H2H #1, The Chain Stretcher
So the name of the game lately has been training. Training right, training well; sometimes hard. Things have been going well in prepping for Trans-Sylvania, and this weekend was no exception. With the weather looking a little foul, I wasn't sure how things would end up, but all was swell.
Saturday I got in a good 4 hour ride. I rode for a while with my babe at Nockamixon, then rode home. I was destroyed afterwards. I ate a lot once home. Like, a lot! Since our planned race was cancelled, we made the trek up to NY for some good H2H racing the following day after a short sleep. I wasn't sure how my body would respond to a long ride before racing, but was ready to give it a shot! After watching my babe pilot to a 10minute win in her first race ever aboard her XtC 29er 1, I knew I had to perform somehow!
With a 10 minute warmup, I was lined up against the region's quickest. As the rain started coming, we filed into the singletrack and things started to sort out. Surprisingly it wasn't tired legs bothering me, but a slight lack in muddy confidence. I embarrassed myself a time or two and kept thinking to myself 'why are you braking?!' Normally I pride myself with my skills and mudding ability, but it was lacking a little. Eventually I got it together and lined up to sprint for sixth. As it turns out, my 125 pound self cannot sprint, so I was relegated to riding hard while seated.
To keep things rolling, I attempted to do another hard ride the following day and mimic the demands of stage racing. The legs felt even better on day three and I was able to hold for an hour of tempo the same power I was holding during a 20minute maximal test just 2 months ago.
As an interesting note, I have given up riding my road bike. As I am exclusively a MTB racer, I see no need to train in a different position than I race. My thought was from the notion that changing the orientation of the trunk will change the way your muscles are used. Research it. Anyway, my XtC Composite 29er has proven to be a great road bike even with Schwalbe Racing Ralphs and a 2x10 X0 drivetrain. Surprisingly, riding it every day for the last 3 months has not worn anything out faster and it sees more regular maintenance now.
Food for thought!
Now get out n shred!
Saturday I got in a good 4 hour ride. I rode for a while with my babe at Nockamixon, then rode home. I was destroyed afterwards. I ate a lot once home. Like, a lot! Since our planned race was cancelled, we made the trek up to NY for some good H2H racing the following day after a short sleep. I wasn't sure how my body would respond to a long ride before racing, but was ready to give it a shot! After watching my babe pilot to a 10minute win in her first race ever aboard her XtC 29er 1, I knew I had to perform somehow!
With a 10 minute warmup, I was lined up against the region's quickest. As the rain started coming, we filed into the singletrack and things started to sort out. Surprisingly it wasn't tired legs bothering me, but a slight lack in muddy confidence. I embarrassed myself a time or two and kept thinking to myself 'why are you braking?!' Normally I pride myself with my skills and mudding ability, but it was lacking a little. Eventually I got it together and lined up to sprint for sixth. As it turns out, my 125 pound self cannot sprint, so I was relegated to riding hard while seated.
To keep things rolling, I attempted to do another hard ride the following day and mimic the demands of stage racing. The legs felt even better on day three and I was able to hold for an hour of tempo the same power I was holding during a 20minute maximal test just 2 months ago.
As an interesting note, I have given up riding my road bike. As I am exclusively a MTB racer, I see no need to train in a different position than I race. My thought was from the notion that changing the orientation of the trunk will change the way your muscles are used. Research it. Anyway, my XtC Composite 29er has proven to be a great road bike even with Schwalbe Racing Ralphs and a 2x10 X0 drivetrain. Surprisingly, riding it every day for the last 3 months has not worn anything out faster and it sees more regular maintenance now.
Food for thought!
Now get out n shred!
posted by Giant Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Team at
3:17 PM
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