It is that time of the year again when the nerves are up for Ironman 70.3 Buffalo City. In the last week I have come across 15-20 people who are doing the race in some way or another and I am left wondering how many of them are going to truly enjoy the experience.

Those whose first race it is will typically tell you, without provocation, that they are not ready. They may even tell you that they are not even ready to suffer and they will definitely tell you about the work they have not done for the race. I wish they would tell me about the goals they already conquered, the miles they already endured and the changes they have already experienced.

A few 2nd timers have told me that they know what to expect and what it takes to finish, so they are just going out to race with a smile and finish. I love their attitudes.

The few top guys I have spoken to are just as amazing as I remember them. Here’s a typical interaction between someone I am racing and myself, someone who is up for an age group podium/win.

Me – “Hey”

Me – “Hey. Looking ripped bro, racing 70.3?” (All said whilst carefully analyzing body composition, movement and looking for the racers eyes).

Top Guy – “Jaaa, racing but who knows, been a while since I hit it out, Christmas was overindulgent, but yes, I am going out to give it everything”.

Top Guy – “You?”

Me – “About the same really, should be a great race. Excited you are there.”

Both – “Kiff, let’s hit a coffee ride soon, otherwise see you in Slummies”.

We both leave knowing that it’s going to be a cracker of a race, looking at what the competition looks like. In East London, there are 5-7 guys in my age group alone, who could take the win. I reckon we`ll be no less than 3 minutes apart at the end of the day. I am just happy to be a part of that caliber of racing, mostly coming out of the Western Cape, where a few of us have really pushed the Privateer racing class over the last 5-6 seasons.

I love laying it all out on the table and seeing who comes out tops. It doesn’t affect our friendship – all it does it reinforce the immense respect I have for these guys. The Greg Goodalls, Jean v Wyks, Marcel Roos’, etc. They are my peer group, the guys who love to race, love to train and embody the lifestyle I choose to be a part of.

Are we having fun yet gentleman?

Absolutely.

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If it’s your first race at 70.3, I want you to make a checklist of the number of ceilings you`ve smashed in the last 6 months…

1. Furthest swim, bike and run 6 months ago versus now in training?
2. Body composition 6 months ago versus now?
3. Toys owned, 6 months ago versus now? (cheeky, but I love toys).

There is much to celebrate even before you hit the start line and you should be doing just that.

The video of Jan Frodeno has done the rounds but I thought to include it today as its pertinent. It shows that the work done merely moves as you get better. It shows that to be the best, you have to go beyond what you can currently even believe possible because for someone, its the norm.

What will your norm become? I am asked all the time why I train so much, why I choose to push the limits so far, why do these stupid things? Why? Why? Why?

This is why…

This is not a math test. I do it because all bets are off. Because when the race is on, I am loving the idea that someone is going to flip the script and take us all beyond our norm…

This is why…

There is only this moment. Afterward, we all get to celebrate. If the moment is yours and I am there to witness you rip it away and take it for yourself, I am happy to have seen it. I am just plain stoked to have been a part of it.

But I will chase you…

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I have written this but I know it will never cover it all, so please view this as a peephole into an amazing week with some mates in the backroads of our beautiful country. I could never recall all the laughs, the cries and the beautiful pain that was shared out there. Every year the trip is different and I expect that. Some years it’s about bonding, other years its about overcoming and this year, it was about something else. I have yet to pinpoint that into one word, which I am not sure will ever come to me.

It was not without some apprehension that Epic Unsupported Tour 2011 got under way. Last minute changes to the roster, an international guest and some forgotten items were on the agenda as we assembled 6 lads and one professional duathlete as car driver into a Foretuner and with 7 bikes on the car and 7 loads of luggage.

Departure for this trip is quite a spectacle. Expectations from what to expect from the new guys are running high as the stories of past trips surface. Every year we smooth out this trip but in no way at all is it ever plain sailing. Covering 850km in 8 days is always a challenge, even if it’s slightly downhill with a tailwind the whole way.

As you would expect with 6 boys, there was much smack talk and banter on the way to George, where the new, improved Rock Pedal Classic awaited us all. Firstly, I feel I should intro my crew for this mission. Here, in no particular order, are:

Kristian Manietta

All the way from everywhere, Kristian came from the Australia via the UK to be on the trip. A man I truly have learned to appreciate. Multiple sub 9 Ironman guy too. Plucky little Aussie.

Dan Hugo

No introductions needed. Finished 2nd at the 2011 Xterra Worlds. Insane athlete. Great guy. Eater of much fruit. Mover of great economy. Future husband, father and all round inspiration to thousands and thousands.

Guy Veysey

Multiple EUT participant, famous for falling in Die Hel last year and having to abandon 3 days later with an elbow the size of a melon. Top 20 in his age group in the world at Xterra. Banker, friend and consumer of all things of high quality. Guy is the real deal, from completely nowhere to top 20 in his category in the world.

Nic Lamond

Le Storyteller, a quiet, amazing gentleman who I got to know in 2011 for the first time and who I am looking forward to spending years of time with in the future. Top 20 Cape Epic finisher. Experiencer of many cultures, adventures and scared of nada.

Jacobus VD Merwe

City destroyer, who eats tanks for breakfast and whose plumbing leaks when riding uphill. Future multiple world champion in 68 sports. He is so elusive there aren’t even pictures of him on Google.

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Day 1

So we slowly made our way out onto the Rock Pedal Classic route. Nic rode ahead, paving the way. The rest of us chilled and around 28km in some had a wait for our driver, Miss Courtenay Brown, whilst Kristian and I got in an hour’s steady tempo to half way.

To say that the 2^nd half of the new Rock Pedal Classic route is tough is quite an understatement. After beautiful open roads, you mission up a 3km near vertical single track rocky climb and down a bed of rocks on the other side. I had never ridden anything quite as daunting as that downhill.

After that, nice open roads, 40 degrees plus and a headwind. Normal opening day stuff really. Kristian was riding with guitar strings for hamstrings while I was pointing out birds and trying to distract him from the fact that we had 4 small passes to ride in the last 15km.

As we were chilling on the grass, at the finish, looking for hope, Guy rolled across with a cut eye and a grazed elbow. Not ideal, but he was in great spirits, nonetheless. The rest rolled in a while later. Miss Brown was shattered but smiling, a sure sign she has what it takes to be the best. Her stay here in Africa is sure to bring her more amazing moments.

Day 1 was much harder than in the past 2 years. 93km with 2200m vertical in 40 plus heat made for a weary bunch with many questions heading into this trip. With 4 virgins, we had a big few days coming up and we were excited to take them to the limit on some days. No matter how big, fit, strong or world class you are, some of the days on this trip shatter you.

It’s a part of the trip. You disconnect completely, wondering how to get to the next stop as a primary goal in life. Work, Gregorian calendars and social media become things you eat, rather than consume. This trip would be no different.

A short swim concluded the day before we had an intensely amazing dinner and a big sleep before we got under way, the car staying behind.

For those who haven’t read about our adventures before – we take everything we need for a week in a small backpack and have no car following us on this trip.

Day 2

Achy legs, sensitive minds and big bags. That about sums up the morning on day 2. New route, back up the Montagu pass again (much to the dismay of Nic) and on towards Oudtshoorn we missioned with full packs loaded with minimal clothing, maximal calories and this year, some beautiful coffee courtesy of Dan, an addition that we will never again go without.

Jacobus’ pipes were again leaking on the pass and we stopped for a drink from the mountain and were just blown away by the simple joys that the day had already brought. The pass is extremely beautiful and an ode to a man called Thomas Bain, a master Italian road builder who opened up much of the route for us. It winds for 12km and summits into the land of hops and Veysey family where we stopped for coffee and a chat about cattle, of all things.

Once the guys were loaded up on caffeine and the wind had picked up a little we were on our way to Oudtshoorn where I can attest it was 40 plus in the shade. A shorter day, around 90km with only around 1500m of vertical, we sat in the pool and realised a few things.

1. We needed to get more food.
2. We needed to sleep.
3. A few of us were desperate for haircuts.

So off to Checkers. Kristian and I almost melted on the way but made it back safely with time to eat, cut everyone’s’ hair (including mine) and get in an afternoon run. I am quite stoked to tell this story.

We all missioned out on the run. Some of us ran a little longer. As Dan, Kristian and I made our way around the airport; we came across a gap in the fence and took it as we were running a little low on water by this point. I could see where the road was curving but thought it best not to mention it to the crew.

As the road curved again, Kristian looked at me and said: “Over the runway?”

I only had 1 word for him: “Yes”.

One word came back: “Awesome”.

Here is the Garmin proof for you…

And so, we ran across the airport highway in Oudtshoorn, at 5pm, on a random Sunday. Good times. We found some crazy single track running on the other side, after hopping another fence and made our way home. Tired, but smiling.

Day 3

Weary heads rose for a day that would end up including some of the best trail riding of my life and a trip over my favourite climb in the world. It would be 100 odd kilometres and over 1800m in climbing, largely over 1 hill, called the Swartberg pass.

But not before a stop at MTB Destination, a new mountain bike park just outside Oudtshoorn, which has painstakingly been built to perfection by Matthys Beukes, recent winner of the Wines2Whales. The work he put in there is incredible. The trails are so fast, so well groomed and SO much fun. The hour we had there was gone far too quickly and next year we will be staying in their accommodation at the farm. There is so much to be learned from Matthys in one day of following his wheel, if at all possible. Bright eyed and bushy tailed we left for the pass. Everyone was now at their own pace.

At some point, we got back together near the top, all smiles, all amazed at the climb and the beauty of what was around us. The Swartberg pass is an epic adventure and the ride down into Prins Albert is ridiculous. It’s rough, winding and rutted and you release a scream of awesomeness every once in a while. Before you know it, you`re 9km down the valley, 1200m lower, your ears popped and the biggest grin ever on your face. A short, fast 10km tailwind ride into town where we destroyed the local deli and ate litres of yoghurt, boxes of peaches and lamb curry downed with milkshakes before heading for our amazing accommodation.

A nap and some more food later, some of us went out for a run where the skies spoilt us with crazy clouds and a tail wind home. As we ate that night we each laid out our plans for 2012, what we hoped to achieve, goals to conquer, and skills to acquire and for some, people to meet.

It was an amazingly chilled evening with a sunset like you have never seen. It was a good sign for what is traditionally the biggest day of the trip through Die Hel the next morning.

Day 4

To the dismay of Nic, we were heading back up the pass, climbing 900m in the first hour of the day. I love this climb and it’s a steady wind up a tear in the mountain. The road seems to climb forever, never tipping below 6% and at times over 15% in elevation. It’s shaded, thankfully and we each found our way to the lookout point at our own pace. Everyone was pretty calm there, taking in the views. For four of the guys in the crew, they had little idea of what to expect for the rest of the day. All they knew was to conserve. Simple orders for a 10 hour day with limited supply of air, food and water.

The road into Die Hel, where we had lunch waiting, is not an easy one. There must be 3 big climbs and 8 little ones to get into the actual valley. The road is fast, with a couple of long descents and they are so so so much fun as the heat sets in for the day. You`ll hear a shout of pure joy from time to time as a rider comes into a corner too hot realising there is only cliff face and a well-timed handful of rear brakes between them.

After a magic lunch of stew and shade, we made the trek down the valley and over the gnarliest little hill ever. The trek was hot and the heat that Die Hel was famous for was upon us as we entered Boplaas, location of Die Leer. The last hill before a short break and the walk up the mountain is preceded by the toughest climb of the trip, only around 400m in length but what must be 18-20% in gradient the whole way.

I heard a few choice words as guys put their feet down. In 3 years there have only been 3 guys in total who haven’t put a foot down on the climb. Congrats to Dan and Nic for making the exclusive club which was my own until this trip?

Die Leer is an old donkey trail that was not built for mountain bikes but we like to have an annual trek up the mountain with our bikes on our backs. It’s roughly 800m vertical in 1.6km. You transfer your wheels to the bike frame with cable ties and wedge it onto your backpack. You also put on running shoes if you have carbon soled mountain bike shoes.

Then you walk up a loose, rocky, twisty single track sort of there path up a mountain. Like doing 2500 step-ups in the gym with 15-18kg on your back, hunched over and in 40 degree heat.

Can I get a hell yeah???

One by one we made our way up the climb, to the top where we huddled under a tree and laughed at ourselves. The rest of the ride is undulating, rough, sort of jeep track through the middle of nowhere with a brief stop to drink from the water tanks en route and onto the road to Seweweekspoort, which this year included an extra 10km or so into a belting headwind with no water in the bottles.

Our instructions were to look out for a palm tree as the entrance to our stay. In the semi-desert, the palm tree was easy to spot and we were welcomed by our best stay ever, an ex fine arts teacher from UCT who has settled into an area where he leaves his keys in the ignition of his car and where his home made lemonade welcomed us with warm reception.

By the time we got there, some of us had to hold some of our glasses with 2 hands and others needed a straw, but we had made it, 10 hours and 110km later, to the biggest dinner we had ever seen and the quiet that this trip is known for had descended among the lads.

This shit was real. There was no hiding and we had all faced some questions out there on the day. We had made it and there was no denying it that this day is never conquered. We merely manage through Die Hel. It allows us through there and the respect for the route grows every year.

A truly epic day that ended in a few glasses of red wine and laughter among the table as the sun set over the Moondance farm where we ate recklessly and arrived in tatters only to wake up refreshed with a new strength inside us. 110km, 2900m vertical, 10 hours.

Day 5 & 6

Traditionally, these 2 days are pretty easy going after a tough start. This year was no exception. It’s more or less downhill from Moondance to Ashton, where we would spend the night, but first we would stop in Anysberg at the Cape Nature reserve for an evening of runs, swims and marvelling at the pleasure of watching the sun set on one side of us, only to have it rise the next morning exactly opposite that but only after one of the best displays the stars will ever give you in the world.

We didn’t even need torches to walk in the middle of the night.

They are around 100km a day, these 2 days. But they are far less intense.

We had the opportunity to ride next to running Gemsbok, Ostrich and Red Hartbees along the route and as the deep fatigue lifted and energy levels returned we readied ourselves for the biggest day of 2011, from Ashton to Elgin.

We stayed at Kleinhoekkloof, where my parents welcomed us with warm arms and loads of food. We drank far too much in the evening and let our weary heads lie down after some Limoncello was shared, which is a bit of a de Jongh tradition. Always a pleasure introducing such fine specimens to my parents, the lads were super to my folks, as all gentleman are.

Day 7

A brand new route. A big day lay ahead. After 2 days of headwind, we had the pleasure of a little tailwind on this day, which was excellent.

I knew I had to keep Dan away from his farm as he was ready to feel the comfort of home. I knew if I got him through the day he would be happy, despite protesting, so I had us avoid the route close to his house. We pushed on into a valley which I did not know and the route on the Garmin was sketchy at best.

So when the road said to take a right, all we could see was the back of Jonaskop Mountain and some 4×4 tracks. A few phone calls later and we had a sort of route planned – a mix of old Cape Epic tape and some information about a track which the Eskom bakkie uses. This is how all great adventures start.

Some sand riding, then some hike-a-bike through some gnarly rocky stuff and then a ride up the most awesome loose, rocky, change-directions-a-thousand-times climb I had possibly ever ridden. I was following the lines ridden by Dan and Nic, undoubtedly the most skilled riders in my wrecking crew and managed to outdo my wildest expectations, riding the entire way up. I learned more in those 3km than I have in total in mountain biking.

At the top, a fist punch into the air and the views over the back were mightily impressive over wheat fields and private land. We climbed gates and made our way through the lush land out there, riding through some private land, mostly on fire breaks and in great spirits.

Once we got back onto dirt roads it was down to business for the day. We had some 100km to go to Elgin, so we got into gear and made our way to Villersdorp for a food stop and onto Nuweberg for the climbs to Elgin.

By the time we hit Villersdorp it was clear that we were going to take the most direct route. 6 days of riding had the guys taking more sensible options and instead of over Groenlandberg and through the Nuweberg reserve, we made our way via tar through and over Nuweberg itself. We had split up as a crew into 2 packs for the ride, some wanted to rest less and pedal slower and others wanted to ride a little more solidly.

After some 8 hours of riding, 155km through some crazy passes and winds, we regrouped at the Peregrine farm stall; ready to eat all that was laid down before us. I counted 8 pies, 2 quiches, and 4l of yoghurt, 2 bags of crisps, and a box of fruit, 12 cold drinks, 6 ice creams and 4 coffees before we got up and I am pretty sure I missed some.

Our last night’s accommodation was groovy and within an hour we had a fire going, were talking smack and celebrating by drinking fabulous wine from Creation, Southern Right and a few other farms. Our last supper together was a peaceful one. We had achieved a lot on the day and next year I would love to conquer the extra 20km over the big climbs as a final touch to a truly amazing day.

Day 8

How do you treat an Aussie who has never seen the Cape Coast?

Well you start in Elgin, take him through the trails in Grabouw, down the old Wagon Trail into Somerset West, give him an epic tailwind so that you can scoot through the coastal road to Muizenberg in record time, then have him ride through the Constantia Winelands, up Suikerbossie and through Camps Bay into Green Point as his last day of 8, including this magical 120km to total 850km on the bike in 8 days.

As we rolled into Muizenberg to kill off a pizza at Knead we were astounded by the noise that society creates. It had been a while since we were in the buzz of it all. It took some adjusting and thankfully, on the way through Constantia, Nic’s dad rolled in in his convertible old school Mercedes wearing a Boer War hat, shouting encouragement and going mad. It was a great moment indeed and as we rolled into Green Point we were quiet, reflective and ready for some beers.

Again I noticed how much harder conversation gets, in a sense of there being no boundaries and no holding back, as we sat at lunch. 6 boys together for a week means some mild integration back into society where rules apply and talking frankly isn’t always appreciated in the way it is when on tour.

Conclusion

The trip is always special.

It always improves my life and always disconnects me from a crazy year.

It started as the ultimate distraction after a few rather insane weeks in November, 2009. Every year is different, but the same. Every year there are new people, new converts. Every year I come back smiling. 2011 was no different.

In 2009, we suffered and the HTFU saying was the one that stuck. In 2010, we were constantly reminding each other to shut up and keep going.

In 2011, I learned to be a honey badger. If you click the link HERE, you`ll understand a little better. I learned to step up to the plate when pushing the limits. I tried to lead from the front this year, to not conserve as wisely as I would have in the past. I learned to walk proudly and open my mind to possibility all over again.

To Kristian, Nic, Jacobus, Guy and Dan – fellow honey badgers – thank you for an epic trip. Sure, at times we disagreed, but in general, we came back stronger, wiser and hopefully, with a cheque in the bank to cash out at some races in 2012. I would take you lads to war any day.

Here’s to the crazy ones, the ones who walk over mountains with their bikes on their backs but carry coffee pots, who consider holiday to include 8-10 suffer festivals, who are happy to get lost and make their ways back to society, those who look at the impossible and kick it in the face with the gentle touch only a loving mother can exude. Quiet power was displayed in many forms out there and it is without a doubt one of the best shows to watch.

Images nicked from DGHugo.com. Thanks Dan.

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Before the year goes and I disappear for a week into the unknown, I wanted to jot down a few things I learned this year. It has, without a doubt, been an incredible year. I have learned more in the last 12 months than the rest of my life combined. Somehow, I hope I shared even the tip of that here. So let’s run through some of these.

1. Take Control

You are responsible for your destiny. You create your world. You are the first decision maker in your one man company, of which you are the CEO. If you cannot control your most basic decisions, you will never be the success you want. I am not saying you need to be a control freak. But take control of the major decisions and goals in your life and make the smart choices to get there.

2. Be Real

We spoke about this yesterday and it has come back to me time and time again this year. I have been humbled a few times this year, working in an environment where I am often on the back foot. By admitting this, instead of trying to fumble through processes, I got through the year relatively unscathed in what could have been a disaster year.

At times this year I skipped races, I dropped sessions when stress was up all around me and I was ok with this. I am not a machine, even through my aim is to be pretty close to one when it comes to consistency in my training.

3. Eat with Pride

You are what you eat. This is not new news. I try and eat in a way that gives me maximum flavour, maximum satisfaction and maximum health for recovery. In our house, this means no wheat, no sugar, little dairy and chocolate 2-3 nights a week.

I am proud of the way I eat – my body responds well to stimulus’ of stress + training, and I can attest this to the way I eat, which leaves me bouncy instead of flat.

4. Pick Your Battles

There are many fights to fight. Many causes to support and many charities to help out. We are never short on opportunity, conflict and discovery in this world.

Pick with care, as each of those things requires a bundle of energy from a limited supply source. Choose the battles which build you up, the ones you are prepared for and have the goods to complete. Avoid the people, the situations and the opportunities that are too draining. At some point, you need to make a call. Most people over invest in projects, ideas and people that just don’t give back what you put in. Learn to spot those early.

5. Have a Plan, & a Back-up Plan.

Without some sort of idea of where you are headed, you are never going to get there. Stumbling by pure chance is overrated and it’s far better, in my humble opinion, to have an idea of where I am going, but to leave the actual route up to the day. Make sure you have a way out if that route becomes blocked.

Make sure, the right people are there for both plans, as I have hardly ever successfully accomplished something without any interference by someone awesome along the way somewhere.

6. Work only with Geniuses

My boss, a man I admire aplenty, taught me this. There is a shortage of these geniuses, but they are around if you are willing to dig a little deeper. I work in an office full of them, for example. In 2011, I chose to work with some complete genius people. This website was rebuilt by a company of them, Obox Design. I was coached for a while by a genius and learned a lot about myself in the process. My bio, she is a genius, even if she has no idea. My chiro is a freaking genius – ask anyone who has been to him. The natural medicine guy I go to, he is another genius, for sure.

I feel blessed to have these people in my life and am always looking for more of them, so if you have your own list, feel free to share.

Mediocre sucks, average is for the average, so work with the best and give them your genius side in return.

7. Start Clean

No, this is not about others. It’s about you. We carry so much baggage with us over time. The white board which is the header for this post, its a symbol. At the end of last year I came back from Hawaii and gave everyone a clean chance in my life. This means I gave them a total clean slate and would not hold anything they did in the past against them. I treat people for who they are now, not who they once were.

It’s an incredible change. People seem to give me that same gift in return once I have given it to them, which is a breath of fresh air, every time. Having the opportunity to be real, start clean and just be with someone is the biggest gift, ever. But you have to be willing to give it first, as well.

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We are going to cut it there. 7 is enough. Now go play…

I am away for the next 8 days, without a blog post, but you can follow our progress on my twitter page at http://twitter.com/raouldejongh or the hashtag to search for all the guys’ updates is #EUT11

Thank you for being a part of my year. To the partners this year – I salute you. You`ll find the full list in the Sponsors tab on the home page of this website.

Hunt the Ellipsis…

Assume Nothing, Pursue Everything, Experience Now.

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I`ve just finished reading a book about the life of Chris McCormack. I urge you to get it and read it. It’s called “I’m here to win”. You`ll walk away with more game in your back pocket. I made me realise that I may have become a little soft at times, may have lost some of my edge that got me to where I was in the first place, which was being in contention for the overall. I have taken the bits of the book that touched me most and applied them to planning for the next year.

Why?

Because I`m here to win too. I am not going to get so far out of the comfort zone to be a worse version of myself. After some good conversations over the weekend about racing the ultimate competitor for the ultimate win, I came away thinking that I am in constant contact with this ultimate competitor. He exists when I wake up and he laughs when I get back in bed when the weather is a little rough outside. Obviously, he is me.

The wilder, harder, do-it-all version of myself. The version that says GO! before considering the option when the only option is win. There is no 2nd place when I am competing against myself. There is win and lose.

I am off to Deadmau5 tomorrow for an opskop and to dance the frustrations of recent out of these limbs. If you are looking for a wild one, a maverick, choose him. Creating your own music genre by the age of 25 and transforming DJ’ing into a SHOW by the same token is crazy. If you like his music, make sure you listen to this mix. It’ll get you out of your seat, guaranteed.

We need to be willing to take chances and rocking the risk factor requires practise. You won’t take a big chance on the first try. You need to build up, take chances along the way, starting small and growing. Just like building skill on a mountain bike, being acutely aware that you might fall but having the confidence in taking the chance that you HAVE the skill to take the chance.

In my own life, I need to take more chances. Comfort and being idle don’t lead to world class performance, in any arena, sports, business or even love. Take the chance, risk the hurt, but be confident in your risk to build good pyramids of success so that you can take more risk as you go. Nobody jumped 15 cars on their first day on a bicycle.

The wild ones weren’t born wild, they became wild by circumstance and compound decisions.

For me, this means taking risks in training, letting go and grabbing outside assistance in a trusting manner and in races, going all out, not for the best possible safe finish.

So let’s raise our glasses to the wild ones. The Deadmau5′s of the world, the Nadal’s of the world, the Greg Minnaar’s of the world and the Valentino Rossi’s of the world. It took many moments of risk and “I might not make this, but I know I could” to get where they are.

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I.Love.Sport.

Goosebumps stuff. Tell me it doesn’t touch you. Tell me it isn’t important. Tell me it doesn’t inspire you.

How real is real?

That’s how…

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There are some crazy places out there. Some athletes who just blow me away with what they are able to do.

Sometimes, we come across a section of athletes who compete for pure love, no medals, just to push the limits. The video above highlights those sorts of athletes out there. For about 2 years in my life I didn’t race. I trained purely to train, just to be out there. It was a good time and brought my love of racing back. The races are great but they are not the end of the road. I have said it many times… there is no white line in the road or a sign above my head that will signify that I have arrived.

There is no 1 ride that will be big enough. It’s the progression that’s so exciting, stretching my belief of “possible”.

This may not only be how far I can go, but may relate to an interval set, a specific set of numbers on the power meter, mastering a hill I walked my entire life by running it slowly the entire way.

My possible is something that keeps stretching, keeps being shaped, keeps growing. My possible is defined only by the limits I set myself.

What is your possible?

What are the limitations you set for yourself, where your fears kick in?

Release that fear and someday you`ll look back at it with a wry smile. You know the smile.

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You don’t get that view in the gym.

You don’t get to experience the exhilaration of being there behind your desk.

You will never know that you can hike up a 1km near vertical stretch on your bike, unless you actually get to the bottom of that hill and pick up your bike with a smile on your dial and try it out.

How will you ever know where the ceiling is unless you jump high enough to bump your head?

Outside, the limits don’t exist – only mistakes and retries.

Outside, you have to jump quite high to hit the ceiling.

Outside, the answers are waiting.

What are you waiting for?

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Watch…

Now get outside.

You owe it to yourself.

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Lost in the moment, riding just beyond the verge of what was previously thought as possible. Doing it day in, day out.

Survival is a very addictive thing. Look at the junkies out there – they strive on the feeling of going beyond, recovering and going again. Today, I feel a special part of that crew of people as I sit here with very tender legs after Triple Challenge yesterday. The new route had some unexpected twists, turns and ******* steep hills in there. I somersaulted into the soft shrubs spectacularly, my left shoulder will tell you today. If my legs could speak, they would tell you that the lack of full-power granny gear hills was what left us undone, as a team (my willingness to hurt and the legs’ ability to produce the power make up my primary team).

But as I sit here today, full knowing that I will go back there to give it my all again, I smile. We have to smile at ourselves, the crazy ones. We have no other option. We have to smile because we are happy to risk failure. Being scared to fail is something that will hold you back every day for the rest of your life and these crazy events we do, they have the habit of helping us conquer our fears, they seem to bring out the best in us, the ability to risk it all for a single moment of glory. Sure, I could have hurt myself badly yesterday. I got pretty close chasing the guys with the climbing legs when I came off but had I made it through that corner I may have got back in touch with the 3 of them on the rest of the descent and the race may have ended differently.

Who knows.

But you have to be willing to take the risk, to make the leap. Otherwise, how will you ever know?

While others choose to go through life without ever experiencing the thrill of survival, others seem to relish in merely just surviving. We all choose our poisons. For me, the healthy mix of beautiful landscape and extended threshold effort make up the ideal scenario to learn, to push, to risk.

We all have choices to make and for those who, like me, believe in this way of finding out what you`re made of when the chips are down, endurance sports provide the ideal platform to see if you have the mustard. We take these discoveries and apply them to our work lives, our friendships and our freshest adventures. Continuously calculating risk versus reward, to push on into the sunset, morphing the putty around us into the life we desire.

In closing, I merely put my hands together and give you a slow clap and an approving nod.

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Sure, the euro-techno is quite euro but watch those boys soar, fly effortlessly up mountains we can’t fathom is this country.

Imagine riding your bike up Table Mountain. In under an hour. And then some. Now imagine adding tactical thinking, energy management and doing it day in and day out, again and again for 3 weeks. The scale of Le Tour is incredible and the pressure that the guys deal with is something again, we cannot begin to fathom.

For me, the word soar comes to mind maybe four or five times a year on rides. It’s the hunt for this feeling that keeps me motivated. Today, I got a slot to race the fastest Irondistance race in the world in 2012. People wait their whole lives to race there and next year, I get my chance. If I stack up my first Kona, my first Double (incl Xterra in Maui), my first World ITU champs against racing in Roth, I am not sure even the first 3 combined will measure up. I am intensely excited, especially with a season before that which will include 70.3 in SA and Ironman SA, a 3 day kick out at Sani2c and 2 Xterra races in Jan & Feb.

Hopefully, in 2012, that feeling of being able to soar across the landscape, powered by my own training and will to succeed, will return a few more times. This weekend is my last hit out for the season at Triple Challenge in Durban. A great race and a fun replacement for Challenge Cape Town. Sure, I`ve been more serious about races before, and the loss I felt after the cancellation of Challenge affected my training over the last few weeks. Regardless, it should be an epic battle and I will be walking funny all the way until Wines2Wales starts next weekend.

After a feast of a meal last night with James Cunnama, Jodie Swallow and the always entertaining Nic Lamond and his mrs, I woke up this morning grateful. It’s been a year and a bit since I got back from Kona in 2010. I’ve spent it with an amazing woman, grown amazing friendships and had immense fun getting Pure Planet Racing off the ground. As final negotiations and preparations for 2012 take place behind the scenes, 2012 looks to be another year where you could soar with me.

The landscape is filled with amazing races and places to get to. Find your place to soar.

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