[Closed] 2017 XC Racing Thread

Worried about the heat tomorrow, myrace is at 2pm, and it's largely out in the sun. just buzzed my hair from a mop down to grade 4 to try and keep cool!

2pm here also Ferrals, i admire your comittment!

I really need Adsh's food plan atm. Im on 2k cals net a day but its the 3000 calorie long weekend rides which are missing currently, and thats where the weight loss is.

Phew, I'm ok at 167 for a 180.5 cm sprinter 😆

http://www.wenzelcoaching.com/blog/cycling-body-weight-chart/

Some useful articles under the table.

[quote=ferrals ]Worried about the heat tomorrow, myrace is at 2pm, and it's largely out in the sun. just buzzed my hair from a mop down to grade 4 to try and keep cool!

Absolute commitment! Currently sat here watching Le Mans and shoving beer and junk food in my face.

As you might have guessed the racing is definitely taking a back seat this year (despite the new bike)!

The new bike is amazing, 29er full susses are basically cheating.

Wow that was hot - a reported 32 degrees. So, my first race since resting my quad for nearly a month literally started with a bang, as a rider decide to squeeze between me & the tape on the start resulting in four of us lying on the floor.

I got up, rode 20m and discovered my stem and bars at a 45 degree angle, so watch the pack shoot off while I reached for a multitool...

Dead last, off I went, and started picking of riders at the end of the first lap (of 6). I felt good, and my race HR was 10bpm up on the pre-injury rave HR so I just kept going and going with a dodgy gear changes (bent hanger), slightly buckled front wheel and some very sore bits to eventually fight my way to 19th of 40 on the same lap as the leaders. I'm happy with that as my return to racing, now need to fix up my bike and move on.

Ended up a dust version of "tar and feathered" and the post race shower stung a lot in various places, but overall a good day!

Bloody well done there!

Well done Kryton! Sounds like you had good form. Onwards 🙂

According to my garmin, my race was av temp 33 deg. Half the course was in the sunshine at that was reading 35. I really struggled with the heat. Had a good first two laps sat in a group of 3 in places second-fourth, but then I just couldn't cope dropped loads of places in laps 4/5 and got lapped so didn't start lap six to contest the masters championship, although that was actually a relief!

Turns out the sun must have got to my counting ability and what with a few people from across the border coming to get a sneak peak at the nationals course I ended up getting bronze in the masters cat of the Welsh championships. Just a bit gutted I didn't stick around for the podiums as it would have been my only one of the year 😆

Congrats Ferrals!

In other news, the adrenaline has subsided and I feel like I've gone several rounds with Tyson this morning. Battered and bruised!

Now to work out the spoke wheel truing technique...

Now to work out the spoke wheel truing technique...

Take to LBS, give him £10 and say "that's all over the place, sort it out mate"

Anyone else in for Southern XC this weekend at Matterley ? I'm still a maybe for myself depending on childcare stuff as my boy is racing in the U9's catagory.

But we'll certainly be there kitted up and ready to play.

Cheers Kryton. I feel pretty wrecked myself from the heat. Still on the plus side last time I did excersize in that sort of heat was a few years ago in portugal and I collapsed and ended up on a saline drip so a splitting headache is a step in the right direction 😆

Welldone Ferrals I had exactly the same for senior was gutted to miss my podium for third... even though I was the last finisher in Elite... just goes to show that commitment and riding you own race pays of sometimes.

Well done Steve! what did you think of the course? I loved the bits in the woods and the couple of flat bits of singletrack. That concrete drag that was sheltered from the wind was brutal!

I struggled to find much to be excited about tbh! I tried my hardest to enjoy the fiddly singletrack but just couldn't get a flow which then set my mind into a negative stance. However the steep stuff over the back was probably what I enjoyed most out of the track. I was too hot to give much thought into looking at the rock garden A line or the gap jump so avoided them which was a bit annoying but all I could see was me crashing!

I figured a lot of people would blow up in the heat and having eaten and drunken badly the night before (my old mans 70th). I'd just ride off fast but not riding myself inside out and just see what happens worked out well.

I'd ridden that singeltrack in a previous race when it was damp and slippery and I'd really struggled so I think the difference of it being in the dry made me like it 😆

Glad to hear even elites have second thoughts about a-lines! I watched the previous race and saw a few crashes on the rock garden.. amazingly no-one seemed to get hurt. Hope the guy who was ambulanced off the wooden drop-of is ok.

Just entered open at the southern XC this weekend (matterly). First XC race of the year so will be interesting to see how it goes.

Only done longer stuff is year so far (puffer, gravel dash, Selkirk marathon etc). Coming off the back of 20hours on the bike last week in the Vosges in France so will either be flying or broken.

Hell of a way to run in disco slippers

It was more running than I've done since high school! Still got a bit of a knot in my right hamstring from the subsequent cramp attack.

Beastway last Wednesday followed the theme of the season, with a loose cleat, puncture, and three crashes. Ended up getting some medical help after the third crash to bandage up my knee, but got bored sitting around once that was done, so got permission to re-enter the race with the idea of getting a decent session in. Pleased that my 3 clean last laps were quicker than Jeremy Durrin's (American CX pro visiting the UK) fastest, so hopefully I'll have him next week!

Wednesday I'll be down at the Beastway again, stopping off at Hadeigh on the way for a spin to make the most of the diesel. Down to Matterly for the Southern on Sunday, hopefully I'll finally shift this bad luck.

"Hope the guy who was ambulanced off the wooden drop-off is ok."

I think this might have been Nigel Brown going on the update from his daughter Rosie today who is my team mate, unfortunately he is awaiting an MRI scan and has 5 broken bones in his lumber spine which sounds horrible. If anyone knows Nigel you will know he is an awesome bike rider, regularly on the podium at National level in GV and a really nice guy.

I heard the man-made feature was modified between practice sessions, anyone know if that's correct? if it is then it's pretty bad.

Over hearing the marshal at the top of the drop moments after it happened he said he was trying to flag every rider down to warn them it had been altered which is fine but when practice time was quite narrow your not going to listen to any Marshall when nervous. Healing vibes to Nigel!

Poor bloke. Hope he heals up ok. They were varying the height of the drop off and the distance of the gap jump between races. They did a good job of letting people know, but the difference was quite substantial so if you didn't realise it would be a real shock.

I was really disappointed with Builth. I was told the old cyclocross course had been massively improved but it was still the same ride round a car park with a few ropy-looking "features" added. I don't know anyone who liked it.

This is Wales, for heaven's sake, why can't we ride up and down some hills? You know, *mountain* biking?

I don't get this trend for adding man-made drop-offs and gaps. This isn't BMX. I'd rather see some proper descents that aren't going to break people's backs (healing vibes to that guy) but are long and tricky enough to give the better descenders a chance to (a) overtake,(b) make up a decent amount of time and (c) maybe even have some fun!

I did the rocky A-line the first three laps and it was only marginally faster than the B-line so I didn't bother after that because it wasn't like it was fun. The steep bank wasn't much quicker either (nor did it need a B-line). The uphill B-line was harder than the A-line... And no chance of passing anyone on the two little bits of singletrack.

Sorry to be so negative but I'm pretty pissed off. I also suspect I've been robbed of a medal but I can't check because the results and times *still* aren't out!

I concur Chrispo was worried I was just feeling negative about not riding very well! Wife, mum and dad asked where's best to watch on the course I honestly couldn't give them an answer, that combined with zero feedback as I get into the arena.

Compared to a fully sussed event (none bc sanctioned might I add) where each lap there's banter, and take a pick of the multiple interesting parts of the track.

Ok I'll stop I've never run an event so have no idea how hard and how constraining BC are although might give it a pop... watch this space.

Haha nicely forthright Chrispo. I don't really feel comfortable critising on an open forum because I get on with a lot of the guys in the bulls and I've been trying and failing to put an event on for the last couple of years and have yet to find a venue thats worked at a date suitable for BC by me (pesky NRW forest operations), but agree to varying degrees with your points.

I wonder why it couldnt have been at fforest fields, I saw on one of the facebook pages the owners saying it was a shame they couldnt have an event this year and hoped the xc series would be back.

@xc-steve Fully sussed definately know how to put on a good event, did one of their winter series events and really liked that they had someone calling everyone through and giving positions most laps.

Hogg Hill is very close to home for me so I must go along and watch some of the Beastway Wednesday night races. I've been exploring the mountain bike stuff at the track there lately as well so it'll be interesting to see what bits the races use.

See you tomorrow maybe epicsteve, I'll be racing 🙂 Theres only this week and next week left.

ferrals - Member

Haha nicely forthright Chrispo. I don't really feel comfortable critising on an open forum because I get on with a lot of the guys in the bulls

John and the Bulls have done their best, fair play, and I suppose they can't use Fforest Fields every year, but surely they could do something in the Crychan. I think Welsh Cycling are responsible for the times. Which are now finally out. Turns out I wasn't robbed, just slower than expected...

Well done on your unexpected medal. I remember having one of those a few years ago.

See you tomorrow maybe epicsteve, I'll be racing Theres only this week and next week left.

Not sure I'll make it tomorrow as I need to be in town for a meeting. Not sure I'll be able to make it next Wednesday either as I think I might be in Dublin. 🙁

Maybe next year!

I should be committed, drive for 3hrs to ride the Welsh Champs. I finished 2nd vet which was okay, but felt terrible for the whole day. A long drive coupled with the heat?

It was a good race with Dan Lewis, I was a few seconds off him for the first couple of laps, then drifted back for a lap. I had a late charge on the last lap eventually finishing ~10s off. Good fun. I think this is one of those courses that if you ride it alone was boring, but actually races very well.

I saw the crash. I am at a loss to understand how the organisers thought changing the A lines between races was a good idea. This is where BC comms should be stepping. A recipe for disaster which now has a rider undergoing surgery on his back.

Well I believe Padkinson has some good news.

I had a terrible start with last Sunday's crash demons in my head, and faltering when a rider came through an we touch bars. I stayed up, pulled myself together and surged on a second phase past some riders to go into the single track about tenth.

Not sure of the results yet but I think I had a good race, having a ding dong with two decent riders, and managing to pace myself well when visibly alone, although I did catch myself slacking on the 5th so picked it up again.

1 week until the next one, time for some rest.

Anyone racing Parkwood on Saturday in Sheffield? I've missed the online cut off but intend to enter on the day. Really like that course, damn good fun.

Quick question re the National Champs - Do I enter Sport cat(Non championship by default) or Senior? I'm trying to collect as many points as possible with an aim of moving to Expert next year. Am I right in thinking it's double points for Senior race but regular points for Sport? That being said, senior includes Elite and Expert so i'd probably finish way down the field anyway....??

Anyone else racing Champs at Cannock?

Quick Q re bike types...

Way back when I was pretty good & racing on a FS XC bike with 26" wheels & was awesome. SC Blur XC & very stiff & v light.

Long story short - injury stopped me racing for about 4 yrs (quad tendon problem).

Now thinking about racing 2018, the thing is am I going to be at a massive disadvantage not being on a 29er say?

I've a SC 5010 which I'm taking to BCBR but I think this bike might be a bit off for shorter less gnarley XC races. I can definitely shed weight off the 5010 if the hive mind thinks it's ok for XC.

Quick question re the National Champs - Do I enter Sport cat(Non championship by default) or Senior? I'm trying to collect as many points as possible with an aim of moving to Expert next year. Am I right in thinking it's double points for Senior race but regular points for Sport? That being said, senior includes Elite and Expert so i'd probably finish way down the field anyway....??

Sports cat is just regional A whereas senior is national and double points so winning sports cat is equivalent points wise to coming 19th in the senior race. Surely your sitting pretty good now based on your results to get into expert anyway? I'd go for the senior race, if you want to be expert next year may as well race with them now when you have the chance!

Depending on your age you could do masters or under 23, which I think have national B, but not double points, maybe double for masters??

I'm not going to race this weekend as first planned. Simple fact is, i don't really have the £25 spare to enter this week, but also i'm going to do a 4-5 hour ride in the afternoon after me and my boy get back from Southern XC. He'll still be racing in the U9s, so if you see a small lad on a Whyte T403 in puke yellow/green then give him a cheer and say hello to me 🙂

Good start to my first race of the season - crashed on first lap, broken rib and possibly collarbone too! Finished the race, 2 more laps (rather slowly) and cycled home, but very sore and didn't sleep well at all, before doctors yesterday. Guess there will be a big gap to my next race now! I hate slippery roots...

@r8jimbob88 just race both, focus on the sport race to get a good position against your peers then race the senior race the next day just to see what to work towards.

Back when I could be arsed to travel the country to race I started in Sport moved to Elite, every year I'd do the champs as a build up of form indicator so was nice to see my position move up throughout the years.

Don't think I could race two days back to back!

I'll decide a little closer to the time. Would be interesting to see where I stack up against Grant Ferguson.... ha!

I'd like to think I've done enough to already to break into Expert but there's still a few guys behind me in the national overall standings with a race or two in hand. Best 8 results count towards final score and I've got 8 finishes between 2nd place and 9th so far. I've got 4 or 5 races left that I plan on entering this season.

Already planning my assault on Expert category next year. I've got decent power and fitness now but reckon I could shift 3-4kg over the winter. I plan on racing a little CX for the first time too later this year.

Nobody has anything to say on a question about wheel size & bike type??

A 1st on STW surely!

Or have I stumbled on to mumsnet by mistake??

😆

Size definitely matters. According to my mumsnet associates!

You'd be faster on a short travel 29er. It's all relative though. If I rode a long travel trail bike at XC races i'd still be having a good race, just further down the field.

XC courses are definitely more technical and steep than they were 4 years ago. I'm often lugging a dropper post around with me!

Just thought I'd post the race report from last week's FNSS round, it's a bit wordy as it's for our team facebook page! Online here with pics

Words here:

Last Friday saw the hottest evening of the year we had seen so far for the latest round of the Friday Night Sumer Series (FNSS). This is one of the longest running MTB race series in the UK and is based upon a fairly relaxed format of mountain bike racing on a short circuit, usually about 10 minutes a lap for a time of 45 minutes plus a lap. This creates some very exciting racing with, at times, up to 150 riders all racing on a 1.5 mile track with very different abilities ranging from top 10 nationally ranked Elite riders to young kids and recreational riders.
My son Fraser, Stuart Tyrrell and myself have been regular riders in this series and try to fit as many in as possible depending upon other schedules. Last week’s race venue was the National Bowl in Milton Keynes and involved features ranging from tight off camber woods sections to flat out blasts and leg breaking climbs! We try and aim to get to the venue at 6pm, pay our entry fee then slowly warm up to allow all the stresses of the working week to flow the other way!
As soon as we hit the track we knew grip was at a premium; the surface was very dusty and we were all suffering from the dreaded ‘front-wheel-wash-out’ syndrome. I had opted to ride the Trek Procalibre 9.9 hardtail as I felt it would be a benefit on the punchy climbs over a full suspension bike.
On the back of the circuit they had a small drop off that could be easily rolled by taking a specific line. I quite fancied a bit of air time though and hit the middle of it fast. Now 20mph may not be fast by roadie standards but on a short circuit MTB course it’s as quick as it gets! I took off and as I did so the rear of the bike kicked up and the front dropped. “Oh dear” I thought (or words to that effect), “I’m about to go over the bars on a section that should be easy!” I managed to just about land it, the front wheel hitting the soft gravel and sliding to the right, I corrected this and instead exited stage left off the side of the bike landing hard on my back with my head hitting the ground for good measure. “Great”, I thought, “I’ve come all the way here to take myself out of the race on a ‘nothing’ feature!” Thankfully, Stuart did a great job of not running me over - I’ve no idea how he missed me, but it was close!
I got my legs turning again and the pain in my left glut (bottom!) was quite severe - I couldn’t ride up the hill easily so circled around the flat trying to get some movement back in my leg. Whilst doing so, I realised that some of the regulars in my category had headed off to the World Championships in Andorra so it might be possible for me to get a good points haul. I had nothing to lose after already crashing so headed for the start to see what happened.
We had a decent field in Grand Vet with about 35 riders. I usually make a reasonable start so made sure I was up there at the front and went into the first singletrack section in second place. While still sore, it was not unbearable – “great” I thought, “let’s carry on”!
Going into the second lap, Tim Stowe came past me and went into the lead, knowing he was very proficient in getting through tight sections I quickly moved in behind him to make sure he didn’t build up a lead. I followed him for a couple of sections and then saw an opportunity to pass him, the plan being to make sure I kept him behind me on the tight sections where he would be strong!
I’m not sure what happened to Tim after I got past but he dropped out the race and suddenly I had a reasonable lead – head down time and hope no one catches me now!
The races are usually about 50 to 55 minutes in length so they are truly a flat-out blast, however at about 50 minutes I got the two laps to go board which would take the race distance to a full XC length, not what I had in mind! I could also see the second placed rider getting closer, ‘oh no’ I didn’t want to lose my first opportunity of a mountain bike race win by getting caught on the last lap, so guess what? Head down again for the finish! I managed to clear the line in first place with about 20 seconds to spare – I was quite pleased with that.
Fraser was already at the finish, having come fourth in the competitive Youth class. He was sporting a good amount of gravel rash from a crash mid race but had managed to get up and maintain his position.
Stuart had his best finish of the series so far coming in at 14th despite feeling a bit off-colour that evening and, more importantly, managing to finish ahead of riders that have been beating him in the previous rounds.
So, a good evening all round - a bit more skin lost and a few bruises gained but very happy with our results!

jimbob - I'm also doing the two days for the Midlands this weekend, you'll be fine doing two consecutive days racing if I can! I had the same problem on the 6 days of andalucia bike race earlier in the year - 4 hour stages each day and legs that would not work for the first hour of the stage, then they free up and it's okay. Just make sure you warm down after the race, foam roller and get a long steady warm up next day and you will surprise yourself by what you can achieve, especially with the form you have just now going on your recent results. See you in Sheffield.
Iain.

Great write up and fantastic riding!

Thanks weeksy, apart from the falling off bit 🙂

Cheers rj, I was under the impression that 29ers were the way to go.

N + 1 beckons I feel..

I'm going to look at a 27.5 ht - I want to keep the agility of a smaller bike but still have some of the advantages of a larger wheel.

The marketing BS has worked!

😆

I race on a 27.5in HT (in fact its my only mtb so i ride everythign on it) and it doesnt hold back my performance one iota... my fitness and skill however certainly do 😆

I ride a Scott scale FWIW and think its absolutely brilliant.

See you tomorrow maybe epicsteve, I'll be racing Theres only this week and next week left.

I didn't make it on Wednesday however as they'd left the tapes up I had a ride round the Beastway course when I was at the centre last night. Nearly got dizzy going through the trees in the far corner! And do they go out of their way to make the main climb as unpleasant as possibe! Almost had me missing my granny ring since going 1x10!

ferrals - just wondering if you saw anything about what happened to Nigel Brown in the race at Builth Wells where he crashed on the 'feature' (or if anyone else did?). Maybe you could drop me a quick email to iainwight@aol.com as his family are trying to understand what happened and what was changed on the course between sessions.

Nigel is still in hospital awaiting an operation which had to be postponed as his condition was more serious than expected unfortunately.
Thanks, Iain.

Well done Iain, nice write up, I’ve also having a similar season and collecting an interesting array of cuts and bruises, guess at least it shows we’re fully committed and trying 😀

oldracer, I think it all depends on your own preferences, age, size, riding style, budget, type of races/courses, etc…

Seen plenty a fast rider still on 26” HTs but for sure the majority of the field is split 29” HT & FS. Ideal would be for you to test a 29” bike and see how it felt, from everyone I know who’s made the change they’ve been happy and regretted it.

Well, I had an interesting day yesterday at the latest round out the [url= http://ranneslattsturen.se/ ]Mitsubishi MTB marathon cup[/url] here in Sweden.

Started well, managed to keep the heart rate down compared to last year which I paid for later, was feeling good and placed 38 at half way in class H40 with 96 starters. Then my luck of many years ran out, never had a mechanical failure that stopped my race, but I managed to ride over the mother of all old nails in the middle of a forest 😯 It killed my tire, spent 15 mins trying to fix it but I’d lost all my sealant and didn’t have a spare tube with me. So gave up and walked 4k back to the car, swearing most of the way, pretty gutted really but that’s life eh.

[img] [/img]

Lesson learnt and I will carry a spare tube from now on in case of another massive nail or similar incident 🙄

Wow.. that really is a big nail !

ferrals - just wondering if you saw anything about what happened to Nigel Brown in the race at Builth Wells where he crashed on the 'feature' (or if anyone else did?). Maybe you could drop me a quick email to iainwight@aol.com as his family are trying to understand what happened and what was changed on the course between sessions.

Nigel is still in hospital awaiting an operation which had to be postponed as his condition was more serious than expected unfortunately.

Nigel Brown from Westbury Wheelers - as in the fastest GV by some distance? Very sorry to hear that - any idea how he's doing?

In other not very interesting 'news' I'm still ill. 4.5 weeks. Blood test results awaited 😥

Hi adsh, Nigel is doing better now, surgery went well and he was able to attend his daughters wedding at the weekend which was really good (with the help of crutches and a brace). Fingers crossed for a full and fast recovery.

So whose read the Scott Marathon Exmoor notes then? Hill no2 appears an 18km climb. Nice.

Actually quite looking forward to it.

Hill no2 appears an 18km climb. Nice.

Porlock to dunkery beacon? That'll take you from sea level to 519m

I haven't seen any notes on the route. Where did you find those?

Did hear we have an A-road climb that's "the steepest in the UK"!!!!

Looking forward to the event (apart from that bit)

Having a crack at the MMWM event at Beacon Park tomorrow, first short XC race of the year on normal bike; did Cannock Winter Classic in fat bike class earlier in the year so it should be interesting to say the least, considering at the moment I've got all the acceleration of a nissan leaf 😀

Well i find my self in the long wait for A&E

In managed 10k of feeling really good in the Exmoor Scott Marathon, only to have - so im told - a bit of a tool attempt a bunny hop whip behind me on the first rocky descent at about 30kph. He landed on me.

Luckly adrenaline got me back to nearby marshall point covered in claret while i waited for a medic. Shorts in the bin, shirt passable but severe amd bloody grazing on knee, leg, hip, shoulder and back. Im waiting here for what it think will br stitches and/or grafting on a lacerated and very swollen elbow.

Much thanks to Mitch the medic.

I am going to be very sore in the morning.

Oh the bike is fine - yay!

According ti my race team colleagues the rest of the course was fab!

Sorry to hear you got taken out at Exmoor today. What a course though - never knew a circuit could have so many mega steep climbs - including the 25% Porlock Hill.
I enjoyed the ride but so knackered now - & had hamstring cramps 1 mile from the finish. Happy with my 3hr 59mins for full marathon

Not good kryton, hope not too badly damaged. Good course but the road start was badly ridden again by some, my wife helped a young girl that had been taken out less than half a mile from the start... I was more than happy with a 3:50 for the full considering a dislocated shoulder less than 3 weeks ago, the long rocky descent was interesting. Bit frustrating as would have enjoyed the descents normally and was a good course. 3 hrs for the fast guys :-0

Well done chaps. Yes i heard a load of riders go down behind on the road, i tried to stay in the front 25%.

Got home about 1am. Elbow is glued together, lost of stingy momemts as the cleaned bits of Exmoor out of the flap. Ive a course of antibitoics and some codiene, but ive a massive swollen elbow and knee minus any skin.

Very sore today, but hoping to do something on the turbo starting tomorrow in prep for nexts Sundays race!

I'm going to say it and i know experience counts for a lot, but even on the climb you have riders shoving there way past without a word. Those that arent on the race circuit need to learn some ability to let a rider know your coming from behind with the customary "on the left/right" - riders cant always see and here so let them know youre coming!

Likewise people need to learn that when someone says 'can I pass' riding from the edge to moving into the middle of the path isn't helpful.

Quick question, MTB Marathon series, are they races or sportives?

Depends on which end you are starting at.

Just looked on there website, that explains why its mostly on bridleway

"Is the ride timed?
Although the ride is not a race, rider times will be posted on the website shortly after the event"

rsvktm I think it was my daughter your wife helped so a massive thanks to her for helping. I was riding towards the back half and came across the crash and apparently it was pretty hairy on the road. She got taken out by someone trying to push up and round to the front. She was pretty lucky as she landed on her head and smashed her helmet but is having an op on her broken wrist today. Three months off her bike isn't good and not being able to work after her A levels is going to cost me. Medics and staff were brilliant as!were the riders and spectators that helped!

Depends on which end you are starting at.

No, its a sportive whereever you start.

However, classification is somewhat arbitrary, sportive or racing, common courtesy should dictate safe riding wherever you are.

I hope you heal up quick Kryton, likewise your daughter DCL.

BTW I been to Pippingford park helping Adam from Southern XC out a bit. What a great venue, if you're not signed up for their race this weekend get on it 🙂

🙁 can't make it this weekend. Which is bad for my boy. But it's too far away for him to get back in time for his Orchestra stuff.

Dcl, sorry to hear about your daughters wrist but glad wasn't worse. Jane passes on her best.

I raced Pippingford last year, and whilst it was really muddy, I could see that it was a fantastic venue. Very natural feeling rooty course. Opposite of somewhere like Wasing. In the dry, Pippingford will be great.

Don't reckon i'll be racing though - 🙁 - still on antibiotics for lymes and feel rough. Gutted, as I was looking forward to this round more than any other.

Heal up well kryton and dcl's daughter.

Sad to hear about people behaving like arses and hurting others, particularly in non-competitive events. People are supposed to go for a weekend away to enjoy themselves, not end up in A&E.

Pippingford is going to be my first proper XC race in a good few years so glad to hear its a nice natural course, I struggle with big man made features!

big man made features!

That sounds good. It's the big drop with the woodwork at Wasing that gives me the willies. I didn't race Wasing this year, but the past 2years I've said to myself, 'right get on with it and do the drop'. B-line instead every time.. 🙂

This one:

Obviously Phil Pearce makes it look easy!