[Closed] Taking a mental kicking from my first enduro

Don't dwell on it, try to treat it like a fun day out riding with your mates. I did ard rock and from early on my chain was dropping off and getting jammed, I could have got annoyed at it as it was happening on all the times sections but the sun was shining and I was out riding with mates, that's never a bad day.

You know its just your head messing with you, so go back and do it again and don't let anxiety get in the way of something you know you can do.

I suffer from quite severe anxiety issues

Mate, you're average Enduro racer gets the fear, even if they haven't got the issues you have. Worries about finishing last, being shit, holding folk up, christ I've even had 'ghost riders' behind me, convinced I hear someone, and worried I'm holding them up, I#ll move left at a less techy bit, and look behind, no one there!.

Don't be too hard on yourself, it can come across as quite a macho bastard environment, but in reality the vast majority of folks are good folks, and are only interested in where they finish, not you and me.

Entering stuff that's a bit easier is a good idea, some of the Scottish enduro series is bloody tough, I've had my arse handed to me a few times earlier on, so went away n did some easier ones, Ard rock frinstance isn't technically hard, I'll finish top quarter of the field in that no probs, but wouldn't be that high in SES.

Best of luck, if you end up giving enduro a miss, who cares, just have fun with your mates. Mibbe try n organise a mates race?.

G.

Mate, you’re average Enduro racer gets the fear,

This.

When it spirals, everybody loses it.

I came to the conclusion a while ago that whilst I think racing is brilliant, I'd also rather be out on my lonesome or with a couple of friends. Biking is supposed to be stress relief for me, not the most stressful bit of the week!

That said, you raced and you finished so you've immediately done 100% 'better' than all the people who didn't enter. So well bloody done!

Well done for taking part , competing ..and more importantly completing ..

I wouldn't have had the balls to enter in the first place ..onwards & upwards ..

I came to the conclusion a while ago that whilst I think racing is brilliant, I’d also rather be out on my lonesome or with a couple of friends. Biking is supposed to be stress relief for me, not the most stressful bit of the week!

Yup, this is me as well.  Attempted a local enduro race a couple of years ago, freaked out in pratice at a small rock garden that on any other day I wouldn't have even blinked at, handed my entry back and haven't bothered since!  Biking is what I do to get away from stress, not create it...

IME I love the 'secondary enjoyment' that racing brings.

If I go for a ride with my mates, I really enjoy the actual ride. When racing, I'll probably only enjoy the latter stages, when I've put the work in, and I'm riding a lot more relaxed, but I'll have this extra enjoyment that I don't get with normal rides, that lasts for days.

Both are great.

Fair play for finishing, if I'd have felt like that I'm pretty sure I<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> would have wrapped.</span>

I think there's a balance to be had between pushing myself so i don't get complacent and making sure i don't endlessly chase difficult things to prove myself.  For me I'm happy with Enduro-gnar but  surfing is definitely well beyond where I have fun, so I don't do it... Maybe Enduro is that thing for you?

I gave up enduro-ing a couple of years ago after a smaller-scale version of your experience at the first PMBA Graythwaite race.

Actually I think I had heat exhaustion, as I've never pulled out of a race before but I was making too many mistakes and there is not a lot of room for mistakes on the trails there.

Afterwards I just didn't have any motivation to race again, not in a negative way - just made me realise I don't really enjoy the experience of queuing up to ride trails and I'm not very good at going fast "to order".

But if you wanna get back on the horse, have a go at the much easier PMBA Gisburn race in the spring (assuming it stays there) and pop along beforehand to get used to a couple of the features that can mess with some riders' heads like the drops on the "enduro line" of the DH.

IME I love the ‘secondary enjoyment’ that racing brings.

If I go for a ride with my mates, I really enjoy the actual ride. When racing, I’ll probably only enjoy the latter stages, when I’ve put the work in, and I’m riding a lot more relaxed, but I’ll have this extra enjoyment that I don’t get with normal rides, that lasts for days.

Both are great.

Totally get this, and I do enjoy racing, but given limited time if I have a weekend free I'd sooner bugger off up a big mountain with no one but myself for company.

End of the day, it's supposed to be fun. If it's not, then do something else!

Yes well done for finshing. Loads of times I have almost bailed on a race and had to have a word with myself. After every race though I have looked back and given myself a gentle pat on the back for going through with it and you should as well. Get yourself booked in to another race asap.

Thanks folks

One of the ways I manage my anxiety is to challenge myself to do things a bit out of my comfort zone so this definitely ticked that box.

I was buzzing at the end that is done it and didn't crash on race day

Going to go back to social riding for a bit though

It was a tough one there yesterday and if you're not in the right head space from the start it's a real challenge to get back there.

Don't beat yourself up over it though, everyone has good and bad races and it's always your head that messes with you. I've got one mate who's renowned for having no fear (or manners for that matter) as soon as the trail points down, I still don't know what happened but he was walking features at the 'ard rock last year! Taken him months to get his riding mojo back but he had a great time this year 😉

I wish i'd had time to practice on Saturday though!

Holy crap, OP, I read your post and you could have been writing about me. Difference is that I've done plenty of races but this last PMBA round has left me questioning why I ride! I did not enjoy at all and basically went through the same things but bear in mind I've done this race 2 or 3 times before and the stages don't change much:

Practice, 1 and 6 were ok but felt very skatey and nervous. I then crashed badly on that chute on the way to 2. Stage 2, I've never got on with, I just can't get the flow so just shrugged it off when it felt crap again. Havoc was just meltdown. I had to walk most of the stages. Completely bottled it. Nervous wreck. Could not get off the brakes.

Race day was a bit better but I was riding so tight it was dangerous.

So it's not just you but I don't know what the answer is. I won't be entering that race again. As others have said, it's meant to be fun and for me, that really wasn't.

On the flip side, Boltby Bash, Ard Rock and Ard Moors this year have been the best they've ever been and I came away buzzin for ages as I'd enjoyed it so much.

It's not like I don't ride stuff like Havoc normally either. Warncliffe is my local woods and I'm quite happy scaring myself witless in there on similar steep, wet, rooty, blown out messy excuse for trails. And I'm usually fine with the race situation but going from a confident top third ish pace just a few weeks ago to having to walk down stages whilst my mates get cold waiting for me is very alien...wtf happened?!

TLDR: my brain was a bastard to me and I was very slow and emotionally drained by an enduro I could have done better at

Well done for having a go and finishing 🙂 The brain can be a sod though, I totally freaked out a few years ago at a DH at Hamsters that was piss easy (in retrospect!) and didn't even do the race. Likewise the Naughty Northumbrian last year, I was waaaaaay out of my depth in practice on a bike that was too big for me and I didn't really like, and hurt my foot sliding down the loose steep bits so didn't start the race. Meh. You'll bounce back if you want to. Start smaller, we did a local 'fun'duro at Choppers this year which was awesome. I think that's maybe just where my ability and comfort is- local races for local people 😆

I'm no Pro but the PMBA ones feel technically tough. My two mates that rode it yesterday gave the impression it was hard and they've done a few.

Get your mates together and try the Boltby Bash, it felt very relaxed to me, a very chilled out event.

Thinking about the Lee Quarry/Havoc round scared me too a few years back.

Or just forget about racing. Either way, go back and ride that horrible chute and have a session at Havoc to prove to yourself you can do it.

I'm already eyeing up boltby next year and some other 'more friendly' enduros

Paul@RTW - high five to you for finishing too with your brain inin meltdo like mine. It wasn't a course where you could avoid the difficulty

Its meant to be fun, if it's not then don't do it. As a fellow anxiety sufferer there are plenty of things that already get in the way of life without adding to them.

You started and finished so well done for that! Try and enter another enduro hopefully it will be a bit more enjoyable!

tpbiker

Its meant to be fun, if it’s not then don’t do it.

Agree! I thought my pre-race nerves (for days beforehand!!) were enough to stop me racing, let alone having the jitters all the way through the race. A combination of not enjoying the build up and being crap at racing made me stop racing. The first enduro I did I really enjoyed the actual racing part, but fell off far too many times in places where I would have ridden ok under normal circumstances (though probably not as fast), so that made me even more nervous before the next one.

I've done a few enduros but pulled out of a Tweed Valley one after practice day. Riding the stages once was enough for me and wondered if I'd do another enduro again. It started going downhill after a crash on an easy bit on the first stage, plus I was doing the practice on my own.

However a while later I entered the Fair City Enduro in Perth, it was brilliant fun and a great day out.

If you don't enjoy it, don't do it (or do it knowing it'll be a challenge).

But part of the sport (Racing or otherwise) is feeling the fear from time to time. One option is to hide from it, the other is to ride sketchy steep stuff a lot until you're happy to race on it.

I get the fear before most races, but I usually enjoy it when I'm actually out there. What really gives me the fear is super gnarly tech out in the middle of nowhere, knowing help would be a long time coming. That can get unpleasant if I make it all about pushing myself, but it's still nice being outside on (or at least with) a bike so I focus on the latter.

Often when I attempt to ride chilled, I find myself enjoying it a bit much and riding pretty well. Or at least pretty fast.

3rd time ive done this one(done about 30 races in the last 3 years and some much harder ones) and was really nervous about it sunday morning. last year and practice saturday i really struggled with havok, crashed a few times last year and had a couple of dabs saturday but sunday the nerves went as soon as i entered the stages and just told myself to "get of the ****ing brakes" and it seemed to go much better, a few front and rear slides but kept my feet clipped in for all of the stages.

it was the jumps that nearly did for me yesterday, i'm shit at jumping but yesterday seemed even worse several times landing so hard on the front i thought i was a goner but luckily stayed on every time.

if your nerves don't stop when you go into the stage i can image the ones in havok would be really hard to ride cautiously.

not so sure an easier event is the answer if you know you should be able to ride it, just do a few more races then you can hopefully switch of from the fact its a race a little and just ride the stages(still with a little bit of pre start nerves). if there's no enjoyment there though don't bother.

my nerves weren't helped by the wife on sunday morning saying don't hurt yourself, we've a plane to catch tuesday.

On the subject of nerves, at Boltby this year I managed to control them by convincing myself it was just a ride, and obviously I love riding. Its not like I'm going to trouble the top ten anyway... I was that caned on Sat night its a wonder I even raced 🙂

And as someone has already said, the secret for me is getting off the brakes, its amazing how much easier it feels. Sometimes I actually say it out loud, works for me..

/\ glad to hear its not just me then, did boltby and the 2 ard events this year, at times i felt they were way over my level, but on other stages i felt fast and had real fun.

don't beat yourself up on crashes and refusing features. you have to be in the mood, my mates will take the mick but don't push it, personaly i wouldn't want the guilt of pushing someone into something they arent comfortable.

i nearly signed upto the pmba event but decided it wasn't for me this year.

ps. if you look at rider timings, the top 20% are at it week in week out, many are sponsored, so midpack is bl00dy good

i'm a midpack(sometimes a little better) rider and happy enough to be there especially as i'd never ridden off road untill 3 and half years ago, my mates who are going for wins/podiums most races have all been riding a long time or been good trails riders moving onto pushbikes. same applies to most of the fast lads.

Its meant to be fun, if it’s not then don’t do it. As a fellow anxiety sufferer there are plenty of things that already get in the way of life without adding to them.

Take this to the extreme though and you'll never leave the house, as there is potential for anxiety in any activity.  If you entered the race, it's because you enjoy riding, so don't give up yet - try a few more and see if it gets better.  If it doesn't, then think about avoiding races, and just continue the casual rides.

in a way for me the race is secondary anyway, i'm never going to podium but its a day or weekend out on the bike with mates and catching up with a few people you might only see at races with the racing adding a bit to it comparing times and position for a bit of added interest. it helps when you don't take the racing side of it to seriously.

tweedlove british champs this year was a bit different as we rode seeded so couldn't ride with mates but as was with the same people all day you just get talking to them for the day.

Well done for completing it mate.

You could have also been writing this for me 😀.

I done ardmoors the other week and it’s the first time I’ve ever done anything like that.   We started practice on stage one and I was bricking it when we got to the top and l could see how steep it was.

The bloke in front of me went over the bars on the first steep but which meant I had to stop.    This gave me time to bottle that steep but and slide down it 😀.

Anyway I managed the practice day without a crash which made me feel better.

I was still realy nervous for the next day but managed to ride everything with only a couple of minor crashes.

i was glad to just have made it round alive and was in survival mode 😂.

I dont know how Ard Moors measured up to other enduros? But it opened my eyes 😀😀😀😀

i would class ard moors(and ard rock) at the easy non technical end of the scale, steep bits aren't really that steep either compared to some. they are both more about flat out high speed riding than other enduro's i do.

still didn't stop me having a crash at ard moors this year in stage 1, launching of a drop to fast and not making the corner

The hardest I had road before there was hamsterley black routes which aren’t very steep in comparison.

It did give me some confidence  actually completing it and I defo need more skills to partake in anything more technical.

Was goid experience and will enter fit next year uf only for the T-shirt 😆.

Is ard rock much harder than Ard Moors Bigfoot?

similar maybe, hard to judge for me as i found them both easy compared to what i'm used to, as i'm from the lakes the rocky stuff at ard rock isn't really all that rocky to me. ard moors seemed to have a lot more jumps than last year which i'm not very good on, i seemed to deal with the jumps much better at ard rock.

if you did ard moors you'll have no problem getting round ard rock although the whole loop is probably slightly tougher but that may have been down to the temperature.

I'd agree with bigfoot's thoughts mostly but Ard Rock is a lot more loose and rocky than Ard Moors so if you aren't comfortable on that terrain, I would imagine Ard Rock may be more daunting. I'd say it has more steep bits in too - I don't really remember any steep bits at Ard Moors and I've done it 3 years running (including the axle deep cake mixture year!) May be my memory is just useless!

As another option, I think the Welsh Enduro Series stuff is mainly based around trail centre sections with little 'off-piste' stuff. Plus the shorter loops and fewer stages may make it easier for people to get going with the format. Although, I've only done one a couple of years ago so just judging it on that and what friends have said about other rounds.

don't mention the muddy ard moors, that's an experience i'm not bothered if i never have again, although i did kind of enjoy it in a funny kind of way.

i think your right, i don't really remember anything steep at ard moors, but i can't remember any steep bits at ard rock either apart from very short bits. but having done the tweedlove races, graythwaite races and some of the very steep stuff in grizedale races what is steep to some people isn't to me.

Well done for taking part and finishing. I was at the fire road on stage 6 for most of yesterday and its got that name for a reason. Its difficult to concentrate when ever one is shouting encouragement and some want you to crash. I dont compete because I cant take the crowd shouting although we have a family team in the Hope one next week so Im in, like it or not.

Take all the positives from the day and put the rest behind you. Dont let it put you off, the events are supposed to be geared around a mates ride. Thats why they dont seed and are open to most age groups.

If it was me I would be back up with mates, follow someone in who can clean it and session it till I was confident. GoPro.it if you can to see whats wrong if anything or any better lines.

Then at next years event go for it.

I've done a couple of enduros this summer, mostly because I'm about to turn 40 so I now qualify for Masters!

I ride bikes for a living (full-time guide), riding every day all summer in big, Alpine terrain, but I've never really raced before. I found it challenging as well. Trying to keep the speed up without making mistakes. Get all the same anxieties! Sitting waiting for the first start worried that I'm going to just embarass myself and be holding people up or there's going to be features that I can't ride (which is incredibly unlikely given my job!).

I also often find it a real struggle to get in the zone for the first stage, just assuming that I'm going to be hopelessly slow and can't make myself push it through the corners or over the tech features. Inevitably, I'll see some results and realise that even though I had a self-inflicted slow first stage, I'm still comfortably mid-table, not way down at the back and then gets my head in a better place for the rest of the event.

I can get super-competitive in the right circumstances and it really brings out the best in my riding, but I find it hard to get in that place in against-the-clock racing. On a snowboard, I've raced boardercross and the head-to-head format brings the red mist down and I ride out of my skin. In enduros, I've found that I can't quite get in that zone until I can see a rider ahead of me. It works really well for me if I can get an early glimpse of the rider in front and then hunt them down or even if I get passed by someone super-quick and then try to hang onto them for as long as possible. If I end up riding the whole stage on my own, it's much harder for me to really let go and hit top speed.

I think everyone gets all this to some extent. We all get "imposter syndrome" that we're about to get found-out. For sure, the more you race, the less anxious you'll be about it. Just ride it and enjoy it. Remember, there are only about 10 people there with any chance of winning the thing, everyone is fundamentally doing it for shits and giggles!

If I’m reading this right this was your FIRST enduro!?  In which case don’t be so hard on yourself...  I’ve done 3 now over last 12 months and pretty much finish in bottom 10% overall, but am learning and having more fun each time.  It’s also given me the major boost I needed to give up fags and start getting fitter, which is the real issue for me.  The only real issue which worries me is holding people up but  my experience is when people want to get past they will shout really loud and leave you in no doubt (which is great) - always say cheers on passing too!

So take your time and if you want to have another go in due course then do it but whatever you do remember it should be fun!

Its difficult to concentrate when ever one is shouting encouragement and some want you to crash. I dont compete because I cant take the crowd shouting

have you actually tried it? i find that you are aware a few people are there and here a few shouts but as it usually happens at a tricky part all concentration is on the riding so the people are hardly noticeable.

one good tip is to finish the flag to flag if your mate crashes, as marshalls, mountain rescue, team medic and the doctor take at least an hour to get to you and sort you out, hence i came 1098/1100 at one event. :0)

i could have happily finished at stage 2, but the marshall and doctor had a positive word..

so in a nutshell they'll always be a few slower ones and nearly 200 DNF

Yes I have tried it and it's the only reason I don't compete. For some the crowd is a buzz and they feed on it. For me it's the complete opposite and I loose all concentration so I stand and watch.

Racing. A great way to ruin a good ride. Going out of your comfort zone is great, but doing an uplift day is the best place for that.

Unless you're sponsored to race I can't see the point. You spend weeks beforehand making all your rides training rides, sapping the enjoyment. If you don't manage to get a ride in on any given week you feel miserable 'cos you've not been 'training'. And then when you do race you find you aren't as fit as you want / need to be and with the realisation that you've just spoffed £50+ 'racing' somewhere you could otherwise go for free!

The last race I did is my last race. It was local to me, on trails I know like the back of my hand and I genuinely felt I had a good result in me. Stage 1, going hell for leather far far quicker than I've ridden before, took a massive smash. Broken seat, lost water bottle (it was July, 25degs+), smashed shoulder, hip, head. Pure bloody mindedness, anger and adrenaline I decided to finish the rest of the race anyway and with solid enough (mid pack) finishes on the remaining stages. All was lost on Stage 1 though, over 3 mins down. All for nothing other than some misguided notion of wanting to do well when the reality is nobody on the planet is ever going to look up on roots and rain for how I did.

I happen to think that biking is a great avenue for dealing with mental health and there is no better feeling than pushing yourself to do something you've not before. But racing is not the same, at least not for 99% of riders with the 1% being those who have a vested financial or material interest in it.

@Tracey

I think I saw you in the car park after, should have said hello but we had faffed around so much after the race that we were running late getting home.

Think that's a great idea to go session that bit. Climb back on the horse that bolted you.

 All for nothing other than some misguided notion of wanting to do well when the reality is nobody on the planet is ever going to look up on roots and rain for how I did.

Racing isn't for you fair enough. But there's nothing wrong in trying to do well, or at least you best. And you do it for yourself, because your right nobody else will care whever you came 112 or 113.

Unless you’re sponsored to race I can’t see the point. You spend weeks beforehand making all your rides training rides, sapping the enjoyment. If you don’t manage to get a ride in on any given week you feel miserable ‘cos you’ve not been ‘training’. And then when you do race you find you aren’t as fit as you want / need to be and with the realisation that you’ve just spoffed £50+ ‘racing’ somewhere you could otherwise go for free!

As someone who is 'sort of' sponsored, in the sense that I get most of my entries paid for, and given kit, I'll respectfully say, the above is b*locks.

None of my rides are 'training rides'. I just go out and ride my bike. Sometimes I'll do the odd hard effort up a hill, sometimes I'll try hard down a trail, then I'll cruise a few for fun, but I'm not doing it to be better at racing, I'm doing it because it's fun, and I like going fast on my bike. About the only conscious decision  I make when it comes to training is, I won't go to the gym a few days before a bigger race, because I don't want to suffer, unnecessarily. And to clarify, by training, I mean going to a ghetto gym, which I would do regardless of whether I rode bikes competitively or not, mostly because I don't want to be fat and unfit.

I get grumpy when I don't ride my bike, not because of training, but because I like riding my bike!

I think some people like the concept of competitive sport, and other don't, which is fine.

None of my rides are ‘training rides’. I just go out and ride my bike. Sometimes I’ll do the odd hard effort up a hill, sometimes I’ll try hard down a trail, then I’ll cruise a few for fun, but I’m not doing it to be better at racing, I’m doing it because it’s fun, and I like going fast on my bike.

...

I get grumpy when I don’t ride my bike, not because of training, but because I like riding my bike!

I think some people like the concept of competitive sport, and other don’t, which is fine.

I agree with all of that, riding bikes is fun and entering a race/spoffing £35 is a way for me to have a proper go at something with medics there to pick up the pieces in case anything goes wrong. It's good for narcissistic photo opportunities too, I spent most of the second run at the Hamsters TT this year trying to do decent jumps for the cameras #podiumbedamned 😆

First off, well done OP for having a crack! From what you and others have said, it sounds like it was a pretty tough course.

I have only just started participating in Enduro events myself this year, doing 2 rounds of the Southern Enduro Series. I say 'participating', because if you saw me riding them or looked up my times, you wouldn't call it racing!

I've given it a go beacuse it give me a chance to ride places I wouldn't, or couldn't, normally ride and it's completely different to my regular style of riding, where it's all about doing a nice loop, rarely covering the same ground twice. In just these two 'race' outings I've leant much, mostly about myself. The most important being to not worry about times and competing but just to relax and have fun. As StevoMcD said in his post, there are only and handful of riders there in with a chance of winning anything. They are all probably taking it (maybe too) seriously, so by relaxing and just having fun out there, you may have a more enjoyable time than those on the podium. ;0)

Put it down to experience, you won’t be the only one that has felt like this, sounds like you’re being too hard on yourself.

Try to think of it as a ride out with your mates, rather than a race against other people and just forgot about everyone else.

I’ve done a couple of the PMBA’s in the past, some sections on them were quite out of my depth, at the time, despite being totally rollable, however, the banter and support from the marshals and people watching just spurs you on, no one is judging you, it’s all about mudding your way through and having a laugh while your doing it, if you’ve got the fitness and speed as well, bonus!

Besides, if everyone rode at the same level, it would be a pretty boring event…that’s what I tell myself anyway!

One thing I meant to add - I know a few people in both mountain biking and snowboarding (particularly snowboarding) who ride and/or coach at a VERY high level. Like get paid to go filming in Alaska or had Olympic success level.

They are all full-on affected by doubts. Even some who outwardly appear incredibly confident, completely untouchable, are constantly doubting themselves and getting stressed.

Never think you're the only one who gets this feeling. Everyone gets it.

I'm sure all your problems could be fixed by a new shiny bike, probably.

a few from cmbc did it. It sounded a lot tougher than expected by a lot of folks. Dont be too hard on yourself.

I’m sure all your problems could be fixed by a new shiny bike, probably.

Ha thanks for trying to plant that seed Phil! The bike was much more capable than I am so despite the diddy wheels I'll be hanging onto Goldmember for a while yet

My dropper didn't survive too well though, smashed the remote on my thigh when i went over the bars and there's now a lot more play in the saddle than before. Currently eyeing up drilling my frame for a shiny new stealth post

I'm tempted to do the same (drill frame) when my current dropper dies.

Handy page i've stored for when i do;  https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/drilling-a-steel-hardtail-for-a-reverb-stealth/

and this grommet to fill the hole;

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes-zenium-internal-brake-cable-guide-2015/rp-prod129590?utm_source=awin&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=Skimlinks&awc=2698_1486731167_721e9de6d5cf3a0dacb59a213b5399b6&utm_source=affiliate-window&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=Skimlinks&utm_term=Skimlinks&utm_content=Sub+Networks&awc=2698_1539083173_bf08407acbcd6743446165007689e4b8

EDIT: I don't suppose any of these spectacular crashes were caught on camera? Not that i like to laugh at others misfortune.

You spend weeks beforehand making all your rides training rides, sapping the enjoyment. If you don’t manage to get a ride in on any given week you feel miserable ‘cos you’ve not been ‘training’. And then when you do race you find you aren’t as fit as you want / need to be and with the realisation that you’ve just spoffed £50+ ‘racing’ somewhere you could otherwise go for free!

Horseshit.

Funnily enough i have that same bookmark saved, plus this one  http://forums.mtbr.com/turner/stealth-mod-drilling-holes-your-alloy-frame-917427.html

Ask Nic to send you the vid she took of the of the guy hitting a tree on stage 5!

Should have come across and said hello. I've met a few strangers in car parks over the years 😉.Maybe at the next one

Unless you’re sponsored to race I can’t see the point

For me its riding trails and landscape I wouldn't be able to otherwise. Racing against your mates and having a laugh about sections that were crazy ass shit, and yes actually putting your self out of your comfort zone because after, you have a great sense of achievement.

Perfectly put Darren.