Ride Entry – 30th August 2010
Bike: Chameleon
Distance: 39 miles
Last mountain bike ride before Keilder. This was the last bug out point for my back. Luckily everything seemed to go reasonably well with me and the bike. I’ve actually had to transplant my handjob wheel across because the hub on the original wheel has died (again), this time I dunno what it is at the moment. The chain tug is pressing the bearing cover/axle end piece against the freehub bearings so hard it doesn’t allow the freehub to turn, this is with a new freehub in. Can’t see where the problem is or what is different but after a few hours trying to work it out yesterday I’ve given up. This wheel works fine with the SS kit on it.
Anyway, today was a race trim ride. No camelbak, no camera, GPS or other non-essentials. Just a saddle bag with tubes and tools in, my pump in my back pocket and no coat. For the actual race I’ll fix my pump to the frame and use a bungee cord to attach my coat to the seatpost.
My legs and the bike were fine, could have ridden for days. my back though,
. I stretched every half hour or so, stretched when I was rolling along and tried to be gentle but it just felt stiffer and stiffer as time went on. Not actually painful, just stiff. It’s really pissing me off. Thinking back I know of 4 races where I’ve given up because of my back, I really should get a professional to look at it I think.
Too late for Keilder though. I’ll do the race, take it nice and easy, carry a lot of painkillers and just try and finish. Really pisses me off because I’m confident my fitness is high enough to make me reasonably competitive, I was churning up the hills today and was barely out of breath at the top of them, even the lead mine clough climb was a cinch. Bah!


