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Dedicated to the memory of our Mentor, Uncle B.

Thanks Carbacca and Bull for your selections this week and to Rosie and Quallman1234 congratulations you will be our selectors over the next fortnight.

In reading Bull’s comments below it made me reflect on an approach to a training strategy I discussed last November and represent it here [DEE-FAP]:

Originally Posted by BuckBuckNo1

As At Wednesday 15 November
Elapsed Time Since Last Update: 8weeks
Riding days completed since last update: [Average 4 days a week approx]
Distance Travelled 2,146km
Total Distance 8331km [since 12 May]

Training Strategy:
DEE-FAP Discipline - Focus - Attention - Personal

Just because I have passed my Restricted Licence today, this does not give me a personal licence to ramp it up to the 100kph immediately, I got to earn my personal skill level progressively and gradually too - and my mentor [Uncle B] said 'take your time in pushing the envelope a bit further'.

DEE-FAP is your personal approach to your riding development I have selected the keys as:

Discipline - You will know when you get that pit gut feeling when something goes awry - Expect the Unexpected. Discipline yourself to not let that moment pass and if you have the time then immediately pull over and stop.

Ask yourself 'what happened? What did I do wrong? or What didn't I do?

And don't get angry because some cage may have cut you off or pulled out in front of you at an intersection or from a parked space. Think about it you can't control the other road user, but you can control your approach to riding strategically.

Focus - Have one or two things as key review points each time you get on your bike. Think ahead where and when you want to focus your attention on those keys. It does not have to be immediately, you may have a pre-arranged location in mind [eg slalom - cone weaving - countersteering technique] you may have a good quiet road [without the cones] or that empty carpark with the cones.

Attention - Develop a habit of cycling through your safety strategy for me as an example [check mirrors, heads up horizon, glance at gauges and speedo, heads up horizon peripheral sensitivity - here exercise your visual awareness your peripheral vision can be 'shut down' because though you are looking ahead your mind may be wondering and your peripheral vision may not be alert [day dreaming] and back to checking mirrors and repeat the cycle. When coming back into increased traffic flows this Attention drill takes on greater meaning.

Personal - How you approach your DEE-FAP Discipline Focus Attention Personal strategies will be evolving as your riding skills develop. Above all be true to yourself when you next go for a ride and think again about where you're riding and how you're riding. Remember you do not have to be overly tense and completely locked into your training program remember to relax.

There will come a time when you get on your bike and very shortly maybe a kilometer or two or three and you know that you are not completely 'at one' with the bike, recognise it for what it is and if necessary don't venture out on that recreational ride, stop go [home] back inside and have another cup of tea/coffee. Revisit that feeling in your mind's eye and when you feel ready then perhaps go for that ride and definitely have one or two keys things to Focus your Attention on. You may have had the initial not 'at one' feeling with the bike because you just got on the bike and headed off without a DEE-FAP

Heads Up and Enjoy

Originally Posted by carbacca

my pick would be rosie. something different than road riding; i do actually want to have a go at some offroad riding sometime too, just to appreciate what else there is in the world of two wheels.

Originally Posted by Rosie

On Saturday afternoon I rode to Taupo. I practised riding in the rain. The rain was steady, but not too bad, and there wasn't any wind. I tried to keep everything nice and smooth, avoid deep-looking puddles in the road, and kept an eye on the road surface for anything slippery (or rainbow coloured). It turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant ride.

On Sunday I borrowed a friend's XT 225 and practised riding on gravel through Pureora Forest Park. I practised shifting my weight forward and back for the corners/straights and standing up a bit over the bumpy bits. I also practised standing up properly on long straights. Standing up still feels a bit funny, I'm not sure I'd be able to change gear like that yet, but I'll get used to it. My confidence improved quite a bit during the ride, and I was cruising at 60-ish on the straights.

Originally Posted by bull

My Pick this week is Quallman1234, great read of your racing experience Kyle, and especially liked the part where you realised your head wasnt in the right place in one of the races, this is a thing that i reckon all riders need to take note of.
If it doesnt feel right when out on your bike then take it easy and go home, you need to have that brain ready to focus when riding to be able to compute all the data being fed to you by your body.
All the things like road conditions, vehicles following and approaching, feel of your brakes etc, it is all valuable feedback for a rider and you need to be able to manage it in your head to ensure a good safe ride.

PS look forward to the next read Kyle after your next meet.

Originally Posted by quallman1234

Fashionably late!

Race Report :

Turned up to the track nice and early and started to unload the bikes, i was still rather anixous about the day but i was calming down as i would be out there soon enough .
Skipped the scrub in as i didnt really wanna be riding with a load of other bikes.

Rolled out on to the dummy grid, a little nervous but i knew that this would soon disappeared when i got out on to the track.
After what felt like forever; the gates were opened and i started to move out on to the track, My aim for the day was to qualify well and to have a couple good starts.
Boy did that not happen.
I believed i warmed up a bit too fast, i was riding around in the first lap of qualifing overtaking everyone, I didnt feel my bike was sliding at all and was rather comfortable, maybe i was just lucky i didnt hit the wet patches?.
That was untill the 4th corner. Must of hit the white line because one second i was riding just fine the next i was sliding down the track.
Slid into the dirt and rolled a bit. Got up gave the thumbs up to the marshalles and then went to see the damage of the bike.
No biggy, one broken brake lever and thats about it, the fairings werent even damaged except the occasional mark or two but other than that the bike got of basically with no damage.
I was very annoyed that i didnt qualify but nevertheless i was ok and the bike could still be raced that day.
Pushed the bike into the pits (Should of ridden it in now that i think about it) and replaced the brake handle).

First race -
Bloody nervous as i didnt want to crash again and the track was still was not dry. Jumped the start up as per usual really really getting annoyed at bad starts, however i can usually take a few places coming into to turn one. However this time, i just stayed behind everyone.
Followed steph around the whole time, who was going great and was very smooth!.
Got annoyed at my self because i couldnt gain on her and my visior was fogging up and the brake lever was barely in reach... Ended up last... nevertheless i didnt crash and got some points. Not that bad i guess.

Second Race -
Fixed my visor problems in the pits and used a zip tie to make the brake lever closer.
Had a shocking start as per usual, i really do need to work on these .
Anywho got around a couple people on the first corner , Slowly overtook from last to 9th, pulling funny faces as i went pass people!...
Bugger me ... Last corner... Last Lap!, I got overtooken by Jas and avalons dad, Good one guys!,. no idea what happened there but ill be working on late braking on to the sweeper until im confident to just tip in at 180ish!. Ended up 3rd to last I believe?.
In this race i learnt that i should stop attacking every corner and just focus on the lines and hopefully hit the apex every corner .

Thrid Race -
Came into confident that i would beat my arch rival (Jas!), Had a shocking start once again! (did i mention i suck at starts?) About 20m behind everyone coming into the first corner... On the Brakes really hard and managed to get steph on the inside... Now for jas...
Followed her really closely for a little while then on the hairpin before the back straight (whatever its called) i accerlated out of the corner far far earlier than her, and passed her on the back straight.
That was it, got passed Avalon’s dad the next lap and was closing on Chris the new guy on the FZR250, then it was the end of the race (Shorter race only 4 laps for the slow peoples).
I managed to pass a person per lap and ended up 9th not too bad considering I started last .
Just held my lines and aimed for smoothness and managed to beat my previous personal lap record. Down to 1.36.9XX from 1.37.5XX guess any improvements good , Still rather pathetic though!.

Had a great day all round and im really looking forward to the long track. Just going to aim to qualify in the middle, get good starts and hold my lines instead of attacking every corner!. I know good lines but im not using them! Must start.
Hopefully ill do ok next time!, Now time to practice my starts!.

Heads Up and Enjoy