Stepping it up to National Level

[downhillingdemon]

Tuesday - Rest Day

Wednesday - Short Ride
Still feeling a bit run down, don't know whether I am fighting a virus or what, but am not in a good place today. Managed a wee trip out on the hills to see the cloud covered valley, but that was all. Going back to work is plaguing all my thoughts at the moment, I am dreading it so much.

[mabli]

we used to have a poster that said something like " I didnt go to work today, I dont think Ill go tomorrow... Take control of our lives, live for pleasure not pain..." cant you find somehing else to do if you dread it so much

[downhillingdemon]

we used to have a poster that said something like " I didnt go to work today, I dont think Ill go tomorrow... Take control of our lives, live for pleasure not pain..." cant you find somehing else to do if you dread it so much

Unfortunately not that pays my mortgage at this present time. Maybe in about 10 years (if I'm not dead from stress by then)

[Johnboy74]

I recognise that old kodger!



Gold Star for you, for best log! Some sublime pics! Well done!

[downhillingdemon]

I recognise that old kodger!

Gold Star for you, for best log! Some sublime pics! Well done!

Ha - I shall let Rat know! So when you coming out on a vegan MTB with us then

Thanks for the kind comments about the pics - having an OH with a photo habit and plenty of riding buddies who don't mind posing helps a lot!

Thursday - Rest and Recovery Day

Still felt pretty dodgy for most of it, but perked up a bit by the end. May have been the retail therapy that did it.

Friday - Downhill Day at Nibley

Resting seemed to have worked and I felt significantly better

Met up with some of my favourite biker buddies today at North Nibley. I was really hoping it was going to be worth the trip for a couple of reasons. Firstly my mum lives pretty close, and she was happy to sit my little dog for the day. This really chills me out when I'm riding as I know if I end up injured, Sophie is safe and not left waiting for a long period on her own. Also, I have relatives nearby, including my nephew and his dinky mate, who joined us. I just love seeing the up and coming kids on their bikes making the most of the trails!



So we got there and pushed up to the quarry to warm up. The combination of riding mostly HT and in the snow/ice over recent weeks meant I was instantly confident getting on the big bike on ice free trails. Next thing I know I'm looking over the edge of the drop-in thinking, yeah, that's fine....as long as I don't brake it'll be fine. It was rather like riding down the side of a house, but the jump at the bottom was pretty sweet and great to find my jumping wings for the day.





From there we headed to the main DH run which was a piece of swoopy goodness! Few jumps, including a wee gap, that we're a bit of a challenge to get right, but all doable, especially on the big bike. Personally I felt on-the-ball technically, with cornering in particular. Maxxis Wetscream tyres are superb!





This is Ian ragging on his HT - I shall be taking my Chammy next time!


Cracking day all round

[kallefs]

I recognise that old kodger!

Impossible, he has clothes on.

[Johnboy74]

Ha - I shall let Rat know! So when you coming out on a vegan MTB with us then

Haven't been on a bike since September, forgotten how I think, gonna go for a ride around anglesey saturday (maybe with stabilisers ) and hopefully loads of rides in Wales over the coming month to build my legs and confidence. Then I will be ready, wouldn't want to come across as a waste of a human life in front of other people

[downhillingdemon]

Ha - I shall let Rat know! So when you coming out on a vegan MTB with us then

Haven't been on a bike since September, forgotten how I think, gonna go for a ride around anglesey saturday (maybe with stabilisers ) and hopefully loads of rides in Wales over the coming month to build my legs and confidence. Then I will be ready, wouldn't want to come across as a waste of a human life in front of other people

Blimy, you do know we are an easy going lot don't you?!!!

I'm hoping to organise a vegan MTB meet in the summer - hopefully up your way (Lee Quarry, Llandegla or the Peaks) - so maybe you could join us then

New Years Evening....

....was a wet one. Cold, raining and very windy; the hills had their heads right up in the clouds. Set out feeling lethargic, but was grateful to have the time to night-ride and eventually found a steady rhythm to shake off the grogginess. A tailwind helped my tired legs to the Beacon summit, where I struggled to hang onto the bike in the crosswinds. Visibility was less than 5 meters on the ridge, so descending was a rather stuttered affair, especially as both my bar light, and head torch, were behaving intermittently. Headed via the not-as-scenic-as-normal undulating route circumventing North Hill, but began struggling with slipping gears. As the trail steepened a final 'crunch' left me pushing until I could pick up enough gradient for a chainless run home.


Sunday - Conigree

Enforced local riding due to a sickly sounding van turned into a rather fabulous 4.5 hour session of jumps, drops and photograph opportunities. Johnstuff came all the way from Leicester to meet us, and as always, he made everything looked stylish for the camera. My confidence was still on a high following the recent snow, ice and HT training.

Big bike + defrosted jumpy trails = utter bliss.

Here's a few of the pics from today - I'll post up a few more when they have been sorted.

[downhillingdemon]

Back practising at Conigree today. Spent two and half hours trying to clear the big step down with IanJ. The run in wasn't great, partly due to a worn down berm and off camber turn. With a little spade work this was sorted, however, we were still coming up short of a smooth transition. Thank heaven for DH suspension!

Here's a picture of Ian on take-off. To give you an idea of scale, the transition is completely out of shot on the bottom left hand corner.



Wont be long until we both have it nailed, like this rather talented local, I'm sure.



goog spent the time trying to tailwhip of a small jump, and managed it consistently by the end. Much respect for that. Feels like a while until I'll be at the point pull off a whip!

[downhillingdemon]

Tuesday
WORK DAY FROM HELL (didn't make gym, nuff said)

Wednesday - Gym
First session back after the week off. Felt strong, the rest had been very beneficial. Thought I may have even put weight on over Christmas as had such a notable increase in strength, but the scales said no. Must be the hemp protein!

Warm-up - 25 min walk to gym as van is busted, again!

Squats - Cycle 2, Week 1 of 5x5
Free squat warm-ups - 20, 10, 10
Bar - 10, 10
27.5 kg - 5
35 kg - 5
40 kg - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Well, they felt easy. Here's set 2 and set 5. Set 5 felt the deepest, but think I was a bit bouncy at the bottom

I was sooo stiff when I started lifting, felt much loosened up by the end. As a note, I am trying to organise some sports massage as I can feel everything getting knotted after the last few weeks.

Set 2


Set 5


Pull ups
Warm up - rows with bar 10, 10
Pull-ups: 2, 2, 1, 1

Well, I thought it would be a fair few weeks til I could double a pull-up. So I was totally surprised to find I easily managed to on the first set. Second double though, that wasn't so easy - think this little comedy-gold effort of squeezing out a rep finished me off for the session

In a few months I better look back at this and laugh at how hard it felt



Lat pulls
Warm up - 4 blocks 10, 10
6 blocks - 10, 10

Abs
Inverted sit ups, bench on highest: 15, 15

25 minute walk back up hill to home!

[Alistar]

Nice work DHD. No idea about the gym stuff, but looks like you know what you're doing Yeah good to compare in a few months.

Hemp protein sounds like good stuff. Banned in NZ by irrational puritans who think that its full of THC or some rubbish Just pathetic! Actually its probably to do with some unrelated trade bullshit, but they'll never admit to that. It's like saying you can't buy tomato's because the plant is related to deadly nightshade Makes me mad! [rant over]

[downhillingdemon]

Nice work DHD. No idea about the gym stuff, but looks like you know what you're doing Yeah good to compare in a few months.

Hemp protein sounds like good stuff. Banned in NZ by irrational puritans who think that its full of THC or some rubbish Just pathetic! Actually its probably to do with some unrelated trade bullshit, but they'll never admit to that. It's like saying you can't buy tomato's because the plant is related to deadly nightshade Makes me mad! [rant over]

Darn right - it's all about 'the look' - doesn't matter whether you actually have a clue about these things. This applies even-more-so to MTB

I can't believe the NZ Government can bow to such nonsense! Bad luck that - is there any way you can import it by buying it abroad, or is that risking prosecution?

[Alistar]

However you've got the photos to prove you know what you're doing on the mtb, so you're obviously doing a lot more than just looking the part

No I think you can only import it, or buy it from a local outfit if you can prove its to be used as livestock feed Actually I think its one of those archaic rules made decades ago (for whatever reason) and politicians just can't be bothered changing it in fear of being labelled pro dope or something? Not that anyone would care so very strange...

[downhillingdemon]

Thursday
Rest day enforced by work day.

Friday
A wonderful weekday in lieu (of loosing Saturday to stick my head down trial pits). So grateful for this, even the return of the snow couldn't dampen spirits enough to stop the solo solace of the hills. When the views in Malvern disappear, so do the tourists. My mind could've stayed out for hours. My legs, however, had a very different idea and every climb felt like a grind.



Still, the new drive chain was sparkling, and the wet snow a real challenge of unpredictable proportions. More of a challenge than I was expecting, although I should've known after seeing the the chaos of morning-school-run cars sliding around on compressed slush and narrowly missing walls and embankments. Wet snow has moved up to 5 on the snow scale for 'unrideability'. Sneaky stuff it is, gives the impression it'll give and let you carry speed, then, just as you are reaching pace, it slips the front wheel from under you leaving you heart-in-mouth and wondering how the hell you are still upright.

Or not upright, as the case may be!

Friday Evening - Gym
Still sore from Wednesday, but churned out the bench reps with a bit of a fight right till the last when an over-enthusiatic spotter touched the bar. Would I have made the last 5x5 rep? I don't know, I suspect yes, but it would've been close. Does it matter? Nah, I'm so weak at bench anyway pushing big numbers is never going to happen. Luckily, I just like bench. I'll keep plugging away and work with what I do have as the upper body strength really makes a difference on high speed tracks like Cwmcarn where I am constantly fighting to keep hold of the bike.

Warm-up - 10 mins treadmill 6.5 mph

Bench
Using little 0.5 kg plates to get the 36 kg.
20 kg Bar 10, 10
25 kg: 5, 5
30 kg: 5
36 kg: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 + one rep where spotter touched bar

Standing shoulder press
Light bar: 10, 10
20 kg Bar: 5, 5

Push press
20 kg bar: 5, 5
22.5 kg: 5
25 kg: 5, 5

Roman chair abs
10, 10, 10

Press-ups
5, 4 erm....had absolutely nothing left! Was a bit of a shock, guess it shows how hard I'd worked on bench though!

[bob_summers]

loosing Saturday to stick my head down trial pits

one can only wonder what that might be

is that a dropper post or suspension on your HT? i am curious about both...