Synchronised Swimming at Newnham Park

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BY: Louise Robinson

Published: 9th July, 2012

Question: It's gloriously sunny, a gentle cooling breeze is blowing and a dry racing line is starting to emerge on the race course. Where am I?
Answer: Bontrager 24:12, two hours AFTER the end of the race.

 

Enjoying the late Sunday sunshine with a much need bath

Typical isn't it. The race is over, the sun comes out and the course dries nicely. Rewind 48 hours and it was a whole different story. Not an awful lot of sleep was had at Newnham Park on Friday 6th July. As I lay in my tent, listening to the wind howling and rain lashing down the only comforting thought was the fact I was not out in it. Others were not so lucky as they chased gazebo's across the campsite. Unbeknownst to us mere racers the organisers had it even worse. With  a met office severe weather warning and an environment agency red flood alert on the river at the bottom of the campsite the local police were all for an emergency evacuation of the campsite. However by doing 15 minute obs on the water levels of the river the organisers were able to put off the evacuation and keep everyone safe. Thankfully nature eased off finally and the water levels never quite reached the trigger point for evacuation. However, with the last laugh as ever, summer had well and truly put her mark on the race course.

 

 

The Four4th Lights 24 hour Ladies Team and 12 hour Mixed Team

 

The weather didn't improve on Saturday morning and all contingency plans were put in place by Martyn Salt and his team. The course was shortened, the worst of the mud and most dangerous sections were removed, and we are just talking about the kids' race here! It was Initially cancelled, but Martyn succumbed to the pressure of a crying 4 year old and an impromptu children's race occurred. Taking in a small section of the actual race course the kids (and dads) had a great time.

So to the grown up race. The same contingency plans occurred here. I drew the short straw and got the first lap. I lined up between Phil Morris (XCracer) and Ben Thomas (Mountain Trax) on the principle that as soon as the gun went, I would have fresh air either side of me. It started fast and within moments we found out what the last 12 hours of rain had done to the race course.  It was muddy, it was slippy, but it was still a great course. With the majority of the climbing on hard surfaced fire roads and most of the remainder of the course twisty single-track it was exhilarating to ride. As the race wore on, the conditions changed. Getting wetter and more slippy, then dryer and more claggy. Sections that were unrideable (well for me anyway) one lap, where rideable the next but other sections seemed to fall apart. The course also kept changing; literally. Another contingency plan of the organisers was a flexible approach to course management. As sections become too dangerous or just completely ridiculous in the level of mud they were removed. New sections were opened up to allow a short respite from the filth. It was all done very cleverly and lap times were barely perceptibly altered. 

 

 

 

Phil Morris - second rider home after the first lap, only 46 seconds behind Ben Thomas

 

 

After my first lap - a little bit damp out there

But for all the organiser's hard work, nature had caused carnage. The course was brutal on bike and body. In many places the mud was so deep and so thick walking (or running) was the only answer. Tyre choice became the conversation of the pits. Muds or not? Everyone had an opinion. No-one had the same opinion. I started with a Nobby Nic on the front and a Rocket Ron on the back for the first two laps. Then I switched to mud tyres. Aghhhh……I thought the climbs got 100m longer and 300% steeper and I still struggled in the mud as I just was not strong enough the turn the cranks quickly enough in the sticky mud to keep my speed up and ride. So back to the original choice of me but some of my team mates swore by their mud tyres and the boys in the Four4th team switched to semi slicks, favouring a bit of slipping an d sliding over the drag on the climbs.

 

 

The final descent into the campsite, claimed its fair share of victims. Four4th's Paul Wellicome gets a bit of rear end action!

 

My fifth lap was the dawn lap. Started in the just dark, quickly getting light , it  was all going pretty well.  I was nearly round to the last section of single track and I was already planning breakfast and what kit I was going to wear for my next lap when I lost the front wheel at the top of the rocky fire road descent (no idea where I lost it - a trail pixie must have jumped up and grabbed it) but I hit the ground with my knees and elbows.  It hurt. A lot. That deep breathing technique they teach you when you have a baby does have some uses and I managed to get myself together enough to limp home to be bandaged up.  Despite a valiant effort by my team mates and the St Johns Ambulance I eventually succumbed and had to visit A+E for a couple of stiches. It appears that the flinty stones that ravaged so many tyres on the course also had a go at my knee. With me out, it was time for a contingency plan of our own. We had initially entered (back in January) as a team of four but obviously could have had five riders. The morning of the race, we convinced Chrissy Read (wife of Roki, racing on the Four4th mixed team) to sign on to do a lap or two if we needed her. And boy did we need her now. She donned her Four4th top and put in two cracking laps back to back.

The Four4th Family - everyone has a part to play, thanks guys you are amazing!

 

 

As a ladies team, the competition was a bit thin on the ground and we quickly took the lead and held it throughout the race but other categories had a much closer competition. The Four4th mixed team, racing for 12 hours had a ding dong battle with Torq Performance for first place. Four4th Lights took victory in the end by an impressive eight and a quarter minutes after an impressive dark lap by Dan Duigud of 45 minutes (must be that Holy Moses light he was running!) . XCracer.com and Fruit4 London also had long running battle for the 24 hour mixed team race with XCracer pulling ahead initially and despite a valiant effort, Fruit4London did not quite manage to catch them. A few other notable results were Maddie and Jay Horton, who took their role of monitoring the race course to a whole new level by riding a 24 hour pair and winning by an unbelievable 7 laps (and this was not because the quality of the opposition was poor but because they are both cycling machines!). Also Kathy Beresford, who finished second in the ladies 12 solo -one year exactly after she shattered her pelvis in a bike crash and was told she would never race again, and to Jo Holton, - recreational mountain biker and mum of two who only entered three weeks ago, just to keep Kathy company (now that's friendship for you!) and finished second in the ladies vets 12 hour solo. 

 

Finally a few thank yous (this is where it all gets a bit emotional, in a 10 pints of lager "I love you all" kind of a way). Thank you to Martyn Salt, Maddie and Jay Horton and all the other organisers for putting on a fabulous event and probably working harder than any of us racing. Thank you to Jo Holton who wisked me off to A+E and risked missing her own podium.Thank you to the whole Four4th family for much needed banter, chocolate and bike maintenance and thank you to all the other competitors who made the event so friendly. It never ceases to amaze me what camaraderie 24 hours of filth and exhaustion can generate.

See you all next year.

 

Louise Robinson
XCracer.com
Four4th Lights
Accelerade
MTZoom