Chipps encourages us to get (just a bit) fitter.

Do you know any rowers 7 They're a special breed, aren't they7 Up before dawn for a few lengths of the river or 15km on the rowing machine before breakfast. How about triathletes 7 Same modus operandi, right? Up before dawn for a few pool lengths, a quick lunchtime 10k, then a feature film's worth of Zwift for tea. And they're always training for a specific event, rather than just the joy of it.

Do you know any mountain bikers like that? Probably not. Or none who'll admit it. There seems tobe an odd disconnect between mountain bikers and the search for fitness that has always puzzled me. Perhaps it's because our chosen sport is so damn fun: it's rare to see a runner whooping with delight at the bottom of a descent, or horse riders high-living. So how can a fun thing like off-roading also be training7