Fort to Fort

35 mile off road XC. Many thanks to Andy, Coleen & Andrew, and Jim Maxwell and all the other marshalls who made today's race so good. I have been under the weather with a sinus infection and nearly gave it a miss due to this and the awful weather. Resting HR was up this morning and at 65% just sitting on the bike. I should have wound my neck in, but couldn't resist racing in the end. Costly though, as I am now unwell big time. Ed with his CX bike got me at the end, but if I hadn't balls'd it up at Invergarry it wouldnt' have happened (turned as I thought I was going wrong way). Probably only lost one place though and Ed was going well. It was bit like a TT for most of the event, as I couldnt' catch the first group and get a wheel. 11th out of 48 though, so happy. Fiona also did well at 3 hours. She has hardly been on a bike as she has been gardening and decorating the house, so good effort. The graph shows my outragous HR graph which is way above my normal for an event like this. I need a long rest and "off season" as next year has some big events.

The psychology of group riding - Bike Radar

Caramel and candy coated pears put an end to Steve's healthy eating plans (Steve Medcroft)

I know I said I'd work on a nutritional plan this week – and I did make changes to the crappy way I eat which are starting to pay off in my riding.

But then my kids made these caramel and candy coated pears for Halloween, and we went out of town for the weekend and ate on the road, and, well, we’ll come back to nutrition next week.

This is why, with five weeks to go, I needed an alternative focus for the week. Since every piece of advice I get about riding in El Tour de Tucson says that hitting that 5:30 goal will only be possible if I work with groups of riders, I decided to analyse my group riding skills to see if I can make improvements.

We’ve all ridden in groups, right? Probably most of us are comfortable riding side by side with other riders or tucked right up behind someone else’s wheel. But most of my experience is in groups I’m comfortable with; where I got to spend a few rides getting to know the dynamics of the group, spot the fastest wheels and figure out who’s the most likely to cut me off when they move in front of me.

In the Tucson event, I will have no prep, no time to ease in. So I jotted down a list of rules and reminders to carry in my head while riding in a group. (Caveat: these are my personal rules for working in a pack effectively and safely. I’m not trying to create The Definitive Guide to Pack Riding. There are at least 1,000 pros who could probably come up with a better list.)

Leading the group at the start is impressive, but dumb – Too often, I am excited to start a big ride and put myself near the front of the group. Before I know it (and usually just before the ride really heats up), I end up on the front, wearing myself thin to avoid looking like a wimp by dropping back to the shelter of someone else’s draft. For me, too much work too early is a recipe for losing grip when things get fun and fast. I should either take the very first pull so I can have enough time to rest before the speed picks up or sit in the back until the real ride begins.

Six inches is close enough – Staying close to another rider’s wheel can be unnerving but I know it provides the best shelter from the wind. The best approach to following, for me, is to focus on getting to within six inches, to find the position directly behind or off to one side that shields me the most from the elements, and avoid overlapping wheels with the rider in front. Closer than six inches and any change in my leader’s momentum (they get out of the saddle, move to avoid an object in the road or hit their brakes) and I could be on the ground before I can react to the danger.

Get in the drops – I sometimes forget that the lower extensions of the handlebars on my road bike can be held while riding, giving me a more aerodynamic profile and letting me save even more energy when riding behind someone else. This is especially important to remember when riding behind a shorter person or getting close to the front of the group (where the cumulative effect of multiple riders blocking the wind is lessened).

Look three riders ahead – I’m scared to crash. I’ve seen minor falls result in massive carnage. Although there’s no ultimate assurance against crashing, I can see trouble forming much better by keeping an eye three riders up the line rather than zoning out on the wheel in front of me. This also lets me react to changes in the group’s momentum sooner.

Have an escape route – I get really nervous when there is more than one rider on my left and a curb or other riders on the right. I should always have an escape route out of the group.

Take smart pulls – When it’s time to go to the front, it is important for me to remember to keep the speed consistent and take a fair pull. For me, that amounts to staying there for 15 to 30 seconds before rolling off and drifting to the back.

Catch the caboose – I get dropped so many times by missing the tail end of a riding group after taking a pull. If I am smart about my pull and don’t overdo it, I should be able to catch the train as it passes. The key is not letting my speed drop too much when I come off the front, then keeping an eye out for the back of the line and starting to accelerate when there are two or three riders left to pass me. I can usually slot right into the back of the group after that and recover.

Close gaps without blowing up – Sometimes, no matter how well I stay with the wheel in front of me, speed changes up the group cause a gap to open. Too many times, this is where I get dropped – I quit in frustration from not being able to keep up or blow up trying to hook back on. What I need to remember is that if I avoid panic, get in the drops and focus on consistent speed, I can usually close gaps in a controlled manner.

You will not die if you sprint to close a gap – When pulling a gap back gradually doesn’t work, it's better to downshift and sprint across the gap like a Green Jersey is on the line than simply fall away and get stuck riding without the shared energy and protection of a group.

It’s okay to drop out ­– I plan to start El Tour as hard as I can to get into the best possible group to reach my ultimate goal of 5:30. But there may come a time when I need to realise my limitations. Rather than blowing up by gutting it out in too fast a group in the first 50 miles, I need to remember to be smart, drop back, spin a little to recover and grab the next group riding by.

I had a consistent week executing the training plan – sprint ride, tempo ride, mountain climb and weekend ride – and I feel like I am on track for Tucson but thinking through group ride tactics was good for me.

I carried that fanny pack of happy thoughts into Saturday’s 65-mile fast group ride and I am happy to say I was with the fast group a lot longer than even one week ago (three-quarters of the ride rather than one quarter).

I got to use pretty much every rule on the list at least once but the ones that had the most impact were ‘Closing Gaps Without Blowing Up’ and ‘You Will Not Die If You Sprint To Close a Gap’. Good times.

Race Accross The Sky

Peak Performance Predictors

From Coach Joe Friel

Is it possible to predict with a high degree of confidence how you’ll do in your most important race every season? I believe it is. Of course, without a crystal ball you’re never going to be able to predict with 100% confidence, but I think it’s possible to get a strong sense of how well you will do. There are three predictors I’ve found that hold the secret to how you are likely to do in the big race. Assuming you have the physiological potential to achieve a realistic but challenging goal, here are the three questions to ask to predict your success.

1. How did your training go in the 12 weeks leading up to the race? By this I mean how consistently you trained in the final, critical 84 days. During this period you must avoid gaps in training for any reason including the most common ones: unusual commitments (your spouse and boss will love this one), injury, burnout, illness, and overtraining. Any of these will put your chances of success well below 50-50. It’s not great workouts during these 84 days that do the trick; it’s consistent training. You simply can’t miss workouts. Ever. The trick is moderation and the wise expenditure of energy. You must be smart enough to keep from digging a deep hole of fatigue. Yet at the same time your training needs to increasingly simulate the race in some way one to three times each week. It’s a balancing act and difficult to get right. But if you pull it off your chances of success in the race are greatly enhanced.

I’ll give you a good example of this. An Ironman triathlete I coached this year became sick 87 days before his Hawaii qualifying race. The illness lasted for about 10 days and then there was a period of about a week in which he transitioned back into normal training again. Altogether, about 17 days of focused training was lost. By the time he was back to normal again there were 70 days until the race. We were unable to make up that lost time and he failed to qualify.

So then we aimed for a second qualifier 10 weeks later. We allowed for seven days to partially recover from the first Ironman race and gradually began to work our way back to normal training during the following seven days. Now there were eight weeks left. However, two of those weeks would be tapering and peaking. So actually we had six weeks to train. We were unsuccessful a second time. He certainly had what it takes to qualify and had done so before. Basically, and entire season was lost because of a 10-day illness during the critical 84 days.

2. How well do the course and conditions match your strengths? You may not have control over this predictor since some events, such as championships, are tied to given courses. You must then train to do as well as you can on that course by improving your limiters and taking advantage of your strengths whenever possible. But if you have the option to choose a course, be sure to pick one that matches your abilities. Considerations would be length, hills, turns, terrain surface conditions, altitude, and weather - especially rain, snow, heat, humidity and wind.

Your other condition concern is competition. You have no control over who shows up in your category, but with some research and past experience you can probably make an educated guess about who is likely to be there. In some events, especially road bike races, your outcome is very sensitive to the strategies and tactics of the other competitors. Knowing who they are and how they generally race may help you make a decision about which race to select. If the competition is time trial-based, such as a triathlon or running race, then knowing who is likely to be there and how well they race are critical pieces in the prediction.

If the course and conditions don’t suit your strengths then your chances of success are again less than 50-50.

3. How much do you want it? A peak race performance will take you to your limits. In other words, it will hurt. Are you willing and able to suffer to achieve your goal? Hard races have a way of showing that of which we are made. When the time comes to take it to the limit do you have what it takes to hang on or do you often crack? I know this all sounds very macho, and maybe it is. But that’s a big part of what competition is about. It takes great motivation to continue when your muscles are screaming at you to stop. Some people seem to be very good at this. It may be as much a physical ability as a mental one. Some may simply be better suited physically to tolerate pain. Then again, it may be something that their lives have prepared them to handle. Do you tolerate pain well and are you highly motivated to succeed? Then your chances are good.

Before your biggest race of the season ask yourself the three questions above. If all answers are positive predictors then your chance of achieving your race goal is very high. I’d be willing to place a bet on you in Las Vegas in that case. Even better, think ahead in order to control as many of the variables as you can by planning and preparing for each of them long before the event. Now is the time to start this process for next season.

Winter League Dates

15 Nov Wolftrax
6 Dec Lochaline
20 Dec Xmas Handicap
27th Dec Leanachan
10 Jan Glenachullish
24 Jan Fassifern
14 Feb Invergarry
7 March Spean
21 March Balmacara
12 April Leanachan

Don't forget he AGM at Ben Nevis Hotel 19th Nov

Local Champions

Above - Alastair MacLenan - World Champion

Alex Glasgow - Best Scottish and GB XC Racer

Alastair MacLenan from Fort William has won all four jerseys in Downhill this season. Scottish Champ, British Champ, European, and now the coveted Rainbow jersey of World Champion. What an achievment!

Alex Glasgow of Nevis Cycles RT narrowly missed a podium place at the World Masters in Pra Loup France. After a great XC season where Alex took on the best that the GB have - and demolished them he got a place at the Worlds and had an outstanding race.

I despair that local and UK national press make nothing of these major achievments. Even British Cycling which IMHO is an English centric Olympic body have not publicised these two lads much. Well if they won't do it we local riders can at least offer a "chapeu" as is customery in French cycling in recognition of a big effort or achievment.

"CHAPEU"

Glen Etive Training Ride

Pics below: Looking up Glen Etive and the run back up to the A82, a stag in fighting mode at Invercharnan in Glen Etive, and my HR and Altitude graph for yesterdays run.

I went for a ride out along the A82 runniung the guantlet up to the glen etive junction then down to the pier. Early'ish start to avod the traffic on the main road, and then the steady climb up to 1,100ft from the get go to "Paraffin Liz's" lay bye. The run down Glen Etive was great with lots of roaring stags echoing around the hills. A funny moment at Allt a' Chourin when the keepers son had a herd of garrons (ponies used for taking the shot deer from the hill) on the road and they decided to run alongside either side of me for a mile with Alastair his dad laughing his head off.

The cycle back up glen etive from sea level is hard. All in, this is quite a hard ride for one so short. Mainly because you are climbing a lot and even the desecents are on the pedals. A good sportive training run. Really enjoyable ride and nice to meet up with the keepers many of whom I have been on mountain rescue with both as boy and man. The run up the glen left me reflecting on how much a loss it is to MR that these gents of the hills are less commonly involved now. I remembered a time in a house at 05.00am in a winters morning when I was 19. I had fallen a fair distance and had one trouser leg ripped off , a shredded leg and lost a glove and frost nipped fingers. After getting ourselves down off the hill and to the cottage for help I had venison piece, a dram and dettol soaked dressings applied in quick time. I still remember the kindness of the Elliots and the Highland tradition of help and not turning anyone away. It still lives on today but is maybe in further corners of the hills and glens.

Col d' Aubisque

Aubisque may feature in last stage of the 2010 TdF but up the reverse side which is longer. Ouch!

Avalanched but OK

Fantastic piece of video received from Bruce Lochhead a friend in Canadian Ski Patrol. Scary and humbling. I enjoy my hors piste and with 30+ years of digging and bad experiences in the white spin dryer I am thinking of doing some courses for folk on avalanche and off piste safety. I strongly believe off piste skiers and patrollers have way more experience on the subject than any Scottish MR. I myself got my ass busted for suggesting MR folk should have the avalung and Recco, which I successfully tested, and got the bums rush despite overwhelming support from Swedish MR and Recco who would have backed up Scottish MR to the hilt. Same for ABS. I guess though an organisation which is only now seeing transceivers as an essential shows it's lack of experience. Even for that reason only, Ski Rescue and off piste guides are the best teachers and most knowledgable. In my non contentious opinion of course..........

Avalanche Skier POV Helmet Cam Burial & Rescue in Haines, Alaska from Chappy on Vimeo.

NTS Road & Tracks

2 hours riding around the trails (with hangover) this morning on a good crisp autumn day with the first snow on the Bidean at 3,750ft. Amazing to be able to ride on good natural trails for 2 hours all within 5 minutes of where you live.

Above looking up from 750ft where the road will pass over the skyline ridge.
The "Wallow Wood" red trail starts below here. Below is the view East.

Another few weeks and the road will go over the col at 1,000ft accessing the other side. Lots of bushwacking this winter and maybe possible to go down via the mast to the Quarry.

Livestrong Night Last Night

Very windy and wet so rode the bottom trails including two new steep links. Back to HQ for yellow carrot cake, beer and wine and a hangover. Hopefully folk have donated to Maggies Ian took some good photo's.

Knee pain is back after a last night and the long ride the day before, so it's back into the running shoes and some base endurance training. Still very windy so better watch the tree's. Thought about the Relentless 24 but can't bear 24 hours of going round in circles. I need long single loops or starts with logical ends, so looking forward to the winter league XC races. The Tour of Ben Nevis next year might be up my street, so will see what that's about.