ST FRANCIS BAY TO JEFFRIES BAY MTB 42KAY EVENT 22 MARCH 2010

MONDAY 22 MARCH 2010

ST FRANCIS BAY TO JEFFRIES BAY MTB RACE.
I left home just before 8.00am. Barbara and Ally went back to the Level Two Gala that they had been at all weekend. The Gala was being held at the newly completed Newton Park swimming pool complex.

I met up with Gerald, Pat, Ronel and Alf Zhemke. Pat drove down with me. Gerald had four bikes on his rack and yet his car handled the roads perfectly. They have a new Hyundai 1600 that they use mainly for longer distance driving.

We drove to Humansdorp and then through to St Francis Bay. We found the start of the race at the Spar. As we were driving, Gerald phoned me to ask how we were going to get back to the cars. I was, at that stage, blissfully unaware that the race was a point to point and that we had to arrange our own logistics.

At the St Francis Spar we registered. It appears that there were only 9 MTB entrants last year and this year there were 18. We were lined up for the start and Robin gave us route instructions. I asked about a lift back and was assured that this would be sorted out.

We started at 10.15 and the Runners who would be running along the beach would start at 10.30. Crusadres; Graham and Robyn Elbourn and their friend Aletta were doing the run.

As we started the cycle Ronel and Pat went ahead. There were two ladies and Gerald and Alf behind me. The cycle started off with a slight up to the Main Road and then left at the golf course entrance. We rode for about 5 kays, crossing the Krom River with the West Wind on our left side. The wind was not a problem but also did not give us assistance at this stage.

Denise road past me and then I caught her. She told me that she was in training for Iron Man and that this was a little interlude for her. She was with her friend Michelle who was doing her first MTB event. Denise and Michelle are both members of the Charlo Running Club. No shocks on Michelle's bike and she would feel it as we then turned Right onto a really rough road with corrugations that made the bikes rattle. I heard Gerald comment later that he was pleased that he had secured his false teeth otherwise they may have fallen out. This was a fun section as the West Wind was blowing strongly behind us and we had a bit of a "Free Ride".

I was on my own for a while as Denise and Michelle had fallen back a bit. Alf was beginning to catch me. The route takes you to a Left turn past a Game Park, up a little hill and then past a right turn. From here you are able to see the people returning from a U-Turn. It gives the cyclists an idea where they stand in the pecking order.

I stayed on my own up to the turn. Pat and Ronel were just ahead of me and we had a short chat before they continued on their way. At the U-Turn I had a drink and rest. Alf passed me and carried on ahead. Denise and Michelle also went past and then it was just Gerald and myself at the tail of the race.

I knew for sure that there was no one behind us as the following Bakkie would be behind us for the rest of the race. He was following us in case one of these old ballies had a heart attack.

After the Out and Back section along the Game reserve section of the road we turned left along a number of farm roads and jeep tracks. This was probably the best section of the route as the roads meandered past cattle farms with ups and downs. Gerald had a "Pit Stop" and Denise & Michelle left us to our own devices for the rest of the race. We saw them ahead of us a number of times but never caught them again.

After the dirt road ended we came to the tar roads of Jeffries Bay West. This is the West end of J-Bay and the start of Martina Martenique which is a Marina holiday housing project with canals for the rich and famous who enjoy water sports. We had to turn into the West Wind for a short distance before heading down to the beach. Here the last of the Marshalls were happy to hear that we were the last two cyclists and that they could now pack up and go home.

The Bakkie left us. Gerald & I headed onto the Beach. I attempted to cycle this soft sand but ended up falling onto the beach. Gerald asked if I was hurt. I replied that the only thing that was bruised was my ego. I did not look up to see who was watching but pushed the bike to some firmer sand.

This was a fun section of the route. The sand was not too soft and we were able to find reasonably firm sand to cycle on. We had the Indian Ocean on our right hand side. This is the famous Jeffries Bay which is a Surfers Paradise. We saw a few of the Surfers as they attempted to find that perfect wave.

There are lots of crystal clear pools and had we not been cycling I would have loved a swim. We came across a group of locals who were collecting Shells. I asked them what they would do with the shells and the response was that they make ornaments and sell this to local traders. Jeffries Bay is also famous for the variety and beauty of the shells that can be collected along the beach.

Gerald and I enjoyed the beach with the wind following us until we finally reached the finish line. Pat and Ronel were there and Ronel was taking Photo's. She took a few stunning pics of us cycling with the ocean cascading behind us.

Now came the bit which we did not really enjoy: there was no arranged lift for us to St Francis Bay so we rode to the Savoy hotel where the Announcer Disco man set up his combi and played us music while he spoke almost non stop repeating that he was "just joking" every time he said something about somebody.

He then went on to do the prize giving which can be slick and fast but he chose to drag it out forcing us to listen to him and his comment about everyone and everything that he could think of. There were some lucky draw prizes and Alf, Pat and Ronel were winners of some kind of meal or the other. This turned out to be fortunate as Gerald and I were then able to scrounge a lift back to the start where we had left our cars. During the hour that it took us to return to them they were able to enjoy a bit of a meal.

Our lift was on the back of a Bakkie. Beggars cant be choosers and we were most grateful to the man who gave us a lift. We drove back to the finish at J-Bay where we loaded up the bikes and drove home. I doubt that we will do this event again: the late start, the logistics of the finish and collecting the vehicles and then the drive home made this a full days event which I had not really planned for. We only arrived home in the middle of the afternoon.

Gerald, his family, Alf and I had enjoyed the cycle but not the rest of what had to be done to do the whole event.


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KOUGA KUS HALF MARATHON 20 MARCH 2010

KOUGA KUS HALF MARATHON

SATURDAY 20 MARCH 2010

PETER GIDDY
ACHILLES
PORT ELIZABETH


Saturday 20 March 2010
Gerald Scheepers and I had arranged to meet early this morning to run the Kouga Kus 21kay from Humansdorp to Jeffries Bay.

The previous evening I had been at Nippers Training, Ally went off to a Hip Hop show in Forest Hill and Mark stayed over at Kylie's house for the weekend.

I was awake early and met Gerald at his house at 05.00am. Pat and Ronel were off to meet up with Adrienne for the beach run. It was quite strange to see so much activity at a home at that time in the morning.

We had an easy drive to Jeffries Bay where we met up with Bruce and Paulette Mc Ewan. Bruce had arranged for Ancha's husband, Digby to drive the van back from Humasdorp. Bruce had faithfully brought the trailer to Jeffries. This is a huge responsibility that Bruce has taken upon himself and adds so much to the club spirit. In the van was Sidzumo (Silence); Percy; Wayne; Roger; Peter; Gerald and myself.

We registered at the school in Humansdorp and the race started at 7.00am. As the race started I met up with Ekard Schuman (Body Concept) and the two of us ran together for the first half of the race. We passed Graham and Kenny. The route takes a short detour in the wrong direction and then heads back to Jeffries on the old road. There is a short uphill at the start and then reasonable flats and down hills to the 10kay mark.

At the 11kay I asked Ekard what our time was: 1.03. We had been running at around 5.45 but slowed after the bridge. From the 10kay marker there is a 5kay uphill to the circle. The race takes the runner on the Left hand side of the road. This is with the traffic and is unusual. But it would be very difficult to keep runners to the right as the route is a gradual Left hand bend and Runners would tend to want to take the shortest line. This would mean runners crossing the road or running in the middle of the road.

At the circle I continued on the left hand side as this remains the shortest line. I saw other runners moving across to the right. Here I saw Dean who tells me that he is building a small business in Construction. Megan, Martin and Liezl passed me looking strong.

I was tiring but wanted to save something for the final few kays. I plodded on chatting to various people who were passing me: Michelle and Fred came past. Then there was the sharp down hill to the Main Jeffries Road. I dont handle down as strongly as others can and so let people pass me rather than trying to keep up with them.

As we hit the bottom we began to run with the Easterly Breeze. Up to this time we had been enjoying the cooling effect of the cloud cover and the East wind. But now we had 4kays of gradual uphill and the wind behind us. It may sound like the wind from behind would assist the runner. But in this case the East wind was not more than a gentle breeze and we lost the cooling effect.

This section of the route is purely "Vasbyt". It is not a difficult climb but, as it is at the end of the run, it becomes easy to walk and to slack off. I determined that I was not going to walk. Up to this stage I had managed to jog the whole way with short walks at Watering stations to sip a coke. But as always happens you are able to eat away at the Kilometer markers. Soon it was just a Kay to go. And Mike (MOF) Botha was ahead of me. I felt bad to pass him in the final stretch but I was hopng to get as close to 2 hours as possible and while I dont carry a watch I knew that I would be close.

At the end there was the short down to the finish and a cold drink for the weary runners. Bruce and his fast running friends were already showered and looking refreshed as they set up the drinks, chairs & umbrellas. Shortly after I had finished Gerald appeared looking quite relaxed. I was still dripping after the hard pull at the end.

Graham and Kenny arrived with the news that they had been partying the whole night before the race. I know that this must have hurt Graham as I have understood him to be a man of sober habits.
Some of the results:
Gerald S, Graham and Kenny were at 2.20 473 /550 finishers
Graham Nel was at 2.13
Michael Botha ended at 2.03
I managed a 2.02 position 330 and Ancha was just ahead of me.
Eckard Schumann was able to scrape in under 2.00
Peter P also managed to edge under 2 hours as did Megan, Leisel and Martin.
\The first Achillean was Michael Bester at position 16 with a 1.17. Stunning!





Both Gerald and I had a busy day ahead and we had to leave before the prize giving. We heard later that a tog bag had gone missing with car keys and cell phone. Most upsetting as we tend to trust those around us when we are at a sporting event like this.

Peter Giddy
21.03.2010