Trans Karoo 2015

[Skubarra]

To start my mini-review, I DNF. OK so that's out of the way.

 

1. I really feel there must be at least 1 or 2 more water tables. Not everyone sips a mouthful every 100km. 65km between 2 points was maybe just too much.

2. The roads are very very boring. if this is your kind of thing, great, certainly wasn't mine. 

 

On the waterpoints - I'm with Blackheart on this, just plan a bit better, I'm sure you manage to do training rides that are longer than 65km without needing to stop at waterpoints? The long distances covered in this race are part of the challenge & appeal

 

On the route - yes the wide open plains of the Karoo will never be to everyones liking but for me it has an appeal, I find it therapeutic to cycle in the nothingness of the Karoo.

 

I'm sorry you didn't like the race but as they say, each to his own. 

[Guest Karma]

On the waterpoints - I'm with Blackheart on this, just plan a bit better, I'm sure you manage to do training rides that are longer than 65km without needing to stop at waterpoints? The long distances covered in this race are part of the challenge & appeal

 

On the route - yes the wide open plains of the Karoo will never be to everyones liking but for me it has an appeal, I find it therapeutic to cycle in the nothingness of the Karoo.

 

I'm sorry you didn't like the race but as they say, each to his own. 

 

Losing a waterbottle in the first 5km certainly changed things a bit, no ones fault but my own I know.

 

You really can't compare a 65km training ride to doing a stretch of 65km after doing 145km, in that head-wind, in 35 degrees. 

 

Each to his own for sure. 

[chim50]

WHAT A DISASTER.

 

So when i approached Martin the organizer  about the water points, he said to me we had a Race briefing on Wednesday telling the people about  some issues about water points, i come from joberg not Cape town. why not have the race briefing the night before the race?

 

When Racing upfront and guys attack you you need water to make those big efforts.

I ran out of water between 2-3 for 45 minutes. i eventually dehydrated. 

The water points between 2-3 and 3-4 was not possible to make it threw without water between them

 

Very badly organized.

 

I think next year ill rather do 36one 

[eddy]

 

When Racing upfront and guys attack you you need water to make those big efforts.

I ran out of water between 2-3 for 45 minutes. i eventually dehydrated. 

The water points between 2-3 and 3-4 was not possible to make it threw without water between them

 

Very badly organized.

 

 

When I entered the race I had a look at the race route and the distances between water points. I also considered late April in the Karoo.

 

Then I calculated how much water I would need to carry to get me safely between water stops with some contingency for wind, temperatures, etc. and made sure that I had enough.

 

It did require me to carry two bottles and a small Camelbak, but I was never in any trouble and had an comfortable 13 and a bit hour day.

 

I agree with you. Your organisation was very poor.

[Skubarra]

I agree with you. Your organisation was very poor.

 

 

Seriously guys, you are riding/racing 240km through semi-desert, you know beforehand the distances between waterpoints, you have 2 boxes in which you can pack your own stuff.

 

Plan properly

 

This race is very doable without needing the organisers to hold your hand the whole way...

[chim50]

The Race was fine last year.

They even put a water point in front of Ouberg.

 

I have Done a a couple of these long Distance Races.

 

Desert Dash, Trans baviaans.

Never have i run out of water.

 

Obviously you guys sit at the back and eat all the food

[Disylizzy]

I think that those of you that are saying better preparation are missing the point slightly. It's a matter of safety, anything can go wrong in a race, whether it be mechanical or health wise. To have the checkpoints so far apart makes sense, but a waterpoint with someone that has radio contact with the marshalls inbetween would make a lot more sense especially since there was no cell reception.

 

I was part of the support and while we were waiting there were a quite a few of the front runners that pulled out at CP4 because of dehydration. Cars that were passing cyclists were handing out water to them. Lots of people were feeling nauseous. The wind picked up a lot and the weather was originally forecast to 23 Celsius, which ended up with temps in the 30's. So lots of unforseen issues no matter how prepared you could have been.

[Shebeen]

WHAT A DISASTER.

 

So when i approached Martin the organizer  about the water points, he said to me we had a Race briefing on Wednesday telling the people about  some issues about water points, i come from joberg not Cape town. why not have the race briefing the night before the race?

 

When Racing upfront and guys attack you you need water to make those big efforts.

I ran out of water between 2-3 for 45 minutes. i eventually dehydrated. 

The water points between 2-3 and 3-4 was not possible to make it threw without water between them

 

Very badly organized.

 

I think next year ill rather do 36one 

Let me get this straight, were the waterpoints exactly as published in race info/website etc?

 

How much water did you carry, two normal sized bottles?

 

I don't know how you can say it is impossible to ride from waterpoint X to waterpoint Y without enough water. All you need to do is plan properly. And by plan properly that includes looking at a weather forecast to see how hot it is going to be.

[chim50]

Unpaved road R356 : CP3 133.35

 

Above is on there website, 133 kms 

 

It only came around the 145 km

[Marius]

what a bunch of pansies - go ride your roadie bikes and leave the mtb'ing to mountain bikers

[Guest Karma]

what a bunch of pansies - go ride your roadie bikes and leave the mtb'ing to mountain bikers

 

Yes sir. One day I want to be as awesome as you.

 

And TK is imho not as you say "mtb'ing". 

[Shebeen]

Unpaved road R356 : CP3 133.35

 

Above is on there website, 133 kms 

 

It only came around the 145 km

Ok, that is a little bit swak - see on the route description it is 133, but on front page and google map it is CP3 Bizaansgat 142km.

 

BUT I do have to ask, how much water were you carrying in liters? one bottle, two, camelbak. 

[Velouria]

All the race reports sound like restaurant reviews. Along with a whole bunch of whinging about water points.

 

What about the actual riding? Both at the front and back?

 

Not often I say this, but I tend to agree with Marius - if you can't plan ahead sufficiently on a known route, you probably shouldn't be doing an event like this.

[Guest Karma]

All the race reports sound like restaurant reviews. Along with a whole bunch of whinging about water points.

 

What about the actual riding? Both at the front and back?

 

Not often I say this, but I tend to agree with Marius - if you can't plan ahead sufficiently on a known route, you probably shouldn't be doing an event like this.

 

You are missing the point. 

 

People riding with 2 bottles and a camelbak ran out of water due to the heat. The weather forecast was way off. 

 

The water table ran out of water, PLEASE explain how this requires better planning on the participants side. 

[Velouria]

You are missing the point. 

 

People riding with 2 bottles and a camelbak ran out of water due to the heat. The weather forecast was way off. 

 

The water table ran out of water, PLEASE explain how this requires better planning on the participants side. 

As awesome as it is to see our sport growing with the influx of golfers, stand up paddle boarders and lawn bowlers, perhaps it is time for people to take a step backwards and re-evaluate their abilities.

 

I think the problem of running out of water lies with the participant, and not the organiser. If you want a water table every 5 kilometres, I suggest you try jogging. This is an ultra endurance event. You will suffer. You will hurt. You might vomit a little, and you might get cramps.

 

The route was known. The weather forecast (although open for debate) is usually quite accurate. In fact, the recorded temperatures for Ceres (max 20) and Sutherland (max 24) suggest that it was warm but not super hot. (Marius got 28 out on the road)

 

If you can't ride 65kms with a camelbak and two bottles then you're right - better planning isn't the problem - you should probably focus on better training.

[Smurfy]

Which waterpoint ran out of water.   I left WP3 Bizaansgat @14:30. Refilled my camelback and 2 water bottles.  There was still plenty of water left.  Got to WP4 before 6pm with water to spare.   The only problem was the Wind en route to WP4. Only needed one bottle to the finish from there as it was getting dark and chillies.

Yes MARIUS, stop being a PANSIE.