Alberta Cup XC Race

[Fehlmann]

I raced my first sanctioned mtn bike race last Sunday, Alberta XC Cup #3 in Stony Plain, just outside of Edmonton. The 6.3km course was full of twisty wooded single track with lots of short power climbs and a “Houffalize” style killer climb near the end. There were fourteen elite racers at the start including a few very fast guys like Xterra star Mike Vine, who just recently moved to Edmonton, turns out he is racing under the same club jersey as I am for mtn bike races.
I was very excited to race my first olympic distance mtn bike race of the season and went hard off the start taking the lead for a short while. I was not able to accelerate up the short power climbs like I usually can and got dropped to 5th position. After completing three laps my quads were burning and I wasn’t sure if I could even finish the race. Forth lap was a killer as well, trying everything to climb up the short power hills without using too much energy, still managing to catch a couple riders though that were bonking including Mike. I had a rough last 5th lap starting to bonk, but pulled myself together and ended up finishing third. I was definitely happy to be on the podium after a disappointing 4th place at the Salty Dog Enduro the following Sunday.

Manuel

[GinnySellars]

Great to see you on the podium Manuel!! Pretty cool to be standing on the podium with Mike Vine. Amazing actually, given how your legs were feeling. Do you think you were still recovering from your long race at Salty?

Andrew's been on the podium with Mike Vine once. We found a tiny duathlon on Maui the weekend before xterra world's in Maui. Andrew was second to the big dog...

What's next for you?

[Andrew]

I think Ginny misread your report...Mike was NOT on the podium. Manuel took third from him on the 5th lap! Mike is a truly gifted athlete, and for you to be racing head to head, and taking him towards the end of a tough race is a very good result.

So, now the coach's questions start?

1) Are you surprised at not having the "jump", considering racing just one week after Salty Dog?
2) Are you able to see that this "race" was actually the perfect functional training session for the real events that are just about to start for you this season?
3) Are you able to have the confidence to allow your body to recover fully this week, and return to focus on structural development once you have recovered, in order to ensure continued improvements through the rest of the season?
4) Can you be patient, and not force yourself into harder "training" to overcome the deficit?
5) Did you do any respiratory training last week that may have impeded your recovery from Salty Dog?
6) Do you have a schedule for Spiro-Tiger training that will allow you to improve each week, while still allowing recovery before important races?
7) Are you satisfied with your results?
Are you proud of what you have accomplished?
9) Have you made a note of the apparent weakness that you would like to develop over the next 3-4 weeks?
10) Have you determined a way to develop the structures to overcome the weakness, and recognized it will take both recovery and time in order to succeed?

Good start...what's next?

[Fehlmann]

Here are the results, sorry for the confusion.

[StephenU]

Wicked Job Manuel!  You're fast!  I'm considering an XC event in Canmore later in the summer, hopefully we can duel it out and you can teach me a lesson or two!