[Event] MTN NATIONAL MTB SERIES #1 Dullstroom

[Virtuoso]

First MTN race. They took my time from a different batch from what I can tell or their timing was off. Didnt record my friends time at all who came in 5min after me. And even though when we handed in our pre booked bikes when there were only 40odd bikes there we ended up coming back 2hours later to find that they had formed another line for online bikes - which ours were, and just left our bikes in the old line. Had to wait 3hr30min then got bike back with the rear derailleur still blocked up with mud. Luckily they gave me some powasol to go wash my bike properly at home. Is the bike wash normally so terrible or was this race an exception?

[BarHugger]

I have changed my approach to events like this. With all the ranting (very valid points) about some seriaaas issues that can affect one's race performance and results, I now do it for the event experience and fun of it. Take my own water (almost 4L of it), full mechanical kit and my trusted cell phone (for the pics and GPS tracking). Helped some riders who experienced tubeless failure, cooled off in some of the streams, enjoyed the scenery, attacked some of the hills (and mudd) as a personal set goal (just to go on a relaxed Sunday cruise when you reach the top), had some interesting conversations and really put down the hammer on that cement piece of track (maxed out at 58km/h running 2x10). So ja, I enjoyed myself....finished the route.....and left the racing to the few people who really can......and I still look (and get stares) utterly NOOBELY (??).

 

EDIT: The person who has lost prescription Rudy Project on the course, it was handed it in at the race organiser's tent.

Edited February 9, 2014 by BarHugger

[Carcarias1974]

Results are on www.livetime.co.za

Ss timing are not the official time keepers anymore!

 

SOME results are on LT, they only have them up to ~8hours for the ultra... Needless to say... My bum hurts today!

[Carcarias1974]

I have changed my approach to events like this. With all the ranting (very valid points) about some seriaaas issues that can affect one's race performance and results, I now do it for the event experience and fun of it. Take my own water (almost 4L of it), full mechanical kit and my trusted cell phone (for the pics and GPS tracking). Helped some riders who experienced tubeless failure, cooled off in some of the streams, enjoyed the scenery, attacked some of the hills (and mudd) as a personal set goal (just to go on a relaxed Sunday cruise when you reach the top), had some interesting conversations and really put down the hammer on that cement piece of track (maxed out at 58km/h running 2x10). So ja, I enjoyed myself....finished the route.....and left the racing to the few people who really can......and I still look (and get stares) utterly NOOBELY (??).

 

This is a really cool approach. One or two comments though:

1. What can we reasonably expect on the races then? Should Fritz not drop the entry fee (Big Man Forbid!) and call it a self supported race.
   
2. Have you tested yourself for typhoid after those "cool downs"?
   
3. You need to do some cadence work... 58km/h (even on 2x10) is unforgivable! You should get closer to 65-70km/h
   

[TheGreatPerhaps]

where can we get the results?

[BarHugger]

 

 

This is a really cool approach. One or two comments though:

1. What can we reasonably expect on the races then? Should Fritz not drop the entry fee (Big Man Forbid!) and call it a self supported race.
   
2. Have you tested yourself for typhoid after those "cool downs"?
   
3. You need to do some cadence work... 58km/h (even on 2x10) is unforgivable! You should get closer to 65-70km/h
   

 

Ha,ha,ha......points taken.

Go do Magoebaskloof a few times, there you do a water fill-up straight from the mountain spring. Few things you need to look for when doing the water thing but you are relatively safe.

 

I have a rev limiter on my posterior that affects my cadence.....my @ss does the "harde-gat-word-sagte-gat" polka.....will try harder next time to achieve said reference standard.....58km/h was on some of the short flat sections.....did manage a 67.8km/h on that long downhill but my CS kicked in.....still need to get past that common sense thing.....?!

Edited February 9, 2014 by BarHugger

[Laulil]

Hey guys, this was a real Mtb race with a bit of mud added. Any bets if it was a dry race there probably would have been enough water at the water points. Too many people washing their bikes with "Drinking" water without consideration for the riders behind them. Same probably applies to the Powasol cleaning service. Was a good tough day out in the country.

[BarHugger]

Hey guys, this was a real Mtb race with a bit of mud added. Any bets if it was a dry race there probably would have been enough water at the water points. Too many people washing their bikes with "Drinking" water without consideration for the riders behind them. Same probably applies to the Powasol cleaning service. Was a good tough day out in the country.

 

Last year at Van Gaalens (Nissan) there was also a problem with water on the 70km.....no mud but rather heat. Same race organiser though. Maybe it is time to purchase/invest in some of that old army watertrailers (instead of plastic 25L containers). Maybe even get the trailers branded.......just a thought.

[Laulil]

Last year at Van Gaalens (Nissan) there was also a problem with water on the 70km.....no mud but rather heat. Same race organiser though. Maybe it is time to purchase/invest in some of that old army watertrailers (instead of plastic 25L containers). Maybe even get the trailers branded.......just a thought.

Solutions rather than gripes go a long way

[Sitting slip]

REFERE TO RULE #5 of the velominati and HTFU!

[sometime]

REFERE TO RULE #5 of the velominati and HTFU!

 

So were you at the race?

[Sharkie 2]

I will never ever use Powasol again at any event...no organisation and to many tjommies just jump the line and get preferential treatment. Logistics is a nightmare with a new event as this one was the Columbia event last year which did not even attract close to the number of entrants this one has.

 

That being said some of the issues that occurred was non negotiable but I am sure that Sabie will be different again! I think that the biggest issue is having all of the events on one day! Easy solution is split the marathon and half marathons across two days for the MTN events and limit the field even more for the Nissan event later in the year

[gtr1]

Hey guys, this was a real Mtb race with a bit of mud added. Any bets if it was a dry race there probably would have been enough water at the water points. Too many people washing their bikes with "Drinking" water without consideration for the riders behind them. Same probably applies to the Powasol cleaning service. Was a good tough day out in the country.

I agree. Was a good tough race. I just hate mud and what it does to the bike. Water at water points was a problem and can be improved.

[Carcarias1974]

Hey guys, this was a real Mtb race with a bit of mud added. Any bets if it was a dry race there probably would have been enough water at the water points. Too many people washing their bikes with "Drinking" water without consideration for the riders behind them. Same probably applies to the Powasol cleaning service. Was a good tough day out in the country.

 

#water was a problem from the word go, we were on the ultra, so the first(ish) riders to go through, and even then it was finished. There was a MOERSE tank 500 m up the road though, why not put the h2o point there

[TheGreatPerhaps]

Does anyone know where we can get the results of Nissan Dullstroom yesterday?

[Virtuoso]

Conrad Barnard : http://www.livetime.co.za