Swazi PRO: Kinetic wins

Wiehan’s report is on www.AR.co.za already (HERE). Lizelle’s report is on the Team www.AR.co.za blog (HERE). Below are accounts from Danie van Aswegen and also from Heidi and Stephan Muller.

WOW – WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! (Danie) 

One thing you can be sure with the Swazi Xtreme is that you would never be 100% prepared for what the event will throw at you.  We all assumed that the race will take us about 60 hours to complete and I can remember that we still joked that the sun must come up (at race start), it must go down, it must come up again, go down again, come up again and when it goes down for the third time we would be finished.  Never have we anticipated that we would, at that point, still have one entire mountain bike leg left that would take us all the way through to the next morning extending the race time to 74 hours.  We also anticipated a total distance of about 350km but soon realised that a mind shift is required and that we need to prepare ourselves mentally (if that is possible) for something closer to 500km. 

The race was nonetheless a highlight of my life and the experience would always be entrenched in my memory. Yes, the route was awesome and truly amazing, but the one thing that made the race so great was the TEAM and when I’m referring to the team it most definitely includes the seconds.  It was our first race together as a team and it was truly a privilege to be part of such a great team.

 Although we were not the strongest physical team in the field it was a classic example of the tortoise winning the hare were we just kept going at our own sluggish pace trying not to make too many navigation mistakes and ticking off the CP’s and OP’s the one after the other.  The one thing that I believe was key to our success (amongst the great navigational skills and experience Stephan brought to the team) was the fact that we were able to keep our sense of humour the full distance. I’m not too sure if it was the endorphins and adrenaline or just the sleep deprivation that contributed to the humour, but it surely helped to keep us sane, although only to a degree as one could probably not be classified sane doing the Swazi Extreme Pro Race.  I really enjoyed the entire race, but if I have to highlight the leg I enjoyed most, it would have to be the river paddle.  It is a pity that it was the last Swazi and that I only got to do it once.  Should the opportunity arise, I will definitely be back. 

Danie van Aswegen

Nine years of racing (Heidi)

All I can say is that I love this sport with all my heart!!! Maybe 9 years of racing has deepened my love more than what I thought.  Seconding was also an amazing experience seeing the race unfold from a different perspective.  We really tried to make each transition as comfortable as possible with hot food, Milo, coffee, ice water & drink etc, everything I always wished for while racing.

I knew my husband was mentally at a good place having no pressure with a fairly beginner team.  The goal was to finish their first long race and take them over the finish line.  After race briefing Stephan has decided that he will go for all of the OP points – as he told the team “you guys wanted to do the big race and I will take you to all the points, don’t worry about any other team and what they are doing, lets look after each other and just survive and we will do well in this race…”

Nothing can buy experience is all I can say. The team just went forward and soon into the race I realized that my husband is enjoying the navigation and is having fun! I think we also planned their 1.5h sleep perfectly. I just wanted the three “beginners” to feel what I have been feeling for so many years…. it must be in your heart and in your head because nothing you are going to experience will be possible to translate to your normal life when you are going back.  Does not matter what you experience it will only enriched your soul!

Needless to say – they raced with their hearts and pushed through all the blisters, sleep deprivation and pain to cycle over the finish line in 74 hours in first place!!

I am so proud of our team and thank Darren and Anita of putting yet another Swazi race together.  We know how much planning and work goes into it behind the scenes.  I also want to thank you for taking me on a journey for 9 years of Swazi Extreme races and 1 Seconding.  Best life experience I could have asked for.  I also want to thank my husband for taking me all over the country for 9 years doing so many races that I cant even distinguish between them anymore.  Hopefully I will join you again in the future. Lastly congratulations on your 10 year win and for taking 3 friends on a life journey they will never forget!

All our best wishes

Love

Heidi and Stephan Muller 

Authors: Daie van Aswegen and Heidi & Stephan Muller | Swazi Xtreme PRO, 6-8 August 2010