An Ode To (Not) Being Rachel Atherton

Online Feature

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Hannah recently dislocated her shoulder. Like Rachel Atherton, she didn’t actually crash… but she wasn’t actually riding. Rachel’s shoulder popped out under the force of landing a massive jump at…

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Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • An Ode To (Not) Being Rachel Atherton
  • voodoo-rich
    Full Member

    Healing vibes to Hannah and Rach… 🙂

    Posted 8 months ago
    reeksy
    Full Member

    Lovely. I especially like the singletrack toilet joke.

    It also reminds me of a bike ride one summer in Dordogne when I was 12. As we rode across a bridge my friend Ben and I spotted a fisher in a boat. Attempting to ask him if he’d caught any fish… but being the summer holidays our French was a little rusty we shouted:

    ”Monsieur combiens de pêches?”

    Posted 8 months ago
    trailrippers
    Full Member

    I can’t imagine the pressure on Rachel, in front of a home crowd, to grit her teeth and keep going. Not easy to be part of the toughest MTB family, I think… Hoping your shoulder is getting better, Hannah (and Rach!). Top tip for taking toilet tissue one-handed: scissor-grab the paper with index and middle finger, hold it whilst pulling what you need off using thumb, ring finger and pinky.

    Posted 8 months ago
    PolisherMan
    Full Member

    Been there, got the t-shirt.

    The pain!!!

    Take it steady H.

    R. Atherton riding the next day!!!

    How??

     

    Posted 8 months ago
    stwhannah
    Full Member

    Rachel messaged me on Instagram after she read this. She said it took her ages to get back on the bike the first time, but now it’s so mangled in there after repeated injuries, nerve damage and surgery that she reckons she can’t feel the pain like she used to.

    Mine is moving loads more now, but stretching involuntarily above my head in the morning gets me every time! And I am quite tired of the constant ache. And I am sad at all the things I can’t do this summer.

    Posted 8 months ago
    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    Mine is moving loads more now, but stretching involuntarily above my head in the morning gets me every time!

    Slowly slowly catchy monkey. You need to move it and keep it moving but it is absolutely possible to over work these things (as my permanently bent little finger attests). Do not over do it.

    With your shoulder take lots of care getting it right.

    Following an initial dislocation* followed by significant “ah it’s fine now, I’ll do much more than the physio says I should” my left shoulder is dodgy as an Arthur Daley deal.

    Mine came out last time turning the page of a book. The time before that was doing the strengthening exercises following on from the previous incident.

    *the dislocation hurt a lot. Being told I’m old now, by a medical professional, at 34, that hurt more.

    Posted 8 months ago
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