The Eskay Cycling Herald: Cape Epic 2013

Last time we spoke about the Epic, I interviewed Epic John on the eve of his 10^th Cape Epic. That milestone has been achieved – even if there was a close day or two with mechanicals and partner breakdown…. For a change we swap roles and Epic John has chosen to interview me for the write up on the 2013 edition of the Cape Epic….

EJ (Epic John): So? First one done. How was that for you?

RR (Rens): Tough (laughs)

EJ: But you knew that…..

RR: I guess I did. Being in the cycling circles for a few years now, you get to speak to many people who have ridden the Epic who have tainted you with their tales of woe of suffering. So I had everybody else’s warped perceptions of the event in my head. Scarily enough, most of them were closer to accurate.

EJ: What was a highlight for you?

RR: Apart from finishing? I liked some of the quirky things that the organisers put into the route. Riding through the house at Meerendal was a nice touch. And the James Bond tunnel was well thought out. Other highlights are riding with so many foreigners. In our group we had a consistent crowd of Germans, Dutch, French, and Spanish riders who we rubbed shoulders with. We could have our own international contests back in the C bunch whilst the professionals were doing the same thing up front (at double the pace!).

RR: Sand. Stage 1 was a real shock to the system. I was back on the beach in my Navy basic training – just getting my ass kicked for miles and miles on soft, hot, mountainous sand. We walked about 18km through that stuff. I remember as we all lay in the Woollies tent after the hours and hours of slog that we couldn't move too quickly or we would just cramp up! But that was also a great memory too – we suffered properly that day!

EJ: Tell those Epic wannabees out there about your training programme.

RR: The truth is that I didn’t follow one. Well – not a strict “week 1 – 2x intervals @ 3 min/interval” kind of thing. I guess my approach was simple: ride more; ride fast; ride up. Because I'm a bigger rider (96kg at start of training) I reckoned I needed to turn my possible weakness into my strength. That’s why I targeted climbing. The Epic is all about climbing. Anyone can chug along a flat road for hours – but how do you cope with severe climbs thrown in? So heading off to the Mast, or around Noordhoek Peak (more than once per ride) is a must. On reflection, I rode one Epic per month for 4 months – that’s about 800km and 45hrs with about 20km of climbing…each month. That worked for me.

EJ: And nutrition? Anything different?

RR: Not really. Try and cut out the processed stuff. But I didn’t want to change my whole life for a bicycle race. I'm not a professional and should be able to enjoy coffee with sugar and beers every now and again. I don’t need to shed 500 grams to become 1% more efficient! But I did lose 6kg over a 4 month period and this was a great help on the climbs. That weight loss was more from increased exercise than from clever eating – which is the quickest way to lose fat.

EJ: How was your partner, Andrew “Rocky” Koen?

RR: Everyone will tell you that the Epic is 80% about the relationship you have with your partner. The rest is riding. Andrew is one of the toughest guys I've ridden with. As a Grand Master and with 2 Epics, a very fast sub 3 Argus, and 10 Two Oceans under the belt he understands endurance sport. I was very fortunate to have him as a partner as he was patient. We communicated openly and if either party was going too fast, we just said so. It takes a lot of pressure off if your primary goal is getting to the finish safely. You can worry about position later….I’d ride the race with Andrew again anytime. (Incidentally, we finished 167 overall and 99th in the Mens Category - we were stoked with that!)

EJ: Any war stories we need to know about?

RR: Plenty! I had a good wake up call on stage 2. It was a long 143km route with a fair stretch of district road in the mix. Andrew and I are suited to the long open stretches – we can just switch on the diesel engines and grind away for hours at a good speed. In fact, we were making such good headway that day that I got cocky before a waterpoint. With 25km to go to the end, I thought that ramping over a rock just before the final waterpoint would be a fun thing to do. Problem was I had lost some air in the front wheel due to earlier punctures…. So I launch myself up (nice big waterpoint crowd all watching) and when I land, the front tyre just pulls off the rim! So next thing I'm skidding off the road towards a gaggle of supporters with my tyre flapping around the rim and my one leg unclipped, trying to right my bike as a skid over soft sand on the shoulder of the road. I also missed going over the timing mat as I had taken a small detour in my stunt that had gone awry….so I casually dismount and push my bike back to the road, around and over the timing mat. I had never felt so stupid. Luckily there was a mechanical point right there and a tube was put in. but we lost some good time with that stupid move! (This is why I say Andrew was very patient… he just waited quietly whilst I was trying to rush the mechanic. Sorry again Andrew!)

EJ: And what about camaraderie on the race?

RR: It was a huge bonus riding the Epic with two other teams that we were close to. Yourselves (Fat Bob) as well as Warren and Hendrik in team Let's Ride. It makes a big difference being able to have meals with other teams; talk kak; compare notes; and share a beer together after a long day on the bike. And having a small competition between Mean and Green and Fat Bob was fun! You guys managed a few plucky stage wins over us, but I think we did enough damage on the long stages to win the war! Andrew and I knew that you and Curious George would be better on the more nippy stages - those routes that required stop/start and technical riding. Andrew and I both like to fire up the big diesels on the long climbs and burn through the pack like that....

EJ: Would you recommend the Epic to people who haven't done it before?

RR: I think if you can ride a bicycle - you can do the Epic. But will you enjoy it? Its a bit like boarding school - I think some people are just more suited to it than others. I can clearly see why some people hate the Epic and say its not mountain biking. Those will be guys who like the manicured tracks of the Sani and smooth, fast riding. The Epic won't give you a sanitised experience. The route will be raw in areas...and long slogs on district roads in others. It doesn't promise endless joy and whizzing through single track all day...the distances are tough and the days are long. But I would recommend it to anybody who has the mental ability to deal with it. If you train hard, you'll be fine.

EJ: What about the route? Did you enjoy it?

RR: Well, we had no rest! I know in the past Epics there have been mid-week prologues and the like. But they put us to the sword every day. Apart from the last day, the shortest stage we had was 75km with plenty climbing. But man it was hot! The first 5 days were constantly in the mid-30's.

EJ: But it’s the Epic…..?

RR: And that’s what I kept reminding myself. Unfortunately the Epic brand needs to protect itself – so it’s not going to made easy for anyone! When I spoke to you, Andrew, and George (that’s 16 completed Epics between the 3 of you!) you all seemed to agree that this was tough and par for the course. Hot and sandy were the summary points for the 2013 edition. That’s good. At least I know that if I do it again, I can expect a kick in the face…every day! No-one wants to ride in what would be considered "the easiest Epic". Its my first, so I have no point of comparison. But compared to Wine2Whales and Sani2C....its just a whole lot tougher! There's a bit of a "fu(k you" element on the Epic in that the last 20-30km's are always tough that you don't get on other races. But looking back, that's what makes it memorable.

EJ: But it’s the Epic…

RR: I know John – that’s the point I'm making. I don’t think there will ever be such a thing as an “easy” Epic. Certainly this 10^th edition was tough and ranks right up there. Now let me ask you some questions… Is this your toughest Epic yet?

EJ: They’re all tough. All of them have had their share of pain, suffering, and amazing scenery. This one was tough – but that’s not only from the route perspective, heat, and sand (laughs) – George, my trusty wingman, fell ill on day 2. Its been some time since I've had to check the clock and calculate if we were going to make cut-off or not! But anxiety is a good thing and we came in with some time to spare.

RR: Are the Epic competitors improving?

EJ: The first few Epics I rode cannot even be compared to what we experience now. Everyone who comes to ride the Epic now – from wherever they may be – knows that it’s tough. The training, equipment, and preparation have increased in leaps and bounds over the years! The field is much faster, stronger, and most importantly, aware of the event, than ever before. Everyone here is an exceptionally competent rider and would be considered a “very strong rider” back home in their respective riding group. Gone are the days of touring hippies on old bikes who want to cruise the countryside. All Epic riders nowadays have trained extensively, understand the benefits of good nutrition, and have made a significant investment in their attempt and get that coveted finishers medal.

RR: Will you ride next year?

EJ: It’s the Epic. It’s what I love to do. And it’s easier than looking after the kids for a week – and Beth knows this. But let’s just see how it all pans out. Unfortunately every race you enter after having done an Epic just doesn't quite measure up. Great they may be - but there's that something extra that you find on an Epic that can't easily be replicated.

RR: Ten Epics is a special milestone. You're one of only 9 people to have achieved this. You're up there with guys like Shan Wilson and Karl Platt. How does that make you feel?

EJ: It makes me feel like a Boston draught….

RR: I'm buying. Thanks Epic John. It was a privilege riding the race with you.

EJ: Well done on your first one. Don’t let it be your last.

Just one of many great singletrack sections.

Finish line at Lourensford! Who wouldn't be chuffed! (I'm actually holding Andrew's shoulder in - he had damaged it badly the day before and we rode VERY responsibly and carefully on the final day. He was a bit tender after his rock-rolling antics!)