ended after just under two minutes of racing after the two guys in front of me crashed together in the first singletrack section after the start area with me piling into the back of them sending me of over the bars like Joey in that video and sailing over the top of them both and landing in a heap five metres away. Funnily enough I only had very minor scrapes but my bike suffered a ripped front tyre. So that was that!

It’s not the winning that counts.

Cross is all about the pain.

Bad luck. Where was your spare bike or wheels. Schoolboy error. Mind you I finished my first race last week by running half a lap and taking my 12 year olds mountain bike off her to finish the second half me the race.

Noticed slow puncture at start of mine, did two laps then bf borrowed me a track pump (obviously no spare wheels or 12 year old to pinch bike from) and I raced back to pull back in front of girl I’d been racing for the last two laps (it was Shipley Park at Notts and Derby, only 4 very long laps!). V satisfying and although I did ok the enforced pause gives me plenty of room for improvement next time.

Bad luck. Where was your spare bike or wheels. Schoolboy error.

Hardly an error I simply don’t have the money for a spare inner tube never mind a spare wheel set or bike! 🙁

Clover what are the derby and notts races like? Don’t have a car but planning to go to race in sinfin

Hardly an error I simply don’t have the money for a spare inner tube

Clearly spent the right amount on the bike, good work 😀

What are the Notts/Derby races like?

Probably one of the best cx leagues in the country.
Mahoosive turnout with senior fields sometimes in excess of 200 starters, over 40 youth, 40 ish under 12’s and over 60 under 9’s.
Fast and furious racing, good courses and well organised.
Also lots of fun for all abilities. Info here http://ndcxl.org.uk/
Come and have a go.

Had a look at the site last year and meant to go along but never got a chance, cheers coleman. Might just go along to sinfin for first ever cross race and on a ss to boot!

manged to get through reading cx yesterday, not really used to fast pace yet and totally blew up on the 2nd lap and felt like i wanted to quit! but stuck at it.
thoose stupid wood chips seemed to just sap your energy.
I had a comedy wobbly moment on the off cambre wet grass corner but stayed on and i also had a chain off right near the pit area on fairly flat grass..
also had somebody way faster than me come from behind and totally screwed up the corner crashing, dont recall him catching up for a while 🙂 hope he was ok though.
Bizarley only managed to get up the double hit climb with roots on my final lap and got my fasted lap time!!
love the pain!

Roter some Sundays the Gods are with you. Other Sundays they just pull your pants down.

Worst career DNF was not making it over the start line due to a big pile up on the gun.

Fair play to you! It’s addictive, I’ve got my next few races lined up. Like you, just turn up and ride.

It wasn’t all bad. I rode to the race venue (about 40km) as a warm up and some kindly other racers took pity on me and gave me a lift back. So at least the ride over there was good! 🙂

I’ve only ridden one race but it was ace. All cats started together so new people (not raced in the league or never before) had to start right at the back.

Had no idea what to expect but it was easier than I feared – was vaguely surprised at overtaking people but it was dead exciting. The singletrack wouldn’t upset anyone with a bit of mb experience (and I emphasise the bit – only been riding for a year), there were lots of tight corners, two dismounts (at which I’m rubbish) and lots of grass. There wasn’t any mud this one (another of my fears!).

My practicing is off-roading round the Calder Valley and the landscape in Nottingham is a lot more rolling so it was a gentler introduction (we were on our way to a party so it was a kind of nice detour too).

I work most Saturdays so won’t get out again until November… boo hoo. You all go ahead, make me envious…

I did my first CX race yesterday. Crashed on the first or second lap, can’t remember… Hit a tree stump trying to pass someone on a wee bit of singletrack. Landed on my head. Is it possible to get whiplash from a bike accident? Then had a mad dash to try and get back on.

Still awesome fun. Will do more.