JOIN THE RIDE

LATE LAST YEAR, THE CORONATION DOUBLE CENTURY HAPPENED FOR THE 27TH TIME. But it never happened for me… again! The DC has it in for me, I’m convinced. // FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, I’VE FAILED TO FINISH. In 2017, I blew out at 160km; the next year I only got halfway, because of illness; and in 2019, a recurring back niggle (courtesy of a long gravel ride two months before!) made the Ashton refreshment area my 2019 endpoint, at 120km. // I’M PART OF A – LARGELY – SOCIAL GROUP LED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE CAPE TOWN CYCLE TOUR TRUST, DAVE BELLAIRS. ▶or most of our team the CDC is a grand weekend away with mates, and a constantly pinging WhatsApp group awash with banter, pictures and memes. // BUT FOR ME, IT’S TWO DAYS OF CONFLICT AND ANGUISH. There are times when I think it would be better not to accept the invite. It would save me a lot of pre-race stress, and those long Sunday rides would continue to be three- to four-hour affairs (with coffee stops), instead of imposing, ¾-day adventures around the Cape Peninsula. // My infamy as a ‘non-finisher’ has spawned a new verb: ‘Finching’. // WHEN SOMEONE DOESN’T PITCH UP FOR A GATHERING OR FAILS TO FINISH ANYTHING, FROM A TALL CAPPUCCINO TO A SUNDAY RIDE, THE GROUP PRONOUNCES IT A ‘FINCH’. “Did Tim just ▶inch at the Munga?”, was the chirp when our new features editor, Tim Brink, failed to finish his maiden Munga a couple of years ago. “WHY AREN’T YOU FINISHING YOUR FINCHING?” “BEV HAD TO GET BACK EARLY, SO SHE COFFEE? ARE YOU FINCHED THE LONG RIDE ON SUNDAY.” // I’ve learnt to take my medicine, and give as good as I get whenever the opportunity arises (“Hey Tim, did you skip arm day again?”); but in truth it grates me, because it won’t stop until I make it to the finish line. // I may never be able to reclaim my name on the ‘CDC Invited’ group. SOMEHOW, I NEED TO CHANGE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT RACE. DC 2020… I’M COMING FOR YOU!