training advice

[bartaj]

starting MTB Sept last year and get together with buddies on Sunday's to do around 25-30 kms at Northern Farms , and i have entered  the Knysna 50km race in July but i need  to know what is required so that i can  tackle the race with confidence and know that i have trained sufficiently so i can enjoy a beer at the end with a smile on my face !!!

 

so any help from will be really appreciated 

 

 many thanks

 

Bart

 

[zerocool]

Hi Bart,

 

go visit www.bikemaxpower.com and ask them some questions.

 

chat soon.

 

[Daxiet]

You don't need to do too much just to enjoy a 50km ride. To get through it happy you will need to leave the comfort of the "flat" Northern Farms and get some climbing under the belt. Arrange with your friends to head out to Hekpoort. Follow all the other MTB riders up the back of Breedtsnek and down the otherside. Turn around and head back to Hekpoort. That will be ~60kms with some descent climbing. Do this a couple times before your race and you will be fine.

 

[Capri Wheeler]

I'de rather jump off a cliff than do Hekpport again...thats my most feared hill!

[JPW#]

Just drink lots of juice on the ride .)

If ur training to win double up..... 50km race means 100km regular rides )

 

[bartaj]

thanks Daxiet,

 

i'll definitely have to give it a go, it sounds like i'm gonna sh*t though !!!

 

no pain no gain i suppose

 

 

thanks again

Bart

 

[Older]

starting MTB Sept last year and get together with buddies on Sunday's to do around 25-30 kms at Northern Farms ' date=' and i have entered  the Knysna 50km race in July but i need  to know what is required so that i can  tackle the race with confidence and know that i have trained sufficiently so i can enjoy a beer at the end with a smile on my face !!!

so any help from will be really appreciated 

 many thanks

Bart
[/quote']

 

5-6 hours MTB riding per week for twelve weeks before the race. +- 2-3 hours during the week and the rest over the week end. Start slow for the first few weeks.  Do some nice big climbs during the latter part of the 12 weeks.  Higher intensity.  Taper the last two weeks - high intensity but shorter time.

 

  

[Daxiet]

 

thanks Daxiet' date='

 

i'll definitely have to give it a go, it sounds like i'm gonna sh*t though !!!

 

no pain no gain i suppose

 

 

thanks again

Bart

 

[/quote']

It doesn't have to be all pain, Hekpoort to the foot of Breedts is a gradual climb for the most part. The back of Breedts is a much quicker climb than the Northern side climb, just take it easy and get to the top. Then have fun going down the otherside. Turn around at the shabeen and head back. The trip back from the top of Breedts is pretty easy by comparison to what you have done up till that point.

 

Try not to stop when climbing back up the Northern side of Breedts (chances are you body will go on strike and you will land up pushing the rest of the way) and don't look to far ahead at what is to come, just focus on the immediate terrain ahead of you (follow the other MTB tracks, they generally have taken the best line). During the climb the incline varries, so you will get some little "breaks" as you climb.

 

But the short of it is it will give you some serious confidence if you can ride this route successfully before your race. Depending on your fitness you may need to take a couple stabs at this to beat it with confidence.

 

[bartaj]

thanks for the extra insight on how i should tackle Hekpoort which i definitely will do...even if i have to walk a little !!!

 

thanks once again

 

Bart

 

[bartaj]

thanks for the advice its much appreciated and will definitely be put to practice, what do you mean by high intensity when climbing hills?

thanks alot

 

Bart

 

[Bos]

My advice for the race.. Just dont take that first hill to hard.. shift down and spinn up (its right at the beginning and you will hit it cold) get to the top and keep going easy.. youll feel when you warm up.. you will feel stronger and less pain. Now resist going fullpace.. enjoy the views and company.. theres one more mediumsized climb at the end to save some energy for before we go down that blistering fast singletrack  on to the rar road for a flat 3km spinn to the end.

Now go ride your bike It will probably take you around 3 hours so do a few long rides so youre use to sitting on a saddle for that time, otherwise your nec, shoulders, back start getting really tired. Yes do some climbs.

And do a few interval rides to get the heartrate up, becaise this happens when you race mate.

 

On the beer at the bottom with a smile.. Trust me, that smile comes guaranteed. there should be a whole bunch of us.

[bartaj]

thanks for the info on the race...its sounds like its going to be an absolute blast.....with alot of puffing in between ...

 

see you at the end ....its a Black Label ..by the way