Managed to finish in the top quarter, quite pleased with that. In one way feel like I had more to give, on the other hand the finish climb nearly broke me on lap 3, so maybe I did judge it right.
Feel I wasted a lot of energy on the slippery off camber sections, so another skill to work on there.
Dressed warmer this week, including thicker gloves, so no numb thumbs at the finish.
Self diagnosed cause of last week’s misery was a slipping seat post. Raised 5 to 10 mil compared to how I finished last week, pedalling much better 😧
Nice, if I read your username correctly I think you finished 3 places above me. You weren't in the the 'bob' jersey were you?
Yes that was me. You’ve got a better memory than me for outfits, don’t think I could reliably recall any of the people who finished around me.
👍 can only remember that top because it stood out. Was using it as a target till my issue at the end of lap two when you got too far ahead.
I had a shocker, not sure what's happened but finished the race with 188w average per in 31st GV and only 5 mins in V02 max HR - some kind of internal limiter had restricted me. Would have ended up in 28th but my free hub exploded into a thousand pieces (I discovered at home) at the start of the final climb forcing me to run over the start line.
Most expensive race ever, and I've had better Zwift races over the last 4 months. Good organisation though and I "enjoyed" the race & setup so thanks Southern XC,
anyway. at least my new Silt wheels will have a modern internal width and 50g less weight, every cloud etc.
😟 that does not sound good. Glad the light wheels are at least one positive.
Was using it as a target till my issue at the end of lap two when you got too far ahead.
somehow my final lap was 5th fastest (in category) so I clearly pulled something out of somewhere.
at least my new Silt wheels will have a modern internal width and 50g less weight, every cloud etc.
broken freehub = full new wheelset of higher quality - thats the kind of man maths I can get behind 👍
Hope the next race goes better.
Lol cheers. To be fair the Mavics are 5yo and we’re a prior year/18 month old model when I bought them for £199. With proprietary spokes, no warranty and a complete rebuild itd cost me most of the new wheels.
God knows what’s wrong with the freehub, it engages forward, has no freewheel and when you shake it it sounds like many pieces inside.
More important is my dire performance. I need to work out if it’s a legacy of all my respiratory illnesses last year or something else.
Unlucky Kryton! I wouldn’t worry too much if you’ve been happy with your performance in training lately.
I had similar last year at the British Gravel Championships. Just totally and utterly flopped and never did get to the bottom of why.
I think that’s the double edged sword of being data-driven in training. On one hand you can optimise your plan to the Nth degree but on the other it makes it harder to just write off a bad day.
Onwards 😀
somehow my final lap was 5th fastest (in category) so I clearly pulled something out of somewhere.
Nice! Like I said one minute you were just ahead then by the end of the top trail section you has disappeared! Up to that point we had been consistently close depending on point of the lap.
At the moment I'm desperately resisting going to town on bike weight reductions :D. New wheels were already on the agenda, just waiting for the spokes, that will be somewhere in the 350-500g saving + a new XD cassette which again will be -100gish (SS on WTB i30 -> XM421/350 combo with comp race spokes).
The eldest and I went over to Crank-it Rnd.1 at a very wet / snowy and muddy Sherwood Pines on Sunday, they're cracking events as they run a 2hr session for U12's which involves coaching and tests where the scores dictate your grid position, he did well and was on the 2nd row of the U12 grid.
He got a good start and was into the first technical feature in 3rd, they left all the adult level A line options in for the kids so they had the option to ride them, which the faster kids did as it was a decent penalty for taking the B line, he had a bit of a slip out on the 3rd (final) lap and dropped to 4th, he took the decision to take the A line into the start finish section ahead of the lad in 3rd who took the B line, Tommy landed as the other lad came out of the B and the sprint was on, Tommy ended up taking 3rd and was well chuffed as a 1st yr under 12 and the rest of the top 5 being 2nd years.
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I went in the afternoon race in Vets and had a decent race, averaged 0.7kph faster than the same event last year - which was bone dry - and ended up 25th placed Vet, so I'll take that in a god quality field.
That looks ace. Well done on the podium to junior.
Tommy landed as the other lad came out of the B and the sprint was on
@steve_b77 We watched this unfold, I’m just to the right of your photo - your lad did brilliant, we were screaming at the group all through that last section.
First ever XC race for me, left it a bit later in life than those lot! Didn’t come last, didn’t crash. Plenty of snow left for the first race too with predictable carnage into the first corner.
Can’t do the next round but I’ll definitely do some more. Need some proper gear too, lots of lost watts with that baggy Jersey hey 🙂
Found it really hard to judge my effort - it’s not sprint-recover-sprint but also not an endurance event. I finished with too much left in the tank I think, as I never got a bell lap, just a flag when I didn’t expect it.
Great fun day out, 120 odd in the open which is ace (if a bit chaotic!) and so good to see all the kids and youths absolutely smashing it in tricky conditions.
First round of the southern xc report:
I've mixed feelings with Matterly. If you are on a bad day you get found out quickly. On Saturday I was nervous, having not raced for a year and some back issues last year meant poor training and I felt a little uncertain on my form. Coupled with my lack of self confidence and medium/high aspirations, race day could go badly.
Race day: practice lap done and I enjoyed a) the single track, b) the climbs (right gradient for me). I hated a) the sticky mud. Still, everyone was in the same boat.
I lined up at the back of the grid and went with the tactic of holding position across the grass start and then try and make time on the gravel climb (as people blew up). This kinda worked and I think I entered the first singletrack in the teens, certainly better than the 40s. I picked off a few more places through the single track (go seated sprint training) and continued to pick people off in the open climbs. After two laps I was into 4th. The top 3 were someway off and I couldn't quite spot them ahead of me so rode my race, encouraged whenever i spotted either a expert cat rider ahead of me or someone I thought could be the 3rd place vet (I still couldn't get close to him). The last lap was quite grim, a bit of rain made the course a little slippy and the legs were screaming whenever they track went up. I held on and crossed the line in 4th about 2min down.
All targets were met. Hopefully at the next race a better gridding will help me stay in contact with the fast guys.
Hope everyone enjoyed the day. The southerns are superbly organised and course seem fun so far
@snotrag I saw him come into that section on the last lap and then choose the A-Line and may've said "oh shit" out loud as he hadn't ridden it at all up until that point, thankfully he made it over in one piece otherwise I may've had some explaining to do to his mum!
He knew he could beat the other lad in a sprint as he did at the Cannock Winter Classic a couple of weeks ago and a new helmet was on the line as a podium prize, so it was literally shit or bust!
Effort wise I spent pretty much the entire race at Threshold, bar the last lap where I went pop a bit half way round.
Good report Ernie, and well done! To get to 4th from the back is impressive! I need to get to a Southern XC soon...
First time racing XC in years at south shields on friday night.
Its going to be a shock to the system only riding for 45 min ( its a night event so shorter than normal )
#makingupthenumbers
Nice reporting guys - some top class racing going on!
Found these on YT. 1 from Gorrick Spring Classic 2, the other from Southern 1. LOVE THE ENTHUSIASM!!!
Gorrick Easter race tomorrow. Highlands farm drains well but given the recent rain I’m expecting slidey rather than submerged.
There’s a SouthWest race on as well. Not sure if there’s anything in the north.
Who else is pinning on a number and getting a mud facial this weekend?
Will be at Highlands, V50s....
I'm loving all the chat, but missing all the racing!
The pippingford marathon will be my first xc race in a few years!
Next year I'll keep my ear to the ground and try and do:
All 3 brass monkeys
Some gorrick and southern xc summer races
DrP
sxc races aren't too far over the boarder, apart from the next one in Fort William.
There was some awesome racing at the first one of the season at Comrie Croft, a few spills as well as it was greasy with a few techy bits.
Have fun at the Gorrick tomorrow, can’t do this one, I’m a bit gutted!
I'll be @ the Travers races tomorrow. Really great races, with a vast array of different age and ability categories. Really welcoming too. The courses are always good with new features appearing almost every week.
I reckon Gorrick will be a blast tomorrow with it being a wetter race, although as already said above it drains well. I'm sitting this one out as can't afford a tumble with a work commitment I can't miss next week. Enjoy folk's
Gorrick course was incredible, not a drop of mud anywhere! Great fun, much nicer as a short race course than the 4hr they ran there last year - I can just about cope with not drinking for an hour!
No.1 son and I headed over to Lee Quarry for the 3rd Crank-it round and as expected it was a grippy rocky smash 'fest with DNF's all over the shop due to the usual array of punctures and crashes.
Tommy went first in the #U12 and after slipping a pedal off the start he dropped back a bit and had his work cut out a bit, but he rode a good steady race and made his move on the final climb twice to move up and take the boys win by a comfortable margin 🥇🏁🏆
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I went in the pretty much everyone over the age of 16 and under 60 race in the afternoon. After the typical God awful start straight up the entrance road climb I was going OK, then had a couple of terrible laps, but got back on it to take 10th place in #vets so can't complain 😉
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Team wise we also had 3rd (Lewis) and 5th (Thomas) places in Junior and 5th (Paul) place in Vets, so a bloody successful weekend up North, down south Harry (2nd year junior) took the Elite win in the Travers MTB series as well.
Nice pic !!!
Great pics. Lee Quarry looked ace, proper race course, was a bit gutted I couldnt make it my second XC race. Leeds the next one for me!
I did all the Manchester Midweek Madness races last year and finished roughly in the top 75-80% in each without actually dying (just nearly) so pleased with that 😋
They're up now on the BC site so hoping to enter at least a couple this year. Haven't ridden for ages and horribly unfit, so we'll see!
Edit: Due to doing all of them I was amused to find out I got inside the top 15 in overall points haha
Anyone entered a xc national this year or other years?
I thought it would be a good idea to enter the Farnham round in the grand vets as its close-ish to me . Now I'm not so sure and am getting a bit nervous about racing in the same race as some expros!
So what should I expect apart from a whole new level of suffering?
I'm planning on racing the Farnham national (first national I have raced in maybe 6 years). Dont be stressed about the competition. I think the southern xc races get a really competitive turnout and should give you an idea of how fast the ex pro's will go. Most importantly, enjoy it and hopefully see you there.
Thanks @ernie, I've raced at the southerns for the last few years and usually place around mid field or slightly better and usually place alot better in the Gorrick events.
It was when I saw names like Nick Craig I thought bu@@er what have I signed up for😁. I'll give it my all and see want happens and hopefully last the distance!
I'll be suffering next Sunday at Farnham for R2 of the Southerns 🤪
you guys are aware it's Fareham, near Southampton, not Farnham near Guildford?
@theotherjonv yes I mean't Fareham, phone thinks differently with its good old predictive text 🙄
The Xcomtb.com site says Farnham, Holywell, estate! Bit of a typo there.
Hahha. I knew it was Holywell. Anyone got advice on the course? I've never been there.
Also git covid right now. I really hope I'm over it for next weekend
I really hope I’m over it for next weekend
Get well soon Ernie and .... please test Sunday morning, none of us want it.
Was really looking forward to the 2nd rd of the new IOW XC series today, the course looked superb and I wanted to support it. Unfortunately, shakes, shivers and sneezes started yesterday morning.
I'll be at the 2nd Southern next week. Not expecting much though as just back from two weeks holiday featuring much food and drink with little exercise! Also taking daughter this time for her first XC outing.
Just entered Cannock spring classic. Fun category only.
Didn't see it mentioned here but there's also FNSS https://www.fnssmtb.co.uk/2023-race-calendar.html for ~Northants
Loads of spaces available for my local midweek xc races NR Cirencester/Swindon. I'm signed up for all four...
https://my.raceresult.com/234099/info
That’s the end of formal training and racing for me. Trudging around only at the back (again) after 4 months of hard training at a cost of £150 this weekend, not seeing the kids, not actually “having” a weekend, no time to address the overgrown garden or various jobs around the house, having to watch what I eat and drink…. I don’t know how others manage it.
Yeah bollocks, it’s become unenjoyable, I quit today with no desire to continue knowing I’m done. I’ll probably do a bit of Trainerroad to keep fit during the week and a weekend club / MTB ride with coffee and cake, and maybe enter a fun / open events on a nice weekend but that’s it.
Here’s to watching the grand tours, F1 whatever with a beer after the lawn is cut on a Sunday afternoon. 👍🏻
I sincerely hope everyone else had a great weekend at a tough and sticky Southern XC course, most people looked like they were having a great time!
@kryton57 Don’t be hard on yourself mate, sounds like it’s the best thing for you to not train like that any more. You don’t have to stop racing though - I don’t ‘train’ as such, just ride as much as I can, and race myself, then turn up at the races, give it my best shot and enjoy myself. Don’t take it too seriously and it’s a lot fun (which is the idea!)
This isn’t a throwing my toys out of the pram thing. Just a sensible decision. On lap 2 today the former last past person came past me and I thought “I really should make an effort to keep up, but can’t be arsed” in addition to an inexplicable power loss in my legs, of which the result was an average power over two laps at “tempo”.
Im 51, missing out on time with my kids and time spent at home. My wife spends all her time ferrying them about because im training for that ^^. It isn’t adding up.
