First MTB Race this weekend?
Discussion
As a starter for ten, how about a blog post from one of the winners... http://www.xcracer.com/having-a-little-word-with-y...
Reet, petals...
My update time.
I did it. I actually got up with time to spare, got my s
t together and made it to the start line. And boy, was that a mistake....
0700hrs. Up and at 'em soldier. Hands off cocks, and on with socks, and all those old favourite cliches from recruit training. A coffee. A 'power' breakfast - 6 weetabix - another coffee.
0730hrs. Dressed. (To kill - I looked awesome
). Decent bib shorts and compression long sleeve. PH short sleeve jersey, baggy shorts, 'Wales' socks and trainers, with an Aldi packable lightweight waterproof (it wasn't!) over the top.
0745hrs. Out to the bike. Ooh! What's that? Something shiny hanging out of my saddle bag. That'll be the new chain tool sticking out of the hole where the bag has split
No problem, switch the tube, tools, etc into that crappy spare saddle bag and the job is, quite literally, a fish
0805hrs. Last minute decision to add a second cage. Not going well, to be fair. Can't find the decent Allen keys. No matter, I get it done. I'm ready, just stuff those bottles into the...
...maybe not. I'm suddenly reminded of the reason why I only have one cage fitted. Two bottles won't fit. the first one always prevents the second one from mounting securely in the cage. Whip that off, then it's all systems go! One bottle in the cage, one in a jersey pocket. So dump the camera - it'll only get wet anyway. Pump? Check. Phone? Check. Cash? £15 ought to be plenty. Two cereal bars, and two Tunnock's caramel wafers? Sounds good to me!
0820hrs. Where has the time gone? I was "ready to go, just jump on the bike" last night. Now time is flying by and I'm at risk of not making it to the start. And it's now 'nervous poo time' as I don't fancy de-rigging my bib shorts in a portaloo. Back upstairs, with the wife's "what are you still doing here?" ringing in my ears.
Not until 0835hrs did I eventually get under way. So I got there at about 0900hrs with time to spare. I was already wet by the time I got to the marquee, got straight in there, signed in, fitted my race number, and grabbed my freebie Mule bar. Then I hung around a bit, chatted to some other wet looking folk who were also hanging about, and then I went off to the start line.
I'd been fine up until then, and even when I pulled up to the rear of the group waiting for the start, things were calm in my head. There weren't that many people, and most of them were in front of me. Cool, I wasn't going to be fighting the whippets for position into the first left hander. Then they came. Seemingly from out of nowhere, oodles of riders. Some tried to get toward the front to the left of the start, making the field look like a big wedge. It didn't look like they'd get through the start gate in any sort of good order, so now I was glad I was nearer the front, and off to the right. The rest of them just filled in at the back, and I was thinking that I'd get steamrollered if I wasn't careful.
A bit of a briefing through a loudhailer, and off we went. The start loop went off without too much of a hitch until we headed up to the copse and around the arena. A tight taped funnel at the top of the hill caused a major log jam, and despite staying on the bike till the 90 degree corner, I had to admit defeat and get off. We weren't even on the first lap 'proper' yet, and I was on foot.
This was the story of the early part of lap 1 - folk getting off, falling off, or simply too many riders trying to squeeze through narrow turns, and there was bike pushing aplenty. But it eased off, and I started to ride. Only that was easier said than done. The "totally rideable" course of yesterday had been virtually destroyed by the heavy overnight rain, and with every rider across it, it was getting worse. My first 'off' was to follow in short order, at the bottom of "Vicars and Tarts". The chap ahead of me slid off spectacularly in a straight descent, ending up in a heap at the bottom. Right on my chosen line. So I took avoiding action, and promptly 'stalled' on the up slope, and was hit from behind, ending up in a heap with the guy who hit me, which took some time to disentangle. Ouch. Including claret! (mine)
That set the tone, really. I'm not going to give a corner-by-corner commentary, but suffice to say, I stopped counting the 'offs' at five. There were definitely more than six, though, as the conditions got worse and worse. Some of the higher parts of the course remained fairly rideable, but lots of it turned to what can best be compared with slurry. Where it wasn't thick liquid mud, it looked like a ploughing match, and in some spots the mud was right up to the hubs, and that's not an exaggeration. Any foolish notion about even having the opportunity to stay out for a third lap was well and truly fading now, and the faint flame of hope was finally extinguished when I crossed the finish gantry well on the way to a 1 hour 10 minute lap. From there it just got worse. Lap two was like some kind of hell. By half way around I had given up worrying about my race position (I was passed repeatedly, but seldom overtook anyone else) and was battling on to avoid the shame of a DNF first time out. I kept looking down at the Garmin, and my heart rate was reasonably low, but I just had nothing left in my legs. No power, no energy, no rhythm in my pedaling. The course resembled No Man's Land, and the thick, gloopy mud was just absorbing all my effort, leaving me with little spare to actually move forward. But I stuck it out. I had to, you lot would have mocked me mercilessly if I'd bailed out. And I've never bailed at any physical or sporting challenge, so I wasn't going to start now.
By the time I got to the last section, around the outside of the arena, I managed to find some semblance of rhythm and then I saw the "2 hour riders - stop now" board, and one of the marshals directing me off. I managed a joke, and to look disappointed at not being allowed another lap, but I'd never been so pleased for anything to end. I'd have gladly endured another fortnight of nightly rocket attacks in Iraq in preference to another lap in that forest.
My legs were spent, but I managed to remain upright, found my way into the marquee, tried to warm up in the hot air from the heater, and in short order, the 2 hour race podium places were announced, and prizes were presented. Then, in desperation, I parted with £4.50 for a polystyrene tray of chilli and chips. I haven't seen the full results, but as far as I could tell I came 60th out of 76 finishers in the 2 hour male 'veterans' category. Not last (which was the primary goal), but very close to it. I'd been running 67th at the end of the first lap (if I heard the announcer correctly). But hey. I don't actually care, because that was an awful experience for a first race. I loved the timekeeper/announcer's comment as I started my second lap... "it's really dusty out there today. It's just that the dust is a bit damp".
There were several people in quite a worrying state. One chap finished the over 50's 3 hour race and couldn't get his tea to his mouth, he was shaking so badly. Borderline hypothermic, I tried to persuade him to visit the medics on site, but he was having none of it, but he couldn't even unclip his Camelbak strap at one point. There was a wee Scottish girl too, shivering uncontrollably until a couple of us put her in front of the heater. I stayed on as long as I could, trying to join in, but to be honest, the weather meant few riders were in the mood to hang around the marquee. I was wet through, and caked in mud, and could feel myself beginning to suffer with symptoms of exposure, so I bailed out and rode home. The wind was up by this time, so I took that slow to keep the chill factor down.
Back home, I was absolutely gibbering. I'd started to get the shakes, so I just lobbed the bike into the garage to deal with tomorrow. Then the wife bade me undress (outer layer, at least) outside. In the middle of which a courier arrived with a parcel for her. He looked properly puzzled by what was going on, to be fair. Then I shuffled upstairs, washed the worst of the dirt off in the shower, then got into the bath to soak and warm up. That didn't go well. Half a bath filled before the hot water ran out!!!! So 'er indoors was up and down the stairs with kettles to keep me from the cold, and within twenty minutes the boiler had produced enough hot water to fill the bath. Warmed through on the outside, I was summoned downstairs with a cheery "dinner's ready!" Wow! More Chilli!!!! But her's was way better than the stuff at the race, and after that, and some Bakewell tart'n'custard, I settled under the duvet with a hot water bottle and some recorded shows on the telly.
I'm feeling a whole lot better than I did after the race, although my ribs hurt, my lower back is hurting, and both legs are scratched and bruised. The bike sounds like a bag of spanners in a tumble dryer, mainly the brakes I think, because the slop came up to the hubs in places and there's grit on the pads. The chain kept getting picked up by the granny ring, it happened about 4 time, always on an uphill bit, bringing me to a grinding halt to backpedal to release it. Aside from that, it kept working and got me to the end, which was more than some of the (far more) expensive steeds did for their riders. One young lad snapped his rear mech (snapped the side plate) and was in the marquee at the end, taking links out to shorten the chain enough to run without the mech to get home. I think he was the same one who had the goggles with the F1 style tear-off strips on them. And both of those tear-offs ended up on the floor less than 500 yards into lap one.
Would I do it again? Immediate afterwards, I'd have said "no way". After a couple of hours and some wifely TLC, I'm seriously thinking about the next round in the series. Am I a mentalist? I've no idea. I wouldn't want to do it in those conditions again, but I'm willing to give it a go. Kit wise, I got it pretty much right, long sleeve base, short sleeve jersey, and shorts. I just need a waterproof jacket that's actually a bit waterproof. And a bike that's about 5kg lighter
Photos? As I said further up, I dumped the camera in favour of extra fluids. There won't be many pictures, I don't think. Even the professional photographer down in "Sponge Bob" wasn't taking much in the way of pictures the twice I passed him, so you'll have to make do with the only two I'm aware of with me in them from today. Taken by the wife when I got home...
Cheap Aldi jacket in "not actually waterproof" shocker! But it kept the PH jersey clean, at least.
I you look closely, you can see the puddle in the bottom of the rear pocket of the jacket.
Cheers for all the interest in this thread, and all the encouragement, chaps.
It really did motivate me to both sign up, and to actually drag myself round the course. I just wish the weather had been kinder is all. See you all on the start line for the next round on 14th December? Entries close on the 9th, so don't delay,enter today!!!
Reet, petals...
My update time.
I did it. I actually got up with time to spare, got my s
t together and made it to the start line. And boy, was that a mistake....0700hrs. Up and at 'em soldier. Hands off cocks, and on with socks, and all those old favourite cliches from recruit training. A coffee. A 'power' breakfast - 6 weetabix - another coffee.
0730hrs. Dressed. (To kill - I looked awesome
). Decent bib shorts and compression long sleeve. PH short sleeve jersey, baggy shorts, 'Wales' socks and trainers, with an Aldi packable lightweight waterproof (it wasn't!) over the top.0745hrs. Out to the bike. Ooh! What's that? Something shiny hanging out of my saddle bag. That'll be the new chain tool sticking out of the hole where the bag has split
No problem, switch the tube, tools, etc into that crappy spare saddle bag and the job is, quite literally, a fish 0805hrs. Last minute decision to add a second cage. Not going well, to be fair. Can't find the decent Allen keys. No matter, I get it done. I'm ready, just stuff those bottles into the...
...maybe not. I'm suddenly reminded of the reason why I only have one cage fitted. Two bottles won't fit. the first one always prevents the second one from mounting securely in the cage. Whip that off, then it's all systems go! One bottle in the cage, one in a jersey pocket. So dump the camera - it'll only get wet anyway. Pump? Check. Phone? Check. Cash? £15 ought to be plenty. Two cereal bars, and two Tunnock's caramel wafers? Sounds good to me!
0820hrs. Where has the time gone? I was "ready to go, just jump on the bike" last night. Now time is flying by and I'm at risk of not making it to the start. And it's now 'nervous poo time' as I don't fancy de-rigging my bib shorts in a portaloo. Back upstairs, with the wife's "what are you still doing here?" ringing in my ears.
Not until 0835hrs did I eventually get under way. So I got there at about 0900hrs with time to spare. I was already wet by the time I got to the marquee, got straight in there, signed in, fitted my race number, and grabbed my freebie Mule bar. Then I hung around a bit, chatted to some other wet looking folk who were also hanging about, and then I went off to the start line.
I'd been fine up until then, and even when I pulled up to the rear of the group waiting for the start, things were calm in my head. There weren't that many people, and most of them were in front of me. Cool, I wasn't going to be fighting the whippets for position into the first left hander. Then they came. Seemingly from out of nowhere, oodles of riders. Some tried to get toward the front to the left of the start, making the field look like a big wedge. It didn't look like they'd get through the start gate in any sort of good order, so now I was glad I was nearer the front, and off to the right. The rest of them just filled in at the back, and I was thinking that I'd get steamrollered if I wasn't careful.
A bit of a briefing through a loudhailer, and off we went. The start loop went off without too much of a hitch until we headed up to the copse and around the arena. A tight taped funnel at the top of the hill caused a major log jam, and despite staying on the bike till the 90 degree corner, I had to admit defeat and get off. We weren't even on the first lap 'proper' yet, and I was on foot.
This was the story of the early part of lap 1 - folk getting off, falling off, or simply too many riders trying to squeeze through narrow turns, and there was bike pushing aplenty. But it eased off, and I started to ride. Only that was easier said than done. The "totally rideable" course of yesterday had been virtually destroyed by the heavy overnight rain, and with every rider across it, it was getting worse. My first 'off' was to follow in short order, at the bottom of "Vicars and Tarts". The chap ahead of me slid off spectacularly in a straight descent, ending up in a heap at the bottom. Right on my chosen line. So I took avoiding action, and promptly 'stalled' on the up slope, and was hit from behind, ending up in a heap with the guy who hit me, which took some time to disentangle. Ouch. Including claret! (mine)
That set the tone, really. I'm not going to give a corner-by-corner commentary, but suffice to say, I stopped counting the 'offs' at five. There were definitely more than six, though, as the conditions got worse and worse. Some of the higher parts of the course remained fairly rideable, but lots of it turned to what can best be compared with slurry. Where it wasn't thick liquid mud, it looked like a ploughing match, and in some spots the mud was right up to the hubs, and that's not an exaggeration. Any foolish notion about even having the opportunity to stay out for a third lap was well and truly fading now, and the faint flame of hope was finally extinguished when I crossed the finish gantry well on the way to a 1 hour 10 minute lap. From there it just got worse. Lap two was like some kind of hell. By half way around I had given up worrying about my race position (I was passed repeatedly, but seldom overtook anyone else) and was battling on to avoid the shame of a DNF first time out. I kept looking down at the Garmin, and my heart rate was reasonably low, but I just had nothing left in my legs. No power, no energy, no rhythm in my pedaling. The course resembled No Man's Land, and the thick, gloopy mud was just absorbing all my effort, leaving me with little spare to actually move forward. But I stuck it out. I had to, you lot would have mocked me mercilessly if I'd bailed out. And I've never bailed at any physical or sporting challenge, so I wasn't going to start now.
By the time I got to the last section, around the outside of the arena, I managed to find some semblance of rhythm and then I saw the "2 hour riders - stop now" board, and one of the marshals directing me off. I managed a joke, and to look disappointed at not being allowed another lap, but I'd never been so pleased for anything to end. I'd have gladly endured another fortnight of nightly rocket attacks in Iraq in preference to another lap in that forest.
My legs were spent, but I managed to remain upright, found my way into the marquee, tried to warm up in the hot air from the heater, and in short order, the 2 hour race podium places were announced, and prizes were presented. Then, in desperation, I parted with £4.50 for a polystyrene tray of chilli and chips. I haven't seen the full results, but as far as I could tell I came 60th out of 76 finishers in the 2 hour male 'veterans' category. Not last (which was the primary goal), but very close to it. I'd been running 67th at the end of the first lap (if I heard the announcer correctly). But hey. I don't actually care, because that was an awful experience for a first race. I loved the timekeeper/announcer's comment as I started my second lap... "it's really dusty out there today. It's just that the dust is a bit damp".
There were several people in quite a worrying state. One chap finished the over 50's 3 hour race and couldn't get his tea to his mouth, he was shaking so badly. Borderline hypothermic, I tried to persuade him to visit the medics on site, but he was having none of it, but he couldn't even unclip his Camelbak strap at one point. There was a wee Scottish girl too, shivering uncontrollably until a couple of us put her in front of the heater. I stayed on as long as I could, trying to join in, but to be honest, the weather meant few riders were in the mood to hang around the marquee. I was wet through, and caked in mud, and could feel myself beginning to suffer with symptoms of exposure, so I bailed out and rode home. The wind was up by this time, so I took that slow to keep the chill factor down.
Back home, I was absolutely gibbering. I'd started to get the shakes, so I just lobbed the bike into the garage to deal with tomorrow. Then the wife bade me undress (outer layer, at least) outside. In the middle of which a courier arrived with a parcel for her. He looked properly puzzled by what was going on, to be fair. Then I shuffled upstairs, washed the worst of the dirt off in the shower, then got into the bath to soak and warm up. That didn't go well. Half a bath filled before the hot water ran out!!!! So 'er indoors was up and down the stairs with kettles to keep me from the cold, and within twenty minutes the boiler had produced enough hot water to fill the bath. Warmed through on the outside, I was summoned downstairs with a cheery "dinner's ready!" Wow! More Chilli!!!! But her's was way better than the stuff at the race, and after that, and some Bakewell tart'n'custard, I settled under the duvet with a hot water bottle and some recorded shows on the telly.
I'm feeling a whole lot better than I did after the race, although my ribs hurt, my lower back is hurting, and both legs are scratched and bruised. The bike sounds like a bag of spanners in a tumble dryer, mainly the brakes I think, because the slop came up to the hubs in places and there's grit on the pads. The chain kept getting picked up by the granny ring, it happened about 4 time, always on an uphill bit, bringing me to a grinding halt to backpedal to release it. Aside from that, it kept working and got me to the end, which was more than some of the (far more) expensive steeds did for their riders. One young lad snapped his rear mech (snapped the side plate) and was in the marquee at the end, taking links out to shorten the chain enough to run without the mech to get home. I think he was the same one who had the goggles with the F1 style tear-off strips on them. And both of those tear-offs ended up on the floor less than 500 yards into lap one.
Would I do it again? Immediate afterwards, I'd have said "no way". After a couple of hours and some wifely TLC, I'm seriously thinking about the next round in the series. Am I a mentalist? I've no idea. I wouldn't want to do it in those conditions again, but I'm willing to give it a go. Kit wise, I got it pretty much right, long sleeve base, short sleeve jersey, and shorts. I just need a waterproof jacket that's actually a bit waterproof. And a bike that's about 5kg lighter
Photos? As I said further up, I dumped the camera in favour of extra fluids. There won't be many pictures, I don't think. Even the professional photographer down in "Sponge Bob" wasn't taking much in the way of pictures the twice I passed him, so you'll have to make do with the only two I'm aware of with me in them from today. Taken by the wife when I got home...
Cheap Aldi jacket in "not actually waterproof" shocker! But it kept the PH jersey clean, at least.
I you look closely, you can see the puddle in the bottom of the rear pocket of the jacket.
Cheers for all the interest in this thread, and all the encouragement, chaps.
It really did motivate me to both sign up, and to actually drag myself round the course. I just wish the weather had been kinder is all. See you all on the start line for the next round on 14th December? Entries close on the 9th, so don't delay,enter today!!!
As an aside, the course was re-marked from the previous day - a significant section was dropped. Then, during the race, after lap 1, another section was re-routed to avoid a bad patch across a gulley, which no-one seemed to be able to get up the other side of. There were a couple of other big slopes that were causing most people trouble, but they weren't easily by-passed and had to stay in.
And my favourite quote from that George Budd blog...
And my favourite quote from that George Budd blog...
George Budd winner of the four hour race said:
...I felt terrible at the start; partly due to wrong bike position - saddle too high and too far back (like I said, first race), partly because I did my waterproof shorts up too tightly and cut off the blood supply to my legs but mainly, if I'm honest, because things I enjoy more than riding around in rain and heavy, sloggy mud include setting fire to myself...
...so I don't feel too bad about my dislike of the conditions out there, if even the overall winner would rather set fire to himself than ride in that quagmire.Sounds awful! But you got your 2 laps in and finished not last. Well done and a good write up.
Keep at the series though I had many years ago at a DH race the weather was so bad you just had to mount the bike and slide down the hill, my category was hardtail, every other hardtail decided either not to turn up due to weather or on doing a few practice runs decided to pull out bar about 5 of us. That expeiernce I think out most riders off for life So over the 3 rounds I was series champion just for turning up to 3 events and got a frame and loads of freebies
Keep at the series though I had many years ago at a DH race the weather was so bad you just had to mount the bike and slide down the hill, my category was hardtail, every other hardtail decided either not to turn up due to weather or on doing a few practice runs decided to pull out bar about 5 of us. That expeiernce I think out most riders off for life So over the 3 rounds I was series champion just for turning up to 3 events and got a frame and loads of freebies
uncinquesei said:
Good write up, sounds like one of those experiences that will only improve in the memory the further in the past it is...
Down to earth with a bump, today though. Bike cleaning, then checking it over to see if the brake pads still exist, and the drive train hasn't been ground to a paste.
The results are up, and I can confirm that I finished 60/76 in my category. I wouldn't say I'm 'happy' with the result, as I feel I should have done better (it was raced on "my patch" after all). But after a s
tty week of bike niggles leading up to the race, and a heavy cold for two weeks before that, maybe I shouldn't have expected too much, first time out. That, added to the atrocious conditions meant that I was well down on my segment times for the bits I ride regularly, although everyone was riding in the same gloop, so that's no real excuse. Hopefully I'll get some more regular riding in over the next couple of weeks, before I decide whether or not to give Round 2 a crack. I'll keep this thread going if I decide to ride another round of the series, to see if there are any improvements in my fitness or the great British weather...
One thing I didn't mention was my watch.
Not an expensive watch, but allegedly Water Resistant to 50 metres...
It completely shut down sometime during the race yesterday. It's come back to life again, albeit it had reset to midnight on the first of the first. Must have been tough out there, to kill a 'sports' watch, eh?
Not an expensive watch, but allegedly Water Resistant to 50 metres...
It completely shut down sometime during the race yesterday. It's come back to life again, albeit it had reset to midnight on the first of the first. Must have been tough out there, to kill a 'sports' watch, eh?
yellowjack said:
One thing I didn't mention was my watch.
Not an expensive watch, but allegedly Water Resistant to 50 metres...
It completely shut down sometime during the race yesterday. It's come back to life again, albeit it had reset to midnight on the first of the first. Must have been tough out there, to kill a 'sports' watch, eh?
You need a g-shock.Not an expensive watch, but allegedly Water Resistant to 50 metres...
It completely shut down sometime during the race yesterday. It's come back to life again, albeit it had reset to midnight on the first of the first. Must have been tough out there, to kill a 'sports' watch, eh?
daddy cool said:
You need a g-shock.
I had a G-shock (pressie from the mess on leaving a posting). And other slightly more expensive 'sports' watches. None of them stood up to life in the field, long term. I killed them all.Hence why I won't be too devastated if this 'Next' thing actually gives up the ghost. It was £12.50 in the sale about three years ago. I've had my money's worth out of it, and for that kind of cash it's pretty much disposable.
CoinSl0t said:
Good read, thanks for putting me off my local Hill-a-Saurus, I fancied a go next year, but based on your post, fk that!
Ahhh! It wasn't meant to put anyone off. I described how it was for me on the day. The memory is already a good one, and if that was as bad as it gets, "things can only get better", no? From what I can gather from the Strava feeds of the many others who rode it, the conditions were truly extreme, and certainly the exception to the rule. k that!Give the Hill-a-Saurus a go! As daddy cool said earlier...
daddy cool said:
...next race then? I'm planning on it - it can't keep raining, can it??
Although, to be fair, if there had been any chance of a refund, I might not have left the house on Sunday. As it was, with £22 about to go down the Swanny if I didn't ride, I couldn't afford not to make the start yellowjack said:
daddy cool said:
You need a g-shock.
I had a G-shock (pressie from the mess on leaving a posting). And other slightly more expensive 'sports' watches. None of them stood up to life in the field, long term. I killed them all.Hence why I won't be too devastated if this 'Next' thing actually gives up the ghost. It was £12.50 in the sale about three years ago. I've had my money's worth out of it, and for that kind of cash it's pretty much disposable.
http://www.g-shock.co.uk/mightywokka/ecsrobin said:
But you haven't had the mighty wokka G-Shock http://www.g-shock.co.uk/mightywokka/
You lot, and your bloody racket at all hours of the day and night! Can't you learn to read a map, instead of just following the M3 home (right over my bloody house!) night after night? http://www.g-shock.co.uk/mightywokka/
As much as I respect and appreciate the job the Chinook force does (and I've been thankful for one a couple of times), and notwithstanding the well deserved "Legendary" status of BN (Four!!! DFCs earned in that cockpit?
)......with all due respect, there's no way I could ever countenance wearing a wristwatch with an 'RAF' logo anywhere on it. Sorry.
Former member of the Corps of Royal Engineers. (British military aviation pioneers.
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