Mud, Sweat and Gears 2012

bigdawg

As we're all eagerly waiting for next year's dates I thought Id get us started...

We know Langdon is National next year in July (dont know if it will be a MS&G's tie in or stand alone) other than that whats everyone doing about riding, training and racing over winter..???

ooh ooh look what Ive just found :

Mud, Sweat and Gears 2012

1st April - Venue TBC
29th April - Hylands House, Chelmsford, Essex
13th May - Thetford Forest - Incorporating Regional Championships, Suffolk
3rd June - Venue TBC
17th June - Venue TBC

Please note that dates and venues are subject to change.

Summer Enduro

Saturday 30th June - Thetford Forest, Thetford MTB Racing.


British Cycling National XC Series

Round 5 - 15th July - Langdon Hills, Essex

bigdawg

hmm.... all five races over three months... :?

A short season plus langdon...

Pirahna

That's a pretty rubbish calendar, I'll have to look for events a bit further afield to come last in.

bigdawg

the more ive thought about it the more underwhelmed Ive got - I know theyve had budget cuts but dont see how that restricts it to 2 and a bit months racing in the year - will prob look for other series' that may clash with this.. :?

Pirahna

I think it's because of the Olympics.

stylish

Its not all bad really, they could have just canned the series and left us with no races locally, and the olympics was always going to mean changes to the calender.

Regional Champs? sounds interesting, how do we get an entry for that i wonder....

My winter training/racing will be as per last year Thetford Winter Series, entered the first 2 rounds, but am waiting to have an operation on my eye, which will put me out of action for a couple of months, so will have to becme a spectator..............

ollie51

Pirahna wrote:

That's a pretty rubbish calendar, I'll have to look for events a bit further afield to come last in.

All Race series are going to look like this unfortunately.

ollie51

stylish wrote:

Regional Champs? sounds interesting, how do we get an entry for that i wonder...

Anyone can enter as per usual, however not anyone can win the eastern champs, only those in the relevant categories, with a bc licence which states you reside in the east.

evo3ben

Wow that is compact, and only 5 races! Am I right in thinking that Langdon is a National series race day only and no races for msg racers?
Think I will still race the series as I'm hoping it's only the Olympics that has caused this.

Pirahna

ollie51 wrote:

All Race series are going to look like this unfortunately.

I had a look at this years races in other regions, we've been spoilt. Next years calendar brings us into line with everybody else.

Look like I'll have to get fit enough for enduros.

bigdawg

gave this a bit of thougth lat night, two things struck me...

1) we're all going to have to hit the ground running. They'll be no season build up of fitness next year, winter series races, as horrible as they can be, are going to be crucial to maintain fitness.

20 What about sept & oct?? Langdon even now will still be good to race on as would the UFO forest (eek cant remember the name of it,!!), maybe a MS&G autumn series?!?!

stylish

I think you must mean Tunstall...........

I had a quick look at the dates against my other plans next year, and it looks like 2 rounds clash with family holiday and Le Mans, so i might have a quiet summer after all, maybe i ought to postpone my operation and have it in the summer so i can race all winter...

bigdawg

thats the one... Did anyone notice anything odd in the forest... other than me doing quite well....!?

ollie51

bigdawg wrote:

1) we're all going to have to hit the ground running. They'll be no season build up of fitness next year, winter series races, as horrible as they can be, are going to be crucial to maintain fitness.

Just cut your base training period short, that's the least vital part and then re-introduce the slower and longer rides in may to prepare for the summer enduro.

You really want to get going on the race tempo session and intervals in late January so you can hit the ground running come april and have some 'racing legs'.

stylish

The main thing i noticed at Tunstall this year was the amount of crap in the last bombhole, bits of broken glass (some quite large) and sharp bits of metal, one of which jammed my rear mech and shattered it to bits..........

evo3ben

I start training again in november which means i can fit everything in with out needing to cut any base/build periods. The only thing i have noticed is that because to calendar is so close together its hard to work the training around the races.
Can't stay in peak/race period for 3 months and only one large enough gap to get a build period back in. Got to try not to over train and get some rest in somewhere lol.

Summer Enduro is not on my list of things to do at the moment depending on other events but if i do decide to have a go i think training for it would prob be needed a couple of races before the end of the msg series.

C0LL0

MSG or Beastway, prehaps both depending what races are run next with olympics messing things up a little bit

bigdawg

anyone seen vw about lately..???

VWsurfbum

bigdawg wrote:

anyone seen vw about lately..???

I'm here and racing, booked to do the brass monkey's 2hr on the 27th! :shock:
unsure about next years racing?
I think their missing a trick with only 5 races and so close together, it will take the fun out of the summers riding? plus the expense of them all being so close together?

without the warm up series i think i'll be so behind the lycra louts at the first two races, and moving up to the 2 hr races am i ever going to compete with them?

On an upside, i've dropped another 5lbs, but with breaking things on my bike and bits wearing out i seem to be adding weight to that :?

bigdawg

is brass monkeys the gorrick race??

I think well all be in the same boat next year - If I was you, (and this is my mindset) Id do the two hours next year and just use them as a test, lose a bit more weight, and enjoy them, dont get into the racing side of things... The fast guys will always be the fast guys, and wont have the problems of fitting racing round kids and family like we do. For the first year of moving up to the two hour its almost the same as the first year you started racing, its a massive learning curve.

VWsurfbum

Yes the gorrick one.

I know what you mean, I just don't want to lose the fun side of things :?
I was really happy after Langdon, and it did make me up my game, but the difference in times is massive! My mate was 7mins a lap quicker on average! (but he is half my size and weight)
I'm down to a comfortable weight and im ok with it but to compete (im very competetive) you need to be very tall and skinny or small and light? I am neither?

I will of course wait until next year before I make any final decisions but only going to Wales twice this year is a bit below par, I think id like to do a few more weekend rides instead?

evo3ben

You gotta do the series next year VW! Like bigdawg said just use it as a training series to prepare you for 2013. Give you a good indication on fitness compared to the rest of the field and what you need to try and do for the next season.
Im hoping that the drop to 5 races and being so close together is purely because of the Olympics and 2013 will return to its normal format.
I signed up for the Thetford Winter Series and had one race already with the next on December 4th. I thought the 2h race was brilliant but dont get me wrong, it was very hard!
Next year will be my last 1h race series in MSG and will step up to the MSG 2h in 2013 :shock:

I read Joe Friel's mountain bike training bible a couple of months back which has inspired me train properly ready for next year. I have just started my 'Base' period and by the time the MSG series starts i should be ready to go!
The Thetford races i uses as training races (test) to see how my fitness is improving over the next 4 months.
It is difficult to to train around a family and a full time job but if you pre plan a fitness plan, it is much easier to follow and easier to find the time to train.

VWsurfbum

Like I said, no decisions yet

VWsurfbum

Wassup Gnommies
Hows the winter training going?
I'm still without a XC machine so i'm getting old, fat and slow all at the same time!
Hopefully i'll be able to order the new frame next week and start the training as soon as it arrives and built!

Anyone get any new shiny Shiny Bling for crimbo that will make them think they'll be faster?

bigdawg

what happened to the last bike..?!??!

VWsurfbum

bigdawg wrote:

what happened to the last bike..?!??!

I cracked both triangles :shock: the front, in front of the shock mount and the rear on the bottom cross member
I think the brass monkey's race at porridgepot hill killed it off its done well bless her.

I'll be ordering a full suspension carbon 29er frame this time next week.

bigdawg

is it just my faulty memory or are you going through a few frames lately??!

VWsurfbum

bigdawg wrote:

is it just my faulty memory or are you going through a few frames lately??!

Who me *whistles*
I change bikes/frames quite frequently only the 3 last year
its as much as a hobby as riding itself!

bigdawg

that one you sent looks lovely, and quite familiar :?

Youre not the only person I know thats been breaking 29ers, maybe theres a reason 26'' frames have lasted 20 years

You decided what racing youre doing this year yet??

VWsurfbum

Definitely going to do a couple of gorrick ones and it would be rude not to do a few msg's

evo3ben

Is it me just being impatient or are they taking ages to sort the site out, finalise Venues and get the entry system up and running? Anyone have any inside news?