Originally Posted by
JRCurzon
I'm always working on my fitness because obviously there is always room for improvement, but recently I've found that even on sections where I'm hammering it and I'm not stretching my lungs and legs too much I'm just not that quick. Obviously working on skills and practising corners has allowed me to shave a few seconds but I think that the potential for improvement over my local trail (fastest 21:17) may not just be limited to fitness and skill.
It is always a combination of things. Any way in which you could ride your favorite trails with a local top racer? If you did, you guys could figure out where the difference are,and you could focus on those. Also, it is possible you are more of an endurance kind of rider versus a sprinter, given you are talking about struggling to get quicker on a rather short trail. Just a thought, or two. Also, if you are near a peak and you have a bike that is not in the super fast bike group, it will make some difference (and it will be fun). Just do not hope for it to answer all the problems.