Grizedale Mountain Bike Challenge - 19 Sept

Broonster

Just spotted this is on at weekend:

http://www.gmbc.co.uk/index.asp

Anyone here doing it this year or maybe done it before? I kinda caught the bug after having recently done the CRC Marathon at Selkirk for the first time (loved it!) and am thinking of dipping my toe into this too (it's only a 2.5 hour drive away for me).

I'd be interested if anyone has any experience of this particular event, such as route info, feeding stations (is there any?), tips etc.

Cheers!

maddog 2

I'm in 8)

Did it last year and it was a good event. Route was pretty good and unlike a lot of XC courses, did have some fairly challenging sections.

Hopefully the weather will improve but no big deal if it doesn't.

It's a decent hard ride though - I was knackered after last year's ride. Make sure you feed and drink really well or you'll suffer on the second lap.

cw42

Me and my mate will be doing it, although we've barely recovered from the Holme Valley challenge on sunday! Route looks interesting, mainly fireroad climbs and singletrack wooded downhills

cw42

Well, how did you do Broonster?
We only did one lap The weather was atrocious, the route was way too much climbing, with no respite on the downhills as they'd all turned into either streams or mud slides Didn't enjoy it at all. I normally love cycling in those challenging conditions, but the one lap we did went on for ever @ 18 miles and just didn't seem to want to end. Everytime we got to what we thought was the end for the next lap, another section of muddy singletrack was thrown at us! Climbs were of the "long drag up fireroads" or "walk up mud slide mountainsides" and downhills were just downright scary Saw plenty of falls and came of lighly twice myself.
Don't think I'll bother next year and do the Mary Townley instead
Thousand yard stare anyone?

SpeedWeasel

I did the event yesterday and I too packed in after one lap due to the weather - too much pushing and not enough riding. I logged 18.31 miles on the GPS (2089ft of climbing), but that was from the car and back.

cw42: I 'think' I may have been chatting to you at the top of a short, steep section before setting of and almost immediately coming straight over the handlebars. I was on a white Carerra Fury. If it was you, good to meet you

The weather was appalling. I didn't mind the course as much as I did the weather. I think if the forecast is better for next year I would be tempted to have another go. The guys I ride with say it was much better last year in 'nice' weather (dry). It was the long push up that steep, mud slide that put me off a second lap, I very much doubt I could ride that in the dry let alone Sundays filthy conditions!

Well done to anyone that finished it!

cw42

cw42: I 'think' I may have been chatting to you at the top of a short, steep section before setting of and almost immediately coming straight over the handlebars. I was on a white Carerra Fury. If it was you, good to meet you

That was me Hello again. I walked that next section after hearing you go arse over tit Hope you were ok.
Don't think I'll be doing it again, whatever the weather, didn't like the route much at all
Been looking at your bike on Halfords website today, very nice

SpeedWeasel

cw42 wrote:

I walked that next section after hearing you go ars* over tit Hope you were ok.

Yeah, fine. I've had much worse . I nearly managed to hang on to it the first time the back wheel came up, but failed the second time

I did have to laugh to myself when I saw the St.Johns ambulance at the bottom of that particular section!

cw42

Good to hear. That was a tough section. What are you doing next? There's a challenge in Stoke on the 10/10.

320DMsport

Hell it was a awesome day, a proper challenge!

I'm not entirely sure it's going to be on again.

I enjoyed the day, weather was challenging at times.

I managed to finish and came 55th place at 4hr 1 min.

I was 3hr .48 in the dry last year.

I didn't mind the course, proper mtb but i can see why alot dropped out, very tempting at the end of the first lap, think there was 102 DNF.

Well done to eveyone that took part.

My team mate came 5th at 3hr 16, don't know how he did it!!

They run WMBC in March at whinlatter which is a good course, worth a look.

Broonster

cw42 wrote:

Well, how did you do Broonster?

Ahem, I ended up not doing it at all! :oops:

I dipped my toe into the Scottish XC series instead, the last round of which was being held at Drumlanrig Castle (only an hour drive for me, as opposed to the 2.5-3 hours I'd have had to get to Grizedale). Weather was great & the course was fantastic, so I think I'm glad I made the choice I did going by your report!

I do hope it's on next year though, as I'd love to come down & give it a bash

cw42

You made the right choice of event, for sure. Deffo won't be doing it next year. Far too long for the conditions and route for me.