The bit that gave me most grief was just before the arena return, there was a little left hander with a short sharp climb, just didn't have enough traction and couldn't keep enough speed into the bottom!

Sort your life out!

FMH – I second that emotion. Had the same experience of one of them trying to overtake.

I thought you stopped at midnight.

Aah, I was assuming you meant 11:30pm, my point being it had been rideable until then, if you meant 11:30 in the morning, then you're quite right, I had had a fair bit of sleep and was quite relaxed by then!

SB you're right, I do indeed need to sort my life out.

We Europeans call it 23.30. 🙂

and yes it all got a bit silly at about 03.00 though. I didn't envy the marshal up there, apparently he was letting folk through one at a time at one point.

The tossers in turquoise were from Cambridge Uni. I got caught behind one on cottage return who refused to yield whilst moving at about 5mph. Quick sportsman's elbow corrected the situation though.

I thought the course this year was cracking. Much better than last year which seemed to place too much emphasis on climbing. This year, as in 2008, offered something for all types of rider. The finish line seemed really sparse at 12:00 on Sunday though.

Had the same experence with the Ergon Team riders (puke green coloured kit) and a couple of Morvello riders. In tight singletrack (cottage return was one place) and not even a shout of rider as they came past just straight through.

Not happy 🙁

Whenever I hear a bellow of 'RIIIIDDEEERRR!!' the elbows immediately come out in anticipation of a lack of thanks.

Great course but had to abandon my 12 hr solo effort after crashing and injuring knee in the first bit of ST on the start of the 4th lap just before 3pm. Tried to carry on but it was painfully slow going and binned it on lap 6. Just hope its not ligament damage so i can try to make amends at the Gorrick 12 12.. Thanks to the chap ( i think you had black and white on) who stopped to help untangle me from the bike….

(hijack) NJee are you doing SITS?

Nope!

Had loads of rider moments on my solo, usually just came back with "which side di*head my helmet back dosent have eyes in"
Think solo stickers are needed on this event for seatposts.

Only really bad point for me was the generator from West Drayton mountain bike club being run at 1am and 4am! I stopped at 4 as I was a dribbling mess to find the generator running. When I asked if they'd mind turning it off I was told it was a 24 hour mountain bike race and if I had a problem with it I should have camped in the quiet area…did explain to him that the rules were no generators between 12-6

He did eventually switch it off only after I said I would switch it off but attitude sucked big time every other team managed with normal battery lights. You sir as I'm sure your on here are a very bad advert for your club

Damn.. looking for a team or partner…

Did anyone else cut up a pair of clean tights and use a saucepan of boiling water to brew up the free coffee?! Having just tried some more at home there is a slightly less 'floral note' from the fabric conditioner, but overall an improvement.

I'm not a coffee buff, but it looks more coarse than the stuff I normally chuck in the filter machine…is it meant for cafetierres?

P.S Thanks to whoever was following my gf within the first couple of laps (pink and white muddyarse jersey on a blue Lapierre Zesty) who saw her about to get off for a tricky bit and shouted at her to ride it…on subsequent laps she walked it despite clearing it the first time, and fell over twice, now sporting a scratched leg and massive bruise on the arse 🙂
She did come back pretty pissed off from a later lap after a rider announced he was passing on a particularly testing descent just seconds from a fireroad, she shouted back 'no space' to which he replied 'yes there is' to which he got 'no there f-ing isn't' and then he barged through anyway.

Had no problems myself, with one fast rider politely requesting that I let him pass when I decided there was space 🙂

Twas my fourth tewntyfour 12, third at newnham, 2nd attempt at 24 solo, which failed for the second time. Next year, 12 hr solo!(Or team or pair, I don't have the mental strength to do 24 solo)

I must be strange as I think I prefered last years course, but then I prefer to get my climbing done short and steep, not long and draggy.

There are always the odd riders who can't manage to be polite, although it does seem to be getting better. Solo stickers for the back of the bike sounds like a great idea, at least people would know you were mincing for a reason, and boy did I do plenty of mincing.

The finish line did seem to be pretty quiet at finishing time, I'm guessing a lot of people abandoned like me during the rain and never managed to get going again.

Highlight for me was enjoying an icecream on the second lap with two mates and chatting to joolze. Lowlight was dropping a trackpump on my toe on Sat so the downhills were painful, then not being able to see once the rain hit and giving up for the second year in a row.

Gearfreak myself and Matt stopped for ice cream on lap 2 as well. I was on a Ragley TD1 and he had a Trek bouncy thing.

I also found out that ice cream cones fit well in joy stick mounts 🙂

Yes Matt Carr came round with a cone in his Joystick mount, a good effort!

Had no problems myself, with one fast rider politely requesting that I let him pass when I decided there was space

Thought that might have been me until I read the "fast" bit! Didn't happen to catch the colour of the kit did you?

Iain

I say that quite a bit "rider when you've got a chance", followed up with "on your left/right" lets people know you're there, with no real pressure to get out of the way.

Sorry, can't remember much let along colour of the kit. Fast means faster than me, I was doing 55 minute laps as I normally try and do quick laps then feel like crap and give up half way through 🙂 I was on a black Yeti 575 with a green and white muddyarse top.

Most of the time I was telling riders to pass on such and such side before they had to ask.

Who was it that had the crash at the start, the field had just done the 10 minute outlap, came through the start, the dip then right up on to the mound, two tangled on the lip of the drop and one of the riders walked away with some serious wobble in the front wheel stating he needed a new bike. Cracked QR or fork dropout?

I was surprised by how many people were just moving over before I got close, that's always nice, and I always tried to give a 'thank you very much, have a good race'.

As time wore on, left became right and right became left! Njee's right though, people were pretty good at moving over before getting close – that always got some positive feedback.

Sorry to derail the conversation, but I've just been looking through Joolze's excellent photos of the event, and stumbled across this pic of one of the Merida/ergon (ergurn) team. It's possibly the best example of a rider-gurn I've ever seen, so I had to share..

http://tinyurl.com/2vfk59w

Carry on 🙂

It's possibly the best example of a rider-gurn I've ever seen, so I had to share..

Hmm, not sure about that, think my mate John might have pipped him ….

Proper Gurn

RE: the moving over – despite a 14th finish in the 24 hr solo I was getting close to 2 hr laps my Sunday mid morning – moving over was automatic by then 😆

Damn..what have I started!

Torq sponsored uber-Gurn:

http://joolzedymond.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewImage=102065

Was pretty fun out there when the mud came out – well it was until I binned into the brambles & stinging nettles at the bottom of cottage return.

Just some constructive criticism for some people out there – leave your brakes off a bit more on the rooty downhill sections, a little more speed can help you be a lot more stable.

I had a brilliant time. Really great atmosphere and some lovely people. I was doing 12hr male pairs and my mate was spot on. His first endurance event and he was always at transition on time and always cheerful too. But the cheerful prize has to go to the nice lady who smiled and chatted as we went through the "disco" in the woods. Number 304 I think. She just made me smile and gave me a real lift.
Also some big praise for my young son and his mate who made us pasta and have been inspired to want to race as soon as they're old enough!
Also must praise my young son and his mate who made us pasta between laps. They want to race as soon as they're old enough.

I thought the course was great, even managed a smile for my joolz pic.

I wasn't overkeen on the mud, loved being part of a team and the fact that we were 9th for the 24hrs! More down to them than me I have to say. Toilets were a disgrace by the Sunday I thought.

Really glad I did it, did question my sanity at one stage though!

I did ask politely several times "rider on your left" then used the other left, commonly known as right. 🙄

On the whole a great event, marred only by having a stinkingly bad back for the last two weeks.

"rider on your left" then used the other left, commonly known as right

At one stage I heard someone behind me and had the opportunity to move over to my left, so shouted "moving left" behind me, for the rider to pass me on my right, to which I got a "That's RIGHT! Oh, you mean YOUR left" I'm considerate, but can't start thinking of other people's rights and lefts for them!

It's a one way course – their left is the same as yours 🙂

Spooky- probably me with the courtesy 🙂 I've taken to saying, "rider behind, let me know when it's safe to pass". 1 or 2 seconds really isn't going to make or break a podium.

Had a great ride with one of the wiggle pairs, where we rode together from the start to the finish together… Only realising at the allotted that we were inthe same category. A slip in the woods gave him the lead and he proceeded to run as fast as he could through the woods while I stalked him on the bike. Awesome. Moments like that made the race for me.

annabananna – Member
"rider on your left" then used the other left, commonly known as right
At one stage I heard someone behind me and had the opportunity to move over to my left, so shouted "moving left" behind me, for the rider to pass me on my right, to which I got a "That's RIGHT! Oh, you mean YOUR left" I'm considerate, but can't start thinking of other people's rights and lefts for them!

So long as you are moving in the same direction you should have the same right and left 😉 It's common practice to say on which side they can pass (or you would like to pass) rather than where you might be moving to – that was probably the reason for the confusion. In any case, everyone is there to have fun (or should be – not like it's a world cup) and should realise that there is a huge range of ability and experience out there. Consideration for each other is the main thing. No need to get upset about it.

First ever 24hr event and entered in the solo. Plan was just to try and keep going, which I did and finished 11th. The course only really got bad once it stopped raining. Strangely enjoyed the mud, think this picture sums it up, a forced smile with about 2 hours to go! Thanks for every come ons, keep goings….., it really helps. Also have raised £1000 for Sheffield Childrens Hospitol, result.

I think I had a chat with you Darren – you stopped at the top of one of the small fireroad climbs, I was the tall knackered bloke on the white yeti (well, mud coloured one). Think you were 15th at the time so 11th was a great result – well done on the sponsorship as well.
It was my first bike event of any kind so I didn't have a clue what to expect but it was a great experience, and I'm glad I went for the 24solo even though I'm still suffering!

Yes I had both thank you very much, have a good race and also rider behind, let me know when it's safe to pass (the exact words I think) so I expect I was passed by both of you 🙂

Darren: so that was you I was racing all weekend, well done mate! I thought I was going to get the better of you in the end but looks like you had me properly by the end instead. I was in pieces from 6am but didn't let on 😉

No.17 on the Whyte E-120 btw…

You even beat me in the fundraising stakes and all you bugger – £700 here…

Well done Jarren! Must remember to sponsor you. Steve.

He did eventually switch it off only after I said I would switch it off but attitude sucked big time every other team managed with normal battery lights. You sir as I'm sure your on here are a very bad advert for your club

Afraid he's not. Perhaps it was the manner you asked? 

haha hey guys.

AWESOME weekend, first time racers 4 man 24hours….bleeding fantastic course loved sliding around it!

some great chaps about, props to the guy i followed on the bit before you hop off the bridge back into camp just over half way….he was wooping and laughing as much as i was, had a great time cheers buddy.

again yeah some pro's were a bit pants but well it all adds to the challenge.

also sorry that we delayed your prize ceremony….lol…we got a rider in at 23:59:33 so just had to get another out 😀