XC Racer Blog Post

Gorrick Round 4 - Frith Hill

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BY: Louise Robinson

Published: 7th April, 2013


Wow, that was a great day.


In a Robinson Triple header, 2 weeks (and 2 seasons) after the last race in the snow, we were treated to sunshine and dry dusty trails at the last Gorrick XC race of the Spring Series.

 

For three of us to race (and not leave the four year old unattended for long enough to worry social services) it does take a bit of logistical preparation and pretty much an entire day out but we managed and a good time was had by all. We started at 9am with the under 10's race. As always the kid's lap was 2/3 of the grown up course and seriously hard work for little legs. All the kids did amazingly well, slipping through the twisty single track on their 24 inch wheels like proper pros.  Isaac dug deep and produced a super 33 minute lap to come in 3rd in the under 10 boys.


 

The final single track section before the area was hard work on 24 inch wheels

 

So after pushing a four year old round on her bike for an hour (this counts as warm up as there wasn't any time for any other sort of warm up) I lined up for the expert ladies race. Gorrick announced yesterday that Sally Bigham was racing today but it was with great relief from the entire ladies field that we realised she would be racing in the men's race. On the gun I was…    dead last, AGAIN.  My drive chain chose that moment to give up the ghost. I knew it was on the way out. I have been waiting for the end of the winter to change it and as it had been behaving itself I didn't really give it a second thought.  However, at the moment the race started my drive chain decided the temperature had finally reached 10 degrees and therefore it was officially spring, ergo it had had enough.  The only solution; keep it in the 26t inner ring, spin like mad and thank god for the high cadence drills on the Turbo trainer.


 

After applying some serious weight saving bling from MTZoom I was flying - can you tell?

 

The first climb allowed me to move up into 5th place and the twisty single track allowed me to reel in the leading 4 ladies so I was back in contact. After a slightly downhill section of single-track I managed to take enough speed into the following climb that I was able to take the other girls slightly by surprise and move into the lead. However, the  course then hit the 400m section of flat fire road on Rhododendron Walk and try as I might, the little chain ring was never going to allow me to hold off the other girls. Hannah Bussy (Four4th Lights) passed me and lead us into the single-track. I stayed on Hannah's wheel until just before the Roadie Traps when she allowed me to pass. From then on it was a case of making up as much time in the single track as possible to give me a buffer for the time I was losing on the fire roads. Thankfully, there wasn't much fire road on this course.  It was a 650b dream. Tight and twisty single track, a few wheel grabbing holes and loose stony climbs. I have been really pleased with my decision to go for 27.5inch wheels and todays course seemed made for them.  And after riding the last round on 26's (in order to get the mud clearance as high as possible) I was glad to be back on them. They made riding over the holes that little bit easier, gave extra traction on the loose climbs but kept all the manoeuvrability in the single track. Four fun laps later (and after being lapped by Sally Bigham, who passed me like a steam train on her way to take 7th in the men's elite race) I managed my first win in the ladies expert category, closely followed by Emily Iredale, Hannah Bussey and Iwona Szmyd. Great race girls!


 

Second place in the series - With Emily and Natasha

 

Next job for the day was child minding my friends two kids so she could ride the ladies vets race (although there wasn't that much minding to be done, the kids all played together in the woods, I just feed them occasionally and applied plasters as required).


 

Paul Howard (Mountain Trax/ Gorrick) giving it some in the men's Super-Vets

 

Finally Jason was up in the men's Open race. The 2pm start has definitely reduced the size of the field with a number of previous open riders choosing to race sport, masters or vets earlier in the day but having a late start race available is great for people like us and anyone else with other commitments on a Sunday morning.  This was his first XC race since May last year and he is five weeks away from a 24 hour race so today was an exercise in perseverance after a long ride yesterday.  After 3 laps he was starting to warm up and everyone else was finishing.  An 8th place finish in a respectable time had him quite happy with himself.


 

Jason Robinson (Four4th Lights) just getting warmed up after 3 laps

 

I don't think you could have paid for better trail conditions than we got today. It was dry and dusty on the surface with enough moisture in the soil to hold it all together underneath. The course was fabulous fun, if damn hard work and my Racing Ralph's did me proud. 


Here's hoping for similar conditions later in year when the Army Cycling Union's "Are You Tough Enough" event visits this venue for the first time. In fact, race organiser, Sargent Si Panter was seen doing a bit of course reconnaissance today in the men's Fun event. However, he very nearly proved he was NOT tough enough when he stopped after the first lap. Much heckling and two minutes later had him back on the course to finish what he had started. Well done Simon! We will see you on July 7th.

 

Louise Robinson, Mum, Pharmacist and part time mountain biker
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Louise Robinson

Mum, Pharmacist and XCracer Team Rider

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