Forum menu
best bits = dawn / dusk laps and grabbing a smoke & coffee after each lap 😉
worst bits = the ****ing plasticine
I love the veloclunge team name, plus the kit is partly pink so it's a win win for me
Hey looking good in the car park/pits/arena/campsite is where it's at 8)
Yes the dawn lap at 4am was beautiful, as was sunset. Luckily I got both :). The views really are amazing from the top of the obelisk climb.
Worst bit - wasn't one really.
Best bits (I'll have two seeing as I didn't have a worst one) - 1)Atmosphere in our team camp due to sharing it with the Veloclunge nutcases, and 2)Discovering just now that one of my big cyclocross rivals was lapping slower than a certain motorcycle racer who's been a bit preoccupied recently 😀
[b]Worst Bit: [/b]Cresting the top of the Kenda climb on my 2nd lap, after the lactic acid from the run & first lap had "set" in my legs. Discovering that I'd forgotten to tighten my allen bolt seat post clamp and that it was very slowly sinking during my night lap.
[b]Best bit:[/b] Supporters and team mates, Jump of Doom (made me smile). The "Dunkirk spirit" in the now legendary plasticine woods.
[b]Quick Rant:[/b] What's all this nonsense about not bothering to put any shelter over the transition then?
Worst bit - stacking it on the very first root of the very first section of singletrack on my very first first lap.
Best bit - all the biking totty around the place. and finishing.
Best- Sipping on Highland Park and encouraging riders up and over the top of Kenda climb.
Worst- Running out of Highland Park!
Worst - Massive Highside crash on the muddy decent on the 1st lap, can't move neck today.
Best - Standing on the top step of the Expert Mixed podium after 10 years of trying!
Best: Riding for Team Bullheart. A true honour.
And overtaking loads of people with geared bikes, whilst on a singlespeed bike. 🙂
Worst: A tiny number of stupid big-headed idiots shouting at people to get out of the way, or worse, not giving any warning at all. To the complete dickhead who overtook the lady just by the crossover section; you're a prize prick. Hope it was worth it for the 2 seconds or whatever you might have lost just by slowing down a tiny fraction and being courteous and respectful. ****.
Oh and the food in the big tent was crap. £4 for a polystyrene thing of near-tasteless stuff last time I had owt that bad was in Police Custody...
Best bit - like Blazin-Saddles getting on the top step of the podium in the Open Men's cat after 10 yrs of trying- my first flirtations with mountain bike racing was at MM in Sandwell Park and I was rubbish! Also the campsite banter with sneds, bikerbruce, LS and the rest of our team and team veloclunge was great.
Worst bit- got bitten by the mong snake in the middle of the night and was a bit incoherent for a short spell but other than that nothing to complain about 🙂
Worst bit- got bitten by the mong snake in the middle of the night and was a bit incoherent for a short spell but other than that nothing to complain about
You were lucky it wasn't the Tourette's snake that got ChrisE 😆
Worst Bit - snapping rear skewer and taking my derailer, chain and chain tugs with it 20 mins into my first lap - then walking/running/stumbling the 8 miles around the course carrying my 29er in two bits. Yep - i was the Sand coloured OnOne you flew past.
Best bit - people passing me offering help/sympathy and the spectator support was awesome and having a very understanding and sympathetic team.
Best bit - doing my first mayhem & realising the SS ain't actually that bad in climbs. Night lap was awesome, jump of doom was great and the guys at the bottom of the descent near Kenda Klimb saying "the was you ride ze bicycle is so sexy Monsieur" in dodgy French accents, he hee
Worst bit - loosing two team mates (Gareth 2510 & redpeg) to injury & mojo loss early on, but they'll be ok 🙂
xee that was you! i gave you a shout as you strolled past the camp out onto the second part of the lap just before the deer fench gate
Bruce
Worst bit, 17 times down that bloody aweful bumpy decent at the end, the only place I wished I had some rear suss! Was hanging on for grim death at the end!
Xee I did see you finish that lap looking pretty flat - 8 miles is a long run!!
Best - Team Bullheart
Worst - snapping chain on the first corner of the Kenda climb and then being paranoid the rest of the lap. Oh and also that I am still picking thorns out of me after a big dismount, and a few have gone a bit septic 🙁
Jeez elf you still going on about that. Let it go my brother.
Anyhoo,
Best bit: Riding for and finally meeting bullheart. what an inspiration. Team bullheart were a brilliant group of riders and supporters. an honour and a pleasure. flying past loads of people on the descents on a full rigid 29er singlespeed.
worst bit: velco mud. The reason for team bullheart in the first place. As the sticker says, 'Hey sarcoma, f*#% you!"
oh yeah and the night lap was frickin awesome. massive lights are the future.
Ooh nasty Tim!
I did warn you though, din't I?
Little bit of Dettol in yer bath water, bung some Germolene on, try to dig as many as poss out.
And next time, try to avoid crashing into thorny bushes! 😉
Jeez elf you still going on about that. Let it go my brother.
I can't let it go though Topper; I [i]can't[/i]. 😡
Best bits were taking part, the great atmosphere, and the cheers of encouragement from random strangers around the course. Also how nice and courteous most of the riders were - I was genuinely worried it'd be all elbows and elite riders shouting, but I only had a few incidents of nobbery. The Scott women team riders also seemed to be shouting encouragement at everyone they passed! The view from the top as the course approached the obelisk. UNICYCLISTS!
Worse bits was only sleeping for 2 hours the night before due to being a pampered princess unaccustomed to camping with a very low tolerance to cold, and running out of water about two thirds of the way around. And finding an earwig in my bra. And stacking it on one of the rutted descents, but given that two other people fell off whilst I was checking my bike, and there's also photos of people falling off in the same place, I don't feel quite so bad! 😛
Best bits, getting through the first lap! then really getting into the spirit of it(first MM!)
The camaraderie was amazing, i was slow, but most people had a cheery word of encouragement or good banter!
I gave in on the last lap! fitness wasnt enough so i went for karma to get me around.
Chatted to a lovely soloist as she walked(and threw up for 10 minutes).
And stopped shortly before the last decent in to help a guy put his snapped chain back on. Hadn't got a spare link and couldn't use the chain tool!
Worst bits, PLASTICINE!
And getting overtaken by a guy in a sumo suit on a climb! god they were good!
And finding an earwig in my bra.
😆
Sorry. I'm sure it's not funny. 😳
Oh and it was pretty bad when I had just driven for 5 1/2 hours, put up my tent in the rain, and I got a call to ask whether I needed all the cycle kit and tools that were in a bag in the spare room.
and when I found I had 2 left wellies
I was unbelievably happy it didn't rain!
yeah wtf was going on with those sumo guys. they were quick. in proper fancy dress. major respect to all those guys.
The jump of doom was hilarious. I also liked the guys with the 'do a skid' signs on the climb out of the campsite after going over the bridge. I did and they cheered!
And the guys with the "High five" and "Pull a wheelie" on the ascent up to the bridge cross over. They were only there for 1 of my laps but I got the hi5 in, couldn't manage the wheelie though.
My best bit was my idea to set up the now infamous
"JUMP OF DOOM"!!!!
With not riding this year I felt I had to entertain both myself and especially the riders.
So was created the ""JUMP OF DOOM" !!!!!!
That little jump certainly seemed a favourite with most riders, especially so for a lot of the solo riders, it s bought many a smile to most peoples faces...
Felt sorry for one chap, who pointing to the 1st blue larger jump which was in front of the
"JUMP OF DOOM"
said "Ah the "Jump Of Doom", and then proceeded to jump it...
Was then told after exiting the blue jump, and pointing to OUR jump that in fact.
"NO THAT'S the "JUMP OF DOOM" !!!!!!
He immediately heads for our jump, jumps it front end washes out and off he goes, hits the grass with quite a clatter, and proceeds to travel for at least ten meters from point of take off !! (the one and only faller).
We all pipe up.....
That's why we call it the "JUMP OF DOOM"!!!
Brushes himself off and off he goes.....
So thanks to all the riders that showed the appreciation for our little piece of handy work. I didnt do it all myself I was ably assited by Andy Chadwick and crew.
Cheers lads Jezz Scarratt "One legged and Ok !!!"
Best Bit: Jump of Doom! Jump of Doom! It needs to be a feature EVERY year! Had trouble getting crossed up on it but it made me chuckle all the way up the lovely climb to the obelisk.
Worst Bit: Could have done with at least a dozen more stutters in the stutter bump teeth rattler. Wicked! Oh. And I forgot the Banana suit for the grand last lap this year. Doh!
Banana!
The jump of doom certainly helped me through some dark solo moments as did the encouragement from you guys, thanks
Best Bits
Jump of Doom was ace - even jumped it one one of my laps! Found all the riders I met /overtook/overtook me to be really good natured and courteous. Not using the granny ring for any of the course (except 1 little bit at the top of the Kenda climb on lap 3). All the supporters. Girl riding for Scott looked fantastic in lycra (she wasn't the only one who looked great, just the only one I noticed as I went up the monument climb. Great atmosphere, great team.
Worst Bit
F###wits with a big generator in the caravan/tents next to me. When I asked (politely) if they could turn it off at 10.30 and then again at 11.30 to be answered with "I am not sure if we can". Won't be getting a kitchen fitted by them!
Bad first - aggressive s African photographer with long lens pushing past my sister in law and 3 yr old to get a shot down the start straight of the run. He then decided to move left and blocked another photographer. When he made a gentle sarcastic remark the guy turned and told him to be quite with no sense of proportion V menacing and a knob of the highest order.
A bit too much up and down the camp site at the end of the route. no sleep as my available slot was the party hours for everyone else.
Good: putting in lap times of which I was proud. Good company at camp. Dawn lap with views over malverns(albeit seeing home from the top and having a deep yearning for my bed). the lass who paced me all the way from arena to the hill before the north face cottage and then encouraged me to go fo it (best legs at MM award). Nailing all the tricky bits on all 5 laps on my summer "dry" tyres. The top marshals at the last road crossing. Loved it
Best Bits - the whole thing, Jump of doom, having 4 newbies in out two teams and all of them surviving intact and wanting to come back again.
Worst bits - getting too wrapped up at night looking after and sorting out teammates and then having a last minute light failure and being late to transition for my buddy who had just bust a gut on his lap....sorry Rob!
Entering the arena uphill at the finish again, much better the previous two years coming in from above and being able to really nail it down the finishing loop on slighlty rested legs.
Quavers -theyve been better, seem to ahve alot of inexperienced staff who didn;t know what they were doing and lacked a basic food hygiene understanding: changed queue to avoid the lass on the left hand end with the purple painted fingernails after watching her antics - I don't really fancy food poisoning if i can help it to make MM more challenging. Avoided Quavers totally after that. Shame. Indeed, bring back Wilfs - Garlic Bread - "It's the Future!"
second the lack of cover over transition, would have got mighty busy in those stalls below if it had rained more during the event itself.
Best bits:
The dawn lap, beautiful and the appearance of the sun was so welcome.
The jump of doom, the girls handing out haribo to any girl riders and the kids giving out high 5s, asking for bunny hops and skids, brilliant!
Getting bullied out of the way by someone rude at the top of the steep rooty drop only to blast past him with one foot clipped in (from where I'd had to stop at the top of it) when he got off to walk down it!
Oh and placing 14th in sport mixed on my first OSMM without realising we had a chance of finishing so high up 🙂
Worst bits:
The top of the kenda climb on lap 2 hurt, really hurt!
was the "jump of doom" the little wooden one down by the sumo disco about halfway through the lap. It picked me up getting a cheer doing it every lap.
Worst: Running out of water and food on my night lap and getting SUMO'ed for awhile. That and the crazy amount of riding down and then back up the same slopes on grass in the arena for no apparent reason.
Best: Pretending I was breaking the sound barrier down the last stuttery descent on a hardtail ("Buffeting! Buffeting!"). The girl who shouted "well held" when I went into a bush during an overtake. Also trying (and failing) to keep up with some of the Charge and JMC team riders.
Only saw the jump of doom once, as I passed it 🙁
" Indeed, bring back Wilfs""
I utterly agree.
What ratios were the single speeders running??
34:16 switched to 34:17 after 2 laps. Hard work, but worth it!
Teammates were 32:15 then 32:16 once he had my cog off me, another 32:16 and a 32:20 on a 29er 🙂
changing gear on a singlespeed mid-race? how odd, would not just taking a geared bike be simpler? 🙂
32:18 on a 29er, same as always
We weren't expecting so many hills. Mine's a flip-flop hub so usually only takes a minute... except when your buddy wants your cog. Broke my chain whip too 🙁
We weren't expecting so many hills. Mine's a flip-flop hub so usually only takes a minute... except when your buddy wants your cog. Broke my chain whip too
Did someone tell you it was riding around flat fields? 😉
Best bits: Rolling into our pits each lap to be greeted with a full on party, everyone seemed to be having so much fun I barely wanted to leave (strangely this feeling grew as the race went on...).
The way the course sped up as it dried.
A shiny clean bike waiting for me every lap.
All the encouragement from other people while riding - I had no idea that many people knew (or cared) who I was 🙂
Worst bits: The fact that I could barely climb/descent stairs yesterday (and they're not exactly fun today either).
My lame jumps off the JUMP OF DOOM.
Ripping my shorts on the 2nd lap and having to ride round with my arse hanging out!
Did someone tell you it was riding around flat fields?
It was definitely a tougher course than 2008 when I last rode it!
Best:
Utterly nailing it on the last section of downhill, going as fast as I possibly could pedal and having spectators ring cowbells as i zoomed past!
Some girls handing out free water as we passed back into the arena area. Much appreciated!
My night ride even though my light only lasted one lap, it was a great experience.
The technical, rutty wooded areas with tight twists and turns
Utterly faultless and well performing bike! Not a single technical glitch! I don't know if thats down to the bike or my fettling expertise!
Worst:
Really really sore arse that almost stopped me from riding my last lap
The off camber bit 🙁 Came off twice at low speed.
No sleep. At all.
Really crappy service at the food tent. Really crappy food. Expensive too.
Team Sumo were on 32:20 in the main, with one 32:18 for one chap. Well we were heavier than most and certainly sweating more than most.
Best: All the banter from riders and spectators, but especially riding behind geared riders and having a chat, then as they reach for a lower gear on a hill, getting out the saddle and passing them. You could almost hear chins hitting stems as they realised they had been "sumo'd".
Worst: can't think of one, except wanting to ride more laps - thought the course was a great.