Morning,

Clear skies and a bit breezy with plenty of action on the way (again). Weather prediction is that it is all going to happen today. Managed to get something in on Sat with quite a few others but sort of bailed yesterday. Didn’t see many on the road anyway so didn’t feel too bad.

Took a drive to Jonkershoek to support the local lads partaking in the last leg of SAs MTB race on Saturday. Maybe I missed the big support crowds/come spectators earlier on but when we got there (about 12ish) was daar bitter min mense. Sad to say the least. Henning and young Wynand both finished in the top 10 in respective cats. Well done. Haven’t checked the official results yet.

Knysna is around the corner and traditionally is a good weekend. So good luck to all who are going. Enjoy. Watch out for adders in the forest John!

I still have had no confirmation as to when the postponed WP RD Champs race is going to take place but I hear via the grapevine that it will be sometime in September.

Much manoeuvring is taking place up in the Grabouw area. Meetings are being held by parties trying to get access into add areas for MTB riding. Hope they are successful.

Well, would appear that the big “hype”’ re training at the moment is centred around power and wattage and some “experts” are even going as far as to say that HRMs are a thing of the past. Interesting!!!. Myself and others involved in a very “plebbish” way re training, have been liaising with of the “experts both locally and overseas to try and make sense of the issue. (Polar, Joe Friel and some others).

There is no doubt that power/wattage is an additional tool to have in the “Tool Box” and what I am hearing is that Heart Rate still goes hand in hand with the aforementioned. HRate being “Input” and Wattage being “Output”

When to start with this tool is the question to be asked. The costs involved are very high to say the least. I would imagine that the PRO Teams would have no problem in purchasing the equipment and would more than likely be sponsored.

Sal maar wag, luister, probeer leer en sien wat gaan gebeur.

Some very smart and wise mense out there. Would be very boring without them. One of the old sayings re competition is that “Winning isn’t EVERYTHING, it’s the ONLY thing”

Chris Carmichael says and I quote “ Having all the sports science knowledge in the world, having all the best coaches, having all the best equipment, will that win a gold medal for u? NO. But not having that can loose it for u” unquote.

Genoeg!. Attached something of interest for all other than cycling and close to home. Oscar has been in the news quite a bit recently.

Regards
ek

What Motorists Would Like Cyclists To Know

1. Motorists get upset if cyclists ride without lights at night, ignore red traffic lights or hop on and off the pavement.
2. Motorists usually travel faster than cyclists and may have less time to take account of hazards.
3. Motorists may not always see cyclists.
4. Motorists are made uneasy when cyclists seem hesitant, move out suddenly or wobble around potholes.
5. Motorists can feel delayed by cyclists.
6. Motorists don't always understand that some road surfaces, junctions or traffic conditions cause problems for cyclists.

What Cyclists Can Do

1. Follow The Road Code.
Don't:
· Jump red lights
· Ride on pavements (unless they are shared paths)
· Ride the wrong way in one-way streets (unless signs say that cyclists are permitted to do so)
· ride across pedestrian crossings
2. Think ahead. Anticipate drivers' actions. Catch their eye.
3. Be visible. Ride well clear of the kerb, wear bright clothing, and always use lights after dark or in poor day-time visibility.
4. Show drivers what you plan to do. Always look and signal before you start, stop or turn. Ride a straight line past parked cars rather than dodge between them.
5. Move over, when it's safe and convenient. Two-abreast is often OK, but try not to hold up other traffic.
6. Ride positively and decisively. It helps motorists to understand what you plan to do.

Mutual respect and consideration make for safer and more enjoyable travel. Always acknowledging a courtesy does make a difference.

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY
THE PRESIDENT OF CYCLING SOUTH AFRICA

08 JUNE 2007

At the April Congress of Cycling South Africa ("CSA"), a meeting attended by all Affiliates of CSA as the controlling body of the sport of cycling in South Africa, it was unanimously resolved that all cyclists taking part in cycling events in the country, be they races or what is commonly known as fun rides or recreational events, should be licensed to CSA and furthermore the events themselves will also require official sanction from CSA. There may of course be some minor events which are of such a nature that they should be exempt from this ruling but this aspect will be looked at on a case-by-case basis as exceptions to the rule.

The licenses concerned are an Elite license for Elite cyclists taking part in Elite events, such as International, National and Provincial and inter-Provincial events and National Classics; a Cyclo-sport licence which will be required for all other events and a single event Cyclo-sport licence which replaces the former "temporary one day license". Whether or not Club membership will also be compulsory is under discussion but this may end up being for each Province to make for its own cycling community....

Full text on http://www.cyclingsa.com/

Hi All,

An exciting w/ends sport what with our Tri Nations win on Sat and the Comrades(can u believe it under fire from other friends) on Sunday . Bietjie moeilik om te glo dat daai twee tannies wat so klein en ROND is so kan laat waai. But I know why.

Several DC teams had training rides over the w/end and we were blessed with excellent weather.
Quite a few took part in a 24hr MTB race and several ventured into the mists.

I have been asked on many occasions why we do not accomadate MTbiking. Well we just might be going that route shortly thanks to Andre. But more about that later once we have it all in place.

We are in the throes of getting another run of kit together which will be sponsored by Pieter. Details to follow.

Attached is bit of info on an American Ultra. Sounds interesting.

Goedgaan,

ek.

AMERICAN ULTRA RIDE

Ralph Giarnella MD
Southington Ct USA

Monday June 11, 2007

Special Supplement to The Prologue:

The Race Across America begins June 10th for soloistsand then again on Tuesday June 12th for team relayriders. RAAM attracts the world's greatestultra-marathon cyclists to race non-stop 3,046 milesacross America. Racers come from all walks of life andeven support numerous charitable causes with theirefforts. Last year's RAAM competitors raised over $1million dollars for their recognized causes, butmeeting the cycling challenge is priority one; and ithas to be. Soloists face a cut off time of 12 days, 5hours or 10.4 miles per hour and the winner usuallybreaks the ribbon is less than 9 days.

The Solo Female division is growing. Last year therewere only two solo female contestants, ShannaArmstrong of Lubbock, TX and Patty Jo Struve of KingsBeach, CA. Armstrong won the race and Struve withdrew.Kerry White of Vail, CO, Lauren Fithian ofMinneapolis, MN, and Patty Riddle of La Jolla, CA arethe American female solo racers competing againstCaroline van den Bulk of Huntsville, Ontario, Canadaand Hana Ebertova of the Prague, Czech.

In the Men's Solo Division the race is going to be anabsolute battle with 24 contestants and threereturning RAAM champions, including last year's winnerDaniel Wyss and the 2005 and 2004 winner Juric Robic,add the legendary repeat RAAM winner Wolfgang Faschingand all the returning veterans and RAAM promises to bea wheel to wheel race from coast-to-coast. Remember inRAAM there is no drafting!

RAAM entries have soared 25% since RAAM 2006, mostpredominantly among team entrants, with over 40 teamsof 2, 4, or 8 members racing relay-style across thecountry. Even with the super human conditioninginvolved in the preperation for RAAM, Solo racersusually deteriorate substantially after a few days of22 hours per day of racing, but the speed andintensity of team racing will amaze you. Imagineriding across the United States in 20 minute splits,the coordination of both the riders and their supportcrews is more complicated than solving a Rubik’s Cubeblindfolded. The ability of team racers to rest &recovery fuels their speeds around the clock, acrossthe nation! One bad split or exchange can mean thedifference between finishing 1st or 5th.

In the words of Race Director Terry Zmrhal; Everyoneis going after their dream and every category has astory and a race – three former winners, five women,two recumbent teams, two 60+ teams. With a staff offormer RAAM racers covering the race you can be sureour increased web coverage will showcase all thepersonalities, drama, and challenges that RAAM has tooffer. Catch the live race ticker on
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/, but beware the world'stoughest bicycle race is extremely addicting.

Greetings all,

Much debating taking place at the moment in the sports arena, what with our african cricket side not faring to well and poor old Jake having to put up with all the ongoing political inmenging. Sad to say the least.

Alan Donald leaving for greener pastures. Would appear that many more are to follow in his footsteps in the not too distant future. Does not bode well for us at all.

Other than the tradional rugby clashes where the stadiums are packed to capacity most of our sports bodies are pretty cash strapped at the moment. Ek wonder waar dit alles gaan eindig?

On the other hand the international cycling scene is also having to contend with major admissions re the use of drugs by top cyclists in years gone by.

It’s quite ironic if one thinks of how LA has been targeted in the past and most probably one of the most tested of all cyclists and still remains clean. Speaks book volumes for him. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Well in our little fishpond I’m aware of several who are on drugs or are smoking some serious stuff. I am one of them. Let me tell you that if it wasn’t for some seriously potent boererate and anti- inflams (in die koue) sou ek nooit in die oggende kon opstaan never mind fietsry nie.
And then of course there is this very good oldish friend of mine who tells me that he did a 180k race this past w/end and averaged 27ks /hr daar bo in die Transvaal. Met sy rug probleme. He must be on something!

This past week was a typical Winters week. Not many out on their bikes I think other than Hertzel and John.

Received the attached post on Old Age and the benefits of training. Seeing as several in the group are fast nearing the ages mentioned I thought it a good idea to to pass on the good news.

The secret of turning back the clock?

A twice-weekly trip to the gym may not just give you stronger
muscles - it may give you younger muscles as well.
Research on over-65s has shown that regular resistance training
appears to reverse signs of ageing in the muscles.

Analysis of muscle tissue showed the molecular machinery powering
muscle cells became as active as that in 20-year olds after exercise.

Its authors say the Canadian study, published in the journal PLoS
One, shows the benefits of remaining active.

Around 25 healthy adults over the age of 65 were given twice-weekly
hour-long training sessions for six months. The results were compared
with participants aged 20-35 years.

Before the sessions, which used standard gym equipment and a
programme of 30 contractions of each muscle group, the older adults
were 59% weaker than the younger adults.

This shows that it's never too late to start exercising and that
you don't have to spend your life pumping iron in a gym to reap
benefits.

But after the training the older adults were only 38% weaker.

The researchers also took tissue samples to look at changes in the
mitochondria, the rod-like "power plants" that sit within every cell
and generate energy.

Previous studies have suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction is
involved in the loss of muscle mass and function commonly seen in
older people but the team wanted to look specifically at the gene
activity in the mitochondria.

The results showed the gene expression - the generation of functional
proteins by a gene - declined with age.

But exercise resulted in a reversal of the gene expression back to
levels similar to those seen in the younger adults.

Dr Simon Melov, who co-led the research at McMaster University
Medical Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, said: "We were very surprised by
the results of the study.

"We expected to see gene expressions that stayed fairly steady in the
older adults.

"The fact that their 'genetic fingerprints' so dramatically reversed
course gives credence to the value of exercise, not only as a means
of improving health, but of reversing the ageing process itself,
which is an additional incentive to exercise as you get older."

Co-author Dr Mark Tarnopolsky added that a further four months of
follow-up found most of the older adults were no longer doing formal
exercise in a gym, but were doing resistance exercises at home,
lifting soup cans or using elastic bands.

"They were still as strong, they still had the same muscle mass."

"This shows that it's never too late to start exercising and that you
don't have to spend your life pumping iron in a gym to reap
benefits."

Professor Marion McMurdo, head of ageing and health at the University
of Dundee, said: "There is an age-related loss of muscle from about
35 onwards.

"It used to be thought this was completely irreversible but what we
have begun to understand is that there's a sedentary loss as well."

"We know that people in their 90s can regain lost muscle tissue and
lost muscle strength with quite a modest amount of exercise."

"The encouraging thing is it doesn't have to be vigorous and only a
little exercise is necessary."

================
Jamie Carruthers
Wakefield, UK

And that, ladies and gentleman, is why you don't show off before you've crossed the finishing line, in wet weather and with a competitor right behind you.

Hi All

I recently read one of the most hilarious books “Blazing Saddles – The true story behind the Tour de Farce”. It is an adventure involving six men in various stages of decrepitude, who, on a sudden whim, decided to embark on a 1000km cycle ride down the River Danube. The team includes five well-know South African editors – Harvey Tyson, Rex Gibson (both currently residing in Hermanus), Richard Steyn and Peter Sullivan. The fifth newspaperman is the author, James Clark also known as “The L*E*A*D*E*R of the Tour de Farce. He is a columnist on The Star in Johannesburg. The sixth man on the team, a bewildered non-journalist, is Alan Calenborne, a retired company director who was later designated the ‘official photographer’.

The Tour de Farce became an annual institution and takes us through 5 Tour de Farces:
I Germany : The Danube : Passau to Vienna, Vienna to Budapest.
II France : The Dordogne Valley: Gramat to Bordeaux.
The Canal du Midi: Toulousse to Sète (Mediterranean)
III Italy : Tuscany : Certaldo to Sienna.
Umbria: Todi to Assisi.
IV North and Western Ireland: Ballygally to Sligo, Sligo to Westport.
V England: Eton to Gravesend.
Western France: Chinon, Saumur, Hommes, Azay-de-Rideau and back to Chinon.

Chapter One
We were old enough to have known better. Well, all right, Richard was only 58 but the rest of us were certainly old enough. Here we were, six grown men whose ages averaged 67, about to set out on a nearly 1 000km cycle ride down the River Danube. Perhaps it was nearer 900km but I am speaking of genuine kilometers, the sort they have in France. We planned to follow the Danube from Passau in Germany, across Austria, across the tip of Slovakia and into Hungary, and on as far as Budapest.
I had been led to believe the ride would be downhill all the way.
‘Anyway it’s logical,’ I explained to my prospective though hesitant companions. “River courses are famous for running downhill; ipso fatso, as they say in my local cake shop, the cycle track along it must do something similar.
It was the first of many assumptions that proved to be not terribly accurate…….

Check out this link to book a tour similar to the ones described in the book. http://www.satravelguide.com/tourdefarce/tellus.html

I can highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cycling and traveling.

Erna

Hi all,

Listened to the distance rumble of thunder last night and wasn’t to sure if I was imagining things. Stoep se kant toe and what a spectacular sight awaited me. Thought for moment that I was back in the GOOD OLD TVL where this type of weather was pretty much the norm on the Highveld during the summer months.

Baie verlang na die goeie ou dae, mense , plekke en dinge. Yesteryear!

Busy and active w/end . SA champs up in Bloem with David George really showing the manne how to ride. Yes, he came 2nd but even Lange had to admit that he did nothing to help DG for 4 x 12k laps and then just sprinted for the finish. Eina!!!!!!!! Other than Lange who sat in his slip DG actually opened up a gap on the Microsoft team and still without a sponsor. Sad to say the least.

Vince Bergh did well coming in the top 10 in his cat. Still not to sure where RK finished in the Elite cat. I’m led to believe that he did finish the course though. Still waiting for the final results to come in.

I have had several queries re the availability of kit. We have had a meeting with Pieter and should have an answer in a week or two. Price, stock situation, etc.

According to Anton (finance director) the coffers have filled up admirably. Still one or two regulars who haven’t contributed, but what the hell. Should be enough to do a run of kit or something.

Attached is a mail from Dominic whom we all know pretty well. He is in London and appears to be OK.

Original Message-----From: dominic@webmail.co.za [mailto:dominic@webmail.co.za] Sent: 04 June 2007 08:59To: EKIS@vodamail.co.zaSubject: Re: Hi

Hello, Erna & Erill.

Thanks for the email, nice hearing from you. I do still receive your
newsletter through this account, though the last one I received was about
a week ago.

I am well, settling in slowly, I work for a small IT company not far from
where I live, lots of big clients based all over the place, so i regularly
drive in to London, which is a nightmare on its own, but not to worry,
keeps me busy. On the cycling side of things, I was given a old steel
framed MTB (no shocks)which isn’t the most stablest of bikes, came off it
twice in the few time i have ridden it, went out yesterday ( the sun was
out, so had to make the most of it)did a 50km ride, was knackered after
that, lost a bit of the fitness, which i could see by the Heart Rate
Monitor, which was about to pop a couple of springs, but i will be getting
a proper road bike next week, seen some nice ones, just got to decide what
one.

Hows the Wannabees doing, is the DC teams in place, training already? I do
miss the group & the rides myself, please send my regards to all.

Well let me dash, please keep the newsletter coming and drop me a line
when you have the time.

Thanking You

Dominic

Just remember everyone that the golden rule of being on the road is :KEEP TO THE LEFT AT ALL TIMES.

Regards
ek