Updates...

I was told I should either delete the blog or update it, your blog sucks, update and I'll tell how to suck less at racing xc.  So here we are, a rough 3 months between posts - it's really easy to neglect the blog when you've already missed a month.  I've not really been doing any "training", I have been riding my bike sometimes, although not enough to do well.

I started riding/racing my singlespeed, which has been going ok at someplaces (marsh creek) and not so ok at others (fair hill & bear creek).  A lot of this "may" be attributed to me going out to hard on the start. 

On a non bike but blog related, apparently while not blogging you get a lot of spam comments from people with chinese writing.  Also Blogger must have done some sort of update where the preview function actually works.  I'll have to try that out.

Up next is the Guy's Racing - Neshaminy on the singlespeed for hopefully a better race than Bear Creek.  Good thing I updated the blog so I can get some professional advice from The Experience.

-matt

Pre-race prep?

What's your pre-race prep?  Do you do an "opener" workout the day before a race?  What's your warm-up like the day of a race, whether it be an xc race, cx race, road race, or endurance race?  What other pre-race rituals do you have, ie: food day before and day off?

This morning I did an opener workout on the rollers - 10 minutes warmup, 1 min max, 1 min rest, 1 min max, 2 min rest, 2 min max, 2min rest, 2 min max, 4 min cool-down.   Tomorrow I'm going to try to do a good warmup before the Granogue race, as I didn't ret a good warmup at Greenbrier and felt it instantly on the first climb.

Post a comment with your routines.  Thanks!

Tough mudder?

Last night I did some hill repeats, a chill pace loop, and a race pace loop at Bear Creek.  During the chill loop I noticed some of the stuff they have set up for the Tough Mudder competition this weekend.

Somehow they kept some snow around for these guys/gals to run through. 

They also put in this pond, which they are supposedly gonna throw a bunch of ice in, that they will have to swim through??

I always forget how fun this place is to ride.  The second lap was at race pace, just to see where I'm at compared to last year.  My fastest lap in the race was 53 minutes last year, and yesterday I did a 49:47 but I also added about a half mile to the loop.  I was pretty happy with how I felt, considering I didn't feel too good at Greenbrier.  Though, I really need to work on consistency between laps - as my lap times last year at Bear Creek were 53, 57, 1:06.

See you at Granogue!

159..

As of 1:40 pm today only 159 of you have registered for Granogue. Go register now! This weekend looks to be some great racing weather, unlike last years mudfest.  This course is cool mix of everything cool about mountain biking.

The many groups of people that go into making this race possible are awesome.  The vibe at this event is always great with XC and endurance races going on.  They also have a huge bike gear raffle benefiting HERA Women's Cancer Foundation.  You only get the chance to ride here a few times a year, they have a cyclocross race and mountain bike races there.

See you Sunday!

Last minute race..

I rode Friday with Yozell and Thorpe, a really chill pace road ride with a stupid climb up Deysher Rd just outside of Fleetwood. I was feeling pretty tired the whole ride.

The weather was looking to be shitty leading up to Greenbrier, so I planned to just chill at home. At the last minute, ie. 10pm on Saturday night, I decided to race the Greenbrier Challenge. VeganRob and Matteo roped me into taking the drive with them - fortunately I got to sit back and relax in the back of the Daniels Landscaping Dakota.

We rolled into the park around 12:15, registered and kitted up for a short pre-ride. We only got about 1/3 of the way through the course and had to head back for the start. I probably should've warmed up on the road and gotten some efforts in to prepare for the start - fail.

The start went off quite fast up the gravel then double track climb - and I was feeling the pace already. I settled in behind the 4th rider up the next climb, but these guys were pulling away from me. I was about a minute down from the leaders on the first lap, and rode the 2nd lap pretty much by myself in sitting in 4th place. On the third lap I wasn't really feeling it, 2 guys got by me and I couldn't stay with them on the climbs.

I finished out DFL - 6th place, 15 minutes off the winning time of Josh West from Bikeman.com. I really feel the climbing of this course is where I lost most of that time. There was 3300 feet of elevation gain in 4 laps.

Intervals?!?!

Tonight I got outta work a little early from work, and decided to meet up with VeganRob and do some hill repeats, I mean nearly puke induced intervals. We ended up doing 6 - 5 min hill repeats at Lehigh with a few Lungbuster repeats, one up the Witch, and one up Superman.

This workout hurt quite a bit, but I guess its supposed to. It is however, the first bit of structure I've done this season. I was thinking about holding off on doing any intervals and just race on Sundays and suffer. I guess it's probably better to be a "little" prepared.

Helmet-less riding...

I got all my gear together to do a nice easy recovery ride, only thing I forgot was my helmet. As opposed to skipping the ride I rode helmet-less. No, I'm not trying to be this guy , I just wanted to get out and ride since I had some time outta work and had everything else.

It was kinda nice having the airflow without the helmet, although a little weird feeling at times. I friend of mine hit a pothole at like 40mph several months ago and broke his shoulder and the helmet he was fortunately wearing. So I was a little sketched out without one, but everything was all good.

I guess I just need better planning in the morning when getting gear together. My helmet was in the other car from the weekend trip. Enough babbling about a helmet.

This weekend is the Greenbrier Challenge in Boonsboro, MD near Frederick in Greenbrier State Park. Its a great venue, with a 4 hr enduro starting @ 9:30am and XC distance races starting at 10am through 2pm for the expert/pro race. This race is part of the KendaCup series, which also includes Bear Creek AMBC PA State Championships on Aug.1, Massanutten Hoo Ha in Virginia on June 20, and The Bulldog Rump H2H AMBC Nj State Championships on July 11.

LBD minus 5 hours...

The 4th annual Leesburg Bakers Dozen 13 hour race was this weekend. I took another shot at this event, having done a duo two years ago with a decent finish, last year a solo bailing at 8 hours and 70 miles.

This year I have been getting some longer rides before the event, and went into it pretty well rested. I thought I had nutrition figured out, I planned on using Infinit Nutrition as my primary fuel, with some gels and solid food here and there.

Looking back I probably should've eaten more solid foods throughout the morning and afternoon. I had a much better start than last year, and ran some pretty consistent lap times for 4 laps before stopping to switch bottles. Maybe pitting every two laps for a little food would've been better. More knowledge for the next longer race I guess.

I hit the wall at around 8 hours, I figured having already done 15 more miles than last year in the same time, I pulled the plug before I started riding stupid. That was on the 11th lap, I had no power and a really low heart rate and just wasn't feeling right.

8 hours is a long time on the bike, congrats to the folks who did the full 13. At least I got a few hours of partying in after my ride. Next up is probably Greenbriar or Granogue - go register NOW for this race, it's one of the best races in the MASS put on by Fatmarc - one of the most positive guys in the sport. Not sure if it'll be XC or enduro - fortunately the enduro at both are only 4 hours.

Public Service Announcement..

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

When fixing a broken chain make sure you go around this little pin on the chain dangler. Otherwise it'll make a racket - but it'll work till you get out, or so I'm told a few 100 mile races.

Another great night of mountain biking at Sals, although I broke a chain at the most fun downhill just before the Three Bitches climbs. Fortunately I had a quick link with me un-like when I once broke a chain while riding with Bowman and I didn't have one - he give me a spare link (now I'm cursed by him)

Another thing I'd like to point out, POISON IVY. I've forgotten all about this since its been winter, and I attempted to do a little trail maintenance on Tuesday night. We grabbed some broken trees outta the trail that had some poison ivy vines attached, however I don't recall grabbing any of them. Though I must have, since I have some poison ivy on my face and an area I'd like to not have it. LESSON: Don't attempt to move anything NEAR poison ivy, then touch your face, then take a leak.

Hoping to get to the doctor's for a steroid shot to get rid of this poison, and get a few hours on at Lehigh and Sals tomorrow.

UPDATE: Got a prednisone shot, and 40 prednisone pills to take. Hope to be poison free in a few days.

Sabotage..

I actually got out on some dirt last night! The trails at Salisbury have dried up quite well, the conditions are nearly perfect. Traction is amazing, even though I kinda forget how to ride a mountain bike. I also seem to forget how to dress for this time of year, it always takes a few days of warmer weather to figure it out again.

End result of the ride was a broken Garmin 705 due to trail sabotage. There's a electrical?? wire down near St Lukes coming from Dodson, its been there for a long time - however some asshat strung it up in some trees across the trail. Unfortunately I didn't see it, the wire hooked my Garmin off the stem, turned my light on and threw me over the bars.

Capped off the ride with some food and beers at the Bethlehem Brewworks, which was pretty busy for a Tuesday night. Now some night ridin' on tap for tonight after work.

Slackville...

While others have been visiting trainerville or actually riding there bikes outside, I've been trying some other off season methods of fitness. I picked up some snow shoes & cross country skis, both of which are a decent work out. I also tried some indoor rock climbing, another good workout that helps the non-cyclist muscles (upper body).

I actually got some saddle time this week: A nice 2 hour night spin up to Hawk Mtn road & some dirt roads for some climbing, a quick solo Vera Cruz lunch ride on Thursday, and 62 miles of some dirt roads and some good climbing in the sun today w/ Jay DeJesus, Craig Lander, and Dave Harms.

Some horse traffic on Keim Road.

Dave and Lander patiently waiting for Jay to check his phone that had been blowing up all day - all the hype of the Ti EWR must have the press talking.



One of Berks County's covered bridges, any ideas where? No prizes, just for fun.

Looks like the weather is gonna be great for the first of the March Training Series this Sunday. I'm going to attempt the Derby and 2 crit Sunday, so we'll see how that plays out.

I may actually update sooner than my last post. We'll see about that too.