SSAP Training Concerns

Last weekend it snowed something like 6".  Unbelievable.  Thankfully, temperatures have been reaching the 40's so most of it is gone now. But shaded areas remain snowy and this includes many trails.  I still see lots of snow when I drive past the Hojack Trail.

So today I rode once again at the Big Field.  It was way better than last time, with only a handful of snowy parts.  I could ride on the edge of some and through others.  I did 11 laps and only dismounted once for a small dog that I was afraid I'd crush.  I rode my 29er with my geared hub, but never shifted to high speed.

First the good news:

• My average speed was about 8 mph.  To finish the 24 miles of SSAP in 4 hours I need to move at 6 mph.

And the bad news:

• I rode just over half the distance of the race.
• I was in the saddle for less than half the expected race time.
• Fatigue and being saddle sore would have prevented me from riding much more than another mile or two even in a race scenario.
• This is a trail I'd consider easier, so the good news isn't that good, and the bad news is worse.

I've also been feeling pain in my left calf for about a week and a half.  There wasn't any event that triggered it and it's never been a sharp pain.  It's just enough to know something is wrong.  I have an appointment tomorrow to have it looked at, but I suspect it's just a muscle strain of sorts and will go away with more time.  It didn't really affect today's ride, though there aren't any steep hills on the Big Field loop.  Pain from fatigue in my quads, lower back, and shoulders covered up any pain I may have had in my calf.

So with all that, I'm not feeling very confident about the race.  The only hope I have is to use my the saddle from my KH 24 and hope it's better, get shorts with more padding, my single-speed setup will be lighter weight, and there's still a chance to ride a few more times.