Howdy,

It's only a month until the 'Weekend of the Tussock' is upon us and I was wondering what people are planning for the run up in terms of training (or riding as I normally call it)?

More big miles? Taking it easy? Strength work? Intervals? Last minute weight loss? Fully loaded practice rides? All/none of the above?

I'm unsure how best to proceed as I've had a weird year so far. Up until the middle of July I was clocking up some big miles, feeling fit and planning on performing well (for me) at the suffer-fest that is the BB200 but.....

Then work happened and for a month and a half I barely managed to get in the saddle and even then never for more than an hour or two at a time.

So.....

What should I do?

The last two weeks I've managed fairly big rides and now I'm unsure whether to continue (with the big mileage) or whether shorter more intense 'training' rides might serve me better?

Any thoughts/advice?

Be interesting to hear what everyone had planned (or not planned).

Cheers, Gairy.

I wouldn't suggest weight loss at this point (or at least not more than a couple of weeks of it). I've been cutting for the last few months and two weeks before BB200 I'm switching to maintenance / just over so that I'm as fuelled as I can be ready for the event.

anouther few long ish rides/ frequent evning rides to keep the miles up in the next week and a half ! then taper daown keeping the strength up on intervals and hills but cutting the miles

Richard G wrote:I wouldn't suggest weight loss at this point (or at least not more than a couple of weeks of it). I've been cutting for the last few months and two weeks before BB200 I'm switching to maintenance / just over so that I'm as fuelled as I can be ready for the event.

I should clarify that 'weight loss' to me means cutting down on crap for a few weeks and losing about 5kg (I'm 100kg so it falls off when I stop drinking the booze and eating the chocolate).

Not a regimented weight loss plan.

In the weekends before I've got an off-road half marathon, a mtb marathon, a 40km fell race then the YD200, so getting to the start of the bb200 will be a slight challenge, but I shall!

If you do though... you'll probably be done in 12 hours thanks to all that training!

Go find a field or moor where it is impossible to ride a bike.

The push/carry your bike round for many many hours until its dark, then carry on.

Do not ride it, this wil not help.

Oh how I wish the above was less true.

Mental training, offices are good for that kind of thing

Leave cushions, bean bags and dirty clothes all over the floor of your house. Should get you ready for the tussock dance.

After a month off the bike my plan is to ride a lot!

Mostly road with 2 off road loaded rides per week including night ride to complement and carry on with 2 to 3 strength sessions per week if time allows

Won't go to hard so won't be tapering until the route is revealed!!

Main concern is that will be with out Dynamo this year so working out battery and power strategy !!

Just praying for dry weather for the ride!!

Has anyone got any exercises for developing thick skin that might work over the next few weeks?

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Has anyone got any exercises for developing thick skin that might work over the next few weeks?

Just move to Staylittle for a while.

"So what did I do? I stopped caring..."

This isn't working for you now? :)

Greetz

S.

"So what did I do? I stopped caring..."

This isn't working for you now? :)

It always works

I just gotta find my stash of MTFU pills, and it'll all be fine.

This year, I'm just not gonna care about anything and get on with it.

Did a ride yesterday that was so bad I nearly chose to sit on the side of the "trail" and just weep for a while. Half of it was unrideable because it was completely overgrown. Bits had been completely lost because of forestry work, and other parts were so steep that even carrying was hard. I even had a tumble down the side of a hill when the ground gave way.

So yeah, basically if I do that ride five times in a row I should be ready for the BB200.

I'm 50/50 about handing my place back at the moment because lack of riding,crap fitness and being a wuss someone give me motivation please

jay91 wrote:I'm 50/50 about handing my place back at the moment because lack of riding,crap fitness and being a wuss someone give me motivation please

Sat on the bench with a bacon sarnie in your hand and it will all seem worthwhile.


The next night when you wake up screaming you'll question why you did it.

jay I was going to see if I could have a lift off you, just signed up for it, going to go for it though so using gears
will meet up if you want to get some riding in, still don,t know if it,s 200ks or miles

paramart wrote:jay I was going to see if I could have a lift off you, just signed up for it, going to go for it though so using gears
will meet up if you want to get some riding in, still don,t know if it,s 200ks or miles

You can have a lift mart no worries. Gears there no fun!

jay91 wrote:I'm 50/50 about handing my place back at the moment because lack of riding,crap fitness and being a wuss someone give me motivation please

With my present fitness level, I'd say the accolade of first singlespeeder is up for grabs this year

Ian wrote:

jay91 wrote:I'm 50/50 about handing my place back at the moment because lack of riding,crap fitness and being a wuss someone give me motivation please

With my present fitness level, I'd say the accolade of first singlespeeder is up for grabs this year

it defiantly won't be me I'll be happy to finish

Well, my long off road half marathon (15.5 miles, long story not my fault) went swimmingly, finished in 2.32 having not run for 4 months! My legs are still very sore, but bring on next weekend! (And the one after, and the one after that etc etc)

Doing a 12+ hour ride on Saturday. Nothing like the terrain I'm expecting on the BB200, but I want to see if I'm up to handling extended time in the saddle without too much pain and if I don't do it soon I probably wont recover in time.