General Cape Epic cutoff times

[Wyatt Earp]

Jaxtun, you are my hero, I take my hat off to a grandma of two who can pull this off with so much style, really admirable.

[Mackie]

You have your head so far up your own arse, you wont see daylight at next years Epic!

 

Will you be rubbing shoulders with the pro's or hiding behind you keyboard during next years event?

 

I have completed the Epic at both ends of the field and it is two completely different worlds!

 

I am by no means a racing snake or a pro. The first I did, we finished just outside top 100 in the mens category. We might have finished higher if I wasnt so farked on stage 6 & 7 from going flat out from the get go! We started strong, fit and fuelled by the adrenaline of competing in our first Epic. We started just after 7am in the mornings in normally the second group and usually finished around 1 or 2pm. We then had our woolies food, had a shower, got our bags, sorted out our tents, washed bottles & kit, took bikes to the mechanics, charged garmins, went for a massage, took a nap in the shade somewhere and pretty much had everything sorted by 6pm, before dinner time. We were fast asleep with full tummies by 8pm.

 

Some evenings we would see the warriors/hero's that finished just at 5:30pm walk into the dining room at 6pm, still fully kitted with cycling gear and helmets, sit down, stuff their faces and hurry off to go and do all the stuff we had already done.

 

I remember discussing this with my partner, we were glad we did not have to be out in the field riding the whole day, having to do all this admin after dinner. I remember thinking "darn, that must be tough!"

 

This year I found out just how tough it really was at the back end!

I rode with my (now) fiancee and realized after stage one that this Epic was going to be a complete different kettle of fish. This was to be her first mtb stage race, ever! I tried to prepare her mentally and physically as best I could for what lied ahead.

 

Luckily the week before, we had a lekker heart to heart chat and decided that we want to walk away with good memories from this awesome experience and privilege we were able to share. We decided to ride at her level and maintain good spirit. She was pushing her boundries from stage one, we were pushing the bikes a couple of times also but we pushed through! There were a couple of scary and nasty technical descents on stage one!

 

It very quickly became clear that the riding style at the back end was much different that what I am used to. There was way more breaking, walking, slowing down and getting off than the free flowing, keeping your momentum going riding I was used to.

 

We stared in the last group every morning, sometimes at 8:30am. We normally finished at 4:30pm, 5pm or later. My massage was booked for 5:15pm so some afternoons I would get up from finishing my woolies food, run to quickly shower, massage, only to be in the dining room again at 6pm. Not all that hungry and not having done any of the other admin. I thought I would service our own bikes this year but I made a huge calculation error since I did not realize how little time we would have after finishing every day, based on my previous experience! Your day on the bike is just so much looooonger.

 

On the nights where I did service the bikes, around 8pm in the dark, I would only get to sleep around 9:30pm.

 

As the stages went by, it did not get any easier at the back. Fatigue, exhaustion, tiredness and the elements made people ride more cautiously and carefully. Sand becomes stones and stones becomes rocks and rocks becomes boulders. Small little inclines becomes hills, hills becomes mountains and mountains becomes passes. The legs are sore and tired, the concentration scattered and everyone is out there hoping to survive just one more day.

 

Previously we never once worried about the cut off times, this time it was a bleak reality, we were watching the clock a lot more, riding to such an extent what we would have a buffer, should anything go wrong. We completed stage 5 in 9hrs40min, 20minutes before the cut off time of 10hrs that day. Should we have had a technical issue that day, puncture, broken chain or whatever we would not have made it! And we did not mess about that day either. We had a bit of walking to do do at rusty gates but our motto of the day was "just keep moving". If you get off, walk, crawl or do whatever you feel like but "just keep moving". Groenland berge was just never ending and it broke many spirits a couple of time when you think the peak is in sight, only to see a string of people pushing around the next corner. We went over that finish line ... broken, tired, sore, lightheaded and relieved that we made it across the line. Emotions were running high! In 15years that was the longest I have ever been on a bike! 9hrs40min! BROKEN! And knowing you are getting up and dowing it all over agian tomorrow.

 

Sure you can probably do a stage or two of the Epic with a fair level of fitness. (depending on YOUR level)

But you will not survive 8 days in a row, unprepared.

The cut off times are calculated by the event organizers when they test ride the route. I am just not sure if they ride all stages consecutively or individually because that will surely influence the cut of times. But, again, if you are unprepared you will not survive and you will not make the set cut off times.

 

The back markers are out there pushing their own boundaries and expanding their capabilities, testing their limits ... and these differ hugely from person to wanabe pro to pro.

 

At least they are out there pushing their boundries and not pushing buttons on a keyboard!

 

Up to now I have refrained from calling the hero's and warriors at the back funriders, simply because it sure as hell is not fun! I have a new found respect for the hero's at the back, I take my hat off to you and I bow. You ladies and gentlemen are the bravehearts, you are the warriors and you are the real hero's of the Epic. You earned your medal, you earned throwing your hands in the air when crossing the finish line. You earned your bragging rights. You completed the Absa Cape Epic and no di*kwad can belittle you or take that acheivement away from you.

 

 

 

I put it to you: It is much harder at the back!

 

 

Your welcome to tell me if you think we look all fresh and dandy after Stage 5 here:

 

http://vimeo.com/90739731

You two, are effing hero's in my book!