With the 2013 MTB XCM race season finishing with the Highland Fling, November left us to take a little R&R, to regenerate our bodies both mentally and physically, in order to start our preparation in earnest for the 2014 Absa Cape Epic.

Taking a step back, my team mate and friend, Brian and I, embarked on this journey back in March 2012. Over some race planning we both thought we needed a bigger challenge to set ourselves. What bigger challenge could we demand from ourselves than ‘completing’ the Absa Cape Epic. So after a year of pre-planning, setting up some basic logistics – team name, travel dates, work/family leave schedules, we were committed. SXC Racing (sxcracing.com) was formed, and with the support of some great sponsors team kit and entries to the 2014 Absa Cape Epic was organised.

At the infancy of this idea, ‘completing’ the Absa Cape Epic was (and still is) our goal. But after some structured coaching, training and support from the Pepper Coaching team, our XCM results for 2013 have gone from strength to strength and our ambitions have changed to not only complete but to compete. The race is full of the biggest names in marathon racing from the elite field through to the category field, but what more motivation is there to push oneself then competing amongst the best. We are ambitious and want to compete, albeit at the category level – and so the training demands begin.

After a long 2013 season, December is the real start of preparing for our biggest challenge to date. First thing on the agenda was getting our equipment and race kit sorted. SXC Racing team kit – check – thanks to our great sponsors ! Bikes – Specialized Epic’s (Marathon & Sworks WC), the best endurance racer there is, Drive Train – SRAM XX1, simplicity, speed and mechanical efficiency. We also have a few additional bells & whistles, with Brian trialing the Stages power meter for the first time on his MTB. So we have the tools now we need to use them.

Block 1 training is all about building the base and building trust. Extending the base that we already have developed, and getting ready for the rigours of the harder training blocks to come. As our coach and mentor tells us daily, you need to be fit to train hard and stress the body to new levels. So December is about getting fit ! Setting the body up to handle the long day to day levels of what endurance racing is going to demand.

What are these demands ? We don’t know ! We have never done this before ! So next comes trust. Trust in our coaches and their experience - as they have been there before. We all want to do our best, but there is a time and a place. So looking at a program full of back to back 4-5hr rides at low to medium intensity doesn’t generate a lot of daily enthusiasm. Having a team mate there each day to share the challenges and support when enthusiasm is low is key. Again trust is key to knowing how your partner is feeling, and sharing how you feel - good or bad. The key thing I have learn’t over the last month is that unlike all other races, this is a team event. Doing well is about riding, working and trusting well as a team – not as two individuals.

So what is building a base. Pretty simple really, as I have described above back to back 4-6 hr ride days. Some longer rides (200km ish) on the road bike to build/extend the endurance levels. Mixing long mtb rides with recovery road rides to assist in recovery. Given we both had the period between Christmas and New Year off work, we set ourselves the challenge to do the same distance / time that would could expect from the Cape Epic. Yes, we completed it, but in a combination of road and mtb rides. I think it was the first time it dawned on us, what we had really signed up for !

Fitting in this program, with the daily rigours of family commitments and Christmas, required some creative programming of training rides. Its all about making the most of any free / down time available. So when the family had a 4 day getaway planned 3hrs up the coast - I rode, they drove. Sure it took me 8hrs to do the same distance, but by leaving a little earlier, we basically arrived at the same destination within 1 hr of each other. Secretly riding for 8hrs is easier then spending 3hrs on a road trip with 3 of my kids ;-)

For those of you who are interested in the statistics, here is a snapshot of our first block:

82 hrs riding
2171 km
40,523 m climbing
Longest ride 222km 7.5 hrs

So how are we after the first month ? Tired ! but excited for what is to come. Are we fit ? I think so, but I will let the Pepper boys be the judge of that. Grateful to our families, coaches, sponsors, SXC Racing crew and everybody that is supporting us on this journey.

Some special thanks to Pepper Coaching on challenging us on this journey. Cyclery Northside (http://cyclerynorthside.com.au) and Specialized for the best equipment available. Total Auto Finance (http://totalautofinance.com.au), Round the World Experts (http://rtwexperts.com) for our team kit, entries and travel. Lupine Lighting Systems (http://virtuascape.com.au) for fantastic lights for those early morning / late night sessions, and Essential Sports Performance Nutrition (http://essentialsportsaustralia.com) for keeping our bodies fuelled day after day.

What’s next - in January we now move into our second phase – where I guess we train harder ! Join us on our journey, as it helps to know that there are others sharing and experiencing some of the challenges and achievements we are having along the way.

I will leave you with two great motivational quotes that I have on my garage aka training dojo wall:

“True courage is following your dreams even when everybody else thinks they are impossible”

“Only those who risk going to far can possibly find out how far one can go”

SXC Racing
http://sxcracing.com