Long distance is where it's at - fact!

[KaliBaby]

[quote="downhillingdemon"]... which made descending a little treacherous.

Today - I was supposed to be nightriding with a friend.......but we both chickened out 'cos of the horrendous weather. I was rather annoyed with myself actually, I don't normally flinch at a bit of rain, but the great weather this year has made me soft.

Must take this winter to toughen back up!

Did manage some weights tonight though:

Front squats (my new all-time favourite exercise)
Strict shoulder press
Abs work

(can't risk push press and back squats as I don't have the cage any more to catch the bar if I fail - and both use so much more weight than front squats and strict press)

[quote="KaliBaby"][quote="downhillingdemon"]... which made descending a little treacherous.

[VeganGraham]

[quote]can't risk push press and back squats as I don't have the cage any more to catch the bar if I fail

[quote="Big Good Wolf"][quote]can't risk push press and back squats as I don't have the cage any more to catch the bar if I fail

[downhillingdemon]

Totally useless last weekend - managed just 2 hours of XC stuff round the local park.

Last week I was on a training course which let me commute - 4 days 5.4 miles each way........on a singlespeed with the saddle bolted down in the frame. Most inappropriate bike for commuting with big knobbly tires really.

On the way there it was all uphill into a headwind and, of course, downhill on the way back. Worked out pretty well though - felt like I managed to get a bit of CV in (I wouldn't have been able to otherwise as the course was 9-5 with exam questions and revision to do all evening).

This weekend

Megafail again in terms of fitness - had to spend time sorting house stuff yesterday and like a knobhead I had left my off-road lights in Brum so didn't manage to get out at all *yawn*

Did manage 4 hours of downhilling with the dissident guys today though - it was frikkin ace. Slippy, nasty, muddy conditions - I was reet mincing over the wet roots, but loving it none-the-less.

There's prolly gonna be a few vids.....watch this space.

Really really really gonna pay next weekend for my lack of decent training lately - we've gotta lead 15 guys for a ride out round Malvern and I'm seriously praying my endurance is gonna hold up for the whole day. I'm super unfit at the moment compared to the start of the year and it's really frustrating that I can't seem to get a decent few weeks at it. Mostly cos of stupid work and commuting between two homes all the time.

[downhillingdemon]

EDIT (maybe Youtube will work better) wee bit of a crash......

[downhillingdemon]

This morning: 3.25 mile run

[downhillingdemon]

Yesterday evening

10 minutes skipping (like boxing skipping!!) - but the floor was too uneven so had to give in and run in the dark.

Weights:
Front Squats
Shoulder Press
Push Press
Press-ups
Abs

Ooooh, and here's another VIDEO from the (very slippy!!) weekend

[downhillingdemon]

My goodness two awesome days of riding just been had here.....

Friday - Uplift day at Cwmcarn DH

Saturday - huge MTBB forum ride round Malvern

There will be video, oh yes. It was ace.

I can't move off the sofa I'm so fucked

[downhillingdemon]

Monday - Lifting. Felt strong.

Front Squats
Press-ups

VIDEOS FROM THE WEEKEND!!!!!

This is me on the DH at Cwmcarn (with a minor emergency stop halfway through) - not the best/fastest run of the day, but gives you an idea of just how fun and fast Cwmcarn is.

This is some of the descents from Malvern...we had an extra couple but they got deleted - such a shame we're gonna have to do them again.

This is the Beacon Descent. It's quite flat out fast, although we have to slow down quite a bit for the bends as, unlike the man-made DH trails, these are obviously multi-use for walkers and horses too! Tell I've been riding a Singlespeed to often, I seem to forget I have gears sometimes!

Here's a descent with some interesting steps, well, interesting if you're riding a hardtail!

This is a riding mate Paul on Death Valley. That's my favourite descent in Malvern. The video doesn't justify just how rocky and rough it is at the start and, of course, how steep some of the sections are!

Video never shows the real deal

[downhillingdemon]

Yesterday nightride - about an hour on the HT. I couldn't see shite on the ridge. Practiced braking with my index fingers (rather than the middle ones)...I nearly didn't stop

[bob_summers]

really enjoyed the vids. what fantastic quality - i know nowt about helmet cams.. what are you using? and you're right, it's impossible to capture the full hairiness on camera!

i wanna do the run with steps, have been seeking out stuff like that since i got a full sus! have you seen that vid with the athertons riding an urban course in brasil? i think it's the top result if you search youtube for mtb downhill.

[TMH]

The videos from the weekend jaunts totally rocked DHD!

[downhillingdemon]

Cheers guys - must admit, we are so shocked by the quality - the videos have lost LOADS of quality on upload, it looks amazing when it has been downloaded from the camera straight to the laptops.

It is one of these babies....



It's pretty tiny and sits neatly on a helmet mount/goggle strap. Only cost £200, which is pretty good for the quality and size.

There is a whole thread about it here which will be worth a read if you are looking at getting one.

@bob - yeah, I bet you're really noticing the change to FS! I started out riding a FS and then got a HT after. That was a bit of a shock to start Now I ride the HT's as much as possible and then, when I get back on the FS everything feels SO easy - it's amazing (and dangerous heh heh) how they just let you blat over everything without thinking too much.

I love that Atherton vid - all the urban DH courses are definitely my idea of fun! I'd love a go one day.


This morning - 3.2 mile run

[Crash]

Good job on your work outs DHD and really cool videos! (but what is that on the left side of your helmet cam?)