Anyone else doing it? I’m going to be the very tall bloke on a very big IF in a Mint Sauce riding jersey, if you fancy saying hello and commiserating me on my bad result (first race since about 2005!)

I’ll be there, on a dark green Superlight.

Good luck, remember that’s its not all about who’s the fittest! Planning and navigating matter just as much as lungs and legs 🙂

Going to be a fantastic day for it!

That was lovely today. Amazing trail conditions in a beautiful area. Would have been a tough one in the mud.

Anyone who doesn’t enjoy that sweep along the top of Watership Down is probably a zombie. Just a warning

Yep was absolutely fantastic, you’re right about Watership Down!

I did spot you and your IF at the prize-giving, then after it was finished I popped into the pub and then came back out and said hello. Unfortunately I’d already forgotten what you looked like, and picked the tallest person remaining, who didn’t have an IF and looked somewhat baffled…

I’m still laughing at the sport relief mile on Watership Down, specifically their use of horse starting stall thingies to send runners off along the gallops

Got all the checkpoints apart from a 20 and 60. I know a lot of people cleaned the course but I’m happy with that

Was a bit of sport relief slalom on parts of that bridleway, lucky I’d remembered my bell!

Lots of clearances today. Just like round 1 last year, unseasonably dry trails made it very fast going. Had it been muddy, it would have been tough for anyone to clear.

Glad you enjoyed it, nice to use the brain as well as the legs 🙂

Well I enjoyed today, it was my first one so I opted for the shorter 2hr option.

I wasn’t that prepared and had to constantly stop/slow to look at the map, also had the tag thing tucked away in my pocket which didn’t help.

I missed the first turn on my planned route and ended up going Clockwise rather than my planned Anti-clockwise. Looking at the map after I could have made some adjustments to bag a few higher scoring checkpoints, but hayho, came home with 1100 points in 1hr 58min.

Did you have the map on your bars? To me it’s essential. However, I don’t have a fancy map board. I just use a bit of gaffer tape to make 3 strong punched holes… Top corners and centre-bottom… and zip tie it fairly loosely. Does the job with minimum obscuring of front wheel

No map was in my pocket 😕 I’ll be better prepared next time round…

My map board is a 50p plastic chopping board, with holes poked through it so I can zip-tie it to the bars in either landscape or portrait orientation, depending on which way round the map is. Map is attached with 6 bulldog clips. Total cost about £2 🙂

To navigate fast, you need to be looking at the map very regularly, so map on the bars makes a big difference.

And it’s worth sticking a compass on a lanyard round your neck too. Got me out of a bit of directional numptiness earlier