the unofficial Cape Epic thread

[Irvin85]

4 minutes ago, karma said:

so...almost up there with W2W Shiraz.

I have done a couple of Ironman 70.3's and was training to do my first full when I injured my back. I have spoken to a couple of people who has done Comrades and Ironman and all says the same thing. 

Comrades is harder on the day but the training for Ironman is way harder if you take into account most of the days you have to do 2 training sessions or a brick session. 

[TIB]

1 minute ago, Irvin85 said:

I have done a couple of Ironman 70.3's and was training to do my first full when I injured my back. I have spoken to a couple of people who has done Comrades and Ironman and all says the same thing. 

Comrades is harder on the day but the training for Ironman is way harder if you take into account most of the days you have to do 2 training sessions or a brick session. 

Comrades is easy... half the time it is downhill... pretty much a sprint compared to IM and Epic 

[J Wakefield]

4 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Hardest part about Ironman is deciding where to put your tattoo......

When to take the medal off from around your neck once you back home 4 months after the event 

[tubed]

1 hour ago, J Wakefield said:

When to take the medal off from around your neck once you back home 4 months after the event 

LOL, after the medal you still gave the backpack that you can wear onto every flight and use for taking your kit to the gym

[Jewbacca]

21 minutes ago, tubed said:

LOL, after the medal you still gave the backpack that you can wear onto every flight and use for taking your kit to the gym

The best part about those bags is that if you chose to put the tattoo on one of your calves, you can push down your compression sock every once in a while to show everyone that your bag matches your body, your peak visor and your questionable life choices.......

[DieselnDust]

And the T-shirt you wear to bed so your partner knows you’re Ironman 

[dave303e]

How do you know someone has done ironman, epic, sani2sea, went to a midlands boarding school, lives in the cape or does crossfit? They will tell you sometime in the first 5 mins of conversation...

[dexterdent]

5 minutes ago, dave303e said:

How do you know someone has done ironman, epic, sani2sea, went to a midlands boarding school, lives in the cape or does crossfit? They will tell you sometime in the first 5 mins of conversation...

I live in the Cape and would never do this.

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, karma said:

so...almost up there with W2W Shiraz.

 

No, less drinking time ....

[saggy]

3 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

Tongue in cheek ....

 

After a couple of Ironman events, including an age-cat podium, a friend did her first Comrades.

 

Due to an overseas trip the Comrades training was reduced to a 10 week block.

 

Finished it at her normal pace, and none of the "dramatic scenes" associated with Comrades.

 

Recovery did take longer than an Ironman though.

 

 

Based on the statistical data of a ONE .... Comrades is easier than Ironman

 

 

She has been top of podium at Trans Baviaans, but not interested in multi-day cycling events ..... actually, she does not like technical rides, so wont enter such events.

Ive started 2 Comrades and did not finish either one.

Started 1 ironman and finished with hours to spare.

 

I guess everyone is different.... im sure it depends on your strengths and weaknesses. Im a way better cyclist than runner.

But maybe a good runner that is not a great cyclist would prefer Comrades.

 

[BuffsVintageBikes]

1 hour ago, dave303e said:

How do you know someone has done ironman, epic, sani2sea, went to a midlands boarding school, lives in the cape or does crossfit? They will tell you sometime in the first 5 mins of conversation...

You forgot about them being Vegan

[babse]

where does a sub3 august weigh on that real cyclist scale?

 

Askingforafriend

[DieselnDust]

14 minutes ago, babse said:

where does a sub3 august weigh on that real cyclist scale?

 

Askingforafriend

Top of the pile 

that’s hoooopalaaaaaa

[Jewbacca]

1 hour ago, babse said:

where does a sub3 august weigh on that real cyclist scale?

 

Askingforafriend

Don't confuse 'finishing' with 'a reasonable level of performance'

The two are not the same. That's like a sub 7:30 comrades, sub 11 hr IM and a top 200 at Epic.... Very different beasts to finishing!

[two hands]

On 3/25/2024 at 1:04 PM, NotSoBigBen said:

QED!

Been interesting scrolling through the during- and post-Epic comments and correlating it to my experience of riding the event this year.
Since I was the journalist who actually got this quote from Burry back in 2012, in an interview for the 10-year coffee table book "African Epic: The Untamed Mountain Bike Race" maybe I can offer some context. This was part of a long, rambling and fairly philosophical conversation Burry and I had as he was driving to the airport to race another World Cup block. If you knew Burry, you'll know this wasn't about discounting anyone's mountain biking experience or commitment to the sport. It has nothing to do with whether Epic riders are the only true mountain bikers. He certainly didn't believe that. It wasn't inferring that the Epic was a measure of your worth as a mountain biker. Hell, at that stage most of the World Cup pro field hadn't even considered racing a Cape Epic. Nino had only done one (in 2010).
Burry genuinely rejoiced in meeting and encouraging all riders, no matter their age, background or ability. He was simply saying that no matter where in the field you finish – in a jersey or with twice the finishing time of the pro field – the Epic unites us all in that it takes a certain amount of vasbyt and suffering to complete one. Anyone who has ridden a Cape Epic knows this. Those who have supported a pro team, a mate or loved one know this too. Even if you arrive at the Prologue in the best shape of your life (fitter than your partner, even!) you are now at the mercy of the weather, the terrain, mechanicals, race village viruses, other riders' skill levels, your own mental health, the list goes on... This is true for the entire field. Sometimes you are the hammer, sometimes you are the nail. Not only relative to your partner but at the hands of all the variables that conspire to end your Epic campaign. If you're human, you'll suffer somewhere out there. Burry recognised that was true for all Epic riders, himself included, and wanted to close the perceived gap between the experience of top riders and those further back in the field.

[eala]

8 hours ago, two hands said:

Been interesting scrolling through the during- and post-Epic comments and correlating it to my experience of riding the event this year.
Since I was the journalist who actually got this quote from Burry back in 2012, in an interview for the 10-year coffee table book "African Epic: The Untamed Mountain Bike Race" maybe I can offer some context. This was part of a long, rambling and fairly philosophical conversation Burry and I had as he was driving to the airport to race another World Cup block. If you knew Burry, you'll know this wasn't about discounting anyone's mountain biking experience or commitment to the sport. It has nothing to do with whether Epic riders are the only true mountain bikers. He certainly didn't believe that. It wasn't inferring that the Epic was a measure of your worth as a mountain biker. Hell, at that stage most of the World Cup pro field hadn't even considered racing a Cape Epic. Nino had only done one (in 2010).
Burry genuinely rejoiced in meeting and encouraging all riders, no matter their age, background or ability. He was simply saying that no matter where in the field you finish – in a jersey or with twice the finishing time of the pro field – the Epic unites us all in that it takes a certain amount of vasbyt and suffering to complete one. Anyone who has ridden a Cape Epic knows this. Those who have supported a pro team, a mate or loved one know this too. Even if you arrive at the Prologue in the best shape of your life (fitter than your partner, even!) you are now at the mercy of the weather, the terrain, mechanicals, race village viruses, other riders' skill levels, your own mental health, the list goes on... This is true for the entire field. Sometimes you are the hammer, sometimes you are the nail. Not only relative to your partner but at the hands of all the variables that conspire to end your Epic campaign. If you're human, you'll suffer somewhere out there. Burry recognised that was true for all Epic riders, himself included, and wanted to close the perceived gap between the experience of top riders and those further back in the field.

The truth about completing an Epic is that anybody with moderate ability can finish .The catch is how much preparation and vasbyt you mixed in before and during the event . For some it just another event . For others it is the single biggest accomplishment of their lives . It is now five years since i received my medal . I know how much effort it took . I follow friends every year and watch anxiously as time passes and when they don,t move along i know how deep they are digging .Burry knew this