2016 New Bike, New Team....

So here we are, the year of 2016!

 Another year of Mountain Biking ahead of me, and it looks like a fantastic year.
Towards the second half of last year I had to take it easy in racing and Mountain Biking in general.
Like they say: "it has to get worse, before it can get better", and it really did.
Got better that is.

I was offered a great opportunity to become a rider for Mad Elk Cycles, and I'm so happy to have met such a great bunch of people, who I proudly call friends. Their dedication and love of bikes is truly inspirational.

Thanks to them (and my Dad) I was able to purchase my pride and joy, my beloved Spider.
I was on the search for a bike that would suit my riding style, and be versatile enough, to be able to compete in all races I wanted to do. It took us while and then the lads told me about the Spider. I made up my mind within a week. When Michal built it for me in the shop, he sent me some pictures of a finished bike. I couldn't wait to go and collect it. I drove to the shop with my Dad, and when I saw the bike I couldn't believe my eyes. On the pictures the bike looked good, but in real life it looked even better. I had a quick ride on the car park, back to the shop for few initial tweaks to get the forks and shock adjusted to my weight, and then back home. Just as well I asked my dad to come with me. I was so excited, that it was a good job he was driving us back.

.

When I hit the trails, I couldn't get enough of it. It felt like the bike was built especially for me. Everything I tried to do on the trails, I did with such an ease, as if I was riding this bike for years. Few more tweaks, couple of upgrades later, and I can easily say that it is a bike of my dreams.
There is a draw back though, because the bike is so capable, I have to pull myself back at times.
The truth is, Spider can do more that I can, but that gives me great opportunity to learn and explore my sport further, but not too fast...
Not long after I got the bike, I have done Nire Valley Drop , great event, but because pedalling was so much easier compare to the AMS,  I must have thought that I'm invincible, and I don't have to spare myself at all. As a result I pulled my quad muscle, and had a quite painful, last 15 km of the ride. Another time I went on a Enduro training session and enjoying the speed, I pulled a manual and over jumped a small jump that send me flying into the tree, resulting in tearing a ligament in my thumb. After that, I decided to slow down a bit...only a bit :)
So now after two biking blitz races I know, that this is the bike for me.

This is my third time racing this series. Unfortunately two days before the first race in Wicklow, I became ill with flu and I was in two minds whether I will actually race. I decided to go despite better judgement from my better half, advising me against it. It was an utter murder, that's all I can say about it. It was cold and wet. But despite all that I finished on 8th place. I was absolutely delighted with myself, but I had to pay the price. For two weeks after that I was trying to recover from the sickness.

Not all was bad, I got a wonderful email from Tony in Absolute  Black that I have been selected as an Ambassador for their Brand! I was thrilled, as even before that I couldn't stop praising their Oval chain rings, but now I'm going to have even better opportunity to try and use the products.

Two weeks later I raced in Limerick. I did not feel like racing at all. Only just recovered from the sickness and training was minimal, so I was like bleh...
My spirits lifted, when I was able to watch my daughter racing. I think it was a great achievement for her after having such a long break. I'm so proud of her, that after all she's been through, she is able to go and detach herself from it all and go racing, and with a smile on her face too. Maybe that's exactly what she needed to do.

On the start line I didn't even try to go in front, started way back, I thought I'll take it easy. When the siren went, I could almost feel the Spider urging to go forward. I stepped on the pedals and before we reached the first climb I was third! I was in the top three shuffling places with other riders for about half an hour, but after that I had to let off, my body wasn't able to keep the pace of these lads. At the end I finished fifth. I was over the moon, when my kids met me at the finished line, and said "I think you fifth Daddy"! 

That was the first race for a long long time, when I actually felt how it's like to be chased by everyone, instead of chasing the leader. It felt good, so different, such a different perspective. I have to say, it felt good. Maybe fifth is not a great place, but for me it is an indicator, that I might be able to get the podium. Just a bit more training, bit more positive thoughts, and maybe, just maybe...

The Wicklow Way

Was it tough? 
Yes.
Would I do it again?
Yes.

This was my ambition for quite a while now. Ride the Wicklow Way, start to finish. Having a weekend to myself, I decided, now is the time. Originally I planned to start on the Friday, but due to work commitments, I had to postpone it till Saturday. 

So Saturday morning I got a lift up to Marley Park and at 8:15 I was on the bike. After a quick ride around the park, I decided to alter the start of the journey, and I climbed Three Rock instead of Kilmashouge. I joined the Wicklow Way and the end of euro trail climb, from there on, I stuck to the marked route pretty much all the way.

After Ticknock, I knew that my paste was way to fast for a long journey, so was trying to find the speed that would allow me to maintain my average speed of 10km/h. It took a bit of getting used to, but with strava, it was easy to keep an eye on the average. 

After a first few descents, I had to attach my tent to the backpack. 

When I set off, I had it tied to the frame, but during downhills, it was moving too much. Having a full suspension bike and a dropper post, there's not many places you can attach things to the bike, so backpack had to do. 

Even though I took as little as possible with me to carry,  the bag was heavy enough. I'm used to biking with backpack but this was bit different. First of all heavier load on the bike meant, earlier braking and more speed adjustment on the downs. Also had to up the pressure to the fork and a shock to accommodate the extra weight. Another thing that was different from "normal " riding, was the height of the back pack. During the descent,  with a post dropped and hips moved behind the seat, the bag would travel up my back, and hit the back of helmet, causing it to slide right onto my eyes. To conquer that, before every steeper descent,  I had to loosen the shoulder straps to make the bag slide down my back more. After Ticknock and Ballybrack, I had all that under control ( more or less).

Prince William seat was quite mellow and picturesque, I met only few people there, everyone welcoming me on the trails, even some people helped me carry the bike over the gates.

Then there was Maulin and Djouce. It was hard at times, some sections I had to push up hill, but the weather was good, people where encouraging me to go on, and before long I was on top of Djouce (not exactly,  I follow the WW, and didn't climb the peak).

After the board walks I touched on Ballinastoe and down towards Lough Dan. I was feeling a little hungry, and needed a big lunch soon, not just small snacks I took with me. I reckoned from there to Glendalough will not be too long. 

I could not be more wrong! 

That bit could be a spin in itself, but I really enjoyed it. That part of Wicklow Way is often skipped, but it's so worth doing. The climbs are tough but neat and dry, sometimes narrow, but the descents and the views are worth it!

I had my very late lunch in Larragh, and I set off for Mullacor. 

I wasn't expecting that. The climbs out of Glendalough where killing me. The food was only in my stomach, so energy levels where still low. Steps, stones, lots of walkers all of that made it quite hard to climb, and I had to get off the bike quite often. I was on top of Mullacor around four o'clock, I think. Looking at the map, I was almost in Glenmalure, the halfway point. 

I was expecting a nice grassy descent but again, surprise! It was like a staircase made out of slabs and stones. I tried to ride down,  but gave up after twenty or so metres. It would be a great fun on a DH rig!

Then I finally reached Glenmalure, I started a small fire in the existing fire pit, to slow down the midgets, and luckily I had a spray, that kept most (not all) away. I also had a lovely dinner and a pint in the nearby pub. 

The night went guickly and despite the nearby full blown camping/drinking party, I slept like a baby. 

In the morning I had to light the fire again to keep the midgets away while I had a wash and a breakfast. It also gave me bit of a lift, watching the fire grow, it wasn't a warm morning at all and I was tired. I had a plan, to stop at the next shop for a lovely sausage sandwich. Little did I know that there's no shops for quite a while...

Of course as a rule of Wicklow Way, after a valley there's a mountain, and climbing Slieve Maan first thing in the morning was certainly not "easing back into it". It felt good when I eventually reached the top of it. I looked back and I could see the "big" mountains behind me, and the feeling that I was riding up and down most of them only yesterday gave me an extra kick. 

At the top of Carrickashane, I could see Mount Leinster. It was very far, but it made the whole thing look very real. I descended towards Iron Bridge, and got a bit lost, but thanks to the map I was back on track in no time. 

Sheilstown was lovely, steep climb and long fire road descent turning into small country roads. When I reached Moyne,  was expecting a shop. I was hungry and my supplies where running low. I wanted coffee and my sausage sandwich. But no shops in Moyne. I checked with the map, next was Tinahely. I knew I could get something there, but it was 1,5 hours and 250m of ascent away, so I decided I chance nearby Knockananna. All I could get there was some Snickers bars, two black bananas and a bottle of water. It wasn't much but gave me bit of a lift.

Ballycumber Hill was nice, lots of riding on a narrow path, with high ferns on both sides, and a great view of the mountains ahead of me. When I descended into Tinehaly, Michael was on his way back from Ballinastoe, and scared the life out of me beeping the horn at me like a mad man :) After getting my(late again) lunch in there I started towards Muskeagh Hill. At that stage I was feeling tired, and could not wait until food I just ate, kick into play. Along this section of the Wicklow Way there are few lovely Boreens, sometimes quite soft , wet and with lot of loose stones, so I took it slow and easy along them pushing the bike from time to time. The backpack started to feel very heavy at that point.

After Muskeagh Hill, it was mainly small and narrow country roads. Some go up, some down but a pleasant ride with little or no cars. Again, met few people walking the Wicklow Way, some asking where I was going and where from. After Boley, there was a tarmac climb leading towards Stookeen Hill. 

I'd say to lay tarmac on it, they had to pour it down the slope. It was steep. 

That was the only time on the whole way I could have done with granny ring. I had to get off and push the bike half way up. Maybe some day I come back there just to see was it really that bad or was I too tired to ride up to the top. 

After Stookeen there's only Ureland Hill, where someone forgot to put the signs up, and without the map you can be going around the forest in a circle.

And that's it, tarmac down to Clonegal and I was done. Tired, hungry but happy.

P.S.

For anyone looking for more photos, and strava links to this ride you can find it here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.940824402626418.1073741841.100000966010640&type=1&l=b5fcbffa1a

I would like to thank Mad Elk Cycles for a great support with all bike relating gear and set up for this trip. 

Also great thanks to Barry from East West Mapping for a great map / guide.

Most of all I'd like to thank family and friends for all the help and encouragement and continued support.

 

Visit to the pool - an eye opener!

I haven't had a chance to post anything for quite a while.
 Few changes in my personal life has left me bit short of time for Blogging.

I'm writing this because I had experienced something I didn't expect.
I haven't been to the swimming pool for few years now, well not properly.

What I discovered shocked me!

All my training last few years was very bike orientated, and I thought my general fitness is OK. Apparently not.

As soon as a second length of a pool I started to have a problem swimming with the breast stroke, I kept turning left. I switched to the back stroke, it got worse! After few minutes I started to feel bit of pain in my leg - "pectineus" to be precise. The pain felt sort of familiar, but at the beginning I couldn't match it to anything. After four lengths of the pool, it got really painful. Then it hit me! I realized I know that pain, only from a different scenario ( amazing how the brain works). I get that pain when I don't use my "leading" leg during descents on a single track while standing on the pedals. I don't remember ever getting an injury in that specific area so my mind started to look for reasons.

Well, reason is very simple. I always use my right foot forward when standing on the pedals during descents, and so right pectineus is different to left one.

While on the bike it doesn't effect me much, somehow even while pedaling it makes no difference, but swimming is virtually impossible due to unbalance.
Probably in time it can affect other things like walking or running. 

It's not like I'm riding four times a week, so I didn't expect any major changes in my body since I went back to the sport, but this is definitely an eye opener.

I consider MTB as perfect exercise for the whole body but obviously one has to be always mindful of repetitive strain injury.

So fellow bikers, before you dial in that perfect balanced neutral position while shredding down the trail, don't forget about the leg on the back, is it always the same one?

I did what worked better and was easier, but I'm afraid it's gonna take some time to put things back to the way nature intended.

I wish I knew about it before, hence my reason to write about it.

2014 Season Recap

I haven't written a post for a long time now. 

A lot has happened since. A lot of time on the bike and the trails.

I have raced all but one XC NPS races and learned a lot as a result of them.

A big lesson was to stay hydrated during the race using natural electrolites. 

Even a bigger one, that proper food, fuels your body and the brain for the race, and no "shortcut" energy gels, bars or drinks can substitise it. 

The biggest lesson of all, was Enduro.

I finally built up the courage to race Enduro event. I know my bike is not Enduro racing machine but non the less I decided to have a go. 

First it was Djouce. 

I asked Stephen and Gary what do they think, will I manage, and come back home in one piece. They said I will be fine. That the trails are like the stuff we ride up Mt. Leinster. 

Filled with confidence but still nervous I went down to my first Enduro. 

Bit of a wait in the morning and cue up for the race numbers and we where ready to go. Stickers on frame, fork and wheels to ensure nothing is changed during the race.

I relied totally on Stephen and Gary to guide me thru the stages and to find my way around. 

We where also joined by Harry who came over from Wales. 

Unfortunately the weather decided to not be on our side. We left the race village wearing rain jackets but in high spirits. After the first stage I wasn't as scared as before it. It was difficult, technical, slippy and wet. There was no way I could be fast, but I was happy that I will be able to do all the stages. 

Little did I know that stage five had a bit of a suprise for me.

Have to admit I was scared at times on some drops and decents. 

Off camber switch backs, fast turns, and roots. Lots of wet roots.

Couple of times, during the transitions between the stages, we passed a drop into a fire road or off the fire road, I said to Stephen "I hope we don't have to go down that!" And Stephen with a grin would say "we just did!"

Needless to say I learned a lot on these stages. I would say every stage gave me experience of few months of "normal" riding. 

After stage four there was a long transition, and then we got to Stage 5. Now that was something else. Boys have said it's a hard stage. So me and Harry took it easy at the start of it, but then you just couldn't take it easy anymore. My breaks where so hot that I had virtually nothing to break with, on the back. 

It was steep. Very steep. 

And with all the rain that day, bits of it turned into a muddy stream. If I had seen  that stage in a dry, after walking it for few times I might have decided to ride down it. The fact that there was no turning back, and the trails just became steeper and steeper I just went for it. 

I bounced from tree to tree, I fell, I slid on my back so many times I can't even remember the most of it. To my surprise I didn't get injured. Now, I can't say it didn't hurt but it wasn't too bad. 

I was truly delighted with myself. At the bottom I had so much adrenaline in my body, it was hard to calm down. 

I can't remember the last time I felt like that.

 Just pure joy and a sense of achieving something more than I anticipated. I was so happy, (tiredness and cold from being soaked to the bone, didn't exist). 

And then it happened. With a big banana grin on my face I was pushing the bike backup to the race village, across the river, and I slipped. The bike went sideways, wedged between two rocks I landed with all my body weight hitting  the rib cage against the seat. 

Heard a crunch. 

I thought it was the seat at first, but I was wrong. Bit winded I rode the bike back to the race village. Adrenaline still rushing throughout  my veins I drove home.

It hit me when sat down on the couch. Oh the pain... But I wasn't going to give up the race after all the hard work. So the next day after only few hours of sleep, filled with pain killers, I went back to Djouce. Gary gave me even better tablets then I had, and we set off again. This time joined by Chris.

I must say I remember only very few things compare to practise day, but I remember stage five! It was even worse than the previous day. Two days of rain and all the riders have turned it into a steep mud slide with bridges, roots and lots of trees. 

Have to say I struggled a lot to get down it, with the conditions and the pain. 

Never the less I did it! Maybe I shouldn't have, but I did. 

Five weeks later we went up to Carrick. 

Broken ribs almost healed it was a completely different event. I only had few hours for practice day so we did three out of five stages and I had to leave the lads. After Djouce there was no scary stuff for me. Have to say level of confidence went from 2 to 9. Trails where just perfect, weather fantastic, just a total pleasure. Now bearing in mind previous event I took it easy. And not only because of my abilities but also the little voice in my head saying "don't over do it". 

It took most of the practice day to get the level of confidence back up.

Once I convinced my brain that I'm not going to break the ribs on purpose, it was all good. I could enjoy great trails, beautiful weather, and superb company. The only downside of the day was that Stephen had a nasty crash at the stage five. Luckily nothing broken, but I'm sure he could do without it. 

Now, back to winter training it all seems like a distant memory. 

I have to say skill level required for Enduro is higher than I thought, but experience gained after each event is huge. I can recommend Enduro to every body who is undecided, but you might need some guidance as to how to ride the stages from someone who has done the races of that sort before. 

Also I have to congratulate the youngest member of The ML Syndicate, my daughter Amelia, who came fourth in national championship  and is second overall in under 8 girls National Points System. It was her first season and I'm very proud of her. 

Flat pedals and adjustable seatpost

Flat pedals. 

Coming from road racing, I always took it for granted that if you are serious about biking, you have to be clipped in. Become one with the bike, let the cranks be the extension of your legs, my old trainer used to say. Although that is quite right for the road racing, it's not necessary true for mountain biking. I took the advice from Gary and Sinéad, and thanks to Stephen who was kind enough to give me his flat pedals to try, I never took them off the bike again (well, I did but only for cleaning and service). 

I think that everybody who uses clipped in pedals and shoes, should at least try to ride flats on different terain. For me the difference was colossal. Not only it gave me more confidence during cornering at speed but made me feel the corners way better. For those who ski or surf it's like trying to do it with the knees bent as oppose to straight. For me the freedom of movement on the bike makes all the difference. Of course it gives me more confidence, but most important it's  the ability to move the centre of gravity to follow the trail. But you might say, what about the climbs? That was something I was wondering about too. I think the time has come when people should realise that mountain biking is not road biking off road. That's called cyclo cross. We, mountain bikers should know that climbing the mountain on the bike should not be compared to running ( like road cycling is) only to dead weight lifting. Just like during the lift, we should be trying to push the ground away from us with our feet. And again flat pedals are just perfect for that. 

Next great recent invention for the mountain bikes is the adjustable seatpost, or like some would call it a dropper post. The idea behind it is simple. When you climb then seat goes up allowing you to use maximum of the power transfer from your body to the crank arms. During descending you can drop the seat down to allow free movement on the bike letting you adopt a centre of gravity to the steepness of the slope or severity of the corner. In my opinion this device is as necessary on the mtb as brakes and gears. I've yet to meet anybody who disagrees. It surly is a game changer to your riding style, speed and a comfort for every type of riding, but especially AM , Trail and Enduro. 

XC NPS round one Slade Valey.

So there it was, the first XC race of the season. I was really looking forward to it. Lots of training leading up to it, I felt ready. 

But it wasn't to be...

I started off very well I thought, moving up few riders on the first climb, then single track, then another couple, catching up the lads down hill and overtaking some on the climbs. 

 After the first lap, bang! 

My left crank fell off! ( later I found that the pin in the security plate snapped), quick stop, I put it back on, few riders went pass me, but I didn't loose the spirit. 

When I got back on the bike I heard someone shouting " you're  flat on the back" , but I didn't think he was talking to me. 

Unfortunately he was.  

On the next climb I noticed no air at all in the back tyre. I didn't give up yet though. Got the punctured tube out, replaced with a new one. 

At that stage I knew, that I've no chance in the race, but I continued with the work. All was ready, just to pump up... and that was the end of the race for me. 

The pump failed! 

I got little bit of air in but could not continue the race that way. 

I was gutted. 

Slowly walked down the hill to tell the organisers that it's a DNF for me. 

Not all was bad though, there was five of us from the club racing that day. Sinead has come 2nd, but what really made my day was, my daughter Amelia raced as well in U8 Category and came 2nd!  

Her first race and already on the podium. I felt so proud, and still am. 

 

So now bring on Round 2! Hopefully this time I'll complete the race. 

Amelia is really looking forward to the racing as well.

Biking Blitz 2014 roundup

That's the end of 2014 biking blitz series. The last round was very XC even more so than the rest. Ballyhoura has some great trails but the race for Baggy Shorts is mainly climbs on fire road and nice flowy trails down. Nothing to technical but very enjoyable. I finished 26th which is a great result for me. Very, very happy with it. I think it helped a lot that I had a chance to go for a spin few days before the race on that trail. Good form before and after.  Sinéad has finished fourth and got overall bronze for the whole series. Chris and Tom have been racing too. Tom raced in Super Pro.

Its really great help having Gary there before the race. He's so knowledgable, especially with all the stuff that you will only learn with experience not from the web or the books. 

Our club is getting stronger and better every week. We have decided on the logo and the jersey design and Gary is going to order the first batch this week.