1st Multi stage event - what do i need ? (wine 2 whales)

[CJVDM]

Im doing my 1st multi stage event in 2 weeks time at the wine 2 whales. Got my entry a week ago.

 

Since this is my 1st multi stage event, what tips can the regulars give me? eg what did you learn from your 1st event that is perhaps not that obvious ect

 

Any last minute crucial purchases? Any tips on the W2W itself? Any other practical stuff?

[jcza]

Look on page 8 for post by muddy mike https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/114614-berg-and-bush-2012/page__st__112

 

And make sure you have proper tyres (tubeless) with sealant

[V12man]

Personally

 

- learn to back off a bit on the downhills/technical stuff - riding bleeding, bruised, battered and broken is not fun.

- Pacing is important - so pick a max heart rate that keeps you under your lactate threshold and NEVER exceed it - 70 - 75% of max is about ballpark correct - set an alarm on your HRM - if you exceed it then back off as quickly as possible.

 

Professionally

 

- DO NOT take any Non steroidal anti inflammatories (NSAIDS) - they have a nice tendency to cause varying levels of renal (kidney) failure and stomach issues - renal failure can be fatal and permanent - We have patients from both this years epic and Freedom challenge that have long term issues relating to renal failure due to NSAID usage during the race. There are many kit lists that reccomend taking NSAIDS after a stage - I do not agree with this practice, although I am sure there are many people that would contest that.

[CJVDM]

Thanks V12, good tips re the holding back, i do tend to go balls to te wall and then cramp up later in a race.

 

re the NSAIDS, what would you recommend in its place? i struggle with some knee pains and thought abt popping some ibuprofens along the way which then seems to be a no no.

[rouxtjie]

Couple of non negotiables

 

Make sure you are running a tubeless setup with at least sidewall protection tyres or ust versions + sealant is topped up

Pack an extra tyre

Pack a spare hanger for your frame

Extra chain

Spare brake pads

[V12man]

Thanks V12, good tips re the holding back, i do tend to go balls to te wall and then cramp up later in a race.

 

re the NSAIDS, what would you recommend in its place? i struggle with some knee pains and thought abt popping some ibuprofens along the way which then seems to be a no no.

 

I think you will find that running just below your anarobic threshold for the stage will give you a quicker time - and it's not as easy as you think - but it does pay benefits after the first couple of days. Not crashing saves a ton of time - my first Sani I crashed at the end of the oak lane - big OTB, pancaked wheel, broken helmet, cracked clavicle, petal attacked the back of the knee etc etc - took a while to get going again, probably cost 30 min for the stop and repair, and slower than should have been for the rest of the ride - but still show 70+kph on some downhills following my insane downhiller partner on the garmin.

 

Regarding NSAIDs - I would recomend you fix the cause of your knee pain - good diagnosis, proper bike and shoe setup and the right stretching as precursors, and running a suitable cadence during the training/race (nothing too heavy. 90 - 100+rpm) - if you struggle during the race with pain - then use the RICE protocol - Rest, ICE, Compression and Elevation - icing is key, 20 min of ice every 2 hours post ride until bedtime - use a watch to time the 20 min, it feels like a lifetime and gets uncomfortable after a while.

 

Crush ice into a plastic packet, seal it, shape and tape the packet over the affected area with a bandage to hold it, put your feet up and chill for 20 min. You can put a single layer of cloth under the packet to stop the skin freezing if the ice is very cold.