Performance Help

[foggy1]

I hope someone can help me with this.

Im doing a mountain bike race on the 6th May on Koh Samui and have been training very hard for this. I'd like to do the best I can and take this seriously. The heat and humidity here is high and draining me a lot.

The race will be about 2 hours long and I pre hydrate and carry 2 litres of electrolyte water during the race.

My question, Is there anything I can get in Thailand easily to help my preformance but not cheating. ??

Thank u for any help

Foggy

[Tonto21]

Hi ‘foggy1’ what to say if anything mate……….You are obviously training and are well aware of the problems the heat can give you and understand the need to hydrate.

There is only one thing I can think of to say that may be of use, and that is don’t over train. It’s very easy, (with a race coming up) to overdo it, with the race next Sunday, you should be ready, (fitness wise) for the race by now.

Personally I would now not ride any more than another 2 or 3 times before the race, get lots of rest and keep drinking water, (maintain a clear urine stream) and have two days off before the race……

Good luck….Come back and post how you got on…a?

Now............Go get em tiger!

[Tonto21]

‘foggy1’ ……………………………I forgot a top tip from ‘T- Dog', anytime you go riding be it; post-race…….Ride-out….even yoga, (don’t ask) you must always soak your working parts, (internals) in a quality anti-inflammatory…..(Beer)

But I bet you know this one…Right?

[foggy1]

Hi Tonto21

Great reply thank u.

As this is my first race in Thailand my thoughts were towards any gels that might have been good and available here that could help me sustain the effort needed during the race.

Your over training advice is spot on and yes I am guilty of this some times so will take it on board. Also Im upping my carbohydrate intake this week a little to build up the glycogen stores but keeping the fat intake down. I'm hyrating properly as I have lived here 2 years now and ride regularly so feel I have that one sorted.

T-Dog's tip will be used to effectivley post race as a good time to reflect on where it all went wrong or right and if enough are consumed it wont matter any way :-)))

Im looking to do a trip to Chiang Mai later this year with my bike so a hook up and ride would be fun ?

Thanks again and I will repost to let u know the results

Cheers Foggy1

Cheers and I will post results

Foggy1

[Tonto21]

Hi Tonto21

Great reply thank u.

As this is my first race in Thailand my thoughts were towards any gels that might have been good and available here that could help me sustain the effort needed during the race.

Your over training advice is spot on and yes I am guilty of this some times so will take it on board. Also Im upping my carbohydrate intake this week a little to build up the glycogen stores but keeping the fat intake down. I'm hyrating properly as I have lived here 2 years now and ride regularly so feel I have that one sorted.

T-Dog's tip will be used to effectivley post race as a good time to reflect on where it all went wrong or right and if enough are consumed it wont matter any way :-)))

Im looking to do a trip to Chiang Mai later this year with my bike so a hook up and ride would be fun ?

Thanks again and I will repost to let u know the results

Cheers Foggy1

Cheers and I will post results

Foggy1

Coming to Chiang Mai, sure drop us a line, there a few of us riding the trails up here, you would be welcome.

Have a good one!

[foggy1]

Coming to Chiang Mai, sure drop us a line, there a few of us riding the trails up here, you would be welcome.

Have a good one!

[/quote

Thats excellent news thank u

[GuestHouse]

Eat some slow burning carbs about two hours before your race - I've always eaten oat flakes mixed with cold milk as pre-race food.

During the race you should only need a few snacks - Jelly energy drinks are good because they contain energy and water and are very easy to consume while riding.

During the race drink early and drink often.

You do not need electrolyte water during the race, infact if you are drinking electrolyte on a regular basis you probably should get a medical check-up. I train around 300Kms a week and have one electrolyte a month.

It might be worth supplementing your diet with calcium as this reduces cramp (not salt as many believe).

You've left it a bit late for a real pre-race training program, I used to give myself 12 weeks from a base fitness to my first event of the year and 6 weeks thereafter for the main events I was targeting during the year.

But if you are reasonably fit right now then I would suggest you add the following to your training regime:

Take a 15Km warm up ride at around 30Kms per hour then mix in some flat out stretches where you are essentially sprinting (eyeballs on the handlebars) - The distance you cover in your first attempt will be your target distance for each sprint. Ride another Km at 30Kms per hour and repeat the sprint - Repeat for about 8 sprints and then take 20Km ride to warm down at 30kms per hour. Try this twice a week between now and your event - I suggest with two days rest in between.

On two more days a week try to join a group ride where you can get some very high constant speed riding (say 20kms at 40+kms per hour).

If you can also get some group riding where you and your group are accelerating for short periods out of corners this too will help. In all your group work pay attention to being able to hold onto the wheel of a faster rider, practice the skills of getting cornering, breaking and cadence.

If you are reasonably fit then being able to change pace and riding skills will keep you in the race - especially in the first few kilometre when the early race sprints knock most riders out of the back.

[foggy1]

Hi GuestHouse

Thank u for taking the time to write this as it is all good info and fully taken on board.

Cheers

Foggy1

[catwho]

Hi ‘foggy1’ what to say if anything mate……….You are obviously training and are well aware of the problems the heat can give you and understand the need to hydrate.

There is only one thing I can think of to say that may be of use, and that is don’t over train. It’s very easy, (with a race coming up) to overdo it, with the race next Sunday, you should be ready, (fitness wise) for the race by now.

Personally I would now not ride any more than another 2 or 3 times before the race, get lots of rest and keep drinking water, (maintain a clear urine stream) and have two days off before the race……

Good luck….Come back and post how you got on…a?

Now............Go get em tiger!

I have to agree with you tonto,the beer too...the only things i can add,drink before its too late during a race,or you will die in the arse,and i presume you have gone over the course many times,if not,, go over at this late stage as slowly as you can,any hard sections get off the bike and do them over till you get them right

,if you are not use to racing MTB,they go hard early,dont fall for that if you are not experienced,go steady,when you get tired you will make mistakes.

we race here in pattaya same day[6th] excample ,i had a week off last week,got back on the bike fri,sat,,,,sunday i went over the course,i couldnt finnish one lap,[no recovery in the heat] 2 weeks ago i did 2 laps easy,had tuesday off,, did course today,felt better,i will go again thurs,,then spin or nothing till sunday,and i hope they have plenty of medics here as its very very tough,i am not as fit as i should be ,but i wil give it a go.and i hope you have a good race too FOGGY,MY 1ST RACE I FELL OFF 6 times.GOOD LUCK.

CAT

[foggy1]

Hi Cat

Thanks for the in put. I used to race MTB back in the Uk for 2 years before I moved to Thailand 2 years ago. Many moons ago I raced Motocross too and off roading has been my passion always. Also I have been cycling in some form for 17 years now. Total lifestyle :-)

I love the challenge of the terrain on Samui as there are 150 kms of trails here in the mountains and some seriously hard climbs which are granny ring only and for up to an hour each depending on your abilities. This is great for racing MTB training as it trains the slow twitch fibers muscles needed on the day.

I too had a heavy head cold flu bug for 9 days 2 weeks ago but have managed to pull in some fittness again. I have done 30 laps on the circuit and know it like the back of my hand and at every corner/climb know exactly what gear to be in with my level of power and ability, which is a massive advantage on others that don't. I wish I would have had more time to prepare but thankfully I had had 5 weeks of island laps under my belt before the flu bug hit and anyway its all in fun and the taking part... but still want to do well as I will give it 100%

I decided on doing A class as that's 4 laps of 5.3 kms circuit not B class which is 3 laps. Hopefully I wont blow up half way.

Have a good one too Cat

all the best

Foggy1

[Tonto21]

Hi ‘foggy1’ what to say if anything mate……….You are obviously training and are well aware of the problems the heat can give you and understand the need to hydrate.

There is only one thing I can think of to say that may be of use, and that is don’t over train. It’s very easy, (with a race coming up) to overdo it, with the race next Sunday, you should be ready, (fitness wise) for the race by now.

Personally I would now not ride any more than another 2 or 3 times before the race, get lots of rest and keep drinking water, (maintain a clear urine stream) and have two days off before the race……

Good luck….Come back and post how you got on…a?

Now............Go get em tiger!

I have to agree with you tonto,the beer too...the only things i can add,drink before its too late during a race,or you will die in the arse,and i presume you have gone over the course many times,if not,, go over at this late stage as slowly as you can,any hard sections get off the bike and do them over till you get them right

,if you are not use to racing MTB,they go hard early,dont fall for that if you are not experienced,go steady,when you get tired you will make mistakes.

we race here in pattaya same day[6th] excample ,i had a week off last week,got back on the bike fri,sat,,,,sunday i went over the course,i couldnt finnish one lap,[no recovery in the heat] 2 weeks ago i did 2 laps easy,had tuesday off,, did course today,felt better,i will go again thurs,,then spin or nothing till sunday,and i hope they have plenty of medics here as its very very tough,i am not as fit as i should be ,but i wil give it a go.and i hope you have a good race too FOGGY,MY 1ST RACE I FELL OFF 6 times.GOOD LUCK.

CAT

Good luck tomorrow 'Cat'

Hope to be reading how it went from you as well as 'foggy1' next week.....

[foggy1]

Sunday night and post race body close down from the effort but in a good way. Im pleased to say I came second in my group in a field of 10 and had to fend off some stiff opposition.

Even managed to catch a number of the younger guys that set of earlier.

2000 baht and a trophy so very happy... time to soak the woking parts now

cheers

Foggy1

1. Proof

2. Me airborn

[catwho]

Nice work foggy,looks like a nice course,, keep on MTBing.

[Tonto21]

Well done ‘foggy1’ course and your ‘gong’ (don’t try and hang that around your neck) look impressive.

Good job…………Soak away mate.

Tonto

[foggy1]

Cheers guys hope to meet at some point in the future for a ride out :-)

Foggy1