947 Cycle Challenge 2019

[Vetplant]

did you manually go into the racetec stats and pull those out ?

 

 

Yep, fairly easy to do...

http://results.racetec.co.za/results_by_event.aspx?RID=9840&EN=Sun%2018%2F11%2F2018%202018%20Telkom%20947%20Cycle%20Challenge%20%2894.7km%20%2D%2095km%29&SG=D&page=2

[Matuka]

6:51 is arounf I or J right? There should be some bunches, but the spread of strong riders willing to work seems to drop off by then.

 

Looking at last year, the chances reduce quickly as you pass Group G.

 

2018

Start Group - Number of sub3's

D - 189

E - 83

F - 34

G - 18

H - 15

I - 5

J - 3 

K - 3

 

Don't be discouraged though, it might happen if you get lucky and find a group of guys willing to work. You just need 5 or so guys, which can always happen on the day.

 

 

This is very interesting and sobering! I didnt think of doing this thanks for posting it. 

I'm hoping for a (very) good day and some like minded people!

[Vetplant]

This is very interesting and sobering! I didnt think of doing this thanks for posting it. 

I'm hoping for a (very) good day and some like minded people!

The excessive heat on the day(32Deg C at 9AM) surely had a massive impact on the results as the sooner you started the longer you rode in more comfortable conditions.

 

Let's hope for some decent temperatures and the odds might just shift in your favour.

 

But don't put all your hopes on a Sub-3, enjoy the event for what it is and if the sub-3 comes you will be ecstatic.

[thisismyotherbike]

The excessive heat on the day(32Deg C at 9AM) surely had a massive impact on the results as the sooner you started the longer you rode in more comfortable conditions.

 

Let's hope for some decent temperatures and the odds might just shift in your favour.

 

But don't put all your hopes on a Sub-3, enjoy the event for what it is and if the sub-3 comes you will be ecstatic.

 

Temperature reading taken by Edge 820 at last year's 947, 6:15 start time.  24 degrees average.  Warm enough in places to be uncomfortable.

 

I recall 9:30am at the finish venue it was already a struggle to find a shaded table to enjoy your beer, sitting in the sun was too unpleasant.  If you start an hour later your ride is significantly more challenging, on top of being surrounded by fewer guys capable of doing sub 3.

 

It was quite a hot day for early November; hopefully this year is cooler.

 

As an aside - the temperature fluctuations are quite interesting between different areas!  The finish is clearly a bit cooler than the stretch on the R55.

[TyronLab]

Received my seeding, thanks to my fantastic-for-the-time-and-the-training 4:06 last year I was seeded in L. I set myself the challenge of doing a sub-3:30 this year on my MTB, running MTB tyres (i.e. not having money to ride anything else). No reason, just wanted a goal to strive for.

 

I however have a new riding buddy that's pretty fit, and has been spinning for a while, that has scored a corporate entry along with me. He's capable of doing a 4:00 - 4:30 at the moment. I am thus sitting with a dilemma, do I start in L with a much greater chance of finding a group to stick to, but ride "alone", or do I fall back to W with the corporate group and ride with a friend?

 

For reference, I decided to that I'm going to fall back to W and ride with my buddy, even if it ends up taking 5hrs. I'm posting this in the hopes that everyone reading this thread is reminded that we're all out there to have fun riding our bikes. Sure, getting a sub-3 gives you bragging rights at your local club ride, but objectively its just a made-up cutoff of a race you're statistically not going to be winning based on a measurement that isn't even fixed. Getting out and having a good time matters more than being able to state that you made an arbitrary e-peen cut-off.

[Frosty]

I listened to an interesting podcast on the way home today, on the TrainingPeaks CoachCast series, about sweating during a hot event. Got me thinking back to a few events where I "suffered" as a result of the heat... yesterday's Amashova, 947 in 2012 (was sweating bucket loads just standing waiting to join the start batches under the N1 bridge (in Woodmead), and a few other long training rides. 

 

Some people sweat a lot (have a dam beneath then after an IDT workout) but don't lose a lot of "salt", while other lose a lot of salt and/or sweat.

 

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach-blog/coachcast-hydration-strategy-with-andy-blow/

 

They refer to a condition called hyponatremia (a medical term describing low (hypo) blood sodium levels (natremia – Na is the chemical symbol for sodium). People that think they need to drink lots of water before an event, to "hydrate" could be diluting their sodium levels in their body. I could relate to the test they have online, that asks if you have white crystals on your gear (helmet straps, jersey, and possibly arms/legs. This is a sign of a lot of "salt" loss. 

 

https://www.precisionhydration.com/blogs/hydration_advice/what-is-hyponatremia-and-how-can-you-avoid-it

 

I see a basic Google search brings up a few local sites that mention Precision Hydration, of which Food for Sport have an article on their website that says they have partnered with PH.

 

Will read a bit more into this, and do some of my own testing over the next 4 weeks (excluding this coming weekend, as I'm not racing) to see if adding sodium-rich products to my training and racing will make a difference. Once done, I'll add it to my useful info thread I created - link in my signature.

[Dexter-morgan]

I listened to an interesting podcast on the way home today, on the TrainingPeaks CoachCast series, about sweating during a hot event. Got me thinking back to a few events where I "suffered" as a result of the heat... yesterday's Amashova, 947 in 2012 (was sweating bucket loads just standing waiting to join the start batches under the N1 bridge (in Woodmead), and a few other long training rides. 

 

Some people sweat a lot (have a dam beneath then after an IDT workout) but don't lose a lot of "salt", while other lose a lot of salt and/or sweat.

 

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach-blog/coachcast-hydration-strategy-with-andy-blow/

 

They refer to a condition called hyponatremia (a medical term describing low (hypo) blood sodium levels (natremia – Na is the chemical symbol for sodium). People that think they need to drink lots of water before an event, to "hydrate" could be diluting their sodium levels in their body. I could relate to the test they have online, that asks if you have white crystals on your gear (helmet straps, jersey, and possibly arms/legs. This is a sign of a lot of "salt" loss. 

 

https://www.precisionhydration.com/blogs/hydration_advice/what-is-hyponatremia-and-how-can-you-avoid-it

 

I see a basic Google search brings up a few local sites that mention Precision Hydration, of which Food for Sport have an article on their website that says they have partnered with PH.

 

Will read a bit more into this, and do some of my own testing over the next 4 weeks (excluding this coming weekend, as I'm not racing) to see if adding sodium-rich products to my training and racing will make a difference. Once done, I'll add it to my useful info thread I created - link in my signature.

I think we will be needing this help come this Sunday @32 degrees. during the carnival race.

[Fat Boab]

Hyponatremia was a subject of great interest to Tim Noakes. I think he talks of it in Lore of Running. At the time it flew in the face of gatorade sponsored research to drink ahead of your thirst.

 

 

I listened to an interesting podcast on the way home today, on the TrainingPeaks CoachCast series, about sweating during a hot event. Got me thinking back to a few events where I "suffered" as a result of the heat... yesterday's Amashova, 947 in 2012 (was sweating bucket loads just standing waiting to join the start batches under the N1 bridge (in Woodmead), and a few other long training rides.

 

Some people sweat a lot (have a dam beneath then after an IDT workout) but don't lose a lot of "salt", while other lose a lot of salt and/or sweat.

 

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach-blog/coachcast-hydration-strategy-with-andy-blow/

 

They refer to a condition called hyponatremia (a medical term describing low (hypo) blood sodium levels (natremia – Na is the chemical symbol for sodium). People that think they need to drink lots of water before an event, to "hydrate" could be diluting their sodium levels in their body. I could relate to the test they have online, that asks if you have white crystals on your gear (helmet straps, jersey, and possibly arms/legs. This is a sign of a lot of "salt" loss.

 

https://www.precisionhydration.com/blogs/hydration_advice/what-is-hyponatremia-and-how-can-you-avoid-it

 

I see a basic Google search brings up a few local sites that mention Precision Hydration, of which Food for Sport have an article on their website that says they have partnered with PH.

 

Will read a bit more into this, and do some of my own testing over the next 4 weeks (excluding this coming weekend, as I'm not racing) to see if adding sodium-rich products to my training and racing will make a difference. Once done, I'll add it to my useful info thread I created - link in my signature.

[Pieter-za]

Hyponatremia was a subject of great interest to Tim Noakes. I think he talks of it in Lore of Running. At the time it flew in the face of gatorade sponsored research to drink ahead of your thirst.

Correct - se eg 

https://www.outsideonline.com/1900801/tim-noakes-serious-problem-overhydration-endurance-sports

https://www.amazon.com/Waterlogged-Serious-Problem-Overhydration-Endurance/dp/145042497X

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/you-dont-need-sports-drinks-to-stay-hydrated/

etc.

(It is more life threatening to over-hydrate than to suffer from dehydration due to the dilution of eg salts, minerals etc?)  

Edited October 22, 2019 by Pieter-za

[Vetplant]

Correct - se eg 

https://www.outsideonline.com/1900801/tim-noakes-serious-problem-overhydration-endurance-sports

https://www.amazon.com/Waterlogged-Serious-Problem-Overhydration-Endurance/dp/145042497X

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/you-dont-need-sports-drinks-to-stay-hydrated/

etc.

(It is more life threatening to over-hydrate than to suffer from dehydration due to the dilution of eg salts, minerals etc?)  

True Story:

 

We had several "survival camps" with Grade 11s in the Voortrekkers during the Easter School holidays and never once did we have a kid submitted to ER for dehydration. Whereas Overhydration happened a couple of times, with the kids being scared of dying of thirst they then overhydrate, which has very similar symptoms to dehydration.

 

When the facilitators pitch with the kid at the emergency room and they tell the staff they come from a camp in the bush the staff immediately put the kid on a drip because he/she is obviously dehydrated, which then just snowballs the problem and it takes a while before the kid is stable due to all the excessive fluids.

[Veebee]

 

They refer to a condition called hyponatremia (a medical term describing low (hypo) blood sodium levels (natremia – Na is the chemical symbol for sodium). People that think they need to drink lots of water before an event, to "hydrate" could be diluting their sodium levels in their body. I could relate to the test they have online, that asks if you have white crystals on your gear (helmet straps, jersey, and possibly arms/legs. This is a sign of a lot of "salt" loss. 

 

https://www.precisionhydration.com/blogs/hydration_advice/what-is-hyponatremia-and-how-can-you-avoid-it

 

I see a basic Google search brings up a few local sites that mention Precision Hydration, of which Food for Sport have an article on their website that says they have partnered with PH.

 

I have this issue, high salt loss and suffer towards the end of races with legs starting to cramp.

Will read more into this, thanks.

[Ashchest]

Ok, so what would you guys suggest be the best way to Hydrate prior and during the event?  Any Sports-drink with sufficient Electrolytes and Sodium?  

[MudLark]

Ok, so what would you guys suggest be the best way to Hydrate prior and during the event? Any Sports-drink with sufficient Electrolytes and Sodium?

I use a bit of Rehidrate before the event. Probably a bit too much because I always need to take a leak just before or during the early part of the race. Then I drop a Mag SR tablet or similar in each of my water bottles. I'll sometimes pop a tab too if I've had a good drink of plain water anywhere along the way. More Rehidrate after the race. Seems to work for me; I've never had cramps or extreme dehydration. YMMV. Edited October 22, 2019 by MudLark

[MudLark]

Killed duplicate post.

Edited October 22, 2019 by MudLark

[RobertWhitehead]

I will also be in the corporate group - I believe it's W (07:51 start) and we're going to go for a good time - not too sure what we'll end up with but you're welcome to join us. We'll probably be around 5-6 people starting together

 

Received my seeding, thanks to my fantastic-for-the-time-and-the-training 4:06 last year I was seeded in L. I set myself the challenge of doing a sub-3:30 this year on my MTB, running MTB tyres (i.e. not having money to ride anything else). No reason, just wanted a goal to strive for.

 

I however have a new riding buddy that's pretty fit, and has been spinning for a while, that has scored a corporate entry along with me. He's capable of doing a 4:00 - 4:30 at the moment. I am thus sitting with a dilemma, do I start in L with a much greater chance of finding a group to stick to, but ride "alone", or do I fall back to W with the corporate group and ride with a friend?

 

For reference, I decided to that I'm going to fall back to W and ride with my buddy, even if it ends up taking 5hrs. I'm posting this in the hopes that everyone reading this thread is reminded that we're all out there to have fun riding our bikes. Sure, getting a sub-3 gives you bragging rights at your local club ride, but objectively its just a made-up cutoff of a race you're statistically not going to be winning based on a measurement that isn't even fixed. Getting out and having a good time matters more than being able to state that you made an arbitrary e-peen cut-off.

[Ashchest]

Is jy 'n Voortrekker?

 

 

We had several "survival camps" with Grade 11s in the Voortrekkers during the Easter School holidays and never once did we have a kid submitted to ER for dehydration.