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In this day and age of SPS and couch athletics, few people dare step up to the plate with fresh ideas and innovative challenges.
Eugene Owen, the Padre, has done just that.
In the space of a month, his aim is to do the Argus 108k bike race; the South African Ironman and the Two Oceans Ultramarathon.
It all started at the Argus...
The new bike fitted nicely into the Monoc box, until I wanted to put the wheels in; so they went hand luggage....In the end BA was fantastic and we got to CT just fine with baby, pram, bags and ...2 bikes (long story).
First night - beers and braai; second night - beers and braai...next morning with 3 hours sleep - 108km Argus cycle tour.
I woke at 4:30 feeling like doing anything but cyle 108km; the wind was howling and I could hear the rain against the bedroom window. I got up, mixed some drinks, ate some toast, loaded the bike and drove towards the CT Waterfront. I sent in the slowest of my 2 bike times achieved in the 2 HIM races I did in 2005, and was seeded in group F and a 07:15 start. Not too far back but hopefully not with too many Tour de France wannabees.
I arrived in good time and entered my start pen at 06:20. I was impressed with the organisation as well as the atmosphere at the start. The hour passed quickly and our turn came - a bunch of just under 600...
My aim was:
- not to fall
- practice nutrition
- give the bike a good run after the plane trip
From the start it became clear point no. 1 was in danger; we were not up Wynberg "hill" yet and there were bodies scattered; but the bunch moved on and when I looked at my speedo we were on 45km/h; so much for taking it easy. The wind was on the nose and falling off the back meant you had to go it alone, so not an option. I worked my way to the front part of the bunch staying as left as possible and out of trouble. On the climbs I found these guys were not Keetos, but on the downs they were all Armstrongs in the making; 75km/h I just pulled to the side and let them go - one mistake in front and my IM gone. For nothing. This was the pattern of the day - on the climbs I passed most of my group even leading at the top of Smitswinkel (for about 1km after the summit at 47km/h when sanity set back in and I pulled over), and on the downs I'd drift towards the left and back to avoid carnage as best as possible.
30km to go and only Chappies and Suikerbossie left as "major" obstacles (clearly these guys have not been to the Alps and Pyrenees); at this stage I had 1 hour to go sub 3:10 so thought it a given. As I started on Little Chappies (the Oceans guys will know why I say little; the real one only comes after the dip in the middle) shifting from my 53 to 39 in front, my chain fell in between and I was spinning without any crank. So I had to stop, put back on, try again, same story. Eventually I got it back on the 53 and with no other option I climbed Chappies and later Suikebossie in the 53 (the bike shop sorted this today hopefully - the after effects of the 12 hour travel trip it seems); My bunch was gone with the 5min struggle stop, but thanks to some fast guys coming from the back and some hard climbing I caught them with 3km to go.
Crossed in 03:11:54 feeling happy with myself; 33.77km/h average in bad conditions without aiming to race at all. The massage today did not highlight any major damage and I swam a 1.9km lap of the swim course feeling good; so it's 1 down 2 to go.
The weather in Port Elizabeth is great - the swim hard work in a choppy South Easterly but the water is warm and the beer cold; hope to stay healthy and talk to you again after Sunday. Tomorrow Keeto arrives so I will take Essentiale tonight.
Cheers from Africa.
Eugene
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