Mud, Sweat and Gears 2012

bigdawg

yes you can it was £18 on the internet and £20 on the day. But don't forget its on saturday ,and not sunday (as I nearly did!!)

evo3ben

Not sure where i heard it, but is there a bbq and drinks on the saturday evening at Langdon?

C0LL0

evo3ben wrote:

Not sure where i heard it, but is there a bbq and drinks on the saturday evening at Langdon?

There was ment to be but weather permitting, may not happen now. The party camper van's owner won't take it onto the field if it's muddy. I did think about sleeping in the back of the van on Saturday night, but got to go to a birthday party on Canvey, so will be coming Sunday morning instead.

bigdawg

anyone know if the course is the same as before or any changes..??

pilch

Dear All

I regret that after consultation with the organisers at Essex County Council, the decision has been taken to postpone this weekend’s Cross Country event at Langdon Hills. Storms over the last 24 hours have left the arena waterlogged, and with further heavy rain forecast for the next couple of days, the situation is unlikely to improve. Reports from the set-up team at the venue this morning are that the main arena and camping areas are, in particular, badly hit, with even tractors struggling to get onto parts of the field.

A provisional re-schedule for the weekend of 15-16 September is now being planned, and we should be in a position to confirm this very shortly. Refunds will be available for all riders who do not wish to ride the re-scheduled event.

Regards


Brian Furness

VWsurfbum

Well that's a shocker! I was expecting another mudfest race!

bigdawg

wow :shock: never heard of a national race being cancelled before... other than for foot & mouth...

Well at least Ive got something to look forward to again now and it might even be sunny! every cloud and all that..

pilch

To be honest, i'm glad in a way... seems like all i've been doing over the past months is racing in bogs and destroying my kit - last weekend at 24-12 resulted in new wheel bearings, chain & chainrings, its really peeing me off now, dont mind a bit of mud.. but week after week is doing my head in!

Roll on the winter series, might get some dry weather then

bigdawg

must admit there is that, ms&gs alone cost me a new bb, wheel bearing & jockey wheels...

C0LL0

Dissapointed but not suprised at the news, at least I can train longer now, although if thats the weekend scheduled I can't do it, racing in the nuclear blast at Kelvedon on the 16th Sept

bigdawg

that nuclear blast looks quite good, didnt know about it till about half hour ago, used to be a few good races in brentwood...

hmm so now Ive got langdon hills, the nuclear blast and possibly my little boys 5th birthday party all on the same weekend !!

How was beastway last night collo - heard it was a bit on the slippery side?!

pilch

yeah just realised I cant do that weekend either as i'm at the Kielder 100

bigdawg

its funny I forget how much time and effort actually goes into a race wekeend, I normally dont drink coffee the week before, dont eat sweets/biscuits and all my food is worked out weeks in advance, ive prob already lost about 2-3 pounds this week...

And since this morning Ive just finished my 2nd peanut kitkat and 3rd mug of coffee!

still got tuna rice & peas for dinner tonight - might detour to the chip shop... :oops:

pilch

I'm doing this tomorrow, so I cant completely fall off the wagon, but at least I don't have to beast myself again on Sunday, may just go out & ride my bike for sheer enjoyment for a change!

VWsurfbum

Were riding in the mudfest over at Thorndon now instead

evo3ben

Im a bit gutted to be honest with this week all planned out food wise as bigdawg has done and also adjusted my training accordingly. Was looking to be a good weekend I dont blame them for cancelling it though as if its that bad it would have been a nightmere. Im not shy of the rain or mud but this is really taking the pi55 now and there is knowone we can blame for the weather lol just the weather men and women for telling us dodgy forecasts.
Its been a really short season this year which a presume is because of the Olympics and hopefully things will return to normal next year. I cant make the 15th-16th of september so going to have to get a refund.
So, after Beastway has finished, bit of a break for some family time (which i owe them) then hard at it again for a full season of cyclo cross and Thetford winter series

Jimboliana

I was going to do the Nuclear Blast Enduro but would rather do the MSG race so that's buggered that up as well

pilch

Looking like they will run it weekend of Aug 25/26, but this is to be confirmed

bigdawg

ooh forgot about beastway, but even that hasnt escaped the mud this year...

TBH i dont think I can make the last race, which is a bit gutting as it could well be the last one.. I know theyre saying they make take a year out but I can see that this could be the end which for me is really sad. There was something almost magical about racing on the old circuit in the middle of summer back in the late 90s maybe its just a faltering memory but it really was idealic racing inthe haze of the summer.

Then moving to hainault park and my comeback to racing since the foot and mouth outbreak... Loved those races, and the guys always came up with good courses despite having virtually nothing to work with...

pilch

Just got this, seems all races are on sat 25th:-

Dear All

Thank you for your patience. I can now confirm that the revised date for this event will be Saturday 25th August 2012. Training will be available on the Friday afternoon, and the Open/Fun races will run behind race 3, also on the Saturday.

You will appreciate that whichever new date that we arrive it is going to produce a clash of some sort and we have looked at various options. Inevitable there will be some who can’t make this date, but by moving to the Saturday this does allow those who have also entered TORQ in Your Sleep to contest both events.

bigdawg

well thats a good result...

and the open runnign on the same day... And its always hot and sunny in august.. :?

C0LL0

I've had to drop out, I return from my holiday on the 25th so can't make that race date either, had it been the Sunday no problem, although my diet befroe the race wouldn't have been ideal. but can't win them all.

As for the beastway on Wednesday that was a little slippy, only fell off once on the last lap trying to pull a gap on a Darenth rider, who then rode past me, but I did remount and pass him again and picked off another rider as well, so good result for.

sdminus

quite happy with bc for deciding to re schedule the race. mtb racing is not mud bath racing like msg seems to think it is. racing needs a change of attitude from the run regardless to a more sesnasble approach.. dalby forest was muddy but a ridable muddy. codham park was a complete joke........ there is a differance

danhowe@ntlworld.com

Codham Park was difficult but every part was ride-able.

C0LL0

I think BC & Matt (MSG) made the correct call on Langdon hills this weekend, I am dissapointed (I can't make the resheduled event) don't get me wrong and if it was still on I'd be there tomorrow and would ride the course to the best of my ability. The course is the same for all riders at that given time so as long as the commisionaire says it's safe I'll ride whatever is put in front of me.

If you can't get even tractors onto the site there was no way vans and trucks let alone cars would be able to get into ten acre field, this event had to be called off. Like Ickworth house there is no point destrying the field and not being allowed back in future years,

IhateDNS

agree ^

Codham ridable depends what race! Open was OK just after see allot of riders running with their bikes

pilch

danhowe@ntlworld.com wrote:

Codham Park was difficult but every part was ride-able.

Not for me after the 1st couple of laps in the afternoon race it wasn't...

C0LL0

in the afternoon, the switch back section up through the tree's was not rideable, it should have been cut out as it was only a loop up the hill and back down to the stream again.

evo3ben

The afternoon race was terrible. As collo said, the switch back through the woods was really bad. Even pushing the bike built up too much mud on the tyres and stopped them turning. Bike on back job.
Personally, if the organisers think its safe to race, then im game for anything after all it is mountain biking.
Tyre choice has alot to do with it also. Racing Ralphs were not the ideal tyre for Codham and if i had some nice 1.9 mud tyres on that were able to clear better then it would have been alot easier than i found it. Thats the problem i find with a tubeless set up, not being able to change tyre choice at the last minute. I will have a spare set of race wheels ready for Thetford so that no matter the conditions i will have more of a choice.

bigdawg

I did have some really good clearing 1.9 mud tyres on... My wheels were still the best part of 8 inches wide in that part, impossible to turn and incredibly heavy to carry to boot...