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Couldn't see this anywhere else..... who's racing this Sunday?
Am hoping for kinder conditions than when we raced there two years ago..... warm and humid after a deluge the day before left for a very heavy 57km!
I did that one two years ago, was very hard. Did Exmoor MTB Marathon last week which was about the toughest 60km I've done for ages, can't make this weekend
I’m there for the 60k. Going up tomorrow mid afternoon for a gentle pre-ride tomorrow afternoon. And camping overnight.
I can’t this year unfortunately. If it’s dry it’s one of the best courses I’ve ever done & heartily recommend it. If wet, uhhhmmmmm….🤣
Surely its dry! Its had better be, I'm arriving with a Mezcal. Hmm. might pack spare wheels with Forekasters....
It's dry! But thunder down here tomorrow....
I raced an enduro there last year on Forekasters @kryton57 - that one didn't go so well. They were way better in the xc!
Our son is doing the 60k and we'll go over on Sunday to watch/support.
I'll be there for the lung buster, 2 laps. Looks like a huge turn out in most cat's and a few names too.
Just to add we haven't really had any rain to speak of down here so hoping any rain tomorrow won't really make much difference.
Oh how the forecast has changed, check out tomorrow morning, grim!
Yes seen the forecast so have dug out my front winter wheel just incase!
I have a Barzo up front but have just stuck a spare rear with a 2.2 forekaster in the boot of the car. Might be starting on that by the looks of things, maybe changing back to the Mezcal after lap 1.
I’m heading up there tomorrow AM for the 80km, four lap thing…
Going to stick the rear mudguard back on the SS as i hate wet mud spraying up my back!!!
DrP
I've signed up for the champs! Silly really as all I've been doing recently is running, but it's not every day a nats comes to your back yard.
I figure if I start near the back then I'll get a good clear course for a while before all the other cats join in. I love riding at Pippingford, it's a really fun course.
I was heading over there this afternoon for a slow practice lap with some openers thrown in but just read in the race pack that we must ride in at least groups of 3 because of the reduced marshalls in practicing time's. Thats thrown a spanner in the works.
I'm sure there'll be plenty of people to team up with.
Yea I'll find some folk to tag along with👍
I probably should pop over for a sighting lap... But it's a 90 min round trip and I'm tired...
Meh
DrP
Blimey, those sandy damp roots are slippery!
I forgot to change my brake pads, I’ve about 30% left and there sure is some sand / short steep downward hairpins to contend with. At about 1:20 a lap it could be a long day.
<p style="text-align: left;">What's the pit situation like?</p>
Can we swap bottles every half lap?
DrP
Pretty sure that's a yes DrP
I'm proper excited now we're having some rain. Softened up all my settings a touch and dropped the tyre pressures. Love it when it gets a bit wild!
I'll use the first lap to get my eye in and remind my legs how peddling works, then give it the beans for the remainder.
How did it go for all those that raced? I was hoping to go as it's only about two miles from me, but alas couldn't get the day off of work. The weather seems as though it ended up better than originally forecast.
Tough day put for me, with a problematic year already, I was passing people on the flat / down enjoying the single track only to lose all the places on the way back up. Then, 5 mins from the end of lap 1 my lower back went into spasm making the grassy climb out very painful.
I stopped after the second lap, as I was getting a bit light headed on the climbs getting through the pain barrier and couldn't bear any more, with the roots not helping.
I'm taking the rest of the year off with an endurance/weights/yoga approach to winter training from November to get a bit more core strength.
On the plus side, I kept up with Nick Craig on a climb and Isla short on some single track for 2 mins each 😀
Great event though, well organised and a really good course with a bit of everything, and some good banter.
I ended up doing the 20km option as the 40 had sold out and my ever problematic knee would’ve made the 60 pretty uncomfortable. I was more surprised than anyone when my name was called to the top step of the podium! Am now the proud owner of a Vittoria cap and some bike wash. 🥇
I pulled out after lap 2 as well Kryton. I was absolutely wasted by that point. Hard course with all the little bursts of power needed to maintain speed. Am philosophical about it. I've ridden a total of 6hrs in the last 4 weeks and none the month before that. Have run lots but that only got me so far.
Brilliant course. I absolutely loved the techy stuff of which there was plenty.
Was a tough day, for sure!!!
I couldn’t get into the National bunch as i don’t have a licence, so started 30 min after those lot, it a slightly smaller group for the 4 lap monster marathon..
I pointlessly sprinted up the gravel start loop, and basically stayed in 3rd place after that for the first lap and a bit, even though i was HURTING! I always have the “what can I fake to pull out” thoughts in the first hour of racing!!!
I found the draggy climbs and grassy sections tough on the singlespeed, but managed to grind them out! (380 watts at 35RPM is painful!).. i made the plan to actually carry 2 bottles on me - pleased i did as each bottle was 90% empty as i refilled at the feed stop each lap.. i was HOT AND SWEATY!
About halfway through lap 2 another in my category overtook me..we chatted for a while, then he carried on..
I think in hindsight i loved the lap, though MUCH preferred the second half, after the wooden bridge looping over the track. The singletrack and slightly more pleasant or interesting climbs were great!
By lap 3 I was cramping up, so had to get off and walk on one steep little section about 3/4 of the way through… did that again on the 4th lap (as pushing high watts at stupid low RPM was killing the legs!) as well as a little walk on the REALLY steep but short fire road section later in the lap (the one that went on and on, THEN turned into the grassy climb on and on!)..
It was a rather lonely race as I spent most of it just riding by myself, having been overtaken by another in the 4 lap group at the feed stop whilst i stopped to stretch..
I did spend about half the last lap riding in front on the climbs, and behind on the fast sections, with one of the women in the Nat race.. not sure who it was, but she had a light pink top and was ripping on the descents!
I must say a few times i thought ‘eff this’, but I had a point to prove (that point being an idiot on a singlespeed can complete the race!)..
came in 5th in my category..but as all the fast lads were in the ‘proper’ race, i don’t think it counts for much!
stats…
77.71km
4.56 time
3781 calories
15.8km/hr average
av HR 160
240w normalised power
average cadence 59rpm! (142 max!)..stupid singlespeed!
well done all who gave it a bash!
DrP
they're impressive stats !
We went over to watch/support our son who was doing the 3 lap 60km race. He managed 1st in his age group and come 5th in the 60km overall. He was pretty spent at the finish but enjoyed it. Looking at the results there were plenty of DNF's.
Luckily the rain pretty much held off during the time we were there.
I was in for the champs race, hoping for top ten and a secure place at world champs.
I ended up with the poison chalice of fantastic legs in the first two hours, absolutely floating round. Then on lap three the cramp started, and I realised I'd been writing cheques I couldn't cash. The final lap was spent nearly entirely stood up to avoid the cramp that kicked in while sitting and descending with completely locked out legs.
I had been in the big group that was fighting for sixth, so fairly disappointed to end up 13th having been passed by a couple of people on my miserable last lap.
I've never had cramp that bad, even towards the end of 12 hour races. I heard from quite a few people who'd had the same; maybe a combination of a relentless course and sweaty day.
Still somewhat hopeful for a world champs selection, from what I hear the marathon course should be fantastic.
Well done Paddy - i think you were on the trek hardtail weren't you?
I reckon, with all the fatigue kicking in, a short travel FS would have been a great choice.. I was really pleased I stuck 100mm fork travel on my singlespeed as i normally race it rigid!
I reckon i drank 4-5 litres during the race, and only Pee'd about an hour later - a small amount too!
Deffo the track and temp led to cramping more than winter races..
DrP
Well done all. A brilliant course and day at the races. 10th overall and 2nd in my age group (50-60's) 2 lap lung buster.
Huge respect to you all for doing the longer distances and @DrP on SS!
Great atmosphere and camaraderie. I didn't know they were doing podiums for age groupers so a nice surprise to step up there. Good job I was in ear shot of the podium area otherwise I would of missed it!