Mountain Bike Round Up - After Summer

This year I got back into my Mountain Bike racing, some might say in a big way.  Anyway, with a number of endurance races from 100km to 24hrs, it promised to be a long and difficult learning curve and I did not expect much.  Knowing a few folks which have done these events before and quizzing them was key to knowing what to expect and to helping me approach them prepared but humbly.

Being use to suffering climbing winter routes in Scotland and having long days in the alps would help the mental games.  Riding as much as possible even just short loops and 30 minute turbo sessions along with some pretty decent road rides and single speed mountain bike rides would build the strength and stamina.

But that is about as close as I get to talking about training, as it bores the hell out of me.  I'd rather know how people get on if they are competing, wouldn't you?  Their experience and how they found it, if they do well even better.

So with some sort of plan that would also be interrupted with a trip to the alps to climb, with Nik and the Cycleworks crew in support I entered and achieved the following results in my first full year of endurance MTBike racing.

Gorrick 100, 7 laps - 2nd Open Men 

(Single Speed)

24hrs of Exposure National UK Solo Champs - retired 8hrs30minutes in...
due to tendons torn in my left wrist in the ride to second in the Gorrick 100.

Bontrager Twentyfour12 - 8th Open Men Solo 24hr
(First race on the new SIR 9 Niner)

On my way to 8th in the Twentyfour12

Sleepless in the Saddle - retired 10hrs 30 odd minutes a broken man

(I entered after the disappointment of the 24hrs of Exposure) Rob Dean was right, two weeks was too close to the Twentyfour12.

Gorrick 12:12 TORQ in your Sleep - 7th Open Men Solo (Single Speed)

The SIR 9 Niner as it should be, boy this bike is good.

So overall a pretty good first season, but it has set the bar high for next year and the races are selected, just not entered yet.  It won't be long, but there is a small matter of the Gorrick Brass Monkey series and an all out SIR 9 single speed assault.  I better get riding.

Thanks Nik and Dave and the crew at Cycleworks.

See you on the trails.