Everyone wishing me well for the Cape Epic has reminded me to be safe, and wished me luck. It’s no accident that these two things come up time and again in conversations about the great untamed African race. In 2018, my team-mate Briony managed to get food poisoning, have all her money stolen by an […]
4 Islands MTB – A beautiful island hopping adventure
We hurtle towards the airport the day after the final stage of 4 Islands MTB stage race, we leave with many stories, lots of memories, and a love of this beautiful country. The amazing pictures from previous editions attract new participants to this race each year. Those images show a different landscape to any other […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic – on pulling out
Related Event: Perskindol Swiss Epic
So, right when Mike and I got comfortable with winning, here we are out of the race. Pulling out of a stage and the race was interesting in itself, and really brought home to us what’s great about the Perskindol Swiss Epic, and our partnership. I want to tell the story of what went on, […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic – Prologue
Related Event: Perskindol Swiss Epic
Stage races come and stage races go. Each promises something different: the Croc Trophy takes you to the wildest Australian outback. Transalp over the most magnificent passes. The Cape Epic offers the ultimate physical challenge. The Perskindol Swiss Epic has a lot going for it, but its point of difference, I’ve quickly realised, is quality. Everything, […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic Rider Diary – the mind
Related Event: Perskindol Swiss Epic
When you stand on a start line and look around you one thing is always the same: everyone looks fitter, calmer, better dressed, and more prepared than you do. You can try numerous strategies to overcome your nerves: a friendly chat, a thousand-mile stare, some tweaks to your gear – but your heart will hammer […]
Sudety MTB Challenge 2014 Stage 1 – Touring Stronie Slaskie
Stage 1 – Tour de Stronie Slaskie What happened? After yesterday’s short, 15 km prologue, the real Sudety MTB Challenge started today, with a 65 km course that included 2423 metres of climbing. Starting in the beautiful park in central Stronie Slaskie, the course quickly turned off the main road and onto a steep climb […]
Racing Australia’s Red Heart – darkness and rain! ICME 5 & 6
I finished racing hours ago but I’m still shaking. It’s the inevitable result of sleep deprivation, lactic acid accumulation, caffeine ingestion, and a lot of adrenalin! I can now safely admit that I loathe night racing, but was trying to keep positive before Rapid Ascent’s ICME stage 5 last night in the hope that this […]
Altitude training for marathon racing
I didn’t know it at the time, but I broke my hip on the final day of the 2013 Absa Cape Epic, one kilometre from the finish in Lourensford. Needless to say, that has resulted in my 2013 season being rather different than planned. Far from coming off the Epic to start a brilliant European season […]