We're revisiting the basics this week and talking about BRAKING! Specifically, braking body positions and becoming acclimated to our controls again. So this week we're going to work on our Straight Line Braking drill - which can be found here: https://www.skool.com/thepracticeloop/classroom/ca3aa4f0?md=fa016fc81a67453caa346d5f4b047b8c Once you get familiar with that, you can start playing with the progressions inside the "5 Drills To Build Downhill Confidence" https://www.skool.com/thepracticeloop/classroom/379f6c73?md=0c4035343b264b99991ff9711980979e Starting with just going down a hill as slow as we can - aiming to try and "stop" in the middle without putting a foot down. Then progressing to balancing and stepping over the bike to build some muscle memory for those situations where we can't get to the ground quickly in technical situations. And the next progression being working on turning down hill. Progressively making the turn tighter and tighter. @Mason Swan you get to work on Stoppie turns...just cuz. @Johanna Huber since you asked about tires, most of us in the group run Plews Tyres - which are primarily trail tires, but I think you'd enjoy the Grand Prix which I've linked below. You can get it for 10% off from Risk Racing (the link I've sent you) using code SPLAT10. This is a deep lug tire with a paddle tread so it should hold up in silt, sand, and mud pretty well too. https://riskracing.com/products/plews-tyres-grand-prix-intermediate-soft-deep-lug-enduro-rear-tire?_pos=5&_sid=556ac5b71&_ss=r

So yesterday after work Kenneth and I went to Brown Mountain to ride a little loop since we didn't get to ride last weekend and we have a race this weekend -- Well long story short -- everything that could hold us up happened and we ended up getting a later start than we had planned -- anyway we haven't set up our helmet lights yet because we normally don't do that until after the time change and it got dark -- FAST and it got DARK DARK -- We were on some of the simpler trails, but the road has gotten terrible since now Brown is a badge of honor trail and the Jeeps are tearing it up -- I was scared and the rocks were steep and shadows were dark but every time I got to a steep rock or a root that was a little sideways I had to ride off of I just kept saying— if I can balance for almost 2 minutes surely I can hold the bike up dropping off this rock — and low and behold it worked every time.

I've always considered myself a pretty healthy "athlete". Even though I certainly feel like I have a lot further to go in the "athlete" department. (We're always growing & progressing!) One thing I've struggled with the last three years is constant fatigue, inconsistent bouts of energy and really awful recovery. The lastest symptom being "poofy". So my brothers convinced me to get a full bloodwork panel done and when I tell you I was SURPRISED. As someone who already focused on Iron intake, Lives in Sunny California, and takes crazy amounts of electrolytes. These markers blew my mind. Which has led me down a rabbit hole of understanding that just because you're doing or consuming the right things, doesn't mean your body can optimize it. For example. Calcium, Caffiene & magnesium block your iron receptors. So if you consume a salad with ranch, blue cheese or other dairy. No dice. Fortified milk in your coffee? Also no good. Beef & cheese? Forget it. Electolytes while taking iron? Not going to work. But on top of that, Vitamin D carries calcium from your blood to your bones. Not enough Vitamin D? Too much Calcium in blood prevents iron absorbtion also. HOWEVER. You need to consume iron with Vitamin C for "optimal absorbtion". It makes me wonder what else are missing in how everything works together in the body? Moral of the story. If you "feel off" and you're convinced it's just "getting older" I learned...it's not. Shingles at 24? Not normal. Turns out my immune system is freaking about something. I would've never known without a blood test. Now more digging to come, but at least now I know, "It's not normal". Have you ever had a bloodwork panel done? DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A NUTRITIONIST. THIS IS JUST SOME RAMBLINGS I'VE PUT TOGETHER FROM THE INTERNET. CONSULT A DOCTOR YADA YADA YADA.

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