Monday, October 14, 2013

Better than a Root Canal

WEMBO - 24 Hour Solo MTB World Championships. 

It's been a big week with many mixed emotions. With my injuries over the last couple of months and my inability to train I went off to Canberra well under prepared and worried whether I would be able to ride the full 24 hrs.


Helium in the tyres?
Thursday
We had a fairly uneventful trip to Canberra.  Except for when the front wheel of the car fell through drain resulting in water spewing from the front of the car.  Emotional turmoil #1. Fortunately it was only the washer water.  I fixed it in a couple of minutes and we were back on track.

Friday
Woke up early as usual with a slight tingle in one of my back teeth.  You know the one.  It's been filled that many times it's now more filling than tooth and is going to cost $5000 to have fixed.
We head out to the track after lunch, register, set up camp and the usual practice lap with Kate, James and Mark.
The course this time is a mix of the red and blue laps of last year. 16 km with one big climb and last years more technical rock sections removed.

Oh! and it's dry. 
It has not been raining for 2 days. 
There are no creek crossings, mud swamps or lakes.


Looking totally exhausted.  I haven't started yet.

Race Morning.
It's 8.00am. I have hardly slept overnight, the tingle is no more. I'll go about a 5/10 on the pain scale and an 8  when i bite down.  Emotional turmoil #2. At this point I could possibly say I have reached a lifetime emotional low. In fact, I'm a blubbering mess.
The idea of competing in the Solo 24 Hour World Championship was conceived just on 2 years ago and as such the last two years have been spent preparing for this day.

11.00am. With some great advice and support for Kate's dad Kim I was seated in the dentists chair discussing the option.  If they remove the tooth it's all over. Go home and rest for a couple of days and wait for it to heal.
Option 2. A Root Canal. Open it up, drain the infection and hope for the best. I will be able to compete but to what level? We will have to let the tooth fairy decide.




Race Day - Saturday
11.15am.  "Mark can you please get the bike ready. I'll be there in 30 minutes"
A Root Canal, the associated drugs and the pain has gone.  I'm just left with that numb feeling and a fear of eating for a while.
11.58am. I'm ready, the bike is ready, I haven't eaten all morning, I haven't stretched and the face is still numb but I've made it to the start line.
WEMBO here we come.




No Haych.
I am not going to massage your date.

Race Day - Sunday
I find out later that they expected me to last a couple of hours then concede.
19 hrs later I did gave up. Emotional turmoil #3.  No leg strength, forearms weak and hands sore as hell. The pain in the butt and tooth are distant memories.  40 minutes later after a ten minute walk and some stretching I'm back on the bike.  2 more Laps.

I'm sitting in the back of the car writing this and tears still come to my eyes as I realise how fortunate I have been to have such great people around me.  Without their support and help this would have not been possible. Mark, Glenn, Shannon, Bart, Jeremy, James, Kate and Kim.  I thank you so much.







WEMBO 24 Hour Solo MTB World Championships.
haych.mtb - Haydn Chapman
127th Place overall
19th in Male 45-49
16 Laps, 
270.24km
5540m Elevation


And a huge congratulations to Kate.
6th Place - Elete Woman
20 Laps

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Not so well prepared

Well.
It's now been 5 weeks since Black Candy and I came to grief. The bike suffering no damage but poor me, a bruised Coccyx. I'd like to post pictures of the bruises........... No I wouldn't, they have been censored.

I think I've had 8 rides since for a total of  220 km. Not very good lead out for Wembo - World Solo 24 Hour Championships  next weekend.

Went back to the doctor again this morning for more needles in the Butt.
Fucking sore now so tomorrows ride is off and will have to get up real early on Monday for one more training ride.

The new seats  (cut away at the back)  have made a difference and this mornings ride (before the Doctor) was no worse that yesterdays ride on Dave so I might actually be able to race on the Black Candy. The hard tail.

Oh well.  This time in 7 Days I'll be just heading out on my? 6th lap. One 6 hr Enduro done, 3 more to go. Am I trying to talk myself into this or out of it?

Clock forward 1 hr tonight.  LOVE Day light Savings.