Ooh. You’ve got me now! Jeez. I’ve forgot.
Forestman 2008, 2009
Outlaw 2010,2011,2012, 2019, 2021
Bolton DNF
So only six!!! With one swim/run.
Ooh. You’ve got me now! Jeez. I’ve forgot.
Forestman 2008, 2009
Outlaw 2010,2011,2012, 2019, 2021
Bolton DNF
So only six!!! With one swim/run.
Annoying that it was the ‘Ironman’ you didn’t complete. Leaving you open for cheap bants.
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Ha ha ha ![]()
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I was actually day dreaming of another last night. I quite enjoy swimming, but have stopped, so doing one of these seems to sway me into swimming again ![]()
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It more came about as I was day dreaming of a sub3 marathon. Wondering if I’m now too old. But then I thought I’d rather have a sub10 IM than a sub3 marathon. Pretty much the same time investment. Just one costs a lot more
I think this is quite interesting from a psychological stand point and I heard someone else talk about it in this way…. Once you quit one it makes it a lot easier to quit others as you/your brain knows that DNFing is a valid option when you’re feeling shit and want to give up. I am sure we have all been there during endurance events. Obviously bar serious injury or death I think DNFing can be mentally more damaging to your grit than sometimes initially realized.
I also think as we get older our tolerance levels probably do decresase!
I DNF’d 2013 Midnightman after about 3 tub failures (biblical storms and unswept roads at night meant people were p’ing 4+ times!)
the following year I did The Bastion. Id had a niggly back all year but within minutes would run it off, and had a reasonable VLM also. The bike had about 3300m climb on it with no respite, just up or down. After about 60miles my back was in bits; bent over double when i got off it after an eventual 8hrs of riding, did first lap of run and it didnt ease. 10.5k in 1:25ish, mainly walking and I could have spent 4.5hrs walking to the finish no problem, but just thought what am I doing here. Id had some wobbles on the bike as we went though Hartfield 3 times (home of Winnie the Pooh) and El Nino was 4 at the time and I just kept thinking I should be here with him not riding my bike with a bad back. Easiest DNF ever at 4:30ish to spend evening at home.
If I’m having a bad day I’ll generally keep going and write it off as character building!
If I’m injured or consider it dangerous with the weather I’m more likely to DNF these days, risk tolerance has reduced as I’ve got older and I know pushing through an injury just extends the recovery. If it’s a very high profile race or late season I might keep going though.
I find myself asking “why am I doing this”.
These days the answer is because I enjoy it. If it’s no longer fun, I have nothing to prove to myself or anyone else. Might not DNF simply because often finishing is the quickest way to get to the end. But I have DNS on a bad day because WHY?
Just seen this, looks great!!!
Beautiful down there ![]()
Yeah … the Wild Westie up at Aberfoyle looks amazing, but the trains are garbage. And I’m not keen on driving after 2 days riding ![]()
Trains to Caersws from here are plentiful.
Or … train to Glasgow, cycle back down solo. Doing a Second City Divide sort of route.
Gah!!!
as @Doonhamer says - lovely part of the world. Loads of gravel tracks in the Hafren Forest which is one of the biggest in Wales and pretty remote - driving to the main visitor base isn’t that easy either!
Registration is about 18km from Caersws station. Cycling.
I like getting the train to even a now. Or cycling to the start.
Cut down on my carbon footprint. Plus, it makes it a nice little adventure, too.
The Grammar Police want to breathalyse you.
Since swapping my bottom bracket from some weird shizzle to a normal, humane, functional Shimano English 24mm one (via an adapter) I’ve replaced my bearings zero times. In over a year.
I have just replaced one side. One bearing. Totally removable. And £3.95 from eBay.
Before? Locked in a shell, full replacement at £35 to £70 a time.
Progress indeed.
EDIT; It was also a Shimano crank set. None of this self extracting special tool malarkey. A 5mm Allen key, a 99p plastic thing to hand tighten the thing. Undo, knock it out. Honestly, minutes. Bearing tool, the metal spliced one, push that in, knock, bearing out. New bearing on, bearing press it in.
Also chain whipped off and into a wax pot.
All done in under 17 minutes.
I still think the external threaded BBs are/were the best for home mechanics; plus you get sturdier bearings.
Right that’s me ordered a 50mm stem to replace the 100mm on Frankenbike; plus a couple of TPU tubes to reduce rotating mass. I am just too stretched-out on it with the drop bars fitted. Need to get it back out of the garage, as the weather is too sh!t to ride the Canyon on the brideways now.
Tubes? ![]()
Yep, my wheels are round too and 26" and yet surprisingly they still work…
but are they as round as the TeamGB wheels