Tag Archives: fitness

MX Fitness – Alan Milway – Strength and Conditioning Workshop

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Saturday 9th December – Birmingham University Sports Campus

As a Coach or a Competitor there’s always more to learn and things to improve. Anyone that thinks or dares to tells you any different hasn’t quite lost their mind but has certainly lost the opportunity to expand it. There is one thing for sure, although you might like to think you know everything this is rarely the case and in sport in particular there is one constant which is change.

Over the last 20 – 30 years the field of Sports Science has exploded with ways and means to measure and develop athletes that are beyond the wildest dreams of the professional sports men and women in the 60’s and 70’s. Although some athletes might like to hark back to a time before everything in professional sport was measured and calibrated in the 21st century its the way things are and it’s a big business.

For me continuous self improvement has always underpinned what I’ve been doing. The opportunity to perform, review, and improve, has enabled me to squeeze the best out of what I’ve been doing and to continue the push for perfection. Finding the smallest of tweaks and tuning things to find a performance advantage. When you do it often enough It becomes a habit and drives a culture that has enabled me to remain engaged in doing what I love for the past 27 years.

With that in mind I contacted Alan to ask if he offered a Coach Development Workshop that would enable me to gain an insight into the way in which he worked with his athletes. Alan came back with the cracking suggestion of coming along on one of his training days as a participant. What better way to see how he works with his athletes than to become one!

I booked onto Alan’s MX Training Workshop early in December and was eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to get to see one of the best Strength and Conditioning Coaches in Mountain Biking, in action. For those of you that have been living under a rock Alan has worked with some of the biggest names in Mountain Biking Racing from the Atherton Family to Tracy Moseley and has built a reputation on the results that the riders in his charge have achieved on the International Race Circuit.

I also managed to get Firecrest MTB DH Team Riders Chris Cockrill and Tom Shakespeare to come along with me. Chris is a seasoned FMTB DH Team Rider and young Tom is a new signing for 2018 who will be competing in the Youth Category and looking to build on his 2017 season as a Development Rider. The three of us made a very interesting cross-section of athletes for Alan. I was the oldest on the day and having spent hours in the gym training back in the day (racing Cross-County) it was going to be interesting to see how I got on and what habits I’d picked up, or forgotten over the years. Tom at 14 years old is just starting out on his strength and conditioning journey. Training at home and at school to date, this was going to be a little different to his usual PE lessons. Chris won’t mind me saying he is always at the Gym, just a beast (check out his Instagram feed at chris_cockrill) The Gym is his ‘happy place’ aside from being out on the trails and he couldn’t wait for the day to get going.

We jumped in the car and headed up the M40 to Birmingham for the day. Checking in at Birmingham Universities Sports Campus makes you instantly feel like a professional. It’s an amazing facility with every base covered from a Sports Participation and a Sports Science perspective.

We met Alan and Ray Jakeman, Head of Strength and Conditioning at The University of Birmingham our Coaches for the day just before 10am, paper work was completed and we were weighed in and ready to go. Alan ran us through the Agenda for the day before subjecting us to the first batch of tests. The morning was spent testing out our flexibility and mobility with notes made of any imbalance to address later in the session.

Testing complete Alan and Ray then ran through a batch of exercises with us, which were aimed at targeting the imbalances that we’d identified – left to right, improving balance, mobility and/or flexibility. These specific exercises were great and showed up the missing elements in my Training Programme giving me some valuable exercises I will be adding to it going forward.

This took us up to a light lunch, as there was a batch of tests ahead of us where it wasn’t going to be good to have a heavy meal sitting on your stomach. Back to the Agenda and an easy intro, using the foam roller to work on the stresses and strains of the morning by pushing and stretching the muscles loosing them up for what lay ahead. The remedial side of things has never been a speciality of mine but I could definitely feel the stresses and strains ebbing away.

The afternoons tests were aimed at measuring our strength, power and endurance. The first test was the Jump Test. A pressure mat measured our explosive power from a standing squat and then a squat jump. If you ever want to feel like you’re wearing boots made of concrete just do this test.

Then it was onto the bike. Over the years I’ve done a number of max-power and threshold tests on a bike so I knew what to expect. For Tom this was his first and it hurt, but he took it in his stride and put in a great effort and I’m sure he’ll look back at this test with fond memories when he’s smashing them out in the future! Chris on the other hand had the WattBike screaming for mercy as he blasted his way through the tests. The only time I ever enjoy these tests is when they are over and this one was no different but I was pleased with the numbers and I’ll see what Alan comes back with when he’s crunched the data.

The next test was the Supine Pull. With my ‘arms of a sparrow’ I wasn’t looking forward to this one. Chris smashed it as expected and Tom did himself proud, Then Terry stole the show as he came close to beating the all time record held by Dan Atherton, incredible strength and endurance (we later found out Terry is in the Marines). The the leg burning calf raises were next, followed by press ups. With the tests complete and paperwork handed in for Alan to crunch the data that was the day done.

From my perspective it was great to see Alan in action up close and to get his input on my own training. It’s easy to see how his approach and the strengths and opportunities he identifies give the racers he works with the edge come race day. To have Alan’s insight and the level of feedback he provides on an ongoing basis will undoubtedly make you faster on the bike. Having it for the day gave me a great personal insight into where I can make some gains and some big improvements going forward.

Those of you that have been on a Mountain Bike Skills Course with me will know that the ‘Fitness’, ‘Skills’ and ‘Nutrition’ Triangle enables riders to work with professionals on each of the elements that come together to build the perfect rider. Alan’s insight into the ‘Fitness’ point is clearly invaluable and it was great to see the gains he identified and the way in which he works with an athlete to realise those gains.

Chris and Tom came away feeling highly motivated to get over the winter hump and into the new season fitter and faster than ever. All three of us got a lot from the day and would highly recommend it to anyone thinking about booking up.

Keep an eye on MX Fitness for Alan’s dates in the New Year and if you’re looking to compliment your fitness with some MTB Skills Training check out the range of Firecrest Mountain Bike Skills Courses I offer on the Firecrest MTB Website www.firecrestmtb.com

Adult RDP – Downhill and Enduro MTB Skills Training

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The Firecrest Mountain Biking Rider Development Programme (RDP) based at Aston Hill Bike Park have Coached some of the fastest Downhill and Enduro Racers in the UK. This is your chance to join a Group Skills Course for riders aged 18 years and over, focussed on Race Skills Development to optimise your preparation for the 2017 Race Season.

Firecrest Mountain Biking’s Skills Training is underpinned by ‘The System’ our proven Skills Training method which supports our ‘holistic approach’ to MTB Skills Development. ‘The System’ enables us to work with you and give you an insight into ‘why to do’ things over ‘how to do’ them. This in turn gives you a unique perspective on polishing your Skills and how to imporove your performace when you’re racing.

This Group Course will enable you to access Firecrest MTB Skills Training at a significantly reduced rate. It is a chance to join a focussed Training Group aimed at enabling you to achieve your Race Results Target for 2017.

The Course is ideal for Downhill and Enduro Racers new to the Firecrest MTB Skills Courses and riders that have previously had MTB Skills Training from Firecrest Mountain Biking. The Course will cover an introduction to the ‘The System’ and then a range of ‘Technical Trail Features’ including but not limited too; Jumps, Drops Corners and Techincal Downhill Sections showing how you can use ‘The System’ to optimise your Skills, Mindset, and give your best Performance come race day.

‘The System’ will enable you to understand how to optimise your Racing Performance and easily identify areas that you need to focus on as you prepare for the Race Season. Tapping into our experience will give you the knowlege and confidence needed to ‘fast track’ the improvements to gain those minutes, seconds or tenth of a second imporvements to your race results in 2017.

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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We like to wish all of our clients old and new and those yet to join us a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

It’s been an exciting year for all of us here at Firecrest Mountain Biking. As a pioneer of the Mountain Bike Skills Instruction (can you believe that 2013 is our 15th year) it’s great to see the growth in the mountain bike skills training sector and so many people getting out there and  looking to improve their skills through training and instruction rather than trial and error. However this brings with it a new set of challenges for us as here at Firecrest MTB. Not least how we make sure that we a) stay ahead of the competition, and b) let our customers know that we have the passion, knowledge and experience to ensure that they’ll have a great time on our courses and come away with the skills only ever dreamed about having.

For 2013 we’ll continue to innovate and take our programmes to the next level. We’ve been piloting a range of training aids including live video feedback on all courses and live timing (for our Race courses). I won’t begin to go into what we’ve learnt through the hours of training with video with our clients some of which race with the fastest racers on the planet. It’s been yet another road on an incredible journey to take mountain bike skills training and instruction to the next level.

What we do know regardless of whether your going mountain biking for the first time or looking to challenge at the highest level of competition across the disciplines we’ll share our years of knowledge, experience and passion and work as hard as we can with you to make those goals a reality.

So as 2012 draws to a close and our thoughts turn to 2013 we look forward to seeing you out on the trail soon. Please feel free to contact us if you’d like discuss your requirements for mountain bike skills training and/or Fitness and Performance.

Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Ian and Mark – Firecrest Mountain Biking

Firecrest Fitness and Performance – 1-to-1 No Obligation Consultation Offer

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Here at Firecrest Mountain Biking we have a depth of experience across the mountain bike disciplines of Downhill (DH), Cross-Country (XC), 4X and Enduro we know what it takes to take your performance to the next level combining the best in Skills Training and Instruction along with Fitness and Performance Coaching.

We’ve worked with riders of all ages and experience so we also know how important it is to have a training programme that’s aligned with your goals and ambitions. It’s also important to focus on making the most of the time you have to train. Balancing these factors is the key to getting the results you aspire too.

That’s where working with the right coach can make all the difference!

The good news is that having a coach might not be as expensive as you think and you’ll find that having someone to work with as you train towards your goals will make all the difference when it comes to achieving your ambitions.

We also know that spending hours browsing websites looking for the right training package can often leave you just as confused as when you started. That’s why Firecrest MTB are offing the opportunity to speak to our fitness guru Mark Baines for free with no obligation.

The best bit is that we’ll even call you at a time that’s convenient for you.

This enables us to do the following:

  1. Make sure that you’re going to benefit from our coaching and that we’ve identified your short, medium and long term goals and know they are achievable.
  2. Make sure that we are going to deliver the right programme for you to achieve those goals. We will talk you through the benefits of our core packages and tailored elements.
  3. Make sure that if you choose one our programmes you only pay for what you need, ensuring that you get maximum value from the training package we’ll create for you.
  4. There’s no cost to you. You only start paying when you sign up to one of our Fitness and Performance programmes!

If you’d like Mark to give you a call to discuss your Fitness and Performance requirements send an e-mail to Mark at baines_mark_@hotmail.com with, your name, contact telephone number, and the best time to call and Mark will be in touch.

Remember the seasons not as far away as you think! Make that first step to achieving your goals and drop us and e-mail.

Let’s take your performance to the next level in 2014!

FMTB Trained Athletes – Racing Round Up – British XC and Downhill Series

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Last weekend saw Firecrest Skills and Fitness Trained Athletes in action at both Downhill DH and Cross-Country XC rounds of the British Mountain Bike Series.

British Cross Country Series – Final Round – Langdon Hills – Essex

Maxine Filby rounded out a super successful season in the Women’s Pro-Elite category with another podium ride. Placing third for the second time in the 2012 season secured her a fantastic fourth overall in the series. The Langdon Hills course didn’t present any major problems from a technical perspective and Maxine was one of a number of riders who are calling on XC race organisers to find more technical courses so that the jump from domestic racing to international competition is so big. Of course we here at Firecrest we fully support that and have felt for years that domestic XC mountain biking has become more like road racing on dirt! Let’s hope the organisers are listening?!?

From a Firecrest Skills and Fitness perspective its mission accomplished as far as Maxine’s goals for the 2012 season (a podium at British XC and top five overall) are concerned. Mark (Baines, Firecrest Fitness Guru) and I are already working with Maxine on her 2013 campaign! Look out for her on a podium near you soon!

For the full results from Langdon Hills Click here>>>

Halo Brisith Downhill Series – Rnd5 – Bringewood Forest, Shropshire

The downhillers were racing at the penultimate round of the British Downhill Series at the popular venue of Brindgewood. The event supported by the team at Pearce Cycles was one of the slickest in years with their fleet of Landrover’s really doing the business on the uplift which has become one of the crucial elements to a good weekends racing.

The weekend was dominated by the weather with a fast dry track drenched by biblical downpours on Saturday afternoon the riders dug out the spiked tyres and started to master the ruts rather than the dust!

For Firecrest trained athletes it was another stellar days racing. In the Elite Category Olie Burton was a fraction of the podium in 8th and Harry Molloy came home in 13th. It was great to see mountain bike legend Steve Peat back on top of the box. Peaty showed that the skill in downhill is all about carrying speed and when on form he can carry more than most stopping the clock almost 3 seconds clear of second with the World Championships next weekend it was great to see Peaty on form.

In the Junior Category hopes were high in the Madison Saracen Camp with Firecrest trained rider Josh Lowe fresh from a months DH training in the Alps. To say it was tight is an understatement, Josh came home in 7th but just half a second would have put him in 4th. Testament to the improvements he’s made in August and with the final round to go everything’s focussed on making it onto the box for the series finals.

It was great to see former Aston Hill Junior DeVo rider Phil Atwill get his first Junior win too. Phil’s run time would have put him safely inside the top 15 times on the day and gave him a 4 second winning margin. With the World Champs next week it’s awesome to see Phil on form and we here at Firecrest wish him the best of luck for next weekend in Austria.

For the full results click on over to Roots and Rain here>>>

 

 

 

 

The British National Championships Weekend – Cross-Country and Downhill

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Josh Lowe - National Champs

Josh Lowe flat out at the National Downhill Championships 2012

There’s one weekend on the UK’s domestic calendar that for most athletes everything pivots on. It’s the National Championships! It’s the big race of the year and the chance to put your name in the record books and a National Champions Jersey in your wardrobe.

From a skills development perspective the work never stops and although it’s hard to fit in sessions during the busy race season I’m always reviewing the races with riders and looking at new techniques for the riders to try. Mark’s also busy with the Fitness Training side of things, peaking at the right phase in the season is and art and at Firecrest we are fortunate that Mark seems to have the magic formula to ensure that riders are on form come the time of their targeted races.

From a coaches perspective you’re working on making sure that all the work is done and that the athlete is ready coming into the weekend. As Seb Coe used to say “the hay is in the barn” there’s nothing you can do in the week before your race what will be will be. It’s also a challenge to maintain a perspective and focus from an athletes. You can go into the Championship in the form of your life, you’ve worked hard but so has the competition all you can do is the best you can on the day.

Here at Firecrest we are committed to working hard to make sure athletes reach the championship in the best possible condition to the do the best they can do.

Cross-Country Nationals – Wasing Estate

Firecrest skills and fitness trained rider Maxine Filby went into the weekend after a strong showing to date. A third place finish at the last round of the National Series and World Cup in Canada and the States under her belt Maxine was in confident mood when I saw her last week for a skills session in the run up to the Champs weekend.

At one of the National XC Series races earlier in the year she’d struggled with her breathing and to her frustration the problem returned on lap one. To Maxine’s credit she doesn’t give up easy and after nearly a lap gasping for breath she found her rhythm and came home in a creditable 8th place. A little frustrated at the time having struggled with her breathing, but that soon passed when I reminded her of her goals at the beginning of the season. Ok she was a couple of places behind the top five placing she was targeting but it was still a great result and it give’s Mark Baines (Firecrest’s fitness expert) and I plenty to work on for the rest of the season and into 2013!

The season continues and Maxine heads out to France for the next round of the World Cup in Val d’Isère France to continue here international campaign.

Downhill Nationals – Moelfre

Firecrest works with a number of downhill riders on the UK and World Cup Downhill scene. From the skills on the bike to the mindset off there’s far more to getting things right on the downhill bike than people first think. Control of your bike and more importantly control of your emotions, particularly the fight, freeze or fight response are key to putting together the perfect run.

 Junior Men

Firecrest Skills Coaching

Ian from FirecrestMTB reviews Josh's practice runs in preparation for seeding.

Since the days of Junior Development Firecrest MTB has always worked with up and coming talent in the junior category. This FMTB Skills Trained Athlete’s Josh Lowe (Madison Saracen) and Mike O’Brien (Speedsport) racing have been working with Firecrest.

Unfortunately a combination of a shady transition and gust of wind too Mike over the bars, landing heavily in the 4X jump section of the track ending his day and his chances in practice.

So for Firecrest the focuss switched to Josh, coming in off the back of a strong performance at the last BDS race in Glencoe Josh was ready to give it his all. Seeding in 6th showed he was on the pace and in the finals he shaved 4 seconds off his seeding run to finish seventh on the day.

Phil Atwell (Madison Saracen)  just missed out on adding to his medal collection, second in seeding and fourth in the finals left Phil a little frustrated but as a first year junior he’ll be back for revenge in 2013. Phil got into mountain biking through Firecrest’s Junior Development program back in the day and it’s always good to see him putting in great performances and doing his selection for the 2012 Junior World Championship  Team no harm in the process.

National Championship Men

Harry Molloy - National Champs 2

Harry Molloy on his way to 9th place at the National Downhill Championships

Firecrest have been working with Harry Molloy (Madison Saracen) for the last three seasons. Harry comes to us for skills coaching and to work on his mental preparation. With a big team around him and lot’s of support we provide a little consultancy and insight from time to time. Polishing his skills and tuning up his mindset.

Harry’s had another stellar season both domestically and internationally as the 21 year old builds continues to build his experience and reputation. Fifth in seeding underlined his confidence on this track. Setting off just in front of Steve Peat in the finals Harry came home to take 9th place. Not quite what he wanted coming into the finals and based on his form in seeding but enough to put him inside the top 10 against some of the fastest riders in the World.

Olie Burton

Olie Burton on his way to 14th place on the day.

Olie Burton was on form too, coming home in 14th place to underline his form of late. Olie was another rider targeting a top 10 performance but with times as tight as they were he’s looking forward to the remaining international races and a strong finish to his season.

Dave Kynaston continued his come back after his arm surgery over the winter. As with all recovery’s it’s been a long road. But Dave starting to find the pace of a couple of seasons ago and we are working hard to get him back up to full speed for the remainder of the season and into 2013.

So that’s the 2012 Nationals rapped up for another year:

Here are your Cross-Country Champions:

Cross Country

Espoir Female: Annabel Simpson
Espoir Male: Kenta Gallagher
Grand Vet Female: Kim Long
Grand Vet Male: Pete Harris
Junior Female: Bethany Crumpton
Junior Male: Samuel Stean
Juvenile Female: Emily Wadsworth
Juvenile Male: William Gascoyne
Master Female: Fay Cripps
Master Male: Luke Smith
Senior Female: Nikki Harris
Senior Male: Liam Killeen
Super Vet Male: Victor Barnett
Vet Female: Helen MacGregor
Veteran Male: Lewis King
Youth Female: Lucy Grant
Youth Male: Billy Harding

Here are your Downhill Champions:

Juvenile Men: James Purvis 2:54.061
Youth Men: Taylor Vernon 2:38.184
Grand Veteran Men: Howard Stuttard 3:06.178
Veteran Men 45-49: John Cobb 2:50.396
Veteran Men 40-44: Nigel Page 2:41.051
Master Men 35-39: Christopher Whitfield 2:39.785
Master Men 30-34: Richard Cunynghame 2:41.117
Senior Men Non-Championship: Jake Ward 2:35.040
Women Non-Championship: Kerry Wrigglesworth 3:14.295
Elite Women: Rachel Atherton 2:39.012
Junior Men: Joseph Connell 2:31.718
Championship Men: Gee Atherton 2:25.938

Download the full Downhill results here

Download the full XC results here

Thanks to www.twitter.com/robbiedevery for all the photo from the Sunday.

 

Firecrest Mountain Biking on Facebook

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It’s been a long time coming but Firecerst Mountain Biking have joined Facebook. Our Facebook page is the one stop shop for all the latest on all the Firecrest Athletes and news on our range of mountain bike skills courses, races and events that we are working on 2012.

We’ve been busy searching the archives too for some features from back in the day. With the old Firecrest/Aston Hill Website holding some real gems.  Facebook is perfect for showcasing the events from yester year. From the early races through to Mountain Bike World Champion Fabien Barel dropping into promote the Codemasters Computer Game Downhill Domination with Rob Warner.

www.facebook.com/firecrestmtb

FMTB Trained Athlete Harry Molloy is your 2012 English Champion

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As if the Madison Saracen team hasn’t had a rookie season to remember Firecrest MTB Skills Trained Rider Harry Molloy made it count right to the season end picking up the converted title of English Downhill Champion at Molfre just over the boarder in North Wales (I know go figure).

Harry edged out the nearest competition by over 2 seconds, letting it all hang loose on a track that’s famed for being on a very open hill side which means it’s flat out with a lot a big jumps!

For the full results check out Roots&Rain here>>>

It’s certainly a track that suits Harry! So with a few races left to round out 2011 focus shifts to 2012. It’s going to be a busy winter with a focus on building on the progression and success of this season. Firecrest will again be working closely with Harry on his skills, fitness and mindset to make sure he starts the 2012 season in the best physical and mental condition.

If you’re looking to take your skills to the next level and work on your fitness through the off-season check out the options to train with us here at Firecrest. For more information on our skills courses and fitness programs click here

Harry Molloy is your 2012 English Champion

As if the Madison Saracen team hasn’t had a rookie season to remember Firecrest MTB Skills Trained Rider Harry Molloy made it count right to the season end picking up the converted title of English Downhill Champion at Molfre just over the boarder in North Wales (I know go figure).

Harry edged out the nearest competition by over 2 seconds, letting it all hang loose on a track that’s famed for being on a very open hill side which means it’s flat out with a lot a big jumps!

For the full results check out Roots&Rain here>>>

It’s certainly a track that suits Harry! So with a few races left to round out 2011 focus shifts to 2012. It’s going to be a busy winter with a focus on building on the progression and

Harry Molloy is your 2012 English Champion

As if the Madison Saracen team hasn’t had a rookie season to remember Firecrest MTB Skills Trained Rider Harry Molloy made it count right to the season end picking up the converted title of English Downhill Champion at Molfre just over the boarder in North Wales (I know go figure).

Harry edged out the nearest competition by over 2 seconds, letting it all hang loose on a track that’s famed for being on a very open hill side which means it’s flat out with a lot a big jumps!

For the full results check out Roots&Rain here>>>

It’s certainly a track that suits Harry! So with a few races left to round out 2011 focus shifts to 2012. It’s going to be a busy winter with a focus on building on the progression and success of this season.

Firecrest will again be working closely with Harry on his skills, fitness and mindset to make sure he starts the 2012 season in the best physical and mental condition.

If you’re looking to take your skills to the next level and work on your fitness through the off-season check out the options to train with us here at Firecrest. For more information on our skills courses and fitness programs click here

success of this season.

Firecrest will again be working closely with Harry on his skills, fitness and mindset to make sure he starts the 2012 season in the best physical and mental condition.

If you’re looking to take your skills to the next level and work on your fitness through the off-season check out the options to train with us here at Firecrest. For more information on our skills courses and fitness programs click here

Maxine takes the win and the Series – Southern XC

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Southern  XC Round 5, Pippingford Estate.

It doesn’t seem long ago that it was the first round of the Southern XC Series at Checkendon, the summer has flown by and the final round at Pippingford Estate was upon us.  The 2010 National Championships were held at this venue so as you can imagine it is a pretty tough course.  This year, to stop us all getting too complacent with the course, the sneaky Southern XC crew had changed a few things.  There was a new arena and start loop complete with a few new sections to challenge even the best technical riders.

I did a practice lap with Pete in the morning, it was a little damp but it didn’t seem to be changing the track at all and it rode beautifully.  The descents were fast flowing and I couldn’t help but grin on the way down.  Pete managed to complete his race in the relative dry but as he finished the heavens opened and there was a huge downpour.  After riding the course when it was so dry I couldn’t imagine just how muddy it would become.  I decided not to change to the Kenda King of Traction tyres a decision which I would come to regret about five minutes into the race!

Unfortunately there were only three of us lining up for the final round,  we were without Carla Haines of  WXC who had opted  to do the SW championship and Jo Munden looking after her other half after a bit of crash while out training.  Still, I knew I would be pushed all the way and the course would test me.  After having a few difficult races my main aim for this race was to complete it in one piece.  On the start line it began to spit with rain again, that was soon forgotten though as the gun went to start.  As we hit the first section of single track my back wheel started to slip and slide underneath me, I really wished I’d changed my tyres to have more grip!

I am very lucky in that the training I have done with Firecrest MTB is mostly at Aston Hill, Wendover, which in the wet is the most evil place for riding, slippery descents and gnarly roots to catch you out just like the course I was facing now.  I felt comfortable tackling the ever deteriorating conditions thanks to Ian.  Luckily, I have also been doing some ride and run drills in my training which definitely came in handy when it came to running up the majority of little climbs.  I was relieved to see even the top elite men having to do just the same; it was that boggy.  I managed to slip and slide my around for four long laps and finish just about in one piece.  My win at this round also meant that I won the Series, a great end to a great series.  Thank you to the Southern XC team for providing some challenging courses, I’m looking forward to next year already.

As always I couldn’t do these races without my sponsors so a huge thank you to Ian Warby and Mark Baines at Firecrest MTB, Baines Racing, Sponser Energy products from Fitness Performance Resource, Kenda Tyres, Limar helmets, Lake shoes, Jagwire, POWERbreathe, Working Bodies and AndyStand.

Southern XC Round 5, Pippingford Estate.

It doesn’t seem long ago that it was the first round of the Southern XC Series at Checkendon, the summer has flown by and the final round at Pippingford Estate was upon us. The 2010 National Championships were held at this venue so as you can imagine it is a pretty tough course. This year, to stop us all getting too complacent with the course, the sneaky Southern XC crew had changed a few things. There was a new arena and start loop complete with a few new sections to challenge even the best technical riders.

I did a practice lap with Pete in the morning, it was a little damp but it didn’t seem to be changing the track at all and it rode beautifully. The descents were fast flowing and I couldn’t help but grin on the way down. Pete managed to complete his race in the relative dry but as he finished the heavens opened and there was a huge downpour. After riding the course when it was so dry I couldn’t imagine just how muddy it would become. I decided not to change to the Kenda King of Traction tyres a decision which I would come to regret about five minutes into the race!

Unfortunately there were only three of us lining up for the final round, we were without Carla Haines of WXC who had opted to do the SW championship and Jo Munden looking after her other half after a bit of crash while out training. Still, I knew I would be pushed all the way and the course would test me. After having a few difficult races my main aim for this race was to complete it in one piece. On the start line it began to spit with rain again, that was soon forgotten though as the gun went to start. As we hit the first section of single track my back wheel started to slip and slide underneath me, I really wished I’d changed my tyres to have more grip! I am very lucky in that the training I have done with Firecrest MTB is mostly at Aston Hill, Wendover, which in the wet is the most evil place for riding, slippery descents and gnarly roots to catch you out just like the course I was facing now. I felt comfortable tackling the ever deteriorating conditions thanks to Ian. Luckily, I have also been doing some ride and run drills in my training which definitely came in handy when it came to running up the majority of little climbs. I was relieved to see even the top elite men having to do just the same; it was that boggy. I managed to slip and slide my around for four long laps and finish just about in one piece. My win at this round also meant that I won the Series, a grea

Southern  XC Round 5, Pippingford Estate.

It doesn’t seem long ago that it was the first round of the Southern XC Series at Checkendon, the summer has flown by and the final round at Pippingford Estate was upon us.  The 2010 National Championships were held at this venue so as you can imagine it is a pretty tough course.  This year, to stop us all getting too complacent with the course, the sneaky Southern XC crew had changed a few things.  There was a new arena and start loop complete with a few new sections to challenge even the best technical riders.

I did a practice lap with Pete in the morning, it was a little damp but it didn’t seem to be changing the track at all and it rode beautifully.  The descents were fast flowing and I couldn’t help but grin on the way down.  Pete managed to complete his race in the relative dry but as he finished the heavens opened and there was a huge downpour.  After riding the course when it was so dry I couldn’t imagine just how muddy it would become.  I decided not to change to the Kenda King of Traction tyres a decision which I would come to regret about five minutes into the race!

Unfortunately there were only three of us lining up for the final round,  we were without Carla Haines of  WXC who had opted  to do the SW championship and Jo Munden looking after her other half after a bit of crash while out training.  Still, I knew I would be pushed all the way and the course would test me.  After having a few difficult races my main aim for this race was to complete it in one piece.  On the start line it began to spit with rain again, that was soon forgotten though as the gun went to start.  As we hit the first section of single track my back wheel started to slip and slide underneath me, I really wished I’d changed my tyres to have more grip!  I am very lucky in that the training I have done with Firecrest MTB is mostly at Aston Hill, Wendover, which in the wet is the most evil place for riding, slippery descents and gnarly roots to catch you out just like the course I was facing now.  I felt comfortable tackling the ever deteriorating conditions thanks to Ian.  Luckily, I have also been doing some ride and run drills in my training which definitely came in handy when it came to running up the majority of little climbs.  I was relieved to see even the top elite men having to do just the same; it was that boggy.  I managed to slip and slide my around for four long laps and finish just about in one piece.  My win at this round also meant that I won the Series, a great end to a great series.  Thank you to the Southern XC team for providing some challenging courses, I’m looking forward to next year already.

As always I couldn’t do these races without my sponsors so a huge thank you to Ian Warby and Mark Baines at Firecrest MTB, Baines Racing, Sponser Energy products from Fitness Performance Resource, Kenda Tyres, Limar helmets, Lake shoes, Jagwire, POWERbreathe, Working Bodies and AndyStand.

t end to a great series. Thank you to the Southern XC team for providing some challenging courses, I’m looking forward to next year already.

As always I couldn’t do these races without my sponsors so a huge thank you to Ian Warby and Mark Baines at Firecrest MTB, Baines Racing, Sponser Energy products from Fitness Performance Resource, Kenda Tyres, Limar helmets, Lake shoes, Jagwire, POWERbreathe, Working Bodies and AndyStand.