Nowthen/Gruetzi from Switzerland – James Eddison gets fit, alpine style

I just booked my flights back home for the annual pilgrimage, and the cross bike has now been out for a couple of outings.
This years riding and training has been a bit poor relative to normal – house move, wedding, honeymoon – slight lack of motivation. A road riding toal to be ashamed at, but I still seem to hold my own on the road climbs around here – just stamina is lacking. Motivation seems to have changed though with the onset of Autumn and the Autumnal weather gives me the ‘Peaks Tingle’. Excited to ride once again. A few races entered to give me the kick up the a*se I need: 

• Local XC Mtb race sunday – I’ll get my legs ripped off by the local Swissers, 

• ‘Rad Am Ring’ 24 hour road race around the famous Nordschleife the weekend after followed by 

• another local Mtb/fell race duathlon on the 15th. 

I’m still hoping I can at least get back to my sub four hour times after the last three crap races, though I need a serious boost if that’s going to happen. I’m starting to wish I had built a new bike through the summer in preparation with discs, a quick blast up our local hill tonight in the rain reminded me of last year and the ‘crapness’ of cantis/mini V’s relative to discs. It would be foolish to change this late on…

If you’re interested in my equivalent to ‘Bull Hill’, have a look at my Strava loop:
http://www.strava.com/activities/77629416
Usually the weekend before the race I’ll do this three times in a row, with a raod section in between each ascent.