UnfitnessFreak

Thanks for all the input guys.

This will be my second 94.7. Thankfully I'm starting earlier than last time. Last time I was right at the back. Trust me, when you're trying to make your way past 12 000 weaving people "joburg's safest race" doesn't spring to mind.

What's the common consensus? A week before? Or are you still training the week of the event?

Very cool. I quit around this time 3 years ago too!

Me likey. Now I will look away before the sickness takes me.

I remember reading on here a long time back about Long Slow Distance base training. Someone was asking what to eat on those rides and someone else pointed out that if you want to lose weight you should eat nothing on the ride. I tried it and it works. You drop weight really easily. It might be too late to do this for Comrades, but maybe try and fit one LSD per week for weight loss. IMO even losing 5kgs is a great benefit to endurance so it might be worth a try.

Thanks Thug. Will check it out.

Hi guys Anyone riding out of the Parkhurst area on weekday mornings? I used to see a group who gathered at the big circle near the Spar at 5am, but I haven't seen them for ages. I'm tired of riding alone and I would like to hook up with a group for morning rides and I don't want to drive all the way to Fourways for the cyclelab ride. I've been cycling for 2 years now and don't worry, I go at a reasonable pace, despite my username . (But it's every man for himself anyway, right?) UnfitnessFreak2009-10-30 02:25:50

Yeah it was a bit of a wake up call. I think you can try be as safe as possible - have lights - wear bright clothing - cycle early to avoid the traffic - try to ride on quiet roads etc ... and you still could get run over. And the thing is the cars drive at full speed no matter what road you're on. What can you do? I don't want to be a MTB rider. I don't like riding the spruit and I don't think it's all that safe if you ride alone like I do most of the time (I can't ride with a group because I usually don't know when I'll get a chance to ride next). It's a lose-lose situation.

So on a morning ride last week I'm riding up a steep hill minding my own business, when some guy nearly took me out in his bakkie. I didn't even know what had happened at first. I just heard a loud bang like a gun going off next to my ear and a shower of glass and plastic whooshed past me. It took me a good 10 seconds to realize a guy had just clipped my elbow and I had literally ripped his wing mirror off the side of his car. Couldn't believe it. Didn't feel a thing. I stood on the side of the road for a minute feeling my arm to see if I had broken anything, but miraculously I was unharmed - considering the pace he hit me. I think I was lucky the road was steep and I was standing and my arm was braced against the handlebar at the moment of impact. Well, to his credit, the driver did stop and was very apologetic. He insisted that he didn't see me as the sun was in his eyes. Not much consolation. One thing is for sure, if he had been 30cms to the left, I would not have known much about it.

Hehe. Cool. The videos look funny though with the one arm flailing wildly.

It's gonna be a long night.

How bout now?

This is South Africa mate. The police are not on their way.

You say it like it's a bad thing.

The airbus A380 is the biggest commercial passenger liner. That's an A340.

Phone it in to the "report bad driving" line. 0861 400 800. Chances are he's a habitual reckless driver so the more times he gets reported the better.

Arrrgh! My eyes! That's the fugliest thing I've ever seen. UnfitnessFreak2009-03-13 19:19:04

You could try Prepsol - a pretty powerful degreaser available from your local mica hardware store for about R70 for 5litres. Use an old clean green spray bottle or something to spray it on - leave for a few minutes and then spray off with a hose, or better - a high-pressure cleaner.

Oh, one more thing. I had another 'click' which turned out to be a loose water bottle cage. Tightened it up and that too went away.

I had a similar thing on my road bike. It turned out the crank arm had been over-tightened (the arm on the opposite side to the chainwheel if you know what I mean). There are two bolts on that side securing the arm to the crank shaft and they're supposed to be tightened to a specific torque. I loosened them a bit and the sound went away. UnfitnessFreak2009-02-17 00:51:07

As tempting it is to go over there and pick a fight - especially dealing with individuals with some shocking taste in cars - would it not be a better idea to go over there and try to make some friends and allies instead? Then they might look out for us on the road, and they might tell their friends who might tell their friends. I'm just saying...