All idea's of posting when there was actually stuff going on has come to nothing. Pretty disappointed that I couldn't keep this up in the last month or so, especially seeing as quite a bit has been going on. Had the race in the Isle of Mann and then this last weekend had my first XC race since bailing out of the prep for the Championship. Well there's only four days till the Championship race and I'm about as prepared as I can be. I've been tapering to get the form just right but the intensity has left the immune system wanting. Ofir, my coach, has been saying that vitamin C during this time of the year is vital. I of course thought that I was made of steel and no mild virus could get me down. Today after intervals on the race track I came down with some heavy head cold. Luckily its a holiday for the next two days so was able to sleep it off today, feeling much better now.
As for the track, its gruesome start basically is a wall that takes just over three minutes to climb. I suffer up granny although I enjoy climbing this just pushes you that little bit too much. The rest of the first half is a tricky single track that loops up and down with a tough little rocky section that has been my undoing. The thing about a XC race is that its over so quick, there is very little grace for mistakes and you pay dearly for any made. Thirty seconds can be an eternity to make up especially when the terrain is either heading up or down. No breather and no time to start thinking about what to do next. The last half of the track is not as taxing which I have to keep in mind as this is where the recovery can come in.
I raced over the weekend but because I fasted the day before I was left lacking for energy but still had a good race. The heat has been beating me to pieces and the one 'o clock kick off on Saturday means that we'll be starting at the warmest part of the day. My preparation for this? Well we have a country club on the kibbutz with both a wet and dry sauna. For the last few days I've been sitting about 25 minutes punishing my body to take the heat. Every little bit helps but I may have left the heat acclimatization, probably not helped by the fact that I sit in an air conditioned office all day.
As for the track, its gruesome start basically is a wall that takes just over three minutes to climb. I suffer up granny although I enjoy climbing this just pushes you that little bit too much. The rest of the first half is a tricky single track that loops up and down with a tough little rocky section that has been my undoing. The thing about a XC race is that its over so quick, there is very little grace for mistakes and you pay dearly for any made. Thirty seconds can be an eternity to make up especially when the terrain is either heading up or down. No breather and no time to start thinking about what to do next. The last half of the track is not as taxing which I have to keep in mind as this is where the recovery can come in.
I raced over the weekend but because I fasted the day before I was left lacking for energy but still had a good race. The heat has been beating me to pieces and the one 'o clock kick off on Saturday means that we'll be starting at the warmest part of the day. My preparation for this? Well we have a country club on the kibbutz with both a wet and dry sauna. For the last few days I've been sitting about 25 minutes punishing my body to take the heat. Every little bit helps but I may have left the heat acclimatization, probably not helped by the fact that I sit in an air conditioned office all day.
