| Not really feeling it | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 22 2013, 06:15 PM (204 Views) | |
| andyjh | Sep 22 2013, 06:15 PM Post #1 |
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Mud Lover
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Ever have one of those rides that you just want to turn round and go home for most of it? I normally take a little while to settle into a ride which is made harder by the fact that most of mine start with a killer climb! But today I just didn't get into the groove until the very end of the ride, struggled with motivation all the way. Still, kept going and still had a fairly decent ride so glad I didn't go home in the end. |
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| martinp | Sep 22 2013, 06:35 PM Post #2 |
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Couple of Spots
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Yeah often feel the same. I have all these wild plans of heading out for some monster ride only to swiftly go off the idea after about 10 mins. Strangely enough, I'm quite looking forward to winter. I always get a great sense of achievement after returning from a ride in the wind and rain. I probably ride my bike more in the winter than the summer, there always seems to be something else to do during the summer months especially weekends. If anyone fancies meeting up on Saturdays over the winter for a bit of x country then I'd be up for that. I'm in Peacehaven but happy to travel locally and meet at different start points. Might be a good idea to get a group regularly riding together? |
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| hobbz | Sep 22 2013, 07:10 PM Post #3 |
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Bog Monster
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at least you got out, when im not feeling it cant even get the bike out of the shed :ph43r: |
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| JimXC27 | Sep 22 2013, 07:20 PM Post #4 |
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Mud Connoisseur
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I can join that club. Today met some chaps in cuckfield at 7am for a good road thrashing and was all going good until one climb just slapped me so hard I never stopped crying all the way home. Ah man, I seriously lost the will to live. My roadbike chain wont hop down to the small ring without a kick or manual lifting-off-big-ring and prior to every hill I would be screaming down - totally forgetting to chain gear. (it works on the fast downhills). So followed me rolling up a bit, running out of puff, u-turn, rolling back down then up again. Urrgh. Last week set out on a monster MTB from woodingdean to stanmer, devils-dyke and back....5km in, broke my frame. F* it. Home. Cry. Get Fat. Now have tons of repair/maintenance to do while the gut and legs go south. |
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| andyjh | Sep 22 2013, 09:09 PM Post #5 |
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Mud Lover
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You certainly had a worse ride than me there Jim! And couple of rides for that matter!! Mine was more a feeling of tiredness right from the off. If I knew my way around the single track stuff at Houghton Forest I bit better I might of gone over there instead to avoid the big climbs I have to deal with just to get up onto the Downs. Sorry state I now but having to go all out right at the start of a ride sometimes just takes it out of me for ages after. Tried a new route up today and had to stop about four times on the way up! Once I was up I pulled over for a rest and check google maps for the next new bit I wanted to try. Put my phone down on the gate post and promptly cycled off without it!! Luckily I noticed quite quickly and managed to get back and find it :rolleyes: I then committed to a downhill section which took me right into a clay pigeon shoot. Thought better of ridding straight through and the farmer came over and advised that most of them were pretty useless shots so I'd better not go through :lol: So back up where I had just come down, doh. It was only right at the end of my ride when I had a really good downhill section I decided I was up for some more and committed to another big climb. Really pleased I did this rather than turn towards home at this stage so it finally turned out ok. |
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| Bunnyflop | Sep 23 2013, 09:44 AM Post #6 |
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Mudking
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climbs hurt, especially big ones, but they do get you fitter. Ming always says 'its over the hill, not up it', which is a good mantra to have when you're suffering :-) Either that or just get off like you did, take in the view a bit, get back on and count to 10, then 20 and so on...the counting thing always worked for me ...either way its good you're out cycling, your fitness will come the more you do it :-) |
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| darth vader | Sep 23 2013, 11:38 AM Post #7 |
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Mudking
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have to start all my ride by climbing Butts lane s know how you feel some times do your self a favour and drive to a location do a couple of fun bits and go home , be pleased with yourself you got out |
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| andyjh | Sep 23 2013, 09:41 PM Post #8 |
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Mud Lover
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Thanks for the words of encouragement guys, much appreciated and some good tips there. I must stop beating myself up for stopping on the big climbs, I need to realise I can't do everything just yet! I will get there but need to set some realistic goals. I can see the improvement as some climbs I am now completing much quicker without stopping so I shouldn't feel too bad ![]() I think I had found one of the reasons for not being on my game yesterday, sore throat, eyes and runny nose started today, the dreaded cold has hit So best get off to bed and have some much needed beauty sleep! :lol:
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| JimXC27 | Sep 24 2013, 11:10 AM Post #9 |
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Mud Connoisseur
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Another term used by the muddy@rse mob when everyone's dying on a hill is "decent preparation"... on Wiggle rides, they put signs up "it's only grtavity"....not sure it helps though Each time you do a hill it'll get easier, then when you can ride up it in one, you'll be so chuffed. Nout wrong with stopping, sometimes better to do that as opposed to getting to the top absolutely destroyed and unable to go on, or just go on at a snail pace and never recover (as is what happened to me on sun. Cob Lane, near Ardingly....if you stop, you aint ever getting going again, it's a f-in vertical wall.) On club rides, there's a bunch who fizz to the top and always people in the middle and at the back spinning up so, you're never alone at the back slitting your wrists (unless it's that Gomshall (i think) club ride where the path is just tons and tons of soft sand and so everyone is contemplating suicide and cursing at the organiser) |
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| Rich_F | Sep 24 2013, 12:14 PM Post #10 |
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Mudthing
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evil chuckle! ![]() In truth there is only one (maybe two) sections on that ride where you are climbing on soft sand. It is really really hard work, and a fantastic test of strength and technique. The sand also gets firmer the wetter the weather is, so another reason to ride there in winter (gives us a break from the mud mud mud )Descending on sand is such fun - steer with the hips and drift round the corners! We try and offer something for everyone on MA rides, and that includes some bits that will challenge you. the tough bits are pretty much always short lived. R |
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| belugabob | Sep 24 2013, 12:24 PM Post #11 |
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Mudking
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Or, as is more likely...
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| Coley | Sep 24 2013, 12:48 PM Post #12 |
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Fairly Muddied
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You only have to ask ashley and rick(babygixxxer) what I used to be like on climbs after tge 1st ride i done with ashley he said he would never ride with me again but now ice conquered most of the stuff we ride we now ride regular together im still not amazing at climbing but I can now push on and usually get them done. Its a really good feeling when you can do them without getting off it will come to you just stick atIit |
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| andyjh | Sep 24 2013, 09:05 PM Post #13 |
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Mud Lover
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Well, as long as I keep at it I can only get better The hills are hard, some more than others so I'm trying to find the ones that I can do, or very nearly do, and mix these up with the harder ones that kill me. I know it will get better but some of these hills are just monsters to me with not only very steep gradients but also impossible (to me) terrain to tackle! My personal favourite is the climb up from the A24 towards Chanctonbury Ring, killer! Also the climb up from Amberley towards Storrington I don't even want to try after going down it a few times!!I was a little demoralised on Sunday as I just found it so hard the entire ride but the fact that I'm sitting here with nose streaming and face hurting due to a good ol' cold, I guess this probably affected my energy levels. So I'm not doing any running this week to make sure I recover as best I can for the weekend
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| robbo167 | Sep 25 2013, 07:01 AM Post #14 |
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Bog Monster
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Andy....on the A24 climb why not turn left just after the water works and follow path along base of downs to a T-junction with a road/carpark...turn right onto a long bridleway climb...much more interesting and technical in parts...brings you up to the SDW (you also pass the entrance to the Lion Trail near the top on your left...give it a whirl !. I hate the Amberly Mount climb....I turn down the side of the Bridge Inn and follow the road around the back of the downs...this turns into double track all the way up to the SDW....this is a much longer climb and is more of a tester of stamina(goes on for 15 mins or so)....if you can keep the pace up!! Enjoy!! |
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| andyjh | Sep 25 2013, 09:08 AM Post #15 |
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Mud Lover
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Cheers Rob, good suggestions that I hadn't thought of. Will give the alternative route up from the A24 soon as I know the paths you are referring too. I've been down from Chanctonbury to the car park but hadn't noticed the cut across path on my decent, probably because I'm too busy trying not to fall off :lol: I'll try and find the Bridge Inn as it doesn't ring a bell to me currently. Last time I looked at Strava I noticed the segments go round the back rather than straight up so I guess this is the direction you are referring too? Enjoy, trying to :lol: |
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| andyjh | Sep 25 2013, 09:13 AM Post #16 |
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Mud Lover
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Found the Bridge Inn now and I see the path you mean. Longer way up but less extreme on the climb so I'll give this a go next time I come down from Whiteways Cafe
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So best get off to bed and have some much needed beauty sleep! :lol:
