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What do you do, when you want to improve?


Dirtyhip
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I have this one section of trail that I want to get much faster on.  My plan of attack is to session it over and over, until I find the perfect cadence and lines through the rock gardens.  How do you plan an attack with getting faster?  

 

My girl pals have been steppin it up.  They are fast and I totally respect them and enjoy the game. It's totally awesome to have competition.  We keep one uppin each other.  Our friends locally are watching the battle on Strava.  It's pretty funny.  

 

Eventually, If I catch the next segment. I am going to name my ride...."Your move ladies."   :D

 

You roadies may not understand what I am talking about.  HAHA   :P

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I find I get faster on the rougher, more technical stuff when I don't over think it. The fastest I've done some trails is at night with a 250 lumen light. You don't have time to think about what you see coming at you, you just react. When I think I get timid and that's when bad things happen for me.

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I find I get faster on the rougher, more technical stuff when I don't over think it. The fastest I've done some trails is at night with a 250 lumen light. You don't have time to think about what you see coming at you, you just react. When I think I get timid and that's when bad things happen for me.

 

Good point.  Relax!  

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What do you do, when you want to improve?

Typically find lamer people to compare against. For example, there has been this girl down at the pump track lately. She 'thinks' she's hot shit. I like to compare myself against her because I feel like a bike pump god next to her.

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Havent done any trail riding the past 13 years.  For road, I wanted to get faster to ride with the Bulls on Saturday mornings.  I made a goal that I would try to average at least 17 mph for every 20-38 mile solo ride I did.  For 12-13 mile morning rides May - Sept my goal was 20 mph moving.  I am getting there now.  I can usually comfortably stay on the Bull B ride (50 miles, 17.5 - 18+ moving ave). 

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I find the easiest way to win a race is is not let anyone else know they are in one until it is over. :)

Break the segment down into segments, try different lines, attacks, cadence and gearing for each separate piece, then put them all together. Sort of think of it as course management like golfers do on certain holes.

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Improvements are a mental game as well as physical. 

 

I agree with UB about letting it flow.

 

Cycling, since I primarily road, is an utter release of thought and script. So for the technicalities of dirt I would use similar technique as I do in my competitive skeet shoots: lead your shot, both eyes open, don't aim, feel it. Also never give yourself grief, acknowledge the need to tighten up in a certain area and do it.

 

I learned this for an old timer, I went from good days of 18 and avg of 15-16 to my worst day in the last year being a 19 and avg of 21.

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