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The LocoBM team had a great time, thanks Berm 😀 , it'll be Tuesday before people feel a little more 'normal' and cheerful having given themselves such a beating I guess so any issues that they're mailing about probably seem alot worse than they would when reflected on towards the end of this week.
Having done a fair bit of supporting at various races and challenges I've seen this happen a fair few times and been subject to the odd loss of sence of humour myself! the guy that hit my wing mirror while really hard while parkled in north wales on the 'Hobbits tail challenge' sticks out in my mind 😯 😳 😀
The rain was the sort that could soak the inside of a sealed glass jar!
I noticed that - I was walking in the lake district and the wet got past all my goretex layers, even though the rain seemed less intense than previous times I have been up there.
I'd like to know how I was too close to you - I have passed loads of people to the right and left at the bottom of that descent over the past 10 years or so. You clearly have a skewed opinion as to what is 'close'. Those that know me will know I always say thank you when passing and try as much as is possible to keep out of the way. The fact I crashed had nothing to do with the fact i tried to pass there and everything to do with the fact that there was a stump hidden in the grass. On that note....I'd also line to know how you knew I was about to crash unless you have magic stump seeing eyes that can spot stumps hidden in the grass. If you do, please report immediately to your nearest university as I'm sure they'd love to study such a freakish mutation. Your total lack of any drop of compassion is disgusting.
Gee. Total lack of compassion? Presume you skipped the start of my post where I said "sorry to hear about your cracked shoulder"
So I think you were too close to me, you think you were not. you crashed, I then nearly ran over you, guess we are not going to agree on that are we nor on which one of us has the 'skewed opinion'?
The reason I thought you were going to crash was you were running out of space. Calling me a freakish mutation is a little bit childish really.
As I said before I was passed by many people that night but you were by far and away the most impatient.
Well I for one thoroughly enjoyed that,
Not to cold and hard as hell just like a UK endurance race should be... not to everyone's taste apparently jugging by the almost empty Solo pit area by 3am..and the fact I managed to placed 11th even though I had to bail at 6:30am due to not packing enough disk pads..
Berm,
We had a great time. The only thing that could have been better was the weather and that's clearly beyond your control! 😉 However, there's no such thing as bad weather just inappropriate clothing. 😀
If you and the other people involved in organising the event would like to do the same again for 2012 I for one would be very happy.
See you next year.
As has been said, what someone considers a safe pass someone else will think isn't - sadly other than using my judgement I am unable to tell someone else's opinion prior to overtaking them. Fact is, had there not been a hidden stump along that trail I doubt you would even have remembered the pass.
The joke about the mutation was as you said you knew I was going to crash. Next time you get that feeling please do let me know as it is a most useful ability to have.
GB
Best quote I heard at the transition area: "watch out for the toads"
(Enough about the passing).
Crashing and hurting yourself shows it was not safe.
Did you bother to read gees post or just wade in. The circumstances of the crash show nothing of the sort. It wasn't caused by the passing manoeuvre but by a [b]hidden[/b] stump.
If we took that attitude to it's illogical conclusion racing would be an orderly queue based on who lined up at the start first.
leader coming through
so you should get priority over other riders who will try and overtake later?
That's quite common, certainly for the first few riders in with a chance of a podium place. As someone who is usually lapped I like to know that the riders I'm potentially holding up are the ones for whom my staying out of the way might make a difference. So, yes, they do get priority.
As has been said, what someone considers a safe pass someone else will think isn't
If you're not comfortable being passed fast and close then, really, honestly, are you ready to be racing? Some of the team riders out there by 10pm when it was just starting to get sloppy were already way out of their depth to be even riding round that course, never mind trying to race. At least one person I waited patiently behind was sneery when we finally got to a section of wide enough track that I could get past his wobbling all over the place without risk of a collision.
"On your right"
"If you're fast enough" - in a right tone of voice.
That was a terrific event, We (Loco BM team) really enjoyed it, the course was terrific fun, great bomb holes, no climbing but good descents! The mud made it very interesting but it was all still rideable. Did I notice giant spiders stuck to glow sticks in some of the trees or was I hallucinating? brilliant weekend, brilliant event, thanks to everyone involved.
Can't someone have a moan about the deer? Blimmin wrecked my wheel it did. Wrecklessly crossing and getting so close it hit me - if it had the patience to wait we would both have been fine, but no, it had to just run out. Who can I sue?
Saw a small herd of deer in the early hours as well - tried to reason with them that one of them owed me for a new wheel but they just ran away - it's not right when animals don't face up to their actions.
With around 2-300 people on the course at any one time, a few are going to get upset, but the vast, vast majority are OK and may even enjoy it (at least until 3am when it got a bit miserable). If you're an organiser or a competitor, please don't get disheartened by any moaning, as these complaints are very few and far between considering the number of competitors and laps completed.
To those small number of people who do complain, you will be encouraging the organisers to use double width fire roads instead of twisty singletrack, as this removes risk from their event (and hence their liability). Suck it up, things happen.
This is always a tricky one.
Thetford's a good example of a hard place to pass - there are long sections where you have to work together to ensure the faster rider fets through safely. There are some areas, however, where it's really not on - there's simply not the space.
A few years back a 'racing-for-46th-place' guy tried to overtake. He'd taken some time to catch up, so I knew he was quicker than me, but not that much. We got to a bit where he simply couldn't get past, but 300m or so ahead there was a fire road. The familiar shout of 'RIIIDER' came, so I shouted back that I couldn't see where he was planning on going - there wasn't space.
I was told that I should pull over and let him through, and that if I didn't he was coming through anyway "and if I put you off, I put you off".
Unsurprisingly, I suddenly acquired the slowest and widest bike in the world. It took [i]aaaaages[/i] to get to the fireroad. It may seem childish, but the best memory I have of that sodden D2D was hearing the dickhead behind me completely lose all self-control. All sorts of threats were shouted, and at least two attempts to ride me off the path, which I repeat, was single bike width only.
On a serious note, I've never had a problem with the properly fast boys and girls, who in my experience are polite and respectful to a fault. So long as you realise that they're very unlikely to crash you out, just let them squeeze through where they think they can and hold your own line.
Can I just flag up that I did not actually organise or have anything to do with organising the eventas such. I do have connections in that direction, but it would not be right for me to take any credit for the work that Paul and his team did.
Oh man alive, Our MBRo35 teams reported hell at D2D. We did good, a first in womens solo and a second in womens team. 😀
From our site:
Si
Quotes of the day:
BBC weather: “It will be a mainly clear night with the chance of some patchy rain”
Most pointless thing taken:
My Tent: Put it up, took it down, didn’t set foot in it.
Possibly the most miserable I've ever been on a bike...
Finishing each lap soaked to the skin and fighting a desperate race to change clothes before the cold started to grip.
James
The horrid grinding, scraping sound coming from every pivot on every bike - and I thought Epping was bad for bikes.
Sarah
I was probably a bit hyper afterwards and didn't ask anyone how they were or congratulate anyone else, but I was still high on red bull and Monster energy, sorry. I was just so happy to win as it was so flipping hard. If that's what you have to do to win, well, is it worth it? Well, actually, it is a bit as that light I won is amazing Exposure Diablo, 990 lumens!
More here including a great summary report of the whoe event.
http://www.mbro35.co.uk/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=2&id=6038&Itemid=183
Some photos here: http://davefranciosy.zenfolio.com/p193143329
Have you tried looking for a rider dressed in black on a black bike in the dark?
That was a lot more fun than I thought it would be and am planning a solo effort next year.
As for overtaking I passed loads of people and everyone was really good about it, in fact I did feel a bit bad for some as they would completely pull over and stop which I thought was a bit unnecessary as I wasn't in that much of a hurry 🙂
Thanks to everyone who rode and made it a really pleasant atmosphere
Monday morn, Norfolk,sunny,breezy,and 21dg so far......
BB
The rain notwithstanding (I like the alternate name 'Wetford') we enjoyed this year and [b]thanks to everyone who put this on[/b]. I certainly preferred this (easier) less techy course to what we did in 09.
Two thoughts do spring to mind for next time.
1) Any scope for showers?
2) The Forest Centre could do with improving their road signage. We followed a couple of other cars trying to find the way out before discovering you come right round on yourself before leaving via a different exit.
Where are Joolze Dymonds photos done a search but to no avail, her pics give you a good insight on an event thought she went to this one every year!!!
Anyone
I think she was there, although I didn't see her.
There was a post on the Thetfordmtbracing forum from her, saying she'd be there.
I imagine she had the ridiculously bright flash set-up in the woods, unless that was Dave Franciosy....?
She can sometimes take a few days to get pics up.....
I saw a couple of tweets from Joolze saying the organisers had asked her not to go, no explanation as to why though...
[url= http://twitter.com/#!/Joolzephoto/status/122391437026406401 ]Tweet 1[/url]
[url= http://twitter.com/#!/Joolzephoto/status/122392227195518976 ]Tweet 2[/url]
That is strange!
Joozle photos are always great as Postierich said!
Maybe Rob Clayton then?
Whoever it was with the bright flash in the woods, I was looking forward to seeing those photos!
I assume they'd got a financial arrangement with whoever was takign and selling pics this year and didn't want Joolze doing the same without handing the organisers some money?
I wondered why her site has images from the CX rather than D2D.
Its a shame. Her photos always seem a cut above those who just seem to take a snap of every rider.
Oh bugger their loss just looked @ the other chaps photos and mmmmmmmmmmm.
Think the official photographer was Sussex Sports Photography as he was the one with the auto kit about half way round.
No photos up yet 😐
shame joolze's photos are way better than the hack they had this year shame it all boils down to back handers bar stewards
Wow I think i am finally awake enough to type, first off get well soon Gee hope you heal fast, and I cant believe they treated Joolze like that, sucks big time.
I managed one lap this year before it aggravated my already damaged shoulder and lower back, that I could have suffered through i think but the rain all over my glasses was too much as I could hardly see the course, I gave anyone passing plenty of room and cheered them on as they went past.
On the upside I shaved 15mins off my lap time from the last time i did one and that was in the dry.
I can honestly say I doubt I will race there next year or again in favor of other events pity as it is a fun course.
Just got back to sunny South Wales from D2D, great little event - every lap felt completely different to the last as the course bedded into a drifty muddy mess.
It was the most competitive event I've been to, started in the top 15 off the line, and wasn't overtaken until my last lap at about 6am - but we still finished 7th in the mixed teams!
I must say though, I felt overbiked at the start line - 120mm Spark, with a 11-34t cassette - when looking to my left and right there were 80mm hardtails with road cassettes as far as the eye could see!
The course held up very well until that final lap, the twisty corners were superb in the wet, the long fireroad sections were great tempo sessions, and the short power climb out of the second bomb-hole was tip-top, glad to have managed it every time.
The rain and mud really makes it an endurance ride, it's all about how much pain and suffering you can endure 😉
My only minor (sour grapes) gripe, would be the bundling of mixed teams of 3 and 4 into the same category - we were quick, but were always at a disadvantage - which we knew when entering, and am fine with 🙂 It'd be nice next year to have a separate category - the male and female teams have separate trios and quads; and with the mixed teams being so competitive I think it makes sense (7th out of 17 mixed, but would have been 8th out of 51 male trios).
Great weekend, well organised, friendly people about, and by far the quickest riders I've seen at an endurance race - we'll be back next year, and I'll be knocking out the tempos on the road bike in the weeks leading up as training.
Ricks
Much as I like Joolzes pics, I think it is a bit harsh to condemn the organisers for having a financial arrangement with a photographer. I don't suppose they're going to get rich putting on events like this, so why shouldn't they take a slice?
Firstly Gee - get well soon and heal up well.
Guilty as charged! I was a member of the HMF Pedal Power team who ended up second in mixed teams.when looking to my left and right there were 80mm hardtails with road cassettes as far as the eye could see!
Thankfully the bike kept working through the wee hours, except for snapping the saddle rails halfway round my third lap 🙁 standing for 5 miles while slogging through the mud sucked!
Overall it was hard, but a great treat on my birthday to be standing on the podium - you may have seen a rider with 'Birthday Boy' badges pinned to the back of a (mud covered) green and blue kit.
With regard to passing, I always tried to give a shout of 'Rider up' as I approached, followed by a 'On your left/right please'. And of course a thanks never goes amiss 😉
I don't suppose they're going to get rich
They aren't doing it for charity. Do the maths entry fee x entries paid = gross take, That isn't all going to be swallowed up in costs. It isn't the only event they do all year.
I'm not begrudging Paul and Frank earning a living but they aren't doing too badly out of it.
It's not a living though.
Doesn't really matter what they are making out of it, at the end of the day the value is what the majority are willing to pay and how much enjoyment they get from it, thereafter it's a case of post event feedback, publicity and word of mouth that will result in any event thriving or disappearing from the calendar.
On the basis of what I have seen and comparing Thetford events to most big running events, VFM is very high. The only running event that comes anywhere close to Pauls standards was (haven't done it for a few years) Plymouth Half Marathon, so as a now Mtb'er I feel pretty spoilt.
Strange but true.........
The MP3 player was set to 'shuffle' for the drive up. As we turned into the lane up to High Lodge it selected Ladyhawke's 'Dusk til Dawn'.
this pic sums it up for me
[url= http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/6237415025_d06cbdb337.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrmichaelwright/6237415025/ ]294452_10150851698415652_906225651_21053184_2058957993_n[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/mrmichaelwright/ ]mrmichaelwright[/url], on Flickr
great event, did my double lap at 3am and no one turned up to replace me so i correctly surmised that we had abandoned. shame as i thought it was great fun, it was truly horrific though, but in a good way. I was absolutely bowled over by the amount of grip my tioga black turtles gave, i had no problems at all with sliding although some of the damper and grass free climbs were a real drag.
Think the official photographer was Sussex Sports Photography as he was the one with the auto kit about half way round.
I was the person with the auto rig, though the rig was being a bit too auto (the rain "breaks" the beam and causes a mis-fire). There aren't as many auto pictures as in previous years, I made a major school boy error in setting up the flash pocket wizards. 😳
I wasn't the "official" photographer, I was merely one of several photographers out on the course.
Amazingly all of my camera gear still works!
My photos are here:
[url= http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=n8kzh6u ][b]D2D 2011 Photos[/b][/url]
If I'd known I looked that miserable I would have given up earlier!
If you thought the conditions were bad at 3am, you should have ridden from 6am onwards!
The quick draining sand/soil became very claggy, and very slippery. I loved the course until this point, the drifty berms were amazing, and the short power climb was always something to look forward to.
I went through 4 sets of pads, a chainring, cassette and chain. And I dont think my Spark will ever be the same again.
Needless to say.... I'll be back again next year for more punishment, there's a reason why it's an endurance race, whether you have to push your bike around the course or ride it balls-out, it's all about how much you can endure 🙂
I must be a lightweight then, I packed up at about 3:30.
Though, to be fair, I did then drive to London and photograph the London royal parks half marathon.
I did think at about 4am that I really wouldn't have wanted to be a photographer, the weather was awful.
Fair play to everyone, it was hard going - and I had a warm gazebo to pop back into as I was in a trio 🙂
If you thought the conditions were bad at 3am, you should have ridden from 6am onwards!
I particularly liked the two new lakes near the end of the course that I'd definitely have noticed if they'd been there earlier, seeing as they were ankle deep.
My 4am loop was my lowest point. Hard going in The Warren in particuliar and the wingeing climb about 9 miles. Early a climb but given the rest of the course...
Brilliant event tho. Back next year and, forgive me, but a little man keep hoping it rains a bit...
You would not believe how well some of the sections have recovered, it all adds to the feeling it was all a dream!
If anyone lost anything (other than 'will to live's' etc) please post on the TMtb forum -
http://www.thetfordmtbracing.com/forum/posting.php?mode=reply&f=8&t=452
My girlfriend's pictures of the event are here: http://s1086.photobucket.com/d2d11
If anyone would like a full size version of any of the pictures, then shout.