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Myself and Mrs Baron had a go at the Run&Ride race at Cannock. She did very well and I matched my expectations....Regardless, if you're thinking of having a go at racing, have a go - it's a hoot.
Q: Does anyone have any recommendations for personal injury cover for amateur racing (XC & DH)?
Policies that give emergency dental & weekly payments if properly spannered, that sort of thing?
Thanks.
MSG at Hintlesham today. Christ, it was hot. Missed a pedal on the start, then went too deep on the first lap. As my body fought to recover on the second lap I lost a few places but then started to felt better and brought them back.
Had some great racing with a couple of riders swapping places several times a lap and working out weak/strong areas, and felt strong throughout, so was slightly disappointed to see the leader sprint past me 200m before the end of the 5th (of 6) lap ending my race at 23rd.
Very hot as mentioned, a good 5-6 minutes into the sun up and around a cornfield before entering some very dusty - as in it never settled - single track through the woods, short and punch rises.
On a positive note my performances have turned for the better in terms of fitness with a level HR and all lap times within 4s of each other rather than dropping of as per last year, so I'm fitter if not faster despite not training for XCO.
Next race, the Pivot 24/12 12 hour with month of long rides and sweet spot to get through.
Just posting what I put on instagram (minus the photos as I can't for the life of me work out how to put them on here).
This weekend I went down to Bristol to ride bikes in circles for 6 hours.
Ashton Court has always been a favourite of mine for the amount of singletrack, so when the Bristol BikeFest returned for 2018 I was one of the first entries.
Me and Tim managed to coordinate the running start enough to arrive at the bikes at the same time, then promptly set off smashing ourselves up the lengthy first climb.
After one lap of friendly team rivalry, I blew up somewhat, and left Tim to get on with beating everyone. It took 3 hours to recover from the first lap before the marathon legs kicked in, then I could start to enjoy it again. I was so thankful to be on the full suspension Top Fuel - the rocky course left me beaten up as it was.
After 5:35 of sweaty racing (got through 8 bottles, and 6 packets of Clif shot blocks) I finished as first open solo rider, and 3rd overall (behind Tim and another master).
I've started a new metric to sum up race success: finishing position + crash count (a lower number being better). This weekend's number comes to one, so I'd count that as a success (that's just a long winded way of saying I didn't crash).
Leaving for France on wednesday for the MB race, and I'm genuinely bricking it. The thought of doing that 6hr race, then having at least 5 more hours up massive hills, is messing with my head somewhat. That's not even considering whether my wrist and knee will last the distance. Send help!
Last xco race of the year for me today at the final Welsh round at llandegla. Had a great fun race to finish off the season in roasting hot sunshine. Proper dusty- couldn't see anything on one bit of fireroad from the dust clouds if there was anyone in front of you.
The start was a hill climb and people seems to be taking it easy so I got into the first singletrack in second, though a bunch swiftly past me. The leader shot off and a fairly sizeable group formed and I was just off the back, by the end of the long drag climb I was about 100yards back and on my own. One of the guys in the group in front seemed to get dropped in the first singletrack and I caught him by the next fireroad. We then had a good tight race till I had a wonky little crash and he punctured shortly after that anyway. I felt a bit in no-mans-land then and sat up a bit. That meant I got caught and past by the guy behind shortly before the start of the last lap. I realised it was a guy I'd had some good races with in the past so pride meant I couldn't let him just go so I pushed on and got on his wheel just after the the start of the last lap, sat there for a while till we got to a false flat and buried myself, got a gap and pushed on but probably went a bit hard as my legs were a bit wobbly in the next singletrack and made some mistakes allowing him to get back to me. I took a b-line meaning he got a gap and I thought that was it but got back and passed him right at the end of the lap, just held him off for a short singletrack section and we ended up with a neck and neck sprint for the line. No idea who got the nod on that one.
So much fun, one of tightest races I've had in ages and a great way to finish off the season. More importantly after a season where I've felt I've not trained hard enough or been fit enough I finally felt my legs were ok and they handled a few repeated digs well so I'm looking forward to a couple of months hard training before cx starts 😃
I've been having a bit of a mid season siesta which has been quite nice. I was worried that I would run out of steam like I did at this point last year but the rest seems to have done me the world of good. I'm now back onto some structured training and feeling fresh again.
I'll be finishing off my race season after a 3 back to back weekends starting at the end of July. Gisburn Forest for the regional Crank It series / Nationals at Bulith Wells and then Midlands Champs at Dudmaston.
Hoping that I'll be back for another go next year but it's likely we'll be moving house at some point over the winter. Will have to see what happens!
Anyone got any advice on bouncing back after illness? Manflu got me big time!
So I had a bit of a mid season break which was great, I came back feeling stronger than ever and got a solid 2 weeks of good quality training in. The plan was to train for 1 more week before starting a long 2 week taper towards the last nationals round which now happens to be just a week on Sunday away.
So anyway, 2 weeks into the training block I got properly ill with a serious dose of manflu. Sore throat, bad chest followed by a stinking head cold. It put me in bed for 2 days solid and I've only just started to feel human again (I came down with it 11 days ago now). I've managed to ride each day since Saturday and have been taking it easy. Tonight I thought I was feeling well enough to ramp it up a tad and do some short 3 minute intervals. Whoa, my legs are completely empty. Only managed half of what I had planned and those intervals were almost 100 watts down on target. Total jelly legs, sweating buckets an HR through the roof. I feel like I really, really need to get my legs firing on all cylinders again but fear I'm running out of time. Considering I had so much time off the bike you'd think I'd have fresh legs!
I've got the opportunity to race this weekend at a local event. Not sure if it's a good idea though but I think it might shock my body into remembering what race efforts feel like? I've still got a bit of a lingering cold but it's not too bad.
Pretty gutted to be honest, I was planning on hitting this last race really hard as I'm battling over a series position with someone where there's just 1 point in it.
Is it game over? Am I done for? Or am I expecting too much too soon?
Do nothing until the race, enter and do what you can .adrenaline may get you through a bit, and your nemisis may crash or not turn up but by entering you have a chance is what id do.
However, sensibly don't bother it's not life and death and your health is more important
Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves! So I think tonight’s poor performance is more due to the time I’ve been off the bike rather than the lurgy that still lingers. By not riding until the race, I can only imagine my legs becoming even more jelly like.
I went from riding 6-7 days a week, every week for 9 months to zero for 8 days. I feel like my legs have seized up.
You've got a week and a half till the last national, sure you'll have time o get back up to speed. I find with illness I feel bad then wake up one morning fine. If it was me I'd rest a couple of days, do a spin on Friday a race style effort on Sunday (but probably not the race) then whatever your standard week before race routine is. This is just based on what's good for me though. I spend half of cx season battling illness!
One thing I think is important to rember is being ill requires a lot of energy to get better so your bodies carb stores will be drained. Make sure you eat healthily but build back up those carb reserves
That sounds like a plan. I’ve just managed to book a slot with my physio for a sports massage Thursday morning too. Hopefully get some life massaged back into them. I’ve not entered the race on Sunday so will probably make the decision on the Sunday morning.
I don’t think I could ever race a full cross season through either illness or fear of getting ill at that time of year!
Cheers guys
Clear your mind completely of what you think you SHOULD do, then allow yourself to think what you WANT to do each day whilst you come back from illness or a break. I think your body and mind know exactly what they are capable of if you’ll just listen to what they are saying.
If your HR is super high for intervals you’re 100W below target, your body still thinks it’s ill. Rest up and wait until you’re 100% better. A race result is not worth risking your health over.
Not the same level as any of you, but have been racing in the Midweek Madness series around Greater Manchester. Coming back from a herniated disc L5/S1 and really bad sciatica, I was somehow able to throw my leg over the bike and do the races. It's been the only riding I've really been doing - the odd weekend ride thrown in - and trying to go flat out for an hour every other week dam near kills me. The last round at Lee Quarry, I have never felt so awful before and after a race. Zero energy all day, didn't eat much at all and had nothing in my legs. Final round tonight and somehow could finish in the top 3 overall in my category due to an odd scoring system.
I'm thinking of formulating a proper plan for training over winter with a view for next years racing.
Just had the realisation that in 2 weeks i drive to Switzerland for the GR-BCVS, not confident, did a half ridgeway a couple of week ago to try and get a feel for the distance and blew up due to the heat at about 110km. really grovelled for the last 40km. That was only c1500m of climbing rather than the c5000m i need to do.
Just trying to think about how to get my head in the right place now, how best to convince myself that i have a chance of meeting the time cuts.
I'm Marshalling at the Midweek Madness race at Clayton Vale tonight. Good luck @st colin
I’m Marshalling at the Midweek Madness race at Clayton Vale tonight. Good luck @st colin
Thanks, I'll need all the luck I can get. On a blue Ragley Marley
So I'm back in the land of the living and the lurgy seems to have passed. I didn't race yesterday in the end as I didn't have a snorkel.....
Managed a couple of hard efforts at the end of last week / Saturday morning and didn't feel too bad. I also managed to set a new 1 min power record! I was well and truly shot after that though, I nearly had a heart attack!
Going to do some short sharp efforts throughout this week to try and get my lungs opened up and firing again before Builth Wells on Sunday.
Assuming I don't have a heart attack this weekend I plan to do the last round of the midlands at Dudmaston the following week. Dudmaston is also doubling up as the Midlands Champs.
Weather forecast looks like it's perking back up again this week onwards
A question for the Racers. Although I meet my MPF calorie goals, my nutrition and alchohol discipline is what I’d consider as poor. I just like snacks and fruit pastilles too much to leave alone, although our snack drawer is healthy / carb & protein observant / low fat its still “processed” bars.
Also, booze. I like a couple of beers / glasses of wine a night and although I will abstain a couple of days pre race, I find it very hard to consider it not being there.
So im wondering, at regional XCO top 20 top and 6-12hr top 30 at best does it matter - am I being too serious? Or should I have a long hard think about the improvements I’ve made this year and how perhaps committing to more discipline nutrition for next season may help, and therefore, what would your tips to achieve that discipline be?
Hey Kryten. A question dear to our hearts. I’ll wade in with my current thoughts as I’ve been giving it more thought since our last ride together.
I don’t think giving up everything bad will change our results drastically however I know for certain that I feel loads better in the mornings when I’ve been a good boy the day before.(Hence sitting here typing rather than getting straight out riding this morning due to having a couple of glasses of wine last night).
So does it matter? I’m going to say yes. I figure that what we’re searching for in this sport is the feeling of being the best we can be. Neither of us is going to get the call up for the national squad or any kind of recognition beyond the odd ‘nice one mate’, so our satisfaction has to come from a sense of personal achievement in our endeavours.
We’ll never get full satisfaction if we feel that we’ve let ourselves down by failing at one of the tasks we’ve set ourselves which in this case is managing addiction.
Think of all the effort that we put into training yet we reduce our ability by giving into the subconscious demands of nasty addictive chemical compounds called alcohol and sugar. It’s a bit lame isn’t it?
Simple sugars have their place (probably). We know the current science about timing intake etc. Alcohol has no place in an athletes nutrition.
We know the answers, we’d be so happy with ourselves if we could live cleanly for at least certain blocks of the year, yet find it almost impossible to achieve. I know I keep failing at giving up booze and it really annoys me. I’m just so addicted.
Maybe start a stw help club?
Good timing. I've spent the last couple of days wondering about this. My beer consumption has upped from having one pint 1-2nights a week to a pint every night. I've missed a fair few training opportunities from being too hung over recently and things are so hectic that training opportunities beyond those tacked onto the commute are few and far between. Equally my chocolate consumption has gone through the roof. It's making me pretty grumpy that I can't seem to control this but the more fed up I am the more likely I am to grab another square of chocolate 😂 Realistically at my level I don't think it makes a difference performance wise but I do wonder where my discipline has gone. At the same time I'm failing to complete intervals even those I know I can 😡
The current episode of the TrainerRoad talks exactly about some of this - difficulty of loosing weight or operating on calorific deficit while trying to improve fitness and crucially the importance of power to weight vs raw power.
My take is you need find a sustainable balance of reward vs discipline. Abstainence from vices has resulted in a highly fluctuating weight for me as I overindulge on the rebound, which makes me miserable and thus training harder. Going forward I’m determined not to repeat this mistake and will just learn to endulge responsibly.
As to impact on performance, well if you’re already gunning with the big boys and ride steep hilly races then I guess every little helps but I’ve had plenty of V40 guys with a bit of timber smash me even when I was lean and at 4 w/kg.
I did lots of reading on this overnight. It helps to understand the total effects of alchohol and simple sugars, how the former has many negatives - prevention of protein & HGH synthesis, glucogen absorbtion reduction, zero carbs instead going straight to fat cells, dehydration and negative impacts on sleep (which in itself has a whole load of negative issues) and the former causing energy spikes and crashes.
When you put it all together, its a competitive cyclist nightmare - any intake is basically reducing training effect and negates performance overall, notwithstanding there’s several articles Documenting the principals of a drop in training motivation mentally due to alcohol and sugars relationship to even short term depression.
But then there’s real life. We’ve all heard “everything in moderation” and with the stressful and busy lives we lead we do need to de-stress and enjoy ourselves from time to time, not withstanding the mental rewards of doing so or the heart-healthy impact of low to moderate red wine intake.
What I took away last night could be summarise as a such:
a) Don’t drink 24hrs before racing or training (impact on physical and mental performance)
b) Don’t drink post racing or training (impact on many recovery mechanisms)
c) If you are to drink, drink in moderate spaced between a) and b) above either weekly, or periodised e.g. in celebration at the end of a periodised goal during a rest week.
d) In general if you want to drink, ranked best to worst are white spirits with diet soda, red wine and beer - beer is very much the worst.
Although in the past I’ve gone for up to 3 months without drinking, my modus operandum this year has been to not drink on a training day, or 48hrs before a race. Recently I have slipped - 1 glass red wine last night, after 2 nights x 2 small bottles beer after work this week) but I’m attributing that to my current mental state - I’ve been training and racing now since October 2017, I’m mentally tired of the merry go round and have 3 races to go before I get a month off the bike. In the middle I have a mid-late August family holiday which is an authorised binge/rest fest on the basis of bring my motivation back up for the final 2 races in September and of course actually enjoying the family holiday.
Next year? I don’t know. I’m wondering whether to knock alchohol on the head on a periodised based from October - Christmas before the added mental challenge of winter/cold/wet arrives, have a Christmas blast then do the same until Race 1 / my birthday in March.
Edit: Actually - added to this thinking is circa £1000 a year coaching costs. I kind of think, if your paying that amount of money to improve your performance, why sabotage it? Its kind of like buying a new set of lighter wheels then adding a pannier rack to the back of your bike.
It’s funny isn’t. My wife and her family don’t drink alcohol so I’d say I average 30-40 units of alcohol a year! Crazy low. But they all have a sweet tooth so I’m surrounded by my weakness - ice cream, cakes and chocolate year round. If only I could keep sweets out the house I swear I’d be 2kg lighter without doing anything.🤨
This is quite inspiring - Jolanda Neff:
For me, drinking makes it hard to get up and ride the next day. I don't worry too much about diet, but I know if I have two beers in the evening getting in time to ride to work is painful.
For me its a question of priorities. I gave up booze for nearly 4 years as part of my training. Total abstinence was pretty easy. Weight fell off (and i was already thin) and I felt good in the mornings and took enough pleasure in my fitness and performance to make it worthwhile
Racing mojo has slipped so I now drink a bit and take a view that it doesnt matter provided it doesn't effect what I do the next day. If I plan a long ride at 5am I am really annoyed if I cant do it because I've drunk the night before.
For me its a question of priorities. I gave up booze for nearly 4 years as part of my training. Total abstinence was pretty easy. Weight fell off (and i was already thin) and I felt good in the mornings and took enough pleasure in my fitness and performance to make it worthwhile
I'm thinking that maybe I target high enough so that my races become an adequate priority, like for instance entering the nationals...
Currently I think I'm in end of season blues, with some back injuries to manage. I probably need rest, then jump start winter training with some abstinence.
FFS.. Woke up with massive back pain. I decide to go to MSG Rd 7 regional as its only 45 mins from home and see how the practise laps went. I was in a lot of pain.
Immediately as I started I was in trouble as I had no sprint because doing so caused huge stabbing pains, so I just had to cruise off the back of the start and catch up as everyone gathered for the single track. Kept going, the small 3ft "humps" to get over causing more pain than the bumpy trail as I struggle to get over them. Because there was only 27 entrants I know if I could even just bimble to the finish I could pick up a few points to help my top 20 gridding for the next round and 2019. But I'm too competitive : ) I kept pushing eventually to finish 18th which gets me some good points.
By god I needed a hot shower and ibuprofen when I got home, I feel terrible after also spending the whole race at VO2max.
Anyway, I'm having that beer now!!
I do wonder though if we all, myself included, spend too much time being tired.
Training plans seem (correct me if I’m wrong) based on the assumption that we’re all living like pros. For example that a rest day will be total rest. Anyone with a family will know how unrealistic that is...
I stopped training (on the bike) in September last year after a few years of fairly hard training and then around 18 months following a coached plan. My coach and I tried lots of different things to overcome my tiredness but in the end I admitted to myself that running a full-time business + studying each day + training hard + family commitments do not mix well. I was simply overdoing it in too many areas of my life. I felt great on the bike but everything else was suffering.
I'm now training as many hours but mixing it up with bike, martial arts and weights and I feel so much better every day. I'm missing being competitive in my category at races though and working towards that one fitness goal was nice so we'll see what happens over winter. In all honesty I'd like to be more competitive again next year as I love racing so much. Maybe I just need to realign my expectations and do a little less training than I was before.
Anyone entered Tide 2 Tide? Have tried most other bike racing disciplines this year, this will be my MTB race (as a pair).
Another Grand Raid gone, and not to bad, I didn't finish which seems to be the normal for me, just a bit too much I guess.
102km, bit under 4000m of climbing in about 8:30hrs, was never going to threaten the winner! 6hours for the full 125km!!! But felt good going faster than in previous years, until I threw up, dehydration, something not sitting in stomach? By the time it started to settle it was too late and missed penultimate cut by 6mins.
Only other issues I could never get my heart rate up and did feel tired before the start.
But it nice to race point to point, using closed roads where necessary and the Valasian Alps are a very nice place to spend a day.
I appreciate this is my decision to make but I wondered if any one here can offer some guidance.
At the end of my first year of being coached, I'm now facing a decision as to what to focus on in 2019 which will of course dictates my winter training.
My coach says my physiology is orientated toward endurance - 4-12hrs rather than the punchy power for XC. However, I'm not far off being reasonably ok (top 20 regional) and my training ethic and response is apparently very good . He feels if I choose XCO he can get me some XCO specific power gains yet also exploit my endurance base to support it. I'd be the type of rider that rides constant lap times with a good glycogen efficiency rather than a climbing specialist for example .
If I continue with marathons or longer though, I have the nagging shoulder and back issues arising which sabotage me over that time .<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> </span>
Plan A then is XCO, to focus on Regionals and ride some nationals in 2019 as B races for experience and a measure with a view to switching that around in 2020.
Plan B as is per this year, focus on Scott Marathons and use Regionals as B / training races
I'm not asking you to make the decision for me, I'm just wondering if there's any more experienced advice you have about how to make the decision?
It sounds like it's the shoulder/back issues that swing it. Have you had them properly assessed by a physio? Are they something you can fix, or are you going to suffer with them whenever you do long races?
At the end of the day it's all about fun at our level (not meaning you can't take it seriously, winning is bloody fun). And it's no enjoyable day out suffering for 5 hours with chronic pain.
On the flipside, I reckon marathons on the whole are much better events, with more fun trails and a nicer atmosphere (especially in europe, seeing as we hardly have any proper marathons in the UK).
If it helps your decision, I've found myself getting my best national XC results this year despite training for 6hr marathons. Lots of training and riding slow doesn't make you slow; not riding fast does.
It's a good point Parkinson. Yes I have / am recieving treatment . Doing only 8hours of the 12h in 24/12 becuase I can't stand the pain any more is demoralising .
Likewise training for Marathons has given me better XCO results this year . In fact it was Sally Bigams interview on the front page which inspired me to write today's first post.
Marathons are only 4h. I can cope with that .
.
Ive recovered well from my accident at 24:12 have kept training but have no desire to race really. Gave TIYS a miss as was wifes birthday - thankful as appalling weather, tiny entry (7 GV - is tiys dying?) and a certain competitor meaning no possible improvement.
ATM the only thing I have any desire to do is try and improve my hill climbing and, rather sadly, get higher up the Strava standings. I imagine 5x 6minute hills a couple of times a week at near vomit inducing intensity might have some benefits when I finally get the mojo to ride more.
I had a shit day today at the Hope Marathon - which as an aside has clouded my 2019 thoughts.
I woke up very negative and actually didn't want to ride . Nevertheless less i started . No issues with fitness, I stayed in zone for the first climb picking through over exuberant riders feeling pretty fresh .
However, the first DH came and my head went immediately. There was some big rock step downs with a big fall on the side and I'm just not used to that here in the SE - plus my technical is a bit weak . So like some others I walked. A 2k tarmac section appeared and i easily reclaimed my position, but then Jacobs ladder appeared . Oh yes, we walked up it. And that wasn't the first we walked . Having a toys out the pram moment on Jacobs as my shoes rubbed and heels blistered, I hated the whole ride from then on .
Coming to the mid point which goes past the start at Hope we we riding up through gullys. I clipped my pedals so much I couldn't get a rythm and got very angry with myself . Then, I saw the cement works at Hope.
I sat on the side of the road for 5 mins but with 3hrs done and 2 to go I just couldnt do it. I dnf'd, frustrated and angry at my incompetence and mental issues .
Aerobically is was fine, mentally in pieces. ****. 🙁
Oh man, tough day at the office!
Kryton, is it simply your head saying take a holiday? I always find I just get a CBA attitude this time of year.
Same for me kryton I have been training for a 12 hour ride and overdone it over the last few weeks. Did the hope marathon today and had the same experience as you had to cut short to the half. That area of the peak District is hard and a lot of the climb's are walks in my experience. Didn't stop me getting annoyed. Every time I ride there I say never again. This time is the last!
Memo, maybe the opposite - I just came back from <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> an all inclusive family holiday - after this week's intervals and prep I started 3lbs overweight but in theory rested. However, I am now on 10.5 months racing and training. </span>
Pretty much everyone blasting the descents had a northern accent (in my head anyway). I think it's just a lack of experience of that terrain and my head was ****ed from the start.
I had the fitness to do well, just not the mentality today . As I said, I was tearing people to pieces on the climbs ridden which is not usually my MO but has been a focus of my coaching so at the very least I know my fitness and climbing there .
I'm in one piece, I now need to finish next weekends last round of Eastern Region (which I haven't trained for) XCO well to retain top 20 for 2019 gridding. That's the most important for me this week, then it's end of season.
Sorry to hear you didn’t have a good day. It’s a bloody tough route.
My Scalpel race bike broke yesterday (again) so I decided to do the Scott Marathon on my Plan B bike. A stupid heavy Steel Hardtail with 2.35 Hans dampf on it. I planned to just cruise it with a friend but he threw the towel in at the mid point so I finished on my own.
Was a nice change to ride at sub race pace and just enjoy some top trails. I’m not sure a steel hardtail was the best bike for it though!
Finished just under the 5 hour mark with a good 30 mins of “stopped” time waiting for my mate in the first half.
Kryton - you're not injured, you've identified weaknesses, you're able to work on them.
Perseverance in the face of adversity takes work.