Munga Grit

[AfricaMike]

Apologies for reviving a really old thread.  I've just pulled the trigger on the Grit Northwest 24 hour (body nowhere close to doing the 50hr - that's for next year).  For those that have done it before is it really necessary to carry 3litres of water from the start (I know this is true for the 'big' Munga).  Typically how long are the waterpoints away from each other?

[Mamil]

1 hour ago, AfricaMike said:

Apologies for reviving a really old thread.  I've just pulled the trigger on the Grit Northwest 24 hour (body nowhere close to doing the 50hr - that's for next year).  For those that have done it before is it really necessary to carry 3litres of water from the start (I know this is true for the 'big' Munga).  Typically how long are the waterpoints away from each other?

I haven't done northwest but I think it's pretty weather dependant. Generally you're not ever more than 50 or 60km from the next water on a Munga event but that could be anywhere between 2 and 5 hours depending on conditions and all the other intervening variables of an ultra.

[AfricaMike]

2 minutes ago, Mamil said:

I haven't done northwest but I think it's pretty weather dependant. Generally you're not ever more than 50 or 60km from the next water on a Munga event but that could be anywhere between 2 and 5 hours depending on conditions and all the other intervening variables of an ultra.

Thanks Mamil, I'm not really in the mood to carry a Camelbak but it looks like I might have to..... I suppose the inconvenience of a Camelbak is overshadowed by the possibility of running out of water.  Appreciate the insight, Thx.

[Mamil]

1 minute ago, AfricaMike said:

Thanks Mamil, I'm not really in the mood to carry a Camelbak but it looks like I might have to..... I suppose the inconvenience of a Camelbak is overshadowed by the possibility of running out of water.  Appreciate the insight, Thx.

JA some munga people opt not to carry an Uswe or Camelbak, instead generating solutions for bottles on the fork and in the frame. I've seen people use saddle mounted bottles like the tri-athletes use too - I didn't have much luck with those as the bottles fell out.

[dave303e]

don't plan your water carry based on average conditions. Plan it for worst case scenario and/or if sh...t hits the fan.

[AfricaMike]

Heat, wind, corrugations.........tough.......but lekker 🙂

[AfricaMike]

So I was thinking that maybe one day someone is considering a Grit so maybe my experience at my first Grit might be of some help.

Having bailed at Munga 2019 I never thought I would line up at the start of any event with the word 'Munga' in its title again - well time has a habit of dulling the senses and so I thought that instead of going big, lets start 'small' - Munga Grit Northwest 24 hour, paid and committed.  Now I'm no race snake - more like making up the numbers at the tail end of the field.  I'll be 59 years old later this year and figure that if I'm still gong to do some stupid stuff in my life I might as well do it now......and so maybe there's another big Munga in my future but let's kick it off with a 24hr.

The idea of riding for 280k's for 24 hours made the math easy - as long as I could maintain 70k's every 6 hours the medal would be in the bag.  If I rode faster it meant I could sleep more but at worst I figured I could finish regardless of my lack of sleep - and it was this argument that I used to convince myself that the 50hr Grit was just a little beyond what I'm capable of right now.  Many people rubbish the idea of focusing on average speed as a measure of progress and, in a sense, they're right.  If average speed is used as a measure of progress then the 50hr should be easier than the 24hr considering you would need a lower average speed to complete the event.  What I find is that when I'm going through the dark places, being focused on average speed gives me something to think about. But what you need to remember is that the segments you divide your adventure into differ - some will be faster than others and the further you get down the road the more difficult it becomes to influence that AVS indicator........and then the strategy simply becomes moving forward - as long as I'm moving I'll get there.....eventually.........

So here are a few tips for those considering a Munga Grit 24 hour

• It starts on a Friday and ends on a Saturday - you can sleep on Sunday so don't stress about a lack of sleep - I took two 15-minute power naps, one on the side of the road when the corrugations started to look like waves breaking on the seashore and another at Waterpoint 3.
• If, like me, you're a tail-end-charlie, then expect to be passed by the leaders of the 50hr race sometime in the early morning hours - consider it a front row seat to the other race 🙂
• Don't overpack the bike - I don't like tri-bars because I cant breathe properly while hunched over, don't carry tons of food - the waterpoints, even though they are far apart, have plenty of real food, and I found that 3 x 750ml waterbottles were adequate (I had a Camelbak but would only fill the bladder if I desperately needed to - I didnt).
• Make sure your bike is serviced a few weeks before the event - not like I did in 2019 when I had the bike serviced a week before the big Munga and then had to deal with my front brakes binding from 20k's out.......
• Know how to download and follow a route on your GPS - this is critical!.......and then when you're on the route trust the GPS!  I wasted 10 minutes phoning my wife to ask her if I was still on the route when I found myself on a long tar section - something felt wrong but my concerns were unfounded.
• Pack a powerbank - I only used it for charging my cellphone but my family found that tracking me on the Life360 app was more accurate than the Trackleaders website - so your phone is going to be working too.
• Pack some warm gear - I had a gillet and some leggings which made a real difference in those cold pre-dawn hours....I also rode with UV sleeves the whole way.....
• Lights......don't skimp on cheap and nasty, get good quality lights with long lasting batteries - I'll have to buy a new red taillight - mine bombed hours before the sun came up (any suggestions for a new one???)
• Thank the volunteers at the waterpoints!!!!!!!  I was astonished to find everyone still awake at some crazy hour at waterpoint 2 with pap, wors, gravy and a ton of lekker plaas kos available for the riders.  Ambulance (ER24) crews checking up on your progress - thanks guys!!
• Finally - know that you are going to go through some bad patches during the ride - they will pass and the good times will return.......During any Munga event it will be hot, cold, wet, dry, windy.......you name it.......Remember that every competitor has to deal with the same conditions so stop, look around, enjoy the scenery, laugh at being stupid enough to enter this thing in the first place and move on with a smile on your face........
• Have a cold beer when you cross the finishline - you deserve it!

Until next time, see you later Jack 🙂