BrianGT3
Well-Known Member
Riding By The Numbers – 8/26/18
The blog title originates from a method I use when racing and training. A method that I ought to stick to and follow more, especially going into 2019. Going forward, this is my new plan going into the season, not figuring it out all over again mid-way through. A method I hope to share over the coming days, weeks and months. Earlier this season I didn't really follow this method. Neither with my training nor race day with consequences. The prior season was my fist full Cat 1 XC season. My “Ride By the Numbers” method worked well at a few races in 2017 where I podiumed. But somehow, I forgot about those lessons from ’17 and voluntarily repeated the same mistakes again this past season. Throughout each weekend race mental notes were taken.
I started this past season a little rough, I did a lot of lifting over the winter, not much riding. I went up about 15 lbs, but got pretty strong. Felt great out Ringwood for first race of season but no conditioning or long sustainable climbing. In addition to conditioning I also had a freak crash that involved hitting the dirt pretty hard the day prior. My right knee took the brunt of that fall which is already weaker from MX crash in 2009.
Regardless I raced day after at Ringwood and took 5th. I was suddenly back in the “hey this racing stuff is fun!”, mentality. Which leads up into:
When I don't “RBTN”, this is what can happen:
Late April I showed up to Allamuchy with no legs and blew up spectacular fashion on 2nd lap. Actually, I realized how screwed I was on the start of that race, there was nothing. I wanted to quit, but pushed on through the 3rd lap. That one hurt, I over did it. This also turned a small knee injury into a larger one. Not good!
After Allamuchy, the final weekend of April I did the tour de franklin 62 mile charity ride and killed my knee, couldn’t walk down stairs so I took most of May off so it could heal and not risk permanent injury.
After a good 3 weeks off I began riding at the end of May. Early June I spontaneously raced MASS Ramsey's Revenge to shock my system back into go fast mode. I did okay and took 8th. I think this got me a little fired up to compete again but forget how to do it smartly.
I decided to go out full bore at Stewart and blew up petty epic near the end of the 2nd lap. I still dug deep and finished. That hurt. A positive takeaway from this race was to know I could do it, I could go out of gate fast. being in a big group like that at start was intense, also shows the importance of a good grid position and out in front once you get into the woods. But I paid dearly for that decision and suffered at the end of the 2nd lap and all throughout the 3rd I had nothing. I think it's good to venture to that place, to understand what it feels like. Angry legs. Your legs don't want to move, you're getting passed every 2 minutes by every single guy in your class. I’m going ridiculously slow, nothing works. My core and upper body decide that they want to pedal the bike because my legs no longer aren’t and that’s really an inefficient way of riding a bike. It becomes a mental game, at that point to keep going and not quit. It's owning your bad decisions. The takeaway is it boosts the mental resilience a bit to that feeling and being in that place a little more comfortable.
It’s July: Back to riding by the numbers
Whatever method I had this first half of year was clearly not working. It was actually no method at all, just show up and ride! I guess that works sometimes. I went back to what worked the year prior. I began to plan my rides during the week, when to take off day, what days I need to ride at easy/moderate paces and distances, and then those few day’s to push myself. My gym routine, eating right, getting enough rest at night all fell in line as well. If my business or non-riding obligations tied me up, I took that opportunity to rest a little bit. Life will give you days off, 2-3 days of nothing can do you good.
Found myself at the DQ summer sizzler with a plan to Race By the Numbers. I started the race slow, moderate effort 1st lap. Picked it up a little on the 2nd lap and gridded top 3. 3rd laps I push, keep the mistakes low, momentum high and reel in race leader. Hang on his wheel, ran over tree roots to make noise to let him know I’m tailing. I hope putting pressure on him would lead to a mistake and easy pass. Unfortunately, that never happened, he was on point and wanted that win a little more. That one was an out of sprint power sprint to finish. Took a 2nd at the DQ summer sizzler.
Run same strategy at Kittatiny, take 3rd. That course was soaked from rain and super slick. Pacing myself gave my that extra 10% needed to ride the rocks and roots and catch the sporadic front end slides. Was pretty consistent but had nothing on the hills at the end.
2 weeks after I ran Churney gurney. I wasn’t expecting a good result, I was recovering from the flu. But it was important to get out and race at 90%, get a feel for it. So glad I did that race, it was a great experience. The conditions we slick and I was running the course blind, it was a good to get seat time in and ride based on feel. Took 4th In that race.
Next up was the H2H Finals up in Port Jervis NY. Conditions we’re also pretty slick, but by this time I had the bike and rider dialed in. A pre-ride also helped. I didn’t feel at 100% strength that day, but I liked the numbers I was seeing at race start. Took the lead early in race and controlled my 20 second cushion. Really hammered those hills, I recall at a point feeling like I should tone it down, give my legs a break, it’s okay you have a gap. But then another thought in my mind took over, do you want to drive home with 2nd place, knowing you go 2nd because you slacked? At that point my legs we’re working and handling the abuse, so I kept going. Ran an incredibly consistent race, hitting segment times +/- 10-15 seconds both laps and running both laps nearly identical. Took my first ever cat 1 win at Port Jervis! Still some take aways on how I would run that one differently, made a few tiny mistakes out there. Also cracked my frame! Luckily it held together up to finish.
Wrapping up the season strong and looking to do it right in 2019.
Riding By the Numbers 2019
Learned a lot this past year and these past 2 seasons racing Cat 1. I figured me out – well maybe not, but always getting a little closer. I learned when to rest and when to push, putting a plan together and going. This is not just on a raceday, but the days and weeks in between those weekends. It’s putting the quality seat time in. I’m beginning to see the big picture. 2019 is going to be a cool year, I want to get back to riding by the numbers.
Next up I’m putting a together a list of improvements and things to work on.
The blog title originates from a method I use when racing and training. A method that I ought to stick to and follow more, especially going into 2019. Going forward, this is my new plan going into the season, not figuring it out all over again mid-way through. A method I hope to share over the coming days, weeks and months. Earlier this season I didn't really follow this method. Neither with my training nor race day with consequences. The prior season was my fist full Cat 1 XC season. My “Ride By the Numbers” method worked well at a few races in 2017 where I podiumed. But somehow, I forgot about those lessons from ’17 and voluntarily repeated the same mistakes again this past season. Throughout each weekend race mental notes were taken.
I started this past season a little rough, I did a lot of lifting over the winter, not much riding. I went up about 15 lbs, but got pretty strong. Felt great out Ringwood for first race of season but no conditioning or long sustainable climbing. In addition to conditioning I also had a freak crash that involved hitting the dirt pretty hard the day prior. My right knee took the brunt of that fall which is already weaker from MX crash in 2009.
Regardless I raced day after at Ringwood and took 5th. I was suddenly back in the “hey this racing stuff is fun!”, mentality. Which leads up into:
When I don't “RBTN”, this is what can happen:
Late April I showed up to Allamuchy with no legs and blew up spectacular fashion on 2nd lap. Actually, I realized how screwed I was on the start of that race, there was nothing. I wanted to quit, but pushed on through the 3rd lap. That one hurt, I over did it. This also turned a small knee injury into a larger one. Not good!
After Allamuchy, the final weekend of April I did the tour de franklin 62 mile charity ride and killed my knee, couldn’t walk down stairs so I took most of May off so it could heal and not risk permanent injury.
After a good 3 weeks off I began riding at the end of May. Early June I spontaneously raced MASS Ramsey's Revenge to shock my system back into go fast mode. I did okay and took 8th. I think this got me a little fired up to compete again but forget how to do it smartly.
I decided to go out full bore at Stewart and blew up petty epic near the end of the 2nd lap. I still dug deep and finished. That hurt. A positive takeaway from this race was to know I could do it, I could go out of gate fast. being in a big group like that at start was intense, also shows the importance of a good grid position and out in front once you get into the woods. But I paid dearly for that decision and suffered at the end of the 2nd lap and all throughout the 3rd I had nothing. I think it's good to venture to that place, to understand what it feels like. Angry legs. Your legs don't want to move, you're getting passed every 2 minutes by every single guy in your class. I’m going ridiculously slow, nothing works. My core and upper body decide that they want to pedal the bike because my legs no longer aren’t and that’s really an inefficient way of riding a bike. It becomes a mental game, at that point to keep going and not quit. It's owning your bad decisions. The takeaway is it boosts the mental resilience a bit to that feeling and being in that place a little more comfortable.
It’s July: Back to riding by the numbers
Whatever method I had this first half of year was clearly not working. It was actually no method at all, just show up and ride! I guess that works sometimes. I went back to what worked the year prior. I began to plan my rides during the week, when to take off day, what days I need to ride at easy/moderate paces and distances, and then those few day’s to push myself. My gym routine, eating right, getting enough rest at night all fell in line as well. If my business or non-riding obligations tied me up, I took that opportunity to rest a little bit. Life will give you days off, 2-3 days of nothing can do you good.
Found myself at the DQ summer sizzler with a plan to Race By the Numbers. I started the race slow, moderate effort 1st lap. Picked it up a little on the 2nd lap and gridded top 3. 3rd laps I push, keep the mistakes low, momentum high and reel in race leader. Hang on his wheel, ran over tree roots to make noise to let him know I’m tailing. I hope putting pressure on him would lead to a mistake and easy pass. Unfortunately, that never happened, he was on point and wanted that win a little more. That one was an out of sprint power sprint to finish. Took a 2nd at the DQ summer sizzler.
Run same strategy at Kittatiny, take 3rd. That course was soaked from rain and super slick. Pacing myself gave my that extra 10% needed to ride the rocks and roots and catch the sporadic front end slides. Was pretty consistent but had nothing on the hills at the end.
2 weeks after I ran Churney gurney. I wasn’t expecting a good result, I was recovering from the flu. But it was important to get out and race at 90%, get a feel for it. So glad I did that race, it was a great experience. The conditions we slick and I was running the course blind, it was a good to get seat time in and ride based on feel. Took 4th In that race.
Next up was the H2H Finals up in Port Jervis NY. Conditions we’re also pretty slick, but by this time I had the bike and rider dialed in. A pre-ride also helped. I didn’t feel at 100% strength that day, but I liked the numbers I was seeing at race start. Took the lead early in race and controlled my 20 second cushion. Really hammered those hills, I recall at a point feeling like I should tone it down, give my legs a break, it’s okay you have a gap. But then another thought in my mind took over, do you want to drive home with 2nd place, knowing you go 2nd because you slacked? At that point my legs we’re working and handling the abuse, so I kept going. Ran an incredibly consistent race, hitting segment times +/- 10-15 seconds both laps and running both laps nearly identical. Took my first ever cat 1 win at Port Jervis! Still some take aways on how I would run that one differently, made a few tiny mistakes out there. Also cracked my frame! Luckily it held together up to finish.
Wrapping up the season strong and looking to do it right in 2019.
Riding By the Numbers 2019
Learned a lot this past year and these past 2 seasons racing Cat 1. I figured me out – well maybe not, but always getting a little closer. I learned when to rest and when to push, putting a plan together and going. This is not just on a raceday, but the days and weeks in between those weekends. It’s putting the quality seat time in. I’m beginning to see the big picture. 2019 is going to be a cool year, I want to get back to riding by the numbers.
Next up I’m putting a together a list of improvements and things to work on.