Epic Partner

So finally I've sorted out my Epic partner issue and am really pleased to be riding it with Paul. Paul rode the Epic last year (results here: Team Boxers finished 281 overall) so brings a bit of experience to the team. We've been riding together for just over two years so know each other quite well. Paul is a very strong natural cyclist and very good technically so hopefully I'll be able to drag myself up to his standard soon.

We met through our kids, Paul's daughter Lara was at the same nursery as Joel. One day at a braai at his house he suggested I ride with him and another friend. I owe Paul a big thankyou for being so patient with me back then! I was pretty hopeless when we started riding together, but thankfully it doesn't take too long to build up a reasonable level of fitness. Last year as Paul was training for the Epic, we did a lot of the training rides together, so I have a fair idea of what I need to to do to be fully prepared. Paul followed the Polar training program last year and we plan to do the same again this year.

The other great thing about this year's Epic is that it's a local ride for us as we both live in Somerset West just outside Cape Town. The prologue kicks off in Cape Town itself and then the race begins properly in Gordon's Bay the next day which is just a few K's from home. We're hoping our families might also be able to come to the finish line on a few days and cheer us across. Another potential benefit is that we shouldn't need the very expensive upgrade package as we'll be so close to home that we could sneak off for a decent nights sleep at home and be on the start line in the morning feeling refreshed. At the very least we could get a hot shower.

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