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Bloomin fantastic event, everyone was really chilled out, marshalls and feed stations were great, discovered a whole new sensation of kneecap sticking and the popping off the bone despite lots of physio and more strategic gaffer tape than a kidnap victim a day before. A painkiller the size of a UFO sweet at 100km and then found I could happily mosh in a floaty sea of calm, although mixing with the contents of the hipflask may have helped. Can't wait to do it again next year
@stwhannah I was going to come and join you for a chat on one of the climbs but you had got the face of someone having a serious word with themself and didn't want to bugger up your concentration with my bouncey happy inane enthusiasm
Great course. Great weather. great marshals and organisers.
Any sign of the results?
The results are on the ResultsBase website and photographs are on the Sport Sunday website.
Turns out I didn't win then - was close though, only about 5 hours behind...
Great day out but a slash to my tubeless tire which was too big for sealant to deal with at the 6 mile point made me think I was going to be in for a long day of puncture repairing. Took it a bit easier on the rockier descents and got round the rest of the route without incident. Despite being slow I actually felt pretty good overall, set a couple of PRs on the last two big climbs which I'd done when fresh a couple of weeks ago.
I saw loads of skid marks leading into ditches, particularly on the final lake shore section. Really easy to carry speed there then the corner tightens up before you know it.
I wouldn't have minded if my bike had been nicked last night but I'm already planning ahead for next year. Unless the weather's grim, in which case I might have a rethink!
Biggest improvement after actually training was flared drops, I had so much more control over rough descents which meant I had the confidence to push on.
i gave my entry away to a gent off here. glad i did. i went out for a local ride yesterday. i managed 23 miles before i called it a day.
130km seems impossible for me at present.
tazzymtb - we talked on the way out of the Alpkit feed station and again later I think - nice Ti bike and respect to you for SS the thing - I needed every cog I took 😉
stwhannah - not sure if I talked to you too at the 'double' crash just before the ford at about 70km - I heard the rider was driven out by marshals so I hope he was OK. Watching the other guys trying to beat the pringled wheel back into shape was a giggle - I guess not successful?
Ivan - I think we spoke too.... did you say you had sealant go everywhere too... I couldn't believe how many punctures I saw being mended on the firs two descents.
Loved the descending on bigger tyres with no fear of the pinch flat - the long rocky descent about 80 - 90 km was ace... I topped out at over 60km/h on one descent and like stwhannah I stopped worrying and just enjoyed. Laughed at a couple of other over shooting bends at the bottom of some descents (with no harm done) 🙂
Great event - really well organised and a big challenge for me to finish 🙂
Yep that was me, it was like a fountain trailing it behind me! Where were we chatting?
The forestry chap rescued the bloke with the taco'd wheel before the ford. He was ok apparently and I've seen a pic of him on Twitter.
Four people fell in the ford. One poor lady dropped a banana which allowed me to tell everyone to 'mind the banana'.
Couldn't have been better weather for it. Well done all who completed!
The number of tyre lines that trailed off the lakeside way into the ditches was fairly amusing as we came along it in the dark?
How tightly packed was the main group? Or was it spread out quite quickly?
My bum hurts....
Who knew riding fireroads could be so brutal! I went a bit too prepared, i'd read so much about loads of punctures and distances between, ended up not needing any of it, respect to all of the seriously quick guys, how anyone rode that in 7 1/2 hours is mad, 9.45 for me and the promise to buy a lighter bike.
I might have seen a few of you (I was up at the observatory in the evening by coincidence but brought my bike up for a pootle beforehand - only realised it was the Reiver on Thursday). Kudos to anyone who finished either, or even gave it a go.
I chatted to one guy at the campsite who had an off and had to pull out (not sure if it was at the ford). He had a couple of cuts round his eye but think he was hurting mentally more.
You're all nutters 😀
A fantastic event! My thoughts:
We were lucky with the weather (my last event at Kielder was in wet snow!)
Organization was spot on & it was ace to see so many still cheering the stragglers at the finish.
Lower gearing might have helped the knees. Glad I went tubeless.
Resorted to soothing music after leaving the last feed which helped (in combination with the much talked-about filter coffee & baked potato!)
Even after 170km the smooth flowing lakeside trail was so much fun.
Screaming along on gravel with so many other like-minded idiots is such fun!
Glad my lad got back unscathed - 1st U20 (of only 2) 10:21:25
See you next year. Wavy27 10:52:07
I chatted to one guy at the campsite who had an off and had to pull out (not sure if it was at the ford). He had a couple of cuts round his eye but think he was hurting mentally more.
He came off at around 175Km and marshal just after checked him over, medic patched him up at 180Km and then another medic found him riding in the wrong direction (returning to first medic?) at around 185Km. We brought him and his bike back in. Tough blighter.
Savoury food request noted.
i gave my entry away to a gent off here.
I know you were just being the nice bloke you are Ton, but this is a nightmare for organisers - we'd have your emergency and medical info if he was down and needing medical attention. You were waiting by the phone with his correct details though I'm sure.
I know you were just being the nice bloke you are Ton, but this is a nightmare for organisers - we'd have your emergency and medical info if he was down and needing medical attention. You were waiting by the phone with his correct details though I'm sure.
I emailed the organiser, and the folk I paid cheque to prior to doing so.
I emailed the organiser, and the folk I paid cheque to prior to doing so.
My apologies - thought you meant you'd just passed it on, which others do without realising the potential consequences. Should have known you'd do it properly.
No really serious injuries from the day. If it was the two where I was on the long descent to Feed 2, then stitches in a knee wound for one and bruised ribs the other (and he was necking beer at the finish when I saw him). Even their bikes were fine 🙂
Rightthen box elder which one were you.
No really serious injuries from the day. If it was the two where I was on the long descent to Feed 2, then stitches in a knee wound for one and bruised ribs the other (and he was necking beer at the finish when I saw him). Even their bikes were fine
Happy days, I was talking to one of the team on the finish line and they were talking like it was pretty serious... must have been misheard over the radio maybe
And yes, which one were you? I was the handsome chap in cycling gear that hopefully said hello and thanks!
Glad to hear no bad bad casualties.
Great event really well organised, nice team, appropriate and thoughtful mention of Mike at the start, lots of usable freebies and well done with organising the weather.
I didn''t like much the Oregon type hunter styling of the kit with camo/orange and would probably have bought a shirt or gilet if different. It may be worth them thinking about achange next year unless I'm out of sync with others??
Finally got around to putting some thoughts in writing:
http://ridingcircle.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/report-dirty-reiver-200km-gravel-race.html
Such a good event!