing the distance splits around in my head. The first of the big 12km climb that would kick start the long night affairs once we entered the slopes of the Swartberg mountains and that once I was past the first 36km mark and the summit of this climb, I could then just hopefully settle down and get on with it! After the first 25km of undulated riding, then the 12km climb, that 36km mark came quickly and it was almost an uplifting relief. My concerns were unfounded if they were physical related and I sensed a new found level of inner motivation and determination which pushed my confidence up a little. I also believe that the mechanical failure of 2018 was also weighing on me but I had now somehow managed to push it from my mind. The run down to the first checkpoint there was a section of jeep track and rail track to negotiate. 2018 saw me career off into the bush as we maintained a tight line at speed over a sandy section of the track whereby I lost control and came off my bike. It threw my whole rhythm out and it had taken me a while to get the sync going again. This year as we hit the same section, I remembered my visualization strategy and that was to stay on the higher right side of the track and not the lower left side. This paid off as we slipped past a few heavy sandy patches off the left whereby the right had almost nothing. I could have sworn I had a mischievous smile on my face as we zipped past these hazards. Things were going according to plan! The first checkpoint at 63km was the first of many further uplifting moments as I pulled into the stadium to be checked in. Martin arrived around a minute or two later. Martin passed comment how strong I was looking. We stocked up quickly with sustenance and a quick chain lube and we were off again, departing the Dyselsdorp Stadium and back into the moonlit darkness. The next goal was the halfway checkpoint at 180km of which there were two water points in between. The climbs continued and were unrelenting yet again. With the full moon out it was a beautiful night and not too cold. One could pick up the mountain ranges around us as we pushed through the night and traversed the northern slopes of the Outeniqua Mountain range. I had arrived at the next water point around five minutes ahead of Martin. I used the time quickly to punch out a quick whatsup message to my better half and let my wife know I was good to go and feeling stronger as the night was progressing. Martin arrived and I could see he was looking really frustrated. Martin indicated to me that I was way too strong for him and I must push on and not wait as all I was doing was getting cold waiting and he was going to just ride his own pace. We left the water point together and as we got onto the first climb I slowly started slipping away from him again. I arrived at the Mount Hope water point 26km from halfway. Martin was nowhere to be seen. Hard as it was, I heeded Martin’s request and set sail for Checkpoint 2 at 180km. After all, this was a race and I had a goal to finish in 24hrs. I had now also passed any mental block I may have had concerning the previous year as this is where my race ended with suspension failure. I was now on my own and would be until Rooiberg Pass. Once on the short tar section of roughly 8km to the halfway mark, I went into time trial mode, locked out my suspension to make my full suspension bike rigid and gunned it to the ostrich farm called Highgate passing a few fellow competitors on the way, the halfway mark, which would become my sanctuary for around half an hour. I pulled into Highgate which was abuzz with activity and to cheers of onlookers. It was 4.39am Saturday morning. It had been a long night! I quickly got around the water table as well as grabbing odds and ends to eat. Yet, this has always been my downfall I believe as I have still to master the art of eating enough, never mind trying to force myself to eat. This would come back and bite me like it always does. At around 5.10am, I kitted up with a thermal top and jacket as the next section was known to record below average temperatures and I didn’t want to be caught out and be ill prepared. Chamois friction cream was applied to my abused backside, courtesy of the dusty corrugated roads in places and I was good to go. As I was about to leave, it was awesome to see a familiar face. I bumped into a fellow colleague, Riaan, who was doing his first 36One event and attempting the 180km half marathon which started from Highgate farm at 6am in the morning and would follow the same rest of course as the full marathon. I quickly offered him some advice and wished him well and I was off. Even though going through pockets of highs and lows I did have a concern and Martins earlier words at the start of the previous night as I wondered where he was out there, were that I must just be careful I don’t burn more than I could replace. I stopped momentarily as I decided I needed something to occupy my mind as I engaged the still ongoing undulate climbing that would take me to the base camp water point of Rooiberg Pass at roughly 250km into this crazy race! I hauled out my MP4 player, plugged in the earphones and set off with some of my favorite tunes to occupy my mind. There was one tune that stuck in my head by Daniel Baron called ‘Indestructible and still stayed in my head even a long while afterwards and the lyrics I found very sort of appropriate to how I was feeling and thinking at the time. The energy I derived from this was motivating. ….When you free your mind and rise up from the fall When you start to believe the impossible You can walk through the fire, you can dance in the hurricanes You were built to survive through the hurt and the pain. When you're under attack And there's no turning back Sing this song through the aftermath The world is ours We chase the stars We are, we are Indestructible….. By the time I had breezed through the next water point and around 26km to base camp Rooiberg pass I was starting to feel the onslaught of the night’s event and efforts. I was also trying to start the process of getting my mind ready for Rooiberg. As the sun started to rise and day break engulfed us I was murmuring praise under my breath and gratitude that it was way cooler than previous events and hopefully this year the demons would grant me reprieve as I attacked the Rooiberg Pass climb when I got there. By now, I had removed my buff and thermal top as I wanted to stay cool and not over heat even though the sun was up and it was tad cool. Arrival at base camp Rooiberg, there were a number of riders prepping up for what would come. I sent my wife a message to inform her where I was as she had wanted to meet me at checkpoint 3 Calitzdorp when I got there once I had cleared Rooiberg. Then lo and behold, a familiar face! Riaan arrived flying into the water point. It was fantastic to see my training partner here already and boy was he looking strong! After a few more minutes eating, chatting discussing, we set off together. My legs were starting to feel the punishment I had dished it to this point as I tried to settle into a rhythm. Riaan was firing on all cylinders and I said to him he should push on and not wait for me. With over 270km in my legs, I was way overused than him at this point. Even though Rooiberg was a struggle it was the first and fastest time I managed to get over so quickly and I have to thank Riaan for pulling me along. As we went over the grid at the summit of Rooiberg my leg pistons were shot. I knew I was in trouble. My legs were dead in the water with only managing to turn them over but there was no power emitting from this. I said to Riaan he needed to push on and I would be fine. His cut off was 15hrs which would take him to Saturday 21h00 when he needed to be in. I still had until 6am Sunday morning to be in if things went pear shape. The rocky descent off Rooiberg enroute to Calitzdorp was a slow affair for me as I didn’t want to make any mistakes due to fatigue. Riaan flew down Rooiberg and set sail for the checkpoint. Once I bottomed out and on the undulate road to Calitzdorp, I found my strength again and with my blood sugar rising I regained some power to my legs again. I arrived a minute after Riaan arrived at Checkpoint 3. Now, 280km was done and dusted at this point. Riaan & I holed up at CP3 for just on an hour and then decided to get going. With 80km to go and another four big climbs standing in our way between where we were and the finish line, it wasn’t going to just go away. All friends and wives who were present commented on how strong we were looking, yet inside, I was struggling. After we left Calitzdorp and meandered past the Calitzdorp Dam, my legs were losing their ability to fire again, and here I said to Riaan who was still firing beautifully, he really needed to push on otherwise I would be holding him back. I would be fine and as soon as I could get my cylinders and pistons firing, I would be coming! This would unfortunately only happen at around 40km to go! I struggled from here on would be a little of an understatement and a few frequent bouts of stopping to rest for a few minutes and a little walking all in the name of moving forward became the rut of play. At each water point I was stocking and taking in some energy gels to try and get my leg muscle fibres to lube and oil and to start regaining their spark! After the last climb out and by the grace of higher power of which I firmly believe, my body, my legs, my mind went through a sort of metamorphism and everything just kicked in and I was good to go!! I was elated. Tired but elated!! I had dropped past my average speed of at least 15km/h required to obtain a 24hr finish and was sitting at 13.3km/h. I said a silent prayer and went all in with what I had and took my average over the 14km/h mark. I stopped briefly at the last water point, not even five minutes spared and energy gel and cup of water to wash it down and took off to complete the final 20km. Digging deep took on a whole new meaning for me. I had been digging the past five hours and in this final 20km onslaught I managed in just on an hour giving what I had left. Clearing the final little hill on Route 62 en-route to the finish and seeing Oudsthoorn lying before you, is always the most beautiful sight one can witness when you are about to arrive home with all the grit and grime, sweat and tears and battle scars obtained over the 361km journey you have just endured! Crossing the finish line at Kleinplaas, Oudsthoorn in a time of 25hrs and 31mins bettering my previous times by over 2hrs was a humbling experience and the knowledge that self belief is truly real! Fanfare and congrats all round on the finish line, it couldn’t have felt better in any other way……
