HERALD MTB AND ROAD RACES FEBRUARY 2013

FEBRUARY 2013

HERALD MTB AND ROAD RACES
ADDO MTB EVENT
HOBIE BEACH START OF THE ROAD BIKE EVENT

HERALD MTB RACE 2 February 2013
When I take part in these events -- I look for the shorter distance and opt for that.
For myself -- I enjoy being part of the event but I no longer feel the need to push myself to the limit as I would have done some years ago.
Also -- Training or lack of training on a Bike makes a difference.

Andre and I had done One training ride for the MTB event. We cycled around circular drive on that one occasion and felt up to the 30kay MTB event.
Friday we went down to the Boardwalk to register. It is some time since I was last at the Boardwalk and I was impressed to see the improvements and changes that have taken place.
Friday evening I added some more green stuff to the tyres and set myself up for an early morning start. There are quite a number of things that you need to arrange: cycling clothes, Gloves, Helmet, Sun glasses Neccessary to keep muggies and dust out of your eyes.

Saturday morning at 4;45 I walk over to Andre's house. We load the two bikes into the back of his bakkie with a mattress separating them. We take an easy drive to the Addo Polo club. Here there is a bit of a traffic jam as we find parking. Off load the bikes and get ourselves ready for the cycle. There are three distances: 80, 60 and 30. I choose the easier distance where I am confident that I will finish but still have two hours in the saddle. Darryl and Avril Smith are there, Trevor Hawkins, Ronel, Pat and Marilyn, Rob Howlett, my Neighbour Marshall,

Andre and I line up in the starting chute. There is an electric vibe with rock music playing and nervous tension. Blaaap! Antoinette gets on the mike and gives a "headmistress" type of lecture. Turns off the music, lecturs us on behavior and dampens the whole atmosphere. I suppose that she is doing the best that she can and I should not be critical.

The riders are off. I am not in a hurry and we start off at a reasonable pace. Across the tar road and along a series of dirt and farm roads. Through citrus farms and along a Jeep track. It is here that we first come across cyclists with punctures. Across the aqueduct and up the first bit of a hill. It is not a tough hill but this reminds me of 2012 TDF where someone have thrown tacks on the road. Cyclists changing tyres as tubes are punctured. Even those with Tubeless are having trouble. I am glad that I put an extra dose of green stuff in my tyres the night before.

Over the top of the hill. Oooops! More uphill. Finally there is relief and we swish down on the other side. Andre and I stop for a cold drink at the table where longer distance riders would have to turn right. We turn left, past some tobacco fields. Andre has a puncture. Back wheel. We strip it off, change the tube and put some slime into the tube. All of this takes time and our fellow cyclists come whizzing past us. Including Pat, Ronel and Marilyn. Darryl Smith had stopped to help someone and passed us. My Neighbour, Marshall needed a pump but mine was the wrong fitting.
Lots of people needing assistance. You have to prepare for these events. It is not nice to have a puncture and then to not have the correct gear to sort the problem out.

Once we get going again we have an easy second half to the next table where I have a swim in the portapool. There are a number of locals supporting the riders. At a short hill a young boy gives me a push. I have a packet of jub jubs so toss it across to him.

We ride into the finish together. Not last as there are still riders and pushers coming in behind us. We had a good morning. I will be back next year. We down a Powerade, chat briefly to Antoinette (who I have since forgiven for her stern address) and load up the bikes.

Andre drops me at home, quick shower and drive to Woodridge where Ally is playing Water Polo. Barbara is still"man down" since falling last Monday and fracturing a rib. Ally is in the Pearson second team. They won their first two games this morning and lose the last game of the day. They do not have a Captain nor a coach and play a disjointed game. Poor passing and lack of coordination give the opposition a reasonably easy win. Ally play well, snatching the ball from opposition players and swimming the ball to the goals.

Ally and I drive back, I drink a Red Bull to stay awake, Ally sleeps. Later this afternoon I do some house stuff, take rubbish to the tip and then drop Ally off at her friend Meldon.

HERALD ROAD RACE Sunday 3rd February 2013

Sunday morning I was up early, packed the last few things and drove down to Summerstrand. Parked my car at the LIFESAVING club and then cycled to the start at Hobie beach. The bike ride starts at around 6 or 6:30 for the longer distance. Leaving in 5 or 10 minute intervals. The 55 Kay event starts at 7am. The group that I was in was the second last group to leave this morning and we left at 7:15. At the start I met up with some people that I recognized. Pat and Ronel. Marilyn. Helouise doing her first bike ride event. Neil Calder. Daryl Smith and Mike Burmeister. Kevin Campbell. Wayne Pieterse and Carmen. I don't often see Wayne. He is looking healthy and extremely happy. Sean whose son Bryce used to practice hockey on a Sunday afternoon at Clarendon.

Sean and kicked off together. We cycled up Walmer Boulevard before he realised that I am far too slow for him and he pressed on. My bike had recently been serviced by Richard at Augustine's and I was confident to cycle. Everything was working. I met up with Charmaine. Earlier in the week, Ron and I were cycling around the Moffat. We had greeted this lady running and it turned out to be Charmaine who works at NMMU sports Dept. I would see Charmaine on and off during the ride as she passed me on the up hills.

We rode in a small group up Buffelsfontein Road and into s west wind. I was feeling good and enjoying the cycle. Achilles were doing marshalling and I was able to greet the Runners as I rode past. The problem is that they have no clue who is saying hello. We shoot past in our helmets and Glasses, completely unrecognisable.

We turned left just past Boundary road along the old Seaview rd. up the Longbarn hill where a number of riders seemed to get into trouble. Struggling to change to the easiest gear, foot stuck in toe clips and cleats. Wobbling and touching wheels causing small pile ups. I was lucky and had an easy ride to the top. Ally had stayed over at Meldon's house on this road but I never saw her.

Down the old Seaveiw rd, up the short hills and the past the Lake Farm turn off and back to the new Seaveiw rd. Here we turned left while the longer distance cyclists would have made right turn towards Seaveiw. Garth and I rode up to the go.f course turn off towards Sardinia Bay. Then swing left again. At this stage the wind was on our backs. Down to Schoenies and the the last 20 Kay along the Marine drive. This is a flat piece of road but has a few undulations so you have to work all the time.

By now my bum, neck and legs were tiring. The smell of the ocean and the tail wind made the final few kays quite doable. The 106k cyclist come surging past us in bunches of 10 to 20 riders and make it look so easy. I had to plod along on my own. At my level it is difficult to maintain any sort of bunch.

At last we cycle past the back entrance to the University and the final five kays to the finish. There is a bit of a head wind as we finish but nothing to worry about. I have had a good 2:20 hour of exersize but happy to be back. I ride to Summerstrand, greet some of the cyclists as the come past and the back to Lifesaving and Nippers where I spend the rest of the morning. I enjoy an icy cold swim to wash and to cool off.

Nippers at Summies is growing and is currently Ina really good state. We have around 30 or more Nippers and each week are receiving more applications. Today I assist with coaching of the U10 group. Later I collect Ally and have a relaxed afternoon before church.

START OF THE MTB EVENT AT ADDO

 

PETER AND ANDRE IN THE EARLY MORNING LIGHT

ANTOINETTE GIVES US A LECTURE ON HOW TO BEHAVE ON THE RIDE BUT WE DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO DAMPEN OUR SPIRITS. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS EVENT.

FIRST WATERING TABLE. WE CATCH  UP WITH TREVOR, HAVE A QUICK DRINK AND ALLOW ABOUT 50 PEOPLE TO PASS US.

TREVOR ALWAYS LOOKS SO CHEERFUL.

THE MAN BEHIND ANDRE CAME SWISHING PAST US A NUMBER OF TIMES AFTER THIS.

READY STEADY GO. TODAY ANDRE AND I HAD A GREAT RIDE TOGETHER. NOT TOO MUCH STRAIN BUT WE DID MANAGE TO WORK UP A SWEAT.

ALLY PLAYS WATER POLO FOR THE PEARSON SECOND TEAM AT WOODRIDGE. THEY WIN THE FIRST TWO GAMES AND THEN LOSE THIS ONE AGAINST DSG DUE TO SOME ILL DISCIPLINED PLAY AND LACK OF LEADERSHIP. THE COACH DID NOT PITCH UP AND THE TEAM HAD NO CAPTAIN.

ALLY PLAYS WITH NUMBER TEN CAP. SHE GIVES IT EVERYTHING WHEN SHE IS IN THE WATER.

SNATCHING THE BALL AWAY FROM AN OPPOSITION PLAYER IS SOMETHING THAT ALLY HAS BECOME QUITE SKILLED AT.

ACHILLES TENT AT THE BWB 15KAY EVENT. THE TENT AND TRAILER IS ONE OF OUR REAL ATTRACTIONS AT EVENTS.

BEFORE THE HERALD ROAD EVENT. I PARK AT SUMMIES AND ENJOY THIS AMAZING SUNRISE MORNING.

MIKE BURMEISTER RECEIVES WISE WORDS FROM NIEL CALDER BEFORE THE START OF THE 55 KAY.

DARRYL AND MIKE RODE THIS EVENT ON MTB'S. A NUMBER OF CYCLISTS USE MTB'S FOR THE ROAD EVENT. IT PUTS THEM AT A HUGE DISADVANTAGE. YESTERDAY DARRYL'S WIFE, AVRIL, RODE THE MTB EVENT IN UNDER 2 HOURS. VERY PROUD.

HERE IS A GROUP FROM THE MPRG: HELOUISE WHOSE HAS A BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK AND IS RIDING HER FIRST CYCLE EVENT. MARILYN AND RONEL WHO ARE DOING THIS AS PART OF THEIR CROSS TRAINING FOR COMRADES. MARILYN IS RIDING GERALDS BIKE. AND PAT WHO FINISHED STRONGLY WITH RONEL IN AROUND 2;30.

WAYNE PIETERSE AND CARMEN RIDING THEIR FIRST CYCLE EVENT ON MATCHING BIKES. WAYNE IS A REAL ATHLETE AND LOOKS STRONGER EVERY TIME I SEE HIM.

FINISHED THE CYCLE AT HOBIE BEACH 2;20 WITH CHARMAINE FROM UPE. THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD EVENT FOR ME. WEST WIND DID NOT BOTHER US AT ALL GOING OUT. COMING BACK IT WAS FUN EXCEPT TOWARDS THE END WHEN I STARTED TO TIRE AND HAD A BIT OF A SORE BACKSIDE. FROM HERE I CYCLE BACK TO SUMMIES FOR NIPPERS. THE WATER IS ICY COLD BUT SO REFRESHING AFTER CYCLING THIS EVENT.


I am now really determined to start cycling a bit more. I have joined the Fat Tracks MTB club and plan to ride with the group in the evenings on Tuesday if poaaible.










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JANUARY 2013 STENT OPERATION; J BAY 21K; LENE AND BARBARA PAINTING AND PREPARING THE PLAY SCHOOL; GREY SCHOOL RUN; ISABELLE AND PAULO VISIT;

JANUARY 2013
New Years day

East London -- B & B Benri in Gonubie
JEFFREYS BAY 15KM FROM MENTORS KRAAL
ALLY IS BACK AT SUMMERSTRAND DOING DUTY
START WATCHING A NEW SERIES WITH BARBARA - BAD
ANGELOS FOR SUPPER WITH BARBARA AND ALLY
SUMMERTRAND MEETING-- AMALGEMATE THE SENIORS AND NIPPERS
GREY 12KM RUN
TRIP TO PLETT
NIPPERS OPENS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Wednesday 2nd I drive to EL for business and find a New B & B called Benri's in Gonubie. It is along the Surfers Marathon route.

I jog in the morning. Very nice place to stay rather than the Chimneys where I have been staying for the past number of years.

Saturday 5th. I drive to Jeffreys Bay with Elmarie Botha and Ronel and Elmaries family. Meet up with Achilles chaps. I run with Elmarie, Ronel, Svenje and Bob at various stages. Svenje is pregnant and feeling the Morning Sickness symptoms. The course takes us down towards Jeffreys, past the shopping centre and then left towards Kabbeljous.

At this stage it is almost all down hill but still I am not at my best. When we reach the bottom of the hill we have a gradual climb before turning right up through the suburbs. Back onto the main road and back to Mentors Kraal. We have a good run. It not an easy course with a long steep uphill back to Mentors Kraal where it starts. Bob is not well and feels low. I am not sure why but I too feel weak.

We have a good run. I finish with Svenje and chat to the Achilles. Elmarie's Daughter, Sasha goes off to the shops while we relax at the finish area. when they get back we load up and head off home.

Daniel joins me as we dump the rubbish at the tip. We take Barbara's Blue Bike and Daniels (was Josh's) bike in for service. Both were badly needing attention to Breaks, Chain and cables.

This morning is a busy one for me as I have to go to work, load up the bakkie with the rubbish that is accumulating after our family left and cleaning up the school.
Michael and Lene have moved out of the main house to the school and now Barbara and Lene are cleaning up and preparing for the school to move to their rooms.

Summerstrand Nippers is now part of the main club and not a separate entity.
Barbara Ally and I enjoy our occasional outings to Angelos for a supper which is tasty and quick. Not too expensive.

SATURDAY 12th. I jog to Grey for the 12 km event. I meet up with our normal group of runners. Margie and Brian, Adrienne and Pat who will walk and jog the 6km. Penny, Selwyn, Trevor, Peter DC and Mike Dean who do the 12k together.

Brain and Maggie at the Grey event

I met up with Dean Gow and we run together for the second lap

Treveor Hawkins is always fun to run with

Warren Collier is fit and enjoying these events.

 

Dean finished strongly

 

Catherine and Roger Trader at the Grey School run

Steve McDonald and Rob Elfick ran away from us.
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The run starts in the school and we jog out along College drive, back down Wares road and through Linkside. THen we run up First Ave and right towards the Golf Course. Back towards the School via Westview Drive. THis is a 6km loop which we do twice. I manage to run the whole way with no Walking. Most of the run I am with Trevor Hawkins who plans to take part in the Ironman in EL next Sunday. I meet up with Helen John and Warren Collier who both run with us for a while.
Second half Trevor and I catch up to Dean Gow. The rest of the run we jog together.


I have to be at work this morning and then later Barbara and I drive to Plett to visit Ena and to have some documents signed. There is a strong East Wind blowing. On the return drive we see a man pushing his bike. So we stop to see if he needs assistance. It turns out Silumko Magugu has cycled from Plett this morning and is on his way to Kirkwood. The wind is just too strong and he is exhausted. It is already past 5pm and he would never make it in the light. So we lift him to Uitenhage where he has friends.

Saturday afternoon we went to Plett to see Ena. She is still recovering from the Fall and Broken hip operation. She now has Winnie the live in companion to assist her.

Sunday morning Ally has lifesaving duty all day. I take her down to lifesaving and then spend the rest of the day there with Nippers and just keeping her company.

Nippers is going strong this season

Flags with Craig Dalglies giving us some tips.

Flags is a favourite with the Nippers.

Monday morning I leave for EL. Stay at Benri again. I have three days of SAP training.

Ally gets her first lesson in Surf Ski with Natalie.

Finally Ally managed to get through the Waves which were rough and a big swell.

Thursday Morning we had a small group of us go for a Longer Run around the Moffet. Helouise, Sjani, Marilyn, Erna, Nicky, Ronel and myself. This morning I mentioned to Nicky that I had been having some chest pains. She insisted that I should see a doctor.

Sunrise with Erna, Marilyn and Nicky

Isabelle came to visit with Boyfriend Paulo

Paulo gives Soccer Lessons to Joshua and Daniel

Barbara had some new signs made for the wall, Gate and Car


Saturday morning and it is the Bluewater Bay 15 kay which I have done a number of times. I enjoy this route as it is quite tough but a reasonable course with plenty of support. A small group of us drove down together; Dean Gow; Marilyn, Sjani and Ronel. We parked in the Shopping center, registered and were ready for the run. I really enjoy these local events, greeting familiar faces, Achilles Spirit is everywhere. 
This is a Participation League event and Achilles was well represented. We lined up at the start. It is good to be in the Front if possible. Not that we are planning to win, But you can become boxed in when you are in a crowd and the start is narrow. We ran around the school and as we reached to around the One Kay mark I started to feel the chest pain again. I walked for a bit but then decided to give this run a miss. I walked back to the start and waited for the runners to come in.

Robin Fourie is one of the first Achilleans

 

Sidzumo probably wins his age category. He is a really cheerful man kidding with every one.

Bruce Mc Ewan running strongly. Paulette gave this morning a miss.

Percy with the 5k fun event behind him.

Devon Duffield (Svenje's husband) is loving the running.

Graham Channon seems to never grow tired

Kenny Barwood looks strong at the finish

Ron Field is happy to be finished this event.

Here comes Letitia Straus. I first met Letitia at Addo Trail and see her at all of these events now.

Dean had a good run but was surprised to see me at the finish ahead of him.

Ronel and Elmarie. I had indicated to them at the start that I was pulling out.

Erna had a good run today, finishing strong

Rob and Michelle Elfick. I am always reminded that it was at this event many years ago that I first met Michelle.

Helouise finishes with a Fellow PE Club Runner.

Tremain Wesson: laying down the challenge to anyone wanting to run the Knysna 42kay later this year.

Bob is a lot stronger today than he was at the Jeffreys Bay event where he had flu.

Sjani -- I think is now planning to run the Oceans 56kay.

Achilles tent and trailer. The gathering place for our members and a cup of coffee or cold beverage.

Saturday morning after the Bluewater bay run, Barbara booked me to see the GP. He did an running ECG but really saw nothing much. This was later confirmed by Paddy Carolin.
Here we have Isabelle and Paulo at the Bridge Street Brewery. Paulo plays and sings beautifully. We sat relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere while they played for us. Dean and his group were there. Ron and Lyn and Charles joined us.

The dog is part of Digby's family: Wizzard. He seems content to sit at their feet.

Isabelle is just so cool. She has spent the last year in the Transkei at Coffee Bay teaching at a local school and living in a hut. Learning Xhosa and experiencing the rural life in a hut with no electricity. Well done Isabelle. She is now registering for a Masters at the Brazil University.

Nippers on Sunday. We have a growing group of children. Around 30 on any Sunday and every week there are more Nippers wanting to join.

There is also a strong group of coaches on the beach. I have been spending the whole Sunday at the beach as Ally has Lifesaving Duty.

Natalie and Ally recieve instructions on how to use a Surf Ski

Natalie Goedals prepares the Teens

Natalie helps Ally to get past the breakers


Monday morning after the Bluewater Bay run I took Isabelle and Paulo to Jeffreys Bay. Meanwhile Barbara phoned for an appointment with Mike Dean. I dropped them at J Bay and drove home for the appointment. I picked up Barbara and we met Mike and his team: Julie at Reception, Zaan the Technologist and Janet who does the ECG. Mike sat us down and did a basic chat and interrogation. I then did the running ECG with Janet. Mike sent me downstairs at the Greenacres Hospital for Xrays and then finally decided that I should have an Angiogram as well. He warned me that if he found it neccessary he would insert a Stent.
I went home, gathered a few belongings and checked back into the Hospital. I had recently changed Medical Aid and was pleased to see that the whole procedure was being approved. When in the hospital I met my neighbouring patient who had heart surgery: Bypass. He chatted and Chatted.
I had some work to do and excused myself. But I had hardly answered the few emails when I was asked to Shave myself (Groin) both sides incase the one side did not take. And then I had to strip and put on the funny back to front gown which gives the patient no dignity at all.
The nurses were really friendly and  helpful. They wheeled me to the Operating Theater called the Cat Lab where Mike and Jacques Du Toit attended to me. I really felt special as I had Zaan, Sunette and other assistants looking after me. I had been given some "calming pills" so felt no pain when a huge Knitting Needle was stuck into the Artery in my groin. Mike then inserted a tube and squirted dye into the arteries to check where there may be problems. The Xray maching picks all of this up and Mike was able to see on the monitors above, that there was one artery that was narrow. He then inserted a Stent and blew it up with Pressure that is around 9 times the pressure that a vehicle tyre would be. For me the whole procedure was fascinating. I was able to watch all the goings on by means of the bank of monitors suspended above me.
I spent Monday night in hospital. They left the Knitting needle in me in case there was a need to go back up. This means a most uncomfortable night. You are not allowed to turn on your side. But the following morning Mike came to inspect his handywork and found all to his satisfaction. He discharged me from Hospital and I spent most of the following week at home.
by Friday morning I was missing the running so much and took up an offer to go to the beach for a walk / jog.
Sunday morning I did a cycle on the mountain bike with Andre and then spent the day at the Beach as there was Nippers and Ally has lifesaving duty to do.

Monday 27th I was back at work -- Grahamstown for the day.
Barbara assisted Michael to put up some shelves and had a fall onto the edge of a board. She fractured a rib and had to spend the whole week at home trying to overcome some serious pain.
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The rest of the week I spent frantically trying to catch up with the SAP training exersizes that I had missed the previous week. I was able to do Short Distance training runs. Nippers and Summerstrand Meetings during the week. Tuesday evening Adrienne, Pat and I did our Newton Park swim of just over a Kay.
Thursday 31st:  I collect my road bike from augustines where it had been in for repairs for the front derailer and an overall service.
This week Ally was in Athletics trials. She made it through the first round into a second round qualifier and then into a Third round as well. Ally has had an ear infection and being seeing Julian Nel: ENT specialist. She has been booked off from swimming until the weekend. Ally continued to attend practice even though it meant being on the sidelines.

FEBRUARY 2013
Friday 1st morning, Ron and I did a Moffat cycle route. I now felt that I had done One MTB ride and one Road bike ride and was set for the Herald Cycling weekend.