Triple win for Morris Duo

After a miserable journey down, with mist and drizzle, we were welcomed to Ashton Court with brighter skies. After signing on and eyeing up my competition it wasn’t long before we were taking a fair way from the event arena, down across the fields to do a run start. Bikes lined on the floor, 1,2,3 and we were off!! What a treat, run uphill to get your bike then ride uphill with your lungs exploding, then bottle neck over the bridge!! After that though, things settled down and it was a matter of just following the rider in front as there was a line and nowhere really to overtake. The first climb then after I managed to gain a few spots and it wasn’t long before the course wiggled its way to the arena. The course was the same as for the bike fest, so having competed in that earlier in the year; I was familiar with what was coming up.

After being cheered through the arena it was back out for the 2nd lap, although the first was just over half a lap, because we joined the course midway, due to the 8 hour event on-going. In a nutshell, I had no idea all race, as to my position, but I had a nightmare race, but a very rewarding one to say the least. Half way around my second lap, my front tyre started to throw me off line. Was it a puncture, was it just going soft? I shouted to a spectator, “is my front tyre looking flat?” “looks fine he said” so I carry on, but as soon as I got to the mini rock garden, I could tell I had a problem on my hands. I had a pump in my pocket, but I knew it would take forever to pump it up, so I just hoped and prayed it had enough air in to get me to the pits, where I had my big pump.

I eventually got to the pits and with a little help holding my bike, pumped it up and just hoped that it would get me around. It did just about, but three quarters round and the same again, I felt like I was riding on sand and going backwards in some areas. Praying was all I could do, especially when I went over one rock drop and heard it banging my rim, because the tyre was so deflated!! I hastily got into the pits and luckily a kind mate gave me a little advice, as I had a hole but was running tubeless so it eventually did seal a bit. Team mate rich quickly gave me a lesson on how to use the gas canister he had grabbed for me!! And after a delay in the pits I was off out again. Still none the wiser as to my position and due to me going into the pits.

Off I go again, waiting for the soft feeling to return, I made it around and by this point it was coming up to around 30-40 minutes to go. In my head I thought could I make it round, would my tyre totally give up the ghost? Into the pits I went picked up a bottle and gave my tyre a squeeze. It certainly was softer again, but I made the decision not to waste time pumping it up, as I wasn’t leaving myself much time to get the lap completed by 4pm. Sure enough not far out of the arena the lack of air was throwing me off line and giving me the heebie geebies!! At the half way mark at the bottom of the tarmac road I made the wise decision to not continue out into all the rocks, with a very low pressure tyre and risk having to walk all the way back. So I just headed home up the road, and came over the line in an unbelievable first place. I really didn’t expect that with all the time wasted with my damn tyre. I can now sympathise when people have mechanicals and punctures, it was so bl***y frustrating!!

So I managed to survive my first 4 hour race, completed 6 and a half laps and still be in one piece. Mission accomplished!!

Phil also had a great race and took the solo 4 hour male race. His race was very uneventful, compared to mine and on the last lap knowing he had about a 5 minute lead, took it fairly leisurely to cross the line just before the 4 hour mark, and a few minutes behind myself, completing  a lap more than me. (he passed unknowingly to me, whilst I was fretting in the pits!!)

Thank you to everyone who supported and encouraged me out on the course, it was great to hear shouts of “go on Mrs Morris, to go on Donna and Don!!” Also it was encouraging to hear of riders out on the course who read and are inspired by my blogs!!

So a quick shower and it wasn’t long till the podium. Unfortunately I came flying from the shower and didn’t have time to put my xcracer jersey on sorry!!! (slapped wrist ed)

So with no caravan in tow or kids it was a romantic night in the back of the Xtrail for me and Phil! For our sins we entered the duathlon the following day(VDO Runrider). Having only ever done the Stinger before this was our second duathlon event. We had pre entered the classic event, but on finishing, Phil decided that there was no way he was going to do 3 laps of the course again so we changed over to the standard, which still was going to be a challenge.

The morning soon arrived and every bit of my body ached, however I have to say not my legs. Just all my joints and bones!! Ashton course is such a physically demanding course and so bumpy my hands are still tinging from all the vibrations and are accompanied by a few blisters.

10am arrived and soon after the classic event started the standard distance runners were off. 3 miles off road on what was a very tough little course. I came into transition in a time just over 31 minutes and handed over to Phil, cramp raging to burst out in my body, so I just took on board my Accelerade Recover Bar and tried to keep moving. Phil was out for 2 laps so I had about 50 minutes to wait. He came through and I believe we were in 1st place in our category. By the end of the second lap when he handed to me we were actually winning the overall pairs in all cats. This wasn’t for long though as I was overtaken a quarter away round the course, by a fella who was certainly setting the pace a bit higher than my weary legs could go! So I just tried to keep my pace and despite getting a little confused by the route a few times, due to there being no-one in front to follow came over the line to take first place mixed pairs and we also came in just under 4 minutes behind the leading male pair. Fantastic prizes and I now have a bike computer for my road bike, so no excuses for not riding my road bike now!

So all in all not a bad weekend for the Morris husband and wife duo and Xcracer.com as a whole!!

From now on till the New Year it goes pretty quiet on the xc front, but don’t worry we won’t be putting our feet up completely. But we will be probably be freezing our b***s off around some cross course in sunny Wales somewhere!!

Thanks once again to all our sponsors and to everyone who supports in anyway. The only thing missing form the weekend, where our little xcrcaer.com’s , they don’t miss many biking trips!!

Donna Morris, Riding from XCRACER.COM

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