Race For Victory

After a terrible sleep (violent thunderstorms last night amongst other sensory distractions - including smelly shoes and overpowering tephlon aromas), I got up at about 5:10am.

Alex and I drove behind Andrew MacLean on the way to Gold Reef City. He has quite a nice rig. Was ironic then that he came belting past me on the road - on his own - in pursuit of a breakaway as far as I know. I think he ended up 2nd.

Here today's stats...
Time: 2:23
Heart Rate average: 159 (Maximum 169)
KCal: 2628
Ascent: 600m
Tenperature: 14/18 average/23
Altitude average: 1524m (1671m max)
Average speed: 31.9km/h (Maximum 97km/h - there were some steep fast downhills but that still seems a bit suspect to me.)
Distance: 76.8km

Was a great setup for an unfit rider. Start with a few smallish climbs, then a long, monster downhill (5km long). Then rolling undulations with the wind. Did the first 40km in just over an hour. Did the next 37km in around 1h25min. Was actually looking good timewise until the last 10km, then we hit the monster downhill - but from the other side. We had this interminable climb against the wind. My right calf basically went into a gradual strain after that effort.

Was a great race; I was a lot stronger and faster than I would have given myself creidt for, but then it's easy to do downhills and flats with the wind at your back.
Some of the roadside sights included motorbikes flying over ramps - high into the air - a microlight swooping over the moving line of riders that included me, Andrew easing by us on his own with a peloton not that far behind, working together to try to reel him in.

I survived with the front bunch - well, the piecves of it that remained, until about 54km. I lost them when the vet bunches started streaming through. I slotted in behind a group of about 7 flying juniors. That was a great piece. Was buggered afterwards though.

The Vodacom girl in the blue bikini - while we were eating yummy steakrolls - gave me a bit of a er...lift...just before we left. Lovely breasts. Also motivating to see so many people in great shape. Now me.

Was a gr