http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: CX at Bo'ness en Sun, 17 May 2026 20:48:35 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-139004 Wed, 08 Jan 2014 20:05:02 +0000 Charterhall 139004@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good luck with your ambition WC ! My own attempts at cross back in the 80's were also firmly at the tail of the field. One memorable occasion the winners had already had the podium presentation by the time I finished, I know this because Hugh Porter who was doing the commentary kindly pointed out to the assembled crowd 'And ladies and gentleman, there are STILL riders crossing the finish line !'. Thanks Hugh. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138943 Wed, 08 Jan 2014 12:42:27 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138943@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.cxaddict.co.uk/2014/01/confessions-of-a-cyclocross-backmarker-part-1/">My piece on CX Addict</a> :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138920 Wed, 08 Jan 2014 08:12:50 +0000 Charterhall 138920@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There's some good cross coverage at VeloVeritas, seems to be run by a local.<br /> <a href="http://www.veloveritas.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">http://www.veloveritas.co.uk/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138861 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 17:26:26 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138861@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Actually, that's given me an idea for a few of the follow-up pieces. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138859 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 17:15:30 +0000 Cyclingmollie 138859@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You could look at it as motivation and you'll get encouragement and advice. A win win situation I think. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138855 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 16:25:34 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138855@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm going to be writing some occasional pieces for CXAddict (starting today) charting progress towards the next series, with the aim of a top half finish. So no pressure there. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138854 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 16:18:13 +0000 Cyclingmollie 138854@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Nice video. I think you need to do lactate threshold intervals to improve your muscular endurance if you see the event as a sort of time-trial. Add power intervals on top of that if you need to sprint out of corners and technical sections. You already have the basic endurance. So build on it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138805 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 10:10:49 +0000 steveo 138805@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>WC I see you found the Knight Rider plug in. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138800 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 09:37:54 +0000 Min 138800@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I'm confused by this... I only use upper body strength to lift my bike up stairs! </em></p> <p>Yeah okay, upright cycling. Smarty Pants. ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138797 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 02:26:23 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138797@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A lap of Dig in at the Dock</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afTfiFl2ZKE&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afTfiFl2ZKE&amp;feature=youtu.be</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138793 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 23:53:30 +0000 steveo 138793@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>To frighten the children....</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49248828@N06/11807212395/"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3724/11807212395_dbe503592d.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49248828@N06/11807212395/">DSC_9762</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/49248828@N06/">steveo_mcg</a>, on Flickr</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49248828@N06/11807953046/"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3781/11807953046_626aaff1c0.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49248828@N06/11807953046/">DSC_0156</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/49248828@N06/">steveo_mcg</a>, on Flickr </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138791 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 23:00:50 +0000 gembo 138791@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Aviemore half marathon in October is all downhill, can be done with only light training. You do feel it not the next day but the day after. Half marathons with lots of climbing like the Skye one can be brutal. The best one I have done is Harris. Six miles flat, six miles up and one mile down.</p> <p>When training Walk a bit before you run, walk a bit at the end. Do some proper stretching. rest or Maybe do some swimming the next day, front or back crawl, then run the day after. Buildup to 7 or 8 miles regularly Don't go much longer. About a fortnight before try the 13 miles. Take it easy after that. Get proper training shoes from run and become</p> <p>Running and cycling together will lead to weight loss. Doing some upper body weights will make you more toned. If possible reducing calorie intake also worth considering. distance Running is harder for bigger humans. Harder on the joints, harder to lug your frame over the miles, harder to get yourself up the hills. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138777 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 18:43:05 +0000 LaidBack 138777@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Min <em>I don't believe that cycling gives you the upper body strength you need for cycling.</em></p> <p>I'm confused by this... I only use upper body strength to lift my bike up stairs! </p> <p>Have tried to ride a bike with levers and pedals though. Was tricky (impossible!) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138764 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 16:08:00 +0000 Min 138764@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I wasn't skin and bones either but the definition all went. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138763 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:57:02 +0000 DaveC 138763@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd love to be able to run too! I run twice a year for charity things at work, usually once round Arthurs Seat and I'm ok on the run but see the day afterwards, and the day after that!! I'm like an invalid!! I cycle a little but apart from my forearm toning my top half still looks like my dad, and my cheeky 5 year old told me I had boobs on Saturday as I got out of the shower! Cheeky ble*der!!</p> <p>I have an Ultramarathoner freind and she isn't all skin and bones though so I don't know about vanishing muscles??? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890&page=2#post-138762 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:55:55 +0000 PS 138762@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I guess (caveat: I am NOT a doctor) you have to do either very little with the muscles in question (the sling approach) or an *awful* lot with other muscles (ultra-anything) to cause the body to start breaking down the muscle to use the protein elsewhere. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138760 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:15:38 +0000 Min 138760@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yeah? That's just not fair. :-(</p> <p>Perhaps you should try ultrarunning? All my muscles vanished when I did that. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138751 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 14:28:00 +0000 PS 138751@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Don't worry WC, there's a difference between "normal person" low body fat (say, 12 to 15%) and procyclist low body fat (7% I think Wiggins was in 2012).</p> <p>EDIT: Egads! I've just googled it and he was at 4% in 2009.</p> <p>@Min <em>The good news being that it is totally reversible!</em><br /> True, although it took 3 weeks of my arm in a sling for me to lose the bulk on my right shoulder. It's still there on the left. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138724 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:59:39 +0000 Min 138724@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I don't believe that cycling gives you the upper body strength you need for cycling. Weight training is a good idea, especially for cyclocross. If you find you are doing too much, do less. The good news being that it is totally reversible! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138719 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:50:09 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138719@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ooh, don't want skinny toned though. Mel's reactions to the skinniness of Tour riders is enough to put me off that idea! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138718 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:47:27 +0000 PS 138718@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You'll put your arms (and core) to work when you're climbing, espcially if pushing a big gear. That may be enough for toning. (Although, I've come to the conclusion that a lot of what is regarded as "toned" is an absence of subcutaneous fat that exposes the muscle structure below. You'll get that from a couple of century rides :D ) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138714 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:38:29 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138714@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm not aiming for Arnie arms, just, y'know, 'toned'. But yes, Arthur's Seat is going to be thrown into the commute to and from work a bit more consistently. All just sensible stuff without going OTT. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138710 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:24:49 +0000 PS 138710@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>As the man said, it never gets easier, you just go faster... ;-)</p> <p>@WC I've been doing some "distance" running (up to 9km) for the first time in years as part of my physio for my achilles tendon rupture. Three months in a cast probably didn't help, nor will the scar tissue, but both lower calves ache for a day or so after each run. I'm guessing these are muscles that I just don't call into action much if at all on the bike. However, I can't say I find running around parks and the streets particularly inspiring and I'm looking forward to being able to run on the trails on Arthur's Seat again.</p> <p>Speaking of which, I'd honestly say that I've found laps of AS (either on or off the bike) are really good for fitness training. It doesn't take too many goes before you're able to either spin the gear faster or put it up a gear.</p> <p>It's only bettered by finding some really long hills and riding up them at a consistent (highish) effort level. (I feel a lot fitter and stronger after riding up something like Kirkstone Pass two or three times in a week's holiday in the Lakes).</p> <p>Finally, I'd go easy on the weights. I did a bit of weight training whilst at uni (nothing like some others on here, mind) and I really don't need that extra upper body bulk on the bike... Pushing a higher gear up a hill is pretty effective resistance training in itself. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138693 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 10:40:37 +0000 wingpig 138693@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote><em>"...my first run was a mere mile to see how things would pan out, and I could hardly walk the next day"</em></blockquote></p> <p>Irrespective of general fitness/endurance capability, if you generally do no high-impact stuff then suddenly pop out for a run you're likely to end up with gripey legs for a couple of days even if otherwise fit. This effect can be enhanced by running downhill carrying a heavy weight, as I found out after trotting down Cairngorm with the child in a backpack a couple of years ago when I had to go sideways down stairs for four days afterwards. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138692 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 10:29:16 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138692@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>p.s. should say when I say 'easier' that's not belittling any achievements! Just that the thought of running 7 miles without training and being able to do it is such an alien concept to me. Thing is, we all have our levels to work to which generally means we all end up at the samne knackeredness levels (I'll be as done in with a half marathon as you will for the full marathon - 26 miles, again, just seems so alien).</p> <p>Then again, where's Min? You need to speak to her about ultra-marathons! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138690 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 10:27:16 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138690@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I do get the feeling it's a little easier if someone has a sort of natural fitness level as well. The fact you managed to run 7 miles, whether it broke you or not, on the back f no previous training is astounding to me - I did a 10k towards the end of 2013, to get me into running for a bit of cross training, and my first run was a mere mile to see how things would pan out, and I could hardly walk the next day.</p> <p>I remember growing up, being tall and skinny, I'd be told I had the perfect long distance physique. Something which always seemed cruelly funny when it came to cross country running at school and I'd be coughing my lungs up almost from the off.</p> <p>The funny thing is, I've never been fitter than I am now (at 37) simply through cycling every day, but go on a run, or take part in a cycling event, or even join up with CCErs for a ride to a distillery, and everything gets put into perspective. This year I want to run a half marathon (I reckon the small amount of running I did was beneficial in the off-the-bike sections yesterday); get at least one big ride in a month; and hit the weights. Big, possibly over-optimistic, aim is to get a top half finish in a CX race in the 2014 season (which is going to require a LOT of training).</p> <p>What I'd really like is to be fit enough that the time I make up on the technical bits then sticks in the slogs in between. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138685 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 02:26:41 +0000 allebong 138685@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Speaking of training and running, I've just put in for the Edinburgh Marathon, so there's plenty grind ahead for me too. I took up running on a whim back in May and have got a few half marathons/10ks etc done already. Looking back on what I've done so far I think the worst things were the following - likely goes for pretty much any sport:</p> <p>1- Just starting off. The first run I ever done was ~7 miles, probably too much for a beginner, and with a few fitter friends, so it was a struggle to keep up. It absolutely ruined me and I was aching for days after. Now it takes about 15 miles to even approach that same amount of pain, and a mere 7 can be done without much effort at all. </p> <p>2- Keeping it up in a slump. It's the nadir of my year as far as motivation goes just now. Even today, early afternoon I felt dead and lethargic. I forced myself out to do 7 miles and while it was a bit slow and ploddy to begin with by the end I felt great. There are a lot of days where you don't want to go out, but you know you should, so the effort has to be made. Though if you feel consistently drained that's usually a sign to ease off.</p> <p>3- Off days. We've all had them. I found there was a period when I was obsessed with getting every run done perfectly, on schedule and with a fast consistent pace. Not realistic. There will be a day, or a week, or maybe even a month where things just don't go well and your training slips. Key is to accept it and not worry, as that inevitably makes it worse. </p> <p>Now, on the plus side, my fitness has improved immensely, my stamina has never been higher, when on the bike hills that previously daunted and broke me are now laughed off, my body flows with endorphins and all the other stuff we exercise fanatics can't shut up about....</p> <p><em>This is just me trying to motivate myself after two weeks of sitting on my couch eating chocolates :-) </em></p> <p>2 weeks? You slob. My chocolate supplies only lasted 10 days :( </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138684 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 00:55:09 +0000 Stickman 138684@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>WC: I trained "seriously" for a 10k run a few years ago. In my head I anticipated hours of pain and injuries, but once I started it was nowhere near as bad as I thought. Because I enjoy running I liked pushing myself and going to the next level. I ended up knocking nearly 5 minutes off my pb just through following a sensible training routine. </p> <p> You obviously love cycling, so once you start doing the serious training then you'll love it as well. </p> <p>This is just me trying to motivate myself after two weeks of sitting on my couch eating chocolates :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138683 Mon, 06 Jan 2014 00:25:16 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 138683@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Got windy though, and gave a ridiculous headwind at one exposed bit. But mainly hard because it's a flat course, so there are no 'breather' downhills. Good fun though. Have discovered that while I don't have the fitness my bike-handling skillz can cope with this (which included unclipping and swinging a leg over the bike while going downhill on a rutted and bumpy 45 degree drop), and I'm good at the whole dismount/clear obstacle/remount thing (made up time every lap on that).</p> <p>But the lack of fitness is my drawback. Kept trying to put more into it, but nothing there, without really being sure why. I wasn't gasping for air, and the legs weren't leaden. I just... <em>couldn't</em>.</p> <p>Training. Weird concept, but I'm going to give it a go. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11890#post-138679 Sun, 05 Jan 2014 20:56:41 +0000 gembo 138679@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Still, at least it didn't snow? </p>