# Race Reports



## palinurus (2 Oct 2009)

Post 'em here, some of you must've got going..


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## Dave5N (4 Oct 2009)

palinurus said:


> Post 'em here, some of you must've got going..




Not according to the results sheet.


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## jpembroke (4 Oct 2009)

My race report:

Yesterday - Considering Blenheim race or Western League Race in N. Bristol. Decided on the latter. Checked bike over and got kit ready. Went out for takeaway.

Today - Horribly ill all day. No doubt that sodding curry. No race.

Pants!


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## dan_bo (5 Oct 2009)

Got a really good start from the off, was picking wheels up that I don't normally get on, was feeling really quite good........until the first corner, where I forgot how to ride a bike. Cue 55 mins of redline trying to get a decent race out of myself. 


I'll be better next week.


Nick Craig was there as well! nice guy!


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## palinurus (5 Oct 2009)

dan_bo said:


> 55 mins of redline trying to get a decent race out of myself.



That pretty much applies to every race i've done so far.

Plan to start this weekend, I notice it's started raining today.


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## jpembroke (11 Oct 2009)

6th today. Small field though. Still, very happy. Started dry then rained for second half and got very greasy. I did benefit from a couple of crashes in front of me but then that's the nature of the 'cross I guess. Did get a good start this time, which I'm really pleased about. Last race I was half asleep at the start and it was elbows out from the off. Scary.


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## palinurus (11 Oct 2009)

Second event of the season today, the results aren't out yet. My club's event too.

It was really dry. There's been heavy rain recently following a prolonged dry spell, but only the very top surface of the soil has any moisture in it. I was helping mark out the course yesterday with those plastic poles with metal spikes on the end. Those things would go in about 2 cm, not much further without jumping on them like they were pogo sticks. Even then they wouldn't always go in.

Last year none of the slopes were rideable, this year almost the entire course was. I had to get off once each lap for a tricky tree root on a steep uphill slope, once at the barriers.

I got called up to the start and placed in the second row back. Maybe I just looked like I knew what I was doing, who knows.

And I did get a better start, although I didn't hold my place right at the head of the race for long. Not too bad though, better than usual.

And the practice has paid off, good remounts at the barriers, everytime.

I invested a lot of energy in the first lap to make up places, seemed to work, although I was seriously tired later on.

Dumb race mistakes? not so many this time. Pulled right over, nearly stopping, to let some guy past assuming he was lapping me. He wasn't.

-14th out of 32 finishers in the end.


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## palinurus (11 Oct 2009)

jpembroke said:


> 6th today. Small field though. Still, very happy. Started dry then rained for second half and got very greasy. I did benefit from a couple of crashes in front of me but then that's the nature of the 'cross I guess. Did get a good start this time, which I'm really pleased about. Last race I was half asleep at the start and it was elbows out from the off. Scary.




6th! what, again!

You could've done with one extra crash up ahead.


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## jpembroke (11 Oct 2009)

I know! On the last lap I was thinking: "I could get 5th here!!!!" Er, no. 6th again. My best ever finishes in 'cross and fell races have been 6th. I have to break this No. 6 hoodoo.


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## Blott's Mate (11 Oct 2009)

Progress! 3rd last rather than 2nd last. Overtook a bloke in the last lap. Woo hoo! 1st lap slowest then gradually got faster (slightly) with each lap. AND did a cor blimey plummet 8 times including the warm up.Too steep to go down on foot. 3 weeks ago I would have had one look at it and gone home. Go me !!


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## trio25 (11 Oct 2009)

Reminded myself that cross racing was fun. Had an easy start and slowly got past the odd person. Finished with a smile!


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## palinurus (12 Oct 2009)

Those steep drops do seem pretty hairy at first.

[quote name='Blott's Mate']1st lap slowest then gradually got faster (slightly) with each lap.[/QUOTE]

Damn! I normally go off fast then get slower.


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## Blott's Mate (12 Oct 2009)

I'll rephrase that. Start slow & get gradually slightly less slow!


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## dan_bo (18 Oct 2009)

One word: shimanotenspeedchainsarelame.

first lap.


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## trio25 (18 Oct 2009)

Yesterday: No mud! Didn't even need to wash my bike when I got home!


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## palinurus (18 Oct 2009)

Icknield RC event over in Luton today.

No mud for me either, dryest event so far. I did have to clean the bike on account of the sand pit on the course.

Ever since I've got a racing license I get called up and get a position near the front. I made the front row today- what's going on there then? Most of the second row came past me, but I did stay up near the front. There was a pile-up in the sand so I ran through that to avoid it, then ended up in a little race with four others.

Then three, then just two, me in front. So I had someone to race against, good. Kept ahead, even after falling off in the sand (that stuff is tricky).

Except he came past me in the sprint and I had nothing left. 

Learned something. I wasted too much energy trying to put a gap between us, should've let him through and followed him. Then I shoulda done what he did to me.

Don't know how I placed. I think third or fourth out of the vets though.


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## jpembroke (18 Oct 2009)

dan_bo said:


> One word: shimanotenspeedchainsarelame.
> 
> first lap.



Yep, someone had same problem at Gloucester last week. I run 8 speed. I love 8 speed, me.


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## jpembroke (25 Oct 2009)

10th at Stroud today. Tough course (as usual): lots of climbing, very technical off camber singletrack sections, mud, and lots more climbing. And it rained! Strong field too so pleased with the result. Bloody knackered now.


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## palinurus (25 Oct 2009)

Fourth dry event in a row for me, a London League/ Central League event at Hillingdon.

I didn't get gridded this time. Or I doubt I did. I couldn't hear the starter. There were 100+ riders between me and the start line, and it was windy.

So I rolled out near the back, got past a few, at the first small hill (the whole course was easily rideable, except the barriers) some of the riders were walking up- there was a terrible bottleneck. Made an effort to overtake as many as I could, and it was quite a few. Then the usual pattern, in a little group of four or five riders. After a few laps got out in front, briefly. Then on the last lap all my power just disappeared and I lost maybe six to eight places.

What I didn't like was the grassy sections- normally I like the grassy bits. It was really lumpy and rutted, really started to hurt after forty minutes.


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## Christopher (26 Oct 2009)

raced sat at Otterspool Park, near Liverpool. Great fun but very hard. I liked the technical singletrack bits but need a grippier front tyre, slid around lots. I wore my long-sleeve Cyclechat jersey, hope it appears in the photos. Finished much much nearer the back than the front but expected that.

Next one I want to do is on 8th November at the Lake District Vistors' Park at Brockholes.


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## Dave5N (27 Oct 2009)

Nice one Frustuck. 'Tis a a tough sport.


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## dan_bo (27 Oct 2009)

Good egg Frrrrrrrr. I got up on saturday morning and felt as deflated as my front tyre, so I got a coffee and went back to bed. I'll be at Otterspool next time (7/11) and the 8th is the (fixie) recce into cheshire. I'll see you on the circuit soon eh!


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## Christopher (28 Oct 2009)

hope so Dan! I enthused much to the missus & she may now come and watch me flail around in the mud one weekend, if we can get ourselves organised  I had assumed she would hate doing so. 

I am down in that London this w/e where she lives, no CX events convenient to hers this w/e though - shame.


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## palinurus (1 Nov 2009)

Finally got a bit dirty.

Inter-regional championships, Leicester, in a vets team. I don't know why I was entered either, I guess everyone else was busy.

I started in the second row back- lucky again. Then pulled my foot out of the pedal almost immediately, lost a good few places, then on the first muddy descent a rider came down in front of me and I hit his bike and came down too- as did a few others. Lost a good few more places. Better field than usual, hence I never really got back into the race after that although I pretty much retained my position from then on.

Course was slippy and with plenty of tricky cambers but no sections which really required running.

One good thing about vets races- only 40 minutes!


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## mr-marty-martin (1 Nov 2009)

that course was class! and o was the first corner crash, realy split the feild...


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## palinurus (1 Nov 2009)

It was a good course.

How did you do?


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## mr-marty-martin (1 Nov 2009)

was 6th or 6th in the fist 2 laps of the youth then blew up big style, had no room in the car for rollers so couldnt warm up properley like usual, so think i blew due to that...


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## palinurus (2 Nov 2009)

Any idea what your team standings were? I've no idea, I can't imagine ours were very good- we only had one rider get a good overall position.

It was that crash at the first corner that I ran into. No idea how many came down, I was focussed on getting up and getting moving again.


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## palinurus (7 Nov 2009)

Milton Keynes today. At the bowl. I thought Milton Keynes bowl was some sort of whopping great stadium or something.

It's a dell.

Most significant mistake: I assumed the start would be in the same place as the junior race. It wasn't. It was a nice wide bit of grass with a climb at the end. Hadn't practiced the climb since I didn't know it was part of the course. It was steeper than it looked, wrong gear, slowed right down, many riders got past.

Settled back into it, got past a few then just rode around getting more and more knackered but mostly retaining whatever position I was in. One of my clubmates got past, no-one else.

For the first time I wasn't lapped by at least one of the leaders (although the laps were pretty long).


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## Blott's Mate (9 Nov 2009)

4th cyclocross yesterday. Last 2 have been mainly on grass & confidence increased. Yesterday's was 90%+ single track through woodland.Thick leaves covering mud & lots of steep downhills, handbrake turn at the bottom & back up again. Nearly bottled & went home but did it. Best result so far. Out of 4 races done 2nd last;2nd last;3rd last & yesterday 7th last 36 out of 42 Woo hoo!


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## palinurus (9 Nov 2009)

Good result! It's tough when there's a lot of singletrack, I find those ones more difficult anyway.


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## Christopher (9 Nov 2009)

Raced yesterday at Brockholes, the Lake District National Park HQ near Windermere. Had a horrendous race  in a mix of deep mud, grass and leaves. Finished 3 or 4th last of out 100-odd starters. Spent a large amount of time unjamming the wheels, unjamming the chain, wading through mud etc I can see now why the serious racers have 2 bikes! I had a 20 speed Campag Velcoe go to a singlespeed in the murk. Was also soundly beaten (lapped) by someone I had finished ahead of at Otterspool, I just could not deal with the conditions at all.

Still it was neat to see Rob Jebb flying along past everyone, think he lapped everybody up to 3rd! I was about 5 laps behind I think. Saw 4 bikes with broken rear mechs , not surprised really, because if you skidded hard in the singletrack bits you in general would hit a tree. I clipped a shed once or twice (the shed was actually partly inside the course) but no damage at walking pace. It would have been a super course if it were drier, nice mix of grass, singletrack and little climbs.

oh well had a lovely ride back to Kendal after recovering...


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## dan_bo (9 Nov 2009)

Men from the boys kind of day then Frust. Good innit.


If you ever get a chance, have a go at the scorton scramble. A proper bike breaker.


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## Christopher (9 Nov 2009)

ta Dan. You know I am seriously considering either a CX bike with discs or an XC hardtail... with discs. My bike is technically a tourer, it could do with bigger clearances esp up front.


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## Dave5N (9 Nov 2009)

Top stuff, frustruck. You did better than me.


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## Christopher (12 Nov 2009)

results are out! I was 77th out of 86 finishers and a lap up on 5 people, a better result than I expected. The DNFs are not listed but I am sure there were over 100 starters and there were people near me who were having a bad time too who I didn't see after the first half-hour so maybe they packed?


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## Blott's Mate (14 Nov 2009)

Pouring rain & slippery mud, fell off on a muddy corner on 1st lap & went over on my foot clambering down a short but slippery very uneven bank on the 3rd lap -oh the pain- but completed 5 laps, last 2nd fastest & the fear is going  30/36 but my best ride so far in terms of general togetherness. Foot painful to walk on but hey ho!


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## palinurus (14 Nov 2009)

Well done, weather's been pretty nasty.

When it's raining I can pretty much guarantee I'll fall off at least once.


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## jpembroke (15 Nov 2009)

Took my sore throat down to Bristol today for a complete mudfest with crashes galore (I went down twice) and a few broken bikes (well, torn off rear mechs anyway). It was one of those 'the guy that goes least slow wins' kinda races. Anyway, managed to get round OK apart from those couple of spills on slippy left handers and finished 13th. Pleased with that and looking forward to the Cheltenham race next sunday.


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## Blott's Mate (22 Nov 2009)

Davy Down today. 6 laps including 2 flights of steps on each lap & a muddy descent. Must have lost at least a minute if not more with crappy dismount & remount. Now I can cope with the rest of it time to focus on the on & off side !
7th last but 2nd in women's league. Will finish 4th if fast ladies do 8 events.Higher if not.


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## palinurus (22 Nov 2009)

[quote name='Blott's Mate']Must have lost at least a minute if not more with crappy dismount & remount.[/QUOTE]

That was me until a couple of months back. I went to the park once a week and practiced over and over. It probably comes easy to some but for me it required a lot of practice to get the remount sorted. It makes a lot of difference, even if you only need to get on and off once a lap.


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## Dave5N (23 Nov 2009)

Remount is harder than dismount. Well done all. I had a fabulous day of tea and rolls with some very sound people at the organising club.


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## mudplugger (23 Nov 2009)

Martin Eadon the ex? GB coach has a number of sequences on You Tube which cover cyclo cross training tips, including mounting/dismounting. If you learn how to mount and dismount properly, then practice, you should be fine.


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## palinurus (23 Nov 2009)

I found those videos very useful. At that point I'd almost got the remount down but watching those really helped me to get it that much smoother and more reliable.

There's a link in this thread, there are five in all I think.


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## Blott's Mate (23 Nov 2009)

Thanks, really really helpful. I'll get there.


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## jpembroke (24 Nov 2009)

Did the Pittville Park, Cheltenham Race on Sunday and still recovering. Laps were quite long and technical with very steep banks, singletrack sections, tight turns, and a fallen tree to hurdle. However, the hardest bits were definitely the long flat grass sections which were so waterlogged and muddy that just riding in a straight line was an achievement. Strong field of 71 showed up for the race, which was won by Coventry's Darren Atkins with local rider Duncan Jamieson coming in 2nd. I am very pleased to have managed 18th place. Top race and looking forward to doing it again next year.


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## palinurus (26 Nov 2009)

jpembroke said:


> , the hardest bits were definitely the long flat grass sections which were so waterlogged and muddy that just riding in a straight line was an achievement.



Ugh! I'm expecting similar for this weekend's race.


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## dan_bo (28 Nov 2009)

palinurus said:


> Ugh! I'm expecting similar for this weekend's race.




Me too. Tyrepresuretyrepressuretyrepressure.


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## trio25 (28 Nov 2009)

The muddiest race I have ever done. Carried my bike more than anything else. Somehow punctured, but after taking forever to fix it finished! 

So if tomorrow is as muddy, it apparently shouldn't be! How do I get round the fact my tyres are huge, what tyre pressures etc?

Dan_bo you coming out to Bolton?


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## dan_bo (28 Nov 2009)

Yeah i'm back on gears for tomorrow *






*Providing I don't throw a soft one.


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## palinurus (28 Nov 2009)

Oxford today, Oxonian CC 'cross.

I got what I was expecting anyway.

I thought the course was really quite tough. Pretty technical in parts and the wet grass and mud was slippier than it looked and got slippier as the race went on. Not a good placing, I was the last of the riders who were a lap down on the leaders.

Everyone gets a prize though! I got a bag of nuts.

It wasn't my sort of course, tricky descents with bends at the bottom of 'em, deep rutted sloppy mud, run-ups. It'll need some work but I hope that next season I'll be more suited to it- it showed up a few weaknesses today which I need to work on.

The showers were cold.


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## palinurus (28 Nov 2009)

And I didn't fall off. I did hit a fence though.


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## dan_bo (28 Nov 2009)

palinurus said:


> The showers were cold.



Showers? SHOWERS? When I were a lad etc etc.

there are two 'cross seasons: late aug- end oct (dryish) then nov-jan (WET! BROKEN BIKES!) 

two quite different sports IMO.


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## palinurus (28 Nov 2009)

Two different sports, pretty much.

It certainly does change going into November. If it gets wet before that it dries out some. Then November comes along and the ground never dries out again unless it freezes, and that hardly makes things any better.


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## dan_bo (28 Nov 2009)

Icy roots rock!


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## Blott's Mate (29 Nov 2009)

Icy roots? (shudders)
Working this w/e so no race report. Watched the dismount & remount vid again & again. Peasy, I thought. Back garden, unclipped r foot (only ever do left normally) swung r leg back. Thought sh*t I can't possibly swing it over the back & forwards between the left leg & the bike & live, froze & bottled out. And remounting on the move? Snorts.Yeah right. They make it look so easy


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## trio25 (30 Nov 2009)

Bolton yesterday, it was muddy, it was leg sapping, it was hard work. I loved it. Finished 3rd female and I had to work for it!

Now looking for my next event, I seem to have remembered why I love it at the end of the season!


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## dan_bo (30 Nov 2009)

The Stadt moers is an absolute peach of a course Trio- get there if you can! I will be*


after that, it's the Todmorden race on the 4th Jan for me, and that's it.

**If I don't wuss out again


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## trio25 (30 Nov 2009)

So you wussed out yesterday? I wondered where you were!


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## palinurus (30 Nov 2009)

Blott said:


> I've no idea how big your garden is but you do need a bit of space. A nice bit of flat grass.
> 
> Do it in stages and take your time. Start by just getting used to getting your preferred leg (usually right) unclipped and just over the saddle, then swing it back and clip in. Just get used to that part of it. Then try getting it between your left leg and bike, hold it there, roll along a bit then return it.
> 
> Once you are comfortable with this move on to stepping off while moving slowly. Once you've done it once- and it may take a few goes to get up the nerve- it will be easy after that. If you haven't already done so adjust the tension in your pedals so it's really easy to unclip at first.


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## Blott's Mate (30 Nov 2009)

I think the garden is long enough. The good news I have managed the dismount but with my r foot behind the left one which was an alternative on the Youtube clip.I am going so slowly when I dismount that I have practically stopped by the time I gather myself & swing my r leg so rolling along on standing on my left pedal trying to work out how to somehow fit my r leg between the bike & my left leg isn't an option. I would have ground a halt and fallen over before it happened.I can't do it everytime.Sometimes I freeze & bottle out. Can't leap on but I reckon if I practice all week I'll get a quicker remount by Sunday. Not sure about the dismount. Unless I am very much better I don't think I'll risk attempting the dismount in public.Will practice every day & decide Saturday.Thanks for the support.Appreciated.


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## Christopher (1 Dec 2009)

28th Nov, Oxonian CC 'cross
I liked the course, loved the fast steep descents down the bank near the tennis courts, nearly hit the fence on the last lap though. Was doing okay but had the usual chain-jamming problems as the mud got into the delicate transmission, so went backwards through the field and was nearly last I think. That's the last time I use Campag 10 speed for CX! However I have just bought Herself's old bar-end 8/9sp Shimano shifters, so will see how they do once I have re-built the rear wheel and changed the rest of the transmission. I like the idea of a wide-ratio MTB block and tiny front clangers, I haven't used the 50t ring for CX and not that frequently for loaded touring.

Herself seemed to like the event, I was glad of her company, but I did think that the three races in the NW I have been at had a slightly better atmosphere but you can't judge from one race. It was nice to have the use of a car and a changing room, I didn't bother with the shower as I wasn't all that filthy under the bibtights and LS top. However I will have to watch the swearing when the chain jams again (and again and again...), I think you can get DQ for that!

If anyone cares, I was riding a blue Dave Yates (slowly) and was #67.


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## palinurus (1 Dec 2009)

I couldn't stay away from that bloody fence. I liked this photo from the Oxonian event- 217 in the lower left corner- I don't know who it is. 

http://www.grahamrobins.net/photos/Oxonian Cross 2009/page/13/

The rest are here


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## Dave5N (1 Dec 2009)

Yer upside down mate.

And still linked to site not image.


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## Christopher (3 Dec 2009)

ta for the photo link - shame none of the lowest point of the course which ended up as a lake of mud!

Anyone know if the CX instructional videos are available as a DVD? I'd happily pay £10 for it, as it seems each part is 10 minutes long (=50 mins) and I don't have home internet...

Have 'retired' for the season as the bike got a bit knocked about last Sat* and it will be so wet and muddy at Stadt Moers this Sat that the chain'll just jam again.

*mostly cosmetic but it needs a total overhaul


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## dan_bo (3 Dec 2009)

The stadtd moers is a good fun course mate. Pity you'll be missing it!


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## trio25 (4 Dec 2009)

I won't be there either danny, have work that evening so wouldn't be back in time!


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## dan_bo (4 Dec 2009)

booo!


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## dan_bo (5 Dec 2009)

Today was good. Great course, bad weather, loads of mud, didn't break anything!


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## Blott's Mate (6 Dec 2009)

Foxhall stadium,Ipswich. East/South East regional championships. Been practicing the dismount as 2 sets of hurdles but one hurdle was half way up a slope so I'd ground to a halt anyway & the straightforward one was so cautious I am not sure it saved any time. Bogey for me in this one was a mound only about 6' high but with 6"slimy mud on the way up & a deep bog on the way down. Fell off on the way up @ 1st attempt on warm up, on the way down @ the 2nd attempt then managed it twice & ok in the race till the last lap when crashed on the way down & couldn't get my feet unclipped to get out of the way of riders hurtling over the brim to find me splatted in a foot of mud struggling to get out of the way. No one rode over me thank goodness! Good course & did ok for my level of ability. Muddiest so far.


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## Blott's Mate (6 Dec 2009)

Results up. only 7 women on the startline. I was 4th but only because a speedy girl was a DNF because of a technical prob.


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## Blott's Mate (20 Dec 2009)

Broome Heath scramble. On sandy terrain with 5" snow. Well I did it! Would be faster if I was braver, not sure how or when that will happen. One icy descent which I fell off at the top off on the 3rd lap purely through lack of committment. Generally fun & ok!


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## palinurus (20 Dec 2009)

Good work! know what you mean about needing to be committed on a descent. Just race and ride off-road often is all you can do I guess. I like to practice the bits that make me nervous during the warm-up.

Still never raced in snow. Frozen mud, but not snow.


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## Dave5N (20 Dec 2009)

West Midlands events cancelled.


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## dan_bo (20 Dec 2009)

Dave5N said:


> West Midlands events cancelled.



Pussies


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## Young Un (20 Dec 2009)

Ever tried riding on sheet ice with tricky descents Dan?


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## dan_bo (20 Dec 2009)

Yep. on my aris.


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## Dave5N (20 Dec 2009)

dan_bo said:


> Pussies




Miaow.

Nah mate. It was glacial. Hard pack paths, rained for two hours then froze. 1 in 7 descents on sheet ice. With turns. And no ambulance access.

Not for riding on, given the crashes with careful riders checking the course, certainly not for racing.

Y'UN's right.


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## Blott's Mate (23 Dec 2009)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkYu01R_LGI


Senior/elite vets fm Sunday


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## palinurus (23 Dec 2009)

[quote name='Blott's Mate']
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkYu01R_LGI


Senior/elite vets fm Sunday[/QUOTE]

Good video, looked fun.


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## Blott's Mate (3 Jan 2010)

Category A race at Hillyfields, Colchester. Knocked off twice by riders skidding on ice & crashing into me & fell off once on my own. Race went much better than the warm up & did a steep frozen climb where the wheels were spinning on the ice without getting/falling off apart fm the first lap when there was a domino effect pile up on it & I was knocked off. Not as fast as I'd like to be but pleased with how I rode this.


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## jpembroke (3 Jan 2010)

My race today was awful. I felt terrible from the start and never recovered from the mass sprint. I just ended up plodding round, watching helpless as more and more riders went past and unassailable gaps formed. Quite demoralising really considering some of my (quite) good results this year. Note to oneself: train more, get ill less.


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## palinurus (3 Jan 2010)

I was going to race at Herne Hill today, got togged up but didn't feel like going. Went out for some practice in the local park/ woods but didn't have much go in me. 

I've not been ill but neither have I been capable of going fast recently. I think I rely on the remnants of whatever summer form I have to get through the first few races and then it just drops gradually, once I have a long gap between races there's nothing to keep it aloft any more.

I've got a couple of London league races I can get to before the end of the season but the central league ones are all done now. Came fourth in the vets overall, chance of coming first or second if I'd made the last race. Just turned in consistently middling results in four out of six races. I'll try and do the same next season, but start more often.


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## jpembroke (3 Jan 2010)

I almost did the same: turned round and went home but thought I'd persevere. Getting overtaken by riders who normally place well below me (even a lap down) made me regret that decision. Still, hopefully I'll have got the single point I need to take my tally to 100 points for the season.


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## palinurus (13 Jul 2010)

So what do we do this coming season? continue to post race reports here or stick them in the "your race today" thread now cyclocross has been absorbed into the body of racing?


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## palinurus (3 Oct 2010)

Well, I'm going to keep posting them here.

First one this season at Blenheim Palace today. Watched the Brompton race, hung around in the rain a bit after because the 'cross race didn't start 'till 3 pm.

It was really flat, just a flat grassy area. Not easy though, twisty course with three spirals. Amazingly long laps (I think I completed five in an hour and ten minutes. Might've been six though) considering how small an area the course was set up in. Organizers did well with what they had to work with.

Started near the back, and spent the first two laps moving up the field until I couldn't move up any further, paid for it later- I was cooked on the last lap but pretty much held whatever position I had at that point. No idea where I placed, usual middling sort of position no doubt.

The small crowd in the start area made an impressive amount of noise, especially the bike polo players.

Bike polo looks fun.


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## palinurus (6 Oct 2010)

33rd place/ 63 finishers.

There was a chance of 32nd place almost to the line.

Couldn't catch her in the end.


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## palinurus (9 Oct 2010)

Kettering today. Simple course, short laps, one long straight bit with some gradient was tough.

Must improve my starts. There was a tricky bit a few hundred yards from the start. Lost a load of places and got stuck in a bottleneck, spent the rest of the race picking riders off until I wasn't quick enough to do so. Last two laps I was running on empty, no-one passed me although a clubmate got pretty close.

Again I've no idea where I placed. I was lapped by one rider, I expected more since the laps were so short.

If I'd started better I wouldn't've had to expend so much energy catching up.

Another one next week, repeat until mid November. Then they are a bit less frequent.

Very nice banana cake after.


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