Freedom Challenge: Race on!

[jugheaddave]

These guys are amazing athletes! The lack of sleep would kill me!

[mazambaan]

These guys (all the riders also) are amazing and heart warming about Martin's work in the Valley. Both are relatively recent converts to MTB but super endurance athletes. I remember seeing Martin Dreyer a few years ago at Sani2c; quiet unassuming and friendly. Quite a contrast to some of the "celebrities".

[slabs]

dunno about that. might be his turn to look after the kids(he's got a six week old now, helped prep him for sleep deprivation) and his wife is no ordinary wife. she's the artist formerly known as Jeannie Bomford - won pretty much every multisport race out there.

 

Hence my prediction. Me thinks she gave him off this year so that they can do it together next year. The woman in this race do not do it alone and what better partner / navigator to have than the record holder.The family will then hold both records.

 

This is one of her recent tweets:

 

@martindreyer3 has promised me a more relaxed style freedom if I were to do it. That possible???

 

 

By the way those kids are coming from some sporting degree!

Edited June 28, 2012 by slabs

[eddy]

From Glenn Harrison's brilliant blog :

 

http://glennharrisonsa.blogspot.com/

 

" I understand that Race leader Martin Dreyer has just arrived in Montagu. With Tracker not working well today, we rely on the bush telegraph. Working on an arrival time of approximately 20h45, Martin has taken 9 days 14 hours and 45 minutes.

 

 

By comparison, Alex Harris got to Montagu in 11 days, 11 hours and 45 minutes on his way to setting last year's record. This means that Martin is approximately 1 day and 21 hours ahead of race record pace as at Montagu. This is a further improvement on his 1day 17hours and 45 minutes ahead of record pace this morning as at departing Rouxpos "

 

Go Mart !

Edited June 28, 2012 by eddy

[Tumbleweed]

Latest tweets say Harris is gaining on Dreyer.

[ichops]

That's like doing the cape epic in 2 days..

 

On your own with no back up !!!

We're not worthy !

[GLuvsMtb]

Latest tweets say Harris is gaining on Dreyer.

Yip! It looks like Dreyer was burning the candle at two ends for too long and now Harris seems to be on fresher legs. Last check they were about 3 hours apart with Harris gaining fast.

How ohsim would a sprint finish be!

[eddy]

I am stuffed from the lack of sleep as I track this live on the Tracker !

 

I cannot for the life of me think how tough it must be RACING this without any proper sleep over the last couple of days. Catching cat naps on the trail and at most an hour or 90 mins at some of the check points. Knowing that if you drop off for three hours, you lose

 

Respect !!

 

Go Martin

[Gerhardc]

Kudos to both of them for supplying us with so much excitement since their RASA started!!

 

May the best man wins!! and then....bring on next year!!

[Johan Bornman]

Go Alex!

 

Eddy, how do you track this race?

[majestic]

Go Alex!

 

Eddy, how do you track this race?

http://www.freedomchallenge.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=718

[Kranswurm]

Alex is quite far behind still

I know those mountains he is in now.Amazing athletes

Thanks for the link for the tracking

[slabs]

_{The gap is just under 4 hrs. Big thing is that Martin will reach the long portage at Stettyns with some daylight to spare. Alex will be doing it a night. This is a climb through bushes that takes quite a few hours.}

 

_{The weather is also very cold and miserable at the moment, so they are battling each other, the elements and the craving to sleep.}

 

_{Think Martin has the race in the bag.}

Edited June 29, 2012 by slabs

[eddy]

Go Alex!

 

Eddy, how do you track this race?

 

 

 

 

http://www.freedomchallenge.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=718

 

 

 

Yebo. It is a bit hit and miss, but now that they almost in civilization, it is quite accurate. I use the "request position" function and then the "trip replay" for the day. I then open the position in google maps.

 

Good luck to both, but Go Martin.

 

Edit: I also use

http://glennharrisonsa.blogspot.com/

 

 

.

Edited June 29, 2012 by eddy

[slabs]

Lead is 4h30 now....

[Mushilele]

The Duke is hurtling along. There was something on Twitter about him being knocked off his bike by a truck? Eish, fatigue and public roads do not a great mix make. Go Martin Go Martin! (We were going to go and cheer him on near Villiersdorp but when we checked in with FC HQ Meryl suggested it might not be a good idea ... he would probably want to stop for a good chat.) There seems to be lekker competitive cameraderie between Alex and Martin. Talk about iron men!

 

And we really appreciate the guy at the back who's doing it like my hubby wants to do it - slowly, meeting people, enjoying the adventure.