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I haven't really touched my mtb since 2020, in fact I've hardly done anything fitness wise since 2020. Over Christmas lunch my son pipes up and asks if I can take him to BPW and Afan this year. He used to ride a fair bit, but has decided that now he is 13 its the perfect time to go there!
So my mission, which I am absolutely going to accept, is to get myself from zero riding shape into enough fitness to be able to have fun with him over those days.
Any tips or advice as to how?
You have anywhere that you ENJOY riding? Even it means a bit of time in the car? That would be where I start!
I've got Swinley and QECP both within about 1/2 hour drive. Not sure the Hill at QECP will be fun, but Swinley could be a good shout!
Great news!
Great to have a reason to want to ride again, especially if it's your lad.
Have had too much time off the bike (most of it enforced, but some of it not feeling like it) over the last 2 years myself, absolutely looking forward to some time in the saddle again in 2023 myself...
Definitely suggest somewhere flatter and more flowing to get used to riding again, heading straight to Afan is gonna be demoralising! Oh and don't beat yourself up for being a lot slower than you used to be... Just enjoy the moment. 👍🏻
I had 6 years off, back on it now hard work and no short cuts
5k runs, squeeze a couple a week in (not on consecutive days), do a gentle pace, warm up and down so you don't pull any muscles. Anything starts to hurt, stop and walk.
Keep the riding sensible at first, no mega miles, comfy pace, again try to squeeze a couple in a week, there's no shame in using a turbo, regularly turning some pedals gets your body accustomed to it.
The point is to build fitness with sustainable work, not bollox it with an injury in week one. Running 5k is as much of a workout for me as riding 20 but takes a lot less time (and time is often the thing that is at a premium), it also works some different muscles and your core a bit.
Got a target/timescale to work to?
I’ve got Swinley and QECP both within about 1/2 hour drive. Not sure the Hill at QECP will be fun, but Swinley could be a good shout!
With those choices I would go to QECP too and do some loops of the blue to get your legs and head back in it. The climb is steady, the single-track is flowy, it's more weather proof than it was a decade ago (you probably know this I can't recall when most of the work was done). If I recall correctly there's less pedalling than Swinley or at least more breaks from non stop pedalling. There's also some nice loops out from there that aren't too savage.
When we've had some time off the bikes it's one of the places we make a bee line for as it's instant fun even when blowing out your **** 😂
Little bit biased as it's where my boys (oldest similar age to yours) learned to ride "proper" off road and it's 20 minutes away for us.
Sounds like you are in a similar location to me and a similar boat. I'd be up for tagging along at swinley if up for it and both timetables aligned?
Similar here, not ride this year, and not rode properly since 2020. I've lost so much fitness I can't not return to it now as nothing really took it's place so I need to break the ice and just get back onto it.
philk40 - Come down to Southampton Bike park as a starter session to practice riding corners and bumps. There are now 3 different all weather tracks for you to play on, including a duel track to challenge the nipper to a race on. Just at the bottom of the M3 and pub lunch after?
Cheers all, I hadn't hear of the bike track, definelty one to have a look at.
once I get some fitness I'll be up for riding with others, at the moment, not knowing if i'll be able to ride out of the car park at qecp without having to gt off and walk makes me nervous about spoiling other peoples riding!
Phil40 - give me a shout whenever you want. I can show you a bunch of good trails to get you back up to speed. It will be good to catch up.
Never been to QECP would quite like to take my boy, we could meet up sometime? (If you are the Phill I am thinking of!)
Cheers Yak, and yes I am the Phil you're thinking of!
PSA Yateley was 10 years ago!
Well you wont need any fitness for BPW, just a bit of bike handling confidence. Ride off a few big kerbs and you'll be fine.
PSA Yateley was 10 years ago!
My boy is 12 and he was born when I was there!!!