It’s only three weeks until my local league starts again, is anyone racing this year and if so, which league?
I’m looking at doing a few of the Central League rounds despite my comical lack of fitness. Anyone else?
Hoping to be supporting and marshalling the first round of the Notts & Derby league. Currently struggling to get enough volunteers though
I'll be trying my luck in the NWCCA vet 40's again this year, can't wait to get started.
@morecashthandash Suggest that Notts and Derby League are required to volunteer at an event in order to be eligible for the league at the end of the season? That's what we do in the North West.
First two rounds of Scottish CX coming up. First one (Muir of Ord) is a bit of a trek but am combining with a gravel event the day before.
Second one is Lochore. Much more local to me and a course I like (mostly flat 😎).
Will see how I'm doing after that, I don't feel I've done enough strengthening so could end up hurting my back/hip again, and racing a singlespeed could exacerbate things!
I’ll be singlespeeding as well for the Central rounds I do.
At least if I’m riding singlespeed it’s not too embarrassing when I get left behind by the rest of the field 😂
Next question is how on earth do you get CX fit in the space of six weeks?!
Suggest that Notts and Derby League are required to volunteer at an event in order to be eligible for the league at the end of the season? That’s what we do in the North West.
They do, I think. The organisers are hoping that the usual volunteer suspects are away on holiday
I'll be doing some of both North East leagues (NECCL and CXNE). But I'm away for some so don't think I'll finish either league which is annoying. Think the first ones are at the start of September so I've got quite the switch from mtb marathon to cx to make in not much time.
The NDCXL rule is that for your club to get reduced entry to the league, you have to put a race on or actively support someone else's if you're a small team/club. The onus is then on the club organising to encourage their riders to marshal rather than race at their club round.
Timely. I’m very tempted-been 4-5yrs since my last race and family duties have clashed with evening series run near me. But I’m starting to get an itch to race again and hoping stars can align for me to do a few of the Wessex league too, with the aim of getting lapped as few times as possible.
The NDCXL rule is that for your club to get reduced entry to the league, you have to put a race on or actively support someone else’s if you’re a small team/club. The onus is then on the club organising to encourage their riders to marshal rather than race at their club round.
2 races and 400+ members, we usually pull it out the bag.....
Just a few for me in the NW this year I think - kinda had a year off, but should show up for some pain as it's my last year of V40. Daughter will be racing so hope to be at most of the races.
Last year of NW vet 40 for me as well gl.
Can't be any worse than last year..... stressful house move cocked things up and left us frazzled so only ended up doing 2 races.
How do we think racing in with the juniors / seniors will go? Do we have to do an extra 10 minutes 😀
Next question is how on earth do you get CX fit in the space of six weeks?
6 weeks? Luxury 😄. Emergency gym work and turbo-ing here ahead of Wessex League kick off at the beginning of September.
Central league for the win !. Not exactly racing - but taking part in an attempt to stave of the inevitable creepings of age, one more year and into the 60+ category.
Any race in which I don't die is a success.
Took a OTB handlebar to the groin at MK summer cross on Weds night though that hast left a lasting impression.
Took a OTB handlebar to the groin at MK summer cross on Weds night though that hast left a lasting impression.
Ooof, that's gonna smart a bit.
I had to miss all the summer series as I was working for every race. Gutted!
Week one of my cross specific training done and dusted, basically dialling in my outdoor sessions at the local football pitches.
Session 1: Practice starts - full gas sprint to first corner (approx 15s) then hold on for the rest of a lap comprising grassy straights and off-camber slaloms finishing with a token dismount and hurdle. Managed 6 of these...
Session 2: VO2 max, two laps of a slightly longer variation on the same course, but making the grassy slaloms a bit easier so I can maintain the effort through them. 4 and a half minute efforts, 2 minutes or so recovery making myself dizzy doing slow speed figure of eights under the rugby posts, then repeat. Managed 4 of these but hopefully can add one a week.
Conditions are too dry to be much use for technique, I guess I could just push faster into the corners, but I might try a sort of micro-intervals session sprinting up and down in between 180 degree hairpins, don't think the pitches are long enough for full gas 30s sprints though! 😁
Kudos to the local kids playing on the five-aside pitches, they either respect a fellow athlete in training, or are just too disturbed by the display of wheezy amateur-ness. Either way, no audible abuse 😎
I'm busy gathering willing marshalling volunteers for the 1st round of the Yorkshire league on the 11th September and then straight after off to the outer Hebrides for a fortnights walking and a bit of running so dread to think what my 1st race performance will be like!
Had a quick look at the parkland that we use at the weekend and my best advice is not to bin it as the ground is like concrete here in East Yorks and very little rain forecast!
wessex here - v50
"recovering" from COVID or at least taking things easy so as not to bugger myself up. I'm missing race 1 (going to Val di Sole 🥳) but then should be into it, probably slower then ever
@13thfloormonk have you ever raced Irvine Beach? Looks like its back to the original track, which is probably one of the most fun tracks I've raced. Think Callendar Park but all the grassy bits drain really well and theres a long straight in deep sand. Very MTBer background friendly, but maybe a bit far to be appealing for you?
but maybe a bit far to be appealing for you?
Yeah sadly, also think it clashes with something else ☹️
Provisional calendar for me is Muir of Ord, Lochore, big gap to Camperdown, maybe Kinneil, Fife College, hopefully a test event at Starthallen before Christmas (is local to me) then hopefully a couple after Christmas in the lead up to Strathallen proper.
Remind me, did you race in a blue and white checked Dunfermline top? Trying to remember who the STW competition is 😉
Nah, RCCK so red and black. Formerly Legend on here before getting fed up with strangely butt-hurt people and changing my username 🙂 Think the last time we saw each other I was dropping you at Callendar* 😉 We wont talk about what you did to me at Lochore previously . . .
*still upset that this has turned into a National again
Think the last time we saw each other I was dropping you at Callendar* 😉 We wont talk about what you did to me at Lochore previously . . .
Haha, OK, I think I had the right person, wrong colour top 😎
Yeah am a bit gutted about Callendar, I sort of feel I should pay for all the various memberships and licenses, sign up and get spanked just to show support for the organisers, but it's a lot of money for possibly just three laps 🙄
My thoughts exactly. Making up the numbers at a regional event is bad enough, not even getting to do the full race is a no-go for me too. Hopefully Rouken Glen (Super Quaich) makes a comeback this year, that was a pretty similar race
I won't be racing but will be on the ground at plenty of events in some capacity or other. I'm part of the officials team for three Trophies and the National Champs.
Hopefully Rouken Glen (Super Quaich) makes a comeback this year, that was a pretty similar race
Have high hopes for the Superquaichs, Battle of the Bing in particular, think it was my best ever result.
I might have a dabble at some point this year, but more than likely towards the back end of autumn and into winter. Having COVID for the 2nd time 2 weeks ago ain't ideal preparation for thrashing myself half to death round a selection of parks in the North West, so I'll spend most of September and October building back up before going for it later in the year.
So cross is here. How’s everyone getting on?
I’ve managed a couple of local evening races so far and as expected found myself languishing at the back of the field with legs and lungs on fire.
Race 1-stacked it last lap on a simple bend. Still no idea how; sniper squirrel.
Race 2-managed to hook my shorts on saddle trying to dismount, which sent me into a bush.
Really wouldn’t think I’ve been cycling all my life-amazing how difficult simple things are when you’re knackered,
Got my first Wessex league race tomorrow which should be another humbling experience, but I’m enjoying the challenge.
So far so mediocre. Finished 10th at Horwich in the NWCCA league. We're last race of the day with the seniors and it's 10-15 mins longer than previous seasons in the vets so it's a bit tougher! It was like a bloody crit race as the ground was so dry! No racing this weekend as it's been postponed, next is in a couple of weeks.
Round 1 in Wales is on Sunday. Everywhere is still so dry that I'm wondering whether I need to take my semi-slicks off and put better tyres on. It's a grassy course around playing fields, and I can't remember anything problematic about it at all. If I leave the current tyres on, guess what the weather will be like at 1.30 on Sunday afternoon. 😀
Race 2-managed to hook my shorts on saddle trying to dismount, which sent me into a bush.
Really wouldn’t think I’ve been cycling all my life-amazing how difficult simple things are when you’re knackered,
I did that riding into the warehouse in work a few weeks ago! Almost straight into a pile of boxes.
First race in three years on Sunday.
Went pretty well all things considered, straight back to my usual mid-pack performance 😎
A very flat grassy course with a decent sized pump track and lots of flat grassy corners. I was cornering quite smoothly and even managed a very satisfying undertake on one corner (to later be fairly effortlessly dropped by the same guy).
Otherwise unspectacular. Racing singlespeed which could still go either way, 32:16 was perfect for this course and possibly next week's, but anything hilly or claggy mud might kill me
Round 1 of the Notts and Derby league seemed to go well on Saturday at Shipley Park.
Course set up began at 5.30 Saturday morning. With hindsight, I'd have worn more layers and taken a headtorch for that. And then suncream and a hat when I marshalled through till about 12.30.
Lovely mobile coffee van on site, awesome picnic lunches provided for all the helpers, much cake sold on the charity stall.
Kids races were great. Star was a friends 4 year old granddaughter who went round very smoothly on her bog standard "girls" bike wearing a flowery dress. Next age group up had a lot of "on your right....thank you" moments which I thought was terrific to see. Youths were a bit more ruthless, but in all races the committed and the "there for the hell of it" co-existed quite happily. I got thanked by a couple of riders for cheering them on, one of the things I like best about matshalling.
Nipped over yesterday morning for my own little lap. I could bimble round the whole course as it was bone dry, but no way would I want to race cross 🤣
Had a go at Wessex league Swindon round on Sunday (vets 40+) lots of grassy corners in sunny weather. Zero prep, piss poor result, still had a good time, may well sign up for a few more this year...
Three rounds in to the Swindon Night Cross at Supermarine, with fourth round this week. Second round was awful, zero grip so I massively overcompensated with new wheels and 38mm full wet tubeless. Third round was great fun - getting dark at the start now.
Aiming for top ten vet, not through talent, but sheer consistency of turning up every week...
The world cup event pencilled in for London this season is now not happening - It has been switched to Dublin on 11 Dec.
So still pretty close for anyone who fancied going to watch.
D'oh. I had briefly considered making a weekend of it, but that's Fife College that weekend, possibly my best result to date so can't miss it 😎
I managed to have a slight off on the way home last night - gravelly, steep turn down where I lost the front wheel - and bent my right hand back on itself. It's not broken, I think, but it's not happy! Perfect preparation, three days before my first race in 3 years! I'm watching it change colour as we speak. 😀
My wee man did his first one last weekend. He loved it, and wants to do more.
K
Yes I am racing in the West Midlands league. Last weekends race was held on a motor cross circuit near Bridgnorth ! Very dry and dusty and very bumpy so not like most flat courses. Most throughly enjoyed and kudos to the course layout incorporating a spiral of doom.
And we had the rainbow stripes on show in the Ladies race.
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13th in V50 for me yesterday in the Welsh series - just into the top half of the field, which is fine. I had a pretty slow start. I don't think my body had worked out that it wasn't commuting, and that it needed to work hard. The course was bone dry, and had nowhere that needed a dismount. I assume that the organisers were expecting that the bank at the bottom of the course would be too slippery to ride up and down 4 times, but it was just about doable with lots of grunting and swearing!
I'm not expecting rd3, the next one I can get to, to be as dry. 😀 It was good to be back and see old friends.
Looked like a cracking course, bit gutted to have missed it. I need to find a way to get fit before rnd 3 (also missing Foxley) - think I’ll end up pottering round at the back!
Looked like a cracking course, bit gutted to have missed it. I need to find a way to get fit before rnd 3 (also missing Foxley) – think I’ll end up pottering round at the back!
I doubt that very much! 😀
I haven’t ridden my bike in months apart from popping down to Singleton a couple of times to plot the course there. I’m most worried about getting carried away and then blowing up spectacularly after 2 laps 😂😂
I raced Wessex League at Foxhill yesterday. Fantastic course but really showed up my lack of skills and fitness. I was pretty much last place 🤣. I think two more races and I’ll take a break till later in season to work on myself a bit.
I don’t generally think I’m that bad a rider but really seem to be struggling at cross with the constant changes in pace. And anytime I have to hop off and run sends my heart rate through the roof and I find it impossible to recover. Still enjoying it though and hoping we get some rain to mix it up a bit.
Well that was fun whilst it lasted! Having survived 6 MTB XC races, and 4 night cross races this year it was all looking so good.
On a gentle road bike bimble I hit a trench of subsided road and got spat off quite rapidly. I've never screamed and swore so loudly, but got back on and attempted to ride home. Didn't make it.
Wife picked me up, took one look at me, and took me straight to hospital.
After 6 hours (4 X-Rays, 1 CT scan, 3 meltdowns (all mine)) its clear why I screamed so loudly. 5 Broken ribs (flail breaks), broken nose, and fractured pelvis (sounded like acid tablet, but I think this isn't quite correct). No more cross racing this year for me!
2 nights in hospital, now home for long slow recovery.
I can't decide. I was thinking that I would give up CX. Given up the idea of doing 3pcx because I had a place this year (through marshalling) but health problems meant that I had to give up training. Looks like marshalling won't earn a place anymore so I guess I will never get to do it. This was the only reason I was doing CX, don't really like travelling for such short events.
But, if I don't do any CX, then what is the point of doing any serious training. What else could I do competitively?
I was thinking that I would do Macclesfield Supacross annually but now I just realised that it is early this year and actually this weekend!
I'm also toying with selling my CX and getting a lovely gravel bike.
So, dunno! 🙂
