I'm off to [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/mountain-mayhem-24hr-roll-call ]Mountain Mayhem[/url] this weekend for 24 hours of solo based self abuse, weather looks ace so hopefully it stays that way.
chain snapped in two places at the bottom of the big climb....ran the 2 odd km back to the arena.
Is that the climb off the bottom of medusa's drop? Hell of a way to run in disco slippers, fair play!
Welsh champs at Builth showground for me this w/e. Somewhat ambivalent about this one, its a great course for tight racing on and I've had good battles every time I've raced there.. but I can't help wishing it was at the more picturesque venue of Fforest fields. I'm also apprehensive about one of the a-lines (pic off facebook below) as its just the sort of thing that I'm good at hurting myself on.
Bizarrely, if the start lists from the article on British Cycling is too be believed, only 4 of us are contesting the Masters cat. I'm hoping that's a mistake because at the moment we're all in sports cat so definitely not the fastest masters in Wales!! Although if it is the case and I end up on the podium I won't complain 😆
[img] https://tinyurl.com/yclabng2 [/img]
^^ That's the sort of feature that you don't really give much thought to on a slack FS with a nice big front tyre, but somehow morphs into something to be afraid of when approaching it on an XC HT.
yeah, plus while the drop looks like it is only a couple of foot, its the sort of thing you find yourself 6ft up in the air if you hit it at more than walking pace!
Disaster for me at Dalby at the weekend! Moved back to being gridded 17th as I'd missed the previous round which was okay(ish!). Saturday was minging weather as mentioned before and me and my lad did only one lap to see where the grip was or was not and then spent the rest of the day bike cleaning, not sure why!
We had travelled up the week before to ride the A lines a few times as I hate doing this on the Saturday practice, thankfully Medusa was not in as it would have been trecherous in the wet - for me anyway,
My son raced well in Youth, moving from 33rd grid to 25th so he was pretty happy - some of these kids are bloody fast!
My race started well, getting into the singletrack section somewhere in the top ten, then got to the first climb, 3 minutes into the race and snap goes my chain! This then meant me doing a Freddy Flinstone type pedalling effort and walk back to the tech zone where we got it sorted about 15 minutes later.
At least when Paul Oldham lapped me up a little later with his thru-axle falling out I was able to stop and chat and offer him mine, sadly he did not take it so I had to carry on!
I ambled round for 4 laps and ended up 25th having caught a few people but not the best race effort!
I thought the weekend was run really well though and the commissaires helpful in times of my trouble.
We stayed on to watch my team mate race in the women's elite and also cheer on her partner who finished a strong second in the men's after a good battle with Grant Ferguson - a really good race to watch.
All in all it was a good weekend despite my mechanical woes.
Padkinson, nice to hear Dave was able to help you, he bought last years bike off me, nice guy.
Kudos for finishing.
I more or less take the view that a mechanical on XC is endex. Then again I don't travel for them nor do I tend to do a series.
Thanks, having missed the last round I reckoned I needed to at least finish and get some points, my sense of humour was compromised a few times though!
I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike after 2weeks illness. First day I've felt OK. At least I managed to stick to project eat well June. No booze, no snacks, small portions etc. Down to 72kg with another 2kg to go. 6 foot and 11 stone....
ADSH - that's a good weight for 6', I'm 6'1 and on 76 kg - don't think there is much more to come off me!
Finally managed to win my first race on Friday in the FNSS series, pleased with that after two years of trying!
First race tomorrow after a month off, although ive a week and a half of riding in me. Ive picked a warm one 😯
Ive put on weight, just under six foot and 11st 13. I was 11.11 risen from 11st 8 race weight until instarted myfp again a week ago so i think my body is short term compensating!
Worried about the heat tomorrow, myrace is at 2pm, and it's largely out in the sun. just buzzed my hair from a mop down to grade 4 to try and keep cool!
2pm here also Ferrals, i admire your comittment!
I really need Adsh's food plan atm. Im on 2k cals net a day but its the 3000 calorie long weekend rides which are missing currently, and thats where the weight loss is.
Phew, I'm ok at 167 for a 180.5 cm sprinter 😆
http://www.wenzelcoaching.com/blog/cycling-body-weight-chart/
Some useful articles under the table.
[quote=ferrals ]Worried about the heat tomorrow, myrace is at 2pm, and it's largely out in the sun. just buzzed my hair from a mop down to grade 4 to try and keep cool!
Absolute commitment! Currently sat here watching Le Mans and shoving beer and junk food in my face.
As you might have guessed the racing is definitely taking a back seat this year (despite the new bike)!
The new bike is amazing, 29er full susses are basically cheating.
Wow that was hot - a reported 32 degrees. So, my first race since resting my quad for nearly a month literally started with a bang, as a rider decide to squeeze between me & the tape on the start resulting in four of us lying on the floor.
I got up, rode 20m and discovered my stem and bars at a 45 degree angle, so watch the pack shoot off while I reached for a multitool...
Dead last, off I went, and started picking of riders at the end of the first lap (of 6). I felt good, and my race HR was 10bpm up on the pre-injury rave HR so I just kept going and going with a dodgy gear changes (bent hanger), slightly buckled front wheel and some very sore bits to eventually fight my way to 19th of 40 on the same lap as the leaders. I'm happy with that as my return to racing, now need to fix up my bike and move on.
Ended up a dust version of "tar and feathered" and the post race shower stung a lot in various places, but overall a good day!
Bloody well done there!
Well done Kryton! Sounds like you had good form. Onwards 🙂
According to my garmin, my race was av temp 33 deg. Half the course was in the sunshine at that was reading 35. I really struggled with the heat. Had a good first two laps sat in a group of 3 in places second-fourth, but then I just couldn't cope dropped loads of places in laps 4/5 and got lapped so didn't start lap six to contest the masters championship, although that was actually a relief!
Turns out the sun must have got to my counting ability and what with a few people from across the border coming to get a sneak peak at the nationals course I ended up getting bronze in the masters cat of the Welsh championships. Just a bit gutted I didn't stick around for the podiums as it would have been my only one of the year 😆
Congrats Ferrals!
In other news, the adrenaline has subsided and I feel like I've gone several rounds with Tyson this morning. Battered and bruised!
Now to work out the spoke wheel truing technique...
Now to work out the spoke wheel truing technique...
Take to LBS, give him £10 and say "that's all over the place, sort it out mate"
Anyone else in for Southern XC this weekend at Matterley ? I'm still a maybe for myself depending on childcare stuff as my boy is racing in the U9's catagory.
But we'll certainly be there kitted up and ready to play.
Cheers Kryton. I feel pretty wrecked myself from the heat. Still on the plus side last time I did excersize in that sort of heat was a few years ago in portugal and I collapsed and ended up on a saline drip so a splitting headache is a step in the right direction 😆
Welldone Ferrals I had exactly the same for senior was gutted to miss my podium for third... even though I was the last finisher in Elite... just goes to show that commitment and riding you own race pays of sometimes.
Well done Steve! what did you think of the course? I loved the bits in the woods and the couple of flat bits of singletrack. That concrete drag that was sheltered from the wind was brutal!
I struggled to find much to be excited about tbh! I tried my hardest to enjoy the fiddly singletrack but just couldn't get a flow which then set my mind into a negative stance. However the steep stuff over the back was probably what I enjoyed most out of the track. I was too hot to give much thought into looking at the rock garden A line or the gap jump so avoided them which was a bit annoying but all I could see was me crashing!
I figured a lot of people would blow up in the heat and having eaten and drunken badly the night before (my old mans 70th). I'd just ride off fast but not riding myself inside out and just see what happens worked out well.
I'd ridden that singeltrack in a previous race when it was damp and slippery and I'd really struggled so I think the difference of it being in the dry made me like it 😆
Glad to hear even elites have second thoughts about a-lines! I watched the previous race and saw a few crashes on the rock garden.. amazingly no-one seemed to get hurt. Hope the guy who was ambulanced off the wooden drop-of is ok.
Just entered open at the southern XC this weekend (matterly). First XC race of the year so will be interesting to see how it goes.
Only done longer stuff is year so far (puffer, gravel dash, Selkirk marathon etc). Coming off the back of 20hours on the bike last week in the Vosges in France so will either be flying or broken.
Hell of a way to run in disco slippers
It was more running than I've done since high school! Still got a bit of a knot in my right hamstring from the subsequent cramp attack.
Beastway last Wednesday followed the theme of the season, with a loose cleat, puncture, and three crashes. Ended up getting some medical help after the third crash to bandage up my knee, but got bored sitting around once that was done, so got permission to re-enter the race with the idea of getting a decent session in. Pleased that my 3 clean last laps were quicker than Jeremy Durrin's (American CX pro visiting the UK) fastest, so hopefully I'll have him next week!
Wednesday I'll be down at the Beastway again, stopping off at Hadeigh on the way for a spin to make the most of the diesel. Down to Matterly for the Southern on Sunday, hopefully I'll finally shift this bad luck.
"Hope the guy who was ambulanced off the wooden drop-off is ok."
I think this might have been Nigel Brown going on the update from his daughter Rosie today who is my team mate, unfortunately he is awaiting an MRI scan and has 5 broken bones in his lumber spine which sounds horrible. If anyone knows Nigel you will know he is an awesome bike rider, regularly on the podium at National level in GV and a really nice guy.
I heard the man-made feature was modified between practice sessions, anyone know if that's correct? if it is then it's pretty bad.
Over hearing the marshal at the top of the drop moments after it happened he said he was trying to flag every rider down to warn them it had been altered which is fine but when practice time was quite narrow your not going to listen to any Marshall when nervous. Healing vibes to Nigel!
Poor bloke. Hope he heals up ok. They were varying the height of the drop off and the distance of the gap jump between races. They did a good job of letting people know, but the difference was quite substantial so if you didn't realise it would be a real shock.
I was really disappointed with Builth. I was told the old cyclocross course had been massively improved but it was still the same ride round a car park with a few ropy-looking "features" added. I don't know anyone who liked it.
This is Wales, for heaven's sake, why can't we ride up and down some hills? You know, *mountain* biking?
I don't get this trend for adding man-made drop-offs and gaps. This isn't BMX. I'd rather see some proper descents that aren't going to break people's backs (healing vibes to that guy) but are long and tricky enough to give the better descenders a chance to (a) overtake,(b) make up a decent amount of time and (c) maybe even have some fun!
I did the rocky A-line the first three laps and it was only marginally faster than the B-line so I didn't bother after that because it wasn't like it was fun. The steep bank wasn't much quicker either (nor did it need a B-line). The uphill B-line was harder than the A-line... And no chance of passing anyone on the two little bits of singletrack.
Sorry to be so negative but I'm pretty pissed off. I also suspect I've been robbed of a medal but I can't check because the results and times *still* aren't out!
I concur Chrispo was worried I was just feeling negative about not riding very well! Wife, mum and dad asked where's best to watch on the course I honestly couldn't give them an answer, that combined with zero feedback as I get into the arena.
Compared to a fully sussed event (none bc sanctioned might I add) where each lap there's banter, and take a pick of the multiple interesting parts of the track.
Ok I'll stop I've never run an event so have no idea how hard and how constraining BC are although might give it a pop... watch this space.
Haha nicely forthright Chrispo. I don't really feel comfortable critising on an open forum because I get on with a lot of the guys in the bulls and I've been trying and failing to put an event on for the last couple of years and have yet to find a venue thats worked at a date suitable for BC by me (pesky NRW forest operations), but agree to varying degrees with your points.
I wonder why it couldnt have been at fforest fields, I saw on one of the facebook pages the owners saying it was a shame they couldnt have an event this year and hoped the xc series would be back.
@xc-steve Fully sussed definately know how to put on a good event, did one of their winter series events and really liked that they had someone calling everyone through and giving positions most laps.
Hogg Hill is very close to home for me so I must go along and watch some of the Beastway Wednesday night races. I've been exploring the mountain bike stuff at the track there lately as well so it'll be interesting to see what bits the races use.
See you tomorrow maybe epicsteve, I'll be racing 🙂 Theres only this week and next week left.
ferrals - MemberHaha nicely forthright Chrispo. I don't really feel comfortable critising on an open forum because I get on with a lot of the guys in the bulls
John and the Bulls have done their best, fair play, and I suppose they can't use Fforest Fields every year, but surely they could do something in the Crychan. I think Welsh Cycling are responsible for the times. Which are now finally out. Turns out I wasn't robbed, just slower than expected...
Well done on your unexpected medal. I remember having one of those a few years ago.
See you tomorrow maybe epicsteve, I'll be racing Theres only this week and next week left.
Not sure I'll make it tomorrow as I need to be in town for a meeting. Not sure I'll be able to make it next Wednesday either as I think I might be in Dublin. 🙁
Maybe next year!
I should be committed, drive for 3hrs to ride the Welsh Champs. I finished 2nd vet which was okay, but felt terrible for the whole day. A long drive coupled with the heat?
It was a good race with Dan Lewis, I was a few seconds off him for the first couple of laps, then drifted back for a lap. I had a late charge on the last lap eventually finishing ~10s off. Good fun. I think this is one of those courses that if you ride it alone was boring, but actually races very well.
I saw the crash. I am at a loss to understand how the organisers thought changing the A lines between races was a good idea. This is where BC comms should be stepping. A recipe for disaster which now has a rider undergoing surgery on his back.
Well I believe Padkinson has some good news.
I had a terrible start with last Sunday's crash demons in my head, and faltering when a rider came through an we touch bars. I stayed up, pulled myself together and surged on a second phase past some riders to go into the single track about tenth.
Not sure of the results yet but I think I had a good race, having a ding dong with two decent riders, and managing to pace myself well when visibly alone, although I did catch myself slacking on the 5th so picked it up again.
1 week until the next one, time for some rest.
Anyone racing Parkwood on Saturday in Sheffield? I've missed the online cut off but intend to enter on the day. Really like that course, damn good fun.
Quick question re the National Champs - Do I enter Sport cat(Non championship by default) or Senior? I'm trying to collect as many points as possible with an aim of moving to Expert next year. Am I right in thinking it's double points for Senior race but regular points for Sport? That being said, senior includes Elite and Expert so i'd probably finish way down the field anyway....??
Anyone else racing Champs at Cannock?
Quick Q re bike types...
Way back when I was pretty good & racing on a FS XC bike with 26" wheels & was awesome. SC Blur XC & very stiff & v light.
Long story short - injury stopped me racing for about 4 yrs (quad tendon problem).
Now thinking about racing 2018, the thing is am I going to be at a massive disadvantage not being on a 29er say?
I've a SC 5010 which I'm taking to BCBR but I think this bike might be a bit off for shorter less gnarley XC races. I can definitely shed weight off the 5010 if the hive mind thinks it's ok for XC.
Quick question re the National Champs - Do I enter Sport cat(Non championship by default) or Senior? I'm trying to collect as many points as possible with an aim of moving to Expert next year. Am I right in thinking it's double points for Senior race but regular points for Sport? That being said, senior includes Elite and Expert so i'd probably finish way down the field anyway....??
Sports cat is just regional A whereas senior is national and double points so winning sports cat is equivalent points wise to coming 19th in the senior race. Surely your sitting pretty good now based on your results to get into expert anyway? I'd go for the senior race, if you want to be expert next year may as well race with them now when you have the chance!
Depending on your age you could do masters or under 23, which I think have national B, but not double points, maybe double for masters??
