2016 Highland Trail (group start)

[Alpinum]

Don't mind admitting I'm still wrecked. Can commute to work on bike in week if I do little riding on weekends. No capacity for any effort. Swollen right Achilles went down after 2 weeks. In my mind I dug in so deep I can't face anything remotely resembling pain right now on a bike, just enjoying life without pushing it. Also, no objectives after the HT for me anyway.

Interesting stuff.

I hammered home day before yesterday, as my first post HT550 ride in the probably slowest conditions ever outside winter due to all the rain that fell "at home instead of Scotland". Just a tad over 2.5 h going bonkers. Legs felt great, quite sure I would've been up to my fastest time so far if it would've been dry not muddy, grass cut not knee high .
I drained my legs far more in those 2.5 h than I did on the HT550
Achilles, wrists, knees not at 100 %, but close. Another 2 week's and all's good.
I guess my legs are feeling so much better compared to yours 'cause I rolled in nearly a day after you... (quite sure I'm not close as fit as you are)

Get myself fit for some summer touring and bike packing.

+1

[padonbike]

Hi Alpinium
From the Tuesday before I picked up a bad cold that hadn't shifted when I started Staurday - and was made worse by racing for 15-17hrs per day.
So this put extra stress on my body on top of the race. Hence the reason I'm still a bit broken.
However, I've just seen the Capital Trail looks like it will be on in Sept, so that's given me something to aim for.

[Callander Steve]

I'm still waiting for full feeling to return to my toes and the soles of my feel. I had a similar problem last year which I put down to the constant damp conditions and changed my shoes (and sizing) for this year. So I don't think it's anything to do with the damp or the shoe fit. I'm putting it down to vibration through the pedals whilst descending from riding a carbon hardtail with the tyres up at 35psi. Also suffered with a weak grip in my right hand for a week or so afterwards but that's gone now.

That's the negativity dealt with. I can't easily express all the positivity that I feel from having finished the HT550. People have asked if I've recovered yet. My answer is that recovery implies a low point that you bounce up from. I haven't had a low point. I just loved the experience and am continuing to enjoy the sense of achievement and the emotional highs. And long may they last. And in answer to the other question I get asked a lot: I feel no need to consider what's next. I expect that time will come, but I'm not ready to move on yet.

Some nice write ups and great photos. Trying to get mine finished and will post a link when I do.

[philipft]

A link to my write up



https://www.icloud.com/pages/000mLEkw6e ... ht550_2016

[padonbike]

Fantastic write up Philip. Well done from the other Philip.

[ianfitz]

Thanks for that Phil. Another different perspective and enjoyable read

I'd forgotten you telling me about your hallucination of me having crashed! I'm glad it wasn't real, but thanks for checking I was ok It is incredible what you can see, experience and feel when pushing that hard.

[ianfitz]

The final chapter from Lee. http://theadventuresyndicate.com/blog/2 ... ee-craigie

I'm biased in that I was there for much of the time covered, but this absolutely captures, far better than anything else I've read (or written!) how it felt to me be out there riding. Wow.

[Javi]

Woww!! Philip and now last part of Lee's write up. Thanks a lot! We should put them all links together?

[ianfitz]

Woww!! Philip and now last part of Lee's write up. Thanks a lot! We should put them all links together?

There is a plan for that! A British version of La Cordileria.

Coming soon...

[Nikk]

"However, the bike is still light at 9kg unloaded"

Come on Nick, show & tell! That's phenomenally light - I've never seen a 29er that featherweight; even Mike Hall's fully rigid TD Pivot is 9.5kg. What's your weight weenie secret?

It's a unicycle?

He has no bottom bracket. No pedals and cranks. It's a giant balance bike!

Hah! Well here is my post from last year on the bike http://niksbikingblog.blogspot.co.uk/20 ... build.html



Since then, some things have changed, but nothing that really affects the weight too much:

* Stem and seapost replaced with Mcfk ones (saved 60 grams)
* Cassette replaced with Sram 1099 (saved 100 grams)
* Tyres replaced with X-King 2.4 Protections (added 200 grams)

The bike fared really well, apart from the RaceFace Next SL drive side crank becoming wobbly - the aluminium insert into the carbon arm had come loose. It is going back for warranty. I probably did 150+ miles on it in that state, and it didn't disintegrate, so that is something.

I have an aluminium Highball I did the 2014 on, and I trained a lot on that as well. it is about 2gk heavier.

Having a light bike does feel nice, and picking it up for the one or two times I had to hike-a-bike (LOL) makes it a bit easier, but overall I can't say if it would really matter if I had used the heavier version.

It is 8kg with rigid carbon forks, but I am so so glad I put bouncy ones on and took the 1kg 'hit'. The soles of my feet were getting sore after doing the Capital Trail on it fully rigid, I think it would have been excruciating on the HT550 and could have ended my attempt.

[fatbikephil]

Having a light bike does feel nice, and picking it up for the one or two times I had to hike-a-bike (LOL) makes it a bit easier, but overall I can't say if it would really matter if I had used the heavier version.

Nowt wrong with a heavy bike

[Nikk]

Nowt wrong with a heavy bike

Yup exactly, it is the indian not the arrow etc...

But, I need all the help I can get!

[metalheart]

Thanks for linking Lee's blog, that was well worth the reading (bummer about the missing 8km). Cheers!

[boxelder]

I just posted our kids Isla Cnoc 16 and it weighed 9.09Kg (without bikepacking luggage obv)

[Scott L]

Hey all,

Decided to finally circulate my own blog post about the event so if you have not seen it here it is!

http://pedalsbikecare.co.uk/highland-trail-race-2016/

Cheers

[Yorlin]

Hey all,

Decided to finally circulate my own blog post about the event so if you have not seen it here it is!

http://pedalsbikecare.co.uk/highland-trail-race-2016/

Cheers

Great read :)

Spookily enough I was in your shop earlier!

[fatbikephil]

Enjoyed that and well done. I've done the section you got shouted at on the Corrie descent - access rights apply so the landowner can go spin... He's famously ascerbic due to the number of 4wds and trail bikes that used to use the route when it was still a vehicle ROW but that was defo out of order so well done for your patience!

[ianfitz]

The Craigie and I are doing a talk based on the Journal at ShAFF this weekend. I just reread this thread to refresh my memory, so good to revisit the memories and see people routing for us while we were out there riding.

I'm now really excited about this year too. Can't help thinking it's going to be a great watch for dot fans!