TECHNICAL RIDING

Perhaps one of your challenges this year will be to finally face a trail that’s been on your to-do list for a while. Give yourself a good run at it by doing some research first. Trailforks is a great place to start – it breaks down the track into distance, descent, and technicality. You might get a description with details on the ‘crux’ of the track. If it’s popular enough there might even be POV footage on Youtube. Whatever you can do to learn about its most demanding sections will help you know what you have to prepare for. The next step will be to try and replicate some of those challenges on less stressful trails. Don’t focus on riding them faster, instead concentrate on doing them smoother. You want to prepare yourself to be able to face your challenge and feel confident that you can achieve your goal when you feel ready.