Mud Sweat & Gears 20....13!!!

C0LL0

on the MSG facebook page 6 out of the 8 rounds are confirmed

evo3ben

I just thought it a little strange that apart from 6 confirmed venues, there are still 2 to be confirmed and no event information at all i.e. race times, format, costs etc.

ollie51

clicky: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/?series_id=310

No Hadleigh farm, though?

VWsurfbum

ollie51 wrote:

clicky: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/?series_id=310

No Hadleigh farm, though?

yet, pretty much. a fore gone.

ollie51

It's far too technical for a regional level race to be fair - there's only a handful of riders in the eastern region who could get an XC bike round that course unscathed.

VWsurfbum

your assuming that the other routes wouldn't of been put in by then?

bigdawg

theres been a rtace held there already after the olympics - the UK under 16s championships - in which girls as young as 13 rode the course (and rode it incredibly well!!) it only took a few adjustments - I think we may see hadleigh there eventually but knowing how the council are making people jump through hoops just to walk over there im assuming its taking time.

pilch

1st 4 entered

C0LL0

there is the national round 5 at Hadleigh in July, with open and fun class races on the Saturday, so don't know why a regional race can't be held there.

bigdawg

here we go..

Sunday 17th March, Tunstall Forest, Suffolk
Sunday 21st April, Codham Park, Braintree, Essex
Sunday 19th May, Thetford Forest, Norfolk
Sunday 16th June, Ickworth House, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk
Sunday 14th July, Secret Nuclear Bunker, Kelvedon Hatch, Essex
Sunday 4th August, Hinchingbrooke Country Park, Cambridgeshire
Sunday 8th September, Langdon Hills, Essex
Sunday 29th September, TBC, Essex - Hadleigh

hopper1

Well I'm entered for 17/3 Tunstall & 14/7 Nuke Bunker.
Gutted that work/ other race commitments got in the way of the other races, but 2 is better than none!

bigdawg

christ one of those is miles away!! With whipstakes may only be doing the localish ones...

VWsurfbum

So with the 2 hr race starting at 14:00hrs and the Kiddies rides at 10-11:00 then a race potential at 12:00 kind of takes the whole day up?
Traveling all that way and then doing the 1hr race :roll: just doesnt make sense :?
I'll be having to negotiate bringing MrsVW to races just so No1 can race, but then that means them hanging around to potentially 16:00+ just so i can do a proper length race.

There may be trouble ahead?

evo3ben

Woo Hoo all signed up! Payed for 6 rounds and got other 2 free, bargin! 8)

hopper1

evo3ben wrote:

Woo Hoo all signed up! Payed for 6 rounds and got other 2 free, bargin! 8)

Am I jealous, or what!...

evo3ben

I was due to be working half of them but booked holiday with work and jobs a good'n. Are you not able to do the same?

ollie51

Anyone know anything about the Cambridgeshire venue? If it's not a good course I don't think I'll bother...

VWsurfbum

ollie51 wrote:

Anyone know anything about the Cambridgeshire venue? If it's not a good course I don't think I'll bother...

being cambridgeshire chances are it will be very flat LOL

had a quick google

pilch

VWsurfbum wrote:

ollie51 wrote:

Anyone know anything about the Cambridgeshire venue? If it's not a good course I don't think I'll bother...

being cambridgeshire chances are it will be very flat LOL

had a quick google

Did a race there a couple of years back from what I remember it was quite enjoyable.... not overly technical, no better or worse than some of the other locations... and its the closest one to me, about 25 mins away so i'll definately be doing it.

hopper1

evo3ben wrote:

I was due to be working half of them but booked holiday with work and jobs a good'n. Are you not able to do the same?

I work offshore. Would have to book a couple of three week trips off to cover that... Waaaayyyyy too expensive!

C0LL0

All entered 8 races with 2 free (eventually, I really should read what Matt writes and only entered the 6 instead of paying for all eight, but sorted now)

Good to see EvoBen has entered them all, no doubt I'll see you on Sunday steaming past me as usual....

stylish

I need to sort my entries really, but 2pm start for the big race is a bugger, but after a year out Im sure it won't be too much of an issue.

Most likely do 6 of them, as a couple look like they clash with other planned events...

IhateDNS

Question
Looking at benchmarks on average speed? Trying to get ready for MSG.
Have been riding through all this slop in different woods.

Do know Apps & Garmin are not 100%. I'm getting a slow 6-8 mph :oops: (end of last year my best was ten).
I haven't walked my bike for sometime now :roll: but improving on speed seem a long time coming.
Have got until April to improve!

Whats all your average speed just to see how far out?

bigdawg

stick to the road in this weather - not really a lot to be gained from riding through clay and slop and not getting anywhere other than handling skills.

stylish

And lots of worn out parts! Your average speed in a race will always be slightly higher as you have a bit of red mist, competition and adrenaline flowing, so don't get too hung up on it, and with the MSG races you get a good mix of abilities anyway.

First 3 rounds entered today, and just over a month to go now..

grony

Thinking of entering a couple of rounds of this series but don't want to make a prat of myself, or even worse get in the way. When you say "a mix of abilities" how fit do you need to be to not come last? Given it's a regional event, does that mean there's not likely to be any plodders at the back?

VWsurfbum

dude theres loads of plodders
Spence, where we rode on sunday was very technical so the avg speed would be much slower.
Your much faster this year than last, just need a bit of killer instinct

WindyG

Right that's me entered for the first round in the Open cat, plus 3 girls for the under12s/9s coaching and race.

grony if your unsure just enter the "open" cat, there will always be plodders in any class don't let it stop you giving it a go, this will only be my 5 XC race.

grony

Right, thanks, I'll give it a whirl.

IhateDNS

Thanks

bigdawg wrote:

not really a lot to be gained

I thought road riding wouldn't give me much benefit like riding a gym bike with virtual hills. The view I had was only way to get faster riding in woods is to ride more in woods.

grony
I plod a round and just happy to finish a race then try and beat the clock or others, So not really a race for me.
Codham Park is on private land so it's the only time I get to ride so will always be on my list to do.