Grabouw, 20 February 2010
1st
2h22′ish

Midway through the bike course I glanced down at my legs, goose flesh shriveled pistons willed on by heart and mind, heat treated to total dehydrated. As was everything else. I still could not get a sweat droplet onto my sunnies, my Enduren was nearly all out. “Kid, you’re going to blow”. [...]

Quite a few emails today asking about the Xterra Grabouw bike route this year. Have been out and about, dialed in some lines, and feel I have the terrain on my side. The course is similar to a reverse of last year, starting with a long climb, before a great yo-yo from climb to fun [...]

Dripping viscous beads of persperation after a leisurely warm up stroll while making my way down to the swim start I noted, for the first time, the Xterra Lite transition space at capacity. Representing many who’d be dabbling in some adventurous racing for the first time. But when asked who’d be doing their first Xterra [...]

Some bits and pieces from the past few days. No significant reporting to be done. Getting through the work. Got to see my middle sister which was a treat on New Years Eve. Heard a class Oz athlete will be out next weekend (so went for a paddle…). And decided as a resolution, I need [...]

My blogging coach came through for a run last weekend, and has some photo’s up on his flickr account. Its my favourite long run, as we start at a Trout Farm entering Jonkershoek, head up the mountain at gradual gradient for twenty min, before a breathtaking 5km contour to a stunning lookout point deep in the [...]

A few friends have yearly gathered for a wine tour on bikes (more wine than riding) in and around Stellenbosch to get the new years party started early. This year the lads were thinned, maybe their chains have been shortened over the past year, but myself and a few friends spent the afternoon in search of a fine wine [...]

I have known Mari since provincial swimming trips as a ten year old, and have had the privilege to watch her grow into a remarkable inspiration to many including myself, as an actuarial science student, world class athlete, Olympic hopeful and as a person who succeeds. Mari is my neighbour, training partner, friend, and litmus paper for [...]