Bikeshop Carl Completes 6 Hour Race
Our very own Carl Woods from the Cycle 360 bikeshop finished the Dirty Nocka cross country mountain bike race in March.
Carl placed a VERY respectable 15th out of 72 in the 6 hour solo competition on March 27th.
He managed to complete 9 laps of the 10km course at Cannock Chase Forest in Stafford, UK. All while having the dreaded lurgy!
“There was a fantastic atmosphere and the course was excellent. It was very tough on the body as the ground was rough with lots of trees on the trails”, Carl told Fitness 360’s Jess.
Carl admitted that he prefers longer endurance events. He told Jess that this big event has given him “great focus to train over the winter months”. Training for Dirty Nocka has also helped Carl plan ahead for the National Mountain Bike Marathon Series later this year.
Jess: What has your training schedule been like?
Carl: “In a word, brutal!
“It’s rewarding – I don’t think I have ever trained like this for an event before. My training started way back in September having had a few weeks of rest after the National Mountain Bike Marathon Championships at Kielder Forest.”
Within the past 2 months, Carl followed a structured programme consisting of 15+ hours of workouts each week. Six of these sessions have been on the bike (outside or indoors on the Kickr bike) and two sessions in the gym.
Carl added: “Despite having a cold, my fitness was exactly where I had planned. I just struggled a little with my breathing at times. The work in the gym definitely helped with the fatigue levels. Especially in the upper body.”
Jess: How has gym training at Fitness 360 helped you?
“As well as having access to the gym and all of the equipment, I have been coached by Fitness 360’s Manager, Guy, who has provided me with a personalised strength training programme. This has made a huge difference in leg strength, as well as upper body strength, which has improved bike handling – especially when descending.”
Jess: What would you say to those looking to do endurance mountain bike races?
Carl: “Get used to spending long periods of time in the saddle. Don’t be tempted to set off too fast. Make sure you stay on top of your nutrition so eat and drink plenty. Most importantly, enjoy it!”
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