I’d suggest looking at your diet, the release of correct energy giving nutrients, I know its an old cliche but I really do find porridge gives you that oooomph !
Carbs the day before or night before
Flapjack as well, home made stylie, I went to the pines yesterday afternoon, there must have been a thousand cyclists, I went round the green and blue with my mrs and the kid which is a great warm up and saw about 3 riders on the trails ! Either they know somewhere better to ride in the pines or they ain’t riding ?
Then I cracked round the red twice ! I said this before on a seperate thread on here, it takes me ages to warm up, years ago I used to do a fair bit of riding in Scotland and by the time I’d warmed up every one else was hanging out, my breathing is erratic and concentration shot.
I rode Dalby on Friday and didn’t get warmed up till Dixons Hollow which is about a 3rd of the way round, I parked in Thornton and rode in to warm up / down.
For me in the most part it’s concentration / fueling / mindset.
If I eat sandwiches before a ride the bread kills me, eating and then perched on a bike just sits in my gut and I can feel it in my pedaling and breathing, this affects my concentration and I just wander off completely then when I’m away with the fairies I’m off the boil and cannot get back into it !
Stress, sleep, also effect me massively,
The best way to regulate my erratic breathing is the old fashioned in thro your nose out thro hour mouth routine, it really fills and expands your lungs with clean fresh air and gets me ready for heavy CV activity