A Mountain Bike Mix – What a Weekend!

Between work and weather last week saw some spotty mountain bike activity.  In fact one day had me doing HIIT on the roadbike.  While most athletes hate HIIT, I think it’s great!!  First, I like to go fast and HIIT give you the opportunity to go as fast as you can.  Second, I like to know that my efforts are producing positive results…and with HIIT if you are giving full effort you know you are getting results; you can feel it!!  (Sometimes for days!)  Also ended up with a couple of days of hill repeats on the mountain bike (which are still a type of HIIT); again great workouts!

However, the real fun was on the weekend.  Chris, a mountain bike customer of Bicycleworks, invited a group of guys out to his cottage near Haliburton for a weekend of mountain biking and I was fortunate enough to be included on his list.  I also managed to get NewfieSteve included.  First, Chris’ cottage is an abode away from home to dream about; nicer than my house and right on the water of a crystal clear lake in cottage country. 

Second, Chris’ brother, Darren is a chef (who mountain bikes…not while cooking), and he took care of food and cooking…and what awesome meals!!  In fact I am sure that there were more calories in than calories burnt over the weekend.

Finally was the riding.  Participants arrived at the cottage on Friday (10 in total), some sitting around a campfire was done, and after eating too much of Darren’s cooking for dinner, woke up Saturday morning to eat too much of Darren’s cooking for breakfast.  Then we headed out to Haliburton Forest.  The trails here were great!!  Technical rocky, rooty twisty climbs and descents…single track and double track.  All among the Canadian shield and forest for over 3 hours.  The weather was near 30 degrees…so a warm one!!  The ride finished off with a 5 – 10 km (can’t remember exactly how much) blast down gravel road, to totally finish off the legs and get us back to the vehicles.  Then back to the cottage for a swim to cool off, and hot tub to warm up (repeated as necessary).  Some time was also spent trying to get Chris’ dock straight, and Tim was brave enough to try wakeboarding, and was pretty darn good at it for a first timer!!  Oh and Tim also made an attempt at some type of fishing…FAIL!  We then ate too much of Darren’s cooking (do you see a trend here??) for dinner, especially considering a couple of guys left early for other obligations (meaning extra food).  (Also, no consumption of adult beverages to report here!!)

Sunday, woke up to (you guessed it)…too much breakfast.  Then packed up and drove off to Buckwallow to ride.  Very fun, very technical Canadian Shield rocky trails.  Great workout, up and down rock faces, and twisty singletrack.  Over 2.5 hours in total!!  NewfieSteve was totally in his element (as were Tim and Chris) on these technical trails…all kicking my sorry arse all over the place!!  Luckily for me, the race circuit does not require these types of technical riding skills.  Still, I would really like to get better at this stuff.

So over 6 hours of hugely fun mountain biking on the weekend…thanks to Chris and Darren!!

Now the 24 hours of Summer Solstice coming up this weekend ahead!!

This Just In…Mountain Biking This Week!!

With the local trails still mud infested, we have had to head out of town to get some Mountain Biking in so far this week.  Besides, it is fun to ride other trails.

So Sunday had me, NewfieSteve, Launchzone, and EnglishJim (4 out of 5 of our 24 hr race team) head to Hardwood Hills.  It was a very hot humid day, so plenty of hydration was required.  We started off on one of the longest most difficult trails, to get properly warmed up.  The trails were just wet enough to be tacky, with only a few muddy spots.  Hardwood is great for having a variety of trails of differing lengths, levels of difficulty, all well marked and unidirectional, and all start and end back at the chalet/store/office.  We managed to get in 3 hours of fairly fast paced riding before letting the heat get the better of us.  Believe it or not EnglishJim did not break anything!!  Launchzone, however, managed a couple of endos…waiting on NewfieSteve’s video report on that one.  When its in I will add it to this post!!  (Sorry, Lauchzone!). 

EDIT:  OK, so here it is...although I am not that tech literate...I couldn't get the video to embed here properly, but clicking on this link will open the video.  It is worth it!!!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/izPZJGp33NU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Monday had me and NewfieSteve play work hooky and head to Kelso to ride.  The trails were bone dry, but the rocks were wet and very slick.  However, had a couple of near misses but managed to avoid any disasters, and got in two hours of moderate pace riding.

Supposed to be great weather from Wednesday on this week.  Lets see what it brings us.

On a different note, Centurion and Fig rode in the Rideau Lakes Tour this weekend.  That a 360 km ride over two days (Ottawa to Kingston and return).  Apparently, it took a toll on Fig.  Think the empty drink glass had anything to do with this??

Actually, they averaged over 30km/hour for the entire distance!!  That is fast!!  Well done, gents!!

And that is all for now!

Back on the Trails with the Mountain Bike

So, after about 9.5 hours of road riding earlier this week (Sunday to Tuesday), managed to get three hours on the mountain bike, and in the trails, on Friday.  An hour on the local trails Friday morning with Rod, where the trails were still slick from the week’s rain.  And a couple of hours out at Albion Friday afternoon, with NewfieSteve, where the trails were bone dry.  Also got in a couple of hockey games and a couple of strength/weight workouts this week.  Today there is a group of us heading to Hardwood Hills to hopefully get in 3+ hours on the trails up there.  Supposed to be a hot one today!!

And we managed to secure a 5^th team member for the upcoming 24 Hours of Summer Solstice race so all is right in the world again…for now.

With me, NewfieSteve, EnglishJim, Launchzone, and possible BicycleWorksJim heading up to Hardwood to ride today, I will be sure to share with you any good stories that may develop!!

Out for now…

Recovery Week

With the trails too muddy to ride, and my road bike in the shop (just got it back this afternoon) to get a new bottom bracket, I managed to get in a couple of recovery road rides on the MTB yesterday, and today.  Just a couple of short, easy rides after Sundays warp speed marathon.  The quads were a little stiff yesterday, but feel fine today.

Also, played hockey last night and again tonight.  Then hoping the trails dry out enough to get back out tomorrow; likely with the BicycleWorks group ride.

And ain’t Environment Canada predicting quite the mix of weather this week?   Way to keep all your bases covered guys!!

Also had a team member drop out of the 24 Hours of Summer Solstice race this week, at the last minute, so we are on a search for a 5^th.  If you know of anyone who will be interested let me know.  We managed a podium spot at the last 24 hr event (Hot August Nights 2011), so no pressure! 

A World Of Hurt –Riot’s Sunday

Yes, a world of hurt.  That was my day yesterday, thanks to Centurion and Fig.  160 kms road ride to Fergus and back, at an average 29 km/hr pace.  In my books these guys are elite road endurance athletes.  They are single-mindedly determined to achieve their goals when on their bikes!  Any momentary diversion or distraction on my part; to hear the call of a bird, or call out a ‘hello’ to a field of horses or cattle (why not??) had me looking up to see them now 100s of metres ahead of me.  Then of course, it took an extreme amount of effort to catch them (which didn’t always happen)!  A couple of interesting distractions that I did encounter: a large wild turkey sprinted (as much as turkeys can sprint) across the road behind Centurion and in front of me at one point, and I came across a huge vulture enjoying a roadside meal at another (I was hoping this was not an omen!).

Back on topic Riot!  (See how easily I am distracted!?)  I am definitely not a good roadie.  I find the steady grind of a 40 km/hr pace for over a half an hour at a time on some sections utterly excruciating, mentally and physically.  Give me hills, roots, rocks, jumps, twisty single track, and berms!  I am a mountain biker!!  (Or at least a wanna be!!)  While the efficiency and quickness of a road bike can be intoxicating, at training paces and distances road riding sucks!  It just hurts!!  But it is exactly what I need to get better.  So thanks Centurion and Fig for kicking my lethargic ass!  Let’s make this a weekly routine?

P.S.:  Yes I am still hurting today! (Monday)

Centurion was demoing a brand new 2012 S-Works Venge on this ride.

Fig made a new best friend at the Fergus Tim Horton's.  The gentleman in the safety vest was thirsty for Fig's vast array of knowledge on bike mechanics!

Yours truly, pretending to look like I am enjoying this.

This Week Mountain Bike Training

Well it has been somewhat of an interesting week. The 8 hr race last Saturday, rest day Sunday, then from Monday to Wednesday got in 3 great MTB rides and a Road ride. By the way in the last two races I’ve toasted two Fox/Specialized shocks; what’s up with that?

Since Wednesday rain, work, and family stuff has kept me off the bike. (Did squeeze in a strength workout though). Long road ride planned today though with Centurion and Fig; they will destroy me!! 160K to Fergus and back! But I REALLY need the endurance the road training brings.

I’ll let you know how it goes!

PS: Totally LOVING the new S-Works!! (Oh yeah, and Heidi too!)
:)