Sani2c 2014

This year things would be different. As Kalla raced the Joberg2c Corporate Relay it was left up to Erno to step in and fill his shoes. I would be racing my third Sani2c with a new partner. It wasn’t much of an issue. Erno and I have been riding together for yonks. We did our very first marathon distance race together back in 2011 and have been doing most of our training rides together since then. So, even if this would be our first stage race as a team, we’ve been riding together a lot and knew each other pretty well. It would also be the year that my new carbon Booth bike would make its debut at Sani2c. I was as excited as ever!

After the dreadful sani2c I had in 2013 I had to go about the lead up to the race differently. The main aim, above all else, would be to stay healthy. I learned the hard way in 2013 that being 100% healthy is far more important than being 100% fit. Boat loads of multi-vitamins, anti-bacterial hand wash and anything that resembled an immune booster kept me on my feet in the lead up. Even the slightest sniffle was met with an almost unhealthy bombardment of vitamins. It worked and the immune system kept me on the bike throughout. Erno had a quick shot of anti-biotic the week before but by the time we rolled onto the start line we were healthy and raring to go.   

 << Vernon Crookes 2 >>   

 Being my third Sani2c I now had a pretty good idea of what to expect and how to manage the effort over the three days. The plan was to ride well within ourselves for the three days, keeping the pace steady and the pedals ticking over. Being Sani2c, we weren’t going to race it. It is after all an experience and not a race and riding a good time is secondary to taking in the experience  of riding the best trails that South Africa has to offer. That being said, we trained well and, for the first time, followed a Science2Sport 16 week training plan. By the time we arrived in Underberg, we were strong and even though we weren’t racing, I was confident that we would ride decent times quite comfortably.   We rolled off the starting line in batch H and from the gun there were some teams who went out hard. I kept on reminding Erno that we were riding our own race at our own pace. At no time will we try and stick with a group or other riders. We’re riding a pace that is comfortable for us. Keeping it steady. Erno was blown away by the scenery, and this was only Day 1… The best was yet to come!   

Cu 

 << CAT bridge >>   

 We rolled through the first two singletrack sections and the realisation that we were riding Sani2c really hit home. We kept it steady up to the first climb, aptly named View Climb, and decided to keep it easy going to the top. As we did a decent amount of climbing heading into Sani2c I was confident that we would be fine, even if we’re slow to the top, we would get there. Incidentally, this was the spot last year, less than 30km into the race, that I realised that I was in trouble. This year, though, was much different. Getting into a steady rhythm we started passing riders as soon as the road tilted upwards. We were riding steadily and well within ourselves and passing almost everyone ahead of us on the climb. It was a big moment for me. I knew that it was going to be a good 3 days.   A special part of the event is all the spectator points. Being able to say a quick “Hi!” to your family at the spectator points and water points adds a lot to what makes this such an amazing experience. This year Dian experienced Sani2c for the first time at the tender age of 3 only months, a month younger than what Evan was when I first rode Sani2c, who was now already supporting me at the race for the third time. Adel had her hands full. This was also Annerie and Josh’s first taste of the Sani2c experience.   

 << Moss bank >>   

 We finished Day 1 in a time of 4 hours and 43 minutes, only 8 minutes quicker than the prior year but I was a lot more comfortable than the year before. We were feeling confident ahead of the big one, Day 2.   Day 2 is mind blowing! Even when you’re doing it for the third time. The drop down into the Umkomaas Valley is unrivalled by anything I have ever seen. The 30 odd km taking you down to the valley floor is the best riding I have done and the view remains spectacular throughout. An over the bars crash threw me a little, but luckily I came off mostly unscathed.   

 << Sappi Highflats >>   

 Erno found some great legs on this day and monstered each and every climb. I started suffering a little from the 60 km mark. I wasn’t feeling terrible but was being left behind on the climbs and didn’t have the legs to stick with Erno, although I made it to the top. We eventually made it to the finish in 7:22, which is 33 minutes faster than my previous best. It was a good day out comprising of the best singletrack, monster climbs and an scenic experience second to none. We were ready to hit the beach on Day 3!   As has become the tradition of the Sani2c Trail, we were once again treated with awesome weather for the last day and were raring to hit the beach. First, though, we had 80 odd km to negotiate through sugar cane farms, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve and the much talked about floating bridge over Scottburgh Beach lagoon. Today it was Erno’s turn to hit the deck early in the race and once again we were lucky as he was able to get up, dust himself off and get back on the bike. We were pushing a decent pace throughout and I had gotten my climbing legs back, which went wandering the day before, so Erno and I were climbing well together. Even though Day 3 is not known for its climbs, there are still some biggish climbs early in the day that will test your legs and force those that burnt too many matches the day before to do some pushing. We were feeling well though and taking in all the sights and sounds of this last day of a 3 day race that our entire first half of the year is built around. Such an amazing experience just goes by so fast. We had a meticulous 16 week training programme building up to these three days, and in the blink of an eye (well… 16 hours on the bike in three days) it was all over.   

 <<360Life Bridge>>   

 We crossed the finish line and hit the beach after 4 hours and 27 minutes on the bike on Day 3. Seeing the boys and our wives just put the icing on another mind-blowing experience. Again, lady luck smiled on us as, despite a couple of tumbles, we had no major mechanical incidents, no injuries and not a single moment where we were suffering badly. We finished in a time of 16 hours and 32 minutes. A time reflecting our steady pace and strategy of the 3 days. Once again I crossed the finish line humbled and extremely proud, all at the same time, after what has been an experience of epic proportions. Now for number 4 in 2015!  

 << Farmer Glen >>