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I'm not normally compelled to write a blog or contribute to a forum, but I thought that I should share my experience of this year's Epic on the Banting or LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) diet. I was repeatedly told before the event that it is not recommended to ride this gruelling event without carbs, that I would surely run out of energy and suffer. Even the race nutritionist from Woolies echoed these sentiments. I have been eating no sugar or carbs for the past 18 months and have done some events like the Sani2C and other marathon races throughout last year and the beginning of this year without any energy issues... but almost 7 ultras in a row? That was the question and it seriously stressed me out before this year's Epic. I searched all over the internet to get answers and advice, but not much there and a lot of contradicting information. Yes, no, maybe. Make up your minds, would you? I decided to stick to my nutrition and persevered. My teammate (a carb-muncher) and I trained together and were basically riding at the same level and had similar fitness going into this race, so it would be a good comparison. I'm also no racing snake, so was not aiming for a podium or top 100 finish. I was aiming to finish before the cut-off times each day... full stop. We trained to ride at 75% to 85% of max HR. So this is how it went... We finished in 299th GC (just in the top half out of 621 teams) and 89th in the Masters - we're both in our mid forties. I was amazed at how strong I felt throughout the race (all 8 days). Especially strong at the finishing stages of each day, where many teams were backing off and struggling to finish. I ended up always driving my teammate to the finish as he was finding it harder to fuel himself towards the end of each stage, especially during the latter stages of the event. I also did some pushing up-hills and creating a draft/slipstream during the windy stages. Also, it looked like my recovery was faster as I started pretty fresh each next day, unlike my partner. The water points did not cater for low carb at all, so I carried my own nutrition throughout the race: 1. Almonds and dry berry mix 2. Cabanossi (nice and fatty) 3. Home made fat-bomb gels in a squeezee bottle (macadamia nut butter, coconut oil, cocoa, and a dash of honey)... YUM! 4. Low-carb rehydration (electrolyte) mix - I used a combination of USN Zero Carb Rehydrator and Drip-Drop (medical grade rehydration supplement powder I recently discovered) I also found that I did not eat any more than I would have during my normal daily routine, with moderate training. My typical evening meals were steak, lamb or pork and veggies. Fatty bacon and eggs for breakfast (of course) So, it worked for me. In fact, I have never felt stronger during previous long races / rides and still have no idea why I felt so good during this Epic. I can't attribute my strength to the diet alone as we did put in a lot of training, but I have been riding for in excess of 20 years and have never felt this level of sustained energy and endurance for such a long time. So, the long and short of it is that it is VERY POSSIBLE to do a great Epic on the Banting diet. As long as you have some body fat... you have fuel.

To all Berg & Bush riders looking for that competitive edge - look no further! I was afforded the opportunity to do the Cape Pioneer but had already paid for an entry to the Berg n Bush which overlaps by a day. My wife, who recently gave birth to our beautiful baby girl, decided to take my spot - but we are now faced with the challenge of maintaining her milk production whilst away from our guzzling bundle of joy. It then dawned on us that a "supply and demand" scenario was in fact staring us right in the face, or breasts for that matter. It's no secret that the benefits of breast milk on athletic performance is quite profound. It also no secret that breast feeding mothers who do not release their milk supplies regularly, end up with rather swollen and often uncomfortable breasts, but also run the risk of losing their production whilst away from the feeding child. In order to prevent this undesired outcome for my wife, she has no option but to express whilst at the event - directly after completing the days ride and a few more times until the start of the next stage. As there is no practical way of storing the expressed milk for later use, she has little choice but to 'pump and dump' as the saying goes. But wait, there is an alternative! At a small fee, she is willing to offer her 'protein shake' - which by the way is ADA approved - to all riders looking for that competitive edge. We estimate that she can produce anything from a litre, to 1.5 litres per day. Menu items include: Sip the NipA delicious 25ml serving of mothers milk prepared to a perfect 37°C, served in a crystal shot glass moulded in the shape of a delightful little breast. ZAR 20.00 p/25ml serving The C-CupA delicious 250ml serving of mothers milk prepared to a perfect 37°C, served in a replica 1937 Bennets Baby Cup moulded from the highest quality BPA free plastics. (Definitely a Collectors Item) ZAR 200.00 p/250ml serving The JugFor the more serious competitor looking to feed on the oppositions weakness, we are also open to the sale of an entire days supply of ‘jug juice', but in order to preserve quality, refrigerated storage is needed which will affect the price. The Jug is served in a NUK baby bottle shaped ‘bidon’ (or sports bottle for the less refined cyclists). ZAR 1000.00 p/1L serving So for anybody serious about performing at their highest level, message me directly for contact details and kiosk operating hours at the 2014 instalment of Berg and Bush. At Simply the Breast, our milkshakes bring both the boys and the girls to the yard.