Words of technique wisdom

Like a Buddhist monk RK has said some things that have stuck in my mind and continue to whisper in my ear as I send myself into battle. I thought I should remind you all of his words of wisdom:

Drive the bike not ride the bike;

Under rotation prevails over over-rotation;

Good energy management, good body position, footwork and looking;

We dont yank on the bars we push energy through the bike;

Lay of the breaks, carry more speed and generate a smoother ride;

Concentrate on the trail ahead and not what is’nt the trail;

Keeping your head up slows things down;

It does’nt matter how fast you enter a corner but how fast you leave it;

Its next, next, next, always looking ahead of the bike at what is coming next, i dont want to get caught up in the now but what is going to happen in the future;

And finally kids remember:

You cant change what is happening only what is going to happen!

See you out on the trails. XC Tom

Dust 'n' Disorder - The Ranmore Sessions

Dates: Weds, Sat, Sun
Riders: Various including Mark2, Dunnie, Dave, Dave2, Tom, Rich, Roger & Duncan from HftH
Locations: Ranmore, Leith Hill, Redlands, Milton Gore

Haven't blogged for a while...frankly all I've been doing is riding in my spare time so I haven't managed to squeeze one in, as it were.

In fact I've done so much riding (6 days out of the last 10!) that it's all melded together in my mind into one big session. I'll try my best to pick out a couple of highlights but the overall theme has been one of dusty bone-dry trails (dare I say it we could do with a shower to dampen them down), seriously technical new trails and jumps, lots of jumps!

The technically challenging trails on Ranmore have been a big feature - Abba Zabba, Blind Terror, Numbskull and the new one "Reformation" - check the Nirvana link attached for some videos - plus Grevious Angel.

There's some seriously challenging stuff up there - big drops, doubles, kickers, steep rooty and off camber sections although we all emerged reasonably unscathed.

None of the OTH'ers rode the sketchy drop and double on Reformation although Roger showed us how last night before dispatching the very scary bombhole double at the end of Numbskull.

Other highlights have included nailing more of the new jumps springing up at Milton Gore (both Marks progressing to get over the bigger double), Dave and I jumping the big fallen tree at the bottom of Wave of Mutilation in Redlands, going to the Yeti demo day at Peaslake (no I'm not buying one) and several post-ride visits to the Plough and the Star.

Those who aren't riding at the moment are missing out big time - get yourselves out there!

Hold on a minute - this isn't a Mountain Bike!!!

Well it would be, if it had wheels and a seat and handlebars.....

Can I post a video of me running....? What, not even if it's really fast, like????

I too did some running - but enough of that, and more video of blokes on BIKES doing JUMPS and occasionally FALLING OFF. ('Cos let's face it, a video of me [or anyone else, unless maybe it was Diane Kruger running naked round my garden or something....] running would be BORING.
So, we all agree - this is not a running site. Here are some clips of a little jumping session Bish, Dave2 and I did last weekend. (Having said that, I only did three jumps, not wanting to get injured and impacting my running.... oops)
As for the blog bit, we went out, did a big climb up Coldharbour Lane, got overtaken by a skinny chick who looked like she weighed about 5 stone, did soem jumps, did a few trails, then had a pint in the Plough to celebrate Dave's birthday, then rode back to dorking (where, for the record, I got a replacement seat post collar for the one I knackered in one of the below jumps).
Mullac-a-bu!
Dunnie

The Welsh Hills with the welsh

I wasn't going to put anything on the blog about my ride on Sunday, but after Andy's blah about running.................... This is a Mountain Bikers Blog. Get on a bloody Running Blog. Enough said!!!

Anyway, went up to the Welsh Alps over Easter and was asked by a friend , up there, to take him on the Marin Trail on Easter Sunday, the only decent day. We met at 0900, weather was fantastic. We looked a million dollars. Me on my Specialized Hardtail and Gaz (Gareth in Welsh) on his peugeot full suspension Halford's Special. I had asked if he had a bike(beic in welsh) and he stated 'Oh yes, a full susser' No probs I thought.
We set off. After a hundred metres all i could hear was a constant squeak. All was not going well. 'It always does that!' Oh well, let's give it a go. We went through a deserted Llanrwst and up the Nant Hill. After half a mile of up and Gaz huffing and puffing, he stated that he shouldn't have had the TEN pints last night and his guts were playing up. Still the weather was great and the air fresh. We turned off to the start of the Marin Trail.
We managed about 2 miles of the 16 miles before Gaz announced that a) he didn't think he was up to it AND b) his bike definitely wasn't up for it. We hit the minor roads and headed for the lakes. A pleasant climb up to Llyn Gerrionydd which was like a mirror. I gave him a choice of up and over to Llyn Crafnant or straight route home. He'd cheered up and opted for the scenic route.
Boy was it worth it! The views of Snowdonia with Snow topped mountains was superb. Proper Mountain Biking. none of your manufactured trails here. We battled up to the top of the fire road and after stop at the viewpoint, blatted down to a lakeside cafe for a brew. High Speed decent with the odd wait for the squeaky boy.
Tea and cake consumed we had an uniterupted further blat down into Trefriw. The Welsh alps now bathed in Spring Sunshine and a quick nip across the Gowers Suspension Bridge and into the pub.
Hope you are all still awake! The good news is I have found accommodation above a Pub in Penmachno half a mile from the start of the Penmachno Trails. Who's up for aproper welsh trip later in the year????
Nos Daa....................

The second 18miler!

So... just thought I'd keep you all updated on my marathon training progress! The second of my 18 mile training runs loomed on Saturday morning, and based on how I felt the previous weekend, at the completion of the last 18 mile run, it was with an element of trepidation that I set off!! The weather forecast of heavy showers, and the torrential downpour which had happened only minutes before my departure did nothing to boost my confidence. Nevertheless training is a necessary evil, so with a break in the rain I set off at 0910 steeling myself for the miles ahead!

The weather was kind, the road was kind, and although it took my legs a good 6 miles to get comfy, the pace felt good. For the first time in my training career I had to stop twice en route for a pee, once at 3 miles and once at 10 miles!! Still - a sure sign I was hydrated enough!

I won't bore you with the full details of the run, suffice to say that running that kind of distance can be quite boring!!

I completed the 18.6 miles in 2hrs 47mins - doing 1/2 mile longer than last week and doing it 10mins quicker! The bonus being I didn't feel sick, and although my legs were full of lactic acid, I could've kept going. Now at that pace I'm on for a sub 4hr marathon time (just), and if I achieve sub 4hrs at London I will be more than made up... I'm now well and truely fired up for this, despite my wife dousing the flames by saying "you've still got a few weeks to go, don't build your hopes up!!". Pin, ballon, burst all sprang to mind!!