[Event] PHILADELPHIA MTB

[LeoKnight]

Did the 75km.. was long day out there but really enjoyed it, third time doing it and always look forward to it (ok maybe not the sand lol)

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

Great race, took a wrong turn with a-b bunch,we all had to turn around. Lol .

Some missed that swampy detour. I love the sand.my calves are sore walking up that one k@k climb????.

75km is a tough one.

Will be back next year.

Well done to organisers

Edited April 14, 2018 by Oufy MTB (Roadie)

[LeoKnight]

for those guys at the sharp end of the race, was there any issues with the route mergers?  Was wondering if that section where the 75 and 56 gets together.

 

Also I can attest I had no issues with the young guns shooting past, was considerate and friendly, not sure how they experience some of the other riders on route.

 

Another thing that I like, the race organisers take into account the comments on the race and not scared to change the route for this, for example that second climb, they change the route up to the right, and also cut out the final climb to the top of that hill (another organiser that for me also does this is the Darling Brew crew, they flipped the long race around, so you go up the mountain first {or I misread the route profile}

[JEDLO]

Hi guys.  Thanks for the positive comments.  Please tel us what you liked and what not.  I know it was dry( the worst I have experienced in my life) and the sand quite a lot but we try our best to limit the sandy parts without cutting out the river part.  Sorry for the confusion with the markings after the first climb.  The funrun markings were placed wrongly.  Have a good rest

[LeoKnight]

Hi guys. Thanks for the positive comments. Please tel us what you liked and what not. I know it was dry( the worst I have experienced in my life) and the sand quite a lot but we try our best to limit the sandy parts without cutting out the river part. Sorry for the confusion with the markings after the first climb. The funrun markings were placed wrongly. Have a good rest

See you guys next year.. and oh can't remember when last I have actually had a race where my garmin and the actual distance was spot on.

[Morne Veer]

bwahaha not a chance Top 10 is my goal at the very least, just too many talented riders out there these days.

 

Top 10 you said - somme klapping a 2nd place is different to a top ten in my book - well done, you monster you !

[milky4130]

Top 10 you said - somme klapping a 2nd place is different to a top ten in my book - well done, you monster you !

Hee hee i was shocked.

[milky4130]

Hi guys.  Thanks for the positive comments.  Please tel us what you liked and what not.  I know it was dry( the worst I have experienced in my life) and the sand quite a lot but we try our best to limit the sandy parts without cutting out the river part.  Sorry for the confusion with the markings after the first climb.  The funrun markings were placed wrongly.  Have a good rest

First race i've been to & there was no prize giving, even if there is no prizes to give at least acknowledge the riders in the respective race distances that finished top 3 male & females. Its important for the sponsors of some riders.

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

for those guys at the sharp end of the race, was there any issues with the route mergers? Was wondering if that section where the 75 and 56 gets together.

 

Also I can attest I had no issues with the young guns shooting past, was considerate and friendly, not sure how they experience some of the other riders on route.

 

Another thing that I like, the race organisers take into account the comments on the race and not scared to change the route for this, for example that second climb, they change the route up to the right, and also cut out the final climb to the top of that hill (another organiser that for me also does this is the Darling Brew crew, they flipped the long race around, so you go up the mountain first {or I misread the route profile}

I was placed 55th, so definitely not on the sharp end but the mergers was not an issue for me. The folks gave way as soon as they see you coming and not being a single track race, there were ample space to pass.

[Chingy182]

for those guys at the sharp end of the race, was there any issues with the route mergers?  Was wondering if that section where the 75 and 56 gets together.

 

Also I can attest I had no issues with the young guns shooting past, was considerate and friendly, not sure how they experience some of the other riders on route.

 

Another thing that I like, the race organisers take into account the comments on the race and not scared to change the route for this, for example that second climb, they change the route up to the right, and also cut out the final climb to the top of that hill (another organiser that for me also does this is the Darling Brew crew, they flipped the long race around, so you go up the mountain first {or I misread the route profile}

I was trying to crack it into the top 20 of the 56km today, didn't quite get there, but close enough to put a smile on my face. 

I didn't bump into a lot of the 75km guys on the merge, but did get stuck with a lot of 30km riders coming through some of that last single track towards the finish. They were all very friendly and let faster riders go past them without much  complaint. 

 

I had a lot of tyre issues today and had to bomb 2x and only made it to the finish with just enough air left in my wheel to keep me going. Maybe a technical station at one of the water points would be a good addition to the event, or in my case I was just desperate for a bike pump at the very least to be present at the water points.

[dannygirl]

Hi guys.  Thanks for the positive comments.  Please tel us what you liked and what not.  I know it was dry( the worst I have experienced in my life) and the sand quite a lot but we try our best to limit the sandy parts without cutting out the river part.  Sorry for the confusion with the markings after the first climb.  The funrun markings were placed wrongly.  Have a good rest

To Annemart and team - thanks for another very well-organised event!

 

My 2c:

Markings were great (37km)

Distance was what it said it would be

Start, finish area, bike park etc all worked well

Think the introduction of a 57km route was very positive. Perhaps not all will agree, but seeing as there is now a longer middle distance route, perhaps consider reducing the distance of the 37km to closer to 30km...that way some of the 13km bunch could possibly move up a bit, plus in my opinion that last 5/6km sandy bit is just more of the same and don't really add any value...

Oh, (and this is something that would be nice for most events on farms) a would it not be nice to know on which farm we are riding?

 

Things I've seen today:

Sand

A tandem MTB cycling up that steepest bit near the top of the climb to the mast where us mere mortals struggled to even push...

Spectacular falls - all in soft sand...

Sand

 

Will be back next year!

[JEDLO]

First race i've been to & there was no prize giving, even if there is no prizes to give at least acknowledge the riders in the respective race distances that finished top 3 male & females. Its important for the sponsors of some riders.

 

There was a lucky draw.  PPA advised us not to give any prizes for first finishers.  Two years ago Racetec messed up the winners and published the wrong people. If we gave prizes then it would have been a big embarrassment. 

[milky4130]

Aaah PPA say no more.

[karma]

Aaah PPA say no more.

If you look at the results, especially women, you'll notice some suspect finishing times...nothing stopped anyone from taking the shorter split and finishing without saying anything...

[Morne Veer]

Hi guys.  Thanks for the positive comments.  Please tel us what you liked and what not.  I know it was dry( the worst I have experienced in my life) and the sand quite a lot but we try our best to limit the sandy parts without cutting out the river part.  Sorry for the confusion with the markings after the first climb.  The funrun markings were placed wrongly.  Have a good rest

 

Great day out with friends and families alike. 

 

An eye opener for me personally, thinking you can pitch up and ride the 75km lekker hard, without proper miles in the legs - ouch ! Cramped up badly on the bike, and even worst off it after the finish.

 

Well marked (if the front front guys listened to the announcer on the start line before we got going in the A batch, they would have heard clearly, follow the BLACK and RED directional boards, and not have been influenced by a lone hitchhiker (blue arrow on small yellow board if I remember correctly) - lol, but jokes aside, we know we are all sheep out there, so when the first guy turns, we all follow.....luckily for me I found myself with two other riders leading the race over the first big climb of the day, and then some....my claim to fame !! lol

 

Do agree though that it is critical that the top 3 in all the distances (men and ladies) get due recognition - even if there are no prize money, a mere podium with handshake will do. Sorting out the top three is very easy, and even when there was riders in the 75 km who decided to take the "chicken run" rather and follow the 56 km route, it could have been sorted out chop-chop.....let's face it, the top 3 would have known they were the top 3 (actually, it happens often that guys opt to go shorter during the race, and must never be used as an excuse not to recognize the efforts and achievements of the men and ladies who had the afterburners going.  

 

ps:  I was merely fighting for a top 50 (if that) so the above is not remotely aimed at myself, but I do feel for all the men, ladies, (including boys and girls in the shorter distances).

[babse]

There was a lucky draw. PPA advised us not to give any prizes for first finishers. Two years ago Racetec messed up the winners and published the wrong people. If we gave prizes then it would have been a big embarrassment.

That's no excuse in my opinion.

 

If you can run an event like this surely you can recognize top 3 male and female in each distance (not rocket science)!?

 

As said it is critical to at least recognize them even if it's with a lucky packet on the podium.

 

Yes I understand it's not about the winners blah blah blah, good luck motivating them to come back next year.