Amashova 2015

[hayleyearth]

After reading how well everyone did on this thread...i think i am gona rather go back to fishing ... anyone looking for a 2015 anthem and trek road bike...just kidding.

 

the scary part was the guys riding the yellow single speed bikes were overtaking me...yiiiikes...i told myself if  one of those ice cream bicycles over take me thats it i am gona pull over and wait for the recovery vehicle.

 

Time to rest...then pull my finger out my butt and start riding longer distances and training harder.

 

Rest? What's that? For us 'back markers' that clearly didn't 'give it all we have' we don't need 'rest'. I went for a sloooooow short ride on my MTB single speed this afternoon, tomorrow morning a road ride and the afternoon will be a MTB (need to test my gears... Need them to work before the Howick #enduro on Saturday). I don't call them rest days, I call them lazy days

[Spoke101]

Surprised with my ride considering the training I've done. Though I was going to have a lonely ride to Durbs but managed to hang on for the sprint. But had nothing left when the big boys and there turbos kicked in. 2:25 for me.

[eccc whippet]

when you spend as long as i do out on the road...you would also need to rest for at least a week...the other problem is i am getting so old I forget why i am pedaling a bicycle along the road with nobody around...it even worse when i am on the freeway  

 

i was only at the top of fox hill when everyone else was sipping on ice cold beers....having breakfast at sun coast.

 

i got to have dinner when i finally arrived at sun coast...by then the ice had already melted and the beers were warm.

[mecheng89]

Another Amashova under the belt.

Managed to get a substitution after last minute trip for a break in SA (work out of the country). Done a total of 7 "training" rides, including two this past week,this whole year with not one being longer than 45km.

Surprisingly felt okay the whole ride and managed a 2h44.

Back for number 10 next year.

You managed 2h44 on 7 "training" rides ​ ? I have to meet you 

[mecheng89]

What accent did you guys get on this route? 

 

I got 1558m and a few others also got over 1500m...

1148m on Garmin 500, v.3.30 software

[bmw1za]

I started in B , 600kms in the legs from cycling jhb to Pietermaritzburg... 

 

Anyway, legs only woke up after 90 mins , punctured .. jammed a chain in the crank... and then suffered a freebody wear out ( sounded like a scrambler ... rrrrrrrrr   rrrrrrrrr rrrrrr ) ... long story short i'm chuffed at the 3h30 in no mans land

 

Congrats to the Guy that did the public Marriage proposal on Fox Hill... All The Best! 

[mecheng89]

Surprised with my ride considering the training I've done. Though I was going to have a lonely ride to Durbs but managed to hang on for the sprint. But had nothing left when the big boys and there turbos kicked in. 2:25 for me.

Pro much?

[mecheng89]

First Amashova, seeded BL. Was quite nervous the evening before, highest seeding since I started riding. Peeps were looking intimidating, especially those 4 gentlemen in the purple jerseys (great pacing btw). 

 

Neutral zone, what neutral zone?! Hammer down, then the right-hander into a cracker climb. Fast forward to the first belting downhill and okes p!ssed off, dumping me. Solo'd 40km home. Wind coming into Durban was very unwelcome. 

 

A special mention goes out to the Valley of a 1000 hills.. After the umpteenth one, the one guy let's out a big "jho" and I thought yes, ouch. 7 down, so 993 to go  ? 

 

Managed to sneak in under 3h. Extreme suffer score on Strava! 

 

edit: I see from my photos that the purple kit said "Have a nice day"

[Spoke101]

Pro much?

Nope I work 6 days a week.

[blondeonabike]

Did you ride under the licensed ladies group?

Yes. A freind asked to reseed me when he collected my race pack. I was hoping for batch E and got ladies liscenced. Batch split up quickly on fox when the big girls put the hammer down hard . I was in second bunch for a while then on my own...then we collected a few more ladies but the bunch was small. I made my mistake when after bothas descent and kassier climb I had dropped a few ladies.  I SHOULD HAVE CHILLED A BIT AND WAITED A MINUTE OR SO  because the m13 was a lonely tiring slog on my own. The girls caught me again 10km or so before the finish but I was finished by then.

 

I learnt alot in my first race..... You need to be strong AND race smart.  I was impatient and paid the price.  I should have taken my chance to recover a bit... I would have had a much stronger finish.  There is power in a bunch and being caught alone is bad news.  But for my first race I'm happy

[Veebee]

After reading how well everyone did on this thread...i think i am gona rather go back to fishing ... anyone looking for a 2015 anthem and trek road bike...just kidding.

 

the scary part was the guys riding the yellow single speed bikes were overtaking me...yiiiikes...i told myself if one of those ice cream bicycles over take me thats it i am gona pull over and wait for the recovery vehicle.

 

Time to rest...then pull my finger out my butt and start riding longer distances and training harder.

Don't be knocked down by this. It takes time and negativity isn't going to help at all.

 

My first event was the 947 lastyear of which I did less than 300km of "training" for. Prior to this, I hadn't done any endurance sports for more than 10 years so you can imagine what my fitness was like... Non-existent! I suffered like a mofo and ended up coming in at a time of 6:10. This year I want to do a sub4.

 

So just keep working at it, push yourself and things will slowly start to come together. Keep it fun and enjoy it, that's the only way you will progress.

[Tayyib]

Surprised with my ride considering the training I've done. Though I was going to have a lonely ride to Durbs but managed to hang on for the sprint. But had nothing left when the big boys and there turbos kicked in. 2:25 for me.

Reading this comment makes we want to crawl into a hole! Definitely need to up my training!You must of been digging deep spoke,nicely done

[Spoke101]

Reading this comment makes we want to crawl into a hole! Definitely need to up my training!You must of been digging deep spoke,nicely done

Thanks. Quality vs quantity mixed with a little natural talent and a go till you throw attitude helps. But the biggest factor is being able to read a bunch and know which moves are the ones that are going to stick.

[jimmycool]

Thanks. Quality vs quantity mixed with a little natural talent and a go till you throw attitude helps. But the biggest factor is being able to read a bunch and know which moves are the ones that are going to stick.

It also helps weighing just a little more than a mosquito and having quads the size of the beast......

[hayleyearth]

Yes. A freind asked to reseed me when he collected my race pack. I was hoping for batch E and got ladies liscenced. Batch split up quickly on fox when the big girls put the hammer down hard . I was in second bunch for a while then on my own...then we collected a few more ladies but the bunch was small. I made my mistake when after bothas descent and kassier climb I had dropped a few ladies.  I SHOULD HAVE CHILLED A BIT AND WAITED A MINUTE OR SO  because the m13 was a lonely tiring slog on my own. The girls caught me again 10km or so before the finish but I was finished by then.

 

I learnt alot in my first race..... You need to be strong AND race smart.  I was impatient and paid the price.  I should have taken my chance to recover a bit... I would have had a much stronger finish.  There is power in a bunch and being caught alone is bad news.  But for my first race I'm happy

 

Ya, they are on another level for sure. Some of the woman in the normal bunches too! I usually actually see on the results that it is a woman from normal bunches taking the win. Maybe having the support of the men around them helps with that.

On Sunday I passed some of the girls with racing licenses and all I could think was "eish, long day out for them", I don't think I will ever dare go into that bunch, I'll stick with the seeding groups. 

 

You did super good being your 1st race for sure. I assume you train/ride in a group quite often... I have entered 4 road races (the one was a short one) in the last 2 months just to get use to riding in groups. I do all my road riding alone but I think I should change that now, training in a group might have its advantage (making one use to going a bit faster and pushing a bit harder). 

 

Looking forward to meeting you this weekend! Excited to get on the MTB again!

[b-rad]

You managed 2h44 on 7 "training" rides ​ ? I have to meet you 

I was quite surprised about it too. Perhaps I've developed a new "near no riding training method" And I do have many folk who will vouch for my lack of riding for those who think I'm telling pork pies:)

 

In all seriousness though I think having done the race a few years now helps tremendously to know when to expect attacks/faster tempo up hills etc and when to position towards the front. Good positioning and saving of energy was key...as a result though I somewhat selfishly contributed not much to pace making. Apologies to the group for that.