947 Cycle Challenge 2019

[Jehosefat]

What time approx do the charity groups start?

 

There were a few charity batches last year. Stating times were 8 - 8:30.

 

I remember 8AM for some reason... but I might be way out. 

 

Absolute last group departs around 9h30...methinks

 

I think the last group goes off a bit later. I finished at 9:30 last year and the final group had not started yet.

[bobbie]

IIRC charity groups started with us, the corporate teams, at 07:30 last year. I remember pushing a CHOC ice cream bike thing not very far from the start.

 

 

Well then I can say a big Thank You from The Cows for helping pushing that ice cream bike you legend!

 

Our Charity Group, The Cows, took off just after 8am.

[Dexter-morgan]

Riding my 10th with the Wife, she wants to do around 4hrs, we need to step-up training

[Matuka]

Anyone who has done their training at Suikerbosrand I would be very interested to know how that relates to your 947 times. What sort of time would you need to be doing the 56km full loop in order to get a sub 3 947 on the reversed route? 

[Jehosefat]

Anyone who has done their training at Suikerbosrand I would be very interested to know how that relates to your 947 times. What sort of time would you need to be doing the 56km full loop in order to get a sub 3 947 on the reversed route? 

 

Last year I managed a double loop of Suikerbossie in just over 5 hours and a 94.7 time of 2:51. (My first lap of Suikerbossie was about 2:20 then I stopped for a snack and did around 2:35 for the second).

 

So I reckon sub 2:30 on Suikerbossie should do you for a sub 3 on 94.7 although that will depend on if you manage to find a nice group on the M1.

[Ramrod]

Does anyone know how you get to do the double loop?

[TyronLab]

Anyone who has done their training at Suikerbosrand I would be very interested to know how that relates to your 947 times. What sort of time would you need to be doing the 56km full loop in order to get a sub 3 947 on the reversed route? 

 

First off a disclaimer - I am a fat-ish, inexperienced noob when it comes to training, but I have trained for the 94.7 and the Transbaviaans and have ridden Suikerbosrand a handful of times.

 

Even though I love riding Suikerbosrand and think its a great place to go train, I don't think it actually relates to the 94.7 very well. If you consider the route profiles, you need very different energy systems to excel at them individually.

 

94.7

 

Suikerbosrand

 

Suikerbosrand has very few flat sections, you're either climbing a steep hill or bombing down a descent, so being a maergat climber and a confident descender will make you quick.

 

With the 94.7 there are substantial drags of little to no gradient, especially in the second half. So if you can put out a decent amount of consistent power at higher speed over an extended period of time you can compensate for being slow on the climbs. Also, although there are a few quick descents on the 94.7 they're generally straight, wide roads, so you don't need to be very good at descending.

 

Sure, there will be some correlation in times between the two (faster at SBR will be faster at 94.7 too), but I don't think there's a ratio / rule you can apply to know what your 94.7 time will be based on your Suikerbosrand time.

[Jehosefat]

Does anyone know how you get to do the double loop?

 

You have to have done sub-3:30 last year and sign up for a charity that is doing the double loop. If you didn't do the race last year I'm sure they would let you do it if your seeding was good enough.

[Ramrod]

You have to have done sub-3:30 last year and sign up for a charity that is doing the double loop. If you didn't do the race last year I'm sure they would let you do it if your seeding was good enough.

Thank you.

 

Ok so i have to sign up through a charity then.  

[Frosty]

Does anyone know how you get to do the double loop?

Officially or unofficially?

 

Lots of people have done the double unofficially- just remove your chip so it doesn’t mess with your first lap.

[Ramrod]

Officially or unofficially?

 

Lots of people have done the double unofficially- just remove your chip so it doesn’t mess with your first lap.

Actually doesnt matter to me. Just want to do it

[Dexter-morgan]

I see they will be "feeding" the 40k riders onto the highway at 9:30, so the majority of Week-end warriors will be slowed down by the 40k riders, lets hope they are fresh and can carry/take the wind for us.

[Rob22]

I see they will be "feeding" the 40k riders onto the highway at 9:30, so the majority of Week-end warriors will be slowed down by the 40k riders, lets hope they are fresh and can carry/take the wind for us.

So a lot of work has been done to make sure the 40k has the minimum impact on the main race.

 

- 40k will only start at 9:30 when nearly all seeded riders would be past this point

- the 40k groups will be small and will be ‘drip fed” onto the route

- there is then 10km of wide (with road closure) highway before the first main road (again with full road closure)

- on the highway fast cyclist will keep left while slower keeping right

- the merge point will be bailed for a distance to get separation

 

Happy to engage with experienced cyclists to ensure the main race is not impacted whilst growing the interest in cycling (which is critical in ensuring these events continue)

[Milosh]

I am not sure i like the idea of short route merging, a bit like Mtb races where the young guns racing the short loop for school honours feed back into the mid field of the longer loop and doing stupid things to get past.

 

That said the M1 is hardly single track and should be wide enough. and the serious guys would have passed by that time.

 

Given my lack of road seeding and riding on MTB I guess i will find out how well this works on the day ;-)  Fingers crossed  

[Frosty]

So a lot of work has been done to make sure the 40k has the minimum impact on the main race.

 

- 40k will only start at 9:30 when nearly all seeded riders would be past this point

- the 40k groups will be small and will be ‘drip fed” onto the route

- there is then 10km of wide (with road closure) highway before the first main road (again with full road closure)

- on the highway fast cyclist will keep left while slower keeping right

- the merge point will be bailed for a distance to get separation

 

Happy to engage with experienced cyclists to ensure the main race is not impacted whilst growing the interest in cycling (which is critical in ensuring these events continue)

I honestly don’t see any problem with the 40Km joining at 09:30. As you’ve said, the highway is wide, so there should be plenty space for all.

[Fat Boab]

The only thing that stands out is the the contradiction of the usual keep left, pass right. I appreciate it's because of the road layout at that point and the baling is intended to assist.

 

Will be interesting to see how it works on the day!

 

So a lot of work has been done to make sure the 40k has the minimum impact on the main race.

 

- 40k will only start at 9:30 when nearly all seeded riders would be past this point

- the 40k groups will be small and will be ‘drip fed” onto the route

- there is then 10km of wide (with road closure) highway before the first main road (again with full road closure)

- on the highway fast cyclist will keep left while slower keeping right

- the merge point will be bailed for a distance to get separation

 

Happy to engage with experienced cyclists to ensure the main race is not impacted whilst growing the interest in cycling (which is critical in ensuring these events continue)