walkerr

Named after Michael Shermer - after being 1st recognised suffererer on an early RAAM.

Even setup right, aero bars are a known contributory factor to Shermer's neck: https://sportcoaching.co.nz/shermers-neck-a-guide-to-neck-syndrome Not for everyone, sure. But those with a pre-disposition to Shermer's (e.g. existing neck & shoulder conditions, or flexibility issues) need to be aware and careful. Aero bars are a fabulous tool if you can use them - which loads of people can. I honestly wish I could, my hands and wrists would take so much less punishment. But, as with everything in long distance cycling, each of us needs to experiment and hone what setup works best for our own peculiarities. For me, Shermer's will kick in after about 3 or 4 days on the road if I'm not careful. My hands/wrists don't start to become a real issue until 9 or 10 days out there. So it's the lesser of two evils. Edit: a very big factor for me, and one not mentioned in many articles is sleep. If I can get 5 or 6 hours a night, I'm much less likely to suffer. Much easier to do on a tour though than a race with cutoff times.

That's James Hayden from TCRNo4 (or maybe TCRNo3). It didn't work. He pulled out with Shermer's neck a day or so after this shot was taken. Whether the helmet+torch weight is enough or not - all I can say is, as someone who has suffered this nasty condition, I haven't had it since i dropped the weight up there. Maybe that's actually more about conditioning from having done more endurance events, or maybe not. But I won't be going back to a helmet torch anytime soon for long distance events.

The weight is low - the trouble is, by being at the top of your head, which already bobbles around, it generates a fulcrum/lever effect. Overall, it's just a few grams, but it's exerting a rotational force some distance away from your neck. I'm convinced that as well as the other measures I mentioned above, dropping 200g from the weight I had up there has helped me avoid suffering it again. The one time I got close to triggering it again was when I experimented with aero bars - I've had to ditch those. They saved my hands, but nailed my neck.

Gutted for you - Shermer's is no joke. Had the beginnings of it in the the last 200km of LEL in 2013, and it was dreadful (and dangerous to ride on with if I'm honest). Have had several buddies pull out of events with it - definitely the wiser move, so good call. I haven't ridden with a head torch since (plus I traded up for the lightest helmet I could find too). Few things I took away from articles I read after that can help: lifting your handlebars - guys at my cycle club rib me about how many spacers I have under my stem, but I swear it has helped see a physio for some neck work - and also get some neck/Shermer's exercises off them (or the web). Worked wonders for me in recovery, and I still do the exercises now about 2 or 3 times a week (ok, when I remember!). Massage can help, but not all sports masseuse are comfortable or any good with neck work core strength - yeah, most of us are rubbish at that I know. I'm still lazy on it now so I can't pretend it's helped because I don't do enough of it even now. But it is meant to help I'm told. Heal well, and be proud of your ride - no shame in retiring injured after 1,060km. Until they made the route longer, that was a full Munga anyway!

Nasty - hope she's healing well. I remember the worst ones were close to Bloem on the 2018 edition. Was a monstrous one about 10km past WP2 that could have swallowed a bakkie.

Please make sure someone is videoing you. There's Aardvark holes on the trail big enough to swallow a 26inch wheel with room to spare. So a 20inch should make for some great entertainment for the rest of us.

Like I said - the rules are clear, enforcement is another matter. FWIW - can't spot any clearly identifiable landmarks to say whether that was before or after RV1. If it was after, it's a clear breach. If before, it's fine. Edit - note though, the penalty for drafting is a special case. It's not a DQ or a time penalty, it just makes you ineligible for a top 10 place. So as long as none of these riders were top 10, then no action would have been needed.

Again though, the rules on drafting are stated with absolute clarity in the Munga rule book - there's no wiggle room in the wording. Whether they get enforced fully every year, that's another matter. But there's no ambiguity about what is allowed. Up to RV1 drafting is allowed, beyond RV1 it isn't.

I dunno - we can debate texts/phone calls as a fine line, and something that varies in it's rulings between different unsupported events. But the Munga rules are pretty clear and explicit about physical support from family members or friends being barred, and being a potential DQable offence. OK, there are marginal cases, esp towards the tail of the field, and in isolated instances that don't materially impact the event or standings. But if the general principle isn't enforced, then the "self reliance" / "unsupported" ethos goes out the window, and what was a mega tough individual challenge starts to stray into being a team event.

Amen to that.

Yeah, it's a trickly area. At the TCRNo5 briefing it was cited as a specific example that was outside the lines - the comment being that yes, every rider has access to TL, but it takes them time to use it to look up where other racers are. Whereas custom texts from friends etc with an update on how far ahead/behind they are, can be read without even stopping pedalling, so there is a time advantage. Access to the tools (WhatsApp / FB etc) is something that all riders have - but having a person checking and supplying per-racer information may not be, and can save a racer time. Munga obviously has somewhat modified rules to the normal "fully unsupported racing" rule set used by TCR and others (mostly though to cater for the semi unsupported nature to define what is allowed), and as you say, the top riders are probably all getting it anyway.

Technically speaking - that is also a very grey area. In theory, riders should receive no outside support from family or friends - beyond maybe the odd text to cheer them up or chivvy them along. If racers want to check on the condition and placement of competitors, they should be doing it themselves on their own devices. It's not a rule that is widely or openly enforced, and the wording in the rules is vague - it talks about no support from family and friends in towns or at WPs, whereas "information" supplied remotely could be considered not strictly breaking that. But it is a sketchy area and one to be very careful of in a race with a semi-unsupported format.

Agreed - also glad to see the 120hrs was held firm. It would devalue the event not too. And in the eyes of all of us who dot watch, everyone gets recognition for their bravery taking part. No bending of rules needed for that accolade - it's a given.

Sadly got to sign off and do some work now. Thanks all for bringing the gees this year.