[Event] 947 Cycle Challenge 2016

[Pulse]

It doesn't sound lekker to say they pull less riders than the argus. So I think they manipulate the number a bit.

Previous years the entries were sold out but this year late entries were available at registration. Numbers are down and I think the entry fee has a lot to do with it. Times are tough for some.

I agree.

I can't explain why, but it also feels like the race has lost some it's 'charm'.

I'll still always do the race, but it feels like any other event to me

[EmptyB]

My second lap avg temp 31°C max 36°C

Last year just felt a lot hotter for me...just checked mine. Ave temp 33C in 2015.

[Honkdonk]

What happened to that chap who was contemplating riding while his wife was due in for a Caesar today....

[CAAD4]

He should be able to walk again in a few weeks...

[Peekay]

Judging on my target time vs actual time this was a huge failure.

Looking back (not how I felt yesterday afternoon) it wasn't that bad.

 

I aimed for a 4:45 to 5:00 from group HH.

I was slightly behind at halfway, but was still on track for a 5:15 at worst.

 

Turning into Witkoppen was like an on/off switch being flipped and soon I had to get off my bike and push it up the hill.  This got worse and I lost almost an hour and eventually finished in 6:09.  The last kilometer took me over 15 minutes.

 

Not looking for excuses but in retrospect the following could have played a part:

 

1. I believed the weather prediction of 24 degrees and overcast and somehow did not drink enough en dehydrated badly.  Once you get to nausea, it is game over as you are not able to drink enough.  Average temperature 31 degrees with a max of 39.

2. 3 x 100km races in 4 weeks.  Maybe that is just a bit too much and too little time to recover.

3. 1300 meters of climbing vs my previous 94.7 in 2013 with 1100 meters of climbing

4. Carrying about 8kg more than my previous 94.7

 

All in all it is part of my learning curve.  My second 94.7 done and dusted and my 6th cycling race ever.

 

Well done to everybody that achieved their goals, finished the race or just even attempted it.

[Paulst12]

Mapping the elevation profile over time instead of distance gives a much better indication of what one experiences on race day. Feels like constant climbing with really short breaks on the descents.

 

The angle of this graph will obviously vary depending on your climbing and descending speeds.

Just fixed the profile to show the end... garmin lies im telling you!!!!!

[Ryinc]

Judging on my target time vs actual time this was a huge failure.

Looking back (not how I felt yesterday afternoon) it wasn't that bad.

 

I aimed for a 4:45 to 5:00 from group HH.

I was slightly behind at halfway, but was still on track for a 5:15 at worst.

 

Turning into Witkoppen was like an on/off switch being flipped and soon I had to get off my bike and push it up the hill. This got worse and I lost almost an hour and eventually finished in 6:09. The last kilometer took me over 15 minutes.

 

Not looking for excuses but in retrospect the following could have played a part:

 

1. I believed the weather prediction of 24 degrees and overcast and somehow did not drink enough en dehydrated badly. Once you get to nausea, it is game over as you are not able to drink enough. Average temperature 31 degrees with a max of 39.

2. 3 x 100km races in 4 weeks. Maybe that is just a bit too much and too little time to recover.

3. 1300 meters of climbing vs my previous 94.7 in 2013 with 1100 meters of climbing

4. Carrying about 8kg more than my previous 94.7

 

All in all it is part of my learning curve. My second 94.7 done and dusted and my 6th cycling race ever.

 

Well done to everybody that achieved their goals, finished the race or just even attempted it.

Well done, sounds like the race just got a touch long for you so agree that the result is disproportionately worae than what it seems sounds like it really was in reality. Take spirit in some of the guys that have taken huge chunks out of their times - that can be you next year! The big thing is just dont fall off the bus now at the end of the year - enter an event for early next year now and keep training.

[GaryvdM]

..Snip...

 

Turning into Witkoppen was like an on/off switch being flipped and soon I had to get off my bike and push it up the hill.  This got worse and I lost almost an hour and eventually finished in 6:09.  The last kilometer took me over 15 minutes.

 

...Snip...

 

Sounds like a bonk (aka blood sugar low.) How much and how often did you eat/drink carbohydrates?

[mecheng89]

First 947 in A batch, and could I tell! Managed to stick with the main bunch heading into Kyalami, but the short spikes proved too much for me. Leeukop Hill (I think) was a touh little so and so, and that's where I comprehensively lost the bunch.

 

Made it with the help of one fellow cyclist to the highway, where another bunch of 5 or 6 riders joined, pulling nicely to and fro. Managed to hang on to Carr Str., but fell off just before Mandela Bridge. From there on it was a solo effort up until the informal settlement, where a bunch of B riders caught me, but by then I was finished. Dropped a bottle near the beginning and my refuelling strategy was shot. Limped to the end. A disappointing race.

 

Started with the Wheelers on a second lap, promptly losing sight of them, and completed a full second lap, in searing conditions. 

 

Organization of the race was of the highest quality. From my point of view, everything went well. I was a bit concerned as a previous Hubber pointed out that the vets ladies weren't reprimanded for sitting slip behind men. In my solo effort I did struggle to shake some vet ladies off my tail. 

 

I will be back for revenge!! 

[khayale]

 

1. I believed the weather prediction of 24 degrees and overcast and somehow did not drink enough en dehydrated badly.  Once you get to nausea, it is game over as you are not able to drink enough.  Average temperature 31 degrees with a max of 39.

 

 

I tend to expect all the worst elements in one day. 40 degrees heat, raging downpours, gusts of wind etc.

 

This forum hyped up lots of rain after all so the weather on Sunday IMO was perfect. 

[EmptyB]

That sounds normal. Racing Elite's is not for the faint at heart.

 

It's a combination of things: Inexperience, speed, stupidity, testosterone, team managers orders, 100 riders and a limited amount of road, etc... You learn very quickly bumping bars and rubbing elbows is constant and very normal, you have to hold your ground and if you touch the brakes you loose 20 positions. You learn very quickly that if someone in the middle of the bunch points, flicks there head or even looks to move out you make a gap or else you will end up on the floor.

You should try a race where there is a big bunch sprint. Yesterday will be tame in comparison.

Have a look at this for some incite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE97iUvSHk0

My balls ain't big enough...

[Blue Monster]

My firs race in VD.  I have ridden most of the last two and a half years in AL.

Race started off tough, but I had one goal, and that was to not get dropped until Nelson Mandela bridge, because it is all down hill from there

The pace was frantic and the group broke up a few times, and the lead VD riders took advantage of the Carr street turn around and made a break for it.

We were strung out from there, until we caught them just before Rosebank.

Good pace from there onwards.

I was still with the main group up until halfway up Witkoppen, when my LH hamstring started to cramp.  This as a result of a lingering sciatic nerve issue.

Managed to get a pull from a tandem down towards Cosmo city (Thanks Tim & Tam), who kept the pace up Cosmo City climb.  They helped pull a group of riders to the bottom of Cedar at a really good pace.

I properly "fell off" up Cedar and limped home from there.

Official time 2.37. Very happy with that, as it was 6.5 minutes faster than last year.

Well organised race.

Only one real gripe was the Elite Ladies standing in the start line, blocking at lease a meter of the RH side for our start.

I realise that the logistics at the start are very different from CTCT, but I am sure they will make improvements for next year. 

We all do need to remember that CTCT/Argus have had many years to fine tune their start system/procedure, at the same venue.

This was only the third start at Riversands, and just think back to the first one there, this year was a massive improvement.

I am looking forward to next year

[RFC311]

My balls ain't big enough...

???? Agreed me tooo

[Sitting@89]

I agree.

I can't explain why, but it also feels like the race has lost some it's 'charm'.

I'll still always do the race, but it feels like any other event to me

Also is it just me or were there less people supporting than usual?

[Sitting@89]

My race went superbly by any standard, even though I missed my target time by 7min it is a huge personal improvement for me. Last year took 5h25 this year I put in the training and was aiming for 3h30 ended up doing 3h37 which is still an almost two hour improvement so all in all I am a happy camper!

[Dexter-morgan]

I did it in 3:46 and my goal for next year is 6 hours, I am taking a old fashioned Raleigh Bomber and stopping at every drink stop I can.