First XC race in 4 years.

BOYDIE

Hi all,
Im doing my first XC race in 4 years,ive been out the racing scene since I last done the 10 under the ben at fortwilliam in 2006.Ive still been riding but not at race pace,I can still hold my own in a resonably fast group.
For the last 5 weeks Ive been training hard 4 rides a week ranging from 1.5 hours up to 3 depending on the type of training,hill repeats,steady pace or interval.Im intersecting this with 3 mile runs with at least 1 good days rest.Ive already knocked 4 min of my local 1hr loop,this didnt happen over night.Also knocked 4pound of my waist as well,

The race is the open category in the scottish SXC champs at Perth on the 8th of August,I was offered the Masters or the male sport but opted for the open which is a step above the beginner class,I havent raced for a while and want to ease my self back in.

Does any body have any advice or tips? Am I training too little too much? Will running affect my cycling?

Cheers
Ryan.

njee20

Impossible to say on training, different people can take different things, sounds about right though. Running that amount shouldn't be detrimental to your cycling, but frankly more time on the bike would probably have more benefit, depends if you only want to get quick on the bike.

It'll be fast, probably more so than you're expecting, there'll be some slow people and some not so slow people, ride your own race, don't get caught up in trying to stay with people then blowing, others will do that and you'll pass them later on.

Most of all, just enjoy it.

MikeWW

If you are doing Open you should be absolutely fine
You would probably have found you would have had more of a race in the Sports class

BOYDIE

Cheers for the advise lads,enjoyed my rest day yeasterday,have got a 1hr ride in to work tonight steady spin.

Broonster

BOYDIE wrote:

Cheers for the advise lads,enjoyed my rest day yeasterday,have got a 1hr ride in to work tonight steady spin.

At least you've done some racing previously - I haven't done any at all. I'm aiming at having a bash at the Perth round too, although I reckon I'll enter the 'Open' category there, just to get a feel for these things and see how fast folks are going, how the races are formatted etc. Aim is to then ride competitively (in my head at least!) the final round at Drumlanrig (cant make the Laggan round), hopefully in the 'Master' category. All depending on how I get on at Perth of course!

BOYDIE

I was offered the Master cat as well 30 years old and a bloody master.........lol

streako

IIRC the open category is only 2 laps as opposed to 4 of the Masters. Open will be easier, but some of the Masters are fast enough to be in Expert.
I would guess it will be much faster than you anticipate. Also, the SXC is well known for being quite technical, and the courses usually get muddy and slippery.

Best thing is just to do it and learn as you go on.

njee20

Generally the top masters are quicker than the top experts!

Lou_m

Sounds like you will be fine. I rode at the Drumlanrig round last year and got 3rd in the Open event with about the same training as you have been putting in. Raced Fort William this year in Sport and was 10th after a pretty crappy ride. Will hopefully ride at Perth work permitting. Masters are very quick and whatever class you enter you will always feel that there are folk riding who should be in the higher classes.

BOYDIE

Did the race today Finished 15th out of 30 riders in my cat.Very fast from the out set,didnt see the first half dozen riders all race they just flew off.

Paced myself,steady pace and was over taken many times,but managed to claw back 7 places by the second lap.Was stuck in a group of 4 riders,we were all evenly matched and we jostled for places until I got stomach cramps,to much Isotonic drinks I think. I managed to hold on to my 15th place with a sprint to the finish keeping at bay a guy who had been trying for around 1/2 mile.

I enjoyed it very much,but the pace and the fitness are completly different to other types of events I have raced in the past, mostly endurance.You always think you are fitter than you are,there is always someone better, fitter and faster than you.

Lou_m

Well done. I raced sport and was 10th. Loads of climbing but a great circuit. Its always so fast at the begining in all classes. The guy who went to hospital after his massive crash is ok.

BOYDIE

I know the guy, rides with the Muckyriderz,his name is Thomas.White marin mount vision,busted his front wheel and his collar bone.

Congrats on the 10th as well.

Lou_m

Cheers, There was a crash in the afternoon and it was a rider from Sandy Wallace Cycles. Dave is his name. Snapped his frame in half and taken to Nine Wells hospital for x rays on his neck. Hope they both have a speedy recovery!!

See you at Laggan.

BOYDIE

The crash I seen was in the morning (obviously),took the downhill to fast and hit a tree.