BigGuy

Going to be very interesting... there are some contenders that focus solely on this race...

That is part of the problem right there for us weekend warriors. You have to get to the shute early to get a good starting position. There is no chance of a decent warmup just before the race starts, if you do the penalty is to start at the very back of the pack. And then we try and keep up with the pro's (who have warmed up properly and start at the very front anyway) when the gun goes... silly really.

As Enticement states, it can be trained, but oxygen debt can be extremely uncomfortable. Joe Friel describes the methods in his training bibles, and how to incorporate it into your training schedule. Otherwise, one can make use of a reputable coach for effective ideas.

What Garmin unit are you using? Garmin's Training Center package works off-line, and can read .fit files in its latest incarnation. Agreed not that great a piece of software but usable.

Amen brother!

Here is an example of the completed track so far, about 10.3k. Nice challenging ride. The trail starts at the red dot, going clock-wise. Total elevation is 229m. I will take some pics on next visit.

Joe Friel's Training Bible books discuss this issue in detail. Depends where you stand fitness-wise, gender, age etc. Power, endurance, LT, VO2Max all have different rates of decline. But in general after 2 weeks of doing nothing you will have a little bit less endurance, but maybe not much less power. After 2 weeks of inactivity the rate of decline will start to increase, iow a decent ride once a week can keep one from losing fitness, but you will not gain any either, but that is much better than doing nothing at all.

Here are a map and profile of the 5km route. The 5km loop has 131m ascent. It is fairly technical singletrack and rocky. The first half is spent going downhill and then you return to the top. It is a good workout. Some new trails have been added that I will ride tomorrow. I think it will add another 9-10km of route. I will post a map and profile of them as well. Guys and girls, go have a look please, it is not a boring trail at all, it demands your full attention all the time. I am not a technical riding expert and had to get off once or twice, but with a bit of familiarity and practice one should be able to stay on the bike. Safe parking and not overly crowded. I know I will be there often.

Shot Mr 'Dale

Article states that someone else uttered that phrase.

I use the XT wheels for training. They seem strong enough to carry my weight, which is almost similar to yours. They do need a bit of TLC on the bearings but once you get the hang of it, it is not too much of a problem. If you neglect the bearing maintenance you will screw up the hub cups fairly quickly, the front and non-drive side are not replaceable parts afaik. I have heard that replacement spokes are expensive.

Not sure you get SLX in that configuration. I have a plain Deore (590) in that size and it works a treat. 26t is something between a granny and middle blade and provides a comfy spread when climbing without fiddling with the FD. I use the big blade only to cover a lot of level ground at good pace. I use a "normal" 32t cassette. IMO 36t is a bit overrated. If you need that with a granny then you are at or below walking pace.

Some musical genres does not evoke any aggression within me, such as any Riverdance song, jazz or the clap-clap song. What also irritates me is the "social" instructor. Almost never on the bike, walking around, shaking hands, asking how you feel while sweat is pouring down your face. Then you get the aggressive types who scream at you if you do not follow their instruction to the letter. Wierdos. I also had the situation where one instructor threatened me because I turned the fan away from a lady who was complaining about the wind directly on her. Not to mention the instructor who refuses to have any fans turned on as he is afraid of getting a cold because of the draft. WTF. Fortunately there are some good ones as well. Thank you Sheryl and Sean.

I'm not much of a runner currently (never was because of my size), so very few bad habits to break! Starting out with a clean slate, no injuries. Come to think of it, my last serious run was about 20 years ago, dressed in a brown outfit, wearing very heavy shoes and a very large steel-framed camelback...

OK, I have finished Mr Robillard's pdf (thanks agteros) and I am going to try this barefoot running thingie, will report back in a few months. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

My 2c... the seat post bolt was the culprit on my bike. Was driving me nuts and was the only thing I never checked after following most of the advice above (still all relevant and good advice though). Since replacing it with a new stainless steel one with spring loaded washer no more hassles.

All you need is a vice and grinder (and a steady hand), as well as a range of flat spanner sizes. Who knows what size you will end up with?)

I would rather recommend a few free range chicken eggs every day.

Howzit caad4, you doing well mate?

Paid R1039. Good enough for me for a size 13. If I find a shoe that fits I buy immediately.

Went to look for something in particular and came home with something completely different! http://www.argear.com/images/salomon-xa-pro-3d-ultra-gtx-shoes-2T.jpg Special is running till Sunday 11th.

I guess it's random then. I had to throw away a perfectly good Hutchinson Python Tubeless Light recently, but on old Captian 2bliss still going strong.

Maybe I can help. I have a 2.25 Racing Ralph but it is not UST. Done 20km dirt ride on it.

@mtbmom, being vegetarian, what are you not consuming?

The energy comes mainly from fat, as almost all protein sources contain lots of it. If you eat fat instead of carbs, the body adapts over time to utilise fat very efficiently. Now some people would say that fat cannot provide "instant" energy. True to a point, especially during the first few weeks (or if you keep on eating carbs), but then things start to change dramatically, as Tim Noakes noticed himself.