This year’s 12 and 24 hour solo MTB championships take place around a month earlier than usual, perhaps due to the fact that the Worlds (the one in Italy, not the one in Canada :-/) are in May. For perhaps the first time ever, I’ve planned my training and races around that event in May rather than trying to peak repeatedly for every endurance event I enter. It’s costing a bloody fortune to get to Finale Ligure for the World Champs in terms of planning, training effort and money so I want to be absolutely certain that I did everything right and my result, whatever it turns out to be, would be free from “if only’s”.

So…this means that I’m racing this weekend in the 12 Hour UK race. Racing a 24 now would mean another mammoth recovery period and a likely adverse effect on my preparation for Finale Ligure. Apparently most of the rest of the endurance racing community have decided to do the same, so it looks like it’s going to be a very, very competitive race.

Racing for 12 hours will give me a good idea of where I am fitness-wise and hopefully leave me in a reasonable state to carry on with my planned training next week (my plan basically says ‘2 x 6 hour rides’ for the coming weekend so that’s good then). I’ve been training as normal this week while everyone else appears to be (understandably) tapering and I’m going to be quite careful to arrive at the end of the race with nothing left in the tank, but not to have buried myself either. You never know, I might even find time for a mid-race cuppa…depending on how things are working out. *

As a wise man once said to me, “choose your battles”.

*I reserve the right to sack that off completely shortly after the start of the race and immediately commence turning myself inside out in the name of glory

Helping me fight the good fight as ever are a whole host of ace people, sorting me out with ace kit. 2Pure have topped up my tank and sent me a box of assorted CLIF nutrition goodies

…and Ant has sent over some Mt Zoom and Alligator loveliness  – a pair of superlight disc rotors, some bar ends (I trashed the last pair), the lightest seatclamp I’ve ever seen (or felt) and a cool Mt Zoom Handy Strap. It’s a strap. It’s got rubber on it. It’s well handy for securing stuff to your seatpost, such as a tube...or some mackerel.