The Munga is an annual ultra-distance single-stage mountain bike race for anyone crazy enough to pedal a bike across the Karoo amid summer and an opportunity to test your fitness and see if you have what it takes to become an ultra-endurance cyclist. Here are seven tips that will help you make the most of your experience at The Munga: Timeline Your bicycle. Training. Get to the start line. Start line to race village 1. Maximize efficiency. Don’t quit. 1. Now your timeline.

To participate in the Munga bike race, you'll need to be prepared for some tough cycling conditions. Here are some gear recommendations that will help you stay safe and comfortable while cycling through the Karoo. Shoes During train and during the event wear cycling shoes that are slightly bigger. A slightly bigger cycling shoe made with breathable materials so that air flows freely so that your feet stay cool, and flexible soles so that you can wear it all day long without f

This is a race that is in my bones, it is the failed attempts, it is in the seventh place finish, it is in the people I met and the friends I made along the way, it is my reference point as to what is possible. The Munga is an annual ultra-distance single-stage mountain bike race for anyone crazy enough to pedal a bike across the Karoo in the midst of summer - it gets hot, really hot, and also can get really cold, especially at night. One of the toughest races on earth... “At

Use this guide to dial in your race nutrition for ultra races such as - The Munga MTB The Munga Grit The Munga Equipe Race Around Rwanda Bikingman Series Cape Epic Gravel Burn Race Around Austria Radamring 24hr Attakwas 36One MTB Challenge Swartberg100 Around The Pot 100/200 Miler Old Mutual Wealth Double Century and many others. Psst! The guide can also be applied to ultra bicycle rides, bike-packing adventure rides, century rides, etc. Personal tip: For the multi-day non st

Exercise and nutrition are connected, achieve sports performance at any level depends on meeting day to day nutritional requirements. This guide introduces some of the basics of nutrition and healthy eating, and the effect on your cycling performance. Please note this nutritional guide is not intended to be a medical opinion, diagnose, or treatment of any sort. Balanced Diet This refers to the intake appropriate amounts of food and fluid to supply nutrition and energy to supp

Before you head out of the door, remind yourself that the ultimate goal of every outdoor bicycle ride is to return home safely. The most important thing to remember when riding your bicycle outdoors in winter or summer is that backing off or cutting a ride short can never be a bad decision. Ride indoors on really bad days...there are times when you have to abandon and get on the indoor trainer. Why you should ride outside in ride-able winter conditions? Well it may be unpleas

Off-season training is a term that refers to the period when an athlete is not actively competing in their sport. Off-season training is usually designed to help athletes maintain or improve their physical condition, skills, and mental readiness for the next competitive season. Off-season training can vary depending on the sport, the level of competition, the goals of the athlete, and the individual preferences of the coach and the athlete. However, some common elements of of

My recovery weeks generally consists of 2 active recovery rides during the week and one or two endurance rides on the weekends. There are recovery weeks where I do very little (2 rides) to no riding at all. Personally I found that a rest week completely off the bike creates more time for other stuff, more sleep, and brings more physical and mental freshness. Blend the easy week with the very best recovery method – 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep! Recovery happens when you sleep

Fatigue is a natural result of a race, hard session and or load; it is the body’s way of communicating that it needs rest. Choosing to ignore this message will only lead to overtraining, illness and or injury. What can you do to improve your recovery time? Warm-up, recovery starts before a race or hard session. Refuel during training and racing. Cool downs, this help your body to return to its pre-exercise state and kick starts the recovery and adaptation phase. This should

After weeks or months of base and build training, you're close to the start line—but your job isn’t done yet. To truly show up at your best, you need to navigate the final two phases: Peak and Taper. Though often lumped together, these phases serve different purposes: The Peak Phase is about sharpening your fitness. It’s when you do just enough race-specific work to hit your highest form without digging a fatigue hole. The Taper Phase is about shedding fatigue, not fitness. H

You have invested in a solid base training phase, and over the last 3 to 4 months, you focused on your strengths and weaknesses and prepared your body for the higher intensities and the season. Up next is the build phase. The goal of the second phase is to prepare you for your specific race requirements. During the build phase, at least 2 weekly workouts should be specific to your goal/event, and all of the other workouts during the week are dedicated to recovering and mainta

The start of a new training season means the start of base training – it is an important part of every cyclist’s training because it establishes your foundational fitness, endurance, and aerobic capabilities. The goal of base training is to accumulate a large volume of work at low intensities to improved aerobic capacity; in other words, stamina. Your body will get better at burning fat and your muscular fitness will increase along with your capillary density. And make modera

Training zones below is brief description and the benefits of each zone. Training zones are an essential aspect of any fitness routine and offer a quantifiable method of guiding workouts and determining intensity. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced athlete, understanding your training zones can help you tailor your workouts to your fitness goals and maximize your results. In this blog post, we will explore a brief description and the benefits of each zone. Zone 1 Th

Taking on the journey in preparing for a road, gravel or mountain bike event, get into the world of ultra distance cycling or even use cycling to shape or maintain a healthy lifestyle is an exciting and fulfilling adventure. As you progress, having the right tools can enhance your training. Most importantly, you will need these tools if you ever want to follow a structured training plan or hire a cycling coach. In this post, we will explore a comprehensive list of tools that

When we are sick and try to train, especially training at a high intensity and or for a long duration will make it harder for our immune system to function. No! Don’t exercise when you are sick. What is the immune system’s role? It protects our body from harmful substances, germs and cell changes that could make us sick. How does an exercise session affect our immune system? Short duration combined with high intensity exercise does not bring immune suppression. Moderate du

We’ve all said it: “I just don’t have time to train.” Life is busy. Work, family, commitments—they pile up fast. But if you're serious about your health, your goals, or your cycling ambitions, it’s worth asking yourself a few honest questions: Is my personal health and longevity a priority—or just a nice idea? It’s easy to say health is important, but does your daily routine reflect that? Can I create time by rethinking my schedule or habits? You might not have time lying aro

How and when did you get into cycling? I got into cycling a bit by accident. As kids every year we would go watch the Argus Cycle Tour on the side of the road with a picnic of bacon sandwiches that my father would make. I have such a clear memory of this. And I recall always saying that one year I would ride it. A number of years ago (maybe 13 or 14 I can’t remember exactly) my father had entered to ride the race but couldn't. So I decided three days before the event that I w

A long way from home, my goal was to stretch myself, set new limits, and make the Bikingman Oman Sprint Race as hard and uncomfortable as possible by using what I had and then simplifying it, limiting my options and only taking what was needed and what was mandatory. Prepared body. Correct mindset. Route steps/direction on paper – when you need it most technology will fail. Basic first aid kit – a few plasters and swabs. Survival blanket. Solar power bank. Rechargeable fron