The Brechfa Rally is on Sunday and I've finished my pre-race physical training having ridden around 100 miles on my mountain bike in the last week. I feel good and I'll be resting this week so that I'll be fully recovered by the weekend for what is round 1 of the 2014 All Terrain Rally Challenge.
The weather looked promising early on Saturday morning so I decided on Friday night to set the alarm for 5am. WHY?! I hear you ask...Well, recently I've been riding to the top of Caerphilly mountain and into Rudry and the surrounding area quite a bit and have stumbled across a few stunning views, one of which offers a panoramic view of Cardiff. So, what I thought I'd do is get up early, ride up and watch the sunrise.
It's tough to get out of bed at that time in the morning, but once I got going it was just like any other ride (other than the fact that it was very cold - icy in fact). Let me be clear though, the trip to the top was well worth it, here was my reward at about 7am:
Luckily, one thing I do well is motivate myself as far as training is concerned. It isn't easy when you have no-one with you to test your limits, but I always push myself and I try to reinforce the "enduro rider's mentality" as I like to call it. That is, never give up. When you haven't got an ounce of energy left in your body, keep going, when you have a problem, fix it and keep going, when things aren't going your way, keep going. I'm well aware that there's no substitute for time on the bike, but I have to do the best I can in the situation I'm in.
Anyway, that's enough of the clichéd rambling, and back to the matter at hand. The only preparation I have left to do as far as the bike is concerned is: check the air filter, check the chain tension and get my race fuel.
While I'm waiting for the weekend to arrive, I'll spend some of my free time during the week watching my videos from last year's race and some DirtWise training DVDs from Aussie legend Shane Watts. You can buy them in the UK from Trial Enduro Direct:
Wattsy's a great character and the videos are useful, sometimes very funny too! "Unless you like wearing your bum-hole for an eye patch" - shame I can't remember what came before that...
Keep your eyes peeled next week, I'll have videos, photos and a ride report from the 2014 Brechfa Rally.
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