Training Log Archive: nmulder

Bike computer reading for Swazi Xtreme were:

Tm 20:15:10
Dst 247.46km
Av 12.2 km/hr
Mx 58.2

0500 - The 9th edition of the Swazi Xtreme. This was my 8th race, and probably the most enjoyable, this time competing with Clinton Mac, Susan Sloan and Ryno Griesel in Team Cyanosis. We started early Friday, with a short folllow the trail trail run. It ended unceremoniously at a bus. False start. We were then taken into the centre of Mbabane where the race re-started when the doors flew open. We were first out (last on) and immediately disappeared into the city streets, locating 2 cps by the time others had got 1. This gave us the break and we tried to make good on it, but got caught out by fences. Found ourselves down about 3 places as we exited town over the hills and got to the early caving section. This was great fun, best adventure caving ever, taking about 40 min to squeeze through various passages. From there we went further downhill and got to the rafting section. Another great stage, with a few Grade 3s over a 6km course that took us about 40 mins as well. From there we did a u-turn and slogged it over a range of steep hills before getting to a small dam for a 500m swim and 6km flat water paddle. This was the start of the 2nd part of day 1, and we felt comfortable. We were lying 2nd to Team McCains by a few minutes, but felt confident in our cycling. On the leg continued to pick up all the CPs, whilst McCains only managed all but 1. Getting into the end of the leg at about 5.30pm this was a huge boost, as we could then race defensively for the next 2 days.

The first night leg also went well, with about 55km of cycling through the Usutu forests. We picked up all CPs once again before banking the vast majority of compulsory sleep time (5h55 of 6hrs) at CPs on just the first night. After arriving at the next Transition, we were fresh with 5 hours of sleep.

Thus headed off again at 6am for the next stage, starting with a down and up 20km bike leg. We'd already had bike problems during the night (Ryno's peddle fell off, he was now riding flats), so we weren't amused when my lower jockey wheel seized. We were forced back to transition to repair it. Thankfully we had the spares. Thereafter we floored it to make up lost time on the other teams, which gave us a great stage time - we only just missed recatching them. After another short leg, this time a 10km trek, we were back in the lead and we extended it into the next one, a 20km downhill MTB. Through the rest of the day (50km MTB and 6km mountain trek) we held our position steady, pacing ourselves to make sure we didn't suffer, yet ensuring we stayed well within the stage opening and closing times whilst still collecting all CPs.

The 2nd night stage started early at 5pm. This was a long one, about 90km. It started fast (although almost all up), but by 10pm we entered a grassy wilderness where we were forced to push our bikes. The other teams were delayed as they were forced to finish off their compulsory 6hr sleep at CPs, which meant we were out there on our own. It took us 5 hrs to complete 3 CPs over a mere 6-8 km. This section saw the only CP that wasn't credited to us in the race. We were there - we just didn't find it. Apparently it was on the other side of a mean looking electric fence and locked gate. (huh?). The stage saw lots of searching for difficult CPs, hike-a-biking and pushing bikes up and down grassy tracks.

McCains didn't get these 3 CPs, which meant that by the start of the last morning stage, we now had a lead of 4 CPs, effectively insurmountable. The day became a very social affair as a result as all the lead teams left transition at 6am (we managed to get an extra 1.5hrs sleep there) in a large social group. The bunch split on some forest track route choice after the first hilltop CP, but regrouped in the subsequent kloofing leg. There was a bit of jockying for position before the rope jumar, but no team took it too seriously. At mid-morning we switched onto our bicycles again for the final leg towards the finish. This involved following a disused rail track for long sections, which turned out to be impossible due to heavy undergrowth. At one stage this ended up with approx. 70% of the race field grouped together trying to find alternative routes past the blockages. Very funny, but also very weird. We had a further bike mechanical (the 4th of the race - Susan had a side-wall tear) which left us well behind the field just before the final up and over hill before the finish. After repairing this to our best abilities, we set off again. We got to the top and were surprised that we'd jumped ahead of almost everyone else again by finding the best route choice up. We finished off collecting the last of the CPs and then took a very sedate ride down some brilliant DH all the way to the finish.

A brilliant course. Lovely paddling and rafting, kloofing and caving. Great tough navigation. Nice to see the Swazi be enjoyable for a change. i.e. Nothing too dangerous for a change. This is what it should be like. Swaziland is wild enough to make the race extreme without the organiser needing to go overboard. We finished 1st, with a 4 PC lead over Team McCain. Nice to have Ryno back in the team as well.

0900 - Late morning ride through Berario (voting queue is a bit long, will go this afternoon), Randpark Ridge and Weltevreden Park. Bike's in good condition for this weekend. Av 22.8 Mx 50.9

1615 - O' training at Emmarentia Dam. Line course through the main park. Quite enjoyable.

0730 - Short run through Fairland and Berario.

0730 - Short run from home around Berario.

1200 - Lots of core strengthening.