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Highland Fling v Dirt Works
Hey hey,
I have entered this years Highland Fling happening on the 11th Nov. I am doing the Full Fling!
My question is as I haven't done it before is how tough is it? I did the Dirt Works back in May which i felt was pretty hard...I have been off the bike pretty much since then with a knee injury and am only getting back to full fitness.
Any views would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers
Tom
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All I know is this:
Year 1: DW was hard, Fling was easy.
Year 2: DW was hard, didn't do fling, but heard it was a killer.
Year 3: DW was hard, Fling is coming
There has been talk (and evidence - see TerraCare) of trail building in Wingello lately. Given 'easy' trails are not worth building one can imagine that the course will be even more challenging and fun this year.
If all goes well at the Angry Doctor (erm, actually the Irate Intern for me) then will be in the Fling for the 100.
Ah... as if by magic, the latest Fling update has hit the mailbox. No details of this year's route or profile just yet though
Last year 4 of us all had the course distance at 111km or 112km on our bike computers, they had told us it was about 104km. I think the climbing was 2300m and it felt like it, the hills are steep and I walked many, I did 6h 11mins but wasn't walking too well afterwards.
John.
Despite some rocky sections, overall compared to The Dirt Works the Fling is a much smoother ride - think Ourimbah cross country track vs Red Hill and you start to get the picture.
Have done and thoroughly enjoyed both though.
i have been to both and are both excellent events. I find that the fling is a bit easier to "rest" on, you can roll around bends or thorugh sections as its quite smooth and forgiving terrain, the dirtworks (gnr section especially) is rough and requires you to concentrate and take the correct line over rocks and technical sections. They have similiar climbing and descending metres, the fling has more shorter hills whereas the dirtworks has fewer steeper hills. I find the fling easier but they can change the course to whatever they want so who knows what this year brings.
I need some advice. I have never done one of these 100km things. I am thinking about doing the fling and am concerned about only one thing. Can I finish. How much riding does someone need to be doing to be able to know that their body will not explode whilst riding 100km. For example, If I ride 15 km twice a week do you think I could rock up and ride 100km (taking it easy). How do you guys prepare for a 100km ride? I am worried now because i was support crew for the Oxfam 100km walk. And wow, the pain and number of people limping in on crutches/walking sticks after walking 50 km stunned me.
if you want to race the 100km then you train at distances over 100km, if you want to just finish & have a good time, regular 50-70km training rides will do.
What that means is this silly, completely unfounded and non-scientific rule of thumb:
IMHO, anyone can perform any physical activity for twice the distance/time/whatever that they are used to (without much effort), if in order to do that double work they are then prepared to push themselves and feel a little discomfort afterwards.
Ie, if you want to finish 100Km and be sore, but at least able to walk the next day you should be able to ride 50Km (and half the vertical of course) without even trying and not even tell you did exercise the next day.
I also agree with what Bruce says that if you want to race over a distance you need to train at that distance (or above). Of course, most of us here don't care about racing, just finishing, so the rule of halves (or double) works for me.
Also, you can't beat time in the saddle on real trails. Fitness bikes might sound like a good idea, but there's no substitute for a good 5 hour training ride
I did my first 100km (the original DW 100 with the 3 climbs instead of two) with very little long riding. Up to that point the longest off-road ride I had done was Andos to Glenbrook (via the highway from Woodford cause I was too stuffed). If you can do a 50km ride in a reasonable time and not be absolutely out of action for a couple of days after you can do 100km.
if your only riding twice a week at the moment and 15km each time i think you will struggle with the 100km, you will still probably finish but you will be absolutely knackered and really wont have a good time at all. In these events you want to have fun, if your rooted at the 50km mark with still 50 to go, your going to wonder what the hell your doing and want to pull out. I would say do the 50km one first, if you breeze that in then up to the 100km next yr. You need to do a few 50-70km rides and not be shagged to have fun in the 100km enduro events. Do the 50km highland fling this yr, ride more between now and next may and then do the 100km dirtworks. Best advice i can give is to ride as much as possible, ride to work a few days a week if you can, do a few 4 or 8hr races with a mate or 2 also do get the kms up, mist importantly you need to enjoy what your doing, ride, ride ride
Thanks for the tips. So the formula maybe goes something like;
T = {(RxLI) /(Px2)}
Where
T = Suggested training distance
R = actual race distance
P = pride level
LI = Latent knee injuries that may flare up once you are in the unknown distance level
I've done a few of these things with minimal training, though I'm relatively fit.
If you ride 100k the right way, taking things quite slow to start with and getting properly warmed up, and eating and drinking a lot at the start then as long as you're not that unfit you'll manage.
These things are a good opportunity to test yourself out and I'd say if you want to go the full 100 then go for it to avoid being disappointed. That said these things are pretty regular now... up to you!
Ta,
Matt.
why you should buy either lanolin or vaseline before you start. Enough said but I think you'll thank me later
Although I'm yet to enter (will do it this week) I have begun training for the Full Fling because there are only 11 weeks left. The longest ride I have done to date is the Oaks, so I am a novice too.
The way I look at it the number of K's isn't as important as hours in the saddle riding similar terrain. If you think it will take you 8 hours then you will probably need to build up to a maximum training ride of at least 6 hours (75% of the total).
I found the attached site helpful in creating a training program, but only time will tell if I stick to it.
http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/training/training.php
I am an old fart (46) who rides at most 3 times a week for a max of 2 hours and have managed to do the full DW twice and the full Fling once.
We'd be lucky to do 20kms most rides as we usually ride Red Hill or OX Falls or the Dam which are relatively slow going. The only time me and my mates ever ride more than 50 kms is in these races and we finish (the 100) no worries in times of 6.5 to 7.5 hours.
I would never have time to do training rides of 6 hours unfortunately.
Just have a go!
That sounds cool as I really struggle to get the time to ride for long periods due to having too many children to look after. I'm just busting for when my sons/daughter can ride with me.
One question, how was your body after doing one of these events?
To be honest, the only time I have ever felt sore after one of these was this year's Dirt Works.
Unfortunately that was due to early cramping in the race and the fact that I pushed on for 6 hours with bad cramps just to finish. That's the point though, you push on and you will finish.
The best I've ever felt was after The Fling the year before last, the next day I didn't feel bad, I felt good! Legs felt like rubber bands, I could've done it all over again! But had put in the kms that year ( although only the same amount of rides that Goatman mentions - no 6 hour epics or anything like that).
The first time I did the Dirt Works though was the first year they ran it and the "half" option was actually nearly 70kms. I'd busted my shoulder before and hadn't ridden for 6 weeks but still rocked up and finished it - on a 7 inch travel freeride bike too!
So it can be done, you'll be right. Remember the objective is to finish, not finish quickly.
Goatman also did that first DirtWorks on heavy Kona Coiler with his arm in a cast, but he's some sort of half man/half goat so don't use that as any sort of example.
He currently has his foot in a cast so he'll probably be busting Red Hill on the weekend.
I've found that if you jump in a nice hot shower, and do plenty of stretches soon as you've finished a long ride, I have no pain or anything the next day. Sure straight after your a bit sore and your legs are a bit jellyish, but other wise its all good.
If I do more than 50+ks I always stretch to make sure I don't have to limp around for the next week
only been riding for four months when i did half a fling last year but i was trained by nobmob - mainly Craig! We rode twice a week and for further than 15ks for each ride - we did the night rides and he planned horrible long rocky things on the weekends up to 35ks i think from memory - i loved the half and felt good at the end which was my aim
Personally i'd rather do the 58ks and feel good than the 100 undertrained and feel like crap at the end - and honestly, so many of the 100 finishers were knackered at the end - some of my mates who are really fit didn't look that crash hot!
Obviously it's up to you but wouldn't you rather have fun than be in pain? Says she who still hasn't done a 100 but does plan to at Dirtworks!!
See you at the fling hey...