Feeling a bit pissed off and wondering how best to finish off the season. I’ve been training hard since the beginning of last November.

The highs – 2x 6hr class podiums and a fast Ridgeway Double

Lows – mechanical on my A event leading to retiring in 2nd after utterly emptying myself

Now I feel meh. Did an FTP test and am a bit down (only 8W). I had thought I might do a couple of local XC events but now I wonder if I just ought to cut my losses and chill for a while.

Trouble is life without training is crap too. It’s hard to let go of the gains and I get bad tempered without the regular schedule to get away from it all. What to do………….

ah yes – the emotional rollercoaster that is racing.

I remember it well.

Top of your game today – chewed up and spat out the back tomorrow.

its part of the game ,and like chess your next move is pivotal.

if it was me , id take a couple weeks chill and go at it again.

FWIW if you have only been training to race since last november then your already doing well – but the skill is in knowing when to back off and rest. Anyone in reasonable shape can train to be fast -its staying fast that hurts.

Bristol Oktoberfest 4/8hr 10th October?

A season of Cross?

Trouble is life without training is crap too.

Go and do something different? Go and enjoy riding your bike and not just flogging yourself? Go do an uplift day? Go meet up with some mates, or locals you don’t know and have a razz around a forest?

Riding bikes is awesome fun, trying to get better at riding and not enjoying riding seems pointless to me.

tall_martin – Member
A season of Cross?

I’d suggest this, have some fun instead.

At about 10pm at Torq in Your Sleep, mate and I looked at each other and commented that we need to do some fun riding soon, after what we consider a pretty successful season for our team.

I feel very similar to you adsh, and I like the structure and focus that regular training gives me, but I can feel that I’m reaching my limit and I need to focus on some other life bits for a while. I’ll be taking a couple weeks off, having a quiet autumn and then begin thinking about targeting the Gorrick Brass Monkeys.

I’d suggest going out on some big rides in proper hills before the weather turns crap.

I think I’m going to just ride for fun. May try an assault on some local Strava, get to Wales etc before a complete rest in October and restarting the winter training in November.

Not doing the Erlestoke race adsh? If you want to do something different how about a bot of bikepacking or light touring. Pick somewhere on a map , plot a route and either camp or b&b. Go somewhere you’ve never been before on roads you don’t know. I’ve done some of this this year and they’ve been by far my best days on the bike.

Pete – on holiday on the 19th thank god!