Training Log Archive: nmulder

Bushveld event in Moreletta Kloof NR, 1:7'500.

Been a few years since we were last here. Maybe close to 10? Only the 2nd time I've run here as well if my memory is correct. Got off to a good start but could have found a cleaner route choice to #2 with less undergrowth. Struggled a bit with compass around 6 and 7 but no time loss. Ran past #10 and had to backtrack, so close to a 1 min loss there. Otherwise okay with no further problems, just slow towards the end.

Managed a win by a few secs over Alex who messed #2 and then was catching quickly towards the end.

Brown - Splits

A post race jog around our part of Casper to the river and back before flying back home (dep Thursday, arr Saturday!). Not feeling too bad.

Started off on Leg 11 immediately, finding the path over the dam wall and putting into the river on the other side at the base. Still dark when we hit the first few class 1 rapids on the North Platte River but we had perfect timing in hitting the class 3 in the canyon at first light. We were pushing hard knowing that Yogaslackers would be going flat-out to catch us on this last day of racing.

Pulled our boats out of the river and canyon just a few rapids down and had a portage for about 6km along a quiet tar road. Put into the Alcova reservoir as the suns rays hit us and paddled 3km across it, before portaging over the next ridge into the river below again. Then a long gentle river paddle down to the transition where I had my usual sleepmonsters to annoy Nathan. We knew the gap ahead to Godzone was many hours, so we were only aiming to stay ahaed of Yogaslackers.

Our first transition all to ourselves. We push it a bit as we wanted to maintain the gap on any chasing teams. Timesheet showed that we had had a good final night and were now up to 11th overall after Lozere FRA withdrew from hypothermia in this transition.

Leg 12, the final one of the race, only a climb and descent of Casper Mountain ahead of us.

We push as hard as possible on the tar roads to the base of the mountain and then up the dirt roads. We had nice solid surfaces compared to the teams behind us who got bogged down in red mud once the midday storms started.

It felt sluggish going up but final split time results showed we were one of the fastest teams on this leg of the race (3rd, only slower than Silva and Yoga). Got to the top just as a massive thunderstorm, wind gusts, lightning and hail broke. We were luckily on the tar descent by then but it was the most atrocious weather I've ever been in during a race. I barely struggled to keep my bike upright with the gusts whilst doing 40km/hr on the descent (no 85 km/hr this time!). By the time we reached the edge of town we were all severely hypothermic and stuggling to control our bikes whilst shivering. We kept pushing hard to warm up again and flew into the finish along the tracks we had scouting well the previous week.

End position 11th. Disappointed about the 6h loss on the second night. We still have a weakness when it comes to bundu-bashing. Without that mistake we would probably have been racing for 8th and ahead of Blackhill, Vidaraid and Godzone who were fading badly and only finished about an hour ahead of us.