Prep for 2015 Freedom Challenge / Race to Rhodes

[tombeej]

I'm opening a thread for all those folks who are keen to enter the FC / R2R in 2015.

 

It's where we can ask questions of the vets re. equipment, navigation, tactics, training, nutrition, and attitude.

 

To those who've come before, please share your wisdom. For those of us who haven't done it yet, you will know what a big mental step it is to dip a toe into this thing.

 

That's why I'm opening this thread a year in advance - hopefully by the time FC 2015 rolls around, it won't be nearly as daunting.

[rouxtjie]

awesome

 

one of my goals for 2015

 

:thumbup:

[Warren911]

Nicely done, cool thread, will follow this closely!!!!

[tombeej]

I've already applied for leave with my MD. Gave him a years notice to give me 20 days off work

If he gets off his shock and agrees, I think I'm going to have to work straight through to next year to make up the days...

[Thug]

Following.

[Pieterg]

Me too!!

[tombeej]

I want to start with the obvious question: how much training time do you need to do the full monty?

 

-- No. of hours per week on the bike

-- Types of training we need to focus on (not just TITS?).

-- I'm guessing lots of back to back long ones. Like 100km offroad on Saturday, followed by 100km offroad on Sunday.

-- Or replicate riding at night (like starting out at 02h00 and getting back home by lunch).

-- As autumn arrives, acclimatise to cold weather riding by sticking to summer kit, going for weekends to high country in May and riding in the cold there...., etc....

 

What do people do to prepare themselves for the physical aspect of it?

[Ryanpmb]

I want to start with the obvious question: how much training time do you need to do the full monty?

 

-- No. of hours per week on the bike

-- Types of training we need to focus on (not just TITS?).

-- I'm guessing lots of back to back long ones. Like 100km offroad on Saturday, followed by 100km offroad on Sunday.

-- Or replicate riding at night (like starting out at 02h00 and getting back home by lunch).

-- As autumn arrives, acclimatise to cold weather riding by sticking to summer kit, going for weekends to high country in May and riding in the cold there...., etc....

 

What do people do to prepare themselves for the physical aspect of it?

 

I've completed the Race to Rhodes and will be going back to do it again next year. In my preparation I've spoken to many people who have done R2R, RASA and/ or both so I can offer actual experienced insight to R2R and help by applying that to what I know re RASA.

 

Training wise the long back to back days are obviously a good help. Don't just train on your bike though. There are many, many, many situations where you walking, hiking, climbing with a bike. Cross training is good.

Go and ride your bike now - there's snow out all over the place. You'll get an idea of the temperatures .

Spend as much time as possible riding the Trail - even if it's just sections of it. It allows you to understand the nav a lot better. For your first race, I'd suggest riding as much of it in daylight as possible. Nav, changes big time at night. Rather start early in the dark and get home before (or - usually - just after) sunset. Once you know the route, night nav is easier.

 

Lots of useful info in this thread...

 

http://www.thehubsa....challenge-2014/

 

Some VERY knowledgeable guys sharing in the discussion above.

 

As you said, you've taken the big step of deciding to do this. We had SO much fun tripping the route, learning the nav and getting prepared prior to the actual race...

 

OH - it should be daunting and will be daunting right up until the finish. If it isn't you're not doing it right .

[Shebeen]

I've already applied for leave with my MD. Gave him a years notice to give me 20 days off work

If he gets off his shock and agrees, I think I'm going to have to work straight through to next year to make up the days...

This was an issue for me, went into negative leave actually! Finished late on sat night, spent the sunday on the couch with a wimbledon classic and pouring rain outside..... and was at my desk first thing on the monday.

Then there's the process of reintegrating yourself back into the real world...I moved jobs/career path just over a year later FC might have played a bit in that.

[tombeej]

... Spend as much time as possible riding the Trail - even if it's just sections of it. It allows you to understand the nav a lot better....

 

Ja, plan on doing a lot of that. Luckily we're not too far away from the whole PMB - Ntsikeni section, so that stretch should become quite familiar. The stories of the Osseberg, etc. will probably have to stay stories until I reach those sections during the race.

[tombeej]

This was an issue for me, went into negative leave actually! Finished late on sat night, spent the sunday on the couch with a wimbledon classic and pouring rain outside..... and was at my desk first thing on the monday.

Then there's the process of reintegrating yourself back into the real world...I moved jobs/career path just over a year later FC might have played a bit in that.

 

Ja, and besides the impact on ones career, I have to think about my family as well. I can't remember who posted it in the 2014 FC thread, but they said something along the lines of it being a very selfish thing to do. I have to agree. If I do the FC that means no holidays with them next year. I'm going to need to focus on family that much more carefully - quality time on weekends - not just riding my bike all the time.

[dirtrider]

And besides the training , I see that a lot of effort went into the race narratives this year , how big a difference did that make to the navigation ? And I already asked it on the other thread but it just makes sense to me to have a carrier on the bike and put your back pack onto that ? So how do you pack your bike , remember , we are talking about somebody here that most probably will wanna take 26 days to do the ride .

[Slowbee]

And besides the training , I see that a lot of effort went into the race narratives this year , how big a difference did that make to the navigation ? And I already asked it on the other thread but it just makes sense to me to have a carrier on the bike and put your back pack onto that ? So how do you pack your bike , remember , we are talking about somebody here that most probably will wanna take 26 days to do the ride .

nice on DR, will be following your progress.

[Shebeen]

And besides the training , I see that a lot of effort went into the race narratives this year , how big a difference did that make to the navigation ? And I already asked it on the other thread but it just makes sense to me to have a carrier on the bike and put your back pack onto that ? So how do you pack your bike , remember , we are talking about somebody here that most probably will wanna take 26 days to do the ride .

haven't asked for feedback, but nav must have been better.

 

carriers:

pros:weight off your back.

more storage space means more stuff

 

cons:

more overall weight

system needs to be BULLET proof/well tested otherwise you will have issues.

bike is now heavier, so any lifting(eg fences/portage) is tougher

more storage space means more stuff(you'll see that's repeated in both sections!)

 

by all means take a carrier, I used one for touring but not for racing the FC. Given the right system i would use one for adventure racing to take some weight, am currently looking into that - (big diff there is that it needs to double up as a tow-hitch). The golden golden rule is that you really need to test these, don't fit one the week before and hope it works.

 

hybrid solutions:

framebags, of varying sizes...all help, plenty options out there. small heavy stuff like tooks and spares should be securely fastened to the bike.

water. get as much water on the bike as possible simplest way to move weight off the back - I don't ride long distance with hydration packs anymore for this reason.

[rouxtjie]

And besides the training , I see that a lot of effort went into the race narratives this year , how big a difference did that make to the navigation ? And I already asked it on the other thread but it just makes sense to me to have a carrier on the bike and put your back pack onto that ? So how do you pack your bike , remember , we are talking about somebody here that most probably will wanna take 26 days to do the ride .

If we plan it nicely, we can leave a loose or two in our ice cream tubs for each other....camel lights ok with you?

[Shebeen]

Ja, and besides the impact on ones career, I have to think about my family as well. I can't remember who posted it in the 2014 FC thread, but they said something along the lines of it being a very selfish thing to do. I have to agree. If I do the FC that means no holidays with them next year. I'm going to need to focus on family that much more carefully - quality time on weekends - not just riding my bike all the time.

your family will be lucky if your training recce weekends means they get to visit the fabulous maluti area between now and next june....scouting doesn't always have to be from a saddle.