Ben Thomas is one of the most prolific endurance mountain biker racers in the United Kingdom. 2012 took him to Spain, South Africa, the Czech Republic, France and many other locations to race his bike – fast! Now, he is looking to 2013.
The time available to write blogs has been minimal since my last update from France in October. Thanks to those of you who’ve continued to check for updates on the Twitter and Facebook page.
Since Roc d’Azur I’ve taken some much needed rest away from the bike and the training lifestyle; it was good to enjoy some nice foods (a few more cakes than I’d normally be able to indulge in) and I even ventured back to the local night club I promised never to return to when I was in college! Plans were already coming together for next year so much of October and November were spent at the computer sending emails and making phone calls.
Training started at the beginning of November. There’s a long build up to the first big races of 2013 but it’s important for my preparation to start building a solid base fitness this side of the New Year. My first 3 weeks of training have just concluded and my training files reveal a successful month: the commitment from sponsors for next year has been a really big motivation. Waterproof trousers and jackets have become my most regularly used items even on the road, it might not be very aerodynamic but it keeps you dry. Despite the weather there’s been some really fun training rides generally from exploring new routes and being out in the countryside leaving me with a huge smile.
This year has left me with some unfinished business after bad luck and poor planning ruined several opportunities for big results: National Cross Country Champs sticks out as the major disappointment but I’ll turn this around as extra motivation for the 2013 race. Andalucia Bike Race, Kielder 100 and National Marathon Champs are 3 other big events I’ll look to improve at next year and hopefully we can make this possible with the changes we are making this winter.
I’ll remember several highlights from this year: 31st place at the European Championships; 23rd overall at the Cape Epic; being selected for the World Championships; plus many memorable stories from epic race trips with many fantastic friends.
Scoping out the trails for the 2012 XCM World Championships. Photo: Ben Thomas
Thanks to the followers who’ve kept track of my travels this year. There’ll be another update on Monday 3rd of December when we’ll be launching our team for 2013! Stay tuned!