the Cyclo cross racing post

hammerite

No idea unfortunately David. I think last year's season opener (apart from Blenheim) was Kettering, but I can understand if they're not putting a race on this season as I only remember seeing one Kettering rider all season.

bigpikle

hammerite wrote:

Hang on to your rear mech for this one though.... http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events ... ue-Round-6

body armour this time I think.....

bigpikle

hammerite wrote:

Central league dates.....

25th Sept - venue to be confirmed
1st Oct - Team MK - MK Bowl
9th Oct - Team Trisports - Hitchin
16 Oct - Hemel Hempstead CC - Hemel Hempstead
23 Oct - VC10 - Aston Clinton
30 Oct - Archer CC - Hillingdon Cycle Circuit
13 Nov - Icknield RC - Luton
20 Nov - Beds Road CC - Kempston
27 Nov - Didcot Phoenix CC - Reading
11 Dec - Twickenham CC - Hillingdon Cycle Circuit

thanks for these, but not sure its 100% accurate?

we still have the MK Bowl race listed as 5th Nov on the club website, and we're hosting it so it should be up to date?

hammerite

I think that's a different race BP, I know that the Inter Area Champs is going to be at the Bowl this year, so it could be that. These dates should be on the BC events calendar now.

bigpikle

hammerite wrote:

I think that's a different race BP, I know that the Inter Area Champs is going to be at the Bowl this year, so it could be that. These dates should be on the BC events calendar now.

thanks - seems you're spot on again. Not sure what the extra event is at the Bowl then?

1st Oct is an early one given I'd like to do a little better this yea but given its early there's less chance of me marshaling with 2 broken ribs this year then :oops:

Need to track don the Oxford events as well which arent Central League and see what else is more local.

Which ones are you planning to race this year?

hammerite

I'm planning on doing pretty much all of them - but life may get in the way. I'll see how many races I need to complete the league and make a call from there. Could do without a trek to Reading and given the interesting nature of the HIllingdon courses I'm not too bothered whether I do those or not.

May not be able to race the Beds Road one as it's my clubs race, might need to marshal/help out instead. Hopefully we'll have enough people willing to help so that those who want to race can.

hammerite

Here you go BP
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/74743/Inter-Area-Team-Championships

I think the races around Oxforrd you mention are Wessex league ones.

hammerite

I posted this on the training part of the forum, but just in case a shameless c&p.......

We're coming up to CX season in the next month or so. The CX season isn't a main aim for me, but I like to make a good go of it. Trouble is most races are on Sunday's when I'd usually be getting a long ride in.

I don't really want to be doing a long ride the day before a race, as I'd like to race fresh. Evenings aren't really an option over winter, so what do you do in cross season to keep the long rides up? Or do you not bother?

Ideally I want to hit January with the feeling of being strong, but able to ride comfortably for 3hrs +.
Most weeks riding to and from the race isn't an option as the boy races too in the kids races.

bigpikle

I dont think you need to worry too much about endurance rides at that time of year. If you're training a few times a week, even with a cx focus, I dont think you'll really lose much endurance. I also think that the more intense nature of the cross training and racing will certainly leave you feeling strong by the end of the year. More than likely you'll want to then spend some time on longer & lower intensity rides when the weather permits anyway.


Thanks for the link to the 6th Nov event. I'll see if the club is putting a team in, as I havent heard any chatter about it yet and I guess we'll enter as well as provide bodies to help out.

I wont be at the Hillingdon ones, as luckily one clashes with flying out on a business trip and I just dont fancy the 2nd one again anyway! I'll stick to the more local Central and Wessex league events and see how I get on for now Hoping for some much better performances with the last year of solid and effective training under my belt!

hammerite

I just seemed to struggle with 3hr+ rides after the CX season this year so wanted to see if I can make the transition easier later in the year.

I think the inter area champs is a representative type race, so if you're good enough you might get invited to represent the Central region. I don't think it's an open entry race.

bigpikle

that makes more sense then....I might be good enough to get asked to spectate, but thats about it...

cjcp

Hi all,

Looking to do some more cross races this year. Potentially daft question: what are the Icknield and MK Bowl courses like? I've only raced at Hillingdon and a course in Cardiff, the latter being much narrower and more technical than the former. A heck of a lot muddier too...

Cheers.

hammerite

I've only raced these last season, but both courses weren't particularly muddy. In fact Icknield didn't have any mud at all. Icknield is a round a school field, only a couple of short rises, quite fast and flowing.

MK only had one section where it got muddy, and that was only towards the end of the race as the grass got churned up a bit. Few more ups and downs at MK, and some annoying twisty bits straight after the downs to make you scrub off any speed you may have picked up on the downs! Of the two I found Icknield easier.

It was nice and dry for both races, so conditions could've been very different if it was wet. Although I got the impression that the Icknield course would hold together pretty well in the wet.

DavidBelcher

Bigpikle wrote:

Need to track don the Oxford events as well which arent Central League and see what else is more local.

Only 2 Wessex events in Oxford this season (last time there were 3) that I know of;

1) Cowley (at the secondary school - Oxford Spires Academy I think it's called), Saturday 17th Sept.

2) Harcourt Hill (Brookes University's Westminster campus just off the A34), Sunday 30th Oct. which clashes with a Hillingdon event. Not sure which of the 2 on that day I'll ride yet, both are good courses although Hillingdon is slightly cheaper to reach by train.

David

cjcp

hammerite wrote:

I've only raced these last season, but both courses weren't particularly muddy. In fact Icknield didn't have any mud at all. Icknield is a round a school field, only a couple of short rises, quite fast and flowing.

MK only had one section where it got muddy, and that was only towards the end of the race as the grass got churned up a bit. Few more ups and downs at MK, and some annoying twisty bits straight after the downs to make you scrub off any speed you may have picked up on the downs! Of the two I found Icknield easier.

It was nice and dry for both races, so conditions could've been very different if it was wet. Although I got the impression that the Icknield course would hold together pretty well in the wet.

Cheers

bigpikle

Icknield was my 1st ever cx race and the course was quite tame in the drier weather. Had some nice short steep hillocks (10' high) that were a little tricky and some drags across the school fields that soon got tiring, but as a total novice I faired OK.

I marshalled MK as I had a nasty crash shortly before at the Hell of Hillingdon race, but it looked harder on the legs with a longer and much hillier circuit. I was at the far end at could see the suffering as the race went on.... Hope to race it this year though.

Must start some CX interval training when I get back from the Pyrenees

hammerite

Anyone doing Tour of the Cornfields?

APIII

Bigpikle wrote:

Icknield was my 1st ever cx race and the course was quite tame in the drier weather. Had some nice short steep hillocks (10' high) that were a little tricky and some drags across the school fields that soon got tiring, but as a total novice I faired OK.

I marshalled MK as I had a nasty crash shortly before at the Hell of Hillingdon race, but it looked harder on the legs with a longer and much hillier circuit. I was at the far end at could see the suffering as the race went on.... Hope to race it this year though.

Must start some CX interval training when I get back from the Pyrenees

I rode the MK course a couple of years ago and found it really hard. It's a lot hillier than the other courses around here.

I'll give it another go this year though. Where abouts in the pyrenees are you headed?

hammerite

I found the lumps and bumps around the Bowl fine, the bit that I struggled on was when it went out of the grounds of the Bowl and zig zagged amongst the hedges. Just seemed to sap all energy out of my legs.

bigpikle

^^^ thats where i was stood marshalling - was quite glad I wasnt racing last time as it was pretty muddy.

Off to do the Raid Pyrenean with Marmot on 12th Sept

DavidBelcher

Quick heads-up for Central Leaguers: Mark Doel informs me that the opening event he's running on Sept. 25th will be somewhere just west of Leighton Buzzard (Wing or Soulbury). He's currently tying up a loose end or two re. prospective venue.

David

FransJacques

I did the Cornfield last Sunday. Good time, if a bit painful. I did a quick thread on the sportive/rides messaqge board. It was like a friendly race, people were not going slowly but we helped each other out with the course (much stopping) and we all worked together whenever possible.

Is anyone coming to the GoRide training race at Herne Hill tonight?


Also, this Sunady, I hope to make it to the first London League race at (Fowlmead?) the town by the coast.

hammerite

Thanks David, very useful a few of us were talking about this last night.

Frans - I was down to ride, but came down with a stinking cold towards the end of my holiday last week. Decided riding a few hours across the fields in the rain wasn't the best idea if I wanted to be fit to race this coming weekend (which is more important). Glad you enjoyed, disappointed to have missed it.

milese

I'm going to ride the first SW CX series race this weekend, and the forecast is for quite a bit of rain.

I've got a choice of two tyres (on a Focus Mare), which would be best? (The conti's are already fitted)

Schwalbe CX Pro

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... 581425356#

Conti Speed King

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... 394750211#

Its my first race on a proper CX bike, and I've never done the course before.

DavidBelcher

Milese wrote:

I'm going to ride the first SW CX series race this weekend, and the forecast is for quite a bit of rain.

I've got a choice of two tyres (on a Focus Mare), which would be best? (The conti's are already fitted)

Schwalbe CX Pro

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... 581425356#

The Schwalbe tyres aren't cheap but are nice and light - I've done a couple of seasons on them in the past. Not ridden the Contis but can certainly recommend the Schwalbe ones.

David

GiantMike

I like the CX Pros too.

milese

Thanks for replies. I've got both sets (bargains over the summer), with the thought that the CX Pro's would be better in the mud and Speedking better in the dry.

Just went out on the Speedkings and they seemed quick and sure footed on grass, but anything a bit more muddy and they slipped around a bit, so I think I'll put the CXs on for this weekend.

What sort of pressures do people run?

BeaconRuth

Milese wrote:

What sort of pressures do people run?

It depends massively on the terrain but as low as you can get away with while avoiding impact punctures. If there are no parts of the course where impact punctures are likely then try 2.5 - 3.0 Bars. This seems ridiculously soft if you're used to road riding. However the pressure of choice in the Three Peaks is, I gather, more like 4.5 - 5.0 Bars as that involves extremely rocky terrain.

Ruth

GiantMike

I normally run these at 40 psi Front /45 psi rear and I've only had 1 impact puncture so far (a tree root I'd missed for 8 laps and then it got me!)

Don't expect too much grip when racing. Even when the weather has been dry, sections of the course will hold water and still get muddy when theracing starts. At Keighley last weekend it had been dry but 102 riders doing approx 8 laps each over the same little bit of land tends to churn it up) and then there was another race after mine.

FransJacques

So, Fowlmead today anyone? I was at the back of the grid of 110 riders so didn't have the best outcome. But at least I got to pass some folks and passed all the Viscious Cycle and LMNH ladies (not that that matters but at least I can tell them apart from the guys).
Got lapped by the first 3-4 leaders on my last lap so I'm happy with that.