Mud, Sweat and Gears 2012

tobh

I rode Hylands this morning. It's knackered. I didn't do the race (I have a valid excuse) but it must of been hellish on Sunday. The Golf Course section is particularly bad; some bits have almost entirely changed.

Maybe once it dries it out, the new lines and deviations may make it even better. Hylands is a great place to ride, in the dry.

I also came across a lot of logs and branches laid across the trail - does my head in.

bigdawg

Weather aside it doesnt look like I can do thetford next week - but it does look like another mudfest - really frustrating as after a winter of incredibly hard training I havent had a good race and theres only two more races.

Been giving a lot of thought the last couple of days about the structure of mtb racing and it's pretty flawed tbh... Although I love the turn up and race with no licence thing which has been a part of it from day one - if you actually want to progress its incredibly difficult / impossible when the winners of a category are allowed to stay in the same category year after year and just keep winning the same races against the same people...

C0LL0

I'm no expert, but I thought most catagories were age related, so even if you win your still in the same cat until your age changes you ???????

Just read the track info for Thetford next sunday, sounds pretty much the same course at WS4, I hate the flint pit, deteste the MX trail & double shocker stinks! and there the bits I like the most

Wifey isn't going to like it much, drive 2 hours sit in cold van,reading book drive 2 hours home, then watch me sleep for the rest of the day.

IhateDNS

Right then 28 days till I'm riding rather then racing at Codham Park.
What other training plan have you got or this a secret!

I'm not looking to beat anyone, just finish all three laps :oops:
Start to ride more each day from five miles to twenty also doing light weights Spin Class. Swimming twice a week for last eight months at Gym.

So what else do I need to do, more miles? more hours off road riding? Pilates or Yoga?

mm lots of facts and figures

Thanks

bigdawg

if youre just looking for a finish - go slow at the start...

Dont go nuts trash yourself in tw olaps and struggle to finish the third, warm up properly, especially your back and neck, and take it easy - it may feel like the whole field is rushing away but youll catch people up and overtake them, other than that sit back and have fun, codhams a good course, until it rains..!

Pirahna

Sound advice from bigdawg.

Assuming you'll start at the back, it's always a mad dash to get to the first bit of singletrack, then a big queue to get onto it. Start slowly and you'll catch everybody. You'll be surprised how many people struggle towards the end of a race, it sounds like you're doing plenty of riding so I doubt you'll have any problems. Just don't get carried away at the start.

bigdawg

C0LL0 wrote:

I'm no expert, but I thought most catagories were age related, so even if you win your still in the same cat until your age changes you ???????

Just read the track info for Thetford next sunday, sounds pretty much the same course at WS4, I hate the flint pit, deteste the MX trail & double shocker stinks! and there the bits I like the most

Wifey isn't going to like it much, drive 2 hours sit in cold van,reading book drive 2 hours home, then watch me sleep for the rest of the day.

that is correct, but the elite category is supposed to be for fast serious racers, of all ages. Id actually like to race in the category but now have to have al icence with an amount of points (havent raced with a licence since about 97..!) It just really bugs me that there are riders in the 'gerneral' categories that are as fast as or faster than the guys in elite. Doesnt give people, of any age, a real chance to improve...

pilch

...I think you just need to pedal faster

bigdawg

you an me both...

but if I had been racing elite, even with my current times and traffic - still wouldnt have come last in that category.. And when youve got guys at the front that in the past have been 5 minutes a lap quicker its kind of taking the pee...

Anyhoo, anyone signed up for Thetford..?? Tbh the weather looks as though it may be ok if its a good draining course, but Ive still not put my bike back together from hylands - need a new bottom bracket, so Im out, Ill cross my fingers and hope for better weather / luck at codham...

IhateDNS

Thanks

I always start at the back so not to get in the way.
This will be my third time at Codham Park. First time there was my first ever event was hot and felt sick 3/4 round track was sick and didn't finish a one lap. Last Year I my back was hurting like someone had been kicking be in the back only did one lap then stopped. I did start of slow as was hoping to do all three laps so my thinking was save energy maybe shouldn't do a full practice lap.

So the way I'm going I should be able to do two laps :roll:

A big hope for three.

pilch ..I think you just need to pedal faster

Shh don't tell everyone that one

Weather FFS I mean its June it should be summer :evil:

bigdawg

for whatever reason not many people warm up theri back or neck, whcih rspults in neck and back pain after going over numerous bump and lots of standing etc... You need to strectch the muscles at the back of your neck top of your shoulders and the 'corset' muscles in your back.

If I forget this - which I usually do in the earlier races in the year by lap 4 I can barely look up and my back feels like Ive been punched inthe kidneys by a heavyweight boxer... I know the feeling well and it makes the last lap absolutely hell...

IhateDNS

bigdawg

Thanks 8)

C0LL0

It sounds like your doing the core work, but nothing is better than time spent in the saddle, just getting a feel for the wheels moving around under you, saving a slide in a corner, drop offs and down sections are so much easier if you do them regulary,

personnaly I do lots of hill work, it hurts like hell, but I gain so many places on the last lap because others are knackered. just having a greater degree of stamina is a winner, for me anyway it works.

Pirahna

Enjoy Thetford this weekend, I'm doing the Bucks Offroad Sportiv.

evo3ben

Link to a video i found on youtube of the Hylands Park race 8) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK02wUxlqh0


Looking forward to Thetford

C0LL0

Got my new clothing through today, I'm going to look reet dapper on Sunday, for half a lap until it turns brown.

VWsurfbum

Anyone know what the conditions are like there? Can't say ill be missing going?

IhateDNS

Good luck all for Sunday

C0LL0

Looks like near perfect conditions for the morning girly one hour race, I should enjoy that

bigdawg

anyone go..???

pilch

Yep, dry as.... complete contrast to Hylands, great course - very fast, lots of fireroad though which I didn't particularly enjoy as I was running 1 x 10 and spinning like a nutter for large sections... but other than that a great day out, nice change not getting cover in shit too

evo3ben

Well, that went well! Dry, fast and a fantastic course. Course was similar to the winter series with some changes here and there. Only a few places with mud but with easy ways around it. Hardly any mud on me or the bike, just mainly dust. Massive difference compared to Hylands lol.
Only thing i have been thinking about is the inclusion of Regional Champs. Some people turn up just to race the Regional Championship who are not participating in the MSG series. Thats all good until you realise that your 10 places lower than you should be due to faster racers entering (from the likes of nationals) dropping you serious points
Comparing myself to other times in other catergories and lap times in my cat, this was my best performance this year so far showing training is going we but, my worst position :roll:

bigdawg

Im pretty gutted, although even if I had of wanted to do it I still havent replaced my bottom bracket after hylands.. so all being said I had no bike to race... Three weeks till codham, and everything crossed we dont have any rain prior to that...

I did put it to alastair last year asking if it was possible to only give series points to riders that have cometed in at least 3 races, but the more I thought about it the more I could see that it could never happen.

I feel the same as you - Ive trained hard all winter, Im faster than Ive been in nearly 15 years and so far Ive placed worse than I ever have in any race in nearly 20 years!! Just give me one good race this year and Ill be happy, long gone are my thoughts about racing the elite category...

C0LL0

31st again, I hate being 1 place from a points finish, I might as well have been last... but it was fun, rode with a couple of mates and it's all about bragging rights we were seperated by 20 seconds and 3 places at the end.

I've never roade codham, thinking about the veterns race instead of the open, whats the course like, hilly /flat/fast/slow. 2 hours at thetford I did all winter, but I don't think I could do 2 hours at somewhere like Langdon hills.

bigdawg

codham is a bit of an odd course - the first half is sandy, drop offs, bit uf a pump track, berms etc... After that grassy striaght bits (good for overtaking) some twisty grassy bits and then singletrack into the forest and some more grassy long straight bits - No hills - Its a very testing course, I always feel like Ive done a full race after being there, but pray it doesnt rain. Last year the rain came 20 minutes before the end of the race - one section in particular just turned into an almost unrideable clay pit, most peoples tyres suddenly became anything from 3.5 to 4.5, Ive never seen so many people carryign bikes (and I made up at least ten places becasue of it! )

In hte dry I love this course...

C0LL0

cheers Bigdawg, I'll go for it and do the 2 hour vets, at least wifey can have a lay in that morning (should keep her happy), I saw Stylish at thetford, he's still not on a MTB yet, but he's been doing some road events.

IhateDNS

Have booked Codham now hoping I doing enough only 16 days left :?
Best get out on bike.

Monty13a

Codham 2012 course

I was lucky enough to have a ride round the new provisional course for Codham.
Man it’s a killer.... and who was it who said “No hills at Codham”? Tell me that at the end of race.

The landowners Jason and Peter have spent a very long time sorting out a new course, and they still have not finished yet. (Like they do every year.)
It has hills, mud, sand, hills, water crossings, rocks, hills, grass and more hills. It’s awesome :shock:

I only normally ride the 1hr races so I’m not one of the fast boys so don’t take the P*** out of my time. Maybe that’s why I class Codham as having hills. :oops:

You can have a sneak look at the course on the following link.
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/hO4-Ab0nhUo

Or this with Bing maps
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=51.933 ... 69404B!117

bigdawg

DNS - if as monty says its hilly just take it easy - if its hot youll get loads of people blasting off going fast for the 1st lap and dying by teh second, just sit back and enjoy yourself...

Monty - cheers for that - I remember the year before last preriding the course and literally rolling up some ofh te hills thinking this is easy and yet by lap five on the same hill I was ready to puke..!

now this mud.. is this just becasue of the rain we had recently or is it the bottom half of the forest course..?? With any luck were gonig to have some decent weather for the next couple of weeks so should be fast dry and fun come race day... Did it have any of the drops in there too..??

Tomskii

Codham 2012 course

I was lucky enough to have a ride round the new provisional course for Codham.
Man it’s a killer.... and who was it who said “No hills at Codham”? Tell me that at the end of race.

The landowners Jason and Peter have spent a very long time sorting out a new course, and they still have not finished yet. (Like they do every year.)
It has hills, mud, sand, hills, water crossings, rocks, hills, grass and more hills. It’s awesome :shock:

I only normally ride the 1hr races so I’m not one of the fast boys so don’t take the P*** out of my time. Maybe that’s why I class Codham as having hills. :oops:

You can have a sneak look at the course on the following link.
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/hO4-Ab0nhUo

Or this with Bing maps
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=51.933 ... 69404B!117

Thanks for posting that Monty, it looks twisty and interesting