Ok so we have done it again!! Entered the Magical Untamed ABSA Cape Epic for 2010 in South AFrica. Team Susan Deacon Properties have made our entry today and now looking forward to 2010. Some training and racing to get us in top shape and form for next year's race. My Team mate (Jason Eldridge) also now an Amabubezi member after finishing his 3rd one and I going for my 6th one next year will keep you posted on our preperation and training for next year. We really start more focussed training December, but going to do plenty of racing towards the end of the year. That is how my team mate likes it. Racing and going hard.
Our first race together as team after the 2009 Cape Epic will be the Transbaviaans 24 hour race from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay in the Eatern Cape, South Africa. 230km in one day. The worlds longest 1 day mountain bike race.
http://www.ecobound.co.za/The%20Trans%20Baviaans%2024%20hour%20Mountain%20Bike%20Marathon.htm
I will do an update towards the Transbaviaans race in 2 weeks time again.
Two weeks from today I will start my journey though Alaska on day one of the Sadlers Alaska Challenge. (www.sadlersakchallenge.org) I can't believe it has come up so quick. it's crazy. Really. But even more crazy is that in 3 weeks I will be finished with a 267 mile, 16,000 elevation gain, 6 day stage race through Alaska. I get asked all the time why I want to do such a thing. I think we can all look at our lives, the early hours, the training schedules and realize pretty quickly why we do the things we do. For myself, its becasue I can. I may have lost a leg but Im lucky to have kept the rest and really, what's 1 leg in the whole scheme of things. And the glory of crossing the finish line aftet putting in the work..it's all worth it. It's that simple.
Your first question may be, am I ready? I am confident that although this may be the most physically challenging event I have ever done that i can do it. I will do all I can to make it to the finish line and have all those hours and miles of training pay off. I have recently learned that instead of the original 3 females in the race, there are now 5. My goal when I signed up for this race was to make it to the finish line on my own and keeping up the pace so I am not picked up by the 'slow rider' vehicle. That remains 1 of my goals. The 2nd being not coming in last. I mean really, we can all say over and over that its about the journey, not the results. blah blah blah. But who really wants to come in last. Not me. So I won't.
These past couple weeks the training has been good. More 3.5+ hr rides, some hill intervals, getting to know my bike a little better, working on shifting the gears better... It's been good. I go this Fri to get my final bike tune up before the race. To be honest, in over 1100 miles, it's my only bike tune up. Whoops. It will just make this one that much better..
To get off of the handcycle for a moment, I have run two 5K's since I last wrote. Both which i ran without stopping and was completely pumped about. I ran them 2 weeks apart and dropped 2 min in 2 weeks. I am trying not to look too far past Alaska but I'm going to have some serious goals after that race is done. Running, an upright bike, swimming... you get the gist.
This is probably the last time I'll write until my epic journey through Alaska begins. Yes, it will be epic.
I'll keep you all posted as the journey begins. I can't wait.
Photos of the Susan Deacon Properties Team at the 2009 ABSA Cape Epic
Photos of the Susan Deacon Properties Team at the 2009 ABSA Cape Epic
Photos of the Susan Deacon Properties Team at the 2009 ABSA Cape Epic
Photos of the Susan Deacon Properties Team at the 2009 ABSA Cape Epic
Photos of the Susan Deacon Properties Team at the 2009 ABSA Cape Epic
Anybody training and participating in the ABSA Cape Epic 2009, in South Africa
