Training Log Archive: Torino

Event: 5. Wertung Swiss Cup/Langdistanz
 

Warm-up to the start, 2x

Long-O Masters Series in Epinal. It was kind of an uninspiring course with long sections just following one particular dirt road in the forest. So, my mind started wandering. At a short section from 3 to 4, it was also kind of easy and I followed the trail down, turn right, go uphill to a bend to the left onto a trail and there was the flag, not. All of a sudden, it jolted me out of my passiveness and where was I? So I searched back down and up again, always ending at the same spot. Hmm, heard the minutes ticking away and it was actually SO easy! I decided that I must be where I thought it was and that I needed to go a bit further as the 1:15'000 map threw me off a little and there was the flag!! So angry at myself. I finished the rest as I should have but sprinkled it with another small route choice mistake. Oh well, it was a good training.

Riding back to the cars.

Event: Nationale Nord-Est CO à VTT - Sprint
 

Riding from parking to the event center which was kind of hard to find.

Sprint Bike-O race near Epinal. Bulletin 3 claimed that it was 0.7 km to the start from the event center when in fact it was 2.2 km with 80 m climb, so I got there late and started through about 55 sec after my start all out of breath with adrelanine through the roof. I first had to calm back down, breath deeply and slowly pedal so oxygen would flow back into my legs. After control 1 I felt better and in control again. Did the course in a calm, but still fast, way, looking at the route choices and avoiding mistakes, stopping where I couldn't quite make out which way I needed to take and so on. It proved just the right thing to do and I came in second only 20 sec behind first which I would easily have been able to do if I were on time at the start.
Apparently, I was not the only one being late, lots of bikers miscalculated their way to the start and were late as it was 3 x further and 80 m more climb than advertised!!

Hiking with a friend from the Ticino escaping the fog below into beautiful sunshine! We were going at a good speed barely stopping to eat a few of the grapes she brought, they were SO good!

Uphill training for this weekend's MTBO races in France. I'm just not motivated these last weeks (months)? to train and/or to push it a little in my trainings.So, I will have to wing it and do my best in the races (which I am motivated for). This year, I don't seem to be getting into a particular good shape, just so-la-la.

Riding back from weeding and pulling stuff out at Sandra's place.