You could always run it, Martin.

I just like seeing what i can do and how far i can go on a bike. If I wanted to win stuff I'd do another sport.

although the number of Scottish events that seem to entail a long dull climb followed by a super-technical descent seem to give some gravity to my comments!

Rather than riding round in circles in a flat muddy field?

100 miles is a LONG way off road.
That distance is the M25 to Nottingham on the M1.
I think the closest thing to this must be the Bucks off road Sportiv, which is 121km.
I've got their route and will be having a go shortly.

No point in going all that way only to be turned back.
I can ride Meridas (they too have cut off times) but it's this whole timed business & not at all like racing a 24hr event where you can take time out for a meal or a rest as it best suits you.

Still not sure if I am a strong enough rider yet.

Rather than riding round in circles in a flat muddy field?

Exactly!

No, IMO a decent course has lots of climbs rather than one big one, which doesn't make for good racing. The BUSA champs race at Dunkeld really epitomised a terrible XC course for me, I didn't speak to anyone who enjoyed it who wasn't Scottish, which I guess just shows you like what you're used to, and before all the 'learn to ride a bike' comments, the downhill course was the most enjoyable bit!

Anywho back OT… considering the prevalence of 100 mile events in the US I think it's good that we're catching up, and considering the reasonably long cut off times I'm more tempted to try it! I guess this is likely to be reasonably unique though, with England's restrictions on racing on public rights of way.

The course that you are glad you didn't ride was classed as a world class course by world class riders – cant get much more praise than that.

Sign me up for the bus – I just want to get round before dark (and hopefully enjoy it). I somewhat foolishly decided to the charity thing (Air Ambulance), consequently i've told loads of people i'm doing it and i really have to finish. Still it may turn out to be a pyschological advantage not to have the option of quitting…

On the subject of elevation i'm hoping it won't be too bad – i did a 65km enduro up there earlier in the year (organised by the Kielder Trail Reavers) and the course was quite fast – think i finished in under three hours (winner was 2:40 or thereabouts). That included the trip across the border and some of the Newcastleton trails, there was a couple of decent climbs but nothing comparing to the monsters at the Selkirk Merida last month.

Pippa.
Can you tell us of any links to pictures from the event? I'm keen to learn more about the trail and how it flows. Is it Dalby-esque for example?
Also, what was your Selkirk time please.

Don't have any pics from that event but trails were as follows (from my glucose deprived memory):

– Kielder Deadwater – surface quite similar to Dalby, some nice singletrack – quite a new trail so wasn't probably completely bedded in. Big boardwalk section at the end – watch out for the last corner if wet (off camber)

– Newcastleton – surface more similar to Glentress (less hardcore – more packed down gravel) – flowed really well.

– Linking sections (cross border trail) – mostly fireroad, had been raining and couple of inches of gloop in places where forrestry had been taking place

Had a bit of a shocker at Selkirk – for some reason had nothing in the legs from about 20km onwards – think i may have had a bug (or maybe it was the beer the night before) – 6hrs.

I wimped out on the basis I couldn't do Selkirk twice but I suppose they won't have nearly 6000m of climbing in the Kielder one.

I've done long rides on the road and would say off road it's about twice as hard. 100miles on a road bike compares to 50 on a mountain bike in terms of how tired I feel.

I am going to wait till next year when I've got more long rides under my belt. Most of the rides I do with the club are 3-4hours and not very pushy so I think I will start to ride more on my own in preparation next year. Back in the days when I was a student I could quite comfortably do 8-9hour rides day after day but then I had 3 month summer holidays to build up to it.

If there's 6000m of climbing at Kielder i'll need something stronger that Torq bars… EPO anyone?

Have been interested in this but it's a five hour drive there and based on my races this year…..

Bristol 12 – 80 miles
MM 24 – 155 miles
Bontrager 12hr – 55 miles (stopped early)

and other rides I've done I don't think I'll make the cut off times – like a challenge but not if I'm doomed to fail from the start. Think it's a good idea for an event but need more on the course. Such as if don't make a cut off is the route back on the road or a shorter off road route and how far is it? If I hit the wall after 8 hours I don't fancy a couple of hours slog back.

Beer & rides – I can't do that either.
And then fast forward to the mess tent at Kielder, 21:00hrs, 05 Sept: could you honestly wear the T shirt or join in the banter around the tables and bar if you were Black-flagged (for you, zee race is over) at anything other than maybe the final cut-off point?
I only completed 11 laps at Bonty, but would hope to have managed 14-16 were I to have ridden solo and not mens pairs.
As you say, maybe 2010?

I really think a lot of you are anguishing over this a bit too much. Most of you sound like fairly fit individuals who are used to endurance events. Give it a go, there's really not going to be any shame in missing a cutoff in a 100 mile offroad race set at the end of summer. If you miss one so be it but you'll have tried and you'll be happy knowing what is coming if you enter in 2010.

The organisers need a full house (however many they have projected will make a succesful event) and if they've not got that already then it may not happen next year. I for one would like to see more of these events to be honest, they certainly appeal a lot more to me than 24 hour events do nowadays.

Like Samuri says, there's no shame at all in entering and not finishing. Even if you miss the first cutoff you'll have a decent ride. By entering this year, you'll b supporting this new event and showing that there's an appetite for 100 mile events in the UK.

It'll be reet, get entered.

ok, after a few weeks' being wet, i'm entered.

[silently wonders how many thousands of feet?]

And then fast forward to the mess tent at Kielder, 21:00hrs, 05 Sept: could you honestly wear the T shirt or join in the banter around the tables and bar if you were Black-flagged (for you, zee race is over) at anything other than maybe the final cut-off point?
Yes. Stop being silly.

njee20 – come up and race up here some more. not all super-tech-fests. SXC series features some cracking courses.

Maybe next year?

It's a 'round trip of about 650 miles from Watford &
I'd only compete if I felt I could complete.
I still have to do some 2-3 long rides to see if this is possible for me, else I'd be wasting my time & money on something that's at present beyond my cycling abilities.

I am not alone in feeling this way, judging by the various forums, it seems quite a few are looking for more information too, which I have no doubt will be available soon on their site and XC Racer.

Either way, it seems to be both a tantalising prospect and a real challenge.

ach, you'll be fine. 🙂

Looking forward to this.

Aiming for mid-table mediocrity as usual.

100 miles IS a long way though…

It is and yes, it's an awful long way for southerners to travel, but it's a good start. There's plenty of places down south where this sort of event could run but the first one is up North. If you can, make it, if it's too far then no problem. I'd really like these sorts of events to work right around the country and if this first one isn't manufactured perfectly that's fine by me, I'm happy to participate and help the momentum.

Sorry if you can't make it but lets hope it goes well and begins a country wide drive behind races like this.

Ti29er – go on do it!

Hi Pippa.
Today, I have, after a trip to the Doc's, been ordered up to Watford General for a Full Blood Count. My eye balls feel like racing greyhound's testicles and my tongue is an odd furry white & yellow. I can't even whistle!
I've spend most of the day falling asleep.
Don't feel much like doing much in the way of training, truth be known; bu**er!

Having spent 6 months in the place, I can say, any fire road climbing, should be easy because the roads have to be passable for 40+ tonnes timber wagons.
Any of the much lauded "new red trail" and older Deadwater stuff is surfaced in sandstone.

Oh and the woodwork corner mentioned earlier, there is a short cut that misses it out.
Don`t go looking for Flo though,shes retired

😉

There's a bit more info floating about now:

http://www.xcracer.com/content.php?pid=2628
http://www.sip-events.co.uk/kielder-riderinfo.html

"A detailed map of the course can now be found at Purple Mountain Bike Shop in Kielder and also in Newcastleton village centre"

If anyone gets a look at this, they could take a photo or two…

It's going to be hard not to stop for tea and cakes at 65 miles and probably even harder to get going again.

It's going to be hard not to stop for tea and cakes at 65 miles and probably even harder to get going again.

Why would you not stop? 🙂

it's an awful long way for southerners to travel

It's an awful long way for some of the Northerners too… 6hrs for me.
I'm just hoping to make the cutoffs and finish the distance.

I'm a bit concerned as i'm on the entry list twice.

Hope that dosen't mean i have to complete the distance twice 😉

I'm a bit concerned that after two weeks in France doing nothing I am going to really struggle. Got a 50 mile ride on friday, and the same hopefully on sunday, wedding next weekend and then the race, GULP

I've got the opposite problem – did a 150km ride last week and now my knee is knackered – hoping it'll sort itself out with a bit of rest. Fingers crossed.

So has everyone compiled their basic kit list?
I think i may be rather overbiked on an orange 5… comfort should be good tho!

So has everyone compiled their basic kit list?

I'll be on my rusty Inbred.

32:17, 2.2" Mtn Kings, Mary bars. Two water bottles for drink and seatpack for tools and tubes. Snacky food (Jelly Squirms and broken up Geobars) in jersey pockets if it's dry, or the tri bag if it's wet.

Aplkit Gourdon 20 on my back with waterproof and a warm top, plus (GPS) phone and spare food.

Details of (lack of) training on mactually.co.uk/. Just aiming to finish.

Sod it!
Booked in (& I'm sober). What have I done?
Still not sure which of the two bikes.
OnOne Ti29er HT or Turner Flux (4 inches of full sus' )

I am quicker on the 29er, especially on fast trails and any linking sections, but 12+hrs….. maybe a softer ride on a full sus' might be wise.
This is what I rode on the Summer Polaris, and since we're carrying "stuff" on our bikes, but more importantly on our backs, I am in a quandry!

i'm there. riding it with jojo (anyone say follow the white rabbit?)
carbon scott scale ht,. 100mm forks. will be reet.

not very fit of late (glandular fever!), but done well in marathons when i last raced them. and 10 under etc 10 laps is doable. which is about 100 mile. in 10 hours! so should be reet for this 😀

although there may be some climbing in northumberland. i doubt it will have 5/6000 m as said. expect 3000/4000m for the whole thing…

Snap Oli, I will be on my carbon scale too.

See you there. Recovering from 10 more at moray where I did 129 miles in 10 hours 30 or sumthing. So under 10 hours should be doable.

Oli… just bumped into Sharki in town and he mentioned you and jojo were doing it. Well… Im guessing its you anyway! Would be random for there to be 2 lots of you.
I'll be on a white Five, not a clue how fit I am for it at the moment tho.
Will be fairly obvious in my pink team kit jersey.

Is anyone else staying at the Grapes as suggested?

the grapes? whats that then?

we will probably be camping (wherever the campsite is)

Grapes is one of the recommended hotels on the list. Fancied a bit of comfort before the race!

i see!!

well my tent/kit mat/sleeping bag are as comfy as any bed i've been in. so i'm happy 8)