947 Cycle Challenge 2019

[Dgas]

I could be wrong, but i think the timer starts when the gun goes off... well this is what ive seen from my previous results.

Last year the time started after the neutral zone at the timing mats on Earling road. Assume it will be the same this year. 

[mecheng89]

I could be wrong, but i think the timer starts when the gun goes off... well this is what ive seen from my previous results.

Racetec is ALWAYS gun to mat. 

[Frosty]

My Garmin time was gun to mat, while my Racetec time was 2 mins faster (close to the mat2mat time).

[Paul Ruinaard]

Guess I am as ready as I will ever be for my first ever 947, first road race ever too

I was never chasing times but wanting to have fun but I have still trained a bit so I can enjoy the day to some extent.

 

Have done quite a few 85km plus rides and 2 x  100km  plus rides interspersed with studio training. Unfortunately never   quite found the level of elevation needed but managed to incorporate what hills I could. Definitely much stronger than I was before but still not very fast as I tend to get sidetracked and look at the scenery etc and legs slow down...

 

People I have been training with who have done lots of 947 say I should be quite ok. 

 

So got slicks on the MTB, charity top has been delivered  and tonnes of sunblock.

 

Excited, scared and nervous but mostly looking forward to it. 

IMO the biggest thing for  a noob is to hydrate and make sure you eat and drink early. Sounds like you are well prepped and will enjoy if you stick to the basics and dont start getting carried away by starting to stay with the racing groups that may come past you.

 

Once you have burned those matches you are really not able to come back and as a noob your pacing is something you aren't used to. So go slow in the beginning and keep something in the tank for the end as there are some nasty climbs and little lumps in the tail of the ride.

 

Enjoy the ride most of all

[Vetplant]

My Garmin time was gun to mat, while my Racetec time was 2 mins faster (close to the mat2mat time).

Ditto:

 

My Garmin (Gun-to-Mat) was 2min20s slower than Official Racetec time, which then must be Mat-to-Mat

[Escapee..]

yes but you need the Barcoded slip

 

I have picked up a number for my brother the last two years. Just needed his number, nothing else

[TyronLab]

IMO the biggest thing for  a noob is to hydrate and make sure you eat and drink early. Sounds like you are well prepped and will enjoy if you stick to the basics and dont start getting carried away by starting to stay with the racing groups that may come past you.

 

Once you have burned those matches you are really not able to come back and as a noob your pacing is something you aren't used to. So go slow in the beginning and keep something in the tank for the end as there are some nasty climbs and little lumps in the tail of the ride.

 

Enjoy the ride most of all

 

100% agreed, pacing is everything. I've always said anyone can ride a 100km, the tough part is how fast you want to do it.

 

My advice would be to take it easier than you think you need to until you're at the top of zoo lake. Its much more fun to finish strong than to go crazy at the start and sukkel over the line.

 

I had no HRM at that time, my gauge was speaking. On the uphills I gauged my effort level so that I was able to say a four word phrase before needing to breathe, and tried to do minimal effort on the downhills and slipstream wherever I could.

 

That meant I got to the halfway point and had enough in the tank to latch onto someone for the M1 headwind and still make it to the end with decent speed.

[LongDonkey]

SO come on, its 9:30! where are all the complaints about how long the queues are and how lousy the flyer bag is?

[Matuka]

Another pointless post about the weather, feels like these predictions change every couple of hours, but here it goes:

 

Temperature:

Wet or Dry: 

Wind:   , Seems we could get it straight in the teeth once you hit the M1.

 

But that is not news to anyone who has done this event before....the wind is always gusting on the M1

 

Odds are 90% that conditions will be totally different on race day, but we love to speculate... At least it does not seem to be trending towards 40°C, which is a relief.

 

I love weather posts. I check Yr weather 7 to 8 times a day 

That headwind on the M1 makes finding a good group quite important. Checking windsock from the race last year there was 5m/s headwind by the time I went down the M1. 

[Fat Boab]

SO come on, its 9:30! where are all the complaints about how long the queues are and how lousy the flyer bag is?

 

We got those out of the way around the 20th of Nov...2018.

[Fat Boab]

I love weather posts. I check Yr weather 7 to 8 times a day 

That headwind on the M1 makes finding a good group quite important. Checking windsock from the race last year there was 5m/s headwind by the time I went down the M1. 

 

If you're not in a group when you turn onto the M1, sit up, eat and drink and wait until a group comes past you, then...pounce! (Whilst taking turns at the front of course).

[Cyclewizz]

SO come on, its 9:30! where are all the complaints about how long the queues are and how lousy the flyer bag is?

Still a bit early. Wait for this afternoon.

[David Marshall]

Last year the section around the circles was a neutral zone, the race started at the timing mats as you turned onto Earling road towards Steyn City. Does anybody know if it is the same this year? 

Same as last year - if you start with the U16 boys you are off the back before the Steyn City entrance. 

[spidaman]

yes but you need the Barcoded slip

Thanks.

[Rob22]

Thanks for this. So to confirm, our group start time is only activated when we cross the start mat not when the gun goes at the start of the neutral zone? I.e. neutral zone transit isn't part of our race time?

 

 

Yes, there are a number of sets of mats at the start. Two that are important.

1. Within Makro as a check that you entered via Makro

2. At the start line to confirm which group you actually started in.

3. At Erling road. This is different to some other races, the clock starts as the first rider within a group crosses the mat on Erling. So the neutral is not part of your time.

Edited November 14, 2019 by Rob22

[Fat Boab]

Yes, there are a number of sets of mats at the start. Two that are important.

1. Within Makro as a check that you entered via Makro

2. At the start line to confirm which group you actually started in.

3. At Erling road. This is different to some other races, the clock starts as the first rider within a group crosses the mat on Erling. So the neutral is not part of your time.

 

Many thanks for the confirmation.