Munga 2021

[Andrew Steer]

Man this is hard to watch... C'mon ladies, last big push!

[Jewbacca]

It's amazing how watching dots and having some internet gees brings the event alive.

I am generally anti big price tag bike races but following this year has made me want to line up at the Munga. 

Luckily I'm way too poor to afford the entry, but for the 1st time ever I wish I wasn't

[walkerr]

4 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

It's amazing how watching dots and having some internet gees brings the event alive.

I am generally anti big price tag bike races but following this year has made me want to line up at the Munga. 

Luckily I'm way too poor to afford the entry, but for the 1st time ever I wish I wasn't

The banter on here and FB has been awesome last couple of years - especially cheering the last few riders bravely chasing the cut. Of all the events with a higher price tag, Munga is the one for me. I never doubted the value after seeing how much they provided to riders across 1,000km of the Karoo. All those helpers at WPs and RVs truly make the event special.

[Rowl]

17km to go for KB with just over an hour to go, hope those legs can push it. See WS is also behind the curve with 15km to go.

 

Can't imagine how tired they must be, but push Werner and Kim!

[Jewbacca]

5 minutes ago, walkerr said:

The banter on here and FB has been awesome last couple of years - especially cheering the last few riders bravely chasing the cut. Of all the events with a higher price tag, Munga is the one for me. I never doubted the value after seeing how much they provided to riders across 1,000km of the Karoo. All those helpers at WPs and RVs truly make the event special.

With a young kid and work commitments these days, getting away for 2 weeks for an expedition AR or RASA etc is also out of the question. 

It makes these 'shorter' more intense events appealing. There is something special about racing through the night, sleeping in a ditch all the while knowing that you have to keep moving no matter what your body is trying to tell you.

Well done to everyone who kept the sleep monsters and despair at bay. It's a real thing by day 3

[tubed]

11 minutes ago, walkerr said:

"I never doubted the value after seeing how much they provided to riders across 1,000km of the Karoo. All those helpers at WPs and RVs truly make the event special"

This is very true - and I would add that doing something like this and finishing it (even if it takes more than one try) is of inestimable to you as an individual and inspires those around you.

It has the ability to reshape your view of what you are capable of, what is trivial (eg comfort, devices) and what is important (eg people, not giving up). It will reshape your view of your health, fitness and mobility. 

I'm probably sounding like I am romanticizing these events, but just watch someone in your circle make this transition and you will want some of it, I think that in part is the allure of dot watching, it is a vicarious look inside what we all wonder of what we really are capable of.  

[walkerr]

7 minutes ago, Roul said:

17km to go for KB with just over an hour to go, hope those legs can push it. See WS is also behind the curve with 15km to go.

 

Can't imagine how tired they must be, but push Werner and Kim!

Chantal is also showing about 23km to go with now just less than an hour to do it in. Heck, I'd love to see her finish it this time but that is a tough ask having ridden so hard through the night.

[JJDT]

What is the profile of the last 20km's...saw on the tarcker page that the finish ends of with a liitle climb...looking at Chantal and her last update pace...will she make it if she will be able to up the pace.

[Red Robin]

Just now, JJDT said:

What is the profile of the last 20km's...saw on the tarcker page that the finish ends of with a liitle climb...looking at Chantal and her last update pace...will she make it if she will be able to up the pace.

I so so hope she makes it.  

 

[Ozzie NL]

1 minute ago, Red Robin said:

I so so hope she makes it.  

 

Three girls are riding together ... by my calculations they will miss cut off by 30-60 minutes ... still an absolute monumental achievement

[walkerr]

2 minutes ago, JJDT said:

What is the profile of the last 20km's...saw on the tarcker page that the finish ends of with a liitle climb...looking at Chantal and her last update pace...will she make it if she will be able to up the pace.

Sad to say - but I think she's about 15 to 20 mins outside at present. It is gradually uphill from the point she's at now, which would make a 25km/h pace tough even if you hadn't just ridden through the night and had 1,125km in your legs. Heroic effort though by all the tail riders to pull back so much after the horrendous conditions.

[JJDT]

1 minute ago, Red Robin said:

I so so hope she makes it.  

 

I also hope she makes it...It is a terrible feeling that you know you completed the race but do not have anything to show...Go Chantal...

[shova1]

These back markers are made of tough stuff; physical exhaustion, sleep deprivation & the stress of a cut off....  

[JohanDiv]

8 minutes ago, JJDT said:

What is the profile of the last 20km's...saw on the tarcker page that the finish ends of with a liitle climb...looking at Chantal and her last update pace...will she make it if she will be able to up the pace.

 

That last few kilometres on the Doolhof road is the worst corrugated pieve of road in the Boland! Even when you are fresh you can't go very quick on it.. And after yesterday's rain and the historical stormwater drainage issues that road has it will be a corrugated mud bath to navigate today.. plus a very slight headwind here this morning

[walkerr]

I think I mentioned this last year - one of the big Audax events (Paris-Brest-Paris) has a special category, called "Delayed Finisher" for those who finish outside of time. Maybe it's just a wording thing, but it feels a lot kinder than seeing a scratch or DNF for those who did complete under their own power and within all the rules, but weren't recognised as finishing within time.

[JohanDiv]

It came down in buckets here in Wellington yesterday!