I don't know where you are looking but there's about 1km of trackside left. I have an area marked of with my own tape as I've been on site creating the course for the last few days. I don't use official tape as it cost Martyn money. My area isn't massive, about 20m square but we have 4 teams rocking up today. I work hard to earn the privilege to set up slightly early and my friends appreciate it.
I don't take the mick, caravans being parked parallel to the track don't help, but please don't move any tape, be it official or not. There is plenty of space trackside left. Don't forget all that wet grass will be flat within a day.
Cheers
probably weeping in a bush whilst getting overtaken by unicyclists.
In my experience if you're not doing this at some point then you're not trying hard enough.
I don't know where you are looking but there's about 1km of trackside left. I have an area marked of with my own tape as I've been on site creating the course for the last few days. I don't use official tape as it cost Martyn money. My area isn't massive, about 20m square but we have 4 teams rocking up today. I work hard to earn the privilege to set up slightly early and my friends appreciate it.
I don't take the mick, caravans being parked parallel to the track don't help, but please don't move any tape, be it official or not. There is plenty of space trackside left. Don't forget all that wet grass will be flat within a day.
This.
I won't be turning up until tomorrow morning so will have whatever is left, but don't begrudge in the slightest those who have made the effort to get there early and pitch up. Wouldn't think of moving their tape and just invading their space.
Wow. This is some BAD weather. I don't think we can get the awning up in this wind let alone the bloody rain.
Ignore pictonroad, it's wet but not like THAT year. I remember having to sweep water out from under my tent in the morning!
Mrs Toast we'll keep an eye out for you and shout you on.
We decided on a 12hr team of 4 which includes a mum with a 5 month old, who will also be here.
Quite glad really!
Picton, are you on a different campsite or something? We had one heavy shower that lasted all of 15 mins, then just some drizzle, it's not that bad!
Practice lap was a bit sloppy this afternoon but not awful, there were still some dry bits in the trees!
Good stuff amedias
I was on the road., it cleared by the time we got here. Had a BBQ and a beer under the enormous tree. Feeling better now.
I am hungover, dancing in a kilt in the rain was worth it though!
Nice to see the NWAlps represented!
Bit damp today 😆
I AM FILLED WITH REGRET!
Over a five hour drive to get here, sitting in a tent expressing with a breast pump while it hammers down, knowing that riding through thick mud is not my strong point (I don't actually mind riding in the rain when the trails hold up, I'm a bit of a trail centre softie like that!).
Still going to try and get my two qualifying laps in though, I owe it to my son (who apparently slept through the night, although there's the possibility Mr Toast is lying to stop me from worrying! :P)
I'm not sure if you did a lap yesterday Mrs Toast but it wasn't actually that bad. The sections under the trees were still pretty dry in some places and no real thick mud.
Hopefully it'll be the same today!
If I see you on the way round I'll give you a shout 😀
The track was still perfectly rideable yesterday, if a little on the damp side. It's a pretty fun course up the top in the single track.
Just finished my first lap, just under three hours.
MY PODIUM AWAITS!
Was spotted whilst riding, I'm sure that I looked the epitome of athleticism!
My word it is wet.
Just binned it off after three laps. Conditions deteriorated quite a lot in that time. Fantastic course though and such a great atmosphere - miles better than Mayhem (my only comparative) IMHO.
was talking to a nice chap called Tony who was doing well before he hit a tree - if he's reading this hope you're ok.
I had to stop every ten minutes to wipe my glasses, couldn't see anything.
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Had to wash my drive train in the river, did half a lap on 30x11, still smiling though
This is why I have full mudguards in winter rac s!!
DrP
DrP, I've got full mud guards and a fender thing on my fork.
It made a little difference to back splatter, but not sure it helped anywhere else.
2 laps and I was a grim mess...!
3 hours to go before I start my race.
Dozing whilst listening to the Celtic street cow bell.
Currently not raining, my ancient Vango force 10 is bone dry and toasty warm, my only worries are a drunken daft bet I'm about to lose (challenged a decent rider to a lap contest) getting mud in my eye (wearing contacts).
Looking forward to it.
Called it a day after the second lap, I came off a couple of times and got horrendous cramping several times (thanks to Catastic and the other chap who came to my aid and waved my legs about!)
I've had an awesome time though - a load of the course is amazing even in this weather, it would have been legendary in the dry! I'd prefer to do this in the wet than Mayhem in the dry, and I enjoyed it even more than Sleepless in the Saddle.
And everyone was incredibly polite and friendly, lots of encouragement (and help when I binned it on Cottage Return due to my poor line choice!). And lots of random chatting too.
Just a shame about the weather, there were only seven in my category and a bunch didn't sign on!
Just waiting to give the 12 hour finishers their beer....not sure there'll be many, rain is biblical atm
You'll have to drink the unclaimed ones yourself! 🙂
Felt really sorry for the torch bearers who have just started. Still, due to stop raining in 3 hours 🙂
That was insane. I don't think I've been outside in weather like that, let alone raced a bike for 12 hours. The track was like nothing I've seen. At times the mud was rolling downhill in avalanches.
Stuck out til midnight, 'think' I did 10 laps, lost count, rode the last 3 hours without a front brake and it was getting too dangerous. I resisted the urge to do the extra post 12am lap. I've had enough.
Guys are doing sterling work keeping the showers functional.
There really is no way to adequately describe to someone how bad it is out there right now. I counted heavy sheeting rain for 8 of the 12 hours, light rain for 3.5 and 30 minutes dry.
I can still see the lights of the proper 24hr maniacs going round from my bed. Chapeau doesn't quite cover it.
I won't be doing that again. 😯
(Cheers for the beer rocketdog)
This is why I have full mudguards in winter rac s!!DrP
It would have been marginally better but this is way beyond mudguards...
You know I said it wouldn't be biblical.... I'm sorry.
Just completed my 12hrs with an enforced 3hr break due to losing my back brake completely half way down cottage return. Front brake braking is not fun in this.
Pictonroad was that you I was talking to about better to lose front than rear ..riding through the tented area?
Sorted it after 3hrs. Id already git changed, but after another tinker managed to get a bit power so went back out in fresh kit.
Course was completely different once it was really wet. I enjoyed that last 4 hours..until the brake went again and then the gears, then snapped my chain...
Still had fun, still finished and got my beer. Think I did 9 laps in the 9 hours I was riding. -54-59 mins usually.
You know I said it wouldn't be biblical.... I'm sorry.
😆
The one advantage of doing Mayhem 2012 was just being able to shrug and say, "Meh, seen worse!"
I'm really chuffed with myself for doing two laps, which sounds a bit pathetic (OK, so it is...), but given it took me 2 3/4 hours/over 3 hours per lap, was still a lot of effort! 😆
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Seen this thing in the sky, can anyone ID it for me?
Fair play to all of you.
I live a few hundred metres up the road from Newnham and spent the night just listening to the rain lashing down.
This morning I went to drive down the road to get into the park and there's a massive tree down blocking the road - I guess that tells you how bad the weather was.
All credit to all of you.
I was entered for 12 solo this year but couldn't do it due to family commitments. Sort of feel like I dodged a bullet now.
I am also quite grateful to my wife for having to go to a hen do she couldn't miss. Last week I was a bit grumpy about missing this, now not so much.
I have to say my laps were horrific, but at the same time it was the best riding experience I've had in all the endurance races I've done. I had gear issues like so many others and i lost count of how many riders & spectators helped or offered help. There were no egos out on the course, everyone was in it together & supporting one another, i felt euphoric at the end of my stint & the sense of achievement at surviving was emmense.Martyn and his team must be under so much pressure when conditions are like this but of course nothing they can do about the weather.
Great weekend despite everything.
Although it was grim it did make it memorable. I'm glad I did it.
Also agree with poster above saying I'd rather do it than a dry Mayhem.
why is 24/12 better in the wet than Mayhem in the dry?
why is 24/12 better in the wet than Mayhem in the dry?
Much better course, much better atmosphere, friendlier event, trackside were very encouraging
Finished 12th open male 12hr. Hoped to break into the top ten in my last year before vets but the brake issue knocked my mental strength at the end. Course really held up well for 90% of it in conditions that would close a lot of races. Credit to the team always.
A story of anticipation, deep despair and rebirth.
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Love that shot of the back of your head pictonroad, maybe get it tattooed 🙂
Wow sounds epic.
Do you think Single Speed would have been a good choice or is it too steep?
Do you think Single Speed would have been a good choice or is it too steep?
Saw loads of people on singlespeeders [s]overtaking me[/s], so not impossible! I think Team Sumo were on ss fatbikes?
I had sleep for a bit during the worst of the rain, got out again in the morning but wrecked a couple of pivot bearings in my frame.
Pictonroad, good to have a chat with you earlier, I was in the camp next to the the sumo boys with the rampaging toddlers
Home, dry, clean and drinking tea. My word that was fun, for our 12 hour still at least!
Yes it was wet, and I never thought I'd ever say I'd rather it carried on raining, but it made the course more rideable. The sticky, slippy mud outside our camp before the bridge was just soul destroying for so many of the 24HR and Torchbearer riders. Much kudos to you all.
As always, we'll be back next year.
Mrs Toast, I looked for you but couldn't see you, hope you'll give it another go next year. I've prebooked the good weather!
A horrific but enjoyable one this year, my word that rain in the night was terrible! I was out ona 3 lap stint for our team when it came in, could barely see a thing and got totally drenched to the core!
Well done everyone who stuck it out and slogged round, there were notable fewer people out as the race went on, I think a LOT of people chucked it in early this year...
Double awesome result for us this weekend though our mens team (Open 24hr) got on the podium in 3rd place, and our womens 12hr also got on the podium with 3rd and it was my Wifes first EVER mtb race so super chuffed with that!
Even with the rain, it was still rideable, and enjoyable in an odd, perverted way. Great fun cheering all the keen riders who didn't stop when we did, I hope we helped a bit.
Yes you did, the encouragement from strangers and general atmosphere is what makes this event what it is, and sometimes it's the only thing that keeps you going!
