Getting ready...an adventure on it's own

All our training and preparation went well and we are leaving for Swaziland today. The race starts on Sunday and will be non-stop until we finish...hopefully before next Saturday! It is a massive logistical operation to source and pack the correct food, mountain bike, climbing, paddling and hiking equipment - this morning we left Cape Town with +/- 80kgs baggage each.

We would like to thank some incredible brands that we are very proud to be associated with. They are making this trip possible for us, not only by supporting us during our preparation for this adventure race but their products will make all the difference during the race.

Extreme-Lights : We did intensive testing of the XP3 Bike Light and found it to be sophisticated and bullet proof - ideal for adventure racing. It has a low setting, sufficient for majority of our night riding with battery life of up to 40 hours – the medium setting is +- 750 Lumens for technical/faster riding and a powerful 2 100 Lumens high setting with a beautiful wide beam pattern for navigation/extreme riding conditions. The small XPH3A headlamp is very light and versatile with great battery life and a powerful 168 Lumens setting if needed.

Osprey South Africa : The ‪#‎Rev24‬ is an adventure racers dream pack with lots of front access storage and unrivalled comfort with efficient weight distribution – It’s reassuring having the best in the business “backing” us!

Sea to Summit South Africa : The ‪#‎EvacDrysack‬ provides a unique solution to a small problem that can have a large effect on your packing capacity… getting the air out of this dry sack is simple… just compress it! The ‪ #‎TPUGuideMapCase‬ will provide protection of our maps. Sea_To_Summit provides peace of mind that essential and emergency equipment stays dry and protected no matter how rough the terrain or how wild the white water or rainstorm.

Buff South Africa : Having the real original Buff will help us deal with cold, heat, dust and mud almost non-stop for a week.

The Westin Cape Town : In an adventure race we are so far removed from any luxury and comfort, but there is nothing more rewarding than returning to the superlative service and facilities that the five star Westin Hotel in Cape Town has to offer. The Westin is no stranger to adventure and endurance with previous involvement with events such as the Cape Epic. Thanks to Rob and Keaton for linking adventure with luxury.

TORQ Fitness South Africa : Nutrition is key and unfortunately a good appetite is not a always given is such a long race. We will need a large variety of natural nutritious stuff that goes down easily… TORQ ticks all the boxes.

Outdoor Escape : When in Stellenbosch go and visit these guys! They are stocking all the above products and give fantastic service - The owners Quintin and Wayne are knowledgeable outdoors-men themselves!

Bridgedale socks : One of the main concerns when doing an expedition race is foot management! Sore feet will slow us down but our answer to limiting foot damage is the All Mountain and Endurance Trail Light, both superior merino socks.