Whats going on end of November and start of December?

In essence more stupidity, is the correct answer.

Firstly this weekend 29th November, sees the first of a 3 round Winter Endurance MTB series from those great folks at Gorrick, they keep coming up with goods and I keep turning up.

So with some training under the belt this time and only 4hrs to survive, I should be more interested than what I presently am, but I am sure that will change and I will start to get excited and prepared mentally.  The body is still under done and the loss of a full race the other week has left me with less race pace than expected.

It will also be a good test for PhxMet products and see if they can keep me going at full tilt for 4hrs.  guess I should also check there are still places available.

Then in some blatant stupidity I agreed to join a very skilled climbing friend Rob in a Dry Tolling Comp in Scotland on the 5th December. (See here: http://www.mcofs.org.uk/scottish-tooling-series.asp ).  I think my position in the comp will be court jester but lets see what happens. This will be my first climbing comp and I am actually really looking forward to this.  I have even been training (on the chalk), so this is a good motivation sign for the winter antics.

If I am lucky I should do better than expected and I am sure I will have loads of fun.  The bonus is that the Scottish weather is looking cold and snowy so we might be able to steal a winter route or two while we are there. Fingers crossed.

Will report again after the race this weekend.

Race Report - Gorrick Autumn Classic 2

Well not much to report unfortunately.

Arrived, registered, did a bit of a warm up lap, then waited for the start.

Set off at 9:45 with the rest of the Super Masters, and was keeping with the main group quite comfortably.  Then I started to labour with speed and power, which seemed odd as I felt pretty good.  I pushed on but started to lose touch with the riders in front of me.  Then my knees started to ache a bit, this was very odd as my knees have been great on the bike for a while now.

I stop to check my saddle height, it had drop an inch.  I put it back up and then sat back on the saddle and clamp bolt snap off.  I had obviously over tensioned the bolt, but the seat post was likely to slip again.

So half a lap in and I was out.  I really need to get this seat post replaced and whats ironic is I had been try to do so but it seems very hard to find the right sized lay back seat post.

Dave Farmer was doing great last time I saw him he was out onto the last lap in 7th, not far off the wheel of the chap in front of him.  Hope you finished well Dave.

Gorrick, great track................what I saw of it.  :-(

Gorrick Autumn Classic No:2

Tomorrow, 8th November, sees the last in this two part series of Cross Country races, I'll be lining up in the Super Masters again, but this time on the Cross Country bike and not the single speed.  This course should prove to be fast no holds barred racing.  The single speed would surely mean death in my current unfit state.

Due to work commitments and a lovely chest infection that I raced with last time, but mainly work, training has been down.  On the upside, I no longer have the chest infection, so I should be able to breathe.  Same rules apply, go as hard as necessary without empty the tank to start with, I'll save that for the last lap.

Weather look cool, but nice, wish me luck.

Update tomorrow night.