Gorrick 100 and 24hrs of Exposure

The weekend just passed I took part in the Gorrick 100 as I normally do each year as a prep race for the 24Hours of Exposure.  This year the course location was moved to Porridge Pot Hill and the Gorrick team created a great, fast and interesting track with loads of new bits, with very little fire road trucking.  Despite this the course was fast, very fast, which meant I was always going to suffer on the single speed.

By and large the race went well in terrific conditions, with the course dry and the sun shining. As I tried to keep my pace high with a gearing suitable to a 24hr race not a 100km one.  I pressed on but soon came unstuck with cramps, after a lie down and stretch, I continued on and paced myself to finish and ensure that my legs recovered from the cramps.

By the end of the race I had dropped to 30th, but I have to say I was quite content with that.  My focus remained on the 24Hours of Exposure and trashing my legs was not an option and actively recovering from my cramps during the race was a positive for this coming weekend.

With my focus now narrowed, I am prepping for the weekend, bikes are prepped and I am feeling quite good physically and mentally, but quite restless.  Hopefully the nerves will be useful energy and a positive.

Weldtite, Alpkit and Cycleworks have got right behind me and everything has come together at the right times, so this has also keep the household calm.

I look forward to seeing if all the effort and sacrifices that have been made, pay off.  I am also sure my pit crew will ensure that I keep going and stay fully fueled and the bikes rolling, she bloody good at these and giving a hug when required (don't discount the power of this).

24 hours of Exposure, here goes.

2013 Training

Well simply put, I made a 2013 training plan, some Strava Challenges help fulfill these plans and I am rapidly approaching the last few 100k's of the April block, in time to taper and be ready for the Gorrick 100 on the 5th May and the 24Hrs of Exposure on the 11th/12th May.

Watching the improvements over the weeks, some of which seem to come with no effort and some when you think you are having the worst session every, have maintained my momentum.

I do have to say, that the incorporation of the Strava challenges to the training goals, for me has worked well.  I am mildly competitive (until you put me on a start line) so Strava doesn't get me wound up, but rather helps keep me motivated.  Entering a training challenge devised by someone else seems to work for my psyche and gets me on the road, trail and even the turbo more often.

But the key thing I put in every training plan is one rest day or recovery day a week, this may include a ride still, but it will probably be very short slow and involved a lot of messing around.  This certainly is one way to maintain the love, losing this would make it hard to train.

I also always have the caveat "if the body says no, the body says no" this has been played only a few times this year, which means I must have something right at present.

As I now head into the race season, the training cycles shift and become a little more flexible and a planned week in the Italian alps riding and another climbing will also break up the season, yet still provide valuable time at altitude and exercising in a more relaxed manner.

The only real questions that remain are, which gearings to use for which races on the singles?  Everything else is currently on track, even with some major development around home in the form of a massive garage and workshop.

As usual, a massive thanks goes to my Nik and indeed my cycling partners and my sponsors for keeping me active and equipment in working order and supplying it.

The race season start is counting down. Tick, Tock, Strain, Puff

Weldtite sponsorship

Some great news from Don'tfalloff Race HQ, Weldtite www.weldtite.co.uk are sponsoring me for  Endruance races and whatever other types of races I squish in to this years calendar.  They join cycleworks.co.uk and Alpkit, and are yet another UK based company.

I have been a member of their Review Team for the last year and can honestly say they make some great products and are really ace people.  So when it came to looking for some additional support, they were my first choice by a long shot.

Below is the first little shipment of products that I received to keep the wheels and cranks turning, clean and lubricated for the year, which looks like an exciting one.

Right now I think there is CX bike that requires some of that Dry Lube (the red cap) and some riding on dusty trails.

Thanks Lorraine, Paul and all of the Weldtite team.  :)