Brilliant days riding yesterday, fantastic weather helped too. Nice, low key grass roots feel to the race and some really testing stages too.

Met Postie Rich too, nice to put a name to a face.

Great weekend all in, I’ll be at the day night enduro there at new year for sure.

I probably should have been racing, instead I did some chilled out riding with some new and old mates in the Central Lakes instead. How was it compared to the previous round at Grizedale this year? Only a couple of similar-ish stages from a quick look at the route map?

I was riding in that area on Saturday. There were marshals at a couple of spots so there must have been some racing going on then. The sections of stages that I saw as I cycled past did look challenging to say the least.

I’ve not raced at Grizedale before Jon, so can’t compare.

A wee summary –

1 – quite straighforward descent, not much in terms of corners, but some big ruts and holes to catch out the unwary

2 – Much techier, some gnadgery rocky/steep/muddy/rooty drop lines

3 – Fast flat out walkers path, quite short though

4 – Never did it, didn’t really have time for the hour transfer from 4 to 5

5 – Brilliant. quite fast, loose and flowy at first, then into an EVIL 500m fire road climb(ish) then some fantastic big rough tracks to finish at the back of the shop,

3 and 5 were the only ones I rode cleanly, OTB on 1, and rode 2 a bit gingerly after that.

I had a brilliant weekend, right up to marshal point 2 of my race run down Satterthwaite DH. I was feeling very pleased with myself for nailing that tricky little rooty-rocky gully-to-corner thing, and obviously the universe thought I needed taking down a notch or two.

I was happily flying along until my front wheel went sideways, at which point I got off for a spot of impromptu high-speed yoga. The bike decided to join in, bent my knee in a direction that knees really aren’t happy about, and once I’d come to a halt about half-a-mile miles further down the valley I spent a frankly embarrassing amount of time having a bit of a lie down. The paramedics arrived, poked my leg for a bit, then dusted me off and told me very politely to stop being such a wuss. With some help from one of the medics and my mate I managed to hop down the hill to the van.

Sorry to everyone who had to wait at the top of stage 2 while they held the course, and massive thanks to the nice marshal at MP2 with the Singletrack bobble hat, who was very kind and sympathetic and didn’t laugh at me for being an idiot while I was rolling around on the floor. Also huge thanks to the paramedics, who were lovely and very tolerant of me making a big fuss about a bit of a banged knee. My left leg is still not working, but I can sort of hobble around ok, and fortunately the car is an automatic. Socks are a bit of a bugger though.

I really enjoyed all the stages in practice; they were tough in places, but very entertaining indeed. The event was brilliantly organised and had a great atmosphere. I have ordered a grippier front tyre and will be back just as soon as my knee bends properly again. 😀

nice marshal at MP2 with the Singletrack bobble hat

That’s our Postie Rich, top bloke.

I was marshalling on stage 1. Looked a good stage from my vantage point – fast and loose.

Some good riding from the girls too. Impressive.

That’s our Postie Rich, top bloke.

Aha! Cheers fella! 🙂

I raced this weekend. Practised 4 & 5 on Saturday, then 1,2,3 on Sunday morning. Was a tough weekend, but the stages were great with 4 being my favourite. Some serious roots and slime, but brilliantly fast at the bottom. People talked about stage 1 like it was seriously hard, but apart from having to be precise with your lines, it was my least favourite stage. Need to work on my fitness though, I was truly busted by the time I got to stage 5.

Now, just need to get the bike and all my gear cleaned….

Glad I marshalled after my Bivi night out Brrrr . Mint Imperial yours was one of many you just got unlucky. Lots of impressive riding and a fair amount of dabbing 🙂 might even do one myself one day!
Guys running the event were top lads good to meet Nobeerinthefridge see you @ the SouthLakes100 #jennride

Rich

@st colin

To be fair in mid week S1 was harder, but we got the fear it was too hard and strimmed it wider on Thursday; so you weren’t stuck on a foot wide rocky line, off that line it was then too easy. However we couldn’t really see what was under the brambles. It rode in quite well and the slabs got grippier not slippier.

Nice to read the feedback, cheers guys 🙂

Heh, just spotted myself in the video on the front page. You can see me mincing along at 1m06. And then lying on the floor looking pissed off behind postierich at 1m18. 😆

I miss this every year… and only live a few miles from the place!

Hopefully next year it will all fall into place, sounds fantastic (though I doubt I would be riding!!!)

Nice video, it’s great how they’re always delivering new stages.

The Grizedale/Graythwaite “national champs” next year is going to be savage.

So who was the marshall singing ‘if your happy and you know it clap your hands’ at the tricky bit on stage 2?

Not me!