[row][span4]âRecovery weekâ is a great phrase to see on a training programme; much like reaching an oasis in the desert, cresting a big climb, or even a 25-24 loss to the All Blacks after a bad season. It means that Tuesday and Thursdayâs rides are each in the vicinity of 90 minutes of non-intense spinning. The body gets the opportunity of shaking off aches and general fatigue.
To be honest, I donât feel apprehensive about âbigâ mid-week sessions. Having a stoicâs ambivalence to the work that needs to be done, I suppose, goes with the territory of taking part in endurance sport. So, I have a similar attitude to recovery rides as more intense sessions, but I do enjoy the rest.
On Saturday morning I joined the Daisyway team on the Helderberg MTB trails (read more about Erica and Spook here).
Joining us on the ride was another of their clients, as well as their 13-year-old son, Tim, a hugely talented downhill rider in his own right.
As we got into the single track, Erica told me to follow Tim. She could have added: âif you can keep upâ. Over the course of the next couple of hours I was learning by watching how Tim handled the trails, with Erica calling instructions to me from behind: âdrop your heelsâ, or âelbowsâ, or âpoint your knee moreâ.
I was in the middle of a Daisy chain, doing my best to keep up with a fearless youngster, aided by small adjustments to technique that were being pointed out to me from behind. The changes werenât much more than an inch here and there, but they make a big difference to how the bike handles the trails.
[/span4][span4]Ericaâs programme had me down for a 100km road ride today. With Piet away, I was scrambling for cycling buddies. A few weeks ago I rode 113km as âNorman Nomatesâ; not only was it boring, but riding on the road without a peloton is a lot more work. Iâm stoic enough to do it, but if thereâs an opportunity of riding with a gang, Iâll choose it.
The big decision comes when the other guys decide to turn early. Today this meant that I under-delivered on the 100km required. In fairness, I went at the climbs quite hard, which eases some guilt.
Itâs not just the cycling thatâs better when youâre in a group; the coffee stop is also a whole lot more interesting. A few weeks ago I was introduced to the concept of intermittent fasting. This morning we had a discussion about Colinâs vegan month (while Rob, at the end of the table, ate his way through five poached eggs).
These posts are aimed at recording whatâs involved in getting to â and through â Cape Epic. However, Iâd ride my bike anyway (not quite as much, though) for general fitness and wellbeing. Similarly, brushing up on skills and riding technique with the Daisyway team would be a good idea for recreational mountain biking, even if there arenât races planned. Apart from increasing your enjoyment on the trails, improved skills also reduce the risk of injury.
Mountain biking is poaching market share from golf, a sport that few would approach without some technical guidance. On the other hand, relatively few mountain bikers will get skills training before bombing down a mountain at 40 or 50 km/h.
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The Helderberg MTB trails are fantastic (and jumps are optional).
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