Karoo to Coast 2017

[Ferro]

Back to the route... first time riding the K2C. Any tips or hints on what to expect and that will make the trip and race more memorable?

 

Are you camping? Going to the pre-race dinner the night before?

[Patchelicious]

Back to the route... first time riding the K2C. Any tips or hints on what to expect and that will make the trip and race more memorable?

Ride as hard as you can to get to the climb in good position, there is lots of bottle necking there. Recover on the long decent, then just pace yourself home. Ride steady up the two middle climbs and the when you get to Simola climb gas it, its short, then the run in home push till you see stars, you can't really screw it up from there. Have several beers. Let us know how it went! Enjoy the post race nap.

[LeoKnight]

Are you camping? Going to the pre-race dinner the night before?

 

We driving from Oudtshoorn the morning, so assume need to be there early enough to get through registration.

[Robbie Stewart]

We driving from Oudtshoorn the morning, so assume need to be there early enough to get through registration.

 

Registration is done on Saturday as far as I know. I am unsure if registration is available on Sunday?

As for the ride, depending on where you start, you are more than likely going to hike up Ou Wapad. Try not to blow up on the descent and climb out of De Vlugt. Once you cross the K.O.M. spot, you can speed up to a easy tempo. Remember there is one more looong climb coming up shortly, so keep it civil. After the summit at Diepwalle, you can start caning it through Kom se Pad, but hold some juice in reserve for Simola, it's gonna hurt. Once you reach tar road, you can let go of the horses, and enjoy the ride in to the finish. Congrats, you just completed your first K2C. 

[Robbie Stewart]

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Edited August 29, 2017 by Robbie Stewart

[eddy]

Registration open on the Sunday.

 

One tip, know your race number because if you don't you have to queue at a tannie with a slow laptop who has to look you up on the alphabetic list. It makes a 2 minute job a 30 minute one.

 

Hopefully they print out a couple of alphabetic lists and stick them up so you can look it up yourself.

 

 

Wrt the race, there is f0kk0l you can do if you are caught behind walkers going up the wapad. Live with it as that too will pass. If you can ride, don't go too hard as there is not much time to be made up, but much to lose.

 

If you have saved some matches, you can gooi up the climb to Buffels at about 60km. From there it is much faster with o nly a few short climbs you can hit hard out of the saddle and one nice climb up the back of Pezula. If you have not gone too hard up front, this is where you will pass many walkers.

 

What you should not do is sit on some guy's wheel on the tar drag down towards and along the lagoon and then jump him at the entrance to the stadium. It is a dick move.

[Mike89]

Hi

 

I have a K2C entry available? Please send me a DM if you interested.

 

Mikhail

[Lizzard30]

Hi

 

I have a K2C entry available? Please send me a DM if you interested.

 

Mikhail

Entries and also subs is closed..so no one can still enter..

[Robbie Stewart]

Hi

 

I have a K2C entry available? Please send me a DM if you interested.

 

Mikhail

 

You have two options (and only 2):

 

1. ride 

2. lose your entry fee

[LeoKnight]

Registration open on the Sunday.

 

One tip, know your race number because if you don't you have to queue at a tannie with a slow laptop who has to look you up on the alphabetic list. It makes a 2 minute job a 30 minute one.

 

Hopefully they print out a couple of alphabetic lists and stick them up so you can look it up yourself.

 

 

Wrt the race, there is f0kk0l you can do if you are caught behind walkers going up the wapad. Live with it as that too will pass. If you can ride, don't go too hard as there is not much time to be made up, but much to lose.

 

If you have saved some matches, you can gooi up the climb to Buffels at about 60km. From there it is much faster with o nly a few short climbs you can hit hard out of the saddle and one nice climb up the back of Pezula. If you have not gone too hard up front, this is where you will pass many walkers.

 

What you should not do is sit on some guy's wheel on the tar drag down towards and along the lagoon and then jump him at the entrance to the stadium. It is a **** move.

 

 

Thanks, so long in short hit the start fast and try and recover before the last hill

 

Quiet excited about the race 

[Robbie Stewart]

Thanks, so long in short hit the start fast and try and recover before the last hill

 

Quiet excited about the race 

 

Many first-timers pull the trigger WAY TOO HARD at the start. Even though the K2C is a "descent" as far as dropping of a mountain to the ocean, one first has to ascend these mountains. You will climb. A LOT. start fast, finish slow, if at all. Unless you going for the win, then you're clearly in a league of your own, but then you would not be asking for advice here?

 

[edit] about that last hill. Do yourself a huge favour. Google it, Strava spy it, do what you can, because at about 85 -90 ish kays in, Simola is no mere hill. It's a friggen mountain on its own...

Edited August 30, 2017 by Robbie Stewart

[Skubarra]

Many first-timers pull the trigger WAY TOO HARD at the start. 

 

[edit] about that last hill. Do yourself a huge favour. Google it, Strava spy it, do what you can, because at about 85 -90 ish kays in, Simola is no mere hill. It's a friggen mountain on its own...

 

Not knocking your post but in just wondering in general, how do one really pace yourself for a "Simola"  90kms into a race? Especially if there are lot of climbs preceding that one anyway.

 

If you deliberately ride slower for the first 90km you are not going to be faster than someone going full out for 90km and then suffering up the climb. I think it is more case of one should be mentally ready for the last suffering before the finish rather than trying to pace yourself for one climb.

[Robbie Stewart]

Not knocking your post but in just wondering in general, how do one really pace yourself for a "Simola"  90kms into a race? Especially if there are lot of climbs preceding that one anyway.

 

If you deliberately ride slower for the first 90km you are not going to be faster than someone going full out for 90km and then suffering up the climb. I think it is more case of one should be mentally ready for the last suffering before the finish rather than trying to pace yourself for one climb.

 

No knocking assumed. My point is not to say that it is possible to pace yourself for Simola, as I too am of the opinion that Simola is more a mental preparation than a physical one, much like Suikerbossie on the CTCT seems to wind most people up the wrong way, when it is not really such a big climb. But in saying that, it does help if you do not strike all your matches in the first half of the race thinking you have it sorted by Diepwalle.

 

Kom se Pad is in itself a 10km long stretch of constant uphill, and on the FB page, they refer to it as the hill no-one mentions. That and Simola so soon after one another tend to be crippling if you are not adequately prepared. This is why I intend to convey to 1st time riders that it is wise to "pace" yourself in terms of not blowing up mid-way through, due to exuberance, adrenaline or merely being under-trained, This is still a big effort event for all the no-pro's, like me.

[Cadre]

This event does nothing to better my seeding index. On the contrary.

 

I do this as an outing to the Eastern Cape and Klein Karoo.

 

The missus and I do not get ample opportunity to escape. 

 

My race plan.

 

1).Take in the view. 

 

1). I am going to suffer up the climbs, like I do every year. Vasbyt.

 

1). Make friends and take along my sense of humour.

 

1). Bitch, moan, curse myself and question my agenda on the hard climbs.

 

1). Simola is 1.72 km straight UP. Comes after 90km in. Question agenda once more.

 

After the 1st beer at the finish, say to yourself  "That was lekka, I will be back next year, all is forgiven". 

[bj horn]

When you get to the bridge before the Simola climb you can smell the sea and the cool breeze helps a bit .But what works for me is discussing the merits of a couple of cold ones with some other tired looking guys struggling uphill ,expecting to reach the top around the next corner,only to find another corner and another.

[LeoKnight]

When you get to the bridge before the Simola climb you can smell the sea and the cool breeze helps a bit .But what works for me is discussing the merits of a couple of cold ones with some other tired looking guys struggling uphill ,expecting to reach the top around the next corner,only to find another corner and another.

 

So is it better or worst in knowing how much is left or not?  Reason I am asking is if there is any benefit in loading the route in the gps to keep track of how much is left, or is that just to much...

 

On Cadre's point, I fully agree first objective is to enjoy the views and fellow riders have a few chirps and enjoy the race, the reason for at least going a bit harder at the start is that I am ok with the guys passing me on the last hill, but would prefer to ride out the start instead of walking it out.