samson99

Agree with the Captain about getting mates to join. I have asked all my mates but they all petrified of this format. This is the first time i am doing this format and i am loving it. I suffer loads and i am more on the back end of the field but totally worth doing. Gets your fitness up and also improves technical skill when fatigued. PS what was in the promised goody bag? I forgot to collect mine.

Hey champs. I enjoyed the course although i suffered a face plant on lap 2. Got up and continued but the heat seemed to affect me more than usual. I was just glad to reach the finish line and actually finish the race. Was tough but fun (in a perverse way). Congratulations to the winner in our class, subvet men, Donavan. Not sure how he does but i finished a full 17 minutes behind him. But onwards and upwards to the next one.

Going blind into this course, that going to be bad? If my home trails are trygerberg mtb trails.

What does the pre-entries look like?

So T minus 1 sleep. Excited and nervous at the same time. But thankfully i will be the oke bringing up the rear. Please just smile and wave if you pass me.

I have entered. I have never ridden the course so will be a surprise on Saturday. Unless i can get my lazy ass out of bed early enough to do the practice from 06:30 to 07:30. But the appeal of the XCO was the time i started.

Thanks The Captain. I need to enter still. I have never ridden the course and doubt i will be able to get out there anytime soon or even on the practice Friday. But i am on the back end of the subvets so shouldn't be an issue i hope.

Well that is not encouraging as you came first at Bloemendal!!!

Was at the first XCO (as my first XCO) and i am super excited for the second one. Just need to get to Rhebokskloof to test the track as i have never ridden there. See you there Milky (well, at least on the start line )

And that is precisely why i drive my vehicle on the Monday morning and then return on the Friday afternoon. If i need the vehicle it is at work. In between i commute on the bicycle. Best of both worlds.

Thansk Milky. Appreciate the feedback. And i totally agree with your sentiments, as long as the events keep happening, we attend and be grateful.

Is there a reason the XCO race day is not on the sunday and practice on the Saturday? Just an honest question.

Awesome. Thanks Milky. Will then just continue to practice Bloemendal as much as possible and then wait for the next venue.

Thanks Jewbacca. Makes sense assuming the course track is decided upon already and made public. But the weekend before it will have to be.

I have a question for the working folk. I could practice Bloemendal course as it is on my doorstep. But how do you practice the course if the course is in Stellenbosch or Paarl? I can't afford to take the Friday off. What do you guys do?

I spoke to one of the organizers on Saturday. It seems that venue might not work out as there is apparently not enough dedicated single track and open space for the start. But we will need to wait and see.

Absolutely Milky. Can't wait for the next one. Hope to improve my position. Where is the next one?

Was hectic racing. Did my first XCO race. Loved it. Came in 14th position. But didn’t get lapped or last. A solid 10minutes behind Donovan. He is a beast. Nice to meet milky. Well done all. Definitely doing the next one.

Think I fell on the bone crusher Tuesday morning. But got it right this morning. Along with the pallet jump. Oh well. Will see tomorrow. I assume there is a da e briefing before each race as well?

Thanks Moridin. But the A line is fun. Can one do the B line round the bone crusher and then swing into the a line? Does this make sense? Or are we forced to use the whole b line?

Is anyone attending the briefing this afternoon? I can't attend unfortunately due to work. Could someone please inform us what is said at the briefing. Thanks

So i did some practice this morning on my way to work on the XCO course. Where i fell my moer off on Tuesday morning, i did it perfectly and i even managed the pallet jump this morning. The Lombard gap still has me confused (i did it this morning but not graceful at all). So bring on tomorrow for the suffer fest.

Another question: if it says 5 laps for my category, does the first lap count as a lap or do we do a start lap plus 5 laps?

I hope to do a lap tomorrow morning on my way to work. Just hope my knee recovers from the fall i took Tuesday morning practicing. oops. At least my bike got sorted in time.

You are probably right Jewbacca. But would prefer to practice the jumps when no one is around. So for this race, will take the longer chicken run.