Trans Karoo MTB Race 28th April 2012

May 4, 2012 / by admin / Make A Comment / Filed under Uncategorized

What a day! At 7am we dropped off our Team of 7 guys (Riaan, Brett, Omri, John, Mark, Thinus and Willie), which made up 1xTeam of 4, 1xTeam of 2 and 1 solo rider. The chilly April morning didn’t damper their high spirits and there was much good-natured banter between the guys. The weather forecast looked good and they had high expectations for the full days ride ahead! Then they were off! Bottles filled with all sorts of Isotonic drinks that promised to ‘recharge their batteries’ and pockets stuffed with an assortment of snacks filled with energy boosting properties. And boy, did they need it!

This event offers biking enthusiasts the chance to ride a challenging 240km endurance race from Ceres to Sutherland in one day! Our teams took on the challenge to raise money and awareness for Beyond Education.

After 38km they all rolled into checkpoint 1. The morning chill lingered and some of the guys were feeling the cold and after a brief stop they headed off into the Karoo, all still ‘bright eyed and bushy tailed’! The next two legs of the journey was sure to warm them up! It was fast and flat open roads, one river crossing and a 1400m ascent before dropping down to checkpoint 3, where their faithful support team would be waiting for them.

The guys were feeling the long day at the second last checkpoint, 142km mark. They had been riding for 7 hours and needed to stock up on food, drinks and well, anything they could get their hands on! At this point, on average, they had burnt approx. 5000 calories! Phew! We were so proud of them as they headed into the prevailing winds with the mammoth Ouberg Pass looming in the next 49km.

Onward and upwards! Our riders tackled the highest elevation of the ride at 1700m. This gruelling 11km ascent is not for the faint hearted and is certainly a test of mental & physical strength and endurance. They pushed through the hard moments with encouraging words, jokes and a general feeling of camaraderie.

At the summit of Ouberg Pass, the last checkpoint, the riders were welcomed by a huge fire, ribs and sausage! Only another 49km to the finishing line!

At 9.45pm Brett was the first to come in, followed by the rest of the team, all tired, cold and hungry. It was great seeing their elate and animated faces as they passed the finishing line. Well done guys! You really are fantastic! Thank you for raising sponsorship and support for Beyond Education.