Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Spandex... looooots of spandex

So The Others arrived on Friday as planned. The house looks........ interesting.

I find it quite fascinating co-habiting with Other People... I guess everyone secretly feels that their own family is normal and the way they do things is right. (I obviously do) So for example, I think my in-laws find it weird that I use a handtowel-like thing as a bath mat. I think big thick rubber lined bathmats are urgly. Similarly ...oh and this is a BIG one... they DEFINITELY find it weird that I am not happy with the muttlies being allowed on laps or couches. Yes, great guys, let's just develop horrendous habits so I can unteach them when you're gone.

Trying to coordinate the movements of 8 people was definitely more exhausting than the argus. On Saturday we all went through to CT to register for the race. They have this huge expo where everyone tries to sell you "essentials" for the race. I scored plenty of freebies and handouts without buying a thing. My freebies include:
* several razors (nice ones, mens and ladies)
* 3 bottles of nasal spray
* two packets of breath mints
* a tin of tuna
* a deodorant
* a body butter
* plenty of random samples of random energy drinks
* a leg massage
* a gross energy bar

There was other stuff, but I can't remember it all now.

Anyway, can you imagine 8 of us in this huge big expo centre trying to find everyone, trying to get everyone ready to leave, and then one car following the other through cape town traffic. Sounds not unlike hell to me.

And on to the Argus...
for the non SA people out there, the Argus Cycle Tour is 109km cycle through the most beautiful parts of Cape Town, around the peninsula and over Chapman's Peak, through Camp's Bay back to greenpoint.

This was my first argus and being more of a mathlete than an athlete I was understandably nervous. Let it be known that there was NO sleep on Saturday night. I suspect though that this may be more because of all the samples of energy drinks and the three weeks of carbo loading (I know I know)than nerves.

Sunday FINALLY came and we were off. We only started after 10am and yes, it was frikken BOILING on Sunday. But beyond all likelihood I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF THE ARGUS. What's not to love? For a whole day you have thousands of people shouting nice things to you and encouraging you and telling you you're looking great and you can do it. You have people offering to fill your water bottle, you have people handing you free juice and bar ones, you have people offering to cool you down by pouring water on you. Little kids want to high five you as you ride by (in retrospect their intentions were probably evil - there is a looot of gusto in those high fives and I did well to stay on my bike!), you have physios at your beck and call (dam straight I cashed in!). As I'm sure you can imagine I was loving the crowd... at some point I sparked a Mexican wave. It was my moment people!

All in all I LOVED it. Chapman's Peak is overrated. Not tough at all. And the only part of me that hurts is my chafed bum.

Dont say I'm not honest!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, I love freebies, but hee hee to the tin of tuna! hee hee
Well done on doing the cycle tour!

Caz said...

Thanks lady :)

Sweets said...

*gasp* the argus nogal...!! i'm impressed... i love freebies too, it's the woman gene!!

Caz said...

sweets - definitely... nothing better than a freebie... even if it is a garlic and herb flavoured tin of tuna which I'd never buy!!

Tamara said...

Why do you think it was a freebie? Probably the only way they could get rid of the damn stuff!