So this is X-mas……

Well maybe not for u, but for me & the DK MTBO Team it’s even better….it’s finally time for 1sy comp at the MTBO Worlds here in Vincenza, Veneto, Italy

It’s late & I need to get some sleep, so this well be short:

Saturday:

-Arrived Sat afternoon after e 7,5 hr drive from Budapest
-Model event & bike tuning Sat late afternoon
- THANKS  to Erik for fixing my front derailleur (to you guys who tried….thx but it was easy to see it was de-shaped & too wide, thx anyway!)
- Dinner with Team at hotel restaurant…amazingly good food…that hazelnut ice cream;-)
 - Good to be with team again, great spirit as always
- zzzZZZZZ

Sunday:
- 9hrs sleep (despite the heat & Lasse “talking” while dreaming!)
- brkf at hotel, not as good as dinner, but eatable
- team meeting
- Another model event, on what should have been a better map – no comments!
- meetings & food
- BIKE TUNE UP: Ms Scott now has brand new Raching Ralphs on her feet, SwissStop pads on the brakes & a fancy new spiral elastic for the chip(off course in DK red color!). so all tuned up, not going down bcs of technical defects!
 - Bag is packed, number bib is on the DK tricot jersey, sports drink powder is filled in bottles…..ALL READY to go…..

Tmrw Monday Aug 22^nd is Long Distance qualification:

-98 bikers, from 30 countries
- 3 heats, 20 best from each heat goes to Tuesday A-Final
- course is around 13,5km long (straight line), optimal route choice 26,5km(double up!) on the way we have to climb 750m & visit 14 control points
- expected winner time around 75min!
 - weather forecast: 30-25drg & sun!

My GOAL:

- qualify for A final!
- not dehydrating!!!

It’s gonna be F*ing hard, hilly & hot….but hey, it’s Worlds, so beat it or shut up!
I’m gonna have a hard time, but so does the other guys…who is the weakest, who is the strongest?!

1^st of all you have to find the controls, the smartest way, that’s what I’m gonna focus on…the rest hurts too much to start think about!

& finally….I have bib number 24….it’s like X-mas eve….IT’s GONNA be AWESOME;-)

I start 09.51….if the Italians make it work, you can follow by fight for a spot in Tuesday A-final on the LIVE results here & more info around Worlds here….

Now time for most important tune up…..zzzzZZZZZZZ

*Mike*

Worlds Tune Up Weekend

336hrs from now......->  I will be after Long distance qualifications, probably lying with legs up looking forward to an A-final start position tmrw, somewhere in the middle of the start group, not so early I have to push down the tracks, not later than it’s still possible to walk the ground without burning the feet!

In other words, 2 weeks to the 2011 MTBO Worlds in Vicenza, kicks off!

This weekend was dedicated to “tune up” i.e. get the body ready for what’s waiting, so the short weekend report goes like this:

Hills, Heat & Speed!

The “a bit longer version”:

Hills: those who read here the last weeks or ever been in Warsaw or surroundings (i.e. 300km radius around!) will know this is a no existing thing here, so to get to hills one have to MOVE!
Heat: to be sure the 2^nd “H” also was fulfilled I choose the HU/A MTBO cup in Gelse, HUNGARY!
Speed: is not only needed on the bike racing against the best Hungarians/Austrians, also if you wanna travel 2 x 992KM, race, eat goulash, recover & race again, all within 72hrs!

With the help of the international recognized “empty road at night” & “if u don’t see a light, it’s save to pass” laws of driving at night, in combination with the horse power of a brand new Passat, a couple of legs that are getting closer & closer to WOC shape & a few cups of coffee:   I managed all within the time limit!

Now Ms Scott is ready for a complete overhaul (new crank bearings, new front rings, new cassette, new chain = $$$$$$) & I’m ready for some serious sleep, but we had a great weekend:

2 x 2^nd place with loads of excuses, technical defects that would easy have given me 2 x 1^st ;-)

335hrs  & counting……zzzzz ZZZZZZZZZ

Description of MTB = mud triumphing beast!

This weekend I was focused on getting out of Warsaw….
1^st of all bcs training in flat, sandy, non-technical terrain, is NOT super fun (who screamed BOOOORING?!)
2^nd it doesn’t help much in the preps for Worlds in hilly, technical challenging & sticky Italian hills
3^rd weather has really SUCKED last week’s here!
 

Thursday eve a few texts to the PL MTBO guys had found the PL MTBO Team had a training camp in Zieleniec, Duszniki-Zdrój (an amazing ski resort in the PL mtn’s on the border to CZ!), “only” 450km from Warsaw! So was happy I could pack the Passat (thx to 99Rent for changing the rental car I have to a brand new Passat St, more or less fully equipped!)  & get out of town Friday morning 08.15, great challenging training in the super mtn weather…..here we come!
 

7.15hrs later I stepped out of car, tired of sitting down doing nothing (other than rodeo driving on PL roads for  7hrs!), hungry & very happy to get on the bike! A bit confusion bat where the daily training was took me further 50km (40min) into CZ & finally it was time to take Ms Scott out of car, mount the map holder & get into the forest TRAINING:-) 15m down the road & broke the chain……unfortunate this was only the beginning of a “fantastic” weekend! 

HOWEVER, I’ll fall into the commonly used “oh how bad it was, feel sorry for me” type description by listing all the negatives, but “always look at the bright side”:

I am happy that:
- the PL MTBO Team allowed me to join their training camp, THX!
 - it didn’t snow at any time, i.e. it was always warmer than 0drg!
 - only one night was it difficult to enjoy a full night sleep due to PL party ppl (in the middle of mtns!)
 - it never rained inside & I slept in a dry hot bed
 - the Ski & Spa pension has a excellent outdoor water hose, great for washing of bike, shoes & rider!
 - it was not too crowded at the MTB Marathon on Sunday in Głuszyca ….!!!!!

Outcome:
Before driving 8hrs back home to Waw Sunday afternoon/evening/night, I got 8hrs +training in the legs in VERY challenging, very hard, very NON flat & extremely equipment tearing conditions which will make nice dry, sunny, easy reachable by highway/plane Italy look like PARADISE…..though it might be hot!
So compare that to why I left Waw in the first 2 places = SUCCESS…..weather sucks everywhere these days!

Suzuki Powerade MTB XM in Głuszyca 31.07.11:

3.28.30hrs, 32^nd out of 352 finishers, 24.19 after winner…..after a race with a small front ring unwilling to corporate from halfway out(i.e. walk up all tough hills!) this was actually OK! Now I would love to have shared a picture or two from race, but they are not uploaded yet, so this will be a boooorrring "text only" post

Next weekend":

Now eyes are still spitting out mud, MS Scott is washed & handed over to service, legs are recovering for yet another week of great training…..while I try figure out where to go next weekend…..goal is: NO RAIN, LOADS of PAIN!

Morale to you who read so far: 

Keep up the smile & DON’T BLAME your missing performance on THE WEATHER….wtf does that have to do with you being lazy and afraid of a bit of water??

;-)

*Mike*