Stepping it up to National Level

[downhillingdemon]

Ok, I admit, I may not be quite as fit as I like. I don't care much for riding uphill any more and am not bothered if I don't get to the top before the guys.

BUT I hate it with a passion when I don't have the fitness to get the most out of undulating trails, or I don't have the leg strength to sprint hard enough at the end of a downhill trail.

Add to that the fact that I haven't lifted weights properly since this time last year means I am also way weaker than I'd like to be. I need the strength to hold on to manhandle the downhill bike on the faster trails as it is such a big percentage of my bodyweight. Yet I've not picked up a weight for over a month.

Plus I eat far too much shite food now and not enough protein, fruit or veg so that doesn't help.

So I think I'll start a log here. It might help. It might not, but it's gotta be worth a go.

[fredrikw]

Excellent, looking forward reading

[Johnboy74]

Keep logging

not enough protein, fruit or veg so that doesn't help.

So what do you eat

[downhillingdemon]

Cheers guys, I'll prolly keep this just for physical training...I tend to write all the technical stuff (i.e. emotional nonsense ) in my blog (linked in my sig)

Keep logging

not enough protein, fruit or veg so that doesn't help.

So what do you eat

Erm...well today wasn't too bad (but not really great)...

three thick pieces of white toast with vegetable pate
potatoes wegdes, nutburgers, vege sauage salad, ice cream and stewed autumn fruit
deep fried tofu, chips and salad for tea

whereas yesterday I had
three thick slices of toast and marg for brekkie
hard gums and white chocolate whilst cycling, oh and a very strong black coffee loaded with sugar
trek bar
curry, rice and tandori veggie burgers

problem is, my weight tends to stay stable (53 kg when not lifting, goes up to about 55 kg if I lift heavy) so I get away with eating loads of junk food.....but just cos it doesn't make me fat doesn't mean it's any good for me

prolly should log some training really....this weekend was the first one for a long time which involved more XC than DH. Did about 4.5 hours of sessioning and XC in the hills on saturday. I'll work out the approx milage for the total route in a bit, although of course this doesn't take into account all the pushing to session drops etc.

Today had a fantastic hour just trail finding whilst visiting relatives....pushed the big climb up though. It made me realise how lazy I have got over the last year...I did that climb not long after I started riding a while back and remember really trying to clean it and getting frustrated that I couldn't. Today I just thought "ah stuff it, why waste my leg power climbing when there's lots of lovely singletrack to blast along at the top?" Shameful!

Actually, I might put in a couple of piccies on occasion too....

These are from Saturday

[Johnboy74]

curry, rice and tandori veggie burgers

Yum that sounds delicious! you make the burgers yourself?!

problem is, my weight tends to stay stable (53 kg when not lifting, goes up to about 55 kg if I lift heavy) so I get away with eating loads of junk food.....but just cos it doesn't make me fat doesn't mean it's any good for me

Is weight critical for downhilling then?


Love this pic! Soooo John Constable!

[downhillingdemon]

Tonight did an hour on the singlespeed round town/urban hidden river trails - saddle down, stomping on the pedals for an hour.

Kills me, singlespeeding, it really does.

Yum that sounds delicious! you make the burgers yourself?!

Nope! Curry out a tin, veggie burgers out a packet. They were pretty good though, found 'em in the local health food shop at the weekend....I'll definitely be going back for more! Isn't it awesome when products are labelled specifically as being suitable for vegans?

Is weight critical for downhilling then?

Weight isn't really critical for DH in the same way as it obviously is for XC. However, I remember speaking to a MTB trainer a long while back who had read into studies about DH and bodyweight. They used to think extra mass would be a benefit because of the gravity assistance on fast stuff. However, turned out the acceleration of the smaller riders was the most critical so in fact being lean is an advantage (at least on the more techy twisty trails).....but there is a limit I think, and it's more body mass than I have. I certainly find I'll loose the guys downhill if no-one is braking or pedalling. I have to really pedal sometimes to keep up whilst they are cruising. The bike is also a MUCH bigger percentage of my bodyweight....the 222 is around 41lb (light for a DH bike really), but that is still around 34% of my bodyweight. For a 14 st (average) guy that would only be 20% of his bodyweight (or, to look at it another way, equivalent of him riding a 67 lb rig - well, if I have my sums right!).

Essentially, what I am saying is....I probably could do with eating more, not less, cake

Anyway, I kind of made the decision today that I probably need a bit of focus, so I am trying to pluck up the courage to enter my first (local and non-serious friendly) DH race on the 24th of October.

[Crash]

Gorgeous photo (and pretty good biking)! Good luck with your race on the 24th!

[fredrikw]

Anyway, I kind of made the decision today that I probably need a bit of focus, so I am trying to pluck up the courage to enter my first (local and non-serious friendly) DH race on the 24th of October.

excellent decision!

[Dave Noisy]

heh - at 53kg, getting uphill ought to be a breeze for you!! I'm up in the 70kg range...much less fun..!

[Johnboy74]

Nope! Curry out a tin, veggie burgers out a packet. They were pretty good though, found 'em in the local health food shop at the weekend....I'll definitely be going back for more! Isn't it awesome when products are labelled specifically as being suitable for vegans?

Holy Grail is finding the word "Vegan" on something, pisses me off when things are vegan and it doesn't say so, just plain lazy!

They used to think extra mass would be a benefit because of the gravity assistance on fast stuff. However, turned out the acceleration of the smaller riders was the most critical so in fact being lean is an advantage (at least on the more techy twisty trails).....but there is a limit I think, and it's more body mass than I have. I certainly find I'll loose the guys downhill if no-one is braking or pedalling. I have to really pedal sometimes to keep up whilst they are cruising.

Seems like it swings in roundabouts really, suppose doing some heavy lifting on your legs would give you more power pedaling down no?

I am trying to pluck up the courage to enter my first (local and non-serious friendly) DH race on the 24th of October.

DO IT! make us vegans proud!

[downhillingdemon]

Right then, decision made - I'll be racing on the 24th

Seems like it swings in roundabouts really, suppose doing some heavy lifting on your legs would give you more power pedaling down no?

Yeah, guess I should do some of them squat mujigies - pedalling the SS and sprinting on the bike does help a bit, but I do think some weights would help a lot. I kind of gave them up as I can't hold the bar on my back properly and I had a chronic muscle injury in the top of my leg. Actually, I kind of gave up lifting everything heavy.

Free squats to start and some front squatting for reps once a week will probably be beneficial. I'll give that a go I think.

Tonights night-ride on the HT - 45 minutes at 'chilling out' pace.

[Johnboy74]

Right then, decision made - I'll be racing on the 24th

Excellent Demon... We wanna see pics from the day

Free squats to start and some front squatting for reps once a week will probably be beneficial. I'll give that a go I think.

Might be worth a try, could give you that extra power and wipe the floor with the guys

[downhillingdemon]

Had to go away with work this week - unfortunately the long work days meant I didn't get much chance to ride, however, I did get a trip up and down the Weymouth sea front with Marvin (my SS). Plus, the lady who owned the B & B (booked by work through the internet) actually understood what a vegan was! I got alpro peach soya yogurt with fruit, toast and pure margerine, Linda Mc sausages beans and toast and a HUGE pot of tea and soya milk for brekkie. Most awesome indeedy!



Saturday was Cwmcarn uplift day and it was most awesome. Johnstuff was there too (showing the world just how good vegans can ride!)..........there may even be pics later........watch this space. I feel like a trainwreck today though. Considering we get taken to the top in a bus, and only ride for about an hour and a wee bit in total, I am always soooo exhausted and sore the next day. My triceps, shoulders, lower back are on fire

I was probably faster than ever, but still not quick enough. I need more pedal strength, and I need to work on my flat-to-steep drops - badly.

[Starling in a cage]

I got alpro peach soya yogurt with fruit, toast and pure margerine, Linda Mc sausages beans and toast and a HUGE pot of tea and soya milk for brekkie. Most awesome indeedy!

So, where's this place then???


Beautiful pic of Marvin. the lights in the background give him a celebrity look.

Best of luck on 24th.

[downhillingdemon]

I got alpro peach soya yogurt with fruit, toast and pure margerine, Linda Mc sausages beans and toast and a HUGE pot of tea and soya milk for brekkie. Most awesome indeedy!

So, where's this place then???


Beautiful pic of Marvin. the lights in the background give him a celebrity look.

Best of luck on 24th.

Cheers...fingers crossed they are racing a track I have actually ridden! If they are doing any of the others it could all get a bit messy

Funny you should ask where the place is...I was gonna do a brief write up about it in the 'travel' section when I get chance. It was this one. The lady was great - she even let me put Marvin in the room (which was rather lovely too). I'm not sure how much it cost though as work paid for it all.