February 3, 201115 yr I rode the 1988 ISDE in France at Mende, blisteringly hot and very tough, trials type terrain. Hardpack on some trails and mega dusty on others. The 4 SSDTs were 1972, 1979, 1981, 1996, as for training, I have to confess I've never trained in my life, just relied on natural ability!!!!!. Having said that, since early November I've been swimming twice a week, every week to try and get some more stamina, which I think has helped but haven't lost any weight. Trouble is birthdays keep coming (glad to say!) and ability is now not as good as head thinks it should be. The reason that the SSDT is so hard to Joe Ordinary is that it's so physical. The good guys can ride all the sections whereas the lesser lights have to struggle up many sections. I guess you have never been to the Scottish and have to tell you that you will be overawed by the trial, it's size, the time schedule and the abilities of so many "ordinary" riders. Guys you will never have heard of are VERY good, but there's no secret except to press on and when it hurts, plenty of others will be hurting too. You need to pray for a dry week. The Thursday following the trial you will look back and think "what a fabulous week that was". The Thursday of trial week as you churn your way across Rannoch Moor, you will be thinking "I simply can't do any more" My favourite remark, and you must remember this if you remember nothing else, "Pain is temporary, Glory is forever!" Do it and enjoy it, it's too far to come and get beaten by the trial itself.
February 3, 201115 yr Author I rode the 1988 ISDE in France at Mende, blisteringly hot and very tough, trials type terrain. Hardpack on some trails and mega dusty on others. The 4 SSDTs were 1972, 1979, 1981, 1996, as for training, I have to confess I've never trained in my life, just relied on natural ability!!!!!. Having said that, since early November I've been swimming twice a week, every week to try and get some more stamina, which I think has helped but haven't lost any weight. Trouble is birthdays keep coming (glad to say!) and ability is now not as good as head thinks it should be. The reason that the SSDT is so hard to Joe Ordinary is that it's so physical. The good guys can ride all the sections whereas the lesser lights have to struggle up many sections. I guess you have never been to the Scottish and have to tell you that you will be overawed by the trial, it's size, the time schedule and the abilities of so many "ordinary" riders. Guys you will never have heard of are VERY good, but there's no secret except to press on and when it hurts, plenty of others will be hurting too. You need to pray for a dry week. The Thursday following the trial you will look back and think "what a fabulous week that was". The Thursday of trial week as you churn your way across Rannoch Moor, you will be thinking "I simply can't do any more" My favourite remark, and you must remember this if you remember nothing else, "Pain is temporary, Glory is forever!" Do it and enjoy it, it's too far to come and get beaten by the trial itself. Thanks. Put things in perspective. Somehow I do not afraid of the long days and the physical challenge. I actually looking forwards of this part. I raced the Chile 2007 ISDE, Mexico 2010 ISDE, 3 times 24 hours Iron man and twice Baja 1000 iron man. I'm running twice a week around 10km (while living in 2600m above sea level) and doing some gym as well. I think I'm OK here... My Trial skill is the part that worry me. I used to ride trial 10 years ago, competing in Benelux in clubs event. But I just started riding again few weeks ago, and I missed a lot. I guess getting older (42 now) doesn't help your balance neither the courage to challenge potential harmful obstacles. Hope to be better soon...I'm taking a weekend curse with Ryan Young next weekend, and I'm practicing at least twice a week. Cheers! Yoram Edited February 4, 201115 yr by MexMex
February 4, 201115 yr Ryan can and will reinforce a lot of basics here with you. It seems to me the SSDT terrain is mostly good fundamental in the rockey stream sections. Surely you have something similar to practice? Just rocks, beat you to death, gotta stay on your line, react quickly, pick your way, steer with the pegs and throttle type stuff. Keep moving, a little floater here and back. If you loose momentum, you may be in trouble. To me , it would be the moors and bogs that would take the toll, so watch and follow the experienced riders.
February 4, 201115 yr Author Ryan can and will reinforce a lot of basics here with you. It seems to me the SSDT terrain is mostly good fundamental in the rockey stream sections. Surely you have something similar to practice? Just rocks, beat you to death, gotta stay on your line, react quickly, pick your way, steer with the pegs and throttle type stuff. Keep moving, a little floater here and back. If you loose momentum, you may be in trouble. To me , it would be the moors and bogs that would take the toll, so watch and follow the experienced riders. Ryan told me that he will give me some important tips next weekend. I don't have too much of a rivers here, all I could find is this:
February 4, 201115 yr To me , it would be the moors and bogs that would take the toll, so watch and follow the experienced riders. Good point, but how does he know who the experienced riders are if he's never been, and all he'd see is a number or the back of them ?
February 4, 201115 yr Author Good point, but how does he know who the experienced riders are if he's never been, and all he'd see is a number or the back of them ? If the starting order is by the entry list, all I have to do is to see what the guy 5 places in the front of me doing.... Edited February 4, 201115 yr by MexMex
February 4, 201115 yr See the bigger rock you took a bit to get over, well there will be a hundred of them to get over.....per section Lagnaha last year....
February 4, 201115 yr Author See the bigger rock you took a bit to get over, well there will be a hundred of them to get over.....per section Thanks for the photo, give me good reference what to look for. I have something in mind, but it's about 1.5 hours drive, so daily practice cannot be done (the small river I show it's about 20 minutes drive). The problem I had with this river is the forest shadow and the dark rock make it kinda "black water" and everything comes to you as a surprise. It's hard to make it right when you don't see whats come into you... Cheers!
February 13, 201115 yr Holy Feck...Kinell....how you doing mate?? We thought you forgotten your way in here Ey up Slapper, still guessing at the weather?
March 7, 201115 yr Rider number 242 ! I'll be looking out for you fella Just ahead of Dibs Edited March 7, 201115 yr by Thedbf
March 9, 201115 yr Author i'm 243!? see ya there! 2 newcomers one after the other? don't watch me mate! See you there!
March 11, 201115 yr Rider number 242 ! I'll be looking out for you fella Just ahead of Dibs I bet he's gonna be looking for your lines and really gratefull for any rotovating you do for him
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