Hi all, thinking of entering the 10 @ kirroughtree next year as a solo (billy no mates). Never done anything like this before. Any ideas/tips on training for this. How long/technical is the course?
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10 @ kirroughtree
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Posted 7 months ago #
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Maybe im being daft but i thought it was 10 miles round for 10 hrs. Hence the 10 part of the name.
I might be tempted to enter too.
Posted 7 months ago # -
It was just a bit over 10 miles this year. They tend to be around the 10 miles mark.
Wasn't really a technical course but the No Fuss events tend to have at least one section with a steep hill and another cut out from a natural forest section. The natural section at the start this year was like ice the mud was that slippy. Would have been very straightforward if it was a dry weekend.
They're all good, fun events.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Stevemtb, it dried out a treat throughout the day, you should have been there in 2009, now that was wet........very wet.
Rob, the Kirroughtree course is fantastic, it may not seem too technical at first but after 8 hours riding solo it will be very tough.....but still fun
As for tips on training, depends where your fitness is at currently. Get some longer rides in then do a bit more intensity the closer to the event you get, take it easy for 7-10 before the race.
Posted 7 months ago # -
7-10 'days'
Posted 7 months ago # -
rock_hopper - it certainly did dry out a treat, should have mentioned that but was just pointing out it was more slippy than a slippy thing in the wet! Amazing it did dry out considering the thunder storms I drove through on the Friday and the battering the East took that day. Was a few surprised people when I came back with a bit of sun burn!
Completely agree with the training tips. You can go into these events however you want. It is easy to take breaks between laps or if you do enough training to try and get as many in as possible. If you want to be up with the front runners you'll need to be able to cycle nearly continuously for 11 hours (if you've crossed the finish line before 10 hours you've got another hour to cross the line again).
Posted 7 months ago # -
How seriously do you want to take it? I did absolutely no training before 10 Under the Ben and unsurprisingly did pretty badly
Posted 7 months ago # -
done it 4 times - great event even if you have to pay for a tee (if you really want one) - you could always try the 10@ LLandegla if you're a southerner too. a "10" for me involves 2 4 hour boat trips + 4 hour van drives. Great atmosphere and a fairly chilled crowd racing.
oh, and my mate has done it solo 2 or 3 times and been really pleased. our other mate Kale is a classy racer and was 4th 2 years ago, and managed 7th last year on his Remedy since his race bike had self destructed the day before. Race as much as you like, at whatever pace takes your fancy. You won't be the only solo having a go by any means...
Posted 7 months ago # -
Solo's are good fun.
It can help to fall in with another crowd of friends who are going, or that you meet there.
Even if you're riding solo, a group / team that you can talk to after each lap helps enormously ... even 1 liners of encouragement, or handing you a drink really bolster your feelings.
Other thing for me if to make an effort to take a break after each lap ... i burn out if I dont make a point of taking a rest break after the 2nd lap.
Other than that, go, take part, enjoy it, pace yourself and have fun.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Anyone on here done it as a team?
Posted 7 months ago # -
"never done anything like this before" ......its one of the best events on calendar. the course is technical by race standards, good fun. solo wouldn't be my choice though, i think there is more enjoyment in a team if you can get mates interested.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Done it the last two years - great course, nice atmosphere - highly recommended.
NB 2010 was very muddy!
Posted 7 months ago # -
Raced it as a pair this year - ten hours is quite a nice duration for pairs, not quite the hell it is for a 24-hour event. I'm not sure I'd have bothered going there to race as a team though, seems like a lot of effort for relatively little riding time. Pairs was good fun though and the course is just technical enough to keep you thinking.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Fortunatly its only about 30 mins away for me to get to. And 2 laps is probably about enought for me anyway so teaming up with 3 others is a nice intorduction.
Posted 7 months ago # -
trio's is good too. two of you off the bike at the same time to chat/laugh with. i'd happily ride it inn a pair and reckon a quad would be fine if you fancied a day of riding the next day.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Hi guys
At the moment my fitness is pretty poor so i'm taking the training from a scratch position.
I'd like to aim for 5 laps in 10hrs.I'm about 1hr drive from Kirroughtree (Ayr) so getting the technical training in won't be a problem and plenty of forrest roads to trundle along around the Loch Doon/carrick forest area. So what kind of training should I start doing. Would using the road bike to get the basic miles in help.Posted 7 months ago # -
10 @ K'tree is great, I've done it a couple of times (both solo). Once did really well, once did really badly so I guess it all evens out!
Nice course, technical enough to keep you on your toes but with enough fireroad or non-tech sections to allow overtaking and rest.As for training, I pretty much just rode my bike and tried to work out a strategy of stopping/eating etc that was going to allow decent progress.
Posted 7 months ago # -
done it twice, 1st year and again in
09. Work & holidays getting in the way on the others. Team both times and managed a podium in09
None of us trained for the event, just our normal riding as were just there for fun. Being only an 1hr away it is a "local" trail but it is just good fun to meet and chat with people not seen for a while. It and the Dalbeattie Hardrock Challenge are the only events I do(note not using the word race)
Road biking is good for stamina, lots of mags do training plans at this time of year so browse the paper shop isles
Davy-g from here, mtbe forum and trailscotland is a local and could show you round the course from previous years to give you an idea where it goes and what you are letting yourself in for. Think I could find my way round to.
You also need to find out what food, gels, energy bars and supplements work for you over that length of time, some can cause stomach issues
How long/technical is the course?
The technical bit all depends on your ability and experience and the more laps you do the more tired you get therefore the more difficult it becomes
"train less but train smart" is a saying a friend coined after she found herslef burnt out after overtraining using old fashioned "if it doesnt hurt it doesnt work" techniques her old man maintained was the way to do it
Joining a club and getting out with others or the roadies at weekends/nights will certainly drag your speed/endurance up and give you a measure against others. Did that myself for a while but I don`t take my biking serious enough to do it now. eg 10mins slower at Dalbeattie this year due partly to not riding with others who "challenge" me speed wise,tend to be very social rides these daysPosted 7 months ago # -
Pairs is good for a ten but if I do it again, I'll go solo... Sounds scarier til you realise it means no team pressure, no need to ride when you don't want to or stop when you do, nobody to let down. Ideal. It was the rests that killed me at 10UTB...
Posted 7 months ago #
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