Race Report: Totalsports Challenge 2009

It hadn’t taken much of the event to realize that this wasnt my fight, that this wasnt even about me, this was our fight against the Australian. A realization that made the journey to that “deep, dark, place” unavoidable. Seven stages, more than 6 hours, countless cheers, and a proudly South African ending.

(The two who helped finish the chocolate mouse and custard the night before: Dylan and Michal.)

(Myself – Second from left. Michal, my new flatmate – ginerly starting his first solo TSC.)

The Australian was Jarod Kohler, and seeing him edge away during the first section of surfski on a perfectly calm Flase Bay morning had me accept fate for the day: too classy. But soon he dropped, slowed, and looked less dominant. Perhaps I did want to defy fate, perhaps I’d just misread it. I surged across to the bunch I’d slipped off – the first of many deep digs for the day. It got me onto a bunch who soon realised the situation, and nursed me through the rest of the opening 12km of surfki. Within the last 500m, I drew level with Kohler, feeling ‘game on’.

(Rounding flags after lap1 – 20sec behind)

Swam steady’ish in Spring Tide shallow waters and must have dropped Kohler somewhere, for as I ran out of the water commentary had changed from seconds behind to “go go”. This is one of the critical moments of the individual race – starting 50km road ride in the right company of a strong 7member team cyclist. You could miss a wheel with 20seconds, which will eventually be a 5min gap. You could be stranded in no-man’s land, and have a competitor behind get dragged up by a fast bunch of team riders. Its a roll of the dice. Only you stack the odds in your favour with a better paddle and swim.

(1.5km swim exit)

Before glancing back in search of help, I heard a gear shift making a sound only a carbon whealset can. I smiled as an ancient one piece Giant TT frame (something from Miguel Indurain era) with old 8-spoke Spinnergy’s on rolled by. He meant business, and so did I. We pushed, worked well together, made significant time.

(On the flats past Pringle Bay – clearing some of the sea water)

It was my first race on my Specialized Transition. My setup could still do with some tweaking, and I could do with more time of horizontal riding, but it more than flew on the day. Starting the 13km road run, I’d edged out the split to 8min30, but at what price?

(Mother doing a stand-and-hand water pass)

I was now entering the psychological poker game, against myself as well as Kohler behind. Having read his comment of running as his strength, I decided to run the first half a little harder, hoping he’d get a discouring split midway. At the same time, I now find myself in the hurt box on the long, flat, ‘not my style’ type road towards Arabella. But what little doubts I harboured (after months of too much eating and little training) were deafened by hooting, cheering and passionate shouting from cars heading towards the next transition.

Being a figures boy though, I found most comfort from my Garmin Forerunner 405 showing near 4min/km. Surely he couldnt pull back too much against that? He didnt. I heard after that it shrunk, then faded back to 8min30 deficit.

Not far into the paddle and I saw Graeme Soloman, the leading Totalsports All Star team’s paddler coming at me. Either their team was significantly faster, as he was returning from the out-and-back course too quickly, or I was slower than last year. Or, hoping as one that shouldnt hope, the paddle was short…

Choosing a longer line that would allow a more perpendicular angle to the now impossible waves, and then hopefully surf some on the way in, I didnt pass near Kohler on the water. I couldnt gauge his pace, read his style, or guess the gap. Best to keep digging I figured.

(Getting into Kleinmond, with the beach start in the distance.)

It was the final round of poker and I was going all in. I launched at the 25km mountain bike leg with total aggression, keeping it at what felt beyond threshold and just below the cramp line. Its a great mountain bike course, that has one of the definitive views of an incredibly spectacular 7 stages. Its after a slight rise near the top of the Koegelberg Nature Reserve – as the fynbos drops and the ocean rises. Perhaps the view is equalled in beauty by the ‘now mostly downhill’ feeling.

Surely I’d dont enough now? I knew I moved well on the bike. But its never over till its over. A lesson learnt at one of my first school track and field meets at age 9. I’d slowed three meters short of the 1200m line… So I kept fighting with myself, till the 4.5km eternity turn on a beach that was worse than ever. The Spring Tide low of the swim was now a Spring Tide high on the beach. After the turn, I let up gradually, still in disbelief, untill finally I ran past Jarod and realised this was in the bag. The South African’s bag that is.

Its always sweetest when least expected.

(Near the 9km end of soft very cambered beach running.)

The clock stopped at 6:09:55. And 27minutes later for Kohler. The big damage was done on my S-Works Epic – The best mountain bike in the world.

(Jeannie Bomford winning the tight ladies race)

Big up to Jeannie Bomford and Michelle Lombardi, who toughed out a long day to finish 3minutes apart. So too to Hanlie Booyens in third. Such class. And such smiles before, during and after. As if my litmus test of enjoyment or not. They’d have handled South African pride for sure if up against any international.

My seconding was flawless in race where so many small bits and pieces and timing can go wrong, and mother and father was on top of it all. Most grateful. Had to nick a surfki off Zaren Courtney, who had a valid excuse of skiing in Austria with his misses for not competing this year. Thanks too.

I especially want to mention Stillwater Sports for their class and vision in creating and managing events that form the platform on which I get to live my passion.

But biggest shout out to all the support on the course, from those I know and those I’ll still get to know. It was the spark that lit the fire.

A great start for Gary and myself to the 09 racing. A grand start for the dream givers still believing in my vision. And a fine reminder of why I love my day job.