Tag: Riding

TGIF

Posted on by Chad Dobbs

I haven’t been on the bike for ten long days.  I’ve been sick and nursing my injury; so getting better has been my priority.  In the interim I have been aggressively fundraising for Soldier On and acquiring new parts for N+1 (which is a few weeks away at best).

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Today didn’t start off too well; cycling-wise.  While driving to work I heard a rattle on my windscreen which I assumed to be the missing plastic tyre lever I most likely placed on my bonnet while fitting my tubeless tyres the night before.  Oh how I was wrong.  When I turned on my wipers I saw a black object fly across my windscreen and onto the car next to me on Northbourne Ave.

It did not dawn on me until I was at Sparrow Hill this afternoon that the black object was in fact the 15mm thru-axle that secures my front wheel to my forks; Rookie_Error indeed!  Three bike shops later and quite a few phone calls I tracked one down at Bike Culture at O’Conner.

Two hours after I left work, I finally arrived back at Sparrow Hill for my first ride in ten days.  I intended to ride a couple of laps of the course for this Sunday’s CORC XC Race; but after one lap I headed across the highway into Kowen Forest.  I was not disappointed.  The free-flowing trails spoke to me as daylight quickly faded and night-time set in.  I switched on my lights and had the entire forest to myself for a brief moment in time.  Just me, my bike and the trails.  All of my troubles disappeared into the pine trees.

Today I was reminded why I started riding mountain bikes…  Because it’s fun to ride.

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Recovery Week In Review – Week 3

Posted on by Chad Dobbs

My plan for Week #3 got thrown out of the window early in the week.  After spending the previous weekend in Melbourne I developed a nice little chest cold.  My old friends coughing, wheezing and migraines came to visit; and stayed.

I managed to get on the bike a few times and instead of my projected 150-200km’s for the week I accumulated a disappointing 62.6km.  However my time off the bike wasn’t for nought; I have noticed a definite improvement in my injury while I’ve been off the bike.  The chest feels stronger (I can feel the scar tissue under the skin) and my shoulder and neck aren’t as tender.

But I am a little perturbed.  I have Round 2 of the CORC XC Series this coming Sunday and it’s at my favourite location; Sparrow Hill.  I’ll try and get out there before this weekend for a few recce laps to dial in my bike and legs.

I dare say come late Sunday morning I’ll be finishing my race heaving and dry reaching; but with a big smile on my face knowing I’ve finished and got some points back on the board!

Battle Of The Beasts Poster!

Posted on by Chad Dobbs

Here are the new Posters I have made for my fundraising campaign for the Battle Of The Beasts

BOTB Poster Cover Photo BOTB Poster

 

 

 

 


BOTB Poster Cover Photo

BOTB Poster

Recovery Week In Review – Week 2

Posted on by Chad Dobbs

After a massive 277.4km the previous week, I went into last week with a lot more confidence and renewed vigour for spending time in the saddle.  But after Monday’s short commute to and from work I felt that familiar twinge in my shoulder and neck; my injury was flaring up.  So Tuesday as a riding day was a scratch.  I wore my brace to work under my business shirt and took my painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.

By Wednesday I was still sore, so still no riding… and Thursday became SSDD.  I was getting a little anxious to get back on the bike; but Friday was spent driving to Melbourne for some Wedding planning and a going away party for the future in-laws.  But in the back of my car was Zooey.

Saturday was a typical Melbourne morning; cold and raining.  I drove to Lysterfield Park for some muddy MTB fun with a friend from my Army days.  I followed up with another couple of solo laps after a quick bite to eat.  Lysterfield Park is a great MTB park, but I didn’t get to experience it’s full potential with all the mud and the many, many slower riders who just don’t understand the concept of moving out of the way.

With the next CORC XC race on 2 June, I’ll be putting some more kilometres down to build up more fitness and hopefully keep my recovery in check.

Road(ie) To Recovery

Posted on by Chad Dobbs

Today I got back on the road bike for the first time in almost a month.  I haven’t ridden a lot since I crashed at Mt Stromlo on the 14th of April.  Not counting the 35km’s I rode to get home after I crashed; I have ridden a total of 40km’s since.  This is not a good thing; I went from riding 200-300km’s a week to not riding at all.  I was getting into a good training and nutrition regime that stalled abruptly, well the training side of it did.  In just under 4 weeks I managed to put on an extra 4kg’s by continuing to eat massive amounts of carbohydrate and protein rich foods.

I debated at length with family and friends whether or not I should race last weekend in the first round of the new CORC XC Series.  Well stupidly I entered and started the race.  Predictably I didn’t finish.  At around the 8km mark I clipped a tree with my left shoulder and decided I needed to pull out before I injured myself any further.  Luckily I pulled up all right and my ongoing recovery continues.
End result: Round One: Rider #266 – DNF.

Which brings me to today’s commute.  I decided not to ride to work this morning when I walked out into my courtyard and felt the chilly Canberra air.  So Sara got packed into the Girly’s car with the intention of riding the long way home.  Well that intention got left by the side of the road along with my confidence.

Today I felt something I haven’t felt since last September when I did my first mountain bike race with no lead up training.  Today I felt my quads.  I felt every single metre of the ride home as a deep burning pain in my legs.  I was out of breath very quickly and drank too much water which caused stomach cramps.  It is important to note that this was a 20km ride on tarmac with only a few moderate length hills to climb.  I have done a 100km mountain bike race and felt better afterwards.

Stupidly I thought getting back on the roadie would be as if the last month didn’t happen.  I had psyched myself up and honestly believed my ride home would be full of Strava personal records.  But alas it was not meant to be.  I came home quite disillusioned and somewhat angry at myself; I even managed to break the zipper on my Giant cycling jersey.

It wasn’t until I was in shower stretching out and enjoying the hot water on my aching legs that I realised what was going on.  I’m not as fit as I was a month ago and I’m still healing from a fairly substantial muscle tear.  I’m not ready to start training yet, I’m still in recovery mode.

Taking Off The Uniform

Posted on by Chad Dobbs

When I left the Army in January 2012, it wasn’t just a change of job. My whole world changed. I was a civilian for the first time in a long time.

The Army isn’t just a job; it is a culture, it is a lifestyle, it is your life.
Say goodbye to the normal aspects of life and say hello to restrictions and new rules that you abide by. Put simply, you get told what to do, when to do it, how to do it and not to ask questions.

Don’t get me wrong, if I had my time over again I would still sign that piece of paper and put on that uniform that still hangs in my wardrobe.
On a daily basis I miss my mates, I miss putting on my uniform and lacing up my boots. I miss being a Soldier. And with tomorrow being Anzac Day I miss putting on my medals, drinking and sharing a warrie or two with my mates.

But I don’t miss the bureaucracy that plagues the ADF. I’m not going to rant for pages about what I think the many issues are and how to fix them; I’ll leave it at one for this post. The ADF does not care about the individual.
It’s quite simple, and I think you would be hard pressed to find any serviceman or servicewoman that disagrees. At some-point somewhere in their career they have been pushed aside, given a very raw deal and told its for service reasons.

I left the Army when I knew I was only a number on a spreadsheet. Qualifications and experience meant nothing when my number was matched to a role I had zero interest in and had explicitly expressed never wanting for a number of years. My fate was sealed before I even got my posting order.

I owe a great debt to the ADF and in particular the Royal Australian Navy for recognizing my anxiety and depression when others dismissed and ridiculed. I spent a very long time learning that what I was experiencing was in fact a somewhat common reaction to my circumstances and not to be swept under the rug.

I had a lot of my issues under control for a decent amount of time with a few acute episodes flaring up in late 2011 when I was fighting my posting order. Only when I accepted that the best option for personal, career and mental health progression was to take off the uniform did my anxiety and bouts of depression subside.

I would never want to forget my years in the Army and the times I served my Nation overseas. But I am happy with my decision to take off the uniform and start a new chapter in my life.

The Agony & The Ecstasy!

Posted on by Chad Dobbs

Every now and then you have a ride where nothing seems right.  
You are off your game slightly; the legs just don’t seem to have enough for the climbs; your lines in and out of corners are terrible.

It’s during rides like these you have simple offs.  A misjudged corner and you hit it with too much speed and end up in the trees or in the dirt.  Other times you can’t get your shoes out in time and end up on your side with a large chunk of mountain bike using you as a pillow.

Then there are days when you are dialled in and everything feels good.
…And then you meet the ground…

ImageLuge at Mt Stromlo did a number on me this dayImage
I bruised my patella, tore some ligaments and got some nice gravel rashImageAn attempt at a “wicked” jump at the end of my first CORC XC race saw me come off at speed and smash into the ground.  Lots of gravel rash from my feet to shoulder but the best was yet to come.ImageA Grade 2 tear in my pectorals major and a few weeks of sling and painkiller action to come.

Currently I’m off the bike for a few weeks while my chest and shoulder heals.  It’s a huge let down considering the amount of training I’ve been doing in the past couple of months.  I’m faster and fitter on the bike than I have been before and now I have no choice but to not ride or risk further injury and time off the bike.

I’m hoping I will be back on the bike in time for the next CORC XC race in early May, but only time will tell.

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