I’m in Alabama getting ready to defend my ITU Cross Tri World Champion title coming Saturday.  (2011 Race report here.)

The good folks from Avia sent me these cool new racing flats just in time for the big day. Low profile mid sole, light weight and hopefully, FAST!

We’ve had a lot of rain the last 2 days and its with a heavy heart that I’ll go drag them through the mud and horse manure on my last quality session tomorrow…

But unfortunately, not available to the public yet… Stay tuned - Avia online store here

For my dad.

We’re flying to South Africa in an hour for his funeral.

Liezel and Specialized mechanic Joe before the start. Vegas got its annual rainfall in one morning

Liezel and I are flying home on Sunday for his funeral.

Words fail me.

Here are some fond memories…

Braai lessons on a hiking trip- a skill every South African boy must have. (BBQ)

Our bike trip after he beat cancer for the 1st time.

“He had to bribe Liezel to marry me” was their joke. We’re so happy he was there for the moment, even though he was really sick

My parents lived an amazing life

Caveman highlights from XTERRA Worlds 2010. Winning an XTERRA World title wearing my Avia Stoltz shoes put the cherry on the cake.

Avia is the proud shoe sponsor of the XTERRA USA series.

Click image or link: Conrad Stoltz riding XTERRA Las Vegas creek bed

1) Choose  a good line

2) Bring speed

3) Bring guts

4) Bring cutting edge dual suspension 29er.

The good folks at Kelfords Ford & Mazda are selling the Demo Model Ford Fiesta I have been test driving for you:

2010 Ford Fiesta 1.4i Trend. (Thule bike racks and Specialized bikes not included)

35 000 Km

Price R135 000

This is a great little car. Liezel and I fell in love with it right away. The Fiesta handles great, feels nippy in traffic and city driving, she turns on a dime, and if you wind her up tightly, goes fast enough to widen the smile already on my dial.

The interior is a lot more spacious than you may think, considering its a smaller car. With the split rear seats down, we could fit huge amounts of sporting and camping goodies for adventurous weekends away. With the bikes and/or surfboard on the Thule Roof racks we once even packed the double bed (mattress) on top of all the other gear… Plenty of leg room, head room (I’m 6ft2) and in terms of ergonomics, I cannot think of anything I could improve on.

This car is modern.  VERY modern, considering my previous ride. The small things I like: (things I dislike about some other cars who try to think FOR me as opposed to OF me)

- No unnecessary stupid beeping. This car only beeps when your (or passengers’) seat belt is not on, and when you are about to leave the lights on, and if you have less than 80km in the petrol tank. (it beeps once to notify you when on the road, and if you start the car with less than 80km left, it beeps once softly upon starting up.)

The dash shows all kinds of data, including fuel economy, distance left on fuel in tank and avs fuel economy. (rated at 5.9l/100km, but I got more like 6.7-  we often had two XL bikes on the roof, and with a slight;y heavy foot, I did get a few love letters from the traffic dept.)

The technology I enjoyed the most was the Bluetooth connectivity- I could use my iPhone hands free via the cars’ impressive sounds system. Calling was so easy and the sound quality so good, I saved phone calls for drives.  It also boasts Voice Activation and other fancy technology beyond the grasp of a mere Caveman.

If you’re interested, please contact Tristan at Kelfords Ford & Mazda in Somerset West.

Tristan, (currently getting ready for Ironman) and his crew are kind, warm hearted and offer exceptional service. They’re very active in the Multisport community, sponsoring Team Kelfords and Dan Hugo. And the Caveman. Thanks so much, Tristan for your support & kindness, and also “H”-ie for all the drop-offs and pick-ups at the airport.

The Fiesta is great for an active lifestyle- like motor pacing from Pringlebay to Hermanus…

Getting ready for XTERRA Grabouw course pre ride:

My previous ride: The Family Heirloom: I gave up the prized Grand Luxury Express to drive the Fiesta. My dad bought this Toyota Cressida GLE  new in 1988- also the year I did my 1st triathlon- lots of sentimental value. Also great for cross training- like push starting, pumping tyres by hand etc

I know a hot stuff mobile when I see one.  Check out this blog as further proof: Red Rocket and other cool cars blog.

Caveman finishes 6th at South African Time Trial Champs

Time: 51.18. 38 Seconds behind the winner, Reinardt Janse van Resnburg. But only 4 seconds behind Darren Lill, who a year ago won and  beat me by a minute, and 18″ behind SA cycling legend Robbie Hunter.

Speed: 46.77 km/h (28.5 mph)

Position: 6th Elite man

Normalized power 411W. Average 397W. What IS normalized power? Because of the serious rolling hills in the course. I had a 55×11 gearing but still spun out at 72km/h(45mi/h)- so I tucked and saved the powa for the climbs on thee way back.

I was happy with my ride- considering the TT was only 4 days after XTERRA Grabouw - from which I had some seriously sore quads for 3 days.

For the geeks, here is the power file:

http://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/KVEQMHS27LBP3YZHZRKLMQVOLA

As you can see on the graph, (Click on the image above of follow link below to Training Peaks power file) the course in Nelspruit was very hilly. Big rollers, losing altitude on the way out and climbing the nasties on the way back. The course had a whopping 347m in elevation gain over 40km or 38.49- depending how you feel about GPS measuring distance and speed over hilly terrain…

The key to this undulating race was 2 fold:

1) Power to weight. Small guys climb better and also has less frontal size on the super fast downhill sections where wind resistance gets exponentially more. (Even though they lack sheer power)

2) Good pacing. Because of the above mentioned fact that wind resistance get exponentially more- esp at higher speeds, the tactic would be to “take it easy” on the really speed downs, and really hammer the climbs, where wind resistance is almost negligible.  ie. going from 50km/h to 60km/h takes a lot more Watts than going from 25-35min/h. This being a time trial, (cross finish line blown to smithereens) and me being a triathlete  (save energy for the run) , I didnt have the experience to know exactly how “easy” the downs should be and how hard the “ups” should be. I pre rode the course once, and Ian advised the following; go for 380W on the downhills- freewheel when rpm goes over 110 and then hit the uphills at 430-460, depending on how long they are and of course, “to legs”…

IN hindsight- looking at my heart rate, (it gradually creeps up and it took 7km to hit 153, 20km for 160 and it peaked at 173) from I probably could have gone A LOT harder on the way out, but then, would my legs have been able to take the punch?

Experience is the key. More time trails, more trial runs, finding the balance between aerodynamics and power output- time trialling is a lot more technical than most people think. One thing is certain- its one of the most painful things you’ll ever do to yourself by yourself…

Results. South African Time Trial Champs 2012.

I’m happy to be close to the “real” cyclists.  2nd, 3rd and 4th were 3 seconds apart. Out on the course no one knows that- it shows you , never think till the race is over. I lost a bit of time with some traffic on the one roundabout,(lost maybe 5 or 10 seconds) maybe could have gone a bit harder the 1st 10km, could have worn overshoes, more specific training, had I not raced XTERRA 4 days before… But the TT- the race of truth- does not lie. through this whole exercise we got the TT position dialed, some much needed time on the bike, (I usually train on a Roubaix road bike with MTB set up) a good number of power files-  I’m looking to try some 5150 (non drafting road tris) in the US this summer. On my completely ILLEGAL 2012 Specialized SHIV…

Its amazing how such an important event as Nationals did not have a single photographer or TV camera present.  Compared to XTERRA, which had the course swarming with press aboard a helicopter, quads and bikes. I wish that these sports too, esp at national level, get the exposure and professionalism they deserve. So thats why you are spared the image of the Caveman in a tight, red skinsuit and woody woodpecker helmet on a flat bike.- there is no photographic evidence.

The marshals, making sure my bike is UCI legal…

Specialized SHIV TT. Its the UCI legal one without the “nose cone”, the saddle back and bars cut, 3-1 tube dimensions, as per the rulebook. Yes, those are MTB bar ends mounted on the flat aero bars- a stylish Caveman touch where MTB and TT collides…  I took this pic on my last training ride the night before- the closest road to my parents farm.

Bumped into Nick Bester- endurance sport legend. As a you schoolboy I watched him win Ironman (the canoe variety) events at Hartebeespoort dam, later when he won Comrades, and later raced duathlons against him. He was supporting his sons at SA Champs- they have some big shoes to fill…

Thanks to my mate from Nelspruit Lammert, who helped pin numbers, mix drinks, get ice and keep it solid in the 34C heat, lugging the home trainer and a quick ride to the airport right after the race.

You may remember from the previous blog, my 3rd race for the week was going to be the Argus MTB race.

But the day before I went on a group ride for Bobby Behan’s bachelors breakfast ride. I fell, going up a rocky single track climb at 0km/hr. One of those little tumbles. No alcohol involved- promise!

But my wrist started really hurting after an hour. Off to Xrays. No bones broken. So I strapped it, iced it, took pain pills and got my stuff ready for race day.

On race morning first thing I did was go hold the handle bars, but it hurt too much and my hand looked like a boxing glove. So Kevin, Burry and Susi had all the fun to themselves.

Caveman wins XTERRA Grabouw.  2012 is looking good so far. 4 races, 4 victories. (some small and some lucky but a win is a win)

The biggest XTERRA in the world! 2000+ participants. Had to be held over 2 days (Lite and Full distances) to fit everyone in! Testament to great organization, sponsorship and media coverage but also South African’s love for adventure, nature and suffering…

Believe it or not, Caveman 1st individual out the swim. Must be that hectic swim training-click for blog.

Stunning bike course. Other than the all rocks and single track, I really like the Fynbos here. (Indigenous Western Cape vegetation) Checked it out on the pre rides as, there are more rocks and sand here than on the back of the moon.

Long, hard bike and run courses, so I loaded up on fluids and carbs- extra bottle with Clif Electrolyte behind seat and 4 Clif Shots taped to frame.

The night before the race we talked strategy and I asked my coach Ian Rodger: “What are the repercussions of taking too many carbs during the race?” His answer sums up his witty sense of humour: “Winning?”

JB, our own Specialized South Africa videographer shot footage from the chopper. JB also edited the GoPro footage of this bike course in a previous blog. Fanus Oosthuizen from Oakpics.com shot this and most others from his Honda CRF 230. (adorned like a Xmas tree with photography stuff and doodads- and much to my worry- sometimes my wife dangling and bouncing precariously on the back)

Looi hom Fanus!

I had a 2 minute lead on Dan Hugo going into the final single track, but he chafed the sidewall on his rear tire and lost air and time the last few minutes. Too many rocks and ugly high speed sections to safely ride light weight Sworks tyres. A lesson learned before methinks.

The 1st split I got on the run was “4 minutes to Phitzenmeier”, so I largely lost interest in speed and pain and saved it for another day. (like tomorrow (4 days after XTERRA)- SA TT Champs- check next blog…)

I ran with frozen BEX Runners in my hands to manage the dry heat.

Behind me there was a mad scramble for the podium with Stuart Marais blitzing the run for 2nd, Dan in 3rd and Nico Pfitzenmeier just seconds behind. IM legend, whom I have raced since 1989- Raynard Tissink finished a solid 5th.

The best part of finishing!

The great news - Doping Control was there to test the top 3 men and women and the 1st Juniors. The bad new- for once, instead of the proud stream I usually celebrate with within 5 min of checking in, I produced a few puffs of dust… You need to give at least 90ml. I gave a paltry 30ml. So I started to drink water. 3 Liters of it. Thats 3/4 Gallon. I waited and waited and eventually feeling like the dam was about to burst, another disappointing 30ml- at this stage every drop counts.  More endless documentation, checking of numbers, signing, stating supplements and asthma medication. You’re not allowed to leave your “sample” unattended, so you carry it around (see through cup) and miss all the fun outside. No chatting with friends & fans. Wave hi and bye to my inlaws through the window. Haven’t had a single carbohydrate since 6km on the run. Bo n k   i     n       g  . .  .     ..     .

Water was all they had. (You’re not allowed to eat or drink anything other than the sealed bottles they give you)

After 2 hours, felt like 4, just in time for prize giving, the dam did burst, my cuppeth overfleweth and so it did on the entire drive home.

A pic from 10 days ago, checking out SA TT course in Nelspruit aboard below mentioned “funny, uncomfortable road bicycle with dangerous wheels.” In fact, its my Specialized S works SHIV TT - UCI legal and all. Finally quite comfortable and able to deliver decent Watts.

Since January- 7 weeks, 4 races, 4 wins.

Time to really turn the screws: 1 week, 3 races, 3 disciplines. (technically 5)

Race 1, Feb 26: Sunday: XTERRA Grabouw. 1st. See previous blog

Monday: Fly to Jozie, drive 4hrs to parents farm near Lydenburg. Ride TT bike on trainer to flush junk out of legs. Visit folks and take this mundane pic of sunset from stoep:

Roodewalshoek farm- view from stoep.

Tuesday: On the farm. Drive tractor and ride trainer. Try to flush junk out of legs. Downhill running is a beech. Roll on foam roller. Francois Retief, ek mis jou.

Wednesday. Today: Spend half the day blogging. Quads still sore. Trying Colostrum for recovery. Sounds like Caveman food. Would love to take the KTMs for a spin, but manage to leave them alone- may get a little sore. Or even a lot…

Thursday 1 March: SA TT Champs Nelspruit. (Explanation: 40km Time Trail South African Champs. Time Trail, also known as “the race of truth, a done on a funny, uncomfortable road bicycle with dangerous wheels. Its contested over 40km, one rider by himself, against the clock. The fastest time wins. This is the most painful thing you can do by yourself to yourself.

Havent looked at the start list, but the man to beat is Radio Shack rider Daryl Impey. Last year I had a disappointing ride at 395W and finished 4th at SA TT Champs- 1 minute behind Daryl, but only 2 seconds behind 2nd place. This course is really hilly, hot and humid, but for a change I’ve spent a fair amount of time on the TT bike. Excited.

Thursday pm fly Nelspruit to Cape Town. SEE MY WIFE AGAIN! Our 1st time apart. Its not going to happen again anytime soon! How soon is “never”?

Friday: Breakfast in bed. Spin MTB to try flush junk out of legs. Try borrow a dirt bike and check out the bike course for:

Sunday 4 March: Argus MTB Boschendal 65km. 2 years ago I stunned everyone by racing this one on a 29er. Aluminium Specialized Epic. The top tube had a sticker “Test Bike. Size XL” I still ride this early prototype bike on the farm. I “scorched” the field as the blog says. But this year there will be Christophe Sauser, Burry Stander, Dan Hugo and more- all on 29ers. Wonder how “scorched” my legs will be?

Pre ride some the best  parts of  the 2012 XTERRA Grabouw bike course with the Caveman.

Click HERE for the fun to start…