First ‘Criss Cross’ session coming up. 5minutes threshold with 5minutes sweet spot ‘recovery’ and repeat x3. Much dread.

Despite the fact your FTP did not improve over winter it was still a period of training that’s given you the foundations for your season.

Only you can decide if you want to sacrifice BotB for increased training for the 9th. My advice – do either or and not a half arsed fudge.

Results aren’t really a valid way of judging the success of your training. Are you fitter – apparently not (though FTP isn’t all IMHO), are your skills improved, can you dig deeper, is your pacing better. Unless the answers to these are positive you’re racing for your experience and the event is part of the long term journey to your goals. That means you should be setting event goals such as:-

1. Best possible start
2. Hold position along the beach into the single track
3. Maintain position while recovering
4. Manage pacing
5. Always racing for position
6. No crashing

Judge yourself on these not some arbitrary position that depends more on what others have done than what you have done.

You have forced yourself into a taper – hurray!

If Battle on the Beach is a serious event for you then a couple of 10 minute z4/5 intervals tonight a couple of 10minute tempo intervals on Friday and Saturday a gentle bimble on the race bike to check set up with a couple of 2minute threshold efforts followed by a can of coke or carb drink

You did your time in the winter, now don’t screw it up

15s, 30s, 1min, 2mins, 3mins,2 mins,1 min, 30s, 15s flat out hard as with 1minute rest between each effort. 5mins recovery and repeat x2.

First 3 interval clock session. Much pain. Gaps are getting of the bike (in order, stretching, get gel for later and nearly puking)

Clock by [/url], on Flickr

Got to work out what events to do now there is no Erlestoke, G100 or Summer Monkey. A event is BBD, do I try and do national marathon champs in IOM and train using the Scott Marathons or stick with XC and do the remaining southern XC events…. Not done a Scott Marathon before.

Tip – do not descend until you are sure you are on the right route.

When I’ve put rigid forks on a HT it seems to unsettle it a lot more than just at the front.

I’d suggest a HT with forks to start.

I’ve stopped riding rigid in the past due to wrist pain (vaguely arthritic). Traced it down to a too aggressive position. My new rigid SS is slightly less aggressive and works well.

Certain activities on private land are not a good mix with people straying from rights of way.

These generally involve putting little holes in feathery or furry animals

If you like to put little holes in aforesaid creatures you would rather people stayed away to avoid scaring off the creatures you want to put holes into. As there is a financial value to this not to mention a safety issue such land owners discourage trespass.

If any trespass is allowed it rapidly becomes a complete free for all.

No. I use torq today’s plan but designed by them and following an ftp test and lactate testing.

I’d say the key bit would be the understanding of the training principles so the day at Torq doing the test in the morning and then in the classroom would be of tremendous value to you.

I’d say the double is a big ask and requires major league motivation.

Wentwood 50 results – not a race but managed to be in top 10 overall and on single speed including 6minute detour. Possibly why I’ve been so wrecked this week.

Legs differ in spec more than bikes.

My own experience is that truly steep and long riding is hard on 1×11 without serious compromise on chainring size.

I tend to bias towards climbing and accept a loss of top end. My Epic runs 28t and 10:42 on hilly courses. For the Manx100 Marathon Champs I’ll be refitting 2×10 to my race hardtail as I won’t be able to do without the top end.

I now adjust my order to ensure it’s DPD delivery even if it costs more and I don’t need it quickly.

I made it 4,199feet.

I could barely do a 1hr ride this evening. Legs are pretty wrecked. Did I mention I did it singlespeed…..

There are a suspicious number of low useage used ones for sale….

I raced against someone a couple of months ago using a pair. The pogo effect as we sprinted to the line was incredible to behold…

65k and undisclosed climbing but given Vet times range from 3hrs to 6hrs it’s likely to be around 1500-1800m?

Lets say you are aiming for a 3.5hr time which would have you top 10 or thereabouts in Vets.

You’re likely to have climbing efforts of 5-10minutes followed by recovery and some steady state.

Your training is probably about right it’ll be a question of how long you can keep on putting in threshold efforts.

I think the single biggest thing you can do is work on your pacing over 3hrs. Were it me I’d train as per normal, reduce a bit on the 29th, 30th and 31st and put in a hard 3hr ride on the 31st to work out how hard you can go and still make the distance without cooking.

As you have a history of overtraining prior to events I’d watch what you do the week after. Much Reduced length but intense intervals and some Z2.

Superfly SS by [/url], on Flickr

Fun and torture in equal parts did 1400m in 3hrs on 30:18

And I feel like I’ve been hit by a train.

Wentwood 50 for me – not exactly a race but what a great event. 50km, 1400m climbing in a tad under 3hrs. Decided to get max benefit and went rigid single speed – ouch. Average HR 86% of max

I ordered from actionsports – from order to delivery – 5days. Sad not to use JRA but they no longer do DT.

what was cancelled? get soemthing else in the diary

G100 and Summer Monkey. Had specifically targeted 6hr races ahead of BBD but unless Erlestoke happens there aren’t any now.

I can race once a month – 80minutes XC doesn’t really seem long enough.

I run my bars 3-4cm lower than my saddle.

I may have over trained – had a rest week, have restarted and have the motivation of a sloth. Having the events I targeted as ‘A’ cancelled doesn’t help.

First fail of the season. Rest week after hard 3 week block that’s left it’s mark with cramping at night and some DOMS. My rest weeks have one interval session. Aimed to do 3x20minutes high sweetspot this morning, not feeling it while warming up so modified to one 20minute FTP effort. At 10minutes power drained away (and I had eaten beforehand) and I warmed down. S’pose it’s good I’m empty but I hate failure.

Biggest annoyance is transport back at the end (which is why I parked at Amberly and rode to Eastbourne and back)

My last 14hr ride I ate 17gels, 6energy bars, 2 bannanas and drank 5litres of Torq (it was hot). The large amount of energy drink was a way of getting energy for low weight (carry the powder and mix at taps). Backfired – 11 pee breaks.

The Torq formula of a unit of drink and 2gels/bars per hour works well.

Honestly I’m not sure as I have a coach built plan. All I can say is off the back of a 5 weeks of only doing that session once a week because I was moving house, I was race fit and got my best result at the Gorrick 100.

Don’t pay any attention to Stages power. I’m verging on Elite according to my W/kg from mine. All it’s good for is testing yourself and then setting your own training zones. You absolutely cannot use it to compare against others or for W/kg etc.

I hurt my knee at BBD (overgeared and cramped)

I internet self diagnosed patellar tendonitis the cure for which is rest. Having trained for a long time (as in years) for a 12hr race I was gutted.

I went to my physio. After 30minutes I was diagnosed with an upper leg muscle imbalance that was pulling my knee cap out of alignment causing it to hit stuff and become inflamed. Treatement was some exercises, stretches, gradual rebuild of training with ice. I was able to race 2 weeks later and achieved my 3 year aim. Best money I’ve ever spent.

I too need one of these! Thanks for the tip

Actually from this https://www.rootsandrain.com/race5464/2017-feb-26-mud-sweat-and-gears-xc-1-lee-valley/graph/filters/category62117/ it would appear you rode a good consistent race 17th, 21st, 20th, 19th, 20th, 20th, 21st.
21st ex 38th in vets – pretty competitive class no? Top 10 within 4minutes of eachother.

Actually from this https://www.rootsandrain.com/race5464/2017-feb-26-mud-sweat-and-gears-xc-1-lee-valley/graph/filters/category62117/ it would appear you rode a good consistent race 17th, 21st, 20th, 19th, 20th, 20th, 21st.
21st ex 38th in vets – pretty competitive class no?

Ridgeway double by [/url], on Flickr

122miles and 11hours in I felt fresh enough on this to do the next 50miles 20minutes faster. The ‘fish is perfect for this sort of thing.

Stages power is immaterial – mine over reads by 30W compared to a powertap.

When I have felt the need to kickstart things but have little time:-

1. Have a key very high quality session each week that you do to complete exhaustion – eg 4 increasing to 5x 15minutes x 90% your 20minute FTP. This session is trumps – nothing must get in the way of going into it rested and giving maximum effort.

2. Get out to an XC course to play/ride each weekend. Concentrate on holding speed and technique.

SDW I did on a 29er HT, Ridgeway Double on a 29er FS. The Ridgeway is faster with less climbing and the bumps which you hit faster add up.

Kryton – sorry to hear your woes. Analyse what went wrong, rejig training and come back stronger.
Are you starting too fast? Maybe you should chase rather than be chased?

Rob – I’m also local – would be great to meet when you’re free. It’s actually not bad atm.

Any riding is better than no riding. If TR saps your motivation to the extent you don’t want to ride then do another sort of ride instead.

Things to try – Strava hill smash fest, hill repeats, ride out for as long and fast as you can then have to ride back.

My current motivator is SS – it’s a hoot.

Personally I don’t think you can beat raw fillet brazed steel with a clear coat over it.

Under 2kg is astonishingly light for steel HT. My Curtis is a small triangle 29er with 27.2mm ST and 1and1/8″ HT and was 2.1kg (851/Columbus mix)

Well I couldn’t face a proper session so did 2hrs on the rollers to Danny Howard alternating Z2/3 according to tracks.

There are 3 yellow ones left. Reduced to clear

Unfortunately in medium. Try as I might I can’t quite get it to fit at 6′ without too long a stem.