Training Log: GD44

RTW via Royal Mail Centre to check where my package was. It seems that it's going round in circles due to the incorrect postcode. Being sent out, failing to be delivered (as address lines wrong) and then going back into reject box. REPEAT.

Village Gym

10kg dumbbells
Shoulder press on core ball: 3 x 10
Bench press on core ball: 3 x 10

9kg dumbell
Bicep curl: 3 x 10

Front plank: 2 x 60s
Side plank: 2 x 30s each side

Stretches: hamstrings, quads, glutes, hip flexors, groin

Pull ups: 3, 3, 4 (big breaks between)

Tricep pull downs on cable machine

Spiderman: 3 x 10

Hip Flexor strengthening: Two short foam rollers in front. Sit and lift feet/legs over them and back.

BMBO#5 - Abergavenny

Many of the big hitters weren't there today and I had a good route choice and ended up winning.

Pos	Name	Age Class	Score	Time	Coll Points	Penalty
1	Gary Davies	M40	370	02:59:04	370
2	Ben Gibson	M50	351	03:06:08	360	-9
3	Si Gittings	M40	337	03:02:38	340	-3
4	Mike Dencher	M40	316	03:03:53	320	-4
5	Brendon Jones	M50	303	03:05:45	310	-7
6	Mark Rowley	M50	300	02:58:51	300
7	Jon Heissig	M50	296	03:03:16	300	-4
E-Bikes
1	Jayson Brown	EBIKE	380	02:59:13	380
2	Jeremy Parr	EBIKE	371	03:06:51	380	-9
3	Christopher Aldous	EBIKE	358	03:01:01	360	-2
4	Julia Aldous	EBIKE	345	03:09:28	360	-15
5	Richard Howell	EBIKE	340	02:52:54	340

The map was effectively in three parts: Sugar Loaf, Blorenge and Area to the East. After getting the map, I decided to head north and go clockwise to clear the flatter eastern side of the map and then sweep up as many as I could on Blorenge prior to picking up the 30 pointer just SW of Aberg town. This is exactly what I did. I decided to collect the vast majority of the 10 pointers too as I thought collecting them would be easier than getting a 20pointer or two in the hills. I did decide to drop one out-and-back CP (#7) on the eastern side as it was an out-and-back and included a climb into a wood on a track. I had less time on the Blorenge (SW of map) than I had expected and could only pick up the one 30 pointer near the punchbowl after making such a big climb. I might have got more after CP12 if I'd carried on West on the canal path and into the Cwm Llanwenarth valley? I thought I'd cocked this route choice up and wouldn't have done too well but as it turned out I did OK. Simon Gittings did a very similar route to me (albeit he dropped one more 10 pointer) from the start and through the eastern lanes to CP12 on the canal east of Blorenge. However he decided to climb to the summit of Blorenge to get more points (and avoid Punchbowl track) but he ran out of time to collect the easy 30 pointer 2km from the finish.

S>23: Only spent 1min to put map in mapboard and plan a route. OK.
23>4: I was in two minds as to whether to get this 10 pointer or not but decided yes. Had more climb on the road than I had anticipated.
4>24: Narrow ORPA mud track which I'd never done before. Nice.
24>14: Popped out on the road where the Sugar Loaf Fell Race starts/finishes. I had to stop on the descent to check where I was/wasn't allowed to cross the A465. Saw a note that said "cross directly from/to pavement" so took that. There was another option to the south but I wasn't sure if that was an underbridge (which would be OK) or a road crossing (OK?). Played it safe. 30s lost checking.
14>15: OK. Narrow ORPA.
15>5: OK. All road.
5>25: Missed the turning onto the ORPA and lost 3 minutes. Glad I stopped and turned around on private farm tarmac road (which looked like a public road). Short hike a bike here.
25>16: ORPA/road/ORPA
16>6: ORPA past a farm which had discarded some rubbish like tyres into it! Stopped for 30s to check map. 50m climb up road before decision point as to whether carry on another 750m with little climb to get 10 pointer or not. I did decide an get it and managed to fall when turning at the 10pointer.
6>26: Back the same way to the decision point and knew the 4-5mins was worth it. I wasn't following the map very well on this section and started getting concerned that I'd missed a turning. However it turned out OK.
26>17: This leg went on and on! Rolling but with climb from 87, up to 184m before a descent through fields to the CP.
17>27: 1hr 35m gone at CP 17 and I was beginning to think about how to make best use of my time in the remaining 1hr 25m. CP27 on very steep road was a no brainer.
27>12: Easy 1.5km to 20 pointer on canal path. On this stretch I had two main options as I saw it. 1. Climb Blorenge and try and get the two thirty pointers ad 20 pointer on it (with lots of climb) or 2. Carry on the canal path and into the Cwm Llanwenarth valley where the distance would be more but flatter (and less points perhaps?).
12>22: I opted for option 1 and headed up the familiar road passed Middle Ninfa. I decided to hike a bike on the ORPA rather than along the road past the 10 pointer as I thought it would be faster. In hindsight, not so sure as I probably would have been able to ride it and get 10 more points in the same time? Saw Mark Rowley push up from the punchbowl. Track past the punchbowl was quite dry considering the rain we've had. Rode all the way to CP from the gate south of punchbowl.
22>3: Hike-a-bike from CP up to point west of Cwm Craf fields - horrible push! Then along the old tramroad. With 2hr 26m gone at the foot of the bridleway up to CP21 (30pts) with 100+m climb, I knew I didn't have time to get CP21. So I carried along the old tram road and descended on the Tymbl road. A slow driver in front of me held me up!!!! So I decided to leave the road and take the bike up the steps onto the old railway line to the garden centre and then under the A465 to the CP. Worked a treat.
3>13: Lots of people and dogs on the rover bank between the A4143 and the CP. Had to veer around them.
13>28: 2hr 44m gone at CP13. Same problem as above going back to the road with people and dogs! Pushed on the road section over to CP28 as I knew I was tight for time.
28>F: 2hr 52m gone at CP28 and I had less than 2km back to the finish which I thought should be OK to do in 8mins if I didn't get lost. I did get back in 2:58:23 but my watch couldn't register the finish so I was frantically going around in ever increasing larger circles to try and find it! It found it at 2:59:04

Used the new portable pressure washer on the MTB immediately after the race and it was brilliant. Good buy.

Took the handlebars off the FS and put on the On-One/Planet X George bars. Put on the levers etc and grips then discovered I'd put it on upside down! Aaarrghh. Another job for another day.

Also washed the car for first time since buying in September 2023.

Also washed the commuter with Elbow Grease All-Purpose Degreaser which is brilliant stuff and cheaper than Muc_Off etc. Was recommended on a forum I joined. Largest bottle I can seem to find is 1 litre and is cheapest at B&M for £1.99.

Foam roll lower body limbs and stretch