Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge - #CC2017

[Vetseun]

On Malibongwe one of those little F@#@ers tried to steal my waterbottle out of my frame whilst I was waiting for my cousin to come up the hill... And just to add to my frustration with them, on the road you turned to the right after Malibongwe (whatever it's name was), one of them asked me to give him my bike. Seriously?! My bike!!!!!

Must have been Zumas 220th laaitie

[LeoKnight]

On Malibongwe one of those little F@#@ers tried to steal my waterbottle out of my frame whilst I was waiting for my cousin to come up the hill... And just to add to my frustration with them, on the road you turned to the right after Malibongwe (whatever it's name was), one of them asked me to give him my bike. Seriously?! My bike!!!!!

 

One of the things they warn cyclist at Suikerbossie during the CTCT, is that it is best not to accept any "helping hands" to push you up the hill as your pockets might be a bit lighter afterwards.  

 

This is not all the helping hands, but there are some that do make use of the opportunity.

[Garfield2010]

So in my 8 x 94.7 races up to date I have never done a sub 3.  Came close once (03h05) but with my second best time being (03h15) it was always going to have to be near perfect race. 

 

Being from Bloem we are always struggling as we don't have real hills and this race just pounds you all the way.

 

Started in "D".  Started right in front and hung onto the leading 10-15 okes until they dropped me at Kayalami.  Another 5 guys came past and we joined forces and after just getting onto the M1 I couldn't keep up but fortunately by then we caught a very large contingent of the "B" bunch.  They didn't go that fast but I used the time to recover a bit and eat a gel and drink some Hammer nutrition.

 

Got to Nelson Mandela bridge at exactly 01h28 and I knew it was touch and go.  The race suddenly exploded and I decided to go with a few guys breaking away mainly for safety reasons.  From Wtikoppen is was a real drag but somehow managed to keep the average up at around 34km (I knew if it fell below 33km I had problems. 

 

When we hit the last climb before Steyn City the average was in fact 34.5 but I was toast- still managed to hang on just.  I started to feel rejuvenated as I made my calculations in my head in terms of minutes vs km's left and realised I could almost walk the last 2km and not even a puncture would stop me.  Came in at 02h47. 

 

The difference this year??  KICKR Interval / brutal FTP building sessions along with lots of running

 

And luck. 

 

The race was so hectic that I only had time to eat 1 gel and drink one bottle of water.

[Letum911]

Maybe next time he should use the sarcasm font just to avoid confusion.

At that point in time not even doing it as a Schuster scam would be funny! 

[Long Wheel Base]

I see these little guys at quite a few races(carnival, kremetart, wilro to name a few) and TBH I have never had issues with them. Just seen them as innocent kids. I have never ridden with sweets so have never given them anything but I wonder if it is good for them to be eating sweets though? Their bodies aren't used to all that sugar. It's part of living in RSA and something I highly doubt we will ever get away from.

[GaryvdM]

So in my 8 x 94.7 races up to date I have never done a sub 3.  Came close once (03h05) but with my second best time being (03h15) it was always going to have to be near perfect race. 

 

Being from Bloem we are always struggling as we don't have real hills and this race just pounds you all the way.

 

Started in "D".  Started right in front and hung onto the leading 10-15 okes until they dropped me at Kayalami.  Another 5 guys came past and we joined forces and after just getting onto the M1 I couldn't keep up but fortunately by then we caught a very large contingent of the "B" bunch.  They didn't go that fast but I used the time to recover a bit and eat a gel and drink some Hammer nutrition.

 

Got to Nelson Mandela bridge at exactly 01h28 and I knew it was touch and go.  The race suddenly exploded and I decided to go with a few guys breaking away mainly for safety reasons.  From Wtikoppen is was a real drag but somehow managed to keep the average up at around 34km (I knew if it fell below 33km I had problems. 

 

When we hit the last climb before Steyn City the average was in fact 34.5 but I was toast- still managed to hang on just.  I started to feel rejuvenated as I made my calculations in my head in terms of minutes vs km's left and realised I could almost walk the last 2km and not even a puncture would stop me.  Came in at 02h47. 

 

The difference this year??  KICKR Interval / brutal FTP building sessions along with lots of running

 

And luck. 

 

The race was so hectic that I only had time to eat 1 gel and drink one bottle of water.

 

Doing that mental arithmetic in your head is never easy when you are on the limit. Well done!

[Mr lee]

They were after the farbars. Saw a few guys throw one their way and all they did was stick it in their pockets and carry on asking for a Chocolate!!! If they were that hungry they would have eaten it there and then!

 

Actually got quite irritating after hearing it go on for 20km's or so  . How was it that every kid along-side the road for that distance knew to say what the others 20km's back were saying to get what they wanted?

[Mongoose!]

 

 

The difference this year??  KICKR Interval / brutal FTP building sessions along with lots of running

 

 

 

Thx for sharing. I wondered how you became suddenly (refer to our local races) so strong

[LeoKnight]

They were after the farbars. Saw a few guys throw one their way and all they did was stick it in their pockets and carry on asking for a Chocolate!!! If they were that hungry they would have eaten it there and then!

 

Actually got quite irritating after hearing it go on for 20km's or so  . How was it that every kid along-side the road for that distance knew to say what the others 20km's back were saying to get what they wanted?

 

Actually at the previous (actual) CTCT, the kids on the side change their tune, and then they start asking for bottles, not sure if it recycled, or sold, or whatever.

[Garfield2010]

Thx for sharing. I wondered how you became suddenly (refer to our local races) so strong

 

Still very far down the pecking order.  One thing you learn in cycling (or triathlon) is that there is always a lot of guys who go a lot faster than you.

[Cyclewizz]

They were after the farbars. Saw a few guys throw one their way and all they did was stick it in their pockets and carry on asking for a Chocolate!!! If they were that hungry they would have eaten it there and then!

 

Actually got quite irritating after hearing it go on for 20km's or so  . How was it that every kid along-side the road for that distance knew to say what the others 20km's back were saying to get what they wanted?

 

Because the 1 year long, long ago there were 3 or 4 kids asking for chocolates, somebody riding past felt sorry for them and gave them whatever they had.

So the following year these 3 or 4 kids told their friends that if you say "chocolate, chocolate" some cyclists will give you stuff.

 

Now there are at least 50 kids saying "chocolate, chocolate" spread over a few km.

Next year there'll be more - unfortunately 

 

I only heard 1 say "bottle"

[L46]

What I have done in the past is to grab sweets at all the filling stations where they are eagerly handing out bar one's etc, not because I need it but to give to the first little trick-or-treater I see. Imagine it as a Halloween of sorts for us Saffers that don't do the real one. 

 

The famous old bar one station gave me a 25 hour day for all the wrong reasons... I could not have missed them, where did they go?

 

At least some sanity prevailed with the tequila, melk ysies, bar one's, and a warm coke up Witkoppen, thanks for those and all the other support along the route.

 

Also to the numerous sunblock sprayers, thanks a million.

 

What other stops do I need to look out for in future?  (Excl. the usual water points) 

[Patchelicious]

I cannot believe that we are honestly moaning because some kids asking for a chocolate. Kids that try and steal your stuff are a different story, but just asking for a sweetie?

 

They have nothing, they are kids, you are riding in a race which entry probably costs more than their parents make in a month. Your bicycle would probably fund their schooling for a few years.

 

Get some perceptive. Come guys, lets have some compassion.

 

Dont give them sweets if you dont want, but if a kid asking you for a sweetie once a year ruins your day, maybe you need a holiday.

 

Edit: Sorry that I went off topic. Think I have said what I wanted too. Will drop it now.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Patchelicious

[Spinnekop]

I cannot believe that we are honestly moaning because some kids ask for a chocolate. Kids that try and steal your stuff are a different story, but just asking for a sweetie?

 

They have nothing, they are kids, you are riding in a race which entry probably costs more than their parents make in a month. Your bicycle would probably fund their schooling for a few years.

 

Get some perceptive. Come guys, lets have some compassion.

 

Dont give them sweets if you dont want, but if a kid asking you for a sweetie once a year ruins your day, maybe you need a holiday.

 

Edit: Sorry that I went off topic. Think I have said what I wanted too. Will drop it now.

Sorry bud.

 

All my compassion stolen.

[Sani]

So in my 8 x 94.7 races up to date I have never done a sub 3.  Came close once (03h05) but with my second best time being (03h15) it was always going to have to be near perfect race. 

 

Being from Bloem we are always struggling as we don't have real hills and this race just pounds you all the way.

 

Started in "D".  Started right in front and hung onto the leading 10-15 okes until they dropped me at Kayalami.  Another 5 guys came past and we joined forces and after just getting onto the M1 I couldn't keep up but fortunately by then we caught a very large contingent of the "B" bunch.  They didn't go that fast but I used the time to recover a bit and eat a gel and drink some Hammer nutrition.

 

Got to Nelson Mandela bridge at exactly 01h28 and I knew it was touch and go.  The race suddenly exploded and I decided to go with a few guys breaking away mainly for safety reasons.  From Wtikoppen is was a real drag but somehow managed to keep the average up at around 34km (I knew if it fell below 33km I had problems. 

 

When we hit the last climb before Steyn City the average was in fact 34.5 but I was toast- still managed to hang on just.  I started to feel rejuvenated as I made my calculations in my head in terms of minutes vs km's left and realised I could almost walk the last 2km and not even a puncture would stop me.  Came in at 02h47. 

 

The difference this year??  KICKR Interval / brutal FTP building sessions along with lots of running

 

And luck. 

 

The race was so hectic that I only had time to eat 1 gel and drink one bottle of water.

Well Done !!!

[Rata-tat-tat]

Please don’t label all second lappers as a problem. Some guys go out their way to assist others along the route, by either a physical push up a hill, or to offer encouragement. These guys generally won’t be racing on their second lap nor asking people to get out of the way.

 

I am aware that Joel Stransky’s DL group have been shouting at people to get out the way... I’ve witnessed it twice in three years while on a second lap. I addressed it with them last year and was shown the middle finger by someone in their group. They claim they ride two abreast and don’t interfere with the slower riders.

 

 

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If that's the case, you should get in contact with his sponser, Takeda.