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The course that you are glad you didn't ride was classed as a world class course by world class riders - cant get much more praise than that.
Sign me up for the bus - I just want to get round before dark (and hopefully enjoy it). I somewhat foolishly decided to the charity thing (Air Ambulance), consequently i've told loads of people i'm doing it and i really [i]have[/i] to finish. Still it may turn out to be a pyschological advantage not to have the option of quitting...
On the subject of elevation i'm hoping it won't be [i]too[/i] bad - i did a 65km enduro up there earlier in the year (organised by the Kielder Trail Reavers) and the course was quite fast - think i finished in under three hours (winner was 2:40 or thereabouts). That included the trip across the border and some of the Newcastleton trails, there was a couple of decent climbs but nothing comparing to the monsters at the Selkirk Merida last month.
Pippa.
Can you tell us of any links to pictures from the event? I'm keen to learn more about the trail and how it flows. Is it Dalby-esque for example?
Also, what was your Selkirk time please.
Don't have any pics from that event but trails were as follows (from my glucose deprived memory):
- Kielder Deadwater - surface quite similar to Dalby, some nice singletrack - quite a new trail so wasn't probably completely bedded in. Big boardwalk section at the end - watch out for the last corner if wet (off camber)
- Newcastleton - surface more similar to Glentress (less hardcore - more packed down gravel) - flowed really well.
- Linking sections (cross border trail) - mostly fireroad, had been raining and couple of inches of gloop in places where forrestry had been taking place
Had a bit of a shocker at Selkirk - for some reason had nothing in the legs from about 20km onwards - think i may have had a bug (or maybe it was the beer the night before) - 6hrs.
I wimped out on the basis I couldn't do Selkirk twice but I suppose they won't have nearly 6000m of climbing in the Kielder one.
I've done long rides on the road and would say off road it's about twice as hard. 100miles on a road bike compares to 50 on a mountain bike in terms of how tired I feel.
I am going to wait till next year when I've got more long rides under my belt. Most of the rides I do with the club are 3-4hours and not very pushy so I think I will start to ride more on my own in preparation next year. Back in the days when I was a student I could quite comfortably do 8-9hour rides day after day but then I had 3 month summer holidays to build up to it.
If there's 6000m of climbing at Kielder i'll need something stronger that Torq bars... EPO anyone?
Have been interested in this but it's a five hour drive there and based on my races this year.....
Bristol 12 - 80 miles
MM 24 - 155 miles
Bontrager 12hr - 55 miles (stopped early)
and other rides I've done I don't think I'll make the cut off times - like a challenge but not if I'm doomed to fail from the start. Think it's a good idea for an event but need more on the course. Such as if don't make a cut off is the route back on the road or a shorter off road route and how far is it? If I hit the wall after 8 hours I don't fancy a couple of hours slog back.
Beer & rides - I can't do that either.
And then fast forward to the mess tent at Kielder, 21:00hrs, 05 Sept: could you honestly wear the T shirt or join in the banter around the tables and bar if you were Black-flagged (for you, zee race is over) at anything other than maybe the final cut-off point?
I only completed 11 laps at Bonty, but would hope to have managed 14-16 were I to have ridden solo and not mens pairs.
As you say, maybe 2010?
I really think a lot of you are anguishing over this a bit too much. Most of you sound like fairly fit individuals who are used to endurance events. Give it a go, there's really not going to be any shame in missing a cutoff in a 100 mile offroad race set at the end of summer. If you miss one so be it but you'll have tried and you'll be happy knowing what is coming if you enter in 2010.
The organisers need a full house (however many they have projected will make a succesful event) and if they've not got that already then it may not happen next year. I for one would like to see more of these events to be honest, they certainly appeal a lot more to me than 24 hour events do nowadays.
Like Samuri says, there's no shame at all in entering and not finishing. Even if you miss the first cutoff you'll have a decent ride. By entering this year, you'll b supporting this new event and showing that there's an appetite for 100 mile events in the UK.
It'll be reet, get entered.
ok, after a few weeks' being wet, i'm entered.
[silently wonders how many thousands of feet?]
[i]And then fast forward to the mess tent at Kielder, 21:00hrs, 05 Sept: could you honestly wear the T shirt or join in the banter around the tables and bar if you were Black-flagged (for you, zee race is over) at anything other than maybe the final cut-off point?[/i]
Yes. Stop being silly.
njee20 - come up and race up here some more. not all super-tech-fests. [url= http://www.sxc.org.uk ]SXC[/url] series features some cracking courses.
Maybe next year?
It's a 'round trip of about 650 miles from Watford &
I'd only compete if I felt I could complete.
I still have to do some 2-3 long rides to see if this is possible for me, else I'd be wasting my time & money on something that's at present beyond my cycling abilities.
I am not alone in feeling this way, judging by the various forums, it seems quite a few are looking for more information too, which I have no doubt will be available soon on their site and XC Racer.
Either way, it seems to be both a tantalising prospect and a real challenge.
ach, you'll be fine. 🙂
Looking forward to this.
Aiming for mid-table mediocrity as usual.
100 miles IS a long way though...
It is and yes, it's an awful long way for southerners to travel, but it's a good start. There's plenty of places down south where this sort of event could run but the first one is up North. If you can, make it, if it's too far then no problem. I'd really like these sorts of events to work right around the country and if this first one isn't manufactured perfectly that's fine by me, I'm happy to participate and help the momentum.
Sorry if you can't make it but lets hope it goes well and begins a country wide drive behind races like this.
Ti29er - go on do it!
Hi Pippa.
Today, I have, after a trip to the Doc's, been ordered up to Watford General for a Full Blood Count. My eye balls feel like racing greyhound's testicles and my tongue is an odd furry white & yellow. I can't even whistle!
I've spend most of the day falling asleep.
Don't feel much like doing much in the way of training, truth be known; bu**er!
Having spent 6 months in the place, I can say, any fire road climbing, should be easy because the roads have to be passable for 40+ tonnes timber wagons.
Any of the much lauded "new red trail" and older Deadwater stuff is surfaced in sandstone.
Oh and the woodwork corner mentioned earlier, there is a short cut that misses it out.
Don`t go looking for Flo though,shes retired
😉
There's a bit more info floating about now:
http://www.xcracer.com/content.php?pid=2628
http://www.sip-events.co.uk/kielder-riderinfo.html
"A detailed map of the course can now be found at Purple Mountain Bike Shop in Kielder and also in Newcastleton village centre"
If anyone gets a look at this, they could take a photo or two...
It's going to be hard not to stop for tea and cakes at 65 miles and probably even harder to get going again.
It's going to be hard not to stop for tea and cakes at 65 miles and probably even harder to get going again.
Why would you [i]not[/i] stop? 🙂
it's an awful long way for southerners to travel
It's an awful long way for some of the Northerners too... 6hrs for me.
I'm just hoping to make the cutoffs and finish the distance.
I'm a bit concerned as i'm on the entry list twice.
Hope that dosen't mean i have to complete the distance twice 😉
I'm a bit concerned that after two weeks in France doing nothing I am going to really struggle. Got a 50 mile ride on friday, and the same hopefully on sunday, wedding next weekend and then the race, GULP
I've got the opposite problem - did a 150km ride last week and now my knee is knackered - hoping it'll sort itself out with a bit of rest. Fingers crossed.
So has everyone compiled their basic kit list?
I think i may be rather overbiked on an orange 5... comfort should be good tho!
So has everyone compiled their basic kit list?
I'll be on my rusty Inbred.
[url= http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2487/3726380026_8910a009df_d.jp g" target="_blank">
32:17, 2.2" Mtn Kings, Mary bars. Two water bottles for drink and seatpack for tools and tubes. Snacky food (Jelly Squirms and broken up Geobars) in jersey pockets if it's dry, or the tri bag if it's wet.
Aplkit Gourdon 20 on my back with waterproof and a warm top, plus (GPS) phone and spare food.
Details of (lack of) training on [url= http://mactually.co.uk/ ]mactually.co.uk/[/url]. Just aiming to finish.
Sod it!
Booked in (& I'm sober). What have I done?
Still not sure which of the two bikes.
OnOne Ti29er HT or Turner Flux (4 inches of full sus' )
I am quicker on the 29er, especially on fast trails and any linking sections, but 12+hrs..... maybe a softer ride on a full sus' might be wise.
This is what I rode on the Summer Polaris, and since we're carrying "stuff" on our bikes, but more importantly on our backs, I am in a quandry!
i'm there. riding it with jojo (anyone say follow the white rabbit?)
carbon scott scale ht,. 100mm forks. will be reet.
not very fit of late (glandular fever!), but done well in marathons when i last raced them. and 10 under etc 10 laps is doable. which is about 100 mile. in 10 hours! so should be reet for this 😀
although there may be some climbing in northumberland. i doubt it will have 5/6000 m as said. expect 3000/4000m for the whole thing...
Snap Oli, I will be on my carbon scale too.
See you there. Recovering from 10 more at moray where I did 129 miles in 10 hours 30 or sumthing. So under 10 hours should be doable.
Oli... just bumped into Sharki in town and he mentioned you and jojo were doing it. Well... Im guessing its you anyway! Would be random for there to be 2 lots of you.
I'll be on a white Five, not a clue how fit I am for it at the moment tho.
Will be fairly obvious in my pink team kit jersey.
Is anyone else staying at the Grapes as suggested?
the grapes? whats that then?
we will probably be camping (wherever the campsite is)
Grapes is one of the recommended hotels on the list. Fancied a bit of comfort before the race!
i see!!
well my tent/kit mat/sleeping bag are as comfy as any bed i've been in. so i'm happy 8)
Ill probably get some shabby old bed now! Bit of a journey from down south, thats the bit im not looking forward to!
I made the most of the one and only chance I get to sleep in my own bed before and after a race for 10 More. Sadly, it's a sleeping bag and kit mat that are not as good as Oli's at Kielder for me. 🙁
Ill think of you lot under the stars in my room for 4! Seems ive got a twin with bunkbeds or something silly like that!
all going empty ?
i see a plan forming...
Certainly can.... think i see that plan too
Trying to mix training and summer holidays is tricky!
I've seen the map - just a load of squiggles on the forestry but it doesn't go to the top of Deadwater Fell. I might pop up on weds and see if I can get a picture of it.
I'm going for a finish!
One thing that would be really useful, and I know that 6.5hrs into the ride there's a cut off point, Point 1, but it'd be really useful to have some indication prior to this, say at the 4.5hr mark, just what the pace & distance covered might be for the tail-end-charlies like me.
This would perhaps make sure we get the opportunity to pick up the pace (read: give us a kick up the rear-end) so as not to be black-flagged at the 6.5hr point.
I'd hate to choose a pace that saw me headed home simply because I'd judged it badly but still had plenty of miles left in my legs, saved for the possibility / probability of 12hrs in the saddle.
Surely that's part of the skill required to do well/win. YOu won't know until you've tried one and you'll learn for the next one? EG, my first, and only so far, attempt at a solo 24 and I went whatever the female equivalent of 'balls out' is from the start and wound up at 3 am, 45 mins and 1 lap in the lead totally burnt out and blown up and chucked it in. I'll know to start slower next time.... I think 🙂
jojo.
Yours is a self-defeating argument!
Who said I wanted to do well or win?
I said "tail-end-charlies like me".
I'm not interested in learning for the next one, if travelling 2 whole days in the car results in 6.5hrs on a bike, that's not a lesson I wish to take.
No, a simple reference point to give us all some indication would cost nothing, could be mentioned on the briefing or indicated on the map, and we'd all know the minimum that's required to better manage this inaugrial event. The clue here is in the prefix to "event", since so few of really knows what's in store for us.
Maybe go and ride a hundred miles as fast as you can and take a note of the start and finish time and then decide if you're fast enough to enter next year?...
I'm being flippant, I apologise. But I don't understand all the soul searching that's going on about this event. Will there be too many hills?, will I have to carry too much stuff?, which bike? Which tyres?
I'll be taking two days of work to get down and back. Driving 6 hours each way, paying for the petrol, food, camping etc, arranging child care for 4 days and I have no idea if I will be out at the first cut off or not. I just want to see if I can do it and support a new to this country and different kind of event. If I don't do the full course, and I've not had enough riding, I can go ride the other trails at Kielder. Life would be rubbish if we all knew what was in store.