I like weeksy's post a lot.
His attitude to his racing is spot on. He does it because it adds something positive to his life. Fair enough, he mainly does it as an adjunct to his son's racing, but he does it in an excellent way. He doesn't go to either extreme: ditching his own racing and just focusing the weekend on heaping pressure on his kid; or making huge changes to his lifestyle to propel him from decile 8 to decile 4 ( or whatever it is).
He just choses some races to do and sees where he finishes, and takes positives from that.
Regarding the " It's just boring" comment... this is just weird. It's not boring. There is no way mtb in all its variety and challenge is boring. You're just doing it wrong.
Am I right in thinking you have a kid about the same age as mine ( and weeksy)? (14 y) that does some biking?
I have a feeling that you posted something about it recently ( apologies if wrong)
It amazes me that we don't hear more about that side of it. Do you find that biking boring? My favourite thing in whole life is biking with my kids. It's just amazing.
There must be some aspect of your biking that could improve substantially with a bit of practice... north shore, jumps, downhill, endo turns. Work on those... preferably with someone fun.
I’ll respond in full later, but yes me and 13yo Jnr are today riding the west coast cami de cavell right now on the shiteist rented fat bikes with the brakes the wrong way round.
A lot of ROFL going on, (except the climb across the cliff edge).
For my 50th I deleted Strava and decided to ride for purely fun. Haven't looked back.
I'm 53 years old and 6 weeks into making a comeback after being diagnosed with terminal cancer 8 weeks ago.
I used to do loads of long-distance events but gave them up 15 years ago owing to deteriorating knees. My bad knees suddenly don't seem so bad! I have recently done several 4 hour+ mtb rides, and just completed a 100 mile solo ride (road) at the weekend. I'm planning on a 3-day mtb ride later this week and will keep building up until my Chemo and radiotherapy start. That will make the following months much harder, so I'll get an indoor trainer set up.
Going into next year I'm hoping to do some ultra-type events: GB Divide, GBDuro, that sort of thing. Also a 24hr event or two. I'll just be aiming to finish them. Hopefully anyway!
The racing experience and lifestyle is clearly important to you. Maybe target a few events but don't try to set PBs every time? Hope to see you at some of those marathon and 12 hour events next year 🙂
me and 13yo Jnr are today riding the west coast cami de cavell right now on the shiteist rented fat bikes with the brakes the wrong way round.
A lot of ROFL going on, (except the climb across the cliff edge).
Brill. Can we hear more about that? Not the cliff bit though. Heights terrify me!
If you commute, there's always commuter racing to keep things interesting. You'll need hairy legs and baggies for maximum gain. 😀
Saw this and thought it might be of interest to this thread.
Life is short, do what you enjoy doing. If racing makes you happy then do it and enjoy it, if it doesn't then give it a miss.
If its the 2nd option, don't beat yourself up about it!
You’re just doing it wrong.
Gotta say, this sounds harsh, but it's true. There's always something to learn, or to look at. I only ever did "racing" as one of the pack" and I treated it as another riding experience rather than what I did for a hobby. Like others have done, I ditched Strava, a while back, as it was becoming a wee bit too distracting, and just ride where and when I want.
Stanley's post up there has floored me a little this morning.
@stanley - all power to you, and best wishes
Stanley’s post up there has floored me a little this morning.
@stanley – all power to you, and best wishes
Sorry and thanks, Dawson.
Life is too short so we should try and do what makes us happy. For some that is pitting ourselves against a challenge... be it others, ourselves, the weather, whatever.
And always ask for a PSA test once you hit 50 🙂
Stanley’s post up there has floored me a little this morning.
It did me yesterday, hence no response. I’d like to meet Stanley and Eddie. And if that’s the only reason I enter ‘23 events it’d be the right one, to meet some true inspirations of our mutual sport and hobby and celebrate their achievements.
After some thought, there is nothing more for me to post. There are some deep rooted (although incomparable!) issues I have to address across many aspects of my life which manifest through cycling and into this forum, but I’ll discover and deal with those in privacy.
Thanks for your contributions, I hope they are also a help to others.
to meet some true inspirations of our mutual sport and hobby and celebrate their achievements.
YOur job here Kryts, is to be one of them .... to yourself... No-one else... Just be someone who inspires yourself.. Do that and you've already won. Be that a small gap jump, or a top 10, or giggling when you fall over a root and land in a puddle.... Be an inspiration. You're equally as worthy of the term as anyone else.
Kryton,
Weeksy is correct.
I suspect that you judge yourself harshly. Maybe work on developing some greater compassion towards yourself? Please forgive me if I'm wrong.
Your kind words above have helped me this morning. I'm having a tough day... I've just dragged myself around a 6km walk with the 24hr ECG attached (another story). I've come back shattered and feeling like I'm failing and just want to fall asleep. But your words have helped me 🙂
More of my ramblings here if you ever fancy reading. I really, really appreciate even the briefest of comments.
Andypshaw.co.uk
Well, an update. Firstly I spent time thinking on this during the family holiday, and within that time I read and signed up to Andy’s blog above. What an inspiration, and what and inspiration to me. He posted another update while I was away.
I realised that - with my goal of enjoying my 50th year in a blaze of tardiness and beer, it’s just not me, its not made me happy and with reference to Andy’s situation I’m frittering away valuable time everywhere.
So I got off my arse and with a few warm up intervals during the week after 3 weeks off the bike, overweight, and quickly tugging my ignored MTB out of the shed i rode 103k off road (Tour of the cornfields) in 4:23 yesterday. I was so glad to be involved with a field full of racers, bikes and the general buzz. I was so amazed to find I could still constantly turn pedals over at target power for over 4 hours, and today even with all my 50yo aches and pains I feel I’ve turned a corner.
Life’s to short. I found XC riding & racing at 42 and it’s what I do. It gives me a purpose and a community that keeps me healthy and sane, it separates me from the Sofa dads (no offence). Who gives a monkeys if I don’t win, if races are cancelled or I’m ill from time to time. Yesterday during my ride I thought of both the posters in here who have shared their issues with me. When I had my dark moments I got my head up and rode for them.
I’m pleased to back, even if it’s at the back 🙂
Yay! Still waiting to hear about the clifftop riding though 😃
Having done the Run and Ride Summer Classic on Saturday, "FUN" category, today feel like OAP! (58)
First MTB "race" for any years and regret starting near the back - has made me consider another similar event as finished mid field despite being some what held up on first lap in a long train of riders, causing me and several to fall as the train stopped!
only reason for response was the OAP bit, no idea about training!
Club riding and mountain bike endurance riding sound like a compatible pairing. Sign up for a couple of longer events for motivation. Then use the social rides as your zone 2 type stuff and mix in shorter XC rides for keeping your off-road skills sharp. A bit of gym work would also be good to add.
Cycling shouldn't be a chore, it should be fun.
Excellent posts op, keep on trucking, remember it's more about the journey than the destination (spoken by someone who'll never win a race)
@stanley, I'm struggling to find the right words... Other than I hope the Chemo is easy on you and have as many good times on the bike as possible.
I'd like to hear about the cami de cavalles ride too. Assuming it's not in the weekly picture threads that I've been ignoring because I've not been riding myself and didnt want to see what I've been missing.
South West? Description of rubbish fat bikes makes me think you cycled out of Son bou.
Ah yes the Cami de Cavall. For those that don't know its a 184k rough path around the periphery of the island - more information here.
You should be able to access a few photo's I took on my phone in the Flickr Album: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA5W3N
We did indeed cycle out of Son Bou, having planned a small jaunt to Santa Tomas following the Cami north, stop for lunch and return. We hired bikes from Just Ride Bikes in Son Bou who on the plus side were helpful and flexible but on the minus side the bikes are worryingly in a bad state e.g. I discovered I had 6 of the 24 available gears working on my Trek - 3 out back and 2 upfront with a very worn chain. Junior's Fat Bike was better.
Anyway, expecting it to take longer, we headed off ay 9:15. Out of Son Bou the trail wide and gravel-like, a lovely early jaunt (photo's 1 & 2). There are several cattle cates made in the traditional style with olive tree branches woven together. As we exited Son Bou we found we above the village and along the 5km beach (photo 3) so we stopped for a pic, and then carried on. The path got rougher with embedded rocks but no issues for MTBr's and stone we were mid way atop an outcrop (photo's 4 & 5, sorry about the finger). We stayed here a bit be chase there were a couple of great looking boats and yachts sailing South, and also some wild horse wandering about with a seeming general interest.
Seeing the Hotel Victoria Playa projecting from Santa Tomas, we started off again knowing we were early for lunch and planning to extend our trip. As we made our way around the headline, it became apparent we were getting higher and near the cliff edge. In the lead, I rounded a corner where the bushes ended with a gasp.
The Cami had turn into a single track with with large embedded rocks and loose boulders - think a 2ft wide Jacobs Ladder on the edge of a cliff. To get to Santa Tomas we had to go up & over and down and carry the bikes - see photo 6 and look closely where the chaps is standing for the "fence" at the end of the little down hill section. The only thing stopping you going over is a) a bush or b) a splined Olive branch fence - think a square frame with a diagonal piece across the middle. I told jnr to sit and wait with the bikes while I navigated it solo. My biggest worry was that the Fat Bike - being heavy for him - would start to get away from him and take him / it over. So, we left the bikes, I walked him over to the other side and returned with the bikes one at a time. Nervous times, but.... phew.
We entered Santo Thomas where we completely lost track of the Cami. After a bit of wandering around, Jnr'd got nervous of of the cliff path and decide he'd rather go home by road. So, I decided to stop at a local cafe for Fanta Limon while I did some googling.
Anyway, it turns out to be a long slog via a road and motorway to get back, so we braved the return journey and were back about 12 in Son Bou.
Yet, despite the shorter than planned ride, it was a good bit of "us" time, and reminded me that you don't need to have a £5k carbon bicycle to have some fun and adventure experiencing new things. In fact, quite the opposite.
Ive not read all this thread but your last couple of posts seem to be like you have turned a corner.
Maybe its just me but life is too short to strive all the time. Sometimes just sitting in the sun and taking pleasure in simple things is enough. Certainly for me it is.
Look at the flowers. Sitand watch a sunset. Ride a bike for fun and to get places. Im nearly in spain now😎🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️
Its taken 3 months but i dont care how long. Its about smiles not miles. And cake
Good luck
Edit: I should have said we braved the return journey over the cliff again. And sorry about the typo’s, I was rushing.
OK - I'll chip in to this little debate -
I'm 56 and 2.5 yrs ago I broke my back in 4 places (documented elsewhere on here) in a gentle OTB job in my local woods - I wish I could say I was doing something stupid at the time, but I wasn't - I was just riding along......
Anyway, at the time I thought I'd never ride again, but over time I started to get better, got movement back, lots of painful but rewarding physio - eventually I invested heavily in a new bike (a Shand Bahookie Rohloff - I sold all my bikes in a rage after the accident and then thought I'd only ever ride canal towpaths or similar so went for a very nice bit of bling just for that) - a few months after the Shand arrived I'd got fit enough to make tentative moves to ride (nervously) with a group again....then progressed back to a road bike and the road group rides.....and then earlier this year I managed a 100 mile road ride on the 2nd anniversary of the accident in March - which then led me to get another 6 or 7 centuries in during the few weeks after that -
In many respects, I've ended up a bit fitter/faster than I was before the accident - but strangely I've managed to also bore myself - the group road rides have become a smash fest (not helped by my focus) and I've ended up bored (as well as a bit scared by a few close shaves with nutter drivers - I don't want another accident!)- so now I'm back to the MTB for a bit of "riding about" - just fancy some short rides in the woods with my lads to enjoy being out there and getting the fresh air.....
I think in the end it's just about reinventing yourself and making sure you feel happy, whatever that means to you - so many helpful comments up above about "no one else cares" - I think that's right - do what you have to and don't let yourself get stale/bored/fed up - you're in charge of your own time/dreams -
(and best of luck to @stanley - good luck with the chemo and keep us posted of your progress - you are an inspiration!)
Hee hee! Remember that year I went to Menorca the same summer as you? I rented a bike from Son Bou and rode the trail you mentioned. Bike was such a jalopy 🤣.
Middle of one day I took it up that hill to the monastery. Have never been so hot in my life and lousy cafe wouldn't give me any water.
Fond memories 😁
As you your original dilemma, I'm still working through it on a different direction. Trying to remove every last trace of the racer in me to free me up completely to pursue my dreams of adventure. The fellows over at BB have been a great help today.
"Old enough to know better" is a really good watch if you want some related entertainment. The recent news is incredibly sad and shocking.
I think you know it, but it sounds like you need to find some inner peace with a few things which will allow you to enjoy the things you love and things you are good at. I mean that in the very best way possible and don't intend to cause offence. Some of the simple answers like "take pleasure in simple things" and "enjoy the process" have some truth in them but these don't happen by themselves if you don't have the right foundations in place in my experience. All the best and Happy Trails 🙂
DanW thanks for posting that, albeit a hard watch considering. So many applicable sound bites from Rab, Nick and others.
The “having fun” bits and rabs skills sessions have made me consider the Hightower in the classifieds so that could be some spendy advice 😳
you need to find some inner peace with a few things which will allow you to enjoy the things you love and things you are good at
100%.
There are a lot of videos in the series and they only get better IMO.
One of the many legacies of Rab should definitely his proposition to the UCI for time bonuses for backflips in XC races- now there is a challenge that will keep you on your toes! 😀
At 50 you are very unlikely to ever get back to the level that you were at . So unless you are after age category results you will probably train hard for results that don't make you happy . Indeed quite the opposite may well be the case . Also marathon type events seem to be in decline from what I can see so you could end up training furiously and then having the event cancelled . Having said that if you want to give it a go then at least you will have got it out of your system whatever happens.Shame that you don't live somewhere where you have great trails on your doorstep and could just get out to enjoy riding the bike , taking in the scenery and getting the associated feelgood factor without powermeters , training programs and all the other " essentials " that you need to race competitively .
At 50 you are very unlikely to ever get back to the level that you were at
oh I don’t know, I didn’t start racing until 42, and was top 10 National 12hr at 48 🙂 But I take your point.
Also marathon type events seem to be in decline
Indeed, I’m intrigued as to what events manifest next year, as the impression I get is costs are outweighing entry fees. There have been a few other unfortunate issues though that have led to cancellations, but I note the latest Hope Marathon is going ahead. I am - mainly becuase I can - retraining for XC for the Gorrick Halloween event, maybe moving to XC is a good idea, although I know already I’m not powerful enough to be at the sharp end.
Shame that you don’t live somewhere where you have great trails on your doorstep and could just get out to enjoy riding the bike
Well, there are decent enough areas within an hour of me, but see BigDaddys Lakes post in the latest photos thread - I looked at that yesterday and really wanted to ride there. I have a friend in Keswick, maybe I’ll arrange a visit next year. This is also the reason I’ve been think of a bigger bike, riding something that’ll be less about hanging on flighty racing style and more about sitting up and looking around in relative comfort.
I’m glad you’ve reached some kind of a decision. For what it’s worth, I’ll add my experience of a racing comeback.
I’ll caveat it by saying I’m still young so it’s not directly applicable. I raced a lot at uni – mostly endurance stuff, 10, 12, 24hr. After uni I raced occasionally but after my racing partner died a decade ago, I lost a lot of motivation. That, combined with a move to somewhere with good riding but no one to enjoy it with, led to my weight going up to 14st, my riding dropping to around 1,000 miles a year and while I was very happy with my life, I didn’t like being that fat and unhealthy.
I moved back up to Scotland in 2018, having dieted back down to 11st, and decided to have a crack at racing again but not taking it as seriously. I ride about 80 miles a week, so not much or far, but I ride hard and with focus. That equates to around 8-10 hours mtb or gravel a week (I don’t road ride) and most weeks 15-20 miles of it is really just bumbling round town. I still have a lot of time to spend with my wife and to be honest I barely ride at weekends now because I’m busy enjoying myself doing other things. I ride about a 50/50 split of gravel and mtb, and a decent mix of enduro type riding and regular trail riding.
I’m now very selective about what races I do, and while I work to maintain fitness for them, I am only doing two this year. I got 7th in one despite a snapped chain (and then rode 45 miles home after it), and won pairs at 10 Under the Ben. I found that I could get the same satisfaction from doing well at a few races rather than racing every few weeks. I also found that meant I could let my training ebb and flow with my mood and the time of year and I wasn’t worrying about a two-week holiday ruining a year’s training.
It's good you’ve decided racing is for you – a lot of people don’t get it, but I absolutely bloody love riding my bike and never take it seriously, but I also love riding my bike fast and I love the thrill and tactics of a race. But you don’t have to do every single one – you can pick a small number, do them as best you can and get a lot of happiness out of it. That then lets you refocus on other things in your life too.
Good luck with it.
Appreciate that Munrobiker. Over the past few days I've been thinking about what DanW said, and specifically what this actually means for me personally:
you need to find some inner peace with a few things which will allow you to enjoy the things you love and things you are good at
An I worked it out, its very well described here:
https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/advice/the-seasons-of-a-mans-life-the-mid-life-transition/
We can laugh and say that I'm having a mid life crisis, but I need to think on the "Possible Outcomes" para.
TLDR: As a metaphor for my issue, I hadn't realised Summer is over for me, and its Autumn - I need to open my eyes and see what that looks like.
