Engen NECSA

Anyone else do the NECSA today? Hekpoort was just as hard as last week but a lot warmer. I think some of us were close to heat exhaustion near the top! :P I wear a bandana and soaked it in water at the next water point. Keeps the head cool for quite awhile. (Hey I don't have hair to do that! :'() Overall I felt better this week. Having ridden the course last week probably helped. Improved about 20 minutes. But I didn't like the idea of a 95km event turning into 100km without warning! :P
VO2. Looked for you again but didn't see you. You should be conspicuous in your outfit? I was in "A" group. I'm sure you didn't miss the Hartebeeshoek turn off this time? ;D ;D

Provisional results have been posted on the World of Endurance website. (Staturday evening! Well done Champion Chip! ;D)

Old Timer, I started in the B-group. Also kept on looking if I could see you, especially around the mayhem where we had to collect our numbers. It was difinitely warmer than last week. I was seriously contemplating jumping into that pond we past around the 80k mark. :P
It bugs me that a race is advertised as 95k, only to find you still have 5 to go after you hit the 95k mark? Maybe it had something to do with the revised start? Ah well, it only makes us stronger.
I think the heat sapped all the energy out of us. I felt weak the last part. As for HekMoord, the scores are now level! I toke the wife up there after the race. She says we should have our heads checked. :-X
Old Timer, I'm now done with my prep for the Argus. The last part of this race made me realise that my legs need some rest now.

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Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional

Congratulations to all of us who finished it.

I chose this race instead of the Ride for Sight, to find out what Hekpoort is all about. Now I know. I was defeated. My maximum heart rate was confirmed during the race and I felt rather humiliated at the finish for walking the last 200m or so of Hekpoort.

Now I need new cleats too.

Well done yakima. Don't feel bad about walking HekMoord. The first time I rode it (Kormorant), I led my group out. Why? To prove that I could climb better than any of them. I started way to fast and all of them battled to stay with me. The result? Most of them passed me ¾ of the way up! I dismounted and walked the last 100m or so. :-[
I returned last weekend with a vengeance. Only one thing mattered: to climb her and climb her hard. She tried her best, but I left her behind with a smile on my face.
My advice to anyone attempting to climb her fast? Respect!

Needless to say it's one of my favourite medals!

__________________
Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional