Not that want to walk away from good advice, but wouldn’t repeating VO2Max in the 3/4 weeks between races be closer to real race efforts?

FWIW my Key events (A races) are the Scott Marathons – 1st mid April. So in the three weeks to the next MSG in March, I should do the last 3 weeks of a TR Build plan, repeating that monthly unless its the month leading up to a Scott Marathon where I’d do the last 3 weeks of Speciality?

I’ve done 3 races now in Vet/Grand Vet and **** me there are some nifty old buggers about.

I have power meters on my TT and road bikes but cannot see how it really helps with XC? I am pedalling loads and putting down quite decent NP (I would imagine) but that is not why I am being owned – its because my skillz are shit and I don’t have any flow 🙂

Very enjoying it though, even if I am firmly in the bottom half the field.

Spending 3k on a short travel 29er would definitely make me faster and a better husband/father right 😉

First round of the Welsh xc series tomorrow, looking forward to it but apprehensive about fitness! Course sounds epic, incorporating 373 and graveyard from the wall trail and the 4x track. Wish I was fitter!

CH, racing in Mens E3C’s Open, which seems from the groupings to be about the least quick one they have, of course its all relative as we know as even fun classes are still quick at the pointy end.

I only entered it because my lad was entering but he’s now got a tryout day for the Philharmonic for flute, so he’s bailed on me, but I’ve now paid my £22 and its a new course I’ve not ridden, so will be interesting anyway.

Absolutely. Though I got well beaten by an enduro bike at Afan today and kinda wish I’d taken mine.

It’s funny, at all the trail centre based xc races I’ve done there have been a few enduro racers turn up and smash most of the field.

If i remember rightly you get double points in the championship category but not in the sports cat as its not a championship race. Its on the BC website somewhere in the description of points.

EDIT. Interestingly just looked at 2016 results, only 12 did sport and only 30 in senior. Guess as sport isnt part of a series its not that atractive and you dont enter senior to get lapped!! WOnder if being in Scotlnad last year impacted nubmers. I really enjoyed the cannock race last year so was half thinking of doing it but a long way to go for a small field.

About setup; is there any secret to the pro inverted stem configuration? I have a straight stem, 20mm of spacers and a 15mm rise bar and am wondering if i should lower it for er power/aero/pro etc.

Im concious of leaving less steerer if resold thats all.

RE stem flipping.. It’s because 29er wheels (clearly) raise the front of the bike, so you can flip the stem to bring the weight and position forward/down.

I’ve got a flipped 10% stem on my XC bike – feels much more comfortable.

However, it it wasn’t I wouldn’t do it just for ‘looks’!

DrP

IT entirely depends on what you like and what your hip flexiblilty is like.

Personally I like a low front end, same as jimbob it improves my cornering, as a natural mincer I don’t weight the front wheel enough, a low front end forces me to slightly more. Additionally ridign a cx bike a lot, a high front end makes me feel like I’m going shopping. I dont have a massive negative stem though (maybe -6deg but its only 70mm), just no spacers and a flat bar

I felt the same in Feb ADSH. I had a varied effort at “training” and didn’t achieve much. But, I raced, poorly IMO and my mojo came back.

My output is still flat compared to last year – FTP anyway – so I’ll look to change up my routine perhaps for next years winter training, but it is what it is for 2017. I have 20 events left to go so maybe I’ll naturally train through racing and peak later in the year.

Can you enter something else?

I think that motivation and sloth-like-ness is a real issue this time of year, been dark a long time and the cumulative training stress is large.
Sure with a race or two under your belt will feel differently and the legs will be in good shape when it counts.

what was cancelled? get soemthing else in the diary!

Despite feeling like I could have done a lot better last Sunday I’m pleased to see lookin at roots and rain that actually I placed better tan previous years, rnd 1 2015 i came 13th/19; round 1 2016 i was 11th/20 and this year was 9th/17. Obivously differnet courses, different competitors but still quite pleased, especially as I’m (allegedly) not taking xc seriously this year

Will be running ron/ralph as normal until the new bike turns up when I’ll swap to ikons because they’re what it comes with and I’ve not got any other 29er tyres!

Am on Rons front and back at the moment. the rear ron is almost bald so while normally I’d switch to a ralph when it gets drier, i’m not going to bother till the rear is totally gone.

Pembrey nat. is next for me. Nice to see a good long lap length planned. Last year was crazy fast even in the rain

I’ve nort contributed for a while but noticed a couple of recent postings, a little interest in XCM stage races, I did the Andalucia Bike Race last week which is a UCI 6 day XCM event in Spain, I thought it would be a bit of fun and good early season training but it is one of the biggest MTB stage races on the calendar which was a bit of a shock, it’s not often you get the chance to compete against world and Olympic champions past and present in any sport but this was one of them. There ws about 700 competitors with a TT first stage to grid riders and then mass starts from then – the starts were mental, 22 mph average on the flat before the first hills on gravel roads plus the town centre start in Codoba made it a bit of an ‘on the rivet crash fest’ at times!
The stages were brutal, 4+ hours in the saddle each day but some awesome singletrack, even more awesome descents and horrific climbs. Once you got over the fatigue, the grin factor was huge!
I finished 15th in Master 50 category which I was pleased with, best stage finish was about 208th, I went with three other team mates, one is the current XCM vets champion and he finished 5th in Master 40 – an amazing achievement considering the world class field.
If anyone wants a proper challenge I can highly recommend the ABR – much better than any training camp and brilliantly organised by friendly people- it’s a proper major event. I’m still grinning one week on after it! Mail me if anyone wants more info.

The other thread I spotted was about stages power meters and accuracy, I used one in the ABR and it was essential on long climbs and the early stages of the event to pace myself (too much adrenalin early on can kill your legs later). The stages readings corresponded well to my Quark unit and to a Wattbike so I can say that in my experience it’s pretty accurate, it’s not an ideal tool for XC racing though as the data is interesting but there is not much you can use during the race, good to look at for later analysis however.

Anyway, it’s back to UK mud now and first Midlands XC in a weeks time!

Wow! Well done Iain65! That sounds incredible. Any good blogs from the event?

that sounds amazing Iain ! Jelous beyond words.

Find a way Kryters!

It’s well worth the pain – I’m going back this year!