Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge 2014

[Mats]

It all depends on that girl with the Hello Kitty avatar .

 Holy smokes. If we catch B batch ... and we both know that is not an option.

[Wyatt Earp]

 Holy smokes. If we catch B batch ... and we both know that is not an option.

Anything is an option for me, I am an open book .

[Dgas]

Any opinions on how the change in altitude will affect the guys coming up from the coast to do the race. The first time I rode the 94.7 I lived in Cape Town ( I now live in JHB) and my heart rate went up high as soon as I started pushing.

[Dirkitech]

You guys make it sound so bad the guy is going to end up rather riding his Mountain bike.

my bad.. i assumed this was for sundays 94.7 mtb race where the finishing stretch looks like a tar road back. meh... im not even sure anymore.

[Dirkitech]

Since I'm not from there, it was a pretty simple question about the current state of the road surface considering the stories I hear about JHB these days.

 

But don't worry, I already got my answer from Too Tall.

according to sanral and the anc they've spent billions upgrading gauteng's road infrastructure. Maybe they have, but ive been all over and haven't seen upgrades nor repairs, just more developing black potholes in this developing bee bs country.

 

sinister enough? =D

[Sven137]

On my way to riversands to pick up race packs for the kiddies ride... Traffic on William Nicol is crazy. Hope they sort this out before next Sunday.

 

Anyone have insight on traffic on the day.. is it going to chaos and mehem like last year and parking cars kilometers before the entrance ?

[Skubarra]

Any opinions on how the change in altitude will affect the guys coming up from the coast to do the race. The first time I rode the 94.7 I lived in Cape Town ( I now live in JHB) and my heart rate went up high as soon as I started pushing.

 

If you now live in JHB you should be acclimatised by the time the race starts 

[Rob22]

Anyone have insight on traffic on the day.. is it going to chaos and mehem like last year and parking cars kilometers before the entrance ?

Don't park your car before the entrance, police and security are only monitoring cars in the venue. These large events attract syndicates and often cars parked away from the venue are stolen.

 

There is more than enough parking in the venue but I think it is going to be congested getting in.

 

Go early

[Cruz Addict]

Anyone have insight on traffic on the day.. is it going to chaos and mehem like last year and parking cars kilometers before the entrance ?

 

its going to be a complete cock up, i have just been to collect my sons race pack for the kiddies race on sat.

it took more than an hour to get to the so called expo center, roads in and out do not exist, they are almost all a construction site with absolute chaos. the internal roads are not 100% complete and they have literally dropped a few tons of dirt over the road to make a path to the parking area.

i think it will be impressive ponce it is finished but now its a mess and i suspect its going to be horrible horrible day getting to and from.

[Dgas]

If you now live in JHB you should be acclimatised by the time the race starts 

I am acclimatized by now, I was thinking of a friend that is coming from the coast. How the change in altitude will affect him.

[Bonus]

He will suffer . . . ;-)

[Runbikeswim]

Hi can some one pls explain to me where do we pick up our entries for the MTB> ? river sand commercial park? where is that ?

[ScottCM]

Needless piece of information for the day:

 

Acclimatization takes 4 - 10 day according to mister Joe Friel

[Rob22]

Hi can some one pls explain to me where do we pick up our entries for the MTB> ? river sand commercial park? where is that ?

Same place where the actual race is on Sunday.

 

Go down William Nichol past, Monte, Fourways mall, Indaba hotel and take the left off at the new Auto & General building. Right under the bridge and left into River sands - follow the signs from there.

 

On Sunday the Auto & General off ramp will be closed as the MTB route passes under that bridge. On Sunday continue North and turn right into the parking.

[Dgas]

He will suffer . . . ;-)

The first time I rode I was living in CT, I suffered, every hill or acceleration by the group, heart rate just went up and up. Have been living here 4 years now, so no issues.

[tombeej]

Please excuse the long novel, but here's a laymans look at some of the effects of high altitude on athletic performance:

 

Two key things happen for us coastal folk:

 

1. Hyperventilation and respiratory alkalosis 

Our blood gases need to maintain balance: optimum O2 absorption requires an acidic environment. CO2 is acidic. So you need adequate CO2 for your blood to absorb O2 from the lungs. If your blood CO2 levels drop too far, your body literally loses its ability to absorb O2 and get it to working muscles. 

 

At high altitude the lack of oxygen is sensed by the carotid bodies, which causes an automatic increase in the breathing rate (hyperventilation). E.g. my resting breathing rate will be automatically higher in JHB than in DBN.

 

Hyperventilation causes your CO2 levels to drop drastically, so the very simple outcome for us cyclists is that if you’re breathing too hard for too long, you must know that you’re now experiencing what’s called respiratory alkalosis, and you are becoming less and less able to absorb oxygen into the blood. Heavy panting that goes on for too long literally starves your muscles of oxygen.

 

It creates a downward spiral: you are becoming more desperate for air, but the more you pant the worse you’re actually making things for yourself. And so it goes until the inevitable blow-out.

 

2. Impaired digestion

“In addition, at high altitude, the heart beats faster; the stroke volume is slightly decreased; and non-essential bodily functions are suppressed, resulting in a decline in food digestion efficiency (as the body suppresses the digestive system in favor of increasing its cardiopulmonary reserves).” From Wikipedia.

 

 

Moral of the story:

1. Coastal folk must try and keep their effort levels inside acceptable effort levels as much as possible and for as long as possible. Do not attack early, do not do any work up front, do not stand on the pedals if you can possibly help it. Avoid ‘going anaerobic’ like the plague. Stay seated, stay deep in the bunch, stay calm, keep your breathing steady and don’t work! Assume that you’ve got maybe 1 or 2 good big efforts in you and so leave them for the last 2 climbs.

 

2. Eat earlier than you normally do. Accept that your body will not be able to absorb fuel as quickly as it does back home. Start eating early and eat small amounts regularly through the race. Don’t tax the digestive system, give it a chance.

 

 

.... Or next time take 3 weeks of work and get up to JHB super early .