Nissan Trailseeker #4 - Hakahana

Toughen The Feck Up… Trailseeker #4 - Hakahana

This is what is written on the back of Mutual Safe Cycling kit, on the bum to be specific, so if you look up on a climb, you’re constantly reminded to TTFU, like I always am when Michael rides in Mutual Safes #Mamba kit.

So, what happened at this Advendurance Trailseeker.. this was my first time at this venue, apparently last year was deathly and they’d made it a little easier of sorts.. it’s not often the marathon distance is 62Km.. guess that should have been the first indicator that had it been any longer, a few of us may have camped overnight there as we finished at 8pm.. okay maybe taken a tad far but it was hell of a tough!

The start was fast and flat-ish, Grant & Petru  had decided they didn’t wanna race, so were gonna ride with me, this insert is important because the start was lightning fast.. they both  roadies, with that heaven amazing cadence.. sigh.. so the next 2hours were hell between mad climbs and technical climbs and I no power..  thank heaven for the USN drinks stocked at the Water points, help was needed and this was it!

Things got better somewhere as I enjoyed the technical bits and a young sandy downhill that had me uncleating my left foot to get leg on the ground to try stop the bike before I saw my face smash into the bushes on the side! This was managed successfully, but not the same for the rider behind me who came screaming down the hill on his bum with 1 hand on handle bar, I jumping out the way a little too late as he knocked into me.. oh boy, fun and games!!

The gist of the day, mad climbs, frolicking flames of heat, I was certain we were being roasted over some kind of flame, amazing technical bits once legs arrived, I swear they were coming from East Africa, but they arrived. .. eventually.

The end was the most interesting, spotting Paul Cordes at WP 3 with his Epic Cycles team as we discussed how Princess Pina was handling, I knew it was home time, Paul warned to take it easy as it was rather hard from there.. he was right, but I was headed home. They definitely made the Marathon route amazing, from the half marathon/ marathon split, the fun heightened with playful XC bits then.. WP4 was the pause button, a hell-ish concrete climb.. it did nothing for my clearly evident sense of humour failure at the site of it, getting to the top was the realization that it was rideable and I was being childish, things looked up in a strange way from here, I knew I was done walking, I hate walking.. just sucks.. short legs.. pushing 29’er.. yes...  then it was these awesome downhills on this sandy area, met with switchback-like climbs that were just not fun in the heat but fun at the same time, and just not ending.. luckily I had company, chatting away, knowing we didn’t have far to go, we hooked it and made it to the finish.. I was beyond sun burnt and ready for home.

Front line agrees twas hell of a tough… looking back.. it wasn’t as bad as it felt.. I’m def going back for that concrete climb.. makes all the other fun stuff even more fun ! Yes, Advendurance team sure know how to throw a MTB party, and we all hungover for days after!J