muddy Mayhem

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BY: phil Morris

Published: 27th June, 2012

Usually I am supporting at events like this, but 2012 was different. Cycle-Tec the new bike shop in Builth Wells has set up a women's bike club, which runs on a Tuesday night at 6 30 pm. And after our ride 2 weeks before Mayhem, we joked about having a go alongside the 2 Builth Wells male teams who had already entered. Not for one minute did we think we could get a late entry!1 But we did, so after 8 of us agreed to take part, there was no backing out now!! The forecast leading up to the event was certainly not appealing and the whole weekend was going to be a washout! Great, I thought mud, mud and more mud! Phil was unfortunately working on the Saturday and wasn't going to be able to get to Eastnor until about 10pm. So on Friday we took the caravan down and pulled up into the Builth Bike Bash area!! This year I have actually caught a bit of the biking, racing bug of my dearest!! And this was going to be my 4th race. However, with our team made up mainly of quite novice riders and certainly only 2 riders of the team had ever ridden in the dark, with lights. So I said well, I've never done it but I would have a dabble at it. Even if it meant walking most of it!.

Most of the team and crew had gone down on Friday midday but I came home to sort the kids and left them with nannie Saturday morning. I arrived at East nor about 10am. There was a fair bit of the brown stuff about but, our actually area wasn't too bad. The main arena however, was horrific. Ist rider at the ready and off she went at 12. Lindsey Davies did us proud and put in a great effort. But due to the conditions, which im sure most of you have gathered by now, were the worst I have ever seen at any biking event! It took over 3 hours to complete. Our second rider Tania returned at about 6pm. It was this point that we realised that not all of the team may get a lap in. With lots of thinking going on a couple opted to do half a lap using the same chip. I was originally scheduled to go out at 6 30pm but that had been postponed to midnight. I have to say after waiting around all day the thought of going out at midnight when the heavy rain was forecast was challenging my mental state!! Heather did a storming 1st half of the lap and had plenty of steam to carry on but, as our next rider was waiting all geared up she called it a day. Vicky started her lap in daylight and touched darkness at about the half way point. Well done to Vick, who also had never ridden outside of daylight hours!1 She came home in just over 2 and a half hours. I only just got to the change over in time (well  she had been there a minute!) But as the transition was miles from our camp and there was no shelter. I tried to psyche myself up under the gazebo with the rain pelting down and just me and Hughie(Vicky's husband) left up! And obviously miss timed it by a few minutes. Off I took, originally thinking to myself I would have to walk most of the course as by this point it was well churned up and as greasy as hell. I felt like bambi on ice! Quite literally me as bambi a novice nightrider and in those conditions I slipped and skidded, hit a few branches, swallowed a bit of grit, oiled my eyes with spray and dived into muddy puddles, up to my waist! The second half for me, was the most fun, after the long grassy climb. When I knew the end was in sight I just let my sledge go!! I returned home in good time,howver we had estimated  it would take me about 2 and a half hours but I came home 45 minutes early!! The next rider was Kim, after calling her name few times I thought I would just head back and hope I didn't pass her on route. I got back to camp to see a startled Kim, tucking into a bowl of cereal!! Oh!oh! What you doing back! She said. She quickly got herself sorted and off she headed. She also popped out a cracking lap, followed by our leader Debbie Rowland who continued on form. Daylight was here pretty much for Debs lap and that just left a few more riders for a mission complete first 24 hour race!!

Well done to all us girlies I say!! 20th out of 43 teams and we were the only all female team! Despite the horrific, vile weather and mess of the course we all I think had a really good laugh.

I personally, got off my bike buzzing like trapped bee!! I really enjoyed it and actually im looking forward to doing a few more team events with the girls next year- when everyone has got over any Mayhem nightmares!!

Thanks to Phil for cleaning and sorting my bikes and for leaving me a midnight before  I went out, saying good luck, but im off to bed now!! Cheers!! Although he did sort the kids out for me and warmed the caravan up for my return. But I never got to sleep because I was running on ACCELERADE GEL!!
Donna Morris

Riding for Xcracer.com