Racing with a pack on? Interesting choice!

I’m planning on doing mainly Midlands XC and Nationals with a smattering of FNSS rounds where they fit in. No real goals for the National rounds since its my first year racing them but I’d like to be consistently in the mid 20s for the midlands rounds.

It’s going to be my first season following some structured training so I’m excited to see what I can do.

Mostly local Gorricks and the Southern xc series for me. First year as a vet, and I imagine mid-table finishes would be realistic. Came 23/52 on sunday at the first Gorrick. No real structured training – just trying to get as much in as possible, which isn’t really much at all going by most racers standards I expect.

Run and Ride at Cannock in a couple of weeks.
Then Welsh XC1 at Llandegla.
I normally race the whole Midland series, but the first round clashes with that degla race, but I’ll try and do the rest of them (although they’ve moved 2 rounds to a Saturday which is tricky for me).

I’ll also be doing Mayhem and Torq 12:12.

Goals? Not getting lapped is always good! 

Snap bar Torq, throwing in the marathon series too and Manchester Midweek Madness

Great to see that there are some plans afoot and you guys are looking forward to the coming season.

Excuse the promotion but southernxc online entries are open and if you enter all 7 rounds before the closing date of the first round you’ll get one free!! Just visit wwww.southernxc.net

Now pressure then… Lol. You’re right it’s an awesome venue and the good news is that we will be starting work on the course in a couple of weeks time so by the time you get to it it should be well sorted and flowing well!

I notice a mention of Torq 1212 up there, the final round of the Southernxc is on the same venue a few weeks before so if you want a sneaky peek at a very condensed version of the endurance course come along – I’m sure the Gorrick guys will add some cool extra stuff that we would be able to get too due to course length but it’ll give you a good idea.

If you are coming to join us at the Southernxc and fancy giving your fat bike an outing, check the fat bike box on entry and although you’ll race in your normal category you lap times will be averaged and entered into results for just fat bike riders and then the fat bike series too!

I’m planning on taking my racing a bit more seriously than last year – I was doing my PGCE, now completing my NQT year so a bit less pressure!

I’ll be racing in the Expert category at most of the Midlands XC, doing most of the Nationals (really looking forward to Dalby!) and doing some FNSS, some Mallory Park crits and big goal is to try and podium at SSUK this year too.

Got some good winter training in the legs so should be good to see what I can do!

I’d love too but it’s a 4 1/2- 5 hour drive for me, so a bit much for a non-overnighter!

Going to try my first proper season of MTB racing this year. Have done a few races in the past but got a nice bike last year so need to use it! Looking to do the Nutcracker Series and maybe some of the Scottish XC ones too. I’d like to find a couple of fast/experienced racers in the NE to train with if anyone fancies it?

Tempted to sign up for a few XC races this year, maybe Southern XC. Did my first XC race at one of the Gorrick Brass Monkeys rounds in November and rather enjoyed it. Race calendar for the summer already looking fairly busy though.

I ride with a very small pack. I find it easier to drink from a tube than a bottle (I launched one with slippery hands at a rider behind once….effective short term tactic, but left me without a drink for an hour or so)

I love the Gorricks and the Monkeys. Although had a heavy cold and punctured in the snowy one the other week…my worst race EVER.

Mayhem solo, 24/12 solo, Kielder 101 and possibly Torq. Thats all.

I’m trying to cut down on the XC a bit and do some more unique foreign races…

March 20 Battle on the Beach
March 25-27 VolCAT 3 day race, Spain
April 2-3 National XC1 Pembrey
April 24 Tiliment Marathon Bike, Italy
May 1 Roc Ardennes, Belgium
May 14/15 National XC3 Dalby
June Bristol Bikefest
June 11/12 National XC4 Fforest Fields
June 18/19 Mountain Mayhem
July 2 MB Race, France
July 29 – 3 August Epic Cymru
August 7 National XC5 Cannock Chase
August 13 Brighton Big Dog
August 31 Torq 12:12
October Bristol Oktoberfest

Plus probably a couple of southerns if it’s sunny.

Well it’s about 5 events less than last year…

Managed my first year of XC last year in FNSS and really enjoyed it, finishing 5th in GV. Plan for this year is the midlands xc series and a few National rounds.

Might manage down to some Gorrick events, did the last brass monkeys round and quite enjoyed it.

Nutcracker here, first season of XC so looking forward to it.

Racing the G8 at Hadleigh on the 21st, just a warm and getting used to 1 X 11 & oval.

Then it’s on to Mud Sweat and Gears eastern where I want to place around 15th Vet overall, Battle on the Beach where my only goal is to finish in front of at least one of our Clubs CX boys, , Beastway in that London where I want to finish better than last years 9th, Mountain Mayhem Solo which is a warm up to the Bonty 24/12 – where I’ll be finishing 1st in Vets.

I might do Torq 12:12 as a pair, but I may be in Majorca getting fatter.

And I’m doing some TT’s on the weekends that are free.

No pressure 😀

Having only done a handful of races over the years but wanting to do more decided this year to try and do a race every month. Did the last Brass Monkey’s in Jan, 4hr vet, enjoyed first 2.5 hrs, felt very weary for remainder. Really enjoyed Gorrick on Sunday, vet, 3 laps meant I didn’t worry about pushing myself too hard, so was expecting a better result than 26/52 🙂 Need more hill training. Planning on completing the series. Signed up for BBD, 6hr solo, hopefully will have opportunity to put in enough training to get around without wanting to cry.

Not sure what to do between end of Gorrick SS & BBD. Travel is a bit of an issue so needs to be down South (unless I can slot it into a long w/e away with the OH).

midlands, midweek madness, a few nationals and maybe a a few things like the sam houghton challenge.

It never gets easier, you just go faster!

I’ll be dabbling again this year. South Wales has two rounds of the nationals so I’ll be doing at least one of them (Pembrey, not sure I can make the Builth Wells one) and finding out just how bad I am at XC racing.

Oh and a few of the Welsh XC series and whatever else I can fit in (does BOTB count?!)