Three years ago I'd just pulled the plug on my final semester of a Bcomm Investment Management, and travelled up to an three stage mutlisport event starting in Pietermaritzburg (first UCI MTB venue of 2009) to race what I believed was the door to my first financial support. It turned out to be just that, and I cant imagine life any different now, but looking back at that chapter, and being "here" three years ago, far out, how brave and or foolish.

 The event starts with a 21km trail run, transitions into a 55km mtb leg, before finishing with a 20km flat water kayak section. Roughly 5.5hours of work through rural subsistence farming valleys dotted with mud huts and live stock kraal's. I'll be doing my best to dodge through the free roaming cattle and goats on route, and there will be countless of them. Its such an African day out, far more so than my usual first world Stellenbosch enclave.

My S-Works Epic has been rigged, tuned, and made race ready by Dylan van der Merwe - Specialized Factory Team Mechanic - who is based in my home town. I've not had his prep before, and seeing the meticulous attention to fine detail is unbelievable. Master links, plugs, spare tube, all perfectly wrapped with easy access on a small double folded last centre of electrical tape. Fine detail I'd not thought of before. So, bike is ready, and should be rocking out.

Will be running the Fast Trak SLK 2.0 as the bike route is mostly fast rolling jeep track, scattered tarmac sections, and a few natural livestock trails as single track. Might run a little higher pressure than usual, perhaps 32psi, for the course specific conditions. But then its bucketing outside as I write, and that could change it up a little. Suspension I'm indecisive on, perhaps 180psi in the rear Brain Mini, and 90psi in the E100, with over firm settings for the fast nature of the ride. Hopefully be the right call.

So I won that first race three years back, and got 2.5oz of gold for it. If only gold was trading at its current price... But it was the start in many ways, of a full time dream chasing career. I've won two since, and hoping to make tomorrow a 4th. But this is just a stepping stone along the base trail... Form is building real well, and starting to nurture expectations re 2010 and beyond, starting with 4 local events in Jan/Feb here in RSA.

Will keep you posted.

Cheers.

Dan