Did anyone go to the first one a few months back? Is anyone [else] going to the second instalment tomorrow?
Trying to figure out roughly what to take in terms of non ride kit, particularly I wondered if anyone knew if there were some sort of food and coffee options on site last time round? I'm guessing there will be but given its cool and damp I'm thinking I might regret that assumption if I'm wrong.
I did the first one and riding tomorrow too,there was a food/drinks company last time and I would think it will be the same tomorrow, they have made some changes to the stages and I think it will be much harder than the first one
Be much wetter that's for sure!
Can't make my mind up on tyres,was like riding on marbles on stage 1-2 last time and rock hard,got an Hillbilly on the front at the moment
I'll be running the same tyres as summer because I forgot to change them. Ah well.
Maybe see you tomorrow and cheers for the heads up on food and drink
I'm in. Didn't do the first but I've done the Marathon a few times in the same woods.
This year the woods were great fun, so I imagine the first Enduro was too. However in 2019 it as wet as this week and it was carnage in some sections - so I'm expecting lots of very slippy roots, off camber, flat turns and bog!
They had plenty of food/drinks available at the Marathon, hope it's the same for the Enduro! The loop doesn't look too long I don't think so a chance for a refuel at halfway round I think.
Lot of flat corners covered in something like limestone marbles,push up from stages 1,2,3 are a bit of a pain which is way I'm doing it on the ebike this time
Well that was slippery!
I was about 80th over the start line, bit of a queue at the top of one but I made ground on the climb so much shorter by two and three. That transition was not fun by the 6th time up.
I think I took a wrong turn on every stage, misreading where the tape was going.
The exit to two was unpleasant on completely the wrong tyres, got to the log fine but not carrying any speed and just no edge to get across the of camber roots at all, ended up on my bum both times.
The bottom of three I went too wide on both runs and ended up having to hot foot it around the tree, judging from the state of it on the second run I think I was on the majority on that though.
The top of four I goosed the s bend on lap one was 15 seconds quicker on two foot the benefit of knowing how tight the left hander was.
Five was not great, very pedaly, lap one I was first man down so no line at all to follow, got down fine but slowly as I was expecting it to run away somewhere and it didn't. second lap the wrong caught me just as I came round the top of the bowl and left me tripod round. Still took 17 seconds off lap one though just by virtue of not waiting for the turn down hill which wasn't coming.
That being said it was a good ride out, caught the tail end at three second time round, came home with 94 riders having finished lap one so pleased with my "overall time" though I think race time I'm likely dead last as I was not quick on all those flat slidey corners.
Much harder than the first race and adding an extra stage in the first wood didn't help (glad i was on the ebike) I couldn't get the bottom of stage 2 right at all but overall I enjoyed the day
Loved it - just had one of those great days, which was so welcome after having an absolute shocker at Ard Moors where I felt very unskilled/amateur.
But today was great, I'm usually the one taking the most dirt naps in our group but today I was the only one to avoid the floor all day, and just felt good!
I really like the idea of these 'easier' Enduros, (a bit like Boltby too). Some of the bigger races are getting bloody tough these days and this was great, especially on a more normal trail bike too.
I didn't even mind the climb on stage 5 as I hammered up it (zwift racing paying off!) and made loads of time!
That stage 2 finish was tricky wasn't it, and who put a bright red LED light on the end of the jagged rotten log - talk about target fixation, put me right off!
Shame stage 5 didn't shoot off winding down that lumpy bottom field could have had soem nice big turns.
No idea how it all compared to the first one as I want there, suspect 'slipperier' is one though!
I’m likely dead last
Well not quite 😂 (I did podium in the fun category mind, mainly as there were only three entries, I assume I didn't win anything as I'd long since left by then.)
Definitely not my day for racing, looking at my times and the mid pack ones I was exceptionally rubbish yesterday.
Left ankle is giving me a bit of gip today - I had it strapped yesterday after I rolled it during the week so don't suppose that helped, and I gave my self a bit of a "scare" straight out of the gate on stage one cutting over a fan of roots to see how they held - they absolutely didn't and I rode straight into the tape - so was probably way too cautious after that.
Really though I think it was just not my day nor the course for me.
Overall though I did enjoy it, and I prefer the crowd at the easier races generally too.
Oh much more importantly though, the burritos were very good but no bloody coffee 🙁
I hope they return to the mash up format for the next one, for me it made the first event much more enjoyable than yesterday,my OH was marshalling and had a chat with the guy who organised the event,he told her that they are hoping to run more events next year both at Birdsall and another venue. I asked about the lack of coffee and was told that they had booked someone but the didn't turn up
The taco stand mentioned they were a last minute substitution so that would tally.
