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Some of my local riding is rough/rocky singletrack, and some of it is twisty, earthy, rooty hardly there paths. About six weeks ago I went over the bars and broke my finger on the latter. Now I was never a massive fan of the earthy/rooty stuff, the really soft ground (I think it's where years worth of pine needles etc. have composted) moves around and I felt like I was always getting stuck in between roots where it's constant closely spaced undulations. I went out again today - first time on these trails since I broke myself- and just felt totally lacking in confidence going down it, I think I walked as much as I rode, and as a result feel very annoyed with myself. Now we have had horrendous rain recently, which has made the ground even softer so a lot of it is just sludge, so that may be a part of it. No issues at all on the harder trails or the steep and rocky stuff, either before or after the wee crash, just this type of terrain.
Blah blah blah.........sounds like a load of pish doesn't it 🙂
Been out all day today on a sole mission to hunt out the steepest,loamiest trails I could find (mostly old dh tracks).
apart from wishing I was on flats occasionally it was an awesome ,drifty ,sideways ,ohmygodontbrake fun fest .
This helps in no way but I had to put it out there.
Go ride them with a mate. AND/OR after a drink [or anything else that works for you].
Perfectly understandable reaction.
Just build the pace and confidence up up again bit by bit and if you have had a six week lay off its bound to exaggerate thone nerves.
Don't beat yourself up too much (although I know I would be doing the same in your shoes!) as I think that only feeds the anxiety.
Had 3 weeks off until the doc gave the all clear. Had a day at Laggan since, which I loved (until Airs Rock when my back wheel collapsed at the bottom of it, chucking me off sideways), so those sort of trails are fine still. Maybe it's cause I didn't like this stuff much anyway?
Stand at the top, strip to the waist & beat your chest while screaming blue murder.
That should do it.
I've always done [i]that[/i], I need something extra
Completely normal reaction. Just like you seem to learn not to stick your hand in a fire etc.
Take a step back, apart from anything I assume you have been off the bike for a few weeks so not as used to riding. The trick is to leave it alone but don't build it up into something it isn't.
and add blue woad for the full Celtic moment...................
yes you are being too hard on yourself.....the whole anxious I should be riding this focus is just too self defeating, so you walked some bits next time make it a bit less walking more riding, as above
Cheers, not kicking myself quite so much now!
It's horrible having a bad off. possibly you are reading too many mtb magazines/websites where everyone is a mtb genius. We're mostly just out for laughs on bikes and a bit crap and beer and shits n giggles. It's all part of the process, just try to enjoy yourself, have fun, not hurt yourself too much and come home with a grin. That's all it is. I like going slow 🙂
I had a crash back in april where i dislocated and fractured the end of my finger, 2 days later i had the daft bandage things off and that weekend (4 days after the crash) i was racing in the sda at dunkeld, didn't knock my confidence, you've just got to try and not think about these things, i'd assume it's the same rule as don't aim for that tree or you'll hit it etc, likewise, don't think about the crash or it'll happen again?
Yes, that's probably the way to look at it kevevs.
didn't knock my confidence
I've not lost any on a lot of the tracks I ride, just this specific type. Just a head game I guess.