Sports season

Me crossing the line in last year's Two Ocean's Marathon

It's summer in Cape Town, and everyone wants to look the part, including yours truly. So the bike was dusted last weekend and for the first time I rode my road bike to work and back. My office is about 23Km on a scenic route, that takes me through winelands with very sparse traffic...every biker's dream.

But I forgot to check the weather yesterday, so I was completely taken by surprised when the mercury clocked 36 degrees at lunch time. Now, if you have ever cycled, you will understand that doing 23Km at such soaring temperatures carrying a rucksack is no mean feat.

Since I was stuck in the office, I had two options, to pull my tail between my legs and haul the bike onto a train to go back home, or ride the bike home in 30+ degrees. Being the brave heart, I opted for the latter. So I filled my water bottles, bought two energy bars and hit the road.

The ride was surprisingly smooth, and I felt like a champion.

In fact with cycling high temperatures are not the problem. Wind is.

I'm currently preparing for my 5th Cape Argus Cycle, a 109Km grueling race. In all the four races I have participated, the 2009 one was in a class of its own. I got issued with a special certificate for completing the race. To the uninitiated this might sound like a mundane act designed to make participants return the following year.

One thing is for sure, if the organizers didn't acknowledge that I was one of the brave people who hung in there until the finish line, I might well not have registered this year. All I can say about last year's cycle race is, Pain. For more than 4 hours I battled winds blowing at more than 50km/hr, it felt like peddling a stationary bike. But once I crossed the finish line, it felt really good.


So this year I'm keen to increase my medal collection for the cycle race and the numerous upcoming marathons. I'm also hoping that some of my friends will get the cue and join me in my adventures, for life is worth living and there is no better way to express this other than exploring the out doors.