PPA Cyclo Sportif No 2

[Mamil]

The big takeaway from this morning's sportif is that I need to lose some more weight. I was not unaware of the irony as I donned my new skeleton cycle top over my new bib shorts (a gift from another hubber and the only time a man can give another man underwear) and saw how the bulges and curves of the 5 or 6 extra kilos I carry on my upper body gave the rib cage motif of the shirt an anatomically unnatural look.

 

The race itself confirmed the poor opinion I muttered to myself about my oversize midrif  as I turned away from the mirror. I opted to take the upgrade to the lofty heights of F batch that the mad scientists formula at the PPA offered me and made sure I lined up close to the front of the group that as it happened, went all the way from E to I. 

 

And here's the rub - I'm moderately fit, I'm fairly strong, but there is simply too much of me to pedal up the hills as fast as the faster guys in E and F. The group split into two quite quickly and I decided to try and stay with the fast group. By the 7th kilometer I was watching them inch away from me and I as I dug deep to keep a decent pace going I had a private and censorious conversation with myself about my unhealthy relationship with peanut butter and my lifelong habit of helping myself to a second plate of almost whatever is going.

 

Then the second group caught me and toyed with me for a while before spitting me out.

 

I pedaled like mad to catch  two other stragglers and then had a fairly decent time sharing the workload to the top of Bothmaskloof where we picked up another F batcher and then we four steamed along at a good pace, sharing the work nicely until kilometer 70 where we got caught by a larger batch comprising a whole lot of letters - from B all the way to L. We merged with them and that was the race.

 

I finished in the top half of the field and I'm prouder of this than my role as filler on the slope of the bell curve warrants - 32kmph average is my fastest yet over the distance so I'm all smiles.

 

Well organised event with good marshaling particularly from the chaps on the motorbikes. Thank you to all concerned and looking forward to number 3.

[Allrounder]

I had a good race, but as mamil say, to much of me. On MTB and 4 hours. I am not nearly fit enough. But now I know what I have to do. Over all I enjoyed the ride.

['Dale]

Gotta love your race reports, Mamil ????

Good going

Stick to F and soon you'll be right at home ????

[Mamil]

Thanks Dale. Were you there? How was everyone else's ride?

[Thor Buttox]

The big takeaway from this morning's sportif is that I need to lose some more weight. I was not unaware of the irony as I donned my new skeleton cycle top over my new bib shorts (a gift from another hubber and the only time a man can give another man underwear) and saw how the bulges and curves of the 5 or 6 extra kilos I carry on my upper body gave the rib cage motif of the shirt an anatomically unnatural look.

 

The race itself confirmed the poor opinion I muttered to myself about my oversize midrif as I turned away from the mirror. I opted to take the upgrade to the lofty heights of F batch that the mad scientists formula at the PPA offered me and made sure I lined up close to the front of the group that as it happened, went all the way from E to I.

 

And here's the rub - I'm moderately fit, I'm fairly strong, but there is simply too much of me to pedal up the hills as fast as the faster guys in E and F. The group split into two quite quickly and I decided to try and stay with the fast group. By the 7th kilometer I was watching them inch away from me and I as I dug deep to keep a decent pace going I had a private and censorious conversation with myself about my unhealthy relationship with peanut butter and my lifelong habit of helping myself to a second plate of almost whatever is going.

 

Then the second group caught me and toyed with me for a while before spitting me out.

 

I pedaled like mad to catch two other stragglers and then had a fairly decent time sharing the workload to the top of Bothmaskloof where we picked up another F batcher and then we four steamed along at a good pace, sharing the work nicely until kilometer 70 where we got caught by a larger batch comprising a whole lot of letters - from B all the way to L. We merged with them and that was the race.

 

I finished in the top half of the field and I'm prouder of this than my role as filler on the slope of the bell curve warrants - 32kmph average is my fastest yet over the distance so I'm all smiles.

 

Well organised event with good marshaling particularly from the chaps on the motorbikes. Thank you to all concerned and looking forward to number 3.

Skelethor approves of your style.

['Dale]

Glad the rain gods held back until much later ????✅

[Oakley360]

Was soooo nice doing my first standalone cycle race in 1,5 years(mostly doing triathlons now). This slipstream things embraced me well..

 

Got caught between the split of the A bunch and ended up doing a nice training ride!

 

Simple and easy race(in terms of organising) - well done to all!!

[MDJ]

Cold, but awesome ride - results up on Racetec!

[SeanMort]

Nice winter event ! Tough route for a tandem, especially the first half. Only two tandems were present, but we were happy to start with the A guys, and figured correctly that the elastic would snap for us before the pass, so we conserved our energies for the most part. The other tandem pair were much lighter and soldiered on with the bunch, but with 30km to go we caught and passed them. Apart from the first 40min, much of our time was spent alone or on the front of a small group of spent souls.

[Sparki 1]

enjoyed this event. hopefully the weather will play along again for #3.

[Pure Savage]

Was injured for last one, keen for this weekend!

['Dale]

Was injured for last one, keen for this weekend!

 

See you there, cupcake 

[Pure Savage]

See you there, cupcake 

Sure thing sausage

[babse]

See you there, cupcake 

hoping all the snot drips away and il see you there 'Dale 

['Dale]

Sure thing sausage

 

 

Hehehee

 

 

@Babse, hope to see you there, man.

It's been a while.

[Thor Buttox]

Sure thing sausage

'Sausage cupcake... Drool' as Homer J would say