March is already here and burning through quickly, and the full plunge into 2019 ramblings is right around the corner! We had a fantastic Sedona MTB Festival despite some crazy weather, and now it’s time to keep charging forward into the madness. I wanted to drop an update and insight into how I’m using this block of time in Sedona to better prepare for the year ahead: with the calendar loading up and some serious highlight events, I wanted to do some training!
Wombat and I enjoying the Sedona MTB Fest!
First thing’s first, I needed to address injuries. My right knee has been a weak point for over a decade now, and I tweaked it a couple months ago. Needless to say, I was shook and had some terrors rooting deep down that reminded me of how many times in the past that same knee has kept me from big plans. With my TransBC entry already paid and planned, it took more effort than I’m willing to admit to keep my composure. Luckily, I did some reading and heavy thinking, basically deciding that I’d rather just adapt to having no ACL than to go through another surgery and lose the year. Turns out John Elway and Joe Namath and many other high profile athletes made it without one, and at this point I’m screwed in the long run anyway; aging gracefully just isn’t an option. I started in with a set of ankle weights and band work to build those stabilizers, along with foam roller time and easy miles on the gravel bike/ trainer. After a few weeks, I felt much better (still not great), and continued with the training plan I’d made.
Along with the nagging knee, I’ve been limited in my left shoulder ever since separating it at the Dino Valley Enduro a couple seasons back. Extra band and cable work along with plenty of mobility exercises to keep those tissues broken loose and healing have led to some progress thankfully.
Steady chipping away at some progress
Over the past few months here in Sedona, my focus has been building functional strength through some Enduro MTB Training programming and some old understanding of power I learned throughout the CrossFit years. Thankfully, there’s a well equipped gym here that has everything I need, as well as a hot shower! Snap Fitness has been a lifesaver, providing a great space to build and prepare, as well as knock the stink off after sweaty sessions and rides!
The main point of gym time for me is injury proofing. I want my body to be able to withstand the wear and tear of riding hard and the occasional bobble that happens when you put in that many hours on the trail. The training plan I’ve followed has been surprisingly dynamic and focuses very much on strength while remaining balanced. Some of the things I do in the gym look a little silly, but I feel a difference already! As I enter into the last few weeks in Sedona with the consistent gym time, I want more power in addition to my stability and mobility. Back squats and deadlifts are some of the most advantageous things a person can do! And as with all things on life, the stronger your core is, the better off you are!
As for the bike, I started training with a heart rate monitor. At first I logged data and looked at it later to figure out what to do with those metrics. With some research and application, I’ve learned a shit ton and made some observations about how my body works. Riding in Sedona makes for great interval training, and I’ve found a safe mellow ride on the gravel bike when I need to keep that heart rate a little lower. I ride as much as I can, but I skip the bad weather days. They’re so few that I find they are well appreciated rest days or extra gym days. But when the sun’s out, we shred! I ramped up my mileage this past week from an average of 50-60 per week to over 90, and none of it was on the road. I’d love to keep that momentum and push it up to 120ish as that’s the expected mileage for the TransBC Enduro in July!
A beautiful place to put in miles
Phase two is going to get a little weird. With us going mobile again, I’ll have to be more disciplined about training sessions and rides. Thankfully our travels are bike based, so the destinations are great for what I want to do! I’m also spending more time lurking around Over The Edge Sedona putting together my parts list and spare cache for the season. I don’t want to find myself unprepared at any point, so I’m putting in the effort early to prep the bike. Less than four months away and a few training races on the calendar, it’s time to ramp up the mileage, elevation, and intensity!
Using other people’s mechanicals as an opportunity to sharpen trailside repair skills
I consider it “mental” training… makes sense, right?
Tao of Scratch 