Oh So Nearly ...

I know the question lurking uppermost in your mind this week is: “Did Mad Mom Zelda survive the onslaught of the 2011 Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour?”


Here are a few things I learnt from my time out on the road on Sunday:
1. Two bananas does not a breakfast make
2. Goo is not a viable replacement for real food – a peanut butter sandwich would probably be better (maybe even a banana?)
3. Factor 20 sun block does not protect my lily white skin (especially the 2 inches visible between the bottom of my long gym broeks and my secret socks)
4. The lighter your bike, the easier you wheel it when walking uphill
5. The Flying Custard (and my own voluptuous form) get heavier with every km

And now to cut to the chase: I started like a rocket, with the weather being perfect and feeling strong. I was still smiling at Ladies Mile bridge as I roared beneath our banner that welcomed the Chaeli Riders and did enthusiastic air pumping to Chaeli and the rest of my family shouting encouragement from atop the bridge. I made it to Lakeside in record time (for me!) and the smiles of the Terry family and a most welcome Energade. And here started my first (of many) designated walk – Boyes Drive. All went well for the next forever kilometres, stopping to drink, sucking on Goo sachets and living in the moment – focusing on one push of the hand cycle at a time. Even the baboons heading into Scarborough did not deter me and I raced towards Chappies full of the joys of another magical day in Africa. Then the loooooong energy-sapping walk up Chappies, with an invigorating swoop down into Hout Bay. It was wonderful to see Bruce Wright dance across the road in Hout Bay Village (complete with Jade on his hip) and I heeded his warning that I needed to make it to the next set of robots (just over the next hill - which seemed a long way off) in 5 minutes. He even offered to help push my worthy steed (which I was dragging along again, walking as fast as I could). Power walking with a multitude of huffs and puffs followed as I stomped towards the crest of the hill, hopped aboard the Flying Custard and ended up being the 2nd last person to make the cut off time at the bottom of Suikerbossie. I was exhausted but elated!

Suikerbossie is a very, very, very long hill. Having done my daring dash through the village I think I squeezed out the very last bit of energy I had remaining. My mind fogged up (I didn’t even think of popping one last Goo) and I tried to push and pull the FC from every angle (even ended up pushing from behind the seat and tried to get it uphill that way). I was literally drooling with effort and after what felt like forever I looked up to find at least another 800m before the bend in the road (and I knew there was yet more uphill to come) and that’s when the uncontrollable shaking and nausea started. I knew I probably had another 45 min/1hr left on the road and I’m afraid my resilience ran out. The bad news is that I did not get to finish the Argus Cycle Tour this year. The good news is that I completed 92km (10km more than last year) in 9 hrs and 10 min (the same time as last year) – so I see this as progress! I’m aiming to make it 3rd time lucky in 2012 …

A HUGE thank you to the many friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances who reached deep to support this marathon venture. Thank you for pledging support of my current insanity before I even took to the road and thank you for making a tangible difference by making sure that your pledge reached The Chaeli Campaign coffers. Our children who participate in the various programmes will benefit greatly from your generosity - please accept my humble thanks for making such a huge difference in their lives.

Me (on yet another designated walk) up Smitswinkel Bay ...

Off Again On Again

Three months of dithering ... two months of deliberating the various aches and pains of my overweight, ageing body ... one month of extreme guilt at not wanting to do what I have said I will do ... and now the moment has come for a final decision: Yes, I AM doing the 2011 Pick n Pay Argus Cycle Tour on the Flying Custard next Sunday!

Last year I had 8 weeks of training rides (3 a week). This year has been chokablock with all kinds of things that I've fabricated to keep me from dropping my ample bottom into the low-slung seat of my hand cycle. I think that I have had 10 rides in total. "But," I tell myself, "you are fitter than last year." Yeah, right!

The major difference is that last year I was blissfully ignorant of what awaited me on the Argus Trail, and I talked myself through 9 hours and 10 minutes of extreme effort to make it to the top of Chapman's Peak, where the organisers (thankfully) put a stop to my folly as they needed to open the roads to traffic.

This year I don't have the protective cover of ignorance. I know what's coming my way. And more than anything else - Wynberg Hill TERRIFIES me! No other hill has that hold over me and I'm afraid it's hubris that is my worst enemy. For any other hill I have a plan. Lurking in my little black bag attached to the Flying Custard's frame is a rope that I use for all my designated walks (Boyes Drive being the 1st) but there is NO WAY that I will walk the Flying Custard up Wynberg Hill in full view of wall-to-wall supporters chanting encourgament to cyclists flying past on their worthy steeds.

It's going to be a grind and I have commissioned my nephews, Jadon & Matthew, to be on duty to push me up that hill. Yup, the sad reality is that I refuse to walk, but being pushed is not beneath my dignity. Any other volunteers who might wish to push before they see a fountain erupt from the top of my head would be welcomed with whoops and gasps of delight ...

Soooooo ... 9 days to go and the adrenaline has started pumping, the nightmares are invading my slumber and I'm doing positive visualisation of the glow of achievement that will wash over me as I cover the last 27 (downhill) kilometres of the course. The 27km I did not get to ride last year. Of course Chaeli reckons I should start at Chappies and only do the last 27km - complete the Cycle Tour over 2 years. She makes a compelling argument ...

My How Time Flies ...

More than a month since my last promise to start training for the Cycle Tour and now, 32 days later - KENAKO: It is here! This past week I have been to the gym all of twice and had my first 5km training session on the Flying Custard (I've decided some things shouldn't change and the original name for my bright yellow steed is perfect - thanks, Stuart!). Perhaps I should stagger my training and not go to the gym for a hectic session and then try to drag my large body around on a hand cycle afterwards? Need to organise my life better ...

On the positive side - Pedal Power Association has provided funding to The Chaeli Campaign for another 2 hand cycles. One is being custom-made for Juan (disabled in a car accident at the age of 19 - now 22) as part of his rehab and we purchased the Black Mamba from Andrew Stodel, who completed the Cycle Tour using the Black Mamba in 2010 (great time round 5hrs+). Mukhtar Lee, who is a member of the wheelchair dancing school Chaeli attends has expressed an interest in hand cycling and has now had two training rides - and his 1st two crashes! As he has never been on a bicycle before he has a lot to learn about road craft and which way to lean when you turn at speed (hence the crashes!) but he is as keen as mustard. Mukkie will also feel much better about it as soon as the bike is adjusted to suit his bod - in this pic we were just trying to let him get the feel of it. We promise to remove the pillows and scarves and get more serious about posture and equipment!

So what can you expect to see out on the road on Sunday afternoons as we head into serious training for next year's Big Race? Mukkie on the Black Mamba and Mad Mom Zelda on the Flying Custard: a formidable sight and we're excited about training together!

PS: Did I mention that the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour entries open in 13 days' time? EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK!!!

Starting Up ... Again!

July 2010 - the World Cup has come and gone, soccer has a new champion and the world has a new soothsayer in the shape of Paul the Octopus. Time to turn away from the global and focus on what awaits me in my near future.

Taking stock reveals the following: 1 July saw Russ and I celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary; I'm in the middle of doing my Masters at UWC (another manic decision that is squeezing me in some very interesting ways!); work is as challenging and rewarding as ever; I haven't lost a kg since March and I also haven't had any significant exercise (barring a few random visits to the gym). In short - it is time to make a stand and declare my intention regarding my onslought on the 2011 Pick n Pay Argus Cycle Tour ...

Yup, I WILL be attempting the 109km around Table Mountain again in 2011. Yup, it WILL be on a hand cycle ... again. Yup, I WILL be raising funds as a Chaeli Rider in support of the work we do with differently-abled children. Yup, I AM crazy!

Today is 13 July and Cycle Tour 2011 happens on 13 March - exactly 8 months to go. I'm scared ... so much to do - so little time. I have to start getting out on the hand cycle to get some miles on my arms and I also need to lose some weight so that there's less of me to drag uphill by my arms. Watch this space - it promises to get interesting!

Again in 2011?

A day after the Argus Tour I discovered a myriad tiny muscles in my lower arms that I had not even known existed. Two days after Race Day I was still tired but feeling better. Three days after the Long Haul I decided that I will be doing the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour again in 2011, using a hand cycle. I have unfinished business out on the mountain and need to finish the 109km course. Mad? Of course I am. Viva, MadMomZelda, Viva!

DONE!

So - the 2010 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour has been and gone - and I'm still alive to tell the tale! I got to the start (late as usual!) so did not get to the front of group NH with the other hand cycles - instead lolled at the back. The 1st 3 kms nearly killed me: uphill onto the highway with a mean wind pumping straight into our faces. My heart dropped into the seat of my pants when I saw "106kms to go" and I was already huffing and puffing! Hospital Bend was fabulous and I was delighted to scream past bikes as Firefly sniffed the downhill. Wynberg Hill was a butt-breaker of note and I'd like to thank the angels of mercy (there were a few of them) who took the initiative and pushed me for a few metres - just the kind of help that I needed at that point. Seeing Big Mike at the top of the hill was a delight and then on to the Blue Route.

I loved Ladies Mile bridge. From a distance I could see our huge Chaeli Campaign banner and I knew that Erin, Chaeli, Russ and a whole group of our friends would be there cheering wildy. I wasn't disappointed. Hard work to Simonstown (having chewed on the beach that visited my mouth from Fish Hoek onwards) and I disembarked for the first time. This is where I nearly gave in to the temptation that my arm muscles were shrieking at me to stop. I decided to have a rest and took out my cell phone - a message from Erin: "Mom, I am soooo proud of you!" How could I disappoint my child by throwing in the towel after a mere 25km? So onward and outward I went.

Having now experienced, first hand, the toughness of hand cycling I hold my differently-abled friends who practise hand cycling as a sport up as absolute heroes. Firefly (as I named my faithful steed – called The Flying Custard by its previous owner) has done the Argus before, but I’m sorry to say we did not complete the course yesterday. After 9hrs and 10min on the road I was stopped at the top of Chapman’s Peak – 82km completed and 27km from the end. I started the race at 7:07 am and finished at 4:20pm. I’m chuffed though, especially as my furthest training session was 32km and the biggest ‘hills’ I climbed in training were a few bridges (I was terrified of training out on the road). It was a long, hard day but a good one!

This experience has truly changed my perception of what is possible and has made me realise how many challenges our differently-abled children face every day in just trying to get through the day to succeed in living normal lives. My 82 km was a slow hard grind, and I salute our children who live with grit and determination every day in their quest to claim their place in their schools and in their communities. It was tough, but all in all a good day that left me with a smile on my face (even though my body ached like crazy)!!

Thank you to the angels who helped push me up various hills - from Grant at Smitswinkel to the young boys at Ocean View. The shouts of encouragement from fellow cyclists was amazing and having some of them know why I was doing it was awesome. Thank you to the man in the BoE outfit who called out as he passed me: "Chaeli would be very proud of you!" All this helped to get me pumped up enough to keep going. And lastly, a HUGE shout out to all the people who sponsored me and gave me the added incentive to keep on keeping on. Our differently-abled children will benefit greatly from your generosity - thank you!

getting closer ...

Two weeks to go to Race Day and the last two weeks have been slow in the training department. I had a massive molar removed a week ago and fooled myself into believing that the grinding of my teeth as I inched uphill would adversely affect my dental health - so no cycling for 5 days. On Sunday morning I went out on a 30km ride and felt FABULOUS! What message is that supposed to send to me? That once a week is OK? Sheesh - this head stuff is starting to get to me ...

And now to all who read this blog: if my chronicles have made you smile, if you can relate to the magnitude of the challenge at hand because you are middle aged or overweight, or if you simply delight in the ludicrous pursuit of a massive adventure because it's so good to have a dream that's seemingly ridiculous to others - all of you - I appeal to you for your support! The more people I get to sponsor my efforts out on the road, the greater the incentive to persevere and finish, because the more lives of differently-abled children will be positively impacted. So - check out the flyer below and reach out generously - I'd love to hear from you!