Mountain Mayhem Training
9th June
With my biggest race of the season just a few weeks away I’m finding it hard to stop thinking about it, my girlfriend Nia is really sick of me talking about it! So rather than talk about it in my blog again I thought I’d give everyone a general insight into my training, hopefully without giving away any of my secrets!
I train 7 days a week, although only 5 days are on the bike. Certain days are easy days to let my body recover. On the 2 days off the bike I do a run and a good core muscle workout. I’ve also started to do a little yoga to try and improve my flexibility, which isn’t great it has to be said.
My training is currently between 20-25 hours a week, and I try to keep it as varied as possible. At the moment there is a rough 75/25 split in favour of road riding, partly because I find it easier to integrate the interval and hill climb sessions I do and partly for convenience. It certainly helps having what must be some of the best road riding in the UK right on my doorstep. Traffic is almost non-existent on some routes and the roads are great just as long as you like climbing! A typical ride for me would be 115 km with 2500 meters of climbing.
One of my main goals this season is to improve my climbing. In Cardiff as a courier the amount of climbing was limited and although I could hold my own in a race I felt that climbing was my weakness. It’s something I’ve been working hard on and I think I’ve made real progress, having gears on a bike helps for a start!
When I do an off-road ride I’m really spoilt for choice. Just 3 miles from my house is a little gem of a track called Cwm Rhaeadr. It’s only 5km long, but it’s really well built and a lot of fun, so even doing several laps does not make it boring. Roughly 20 minutes drive away is Brechfa Forest, which is amazing. If you haven’t heard of this place yet you soon will as the new ‘Black Route’ is going to set it apart from anywhere else in the UK. Table tops and berms as big as houses and all built in a way that flows better than anything else I’ve ridden. Think ‘spooky wood’ (in Glentress, Scotland) but bigger! Then all within 1 hours drive I have Afan Argoed, Cwmcarn, Nant-yr-Arian, the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons.
Living in such a great place really helps the motivation, as no matter what the route or what the weather is doing I am almost guaranteed a great ride. Back in April I was a little worried that the move would knock my fitness, but I’m pretty certain that I have moved forward in every way, but I will know for sure at 2pm, June 22nd when Mountain Mayhem will be over.
I’d also like to say a huge well done to Emma-Kate, fellow Wiggle athlete for a fantastic result in the World Triathlon Championships in Vancouver!
Matt