Rachel’s takeStage 2 was tough, but we all knew stage 3 would be tougher. Taking in the same distance at around 100km, but with 500m more ascent. So I decided that for stage 3 I would just ride. No chasing down the wheel in front, no worrying about places, just riding. I chatted to the […]
Belgian MTB Challenge Cup 2015: Day Two
Related Event: Belgian Mountain Bike Challenge
Today went something like: Hours 1-2: Smashy, smashy along some lovely fast fire roads. “Oh this is fun – I like going fast” Hours 3-4: Slog up rocky, lumpy hills. Plod along muddy singletrack trying not to fall into the odd lake that the off camber trail heads towards. Go up a hill, then straight […]
Belgian MTB Challenge Cup 2015: Day One
Related Event: Belgian Mountain Bike Challenge
Well that was a shock to the system! The first stage of the BeMC Cup turned out to be every bit as tough as I thought it was going to be and more. The field on the start list was a bit stacked and then as we were having a coffee in town prior […]
How to plan a race season
Related Event: XCM World Champioships: Sellaronda Hero
You might think that it’s a bit late (or early) to be thinking about planning a race season in Europe. You might be right. In fact most people have been racing for months now and are fully immersed in the 2015 MTB season. But I took the decision this year not to race early, or […]
XCM Worlds: Dealing with the Reality Check
I always knew it was going to be tough coming to race the World Marathon Championships with limited time to acclimatise and limited racing time in my legs. The reality was somewhat more of a shock. Most of the top competitors arrive a week or more before and recce the whole course. For me, with […]
Give thanks for British Summertime – XCM Worlds Ornans 2012
Prior to leaving England for the World Championships in Ornans France I told various people that I wanted it to rain and for the race to be muddy. My thought process went something like: – we just did a really muddy ride in Hopton Woods, it was fun and I felt fast, – if it […]
Preparing for the UCI XCM Worlds Part 2 – Practice makes perfect
I started this year planning to make the Kielder 100 one of my big targets. It’s a great event, with a fab atmosphere and gorgeous setting in the wilds of Northumberland. But with my qualification for the World Championships confirmed I decided I couldn’t do a 100 mile race 3 weeks before, and just after […]
Preparing for UCI XCM Worlds Part 1: Try something that scares you
In 3 weeks I am racing the Marathon World Championships through the UCI qualification process (long may it continue). I’ve been racing for 5 years, starting in Sport (the beginner XCO category in the UK) in 2007. Riding a bike seriously-ish for 8. I’m feeling like a duck out of water but I do like […]