Training Log Archive: AlanH

To work road bike. My tale of recent bike woe continues with a broken saddle. Legs a bit tired.

HFW

Ride to the start

British Long Longleat. Very hot day. Started pretty well, although very muddy. Many many joe public out dog and baby walking, got a bit silly. Then after we crossed the road much fewer people and had a bit of a scrappy patch. Particularly 9 where I couldn't make the map make sense, think the singletrack wasn't really in the right place compared to the top contour. Lost about 90s here. Then poor route to 10 cost a bit. Couldn't find 13 at first, quite hidden then out along the road to 14 but lost track of where I was while planning ahead and went in track too early. Good through to just short of 18 where I couldn't understand why the road changed colour, and the penny finally dropped that some of the roads were OOB and some weren't. The road to 14 for one, and I had just done another very short section. All sorts of things went through my mind, particualrly while trudging up the track to 19 parallel to the perfectly good road; trying to work out if I would be disq, whether other people would've realised earlier, or later. So 20 was a long route round to get all the way back to the other side of the main Longleat entrance. The last loop was very tough physically, lots of climb and mud and heat was taking its toll, and frankly my heart wasn't in it as much. The last but one was also a bit hidden which got me cursing out loud.

By the time I'd got back to the car, checked the final details to make sure I hadn't missed anything, put the bike away and changed I'd calmed down a bit and had various discussions with other competitors on how much they'd realised and when. Andy Simpson had realised early and done a good time. Ifor did the best time, but didn't realise until after he'd finished and very honestly then declared himself n/c, but really it wasn't his fault. Ben had realised early but made a few mistakes, including some that were a bit poor on the mapping. Stodge had been a bit hit and miss with it. All a bit farcical really. The results were left to stand as they were as after Ifor's self declaration Andy's was the fastest time. Ifor would've been very close I think. Shame as quite a bit of the course was well planned.

Event: MTBO Weekend, British Long Champs
 

Moors Valley league race. Had a good first few controls, but it was very easy. Then I'm not sure what happened, think my brain melted from riding so hard. There were 2 obvious routes to 4, one I ruled out because it had some difficult to ride sections on the uphill bits, then I spotted a route to go back on the solid tracks and pick up the singletrack which was marked (correctly) with better rideability than the 2 obvious routes. I wasn't sure which to do and in a moment of brain fade did the route through the difficult riding. Very similar thing happened at 4 when I suddenly realised I wasn't riding the way I had intended to go and ended up taking some single track instead of the straight solid forest road. On this single track my saddle clamp on my crap seatpost slipped and then proceeded to do the rest of the ride with saddle pointing 30degrees in the air. From then had a pretty good ride except for 11 which was a culmination of a few scrappy little moments, all forgiveable unlike 4&5. Ifor whipped me and Em edged me by 4 seconds, but then she did know my time so was taking no prisoners coming through the car park to the finish. I hope she beats me regularly, but because she's become truly great not because I've had a bit of a stinker.

Realised I'd blown the 2hr limit for "cheap" parking so fixed the saddle and went round the waymarked singletrack. Was intending it to be a warm down but got a bit over-competitive with a local who'd obviously ridden it before. Quite a good little singletrack, fast and furious, if a little on the short side.

It has occurred to me that I have to leave tomorrow night to go to another MTBO weekend so thought I better rebuild my bike and take it for a shakedown by riding to/from work. No sign of the replacement Cube so will be racing the Giant still. All ok apart from that blooming seatpost though.

HFW. Front shifter definitely dying, will have to change for weekend.

Some reflection on life and MTBO during my long journey home.

I've predominately enjoyed the trips I've done, but the travelling and airports has got a bit on top of me as I expected, I'm not really a big traveller. I'm happy with some elements of my performances, I haven't totally messed up any, but on the other hand I'm well down in all but the Hungary sprint (will this be my best ever result, my first?).

My knee is the one bad thing, I suppose I could've fallen off and hurt myself anywhere, anytime but shame to spoil the Hungary event by doing this. One thing is for sure, I need to get some rest for this knee. In the next few weeks I've got 2 more BikeOs, 4 MTBO races, holiday in Shetland (road biking a bit probably) and then the 6 day, then after this I must really take it down and let this tear heal properly.

Early Autumn I can chill out a bit before deciding what I want to achieve next year. I do fancy getting one Worlds in while I am just young enough and Hungary next year could fit the bill. Spend on bike parts has gone through the roof the last 12 months, not sure how long I can keep it up.

Lakeland not lanequest R3. Today was the longest day in more senses than one. Up at 2AM Sweden time and 11hrs travelling to return to Shap, then 4 hours work then off to the race. Felt surprisingly good, better than last week in many ways, but did fade a bit from about 45mins on. Did a silly little overshoot while doing some maths on future controls wasting about 45s. Think I got the route right, got all but 2 controls which were out on a limb. I worked out (while overshooting) I would need another 18 mins to do both these, and about 12 to do either on its own, and I only had 3 mins left at the end. Wasn't totally sure on 19 as did it as there/back from 17 over the top of the hill, but had to get it some time given prob leaving those other two and this was closest distance (remember currently trying to stop doing too much distance on routes). Happy with estimating today, worked out I would need 25 mins from 24, 22, 21, 15, 12, 9, 6 and back, and took exactly that. Nice to be racing road bike after 3 races on the Giant. What I like about the Cube is it accelerates like a road bike, the Giant does not. Knee needs a rest now.