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Long Mynd, Shropshire

This area often seems to get overlooked which is a great shame as it offers some stunning countryside and superb MTB trails. There is also a great MTB (and outdoor pursuit) centre in the grounds of the traditional Station Inn pub and restaurant,  a bike shop,workshop, cafe, shower block, bike wash, and electrically heated camping pods and campsite making it a lovely, fun, cheap & easy option for a weekend away see www.mtb-shropshire.co.uk

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Glentress & Innerliethen

2 superb trail centres very close to one another, offering great riding for all abilities. Glentress really encourages and enables riders to progress and develop their skills, from novice to expert levels, while Innerleithen is more suitable for downhill and advanced riders. The facilities are also top notch, with the superb Hub cafe at Glentress, with good food, bike hire, rides & skills training. A very popular trail centre so it gets very busy at weekends.

Trail info: The routes on offer include a 4.5km Green Route for beginners, using family friendly single track and signs to guide you through the challenges along the way, an 8km or 14km Blue Route with over half the route on singletrack and the longer route using the lovely ‘Falla Brae’ (Red grade) singletrack to finish. The 19km Red route is designed with speed in mind and home to ‘Spooky Wood’, a superb 1.6km singletrack descent with twelve 180-degree bermed corners, eighteen jumps and seventeen tabletops (chicken runs available), as well as some other superb, fun & technical trails. The 30km Black Route is a superb trail with around 75% singletrack with great black sections such as ‘Soor Plooms’ the rocky descent of ‘Goat Track’ and fast bermed corners of ‘Britney Spears’. If your legs tire before the end you can opt to miss out ‘Deliverance’ & ‘Redemption Climb’. The skinny northshore ‘Ewok Village’ is optional, then it joins the Red route but with optional Black sections along the way back.

Freeride Park:  ’The Unnamed’ trail is packed with 23 jumps (mostly tabletops) and berms, while the ‘Cycopath’ uses northshore obstacles, with skinnies, ladder drops (that require jumping off) and 2 wall rides. Both trails end with a couple of tabletop jumps and the ‘Funbox’ (8ft high, 6ft wide, 15ft long) to jump (or use the ramps) on & off. The ‘Essentials’ trail is designed for riders new to freeride, enabling you to have a go on easier versions, with bigger & harder options alongside them, to progress onto when you are ready.

Innerleithen has 4 world class downhill runs, with an uplift service, and the 19km, red graded, Traquair cross country trail, with black graded options along the way.

General Info: Getting there, South from Edinburgh on A703, signposted to Peebles, then left (east) on the A72 for 2 miles. Grid Ref: NT 284/397  Sat Nav: EH45 8NB. Train: Caledonian Sleeper to Edinburgh & book lift with www.go-where.co.uk or www.bikebus.netin advance. Facilities:  Bike shop & cafe with hire, repairs, skills lessons, group rides & cake. Showers & toilets. Bike shop: The Hub cafe (on site), tel: 01721 721736 or see www.thehubintheforest.co.uk Map: www.forestry.gov.uk search ‘glentress trail map’. Tourist info: Edinburgh T.I. on 0845 2255 121. Website: www.7stanes.gov.uk. For accommodation see www.tweedvalleybikehouse.com or www.thebikelodge.co.uk

Another top weekend away is to hire a big bouncy downhill bike and treat yourself to some uplifts.

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Afan, South Wales

An easily accessible and very popular trail centre with over 100km’s of superb, technical, all weather trails. With great facilities & accommodation it makes a top weekend destination. The trails are between 2 sites: Afan Forest & Glyncorrwg aka ‘The Drop Off’. The Penyhdd & Wall trails start at Afan car park and White’s Level & Skyline start at Glyncorrwg. Both sites are best suited to experienced riders, although there is the easy ‘Rheilffordd’ trail along an old disused railway, which also links the 2 centres.

Trail Info: Penyhdd, 17km: Lots of tight, twisty, single track and sections such as the Hidden Valley, Side Winder and Dead Sheep Gulley. It’s a great introductory route to the area as the riding isn’t too technical. The Wall, 23km: A very popular trail offering  great views, a rock infested roller coaster section named ‘The Graveyard’, and a fast and furious final section which gives the trail its name ‘the Wall’. NOTE: The ‘W2’ trail combines the ‘Wall’ & ‘White’s Level’ trails, to make a 44km, Black grade trail.

Whites Level, 15km: Starting with a 2.5km singletrack climb, at the top you have an optional Black grade section. After some flowing singletrack, small rock jumps, natural berms and a flowing boardwalk section, the ride finishes with a fast, fun singletrack descent, back to the café. Skyline, 48km: Venturing higher & deeper into the wilderness, this trail is recommended for experienced riders only. However, there are a couple of optional shortcuts named; ‘July’ & ‘August’. All options still finish with the superb 6km ‘Jetlag’ descent which has lots of rock jumps along the way, leaving you smiling no matter which option you decided on.

There are also some other less technical trails in the area, such as the 39km (one-way) Celtic high level scenic trail from Neath to Pontprydd and a 11km family route. For more information see www.cycling.visitwales.com & www.mbwales.com

General Info: Getting there, exit the M40 at junction 40 nr Port Talbot and go north on A4107. Afan centre is on right GR  SS821/951 / Sat Nav: SA13 3HG & Glyncorrg 3 miles further on at GR SS 872/984 / Sat Nav SA13 3EA. Train at Port Talbot, 7 miles on Afan Valley cycle route. Facilities:  Both sites have cafes, showers, campsite, bike hire & bike wash, but everything at Glyncorrwg is newer & nicer, plus it has a great bike shop, demo bikes & a bar. Bike Shop:  Skyline Cycles at Glyncorrwg, 01639 850011 & the Glyncorrwg MTB centre on 01639 851900. Map: www.forestry.gov.uk & search ‘afan cycle map’. Tourist info: www.afanforestpark.co.uk. Website: www.mbwales.com For accommodation see the lovely and very bike friendly  www.mountainview.me.uk/ which is just over the hill or another nice & bike friendly place www.mountain-bike-accommodation.com

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Coed Y Brenin, North Wales

Coed y Brenin was the first forest to be developed for (man made) MTB trails and it still retains its reputation as the best one. A superb choice of technical XC trails for the more experienced riders, but still enough to entertain beginners & some short Red routes for them to progress on to. The facilities are also very good, so it gets very busy.

Trail Info: The 7km Yr Afron trail is a family route using forest roads, with magnificent views, including waterfalls, the river Mawddach and the old gold mines. The Temtiwr (9km) trail provides a taster of the Dragon’s Back and MBR trails, using some challenging singletrack trails.  MBR (18.5km) is a nice mix of open, flowing trails and long sweeping descents with tight, technical, rocky single track such as the ‘Badger’, ‘Pink Heifer’ and the most challenging of all ‘The Beginning of the End’ all squeezed into a relatively short ride. Great fun. Tawr (20km), formally known as ‘Red Bull’ this is a technically challenging ride with rocky descents, fire road climbs and plenty of singletrack. It includes the superb ‘Pins & Needles’, ‘Snap, Crackle & Pop’, ‘Rocky Horror Show’ and ‘Mantrap’.

Cyflyn Coch is 11km and a mix of the other trails, starting on the Yr Afon Trail, the Cyflym coch bears off left up a short technical climb onto Pinderosa. It then uses the best of the fast & flowing trails from MBR & Dragon’s Back. Dragons Back, at 31km and formally known as ‘Karrimor’ is long, challenging trail contains a wide variety of terrain. Highlights include sections of trails, such as the rooty, rocky ‘Big Doug’ and the fast, flowing corners of ‘Herman’. Finally, the Beast of Brenin is 38km, is a combination of the MBR and Dragon’s Back trails, to provide a very challenging ride. Lots of superb single track trails, but only recommended for fit, technical riders. There is a (very welcome) cafe half way around the route.

General Info: Getting there, go south from Colwyn Bay on the A470 and the is on the right, 8km’s before Dolgellau (inland from Barmouth), signposted ‘Maesgwm visitor centre’. From the Midlands follow the A458 from Shrewsbury. GR SH 720/270 / Sat Nav LL40 2HY. Facilities: Parking, toilets, showers, cafe, bike wash, a shop and a bike shop. Bike Shop:  Greenstiles bike shop in Dolgallau 01341 423332 & Dragon Bikes & Kites on 01341 423008. Map: www.forestry.gov.uk search ‘coed y brenin cycle map. Tourist info: Dolgellau T.I. on 01341 422888. Website: www.mbwales.com

Accommodation: Log cabins up the road at www.logcabinswales.co.uk/home.php?/mountain-biking-and-cycling/mountain_biking_in_coed_y_brenin or nice friendly B&B in Dolgellau village www.ivyhouse-dolgellau.co.uk/

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Dales Bike Centre, Yorkshire Dales,

The Yorkshire Dales has some cracking mountain biking and it also has the perfect place to explore it from, the Dales Bike Centre. This place is made for cyclists (quite literally) and is an absolute must for cyclists visiting the Yorkshire Dales. It has accommodation (bunks & rooms), drying room, laundry, secure bike store, kitchenette, café (24hr cake!!), bike shop, workshop, bike hire and a wealth of advice on where to ride, as well as offering guided rides (to the unmapped trails in Swaledale) and ‘Basics’, ‘Steep & Rocky’, ‘Speed & Flow’ and ‘Jumps & drops’ skills courses.

For more information call 01748 884908 or see www.dalesbikecentre.co.uk/

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7 Staines, Southern Scotland

At the Scottish border, hang a left at Gretna, and you will discover a number of world class mtb trails at the trail centres of Mabie, Dalbeattie, Kirroughtree, Ae and Drumlanrig.

Ae: A great destination for riders of all abilities. The green trail (& blue extension) are a great introduction, while the Ae Line & downhills runs will appeal to experienced riders. A great selection of trails which loves the use of berms & jumps along the way – great fun for everyone.

Dalbeattie: A memorable trail centre that is at the top of many peoples ‘to ride’ list, thanks to the large natural slabs of bedrock that are adapted into the trail. The easier trails are mostly fireroad, but the Hardrock trail provides some very unique and challenging obstacles, such as ‘The Slab’ and ‘The Terrible Twins’.

Drumlanrig: These trails are on the private estate of Drumlanrig Castle and a small (but very worthwhile) fee is charged for riding here. The routes have been designed by Rik Alsop (who owns the bike shop here). The trails are natural, tight, twisty single track with natural obstacles such as roots (and lots of them).

Kirroughtree: The trails here have a very remote & wilderness feel to them as well as some wonderful unique terrain which is incorporated into the trails. A prime example of this is the infamous rock slab known as ‘McMoab’ (on the black route). The red & black routes offer some brilliant & original technical challenges, lots of excellent flowing single track & grippy granite rock features that make it the favourite 7 Stanes trail centre for lots of riders.

Mabie: Although Mabie sits in-between Dalbeattie & Ae, it offers something quite different, with a more naturally feeling trail, flowing single track through beech trees, with roots rather than rocks to provide the challenges. A good selection of trails for all abilities, great northshore, a bike shop, Youth Hostel & hotel (with bar) and camping pods

For more information on the trails, accommodation, etc see www.7stanes.com

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Lake District

The Lake District has some excellent, steep, technical rocky MTB trails, as well as 2 man made trail centres (Grizedale and Whinlatter Forests), which offer some more ‘controlled’ mtb trails, where less experienced riders will be safer. There are lots of great rides to do, and you will find a good selection of the classic trails such as Skiddaw, High Street, Borrowdale Bash, etc in our UK Breaks with Bikes guidebook as well as other rides around Grizedale & Ambleside.

There are LOTS of places to stay, but it gets extremely busy, so you will need to book well in advance. For some good campsites & camping pods, see www.discovercumbria.co.uk/Pod-Camping.html If you need a bike shop, check out Bike Treks in Ambleside 015394 31245 or www.biketreks.net and Keswick Bikes on 017687 80586 or www.keswickmountainbikes.co.uk

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Isle of Wight

A ferry trip and visit to the ‘holiday island’ is a great get-away. You really feel like you’ve left England behind you and it is always sunny whenever I’ve been! If you catch the ferry over it’s cheap as a foot passenger and bicycles go free. See our UK Breaks with Bikes guidebooks for some routes on the island, or attempt the challenging 100km off-road around the Island mtb route, offered in the British Heart Foundation MTB event, which also offers 50 & 75km options, on the 18th of June this year. For more details see:  www.roughrideguide.co.uk/mtbike/2010/06/isle-of-wight-off-road/

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Calderdale, South Pennines

Home to Singletrack magazine HQ, and some of the best natural riding in the UK, with lots of steep, technical, rocky singletrack trails, over moorland and through woodlands. It is also home to a new breed of man made MTB trails, with the recent arrival of Lee & Cragg quarries, near the town of Bacup. These old quarries have been converted to provide some superb (red & black grade) mtb trails: Lee quarry has around 8km of tough technical mountain bike trails with rock gardens, drop offs, tabletop jumps, huge berms, plus a pump track and 4 trials areas. A 1.2km (multi use) trail links Lee quarry to Cragg Quarry, which is home to a further 5km of wonderful flowing Singletrack.

This area is also home to the Mary Townley Loop, the first purpose-built long distance bridleway for horses & mtb’ers. It offers a superb circular 72km loop of the South Pennines, providing a memorable challenge. This route (along with others in the area) can be found in our UK Breaks with Bikes guidebook.

TOP TIP: If you would like to be guided around the best natural trails in the area, or improve your riding skills, ‘Great Rock’ comes very highly recommended book and is run by the very nice (and hairy) Ed Oxley. See www.great-rock.co.uk for more information.

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Exmoor, Somerset/Devon

This is one of my favourite holiday destinations to go with my family. Stunning countryside, superb, technical rocky terrain, big hills, quiet trails and cream teas (there is a nice place in Horner). Sparkhays campsite is right in the centre of Porlock village (just a few miles west of Minehead) and the lovely Ship Inn pub up the road.

Porlock sits on the coast, surrounded by big hills all around, so it’s tough going to start, whichever direction you go, but it also means you have a choice of superb descents to finish the day. If you can find a willing driver, you could do up-lifts, driving up the infamous Porlock Hill (A39) to Hawkcombe Head, to ride back down the absolutely cracking descent, through Shillet Wood, back to Porlock.

Accommodation: Sparkhays campsite: 01643 862470, Burrowhayes farm campsite (also highly recommended), just out of the village on 01643 862463, or the Overstream Hotel in Porlock on 01643 862421. Porlock tourist info: 01643 863150 and very helpful and will help find you a bed.

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Dark Peak, Peak District

Right in the heart of the country, the Peak District offers some superb riding, with big rocky climbs and big rocky descents. A classic route for when it’s dry is ‘Cut Gate’, offering a superb ‘There & Back’ ride from Fairholmes visitor centre, across the moors. If you have the energy left the superb Hagg Farm, Beast and Lockerbrook trails are close by too.

The superb, award winning 18 Bikes in Hope www.18bikes.co.uk will happily help you with anything bike related, while the superb and very bike friendly Woodbine cafewww.woodbine-hope.co.uk/ just along the road, will sort out any hunger or accommodation needs.

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These & lots more routes can be found in our

plus, in the month of March you can get £5 OFF the price

and a FREE pack of Nuun hydration tablets, worth £6

The new issue of the Ride Journal is out now here, and for those of you who haven’t heard of it or read it (shame on you), you can download the older back issues FREE from here

What is it all about? This is a journal of personal stories where bikes have changed people’s lives. There are no reviews or race reports, just lots of great short stories, from passionate cyclists of all disciplines and from all around the world, that will make you smile, laugh and cry. There is also a beautiful range of images from various artists, illustrators and photographers that make this magazine a real piece of art. It makes an interesting read for non cyclists and a ‘must read’ for anyone interested in bicycles.

OK, we’ve covered training plans and getting ready for a big ride, so I thought I’d cast a little light over what to eat during the ride, as I regularly see riders eating the wrong things, or the right things at the wrong times!

The key to a big ride is fuelling your body well. This starts before the day of ride. You need to stock up your carbohydrate stores (pasta and rice are the usual favourites), then continually keep restocking them throughout the duration of the ride, being careful to never to let them get so low you ‘bonk’ as you will struggle to recover and ride anywhere near your potential.

Start the day off with a good breakfast. Carbohydrates are key, but also make sure your carbs are low-average GI foods (which take longer to get into the blood stream) e.g. beans on (wholemeal) toast, porridge, muesli, cornflakes, rice Kripsies, cereal bars, scotch pancakes. A chocolate bar before the start of a ride (which seems to be pretty common) is not really the best thing!

NOTE: A fried breakfast isn’t the best as it is high in fat, but if you can’t resist it (like me), go big on the beans and wholemeal toast!

On the ride, energy bars, gels & drinks are great, providing the right mix of ingredients but they are expensive and can be too sickly in large quantities (and play havoc with your digestion), so include some real food such as sandwiches (sweet or savoury). Basically you want some (calorific) foods that provide a mix of fast & slow release energy to help sustain performance without aggravating blood sugar levels. As a rule of thumb, look to eat 1g carb per kg body weight, per hour, so 70g of carbs for a 70kg person. An average male uses around 2,000kcal in a ‘normal’ day, but cycling will use around 500 calories per hour, and these will need to be replaced.

Here are some of our favourite trail foods (and their nutritional values) in the sort of quantaties you might eat:

Chelsea bun (85g serving). Good amount of carbs and easy to make yourself, and rucksack safe. Calories 255, Fat 4.9, Carbs 46.9, Protein 5.5

Sesame Snaps (30g). They stick to your teeth, but are small, handy and cheap from Pound shops. Calories 157, Fat 8.8, Carbs 14.8, Protein 3.7

Rice Krispie square (28g/1 bar). Light, durable, readily available, tasty, good value and good nutritional value. Calories 118, Fat 3.5, Carbs 21, Protein 1

Malt Loaf (64g/2 slices). Great value & nutritional properties, but can stick to your teeth. Best with butter. Calories 220, Fat 6.4, Carbs 36.5, Protein 4.1

Jelly Babies (25g). A favourite pick-me-up for near the end of a ride. Calories 84, Fat 0, Carbs 20, Protein 1

Eat Natural (1 bar). Great taste, easy to find and good value. Calories 228, Fat 14.4, Carbs 26.4, Protein 2.9

Clif Bar (50g bar). Our favourite energy bar, as they taste yummy and have good texture. Calories 193, Fat 4.5, Carbs 29.5, Protein 9

Banana (1 medium). An excellent, healthy energy food, but they get squashed very easily. Calories 105, Fat 0.4, Carbs 27, Protein 1.3

Sun dried banana (50g). From www.tropicalwholefoods.co.uk Chewy, tasty, fresh banana supplement. Calories 110, Fat 0.2, Carbs 26.1, Protein 1.1

Fig Rolls (36g/2 biscuits). Easy to eat on the move, but dry, so requires some water. Calories 122, Fat 1.8, Carbs 24.4, Protein 1

Flapjack (28g). Homemade or shop bought, these are great high calorie trail food, but crumbly. Calories 140, Fat 7, Carbs 16.8, Protein 1.1

Fruit cake (80g). Best enjoyed on a break, with a cup of tea. Christmas cake is a favourite variation in January. Calories 290, Fat 9, Carbs 49, Protein 3

Energy gel (25g). Quick & easy to consume, if the texture doesn’t make you gag. Have a swig of water after. Calories 88, Fat 0, Carbs 22, Protein 0

My favourite for a powerful kick up the bum is a Clif Shot or the Shot Bloks.

Energy Drink (1 serving in 500ml) . A very easy & effective way to take on energy, especially in hot weather. Calories 189, Fat 0, Carbs 47, 0 Protein

Another good and favourite trail food (as it is cheap, can be made at home, packs well and has good energy properties) is a peanut butter and jam sandwich on wholemeal bread.

TOP TIP: Avoid fatty foods and high GI  foods e.g. sweets & chocolate, which boost your blood glucose level right up, but then drop heavily, leaving you tired & lethargic.

After the ride:
Consume a ‘recovery’ drink or something like a chocolate milkshake asap after you finish riding is perfect. Follow this with a proper meal when you can though. Look to consume 1g of protein per 1kg of bodyweight (lean meat, fish, etc), but don’t go silly with the fat or it will hamper your recovery as it slows digestion and absorption of carbs.

NOTE: It is important for multi day rides to recover as best you can for the next day’s riding. Special protein / recovery bars and drinks are easy and practical to consume directly after a ride, then get some good old fashion food down you afterwards, when you’re all cleaned up etc.

DRINKING
DRINK LOTS! Staying hydrated is vital, and your performance will deteriorate very rapidly if you don’t drink enough. As a rough guide, aim to consume about 1 (750ml) bottle per hour. We often ride with an ‘emergency’ water bottle (or two) on the bike to make sure we don’t run dry and always have some  Nunn tablets on us (undoubtedly the favourite hydration tablets available).

TOP TIP: You can make your own cheap & simple hydration drink by using 1/3 fruit juice, 2/3’rds water and adding a pinch of salt.

Specialized now have a test/demo fleet which enables Specialized Concept Stores to get any size and model bike to your local store in 48 hours later.

Find your local Test Centre at www.specialized.com/dealerlocator

OK, event season is kicking off properly now, so here are a few tips to help settle your nerves and make sure you are well prepared for your big day.

Firstly, have a quick read of our 3 Month Training Plan article.  Chances are you may not have that long until your event now but knowing that you have done some training beforehand is great for setting your mind at rest.

The week before the event, make sure your bicycle is working and is properly set up – you do not want to be making any last minute maintenance and set up changes. Take it to a bike shop if necessary, but be aware that many have a looong waiting list. Get your (tried & tested) kit out ready and packed; clothes, tools, GPS/map, bike computer, energy food, drink, etc. Check the route over: plan target times for certain points in the course, plan where you might want to aim for for lunch and make a note of water refill points. Print off the address and route to the start (if you don’t have a SatNav use RAC route planner), and plan to get there early.

TOP TIP: A couple of days before, check the weather forecast and pack bags and choose bike tyres accordingly.

EATING

One of, if not the most important thing, to performing well in a long distance event is fuelling your body correctly and keeping glycogen levels stocked up. This starts days before the big event, where you need to fill up your ‘tank’ by eating carbohydrates, e.g. pasta, potatoes, rice, cereal, etc. There isn’t any great need for you to get too scientific about it, just aim to eat carb rich foods, which should make up around 70% of your meal and cut down on fatty stuff.

On the big day you will probably have to make a very early start as you really should leave around 3hrs between your breakfast and the start line, because you want to have an emptyish stomach yet retain full glycogen levels and also be properly hydrated. Things like muesli, porridge, cereals, wholemeal toast and baked beans are all good.

During the ride keep topped up, eating & drinking every 30 minutes or so. Aim to consume about your weight in kg’s, in grams of carbohydrate every hour i.e. 80g of carbs for an 80kg rider. Have a look at energy values of energy bars, gels, etc before the ride to know what volume you should be looking to consume e.g. banana is 27g, (Clif) energy bar 30g, 60ml energy gel 22g, 500ml of energy drink 50g.

After the ride it is important to consume carbs and protein as soon as you can. Recovery bars and drinks are great, but ordinary milkshakes also work very well and it’s nice to have some proper food (just make sure it’s not too fatty).

If you can be well prepared then chances are you’ll have a much calmer day allowing you to enjoy your event! Have fun!

P.S. You may find our new, lightweight, budget map holder to be a great help on the ride.

OK, with various events being pimped at the moment and New Years resolutions waning it might be time to start thinking about getting some structure back into your cycling life, which is where the 3 month plan (3MP) comes in. There will probably even be some time to have one last push, to build on that base level of fitness before you start on the 3MP too.

The 3MP is designed to give you time to build on your base fitness and almost to the intensity level of the bike ride/event, then recover in time for the event itself. Ideally you should try and work to a 3 month (13week) training plan and get out for 3 rides a week if you can e.g. long ride (on Sunday!), recovery ride (on Tuesday!) and Interval training (on Thursday). See bottom for Interval Training.

Remember to do what is best for you though; if you need longer to recover, especially from illness, have it. Everyone is different, has different levels of fitness, backgrounds, demands on their time, etc.

Week 13 – Hard – Push yourself a bit harder than you do normally when riding.

Week 12 – Hard – as before, but try to improve slightly over the previous week.

Week 11 – Easy/Recovery – drop the interval workout

Week 10 – Hard - as week 12, but try to improve on the time or distance slightly again.

Week 9 – Very Hard – Noticeably increase the intensity of the interval training and increase the distance of the weekend ride. NOTE: You want to be around at least 75% of the events distance by week 2 i.e. after 2 more ‘Very Hard’ weeks of training like this one.

Week 8 – Easy/Recovery – drop the interval workout

Week 7 – Hard - as before, but nudge the intensity and distances up further still (see how you are improving)!

Week 6 – Very Hard – Increase the intensity of the interval training and increase the distance of the weekend ride even further still.

Week 5 – Easy/Recovery – drop the interval workout

Week 4 – Hard – as before and revel in the gains you’ve made so far.

Week 3 – Very Hard – Increase the intensity of the interval training and increase the distance of the weekend ride even further.

Week 2 – Very Very Hard. This should be your hardest week yet, getting in the longest training ride of so far, trying to do as close to the distance you will be doing in the event (aim for at least 75%). Learn from this ride; find the best pace for you, get into good refuelling (eating & drinking) habits, make sure your bike is set up & working properly and the clothing & equipment you use is comfortable.

Week 1 – Very Easy – Just do a couple of recovery rides. Stay relaxed mentally (you’ve done all you can now, so just enjoy the results, whatever they are you will have improved and be as ready as you can be). Get plenty of sleep and get your bike & kit all ready, keep yourself well hydrated & eat high carbohydrate meals, but don’t overeat!

The day before the event do a short bike ride with some short quick bursts and make sure you cool down afterwards properly. Check the bike is running smoothly one last time, then feed yourself up with a high carbohydrate meal and get an early night.

On the day get up in plenty of time, have good breakfast about 2-3hrs before the start, keep warm and relaxed (as much as you can) and keep drinking small amounts regularly (aim to drink 600ml/1 water bottle). Get in the queue for the toilet as the drinking and nerves will make you want to go (along with everyone else)!

On the ride, remember its not a race, you need to pace yourself. Go at your own speed and keep eating & drinking small amounts throughout the ride even if you don’t feel like it – if you feel hungry or thirsty its too late!

Interval training This is where you vary the effort you put in, and is a very effective way of pushing your limits, e.g.

• 10 mins: Warm up
• 10 mins: Ride at normal pace
• 10 mins: 30 seconds of hard flat out sprints, then 30 seconds of easy spinning x 10 times.
• 10 mins: Ride at normal pace
• 10 mins: Warm down

Over time mix it up, increasing the effort & spinning times, to say:

• 20 minutes of 10 x 1 minute intervals
• 20 minutes of 5 x 2 minute intervals
• 20 minutes of 2 x 5 minute intervals.

NOTE: If Interval Training sounds far too serious for you, go for mountain bike rides with friends, but make it competitive by racing sections. Also try to incorporate some hills into the ride/interval training.

TOP TIP: Entering some easier events in these weeks, before your ‘big’ event is a good way to get some hard rides in as well as some practice and experience of events (especially if you are new to it).

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Ride out of London and arrive at the seaside, just through the power of the pedal!

TYPE OF RIDE: Point to point, off road bike ride

DIFFICULTY RATING: Physically, very challenging, but not very technically difficult.
WHERE: Starting at Roehampton University, by Richmond Park and finishing in Brighton, on the seafront.
DISTANCE(S): Just the one, from London to Brighton, all 120km (75miles).
WHY DO THE RIDE: Because it’s a superb feeling to ride out of London and arrive at the seaside, just through the power of your legs and determination of your mind. It’s also fun explaining to people along the way ‘yes, you really are going to Brighton, today, and yes, you did start in London this morning’. It’s also very popular and has a limited number of places, so worth signing up for early.
WHAT BIKE : We recommend a hardtail (front suspension only) bike as it provides the best compromise between efficiency and comfort. A full suspension will be more comfortable (but slower) and a fully rigid (cyclocross or hybrid) will be faster still, but less comfortable.
WHAT TYRES: Low profile, fast rolling (possibly even semi-slicks, if it’s very dry) tyres are the best for this event.
MORE INFO: British Heart Foundations Event Page

Photos & Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51BQgu-Cbd0

The Course

NOTE: An average time to complete the ride is around 7-7.5hrs.

NOTE: You are required to purchase a permit to ride on this private land. Day permits available at the Discovery centre for around £2 or a year’s pass from www.gorrick.com/swinley/permits.php This helps pay for the trails and provides you with Public Liability insurance. Do it – don’t be tight.

How to get there: By train; Martin’s Heron station then south on the B3430. By car: Off M3 at junction 3 on the A322, then left on the A3430 and the Lookout is on the left. TOP TIP: Follow the brown signs to the Coral Reef which is opposite the Lookout.

Bike Shop: Mountain Trax near Barkham, Wokingham is a great shop and locals favourite, offering great, friendly service and a wide selection of demo/hire bikes. Postcode RG40 4PJ, www.mountain-trax.com or 0118 976 1130.

Start /finish grid reference/GPS coordinates and location: SU876/661, RG12 7QW

Total distance (km and miles): 16.9km, 10.5miles (feels like a lot more).

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FIT file to convert to GPX

Route Directions:

Through gate by GoApe, on forest track, over X-rds, and over T-J at end, and right on wide forest track. Right after 150m, top of small hill, on singletrack into woods. Left at X-tracks, bearing left uphill, then right, to wide X-tracks. Go to right of post ahead (with red marking), on singletrack, keeping right & high, on undulating trail. Left at T-J (going uphill either side), over a forest track onto singletrack.

Right at next forest track, left after 100m on singletrack. After 1km cross a wider muddy trail, for another 1km, back to the muddy track (T-J). Turn left, keep straight ahead, over wooden bridge to and left on forest track for 20m then right on singletrack. Right at end, down gulley ‘Tank Traps’ swinging tightly up & down either side.

Left on forest track at end, just past staggered X-tracks (& puddle!), right on feint singletrack, to jump gulley. Straight ahead on singletrack (after some runs down jump gulley) uphill, to & left on forest track at top. Bears right up to reservoir entrance and take 3^rd (wide track) on left into woods. Right after 20m then immediately straight ahead on feint trail as other bears left. Zig-zag down the hill and right to forest track.

Right on track then sharp left back on yourself as trail bears right, uphill. Bear right to forest track and go left on it. Down and up steep dip, left after forest track, by lone tree. The Labyrinth. Left and left again (Deerstalker), straight ahead at bottom/X-tracks all the way to end/forest track. Left then left on another forest track and straight on at T-J/top on singletrack. Over forest track, right at T-J after 2^nd wooden bridge, over forest track to another and go left on this.

Left at next forest track, uphill and straight ahead/to right of reservoir (same track as earlier). Bear left to top of the small hill (about 100m) then right on wide track then left just before it drops steeply, on singletrack. Down to head of jump gulley and go right on far side, to forest track with raised manhole cover. Go straight over and immediately right at fork. At T-J go right down steep drop and over the forest track.

Bears left then right uphill to forest track, go left on this. Past X-tracks and no.4 marker post, uphill and right at top on singletrack. Over forest track (same track as earlier), over next forest track and left at fork (came from right before).

Right after 30m on twisty singletrack, emerge at X-tracks (from earlier), go straight ahead (right of red/white marker post), and immediately left on singletrack. Downhill, joining forest track, immediately left at fork, and straight ahead all the way to a playground. Go right through gate (walk) back to the café & car park.

The longer ¾ provide some additional and much needed protection & warmth for your knees for these wet, cold months. OK, it’s been pretty amazing weather so far, but it’s still pretty cold in the morning or evening/night.

After my MT500 short shorts quickly became my favourite shorts through the summer, I had to get myself a pair of their bigger brother, the ¾’s, for the winter. I don’t usually like riding in ¾’s or trousers, but my old knees require a bit more protection in the winter than just ¾ lycra provides. I was however surprisingly pleased with how they don’t feel ‘draggy’ on my knees at all (unlike my 3/4 Zymes or Humvees). The articulated knee design is to thank here, and there is a velcro tab enables adjustment if you feel they are too baggy.

With a clever selection of materials it has the best of both worlds; using waterproof and fully taped seams on the rear your backside stays bone dry, a tough waterproof fabric around the crotch for long-term durability, and stretchy Cordura fabric on the front for comfort and to make sure you don’t overheat (like you often will in fully waterproof shorts).

There are pockets on the front, with storm flaps, but I preferred not to put anything in them when cycling as the good but close cut made it feel restrictive with anything significant in them. There are also some vented zips on the thigh to regulate the temperature too and a zip fly, button fastener and a small belt and additional belt loops if needed. It also has the Endura Clickfast fittings for their lycra shorts.

VERDICT: Very comfy, waterproof, durable and not too hot. These, like their younger/shorter brother are my favourite shorts for these current (colder, wetter) conditions. At £72.99 (RRP) they are pretty good value too. Highly recommended.

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