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SSDT - An attainable goal?


grahamjayzee
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Ive done the SSDT 12 times now and its a superb week, its Reeth 3 day and the SSDT for me as the stand out events, I ride the rest of the year nowadays just to keep fit for these two events.

This however is the only problem I have found and it was remarked upon last week by Perce.

Once you have done the SSDT everything else bar reeth is ordinary, at best, in comparison...

if you think you have the slightest chance of doing it then do it.

its fantastic !

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You only live once, having done it 9 times and now observed similar number It is a trial that will grab you. Have you thought about maybe trying the Aveyron 7 day trial this coming august (google moto club 12) Its not as tough as the SSDT but you have similar daily routines.

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Echo the post from Perce - pretty much my advice having ridden 18 or 19 SSDT's. An old riding colleague of mine called it 'Moorland Craft' ie getting from point A to point B using the minimum energy and maximum mechanical sympathy for the machine - which can't be learned in a gym.

Don't be frightened by how hard the sections look - they generally ride grippier than they appear.

Any one of the tough northern nationals is probably harder than one day in Scotland - but by day three or four it can grind you down.

The more bike time you get in before the SSDT the more bike fit you will be and the more you will enjoy the trial. Rannoch Moor is a joy when you are skipping over it for an hour - if you are dragging the bike across it is no fun at all!!

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Everyone, thank you for all your replies. I can see from the sheer volume of response that this is a very special event indeed. It echos many people's experience of Marathons (would you do it again? No, glad you did it, Oh yes), and we only get one go around the ride, don't we?

I think I've made my mind to set it as a goal, and work a sensible path towards it.

Right, now the hard bit.

Dearest, would you like a cup of tea?

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Why not take the Paul Lowther approach with the Mrs ?

Paul can be somewhat eccentric

the year we rode round together was the only time Paul has rode, I met him at his house very early on the sunday to travel up.

Paul had previously been to watch many times but never for the full week.

as we were leaving he shouts to his Mrs "I'll see you next sunday" to which she replies "are you going for the full week ? you never said".

Paul replied " I'm sure I told you" before pushing me out of the door, once outside he added "I didnt tell her I was riding either !!"

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I told my wife I'd be happy doing one but then I had to go back again to have a better ride, then I had to have a spin round on a 4 stroke, then.........

Wish I discovered the joys of riding the SSDT at 21 instead of 41 :(

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  • 3 weeks later...

Do it, do it, do it, do it. If you can get an entry do it.

The only fitness you need is bike fitness. I can't run upstairs, but I can ride a bike across country all day, everyday. Remember if it's hurting you, it will be hurting others too and pain is only temporary, glory is forever. And a SSDT finish is glory.

I tell you to think of this. You've got an entry in the trial, come Thursday you are knackered, the bike has had 2 punctures and you've broken the clutch lever. You retire, so what do you say to your mates at work next week. I retired, the tyre was flat and the levers broken.

Or do you tell them, Cor, Thursday was horrible, I was knackered, I had to scrounge a tyre fix from somebody, then had to fit a new lever and I was well over half an hour late, but I got it done and finished. Great.

Well done they'll say and in 15 years time, you'll still have that finish under your belt.

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