Enticement

That is obvious with the growing number of views

Lots of chit-chat, but nobody challenging the maths? I must have done something wrong!? A biometric body-bike fitment is when someone does a complete biometric analysis on you, confirming all the variables that can impact on your body-bike fitment, and then fit your bike to your body.

There's a high probability that taking part in the Epic implies that you will anyway ride your mountain bike even if it was not for Epic preparation. However, if one can isolate Epic preparation costs and keep it to the absolute bare minimum, it will more-or-less look as follows: 4 sets of apparel @ R900/set: Subtotal R3,600 6 months bike maintenance for minimum 7,700 km equates to 3 chains, 2 cassettes, 2 chainrings, 3 tires, 3 sets of gear cables, 2 sets of brake pads, 2 shock services, a set of suspension bearings: Subtotal R10,850 1 biometric bike set-up: Subtotal R775 6 months' recovery supplements: Subtotal R1,500 That tallies to a total of R16,725 in total, or R2,787 per month for the remaining 6 months (from Oct). This also from the premises that you don't have accidental damage, only normal maintenance, and that you do maintenance yourself. Add to that your entry fees and it remains a substantial "investment in pleasure". Make sure your "investment in pleasure" is secure and that you are not crowned with a DNF!

Skills workshop for guidance on how to tackle each obstacle precedes each XCOSA race. The skills workshop for Race #4 is planned for 9h00 on 6 Oct 12, at the track. No charge for participation, just pay normal entry fee to Central Park MTB Trails, Modderfontein. PM me for inquiries.

Your brain controls ALL processes in your body, and uses your senses (conscious mind) as well as your sub-conscious mind as frame of reference. Your brain therefore serves as ultimate regulator that permits you to do whatever you intend doing. When doing the Epic, your brain continually refers to its frame of reference, compiled through your process of conditioning, guiding you through every moment of it. The process of conditioning which you use (to create a frame of reference for the brain) impacts dramatically on your success as it goes hand-in-hand with physiological changes that should take place in your body. Creating an individualised project plan for ensuring a proper frame of reference for your brain is referred to as anticipatory response coaching.

All our XCO Olympians used this series as preparation. All master riders (>29) preparing for the 2013 UCI World Champs can do the same. When entering on-line through www.itickets.co.za at http://itickets.co.za/events/275746/Modderfontein_GT/XCOSA.CO.ZA_Race_#4.html they get 50% discount.

All Masters (29>) preparing for the 2013 UCI Master XCO World Champs are invited to use our XCO race series for preparation. Our next race is 13 Oct 12 and then 24 Nov 12, all hosted at Central Park MTB Trails, Modderfontein (near Sandton). Trail Flow is building a new XCO track, similar to the London Olympics. The 2013 race dates will be available shortly. These are all CSA sanctioned events, select Events from menu for detail. https://www.bikehub.co.za/events/event/600-xcosacoza-race-series-4/

The young man that hangs loose, going by the handle Dangle, will attempt to beat me to the finish line on the 80km marathon at the 2013 XCM Champs. Although he boasted he'll do it with one leg, he may use both. As he was the challenger, I was informed that I may choose the event, and the reason I decided on the 80km is to accommodate him - I would have picked a XCO race (that's my preference) but it seems that he is a long distance rider and it seemed unfair, although he probably is about 20 years my junior in age. The a coaching principle I would like to prove is that if you have "quality" in your legs, adding volume is easier than visa versa.

Burn out occurs when friction between the atmosphere and the surface of your skin causes heat build-up, eventually resulting in spontaneous combustion - just don't go that fast.

I just wonder, if you give Burry an Epic Comp 29er that is perfectly set-up, instead of the S-Works Epic Carbon 29er, will it make that much of a difference?

What % difference does the correct bike make in your performance?

Hang in there, the end is near ...

There is a definite decrease in HR over time. Google Karvonen and read up on his mathematical equation, makes for interesting reading!

Interesting research in published in Journal of Sports Science and Medicine on Effect of the Rotor crank system on cycling performance indicated that: "The benefits of the Rotor system might therefore be gained by infrequent use (perhaps at key races). This might explain why, for non-habituated Rotor users, Santalla et al. (2002) reported an improvement in delta efficiency but, in a group that included habitual Rotor users, Lucia et al. (2004) did not." By implication, you get used to the effect over time and then end up where you were before fitting them. Is that not the same with 29ers?

Great, you got to grips with anticipatory response coaching! But remember its more that just a response by your body, its your brain that anticipates and then get your body to respond. That is especially important when dealing with technical bike skills, like when you do a painful, sudden and unexpected dismount at a drop. Next time you go over there, your mind brings up the previous experience - how do you deal with that? That is why acquiring bike handling skills is part of conditioning as you now have to start dealing with the conflict between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. No conditioning program is complete without that.

You're right, but for purpose of explaining I used the 50% example and left out the difference between FT1 & FT2 fibers. It We don't speak with forked tongue, also about the base.

Even endurance athletes like marathon and Epic riders use their FTfibres during the activity, and not only at the sprint. Like when you're going up a steep technical climb and you have to lift your front wheel onto a rock. That is why a well conditioned athlete starts developing pink muscle fibers - those are the white fibers developing mitochondria (the energy factories in your muscle that gives the red color to the fiber). Pacing strategy is about how close to your maximum you can maintain your effort for the duration of the activity, and for that you need efficiency and effectiveness (efficacy) of the total muscle with all types of fibers. Otherwise you're the Ferrari GTO going in 1st gear all the time.

Dangle, speed is determined by the correct mix of muscle fiber types (which you inherited) and the synchronized manner in which these cells receive the message they should contract. If there is a nano second delay for the message to reach 50% of the cells in a muscle, for that part the muscle works at only 50%. That is why real speed training is actually a process of securing a neurological track and should be done when the muscle is recovered. So, no, its never too late to build speed, but that is why you train differently in off-peak, pre-peak and in peak periods.

Your brain acts as the ultimate regulator from what happens inside your body. If you decide on Monday that you're going to do the 800m in a world record time and break 1:40 and have not conditioned yourself to do so, no matter what sports psychologist councils you, after about 20m your brain is going to start creating physiological barriers to make you stop. Your brain uses a mechanism called cognitive dissonance whereby it prevents you from taking yourself out. The purpose of conditioning/training is to create experiences that put the brain at ease and in so doing, convert the cognitive dissonance into cognitive association. Preparing for the Epic? Simulate the exposure you will experience during the race, and your brain will anticipate that it already "has the T-shirt". That is why only time in saddle does not work for the Epic anymore - since the riders can accumulate UCI points, the technical standard and exertion requirement of the race route requires much more than that. This is called "anticipatory response coaching" - you perform like you train.

No, you will not sacrifice speed if speed training remains part of the training regime when you add quantity. Training and performance are related

Depends on your level of conditioning when you get the entry - if you haven't done any Epic related preparation you'll probably only enjoy the prologue. If you're an accomplished mountain biker, you'll make it with more ease if you put you mind to it. 3 weeks of correct training in the right sequence can see you improve up to 60%. Then your focus will be on recovery after each ride. However, not advisable - rather make sure you're always in condition.

Richard, I suggest adding speed endurance, then muscle endurance interval sessions and then do the real speed intervals. If you start with that now, you will be the one to beat in Jan 2013!

Conditioning is always about "quantity" and "quality (without dropping quantity)". The sooner you start with converting quantity into quality the quicker you will get results. Do not gain quality at the expense of quantity. That implies sequential application of all 4 types of interval training.

Many mountain bikers only finalize their entries for the Epic late in the year due to withdrawals. The BIG question always asked is "is there enough time for me to get ready for the Epic?". The answer - if you start from scratch, it will pose a challenge and a concerted effort, but if you are used to riding, with hard work you can prepare yourself for a finish.

For what?