[Event] Nissan Trailseeker #3 Hemel & Aarde

[WesselvdWalt]

Just to note guys, spoke to one of the guys in Hermanus that knows the route.

He said be prepared for minimum 1 900m climbing for the marathon. Most of it will be in the first 35km going up (1 200m - 1500m)

However, nice route with lots of single track (black route)

 

Thought I'll share to avoid any horrific surprises

The route we have laid out - currently which is still being worked on has 1580m ascent and is 65km long. The route is not 100% the same as the black route but does use quite a bit of it.

[Trail Ninja]

Grabouw turned out to be 77km with 1 800m climbing (should have been 70k with 1 500m climbing)

I trust no route description anymore

[WesselvdWalt]

Grabouw turned out to be 77km with 1 800m climbing (should have been 70k with 1 500m climbing)

I trust no route description anymore

 

Yes, I apologise. Did you read my response to why that was?

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/148945-event-nissan-trailseeker-2-grabouw/page-11

 

[JohanMalan]

Hemel en Aarde track is on my doorstep( literally).

Black route 'only' climbs about 1000m over the 35km, so total climb for the marathon should be OK.

Very very awesome track!!

Oom Schalk et al have been busy building lots of lekker new things.

This should be a proper mountainbikers race.

[nonky]

Hemel en Aarde track is on my doorstep( literally).

Black route 'only' climbs about 1000m over the 35km, so total climb for the marathon should be OK.

Very very awesome track!!

Oom Schalk et al have been busy building lots of lekker new things.

This should be a proper mountainbikers race.

it FEELS like a lot more than 1,000m - that's for sure.

[Trail Ninja]

Yes, I apologise. Did you read my response to why that was?

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/148945-event-nissan-trailseeker-2-grabouw/page-11

 

I read that just now, thanks for the apology

So, is H&A going to be accurate with 65km and 1 500m climbing?

I struggle to trust the climbing as more often than not the vents get it wrong.

 

RECM200 was 1 640m day 1 and 1 450m day 2, both days turned out  1800m - 1900m of climbing. Kinda screws with your mind and prep work

 

Anyway, looking forward to H&A. It may sound like I complain, really just thinking out loud.

I always enter and finish no matter what the extra climbing or distance. Would just like it to be accurate for once

 

coolbeans

[PhilipV]

I read that just now, thanks for the apology

So, is H&A going to be accurate with 65km and 1 500m climbing?

I struggle to trust the climbing as more often than not the vents get it wrong.

 

RECM200 was 1 640m day 1 and 1 450m day 2, both days turned out 1800m - 1900m of climbing. Kinda screws with your mind and prep work

 

Anyway, looking forward to H&A. It may sound like I complain, really just thinking out loud.

I always enter and finish no matter what the extra climbing or distance. Would just like it to be accurate for once

 

coolbeans

Remember that computer based elevation readings (eg strava) and barometric based reading can differ widely. And barometric readings can also differ if a low pressure system moves in while recording.

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

I like a big climb first up, get it out of away, also thins the field out a bit so chances are you can have a clearer run on the single track

[Trail Ninja]

Remember that computer based elevation readings (eg strava) and barometric based reading can differ widely. And barometric readings can also differ if a low pressure system moves in while recording.

I do understand this, but this can be annoying as you can imagine from my previous comments. They should post what equipment they used to measure the climbing, then I know what to compare it with on Strava and the like

 

Anyway, climbing there will be always, just granny and grind

[KarlvN]

Yes, they are an acquired taste. But one well worth acquiring.

 

I swear at myself (in my head) as motivation, 'c'mon you bastard, granny could ride this and she's dead. Just flippin' pedal'.

 

Singing Boney M songs (in my head) also seems to work.

 

^{There was a nice little sandy uphill after a bridge on the 40 km route. Very short but quite tricky.}

 

That bit just drove me insane. All these folks riding up to the blerrie hill only to dismount and hike-a-bike to the top, THEN to add insult, they stand in the blerrie ST having a bit of a rest, slurp some fanta and eat a saarmie before getting on with the blooming race. I couldn't believe my eyes, I was vloeking at okes all the way up that hill while riding to the top. Okes were just tuning me all over for thinking of riding up there. Imagine the audacity to expect people to have skills at a mass-participation MTB event....ludicrous.

 

Rant off...I say make the route real tough to weed out the wannabees at the start...those without skill would still be able to walk back to the start line. The rest can race.

[KarlvN]

Instead of whining over elevation profiles etc etc, what about training more for hills? Just saying. And yes, I weigh 110kg in the shade, and am not afraid of any blerrie hill.

 

Wessel, you guys got the concept spot on, please don't change a thing.

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

Mountain biking = mountains = climbs, don't worry about accuracy, honestly if a thing is a 100m or 500m out in height, it all feels the same to me and requires the same motions.

[alleyne]

Instead of whining over elevation profiles etc etc, what about training more for hills? Just saying. And yes, I weigh 110kg in the shade, and am not afraid of any blerrie hill.

 

Wessel, you guys got the concept spot on, please don't change a thing.

 

Not really a fair comment. I did the Grabouw race with my wife and she wanted to start doing longer and harder races to push herself. She thought 70km and 1500m of climbing was just over her limit but she would give it a try.

 

Now she likes mtbing but is not keen to be broken and spend all day riding deep in the red and hating every moment. This happened.

 

So those details are important and they should be accurate or at least announced at the start if they change. She would happily have dropped down the 40.

 

I don't mind to much but I have enough fitness to get through it, not easily but it wont put me off.

[KarlvN]

Not really a fair comment. I did the Grabouw race with my wife and she wanted to start doing longer and harder races to push herself. She thought 70km and 1500m of climbing was just over her limit but she would give it a try.

 

Now she likes mtbing but is not keen to be broken and spend all day riding deep in the red and hating every moment. This happened.

 

So those details are important and they should be accurate or at least announced at the start if they change. She would happily have dropped down the 40.

 

I don't mind to much but I have enough fitness to get through it, not easily but it wont put me off.

 

I hear you, I must admit that Grabouw was tough, even the half-marathon which I did. I ran out of matches on that last climb to the top of the burnt out hill, I think 50 people passed me going up there. I think perhaps that when we prepare for an event, the area has to play a part in the preparation.

 

Some say that Hemel en Aarde is going to be even more climbing than Grabouw, so even if that is a patent lie, I will train like it's the truth. That way, I will be prepared, come what may.

 

Besides, I just started my training for K2C, which has way more climbing..(sorry that was a bit of a brag, couldn't resist... )

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

Since most events have 2 or 3 routes.

 

The long route as a rule of thumb I always treat it as being super tougher than the intermediate and beginners group. So yes train for the worst and on the day you will be fine.

[dev null]

I hear you, I must admit that Grabouw was tough, even the half-marathon which I did. I ran out of matches on that last climb to the top of the burnt out hill, I think 50 people passed me going up there. I think perhaps that when we prepare for an event, the area has to play a part in the preparation.

 

Some say that Hemel en Aarde is going to be even more climbing than Grabouw, so even if that is a patent lie, I will train like it's the truth. That way, I will be prepared, come what may.

 

Besides, I just started my training for K2C, which has way more climbing..(sorry that was a bit of a brag, couldn't resist... )

 

So you were one of those guys I passed on that blerrie hill. 

 

Seriously, that last hill killed my back.  I did not walk one bit of it, but grinded it out to the top. And it is not as if I don't train hills.  I do the Helderberg Farm Steilte red climb at least once a week.