[Closed] Pippingford Park

I did the southern east regional champs there a couple of weeks ago (admittedly it was 29 deg) but it was dry and dusty, with some cracking singletrack. I guess your course will be different, but ours was pretty hilly, really good in fact, one of the best courses I’ve raced on for ages…

How much rain has there been down there? Quite a bit I think, no?

Forecast is wet for next week. There's a YouTube vid of the 2018 xc Tri which gives you a good idea of the course.

What BigDaddy said, lovely riding.

The Vittoria Marathon is there in just over a week, I'm looking forward to it, although quite nervous as this is the first race I'm bring my A game to, after Training specifically for long-distance since last November. There I said it....

I’m looking forward to it, although quite nervous as this is the first race I’m bring my A game to

I'm bringing beer if you want one the night before!!

I’m bringing beer if you want one the night before!!

Is their camping arrangements? I can’t see anything on the site….

I live just down the road from there, it's been wet, very wet. I go running not far from Pippingford and there was a lot of standing water a few days a go.

I'm also riding the Vittoria marathon, I won't be fitting my faster race tyres that's for sure!

The Vittoria Marathon is there in just over a week

My triathlon is the day before that 🙂

Is it going to be greasy slop, or sandy grit or what? I'm usually on Rocket Rons.

Is it going to be greasy slop, or sandy grit or what?

Helpfully, probably both. The forest heathland is quite sandy and can drain well, in the open areas it's likely to be gritty, however under the trees it can be greasy slop and there will be wet slidy roots as well almost certainly.

Sounds like standard southern XC type terrain then.

Rons will be fine I reckon. I did the really wet southern xc a few years ago there and ran a pair of barzos and they were mostly fine.

Who's there on Sunday then? I'm in the 50km option with a load of mates that normally race the Brighton Big Dog together. It's our replacement event this year!

I've never ridden Pippingford before - despite it being local to me. Couple of questions -

How technical is the terrain? Hardtail or Short travel FS?

Assume there will be a feed station area where you can leave additional bottles?

Any other tips?

Thanks!

Bit of info:

How technical is the terrain? Hardtail or Short travel FS?

It's been a good few years since i last rode there but i don't believe the terrain is particularly technical, that said they could build more technical features on the trails.

I'll be riding short travel 29er hardtail, largely because it's the only mountain bike i have, but it's what i'd probably choose anyway.

I'm doing 3 laps I think it is, you can camp from night before

Thanks for the link Mrlebowski.

I'm considering camping now, rather than a 6am drive from home on Sunday which gives me a course pre-ride and lap time judgement also. But am tossing up a good nights sleep & 5am alarm vs being there Saturday afternoon.

I'm in for the 72km and taking a Scott Spark, because thats what I have! My understanding is that the course crosses the area twice so all good for a feed zone.

Thanks for the link Mrlebowski.

👍

Email wit details has come through, they have asked if camping to fill in a form online, link in email

Done! thanks for the heads up.

There's 239 riders for the big one with some pretty handy riders entered.

I’m considering camping now

I'm getting a hotel for my event. Lots of airport hotels at Gatwick apparently in need of guests offering cheap rates it looks like.

I've got an Airbnb nearby. It's meant to be fun right & early starts are not my idea of fun!

I was thinking about a hotel but cleanliness paranoia pushed me back into my own tent & food, sign of the times...

But I forgot about shared portaloo's :/

some pretty handy riders entered

The nicest man in MTB aka Nick Craig..

And Ant White...

Basically anyone who'd enter a Scott Marathon and most of the SE XC crowd are in. Its going to be difficult to be in the top 30 I reckon, even a top 50 would be a decent ride I think.

I've received the race email, no gridding. I'm assuming they've scrapped it for Sunday? I'm only going around once on a jolly so maybe that's why .

Hmm...just looking at the entries and there's only 22 in the one lappers so that's possibly why there's no gridding. Anyway it should be a good day.

I'm on a real downer about this event now. I targeted it as an A race leading to the Exposure 24/12, but with the entries as is an 239 can't really judge on position/nemesis so have to rely only on performance data. Then although its not certain are there really going to be 239 people racing in a melee to the single track entry to bottom of the climb from the off? It doesn't have the 5km neutralised lead in of the Scott Marathons for everyone to sort their positions.

It'll be carnage, and I don't like wet camping etc moan moan....

So right now its just about how much power/time I have for 70KM and not much else.

race your race not somebody else's enjoy the opportunity you have & say thanks to those that are volunteering & hi those people you know & it'll be reet.

Being a marathon there'll be plenty of time to pass. Personally, I just want to finish & not die. However, having said that I'd like to do as well as I can. I think the first half lap could well be a bit of a melee particularly. Back in the day when I was doing Brass Monkeys & faster (I was getting top 10 places) I just went at my own pace the whole way through. Yeah, my lap times weren't uber fast in isolation but overall I was super consistent & just picked folks off as I went. I'm hoping for the same this time out.

However, I'm a lot slower than I was 10 odd years ago!

Sorry I didn't mean to sound ungrateful I'm just having a bad day, carbonfiend you are 100% correct.

I'll see you there 👍

Kryton.
It'll be rammed on the start straight then a slow procession up the first climb. There'll be a bit of a sort out on the next flat bit then a procession down the descent. After that It'll sort itself out and you'll have hours and hours to find your true place in the pack.
Go on finish position percentage if you want to judge yourself. Doesn't matter what the field size is then.
Most important is to ride well, enjoy the course and feel satisfied with your performance.

FYI

It’ll be carnage, and I don’t like wet camping

I got a hotel at Gatwick for £35, treat yourself.

FYI

FFS, I've just put a brand new Mezcal on the rear... having said that, 3-4 patches of mushy ground, pah! I rode a worn Mezcal in slippery mud and 2hrs of rain last week in a forest with a reputation from not draining well at all.

I've 2 rather knackered Barzo's on - what will be will be!

remember the good ol' days of spending hours trying to mount tubeless tyres with soapy water & a standard track pump - well is it just me or is that process now reversed 🤷‍♂️

Im looking forward to/ slightly nervous about this. Will be my first ever race (Ever. never even entered so much as a school race:)), and whilst I will not be anywhere near the front, I hope I manage to stay right side up and not come last.
Agonised over my tyre choice, ended up with mezcal/barzo combo.
The race couldn't come at a worse time fitness wise, but I'm going with a good bunch so fun will no doubt be had. Good luck all.

Carbonfiend that’s two of us. I remembered I had Gato 2 (Vittorias discontinued race mud/slippy tyre) on my spare wheels. 30 minutes to swap tyres I thought except the tape came up with the Mezcal. Cleaned, wiped with ipa, let dry, new Tesa tape…. But the air just pisses out the base of the valve. So I change valve, same thing. So I retape it. Same thing.

2hrs later the Wheel is currently sitting in the shed cleaned again and I’ll try once more later to tape it and leave overnight with a tube, whilst the bike current has the Gato 2 on my spare heavy wheel.

Never has this issue before, Ffs!

There's E.Coli in the lake so no swim tomorrow. I'm pissed off because I wouldn't have come this far and paid this much for a duathlon 🙁

That’s a bit of a sod - not the 1st time IIRC the lake being an issue?

Anyone know if there is any practising a lap allowed on Sunday morning?

I’m going to signing on at about 16.30 then heading out for a 1/2 lap at around 17.00 if anyone is around?

Anyone know if there is any practising a lap allowed on Sunday morning?

If you’re there early enough I don’t see why not?