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I entered this ages ago as my first race!
Any pointers....
Get some good lights and take lots of warm clothes. Are you racing solo?
Yeh, what Rich said. If it's like last year the course will actually be fun!!
Entered Solo but managed to talk somebdy else do it so now a pair
Pairs is harder than Solo as half the time you are freezing, with your muscles getting stiff. Its great fun your love it ๐
Whats the set up like, take a tent? Gazebo, chairs? etc.
Yes take them all. Tent by the car gazebo and chairs by the course. And a patio heater if you can borrow one!
I know it's spoonfeeding but any chance of a must take list:?
Tent?
GayZebra?
Chairs?
Patio Heater?
Bike?
Did it as a pair a few years ago and it's certainly harder than solo. You come back from blasting around the course all sweaty and then the chill hits you, best to get have a few changes of clothing and something to warm wrap yourself up in while you are waiting.
Take anything to make you comfy whilst you wait to go out again - clothes food heat if you can and chat to others - it will be a blast - this year the arena area is High Lodge so a bit of comfort and possibly more spectators. ๐
A great event - you'll enjoy it, even though this year its gone soft with proper toilets and a cafe.
I'll be there with a bucketful of banana flapjack if you're passing.
The course is very good. I enjoyed it when we all rode it last month. High Lodge will be a better base as well.
I haven't found a partner or team so will be there to watch the start again ๐ฅ
Check out the Thetford MTB forum for latest updates. Exposure is sponsoring the event with their lights this year.
Done it twice, both as teams but never solo/pairs.
If I did any race like it again I would definitely take every piece of cycle clothing you've got. The two years I did it were luckily dry so we didn't get drenched. Even so sitting around waiting for your next lap in sweaty kit not pleasant. Nice dry clothes at the start of every lap were great.
As already said above, warm clothes for between laps.
In general I'd take anything you'd take if you were going camping: tent, inflatable matress, ear plugs, (to block the drone of generators/snoring), gazebo, beer, stove to make hot drinks, camping chairs, lighting so you can see the hot drink your making, bog roll, cold box for food, hip flask, bin bags.
And if you have it, everything you'd take if you were off on a riding trip. Bike, workstand, tools, spares, track pump, bucket and sponge (to wash bike if muddy between laps)
No idea if there water available at High lodge, but we always had big containers of water as there was no water on site in May Day arena. Info such as this should be on the web site which is usually pretty good.
Also there's a Tesco about 10 mins drive from the site, so there's always chance to stock up on last minute food supplies on the day.
There'll be water and a bike wash at Highlodge so I am told. No mountains though, so obviously meets with the derision of 50% of STWers, despite it being great fun and bloody hard work. Prepare yourself for "Thetford back" with a bit of cross training before hand if you get the chance.
All the above is good advice. Doing it this yr as a pair as one of our normal triple is soloing.
Main things for me are keep warm, fed & watered. Plenty of dry riding kit is a good idea if the weather's looking iffy.
The atmosphere at last yrs was great!
Riding Solo this year so will see you all there, it's a great event and always a laugh. Though i do wish they would but themselves a new CD to play, sure it's the same one every time, after the summer series, winter series and now having to listen to it every lap over 12 hours i fear for my sanity.
i do wish they would buy themselves a new CD to play
Never a truer word! "I can't get no sleep" gets a smile the first time you hear it, but the irony wears a little thin after the 17 billionth play of the weekend.