Stepping it up to National Level

[thestoatyone]

Nice squatting, for a casual lifter you don't half stay strong!

[downhillingdemon]

Friday - work was horrendously intense and busy on Friday, as was the fact I had struggled to sleep, or eat, again. Life is rather chaotic at the moment and I paid for it by Friday evening. I had organised a ride out and had a vegan friend coming down a fair way so had to come out - I literally got home, got straight in riding gear and went straight back out, but after an hour and a half I had to quit as I was just too tired for any technical descending. Luckily goog took Rex down the other two trails we had planned, leaving me to cruise back with my other riding buddy to try and chill out.

Saturday - I had to admit defeat after still struggling to eat and sleep. I can't work out whether it was just stress or a bug, but either way, I was pretty wiped out on Saturday and had to spend the day chilling out.

Sunday - Wide awake at 5 am, but a push about DH day had been planned and I decided to go along even though I was still struggling for calories and sleep. How glad was I that I did? After flagging on the initial push up, I just thought I would session the top section for a few runs then sit about watching everyone else. It didn't take long for me to abandon that idea though, the bike was feeling amazing, the trails were running soooo sweet and, even though I should've been physically drained, I was running high on adrenalin. Spent a lot of time sessioning 'old school' and was clearing stuff easily, too easily sometimes - especially when I was overshooting the transitions of the big jumps



That weird feeling back end? It no longer feels weird, it feels BLUDDY AWESOME.

So, as it was 'jump day', I decided to have a look at a big ol' scary gap jump on 'rib tickler'. It's a pretty cool jump, created over two berms which you can see me riding through here:



It didn't look too bad, but then I scared myself thinking that I must have lost the plot if I didn't think it 'looked too bad'. So I sensibly got the jump demon Johnstuff to test it out first.



He made it look easy. So I had a go. It was easy (screen shot grabbed from a video my mate took!)



I'm a bit dumbfounded to be honest. Where the hell my 'fear of the gap' has gone, I do not know. It can stay there though!

[downhillingdemon]

Had a week away with work - took the bike - but had no all time to ride The last week or so has been pretty stressful in one way or another and I'm still struggling to eat which is such a pisser cos it totally fucks my training up. Still, managed to pull the site work off in style, so hopefully the hard work will be worth it and we now have a good client.

Did manage about 1:40 on the bike Thursday - mostly road, but probably a good job as I'd not have managed anything techy.

Today went to the gym and re-started 5x5 at 45kg, and did some pulls/abs - managed 6 chins in a row which was a nice surprise. Then went out on the bike this afty, for an hour, but I just couldn't be arsked with it.

[downhillingdemon]

Better ride today - couple of hours in Malvern. Bit of jump practice on a few wee jumps hidden on the common. Mile and a half road climb back from the shop with a heavy rucksack.

Blimycharlie my quads are bluddy sore from 5x5 yesterday. I thought I'd gone proper deep, I'm paying for it now

[downhillingdemon]

Monday - rode a bit. It wasn't enough.

[bob_summers]

It never is!

Great pics arriba ^^
You're looking really solid in the air.

[downhillingdemon]

It never is!

Great pics arriba ^^
You're looking really solid in the air.

Cheers bob Jumping has been feeling good lately!

Tuesday - about an hour of forest rooty trails. I was totally distracted and spent most of the time heading into trees, hitting every root in the worse possible way and generally just getting pissed off. Haven't had a proper off-day like that for ages.

Wednesday - lots of stuff going on, still not really with it so had to call off heading out with the new ladies group and just went to the gym. Found out I've lost near half a stone, which is frustrating as hell after all the hard training I've been putting in - few weeks of stress and wooshhhhh there goes all my strength. I sat on the stationary bike for an hour and dropped bench right back to 30 kg for 5x5. Here it all begins again, I really want to be repping 40 kg for 3 sets of 10 by the end of the year, but right now that feels miles away!

Thursday - another sleepness night after being woken up by the worst pelvic pain, another very stressful day in the office and another evening of falling asleep on the sofa with a hot water bottle.

Training is not going well right now.

[downhillingdemon]

Friday - 45 minutes round hills

[JP]

its shit when life gets in the way of training!

[soniczip]

hey, i'm totally impressed by your pics and especially by the vids on the previous page. where do you live? the woods and trails are quite nice. the one where you fell sure was tight what camera are you using to film your rides? it looks quite stable.

i'm sorry for the bad period you are going through right now. get better soon

[downhillingdemon]

It is indeed JP, it is indeed!

Thanks Sonizip - I'm in Malvern, although tend to ride all over the Midlands/Wales and occasionally further afield The camera is a Contour HD720. It's a great bit of kit, but if I was to get another, it would probably be a go-pro just because the ability to review footage on the trails is invaluable for checking camera angles.

Right, much better day today Got shown round some lovely stuff up at the Wyre Forest (and prolly rode right near BGW's housey!!) Despite the promise of torrential rain, we even got sun. Great singletrack, some techy steep stuff, lots of easy pedalling and general soul riding for 4 hours. Couldn't have asked for more tbh, and it's proper put me in a good frame of mind for uplifting tomorrow

[Big Good Wolf]

That top pictures less than 1km from my house.
Did you find the real steep track from near there down to the river that comes out by a little footbridge ?

[soniczip]

Thanks Sonizip - I'm in Malvern, although tend to ride all over the Midlands/Wales and occasionally further afield The camera is a Contour HD720. It's a great bit of kit, but if I was to get another, it would probably be a go-pro just because the ability to review footage on the trails is invaluable for checking camera angles.

the go-pro is what visitorq was using at this yesr's vfw in austria. i'll go for that then thank you!

[downhillingdemon]

good stuff Sonizip!

That top pictures less than 1km from my house.
Did you find the real steep track from near there down to the river that comes out by a little footbridge ?

Yup - we were being guided by a local so indeed, got shown all the bestest bits! And, and, AND I got to see the chuffer n the sandstone cliff with the wee rooms in

Right, well, erm.....

Bit of change afoot here over the last week as me n the OH split. It's been on the cards a while, but it's over now and it feels like a bit of a weight has finally been taken off my shoulders. Time to get on with life - this week I have been burning the candle very much at both ends trying to get things sorted at home and work. I do need to back-off a bit though, and physically recover from the last few weeks as my strength has totally disappeared and I do feel rather run-down after so little sleep and food for an extended period of time. I've managed to eat much better this week though.

I have all the time in the world to get the strength back, I just have to keep reminding myself of that!

Brief update of the limited training last week:
Sunday - uplift at the FoD. Despite everything actually had a great day's riding. I was very raggedy, but it made me realise that even on a bad day I can still get down the trails in not too short a time. I'm better when I get to follow people who ride flat out as it doesn't give me time to think about stuff Managed 14 runs in the end. I really felt the weightloss on my suspension set up as the forks were feeling hard and I felt like I was really having to hold on to the bars to keep the front wheel in line on the rougher stuff.

Wednesday- short 45 minute ride in the morning

Thursday - 10 mile ride with a very highly skilled group out in Hereford. Mostly downhillers or riders that have been riding for years and knew the trails well. I was a bit nervous to start as I thought I'd really struggle to keep up, but the pace on the pedally bits was ok, and I just about held my own on the descents, mostly through guesswork in places! Was great to get out and meet new people and the evening was stunning, right up to the last 10 minutes when a torrential downpour soaked us all through!

[downhillingdemon]

balls

i'm broke

had an awesome weekend riding massive stuff before washing out on the way into a gap jump on monday and stacking it big time

one wrist rebuild later and i'm off the bike for likely 4 months

hopefully will have op x-rays when i go back friday to see the consultant

ah well, could've been much much worse, i can't believe i only got away with a dislocated wrist!