the Cyclo cross racing post
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No, it was in the hall - couldn't wait for the hosepipe, I'd have been there till 5pm what with the extra lap and all 8)\'You Come At the King,You Best Not Miss\'0
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Bigpikle wrote:Hillingdon was a nightmare!
Muddy as hell and a challenge to stay upright on half the course (and I frequently didnt) and after 1 hr 2 mins I came across the finish line to see the board showing 2 more laps. Laps were 10-11 mins each so WTF was that all about? No sooner had I started the last lap when my rear mech decided it couldnt take any more and sheared off on one of the steep muddy banks sending me into a spectacular and painful crash and leaving me with very sore bruised ribs and a nice repair bill... If only they had actually run a 60 min race as they were supposed to
On the bright side it was the toughest cycling experience I've ever had and I learned to MTFU, so went home caked in mud, battered and bruised and with a broken bike but having had a laugh with several people I raced last week and looking forward to the next race :twisted:
Not been on Bikeradar in an age but happened on this thread and felt obliged to chip in - by the sounds of it I'm pretty sure I had a chat with you near the finish line, being a fellow DNF with a stuffed rear mech (I was in Sotonia CC kit).
The race was pretty good fun in its own way, though, wasn't it? If only I'd had my mechanical on the last rather than first quarter of that final lap, then at least I could have shouldered the bike and run to the line! Slightly gutted at having sacrificed a finish in the top half of the field.
Will be back at Hillingdon for more on December 12th though, just hope they use the same course.
Already have a replacement rear mech in the post so normal service will be resumed for the next Wessex League outing at Basingstoke (good course, enjoyed last year's edition).
Have ridden 2 Central League races in 2 seasons so far, seems a good set-up and a friendly crowd. Hope to do the Central event near Newbury later this month if I can get the Saturday off work!
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
DavidBelcher wrote:Bigpikle wrote:Not been on Bikeradar in an age but happened on this thread and felt obliged to chip in - by the sounds of it I'm pretty sure I had a chat with you near the finish line, being a fellow DNF with a stuffed rear mech (I was in Sotonia CC kit).
The race was pretty good fun in its own way, though, wasn't it? If only I'd had my mechanical on the last rather than first quarter of that final lap, then at least I could have shouldered the bike and run to the line! Slightly gutted at having sacrificed a finish in the top half of the field.
Will be back at Hillingdon for more on December 12th though, just hope they use the same course.
Already have a replacement rear mech in the post so normal service will be resumed for the next Wessex League outing at Basingstoke (good course, enjoyed last year's edition).
Have ridden 2 Central League races in 2 seasons so far, seems a good set-up and a friendly crowd. Hope to do the Central event near Newbury later this month if I can get the Saturday off work!
David
I remember! Small world. I guess I enjoyed it during the race in hindsight but the conditions were a little extreme for my skill level so I cant claim it was exactly a fun ride really.Your Past is Not Your Potential...0 -
^^Wessex Cross at Basignstoke is a hoot - The course includes a bit of a BMX track complete with 180 berm and whoop-de-doos! Overtaking by railing the berms was great.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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That sounds fun
My ribs stopped me being able to ride today so went to marshal at MK Bowl and it looked a cracking course although tough. I hope everyone there had a good race and enjoyed themselves. Did my best to cheer everyone each lap but it got me thinking about what we can do to get bigger crowds at these races as most of the circuit was lacking any people to cheer on the riders Your Past is Not Your Potential...0 -
Good on you for marshalling BP, sorry to hear your ribs are causing you problems.
Never really got into yesterdays race, no idea why. Good course, although the long flat zig zagging section outside the bowl was a bit of a drag.
I suppose the technical sections should attract more of a crowd, although the fewer people see me crash the better (stayed on yesterday though) 0 -
hammerite wrote:Good on you for marshalling BP, sorry to hear your ribs are causing you problems.
Never really got into yesterdays race, no idea why. Good course, although the long flat zig zagging section outside the bowl was a bit of a drag.
I suppose the technical sections should attract more of a crowd, although the fewer people see me crash the better (stayed on yesterday though)
that was where I was - at the furthest point on the zig-zags trying my best to cheer people on. It looked tough there judging by the faces as people went past - those drags slightly uphill through the grass and mud. I think I would really have been feeling it round there!
I have a couple of weeks to recover and maybe get a little fitter before the next one so hopefully see you at the next race, which will be Wendover according to the BC guy I was stood with yesterday. I got my bike fixed and picked up some Time ATAC pedals so hopefully will be all set for the mud this time!Your Past is Not Your Potential...0 -
ebq wrote:
Do you happen to know who the photographer guy was? I've seen him at a few central races, but pics never seem appear online.Bigpikle wrote:My ribs stopped me being able to ride today so went to marshal at MK Bowl and it looked a cracking course although tough.
Paul Douglas - http://www.photoboxgallery.com/PaulDouglasPhotographicServices/collection?album_id=530868409 Doesn't look like he's added the MK photos yet.
BigP - Yes where you were stood was for me probably the hardest part of the course! Sorry I didn't say hello, everyone looks so different without lycra and a helmet on. You'll have to put on your "Here come the Belgians" jersey if you marshall again 0 -
I wasted an hour of my life at the St. Helens cyclo cross on Saturday afternoon. Last year’s course was superb but this year’s with its narrow boggy sections was a big disappointment.
The start was pathetic with over 100 riders starting on a path no more than 3 metres wide. “Gridding” consisted of calling the first 10 league riders forward and leaving everyone else crowded together behind them.
It was difficult to pass riders and difficult to let the leaders pass later in the race. It meant you just had to slow down and wait a number of times.
I know there is a lot of talk about how cyclo cross has changed but the simple fact is if there are a hundred or more starters the courses have to change to accommodate the numbers and that means wider and more free flowing courses. Most of us are just racing for fun. We want a good work out, burn off some calories and go home for our tea.0 -
First cross race in 20 years yesterday, slogging around muddy fields etc for best part of an hour.
My oldest lad rode his first race also, in the U12, enjoyed it enough to want to ride again.
When I was warming up on the circuit, I was glad it wasnt one of those circuits where you are meandering around a field just to make the course longer. Then just before the start the organisers altered the course by making us meander round a field.
Loved it, just forgot how f00kin hard it was.0 -
Monty Dog wrote:^^Wessex Cross at Basignstoke is a hoot - The course includes a bit of a BMX track complete with 180 berm and whoop-de-doos! Overtaking by railing the berms was great.
I can't bring myself to describe yesterday as "a hoot". Grim, cold weather and a churned-up course with no easy sections made for a hard slog. I was glad just to have finished, even if I did trail in last, fortunately I didn't break my bike this time, and didn't do anything requiring First Aid attention at any point; some of the other racers weren't so fortunate. Here's hoping for better conditions at Thruxton next Sunday....
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
who's going to Aston Clinton for the next Central League race?
Good location so should be a good course I reckon 8)Your Past is Not Your Potential...0 -
few guys i train with do cyclo-x
Gary Mcrae has won 5/5 races so far this season iirc
guys a machine!! 0 -
Bigpikle wrote:who's going to Aston Clinton for the next Central League race?
Good location so should be a good course I reckon 8)
Already pencilled in for a Wessex League event closer to home (Andover) so won't be at that one. Should be riding at the Newbury and Hillingdon rounds though. Is the Newbury course a brand-new venue? It'll be unknown territory for me; there is a Wessex event at Newbury but it uses the showground up near the M4 instead.
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
I've got my first cx race this Sunday at Aston Clinton. Part of me is looking forward to it but another part of me is a little bit nervous :oops:0
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Good luck - come back and tell us how you got on.Harry B wrote:I've got my first cx race this Sunday at Aston Clinton. Part of me is looking forward to it but another part of me is a little bit nervous :oops:
Two races for me this weekend - the LVRC event and the West Mids League at Shipston. Anyone else doing either of those?
Ruth0 -
BeaconRuth wrote:Two races for me this weekend - the LVRC event and the West Mids League at Shipston. Anyone else doing either of those?
Ruth
Good luck Ruth, that will be a tough weekend, no doubt a bit muddy for both of them.0 -
SBezza wrote:BeaconRuth wrote:Two races for me this weekend - the LVRC event and the West Mids League at Shipston. Anyone else doing either of those?
Ruth
Good luck Ruth, that will be a tough weekend, no doubt a bit muddy for both of them.
Indeed - let us know how it goes, Ruth, if only 'cause I'm toying with the idea of doing back-to-back cross events myself next weekend. The plan is: Central League at Newbury on the 27th followed by train up to my parents in Wolverhampton, ride the West Mids League race at Cannock on the 28th then train home to Winchester on Sunday evening and in work for 8:45am on the Monday morning!! Bit concerned I may be biting off more than I can chew there although I should get some decent R&R on the train journeys. Done back-to-back TTs in the past but they were mostly only 10s so not really that taxing overall.
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
It might not be as physically challenging as you think - you haven't see how slowly I go round corners when there's a bit of mud about! I'm so lacking in the finer 'cross skills that the experience of being confronted with more slippery cambered banks and muddy corners is far more important to me than having my freshest racing legs available.
DavidBelcher - have you seen the warnings that Cannock might be cancelled in the event of bad weather? There's a message about it on the WMCCL message board - they don't want their grounds chewed up like we managed in Lichfield the other week after a couple of days of torrential rain. So it might be worth noting the weather and the warning before travelling a long way to race. If it does happen I'll look forward to seeing you there. Will you be in the vets race or are you only a youngster?
Ruth0 -
BeaconRuth wrote:It might not be as physically challenging as you think - you haven't see how slowly I go round corners when there's a bit of mud about! I'm so lacking in the finer 'cross skills that the experience of being confronted with more slippery cambered banks and muddy corners is far more important to me than having my freshest racing legs available.
DavidBelcher - have you seen the warnings that Cannock might be cancelled in the event of bad weather? There's a message about it on the WMCCL message board - they don't want their grounds chewed up like we managed in Lichfield the other week after a couple of days of torrential rain. So it might be worth noting the weather and the warning before travelling a long way to race. If it does happen I'll look forward to seeing you there. Will you be in the vets race or are you only a youngster?
Ruth
Despite having 7 seasons of cross under my belt, cornering is the one skill that still seems to be eluding me. Although after seeing a nasty mishap in the Vets' race at Basingstoke last Sunday, on balance I'd rather get round slowly and safely rather than end up on the ground and carted off by the First Aiders. On badly churned courses I always find rutted corners really tricky regardless of what tyres I'm running or the pressure in them.
I'll be in the Seniors race if I go to Cannock (still 4 and a bit years until I hit Vet status) but will keep an eye out for announcements that force a change of plan. If it's a no-go the money saved on travel can go towards Christmas shopping and I'll spend my Sunday down at Southampton watching the National Trophy event instead!
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
BeaconRuth wrote:
Good luck - come back and tell us how you got on.Harry B wrote:I've got my first cx race this Sunday at Aston Clinton. Part of me is looking forward to it but another part of me is a little bit nervous :oops:
Two races for me this weekend - the LVRC event and the West Mids League at Shipston. Anyone else doing either of those?
Ruth
Good luck at the weekend Ruth. The boys are having a weekend off so we won't be out. Alex wants to get some work in on the sand as he has been picked to ride for GB next weekend at Koksidje in the World Cup 0 -
was planning to do only the Central League race but now you've got me thinking... The LVRC course is only 45 mins up the road so potentially I could do both Your Past is Not Your Potential...0
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Thanks Mike. Congratulations to Alex on his GB selectiion. What a great experience that will be. Where will he go to practise riding on sand? Do you have a handy stretch of sand for training on?!MikeWW wrote:Good luck at the weekend Ruth. The boys are having a weekend off so we won't be out. Alex wants to get some work in on the sand as he has been picked to ride for GB next weekend at Koksidje in the World Cup
Ruth0 -
Go on! The LVRC event should be a bit different but still a good practice session if nothing else............Bigpikle wrote:was planning to do only the Central League race but now you've got me thinking... The LVRC course is only 45 mins up the road so potentially I could do both
Ruth0 -
BeaconRuth wrote:
Thanks Mike. Congratulations to Alex on his GB selectiion. What a great experience that will be. Where will he go to practise riding on sand? Do you have a handy stretch of sand for training on?!MikeWW wrote:Good luck at the weekend Ruth. The boys are having a weekend off so we won't be out. Alex wants to get some work in on the sand as he has been picked to ride for GB next weekend at Koksidje in the World Cup
Ruth
I'm sure he will find something. There is a bit of a quarry up Cannock Chase.0 -
Good to meet you Bigpikle. What did you think of it? Plenty of mud huh? Lots of dismounting and remounting too - 6 times a lap for me............... all good practice.Bigpikle wrote:was planning to do only the Central League race but now you've got me thinking... The LVRC course is only 45 mins up the road so potentially I could do both
Ruth0 -
BeaconRuth wrote:
Good to meet you Bigpikle. What did you think of it? Plenty of mud huh? Lots of dismounting and remounting too - 6 times a lap for me............... all good practice.Bigpikle wrote:was planning to do only the Central League race but now you've got me thinking... The LVRC course is only 45 mins up the road so potentially I could do both
Ruth
Likewise very nice to meet you as well.
I found it very hard, especially since I've only ridden a bike a couple of times in the last 3 weeks since injuring my ribs. As you say, enough mud to last a lifetime and it was a good change to be somewhere other than a school field. Sadly somehow my rear wheel got so far out of true that I cant ride on it again until its sorted, so there's no chance of racing tomorrow as well, even if I was to kid myself I had anything left in my legs after those long slogs across those muddy fields!!!
A small field but it seems the slower people were the ones missing, so I was spat out the back pretty quickly. I did start to reel a few people in on the last lap so might have made a little more progress if it was a full hour, but overall was well off the pace and will call this one a 'training session' rather than a race :oops:Your Past is Not Your Potential...0 -
In that case you must have done very well - did you finish on the same lap as the winner? If so you must have been in the top 10.Bigpikle wrote:I found it very hard, especially since I've only ridden a bike a couple of times in the last 3 weeks since injuring my ribs.
Do you not have a spare wheel?As you say, enough mud to last a lifetime and it was a good change to be somewhere other than a school field. Sadly somehow my rear wheel got so far out of true that I cant ride on it again until its sorted, so there's no chance of racing tomorrow as well, even if I was to kid myself I had anything left in my legs after those long slogs across those muddy fields!!!
I was thinking that the ones missing were the faster ones! - I was 'only' lapped by about 8-10 riders which is unusual for me on such a short course. They're all 'training sessions' rather than races for me - I find that the courses are all so different that every race I've done so far has needed different kinds of skills and fitness.............. 'cross is lots of things but it certainly ain't dull!A small field but it seems the slower people were the ones missing, so I was spat out the back pretty quickly. I did start to reel a few people in on the last lap so might have made a little more progress if it was a full hour, but overall was well off the pace and will call this one a 'training session' rather than a race :oops:
Ruth0
