Brass Monkeys Enduro (MTB) race... round 3.

MTB Race, “Brass Monkeys” Enduro (Rounds 3)

Sunday morning I woke up well before my alarm, a little bit of nerves in my mind. So I got up and started to wonder what I needed to take, what to wear, what food and nutrition for the bike etc. I had not really give any of this a thought, bike was ready to go, a good load of porridge eaten and another pot for pre race was the best I could do. All my kit loaded and I set off. As I walked out the front door I had a unpleasant surprise, one it was incredibly cold and two, it was white everywhere....! Yes, snow overnight, and around an inch had laid. Another little thing to add to the days fun.

The view I found when leaving the house, some friendly locals on their drunken way home I think.

The 45 minute journey safely done, we were steered down a rather muddy looking track. Sign of things to come..... Parked, registered and number tied on. Kit decided, and 10 minutes before the off I was all ready. I was skeptical to do a “warm” up as my knees had started to get sore in my prep rides during the week over only 2 hours, so the race being 4 hrs I thought I would save the possible soreness. I rolled my way to the start line and soon heard a voice I recognized, Nick one of the GS riders appeared beside me. He had done a few of these so we chatted a bit. Then suddenly there was a shout “GO”.. So I guess we should start. He was off like a rocket and I was not.

Race tactics had been simple, just get around the first lap and try to learn the course a little. I had been warned by Nick and others if you were not in the lead few off the start you would get caught up on the first steep hill or narrow bit. This was spot on, we went for a minute or so and unclipped. This happened a few times in the first 20-30 minutes, the field was starting to spread and I started to relax a little. As we came round to the end of the first lap I had lost complete perspective of time and how long we had been going for. I had just got past a few slower riders so decided to not stop in the pits to feed as I would then have to overtake them again. I ended up trying to feed on the roll, so when an easier section appeared I pulled off my right glove and annoyingly it turned itself inside out. Annoyed I stuffed it down my jersey top and continued, the rest of this lap was bare handed on the right. I expected this to be awfully cold, but actually it wasn’t too bad. So at You’d think my hands would then have frozen, but they were ok, and I think I had a little bit better “feel”.

Learning the few sections which I had trouble with in the first few laps I then tried to take more momentum into these and be a bit more brave each lap. The one big thing I found was if I got my head up and really try to look ahead and plan the next corner/descent I was having less issues with with sliding. I kept repeating a line to myself, “ If you look at the problem, it becomes your problem”. When I was learning descending on the road with Andrea, he stressed how you look around the corner and if you look at a pothole or a steep drop you will go there. So this little line is similar thinking to my descending lessons.

From lap 2 onwards I could actually feel myself going faster. The lap times are slightly misleading as on some I stopped and had a pee or changed bottles. I was seeing people ahead of me who had flown past me an hour or two before, this helps with confidence and knowing what I was doing was making me quicker. Looking at the lap results most people got dramatically slower where as my bit of fitness kept me going, plus a bit of pacing early on.

I started what was going to be my final lap and it seemed I had found technical fatigue, my core was feeling well worked out, my hands were strangely getting cramps and my lower back was very tight. I had built up confidence and feeling comfortable, but then out of nowhere I came off on an easy section. Silly error, so immediately I thought I would revert back to my plan from earlier in the day.... Just finish safely. I had started to actually race and be competitive.

So conclusion to MTB, everyone had said I would enjoy it, even love it. Secretly I think I wanted to like it but I usually grade my enjoyment on success so thought I would be annoyed. But... yes, Laura, Laurence, Rob, Frank, and the others who said I would enjoy it and have fun, yes I did!! Fun was had.

The human blur off the start.....

So I would like to thanks Laurence and Rob at athlete Service for the use of their bikes and shoes and the last minute gear cable change to fix my gears. The tips and hints as well. My two guides, Laura and Frank. Sorry Laura you would not have liked the race yesterday, nowhere near muddy enough for you!

I cannot answer for all the Brass Monkey events but this one was really good. Heated tent, easy registration, really good course. For over 4 hrs of racing and only £23. Its a bargain.

Results are here....

http://www.timelaps.co.uk/assets/uploads/EVENTREPORT.aspx?eventid=354Area5117/01/2016

10th out of 30 wasn't too bad....

Thanks for reading and I hope after a few of you give MTB a spin.