Are you living in a parallel future universe?

Was awaiting a ninja edit that never happened 🙂

Getting ahead of myself.

Physio tomorrow. Don’t know prognosis at the moment. On line seems to think ice, ibuprofen, rest, stretching and exercises should see a good chance of sorting it quickly but I can’t see how a 12hr race fits in with that.

I’ve got the same injury (I think). Spitting. Meant to be starting a hard 3 week training block prior to cx season but no chance. Even with no riding for a few days and stretching, an hours spin caused issues yesterday. Booked physio for this eve.

How are you getting on?

Well into the doldrums here. Over a month since I last actually managed a week of riding/training as planned. Third weekend in a row where I’ve spent the majority of it ill in bed (In retrospect racing last w/e was probably stupid as it allowed the germs to entrench themselves). Haemoraghing fitness. Only had one race so far this cx season where I’ve gone into it feeling fit and felt i rode to the best of my ability. Am within a whisker of pulling the plug on the season and sacking it all off. Gutted as Welsh Champs being hosted by my club but i feel so far from fit I can’t envisage racing well.

Have a feeling the years just been too hectic, All the british xc series, all the welsh xc series, three random races, 5 cx races so far, lots of working away/abroad, loads of other stuff going on. Just feel exhausted. So fvck£d off.

Sounds crap. Though that’s a pretty heavy schedule.

I’d love to do a full season of time trialling, road racing, a bunch of crits, an XC series, then race cross in the winter and do some XC marathon stuff too. I often have to remind myself that picking one and sticking to it is the only realistic option 🙁

Yeah I think it was too much, been trying to cram everything in before child no. 1 arrives early next year. And obviouslt that in itself means lots of extra courses, DIY, shopping trips etc.

Everyone keeps telling me to forget about racing after kids arrive but actually I think it will be a blessing in that respect, have made a conscious descision to forget about ‘training’ for the first 6 months of mini-me’s life, just race nearby mtb races for fun and then only focus on cx season next year.

Haha, yes, two mini Blobby’s is the main reason for my limited time and racing. First kid felt like a huge change, hardly did any riding for about a year. Second came along and I think I took maybe two days off training 🙂 Racing is a tricky one though as it’s tough to disappear for a days racing on a weekend.

Do wish I was racing a bit over winter. Trying to get lots of steady miles and long tempo blocks in the bank, but it’s cold, dark and damp and I do find myself wondering if it’s worth the bother when racing is so far off. What chance of a week off somewhere sunny with the bike 🙂

1. Set reasonable goals/aims that you have a chance of achieving

2. Get over your sickness and revitalise – a week of warmth, rest and taking it easy should do both.

3. Substitute quality for quantity – 2 really high quality sessions a week eg 5/6x 5minutes Z5 and 4/5 x15minutes Z4/high sweetspot will give surprisingly good results.

4. Don’t give up racing – just do the ones you can and modify expectations and approach

It’s what I’m having to do and it’s worked so far – I even beat Kryton last weekend 🙂

Haemoraghing fitness

No, you’re not. Though it’s easy to worry and think you are (and it sounds more like you overdid it and burned out).

http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/1618/do-you-lose-fitness-faster-than-you-gain-it

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/training/detraining-the-truth-about-losing-fitness-22330

Personal experience this year: hit by a car in June. 4 weeks not just off the bike but sofa-bound and immobile. Back on it in July (still recovering with a swollen leg), obviously not at my fitness/strength peak but felt surprisingly good, raced some local summer CX races for fun and finished at the pointy end, and by August was climbing the Stelvio twice in one day 8)

Look at it as enforced rest and remember form is a mixture of fitness and fatigue.

+1 for adsh; when you are back to health race for fun and to improve your craft rather than finishing position. One of our mates who regularly got on the podium in CX last year is placing mid-field this year, she’s shaken off the frustration and realised half the fun of racing (especially CX) is the social side and the bantz afterwards.

I started this year hoping for a top 10 overall CX league position. It’s still a ‘goal’, but I find riding every day is good for my mental health so I’d rather come, say, 12th due to occasionally being fatigued than sacrifice a few days miles for peak form and be going stir crazy.

it sounds more like you overdid it

Yeah probably… though you sound suspiciously like my wife 😆 😳

The last weeks I’ve been going over-the top with training as soon as I feel half ok trying to make up for lost sessions and just ploughing into a big hole.

Will avoid looking at bike until feel 100% hopefully be ok to race next Sunday without worrying about position then get back into it. Only 3 weeks to go to the champs anyway which is my last planned race so not much i can do now apart from keep what form I’ve got ticking over.

ast weeks I’ve been going over-the top with training as soon as I feel half ok trying to make up for lost sessions and just ploughing into a big hole.

Worst thing you can do. Missed training is history.

Starting to begin to feel human again 😀

Despite cravings to get home and jump back on turbo I’m going to follow advice and keep resting for another day or two. Should be able to race on w/e, will do my standard openers on Sat and see.

Thinking if feel OK by thurs will do a taper vo2 max interval on tainerroad. something like: Scott peak

Good idea? I figure dont want to do much, but after over a week of zero exercise need to slowly build my legs back up to it before actually racing

^ Step away from the VO2 max.

You need something to ease you gently back. 45-60 minutes Z2 watching Netflix while monitoring how you feel.

A week of Cold here, first impacted when I couldn’t complete a Thursday Turbo session properly, and my body is telling me to eat, eat, eat. So I’ve stayed off the bike/turbo.

Hoping to get back on it tomorrow night!

Ok, its very boring now. Great weather, trails up the road, weight increasing and my head not not helped by taking junior to a race and hanging around the race scene last night.

Bloody quad strain, i just want to get on a bike and its just about the only thing i cant do at the moment!

Look on the bright side – you can do other things.

I have a viral infection that mirror of this time last year. Glands like cannon balls, completely washed out and nauseous. End of week 1 and getting worse not better, same as last year.

Bloody quad strain, i just want to get on a bike and its just about the only thing i cant do at the moment!

Pfft! Had something similar that’s ruined the first half of the season. Seems to be ok now but still not raced due to weather and cancelled races, then some holiday. Season starts now though very much on the back foot and short of time!

I have a viral infection that mirror of this time last year. Glands like cannon balls, completely washed out and nauseous. End of week 1 and getting worse not better, same as last year.

Have my sympathy. Had glandular fever about this time last year, wiped out a good month.

Went racing last night. Only third of the year (so far a win and an injured DNF) and in desperate need of race miles. Got there in time. Nice and relaxed prep. Legs feel good. Jump on the bike. Press the gear shift buttons…. nothing. Frantically start pressing them… nothing. Flat Di2 battery. Arse! Handed my number back in and drove home in a sulk 🙁

Oh shit that’s annoying.

+1 sorry to hear that.

Seems my leg has improved – ramping up my XC rides to some early week intervals and a race on the 18th. Depending on how that goes I now may do a dual carriageway F2/25 on the 24th also.

Loving my two bikes btw ADSH 😉 😀

Bugger, had flu last week and now developed a chest infection.

Just when things were getting good…

Feeling like binning my racing season already, what an utter waste of time that solid winter of work has been.

Why’s that? Thought you were flying based upon other threads?

Come to Thruxton and TT off the front for 10 points- that will make you feel better MrB 🙂

Seriously though, sorry to hear that. What’s wrong? Your training rides are still solid.

Thanks Weeksy, if I ever got to race I might well be! Between being injured, ill, away, cancelled races, sick kids or wife, or work commitments, I’ve hardly raced. I did manage to finish a race a couple of weeks ago but I’ve had a long string of DNS and DNF.

Going to rethink the sort of racing i do for next season.

Crosshair, you’ve not seen today’s 😳

Awww crap. I think that’s the issue when you get to a level of racing, you need to be properly on your game. That’s why it’s simple at my level, 30th or 35th, who cares lol. But when being healthy and on form can be the difference between a podium or 7th, that must be hard.

MrBlobby- Hmmm. The fact you didn’t make it private must be a call for help 😉

Focus on the positives. You’re kicking out 5w/kg. You are super aero. You live in an area where every type of racing is available in spades within an hour’s drive. The competitive scene is your oyster.

If nothing else, jump on to one of the proper Zwift races (none of these mid day Asian races 😆 ). A KISS EU, ZTR, PRS, TFC etc evening race with a good sized field and just enjoy flashing your Watts.

Or just smash some more local segments!

Is it fair to say that it seems to be largely Mojo related?

I’m pretty sure we had this discussion last year.. but there is salvation: cyclocross!

Three months to go! Plenty of time to hone your shouldering ad get amongst it!

@blobby, need to get the priorities straight is all.
Stick the wife and kids on ebay, and make sure to always wear a hazmat suit whenever leaving the house for anything other than a bike ride. Still a good few months of races to get some results yet.

What about some social rides? Training and racing (or not racing) can get a bit demotivating at times. Lots of options for you round here.

You are all right and have cheered me up somewhat 😆

Is it fair to say that it seems to be largely Mojo related?

Probably. Partly a lack of proper goals to maintain focus too.

I’m pretty sure we had this discussion last year.. but there is salvation: cyclocross!

Yes, and told myself I’d learn from it and not be in this situation again! Cross is increasingly tempting, would be a good challenge too as I’m probably not well suited to it.

@blobby, need to get the priorities straight is all.

Is a bit of that too. Recent new job with associated stress not helping (+ stress from closing down my old company). I’d not swap Mrs B and kids though, my riding might be in the doldrums but watched my boy properly get to grips riding his frog bike around Greenham today, swiftly followed by daughter on her balance bike, both bloody brilliant 🙂 Makes up for the latest cold and sore throat my daughter brought back from nursery!

Summer CX at Abingdon coming up so you could dip your toe.

https://www.entrycentral.com/take3-summer-CX-2017

What about some social rides? Training and racing (or not racing) can get a bit demotivating at times. Lots of options for you round here.

Yes, need to get back to mates rides on the mtb again. Might gatecrash some of the VF Friday rides too.

Summer CX at Abingdon coming up so you could dip your toe.

Entered 🙂

Awesome!! I’m returning to base training for my new goals or else I’d have joined you.

Yes, need to get back to mates rides on the mtb again

All you need to do is shout 🙂

I went past the bottom of your road yesterday, then onto Donington, then Snelsmore etc, i could have linked up a bucket load more trails but ended up meeting Mrs Weeksy for a beer 🙂

Friday evening we did 38km and barely touched a road.

Sounds great Weeksy, not ridden the mtb much over the past few years, need to get back on it before I lose all my rad skillz 🙂

Unfortunate consequence of limited time and the need to train properly is that mates rides have been sacrificed. I’m surprised I still occasionally get invited!

Kind of in my own self inflicted non-racing doldrums at the moment.
Signed up for a charity NC500 this summer at the end of last year, and decided to not race this year so I could organise group rides etc and try to help the novice cyclists through their training.

Unfortunately, June seems to have rolled around, i’m on great form, but no racing planned to take advantage of it. Just itching to really go deep at a race/event, but nothing planned.
Even the local Tuesday APR keeps getting rained off so can’t use that as an outlet, and with rain forecast all day again tomorrow looks like another week of frustration.

Almost just want to get NC500 out of the way, then onto a new challenge of an ‘iron’ distance duathlon next year.

Kind of in my own self inflicted non-racing doldrums at the moment.

Kind of the opposite to mine really. I’ve not got any big goals, just lots of little ones that are too easy to write off. There is probably a happy medium 🙂

Back for another whinge. Racing tally so far this season…

3 x 10 mile TT
1 x 25 mile TT
1 early season crit

Only another month left of the TT season to get some racing in, looking at our calendar I might manage another couple of races. That is it. Some wins, some cash and a few PB but really doesn’t feel worth all the time and effort put into training 😡

Had wanted to do wessex cross league but the first I could race would be round 6, and the rest would be pretty patchy. How do other folks manage busy family commitments?

How many do you need to do for a series position though? In our league think there are 12 events but only need to do 7 for a placing.

Still worth doing a few anyway.

I’m just wishing I put more effort in earlier in the year now. Got 6 weeks of trying to build high intensity stuff but I know I’m building on sand.