My first proper XC marathon style event, 2+ hours, 6-7laps laps of a short course. This year my training started really well – a good regime of real rides with focused sessions of turbo and running. I felt like I’d really shaped up. Sadly work and general life events over the last month put training on the back burner. It was good to get the old MTB out again and for its first ever race, and my first MTB race since 1993 ish.
We started about halfway in the field, and with such a huge amount of riders the start was slow paced through a bottle-neck to a gravel track where the riders start to spread out a little – only to jam into the first climb. [A classic view of the backs of my legs at the start of this video…]
One of the most challenging sections, a steep descent with loose spongy mud, a few ruts and deep grooves, made for a challenging game of faceplate roulette, I managed to ride this only twice without a foot down, with one comedy face plant. And most of these times avoiding other riders who were sliding down on arses or midway over the bars themselves. At least it was a nice soft landing.
The more technical sections included some nice cleansing river and stream crossings.
Hit the North 2017 from JohnClimber on Vimeo.
Worse than the climbs were the energy sapping soft grass, and the soft mud sections, in which it felt like another rider behind had attached a tow line to your seat tube. I’d never encountered mud quite like this. The most enjoyable section was a slide like gully/mud stream like decent, flowing with liquid mud.
My tyres, 2.3 inch wide soft aggressive tread, good for rocks of the Pennines, were not great for the mud. Gathering and holding onto the mud between the tread, loading thick clumps into the front mech and frame. I could feel the weight and resistance. I could have done with more clearance so a thinner tyre next time.
Typically I had some gear problems, crunching gears on the climbs and without my granny gear and sometimes stuck in the big ring [front mech clogged with mud] I found my self straining up the hills. This combined with being slightly out of shape, it was simply easier to run, later walking, many of the steeper sections as the laps went on. I was beaten. I like to think I would have been normally been riding these.
I’d lost count of my laps but nearing 2 hours, on what I thought was my final lap, I put in a bit of extra effort. On passing through the finish line, the words ‘one more lap’ were not what I expected to hear when I was looking forward to collapsing on the grass and treating myself to a brew and snack. But I was sort of pleased to be able to get in an extra lap. I slowed the pace, this lap was just a question of getting round. Fatigue really kicked in, feeling the cramp in the arms and twinges of pain in the knees. It was hard to keep a focus on the technical sections.
The first lap, getting to know the course, and the final lap, were my slowest. Despite all this, I was pleased with my effort. 6 laps and 59th out of 142 mixed field finishers [what happened to the other 58 entrants?] And Dan made 39th so good results for Team MLC.
It was a great day and brilliant to see so many riders out. I loved the diversity of bikes and people who were riding. Thanks to the organisers for creating this event, and all the brilliant marshals shouting encouragement along the way.
Hillbeast 