09 May 2012 Van Wyk thrilled with victory at African Continental Championships, Mauritius
The 2012 African Continental Championships was held on the lovely island of Mauritius on the 5th of May. Team bizhub-FCF’s Junior Linda Van Wyk participated in the ...
Jade Roberts
(January 2010, Clarence Training Camp)
NISSAN ½ Marathon # 8 Ride Crater Cruise 56km
I don’t normally race the Nissan ½ marathons, but Cath & I had stayed over in Parys an both needed to do quite a hard ride as final preparation for the Cape Pioneer Trek before we start taking it easy this week. And since we don’t know the roads around Parys, Cath had the bright idea that we do the 56km on Sunday. So we entered as a last minute thought on Saturday afternoon with the aim of having a good shortish hard session.
Besides, I knew my nerves wouldn’t last watching the Bokke tackle Oz …
The start was even faster and more nerve wrecking than the start of the main marathon, with the youngsters attacking and bobbing in and out of lines…again the all-shook-up feeling, bottles flying out of cages, bar-ends in my buttocks, wheels touching, the sound of a smash-up behind me… So I just focused on staying with the bunch and out of trouble, not sure where Cath was sitting. I was convinced she was in the bunch ahead of me as I slipped off the front bunch with a few guys. Linda van Wyk, the current half marathon series leader had dropped off early and I didn’t see any other girls around.
I kept on going hard thinking Cath might be up ahead, but when I got to the first feed and there were still lots of koeksisters left I realised she must be behind me, or they would all have been gone ? So I taped of a gear as I rode through the game farm section and enjoyed the jeeptrack and views next to the Vaal River. I suddenly realised that we had ridden the same section on the main marathon and I had not been able to look around; so I quite enjoyed repeating it in “slow” motion.
The legs felt surprisingly good and I enjoyed catching more and more guys from behind. Before I even realise how far we’d done, we entered the last single track section again, same finish as the main marathon. I crossed the finish in 2h06 min, first lady with Catherine Williamson finishing a few minutes behind me to make it 1-2 for Team Bizhub.
The overall Nissan National 1/2marathon series winner in ladies was the young Linda van Wyk, who finished 4th overall lady and 1st in her age group.
Next on my program: DCM Cape Pioneer Trek 17-22 October with partner Cath Williamson riding for Bizhub…going to be a good hard weeks’ racing again!
