It was a great event, despite a bitterly cold night for camping and a lot of wind on the tops!
Contrary to my expectations, I managed the 60km route, just getting through the time cut off at 52 km, followed closely by the man collecting up all the signs on a quad bike 🙂
My back was killing me after miles of riding up steep hills on grass into headwinds but I'll definitely be doing another one.
Yeah, I did the 45k, surprised there wasn't a thread on here before as there were 750 entrants across all distances.
Was bloody windy on the top of the hills, and a few tough climbs, almost 3000ft over the 45k. Chuffed to be in the top half of finishers on the middle distance, overall and in category, once I'd filtered and sorted the rider times spreadsheet............
Route was reasonable, I'm just not a huge fan of trying to ride fast on hill rides for long, very hard going unless it's bone dry, and the fast descents are just a case of hanging on, on a hardtail, some bits were like washboard. The off camber narrow sheep tracks were tough too, but at least presented a more technical challenge. As usual with this type of event there were sooo many fit riders, full lycra team/club wear, carbon xc bike, rapid on the ups and flat, braking like hell on the downs, then cocking any technical feature or climb up and causing a log jam, or everyone to have to push. But it comes with the territory.......
Overall pretty good event, next round at Rhayader will be better.
Yes i did the 45k as well. Didnt find it too bad, thought the course was more about the climing than the downhilling.
Well done for doing 65k in that wind.
Is this the one that used to be called the Kona 100 back in the day?
I still get occasional flashbacks to the muddy hell that was the 2002 Kona 100. 6 hrs 40-odd minutes of slogging along gravelled military roads and thick cloying mud singletrack with semi frozen banana chunks and over diluted energy drink for sustenance.
Add a self loosening rear hub from halfway round and a friends insistence on wearing tartan Lycra and seeming to always be in view, it was the mtb version of water boarding.
Hopefully your experience was better!
Yeah I did the 40km night one and then the 65km day one, came in at 2646m or 8681ft in old money for the combined effort.
Narrowly missed top 10 in category on the night ride and top 50 in category on the day one.
The course was much improved over last year with more technical bits, it was also considerably less windy than last year.
Funnily enough I don't recall getting stuck behind any lycra clad riders on the techy bits, funny that.
Bring on Rhayader on 22nd May.
Yes i did it, good course and weather. Cracking start to the series, a friend worked out that i came 68th out of 268 in the half marathon category which i am pleased with.
Have booked all the events and looking forward to Rhayader.
I think it is a great series and would recommend them to anyone, this is my 6th year doing them.
Ha ha, Matt Bee. I did that one too, you've taken me right back!
Matt
Yep Mattbee I was there and a very similar experience! But a slightly longer one! 😳
Yes, did the 65 for the first time (previously did the half distance).
I couldn't work out why it was so tough. I found the cambered sheep trail really frustrating (had flats rather than clips due to foot injury and kept catching my inside pedal).
Also fell three times in the mud! =D
Last feed was a bit oddly placed. I stuffed myself with fig rolls and jelly babies for the final push, only to find it was pretty much flat road all the way home with one forest road ascent.
Great event as usual though. Gutted the next one falls on the same day as Velathon Wales...
Although I had the slowest time for the full route, there were 60 DNFs plus another 57 who started the 65 but actually only did 45K, so I feel a bit less embassed 😀
I did the 40km night ride the night before but had to leave Sunday so missed the 65km. I thought the night ride was spot on - much nicer route than I remember from 2007 (when I last did it). Was on the SS and rode with a friend so not breaking any records but enjoyed every minute. Will see you all at Rhayadar where I'm doing the full marathon - I will be the one struggling on the Niner SS. do say hi as you fly past (lycra clad on your carbon superbikes)