# A year in the life of a wannabe racer- Season 12.5 **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [June 22, 2026, 8:14am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745 "2026-06-22T08:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ldrcycles/32/4310_2.png) [@LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/u/LDRcycles)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 9:06am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745/21 "2026-09-15T09:06:26Z")
There’s been a fair bit of wind, rain, and cold mornings to interrupt me lately. While the mornings were cold, the evenings had enough heat to makec chasing cars and scooters around Noosa after work a good option. That only gets me about 40km at a time though, so last Monday it was off to Kenilworth again. There were a few PBs again (one without trying which is a good sign) but with unfavourable winds I took the option of cutting short at 106km and meeting Mrs LDR in Cooran for lunch at a pleasant little cafe. It was also a cracking morning for road treasure, with 2 straps and even a chain mail glove! ![1000046230](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0645265de3a174501713be1c20564919b4575b64.jpeg) ![1000046231](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/b/bf1fc99ea41bd52b903c0d738398f74878a5b5a0.jpeg) ![1000046232](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/a/a5549810760f7ffb4d3481ebbca3dec73e4995d0.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ldrcycles/32/4310_2.png) [@LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/u/LDRcycles)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 9:38am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745/22 "2026-09-15T09:38:10Z")
Now each time I’ve been out to Kenilworth it means going past the turnoff to the Obi Obi, and each time I’ve thought about how long it’s been and how nice the scenery is. So this Monday it was time to change course. After a bunch of chainsaw work on Sunday I wasn’t feeling at my best, but after stopping to chat to a mate in Cooroy I perked up and was determined again. ![1000046585](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/2/24fe18eef48f6edd388d99702abaa98c39709f2b.jpeg) Straight away I was delighted I’d stuck to it, it really is a gorgeous place. I ticked along well up the valley despite the increasing headwind. Now the thing about the Obi is it’s steep. Really steep. Steep enough that the TALLEST gear I’ve ever cleared it with was 39x32, and that’s when I was 12 years younger and about 10kg lighter. I had thought 34x30 would be quite sufficient (it’s 29.7" compared to 31.9" for 39x32 and 26.2" for the 28t triple with 28t I mostly used) but halfway up the steepest pinch I had to pull the pin. ![1000046587](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/1/1033e49f6c3382e5d88b54dcc72a31c0c1e1ca84.jpeg) At somewhere north of 25% it’s hard enough work just walking up it. The little lookout at the top is a good distraction while recovering. ![1000046589](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/a/ae46e27655cb2a69e3abf2da581876c6a0a552d8.jpeg) All that struggle is well worth it, because after a few mild kms you pass through Mapleton and the descent is on. I’m not a fan of the first drop down Mick Jeffs Spur, the more so on this occasion as I was following a truck crawling in low gear. I was so hard on the brakes to keep to that speed that I had to stop halfway down to spray water on the rims, but there was no interruption for the good but a few km later. From Dulong lookout the road goes through a fantastic series of twists and drops that make me think of the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca. The grade is steep enough for plenty of speed but gentle enough to have complete control and it’s a barrel of laughs to carve through. Though Nambour and on to Yandina and I decided to splash out on a can of coke and meat pie at the servo as a change from gels. There was still a long way to go and some extra sugar certainly wouldn’t go astray for the climb up Eumundi Range to Cooroy. That climb went a lot easier than I expected, and after topping up my water at Cooroy I couldn’t resist drafting a truck along Elm St and sprinting past as he turned for Noosa. That was not a good idea. With 125 very hard kms already in the legs I immediately felt bloody awful, and while I recovered ok it still took another can of coke in Pomona to get me right. I finally rolled back into Kin Kin after 152km, ready to order a new 32t cassette so I can go back again 😄 ---
**Author:** ![LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ldrcycles/32/4310_2.png) [@LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/u/LDRcycles)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 9:46am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745/23 "2026-09-15T09:46:11Z")
Now between work and that riding my plate has been pretty full, but of course my plate must never be just full it has to be overflowing. ![1000045837](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e8e47d2ac0092a3afc06883fe810bb507220b09b.jpeg) Off the bike I’ve been flat out, from moving the heaviest god damn piano ever made, to getting 2 trailer loads of bricks for an upcoming project. ![1000046209](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/e/eb0866fed85a9c241b8d28c8838735b96436c99b.jpeg) Then there’s working on sediment sampling with the local Landcare- ![1000046041](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/8/8bd9f39f101853454b1862c2fe8a2bc54bde49bd.jpeg) Photography at the local show ![1000046529](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/2/2cceb44dcccb2a4f8c2caa35dedefe6761713d0f.jpeg) ![1000046515](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/a/a06bee02f9118cf338f6f867c260af08d5d46957.jpeg) ![1000046527](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/8/842f5db6de00637e8aa26dafaaa26b92eecc5504.jpeg) And photography at home (these photos by Winnie) ![1000046621](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/d/db441ab32e8b9c999ecbd79b9f4ca2c9ccc24c0a.jpeg) ![1000046561](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/1/1499256bc930f67d67f01eb2f5e111dc40af0077.jpeg) But it’s a good kind of busy! ---
**Author:** ![Ernestra](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ernestra/32/4478_2.png) [@Ernestra](https://fixed.org.au/u/Ernestra)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 11:34pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745/24 "2026-09-17T23:34:58Z")
Moving Pianos ! What a flaming nightmare! I had to move an old piano from one side of the garage to the other a few years ago. By myself, it was a slow process, very slow. I used an oversized tie down ratchet device, attached to the base of a door frame, to literally drag it across the floor, with a little bit of gentle rocking and swaying to assist. It all went Ok, with only insignificant scratches on the garage floor, and a jammed ratchet. But moving a full sized pool table is a lot more challenging. Never again, if it ever has to be moved it’s getting chopped up first ! ---
**Author:** ![LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ldrcycles/32/4310_2.png) [@LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/u/LDRcycles)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2026, 5:30am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745/25 "2026-09-28T05:30:22Z")
The last couple of weeks have been even more hectic. Lots to do at work, doing RRAA duties for 3 new records (unsupported women’s Around Australia, unsupported Across Australia, and Melbourne to Geelong), finally demolishing the old shed I started on 6 years ago, and keeping the legs in tune. Today was going to be 125km to Kenilworth, but at Carter’s Ridge the mountains to the south were obscured by either smoke or rain, and on the chance it was rain I turned north to Traveston and made do with 92km. It is after all tapering time, because in 5 days the 24 hour ride starts 😬 ![1000046891](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e78b26e196ef3e8245053b2dc3d4c7ff6a5a4214.jpeg) A couple of local news outlets have covered it, and the gofundme is already over $1700! Fingers firmly crossed for good weather, I’ve taken care of everything I can control 😊 ---
**Author:** ![LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ldrcycles/32/4310_2.png) [@LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/u/LDRcycles)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 7:36pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745/26 "2026-10-10T19:36:23Z")
After a very poor sleep I woke up right on time on Saturday and soon had my “base camp” set up at Butter Factory Park in the village. The only thing I forgot was the big box of Endura gels, but there was plenty of time to pop back home and grab them. Having originally planned to use a whiteboard to mark the laps, I decided that would be too time consuming and instead opted for paper tear offs like a desk calendar. ![1000047229](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/c/cf7e1bfd6ee94a7f2d3924f74c0a318b4fbe320f.jpeg) ![1000047231](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/2/2d14443784ba7c7bd22768712c5b6e8981b0a881.jpeg) At 9:01 am I was away, and the nervousness immediately disappeared. I was no longer thinking about a big ride, I was doing it, and that’s just my job! The forecast was for moderate temps and light winds, and straight away both were a bit suspect. In short order the sun got very energetic and the wind was in my face on the dirt section. Oh the dirt section. Noosa Shire Council last graded it about 6 months ago, and it was getting rough. They didn’t even bother to respond to a service request some weeks before the event (and still haven’t yet) but I had faith in the whopping great 32mm tyres (actually measuring 34mm mounted) to deal with it. They weren’t enough. As the miles ticked up, that horrible dirt just got rougher and rougher, with increasing noise from the Silverback’s rear hub, and increasing pain from my neck and shoulders. ![1000047241](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/1/10a8fd94cc4035cab7270e82eb365ddbabc39f6b.jpeg) ![1000047325](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/2/225308c7a1836e5dc2c3ed926a6e133c7632f4da.jpeg) ![1000047324](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/f/f0d20362f8fc13b4bc727e6e23be388bc7006feb.jpeg) ![1000047238](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/c/c0417a03897c2462d521b0e5146e73a48fd5e480.jpeg) I was having a hard time, helped along though by MANY cheering locals and family and friends hanging around at base camp. As the sun set I was optimistic that the temperature would be more comfortable, and with the darkness I wouldn’t have to twist my sore neck to check for traffic when dodging potholes or coming up to intersections. Well the dark was grand, especially for being able to ride straight down the middle of the dirt. It was by no means “good” but it was a lot less terrible. The temperature on the other hand dropped like a rock. In consecutive laps I went from my summer weight short sleeve jersey, to a thick short sleeve, to the thickest long sleeve one I have, and eventually a gilet on top of that. 13 degrees isn’t super cold, but after a blazing hot day it was a shock to the system. At this point I was feeling LOW. As I told the local baker on Lap 12, there was plenty of external motivation (aka peer pressure) but the internal motivation was close to zero. This was a lot of pain to be in before the halfway mark. I eventually worked out part of the issue was starting so late in the day that the mileage felt inadequate for the time, and the other was that doing a 253km, 11hr ride on the course in training made me feel like this first stage was just ticking a box again. For a number of laps I wondered if my body or the bike would break first. It turned out to be the bike. ![1000047240](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/9/9a808d3aa3a332979c4f1aad7ca30a48b20ed917.jpeg) Something in the rear hub broke and forced me to walk up Cochrane’s Hill. I was able to get back to the village, where I ticked over the halfway distance a full hour ahead of halfway time. I packed the stricken bike in the car to head home to my workshop. If I couldn’t fix it, I could at least have a hot shower and switch to a road bike to take a different course. To be continued. ---
**Author:** ![Ernestra](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ernestra/32/4478_2.png) [@Ernestra](https://fixed.org.au/u/Ernestra)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 11:32pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745/27 "2026-10-10T23:32:59Z")
What a heroic effort 👍. Maybe a bit optimistic to attempt it with a significant distance of rough gravel road. About 36 years ago - I was asked if I wanted to be involved in a few people doing a 24 hr ride. It took me about a millisecond to say “no way” Only one of the small group were actually able to complete the 24 hr ride. She was a small woman only 5 foot and no inches tall but she managed to cover almost 400 km in the 24 hours ! Well done on your massive effort. I spose that you can recall back in the good old days (pre-Covid) when there was a splendid event called the Noosa Strada Bianche. It was usually a brutal course about 50 percent gravel but the Noosa Council remarkably managed to grade the roads before the event. 👍 ---
**Author:** ![LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ldrcycles/32/4310_2.png) [@LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/u/LDRcycles)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 6:16am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745/28 "2026-10-11T06:16:21Z")
Well the verdict back in the workshop was the night was over for the Silverback. Mrs LDR insisted I have a nap to let my neck and shoulder muscles calm down before they lock solid and stop me from doing anything at all. I didn’t have any intention of sleeping, but there’s no point in staying awake if you can’t achieve anything with that consciousness, so it had to be done. Back up at 2:30am and I had to admit it had worked wonders. After swapping a bad tube on the road bike I had a good feed and went back to base camp just before the president of the local squash club arrived to show his support! The alternate route (from the village to Bates Road and back, again part of the school bus route) was only slightly shorter than the original so the lap counters were still reasonably accurate. ![1000047253](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/9/9d4f8f328bb5914fc3760a26d26c82cf8454bdfd.jpeg) Back in my natural bitumen habitat I was a whole lot happier, and while the original 500 target was off the table, 400km was achievable with a hard effort. Until a drive side rear spoke snapped at 334km 🤦 On the plus side, it happened just a few hundred metres from the end of my road, and Mrs LDR was already heading out in her car. So I was picked up in less than a minute and whisked back to the workshop to swap the tyre and cassette onto a spare wheel. By this time the cold was finally starting to ease off and I could ditch the gilet and eventually the long sleeves too. ![1000047273](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/8/89ea24ea9ead17f35e496131eb0bbc8124aaa1bc.jpeg) The lovely local bakers had visited on Saturday night when I let them know that one of the milestones I had written on my schedule was “8am, croissant from the pub!” They were so chuffed that the next morning they delivered not one croissant, but two, AND a banoffee Danish and pan au chocolat! ![1000047256](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/8/823103fbd25bb298d46dd92f7c6c6576d740da48.jpeg) I was still able to hit 30-32 on the flat, but the delay from the broken spoke meant pushing my finish time back half an hour to squeeze in one last lap, for a total of 384km. ![1000047275](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/5/558bbc4f640a47e81eaf0ebe0a3e41a6e054901e.jpeg) ![1000047274](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/7/77b2b860ff1158c83d6e1f51e986988a99026682.jpeg) ![1000047259](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/e/eb706f1c37e6a119229728cea147de41799f5a0c.jpeg) There was a wonderful welcome from the locals, including our state MP Sandy Bolton. ![1000047260](https://fixed.org.au/uploads/default/original/2X/f/f9618bf703b2fb50ce6670702df10141b3005689.jpeg) Now I could focus on the things I didn’t achieve, like not sleeping, or hitting 500km, or I could focus on what I did. Specifically that’s going beyond my previous best of 315km (and passing 200 miles for the first time), riding as much as I possibly could in 24 hours, and raising more money than the 24 hour run which had inspired this in the first place. That last point in particular was a roaring success, Daryl the runner achieved just over $3,000, where I’ve managed to hit the $4,000 mark! With the other school P&C members running a Bunnings sausage sizzle on the Saturday morning the total is nearing $6,000 for one weekend of effort. Immediately after crossing the line I told the P&C president “I’m never doing this again”. Within a matter of hours I was already saying “this is what I will change when I do it again” 😄 Glutton for punishment! [Previous page](https://fixed.org.au/t/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-wannabe-racer-season-12-5/158745.md?page=1)