Brass Monkeys - Round 3
Share on Facebook Share on TwitterBY: Louise Robinson
Published: 5th January, 2014
I have a little confession to make. Dry January didn't last long. After surviving 4.5 hours of the Brass Monkeys course and an afternoon of looking after the kids it was beer or breakdown.
The race arena and pit area
I didn't even intend to race. Well I did initially; I have pre-entered all the rounds so technically I intended to race this round a long time ago. That was before we had two weeks of near constant wind and rain. By Saturday morning I had convinced myself I was coming down with an awful cold, I was underprepared and my bike was in no fit state to race (well if you are going to find an excuse, you need to make sure you have a few back up ones as well). But after meeting up with the XCracer team for a sneaky peak at the race course in the afternoon and dinner at the pub the team camaraderie kicked in and all excuses were forgotten.
Lap 1 - Cold, wet & smiling - it took almost 2 complete laps before I was prepared to ditch the waterproof
Yesterday’s pre-ride revealed a well routed course, only 6 miles long with some great sections of single-track but also some much needed tarmac to ensure there was at least a few stretches where you could let go of the bars long enough to refuel. There was plenty of standing water on the course but not too much mud. It could have been a lot worse was the general consensus. Well, after four and half hours of racing it was a lot worse! The single track held up really well, it was the heathland sections that fell apart. The plateau at the top of the hill became a bog, twice as wide as it had started out and by lap 6 with the wind howling and the rain falling it did become a bit of a sense of humour trap.
Ant White powers through the mud
The last section of the course was my favourite by far. A short steep switchback climb to the top of the hill, followed by fabulous flowing single-track downhill right to the finish line. I enjoyed this course so much more than round 2 at Caesars Camp, no idea why, I just felt so much more comfortable on my bike today (shame it didn't correlate with performance but I enjoyed myself). My first couple of laps were controlled and uneventful. There was a bit of congestion in the first section of single track but due to a reasonably good race start I was well place enough for this not to be too much of a hold up.
Iwona Symzd shows how to beat the start of the 2 hour race
By lap 4 however this was a whole different story. The main problem is that I am too slow. About 60 seconds a lap too slow. Faster and I would have beaten the two hour cut off and passed the start before the 2 hour race set off. As it was I met the tail end of the 2 hour racers at the start of the first single track section and hit a stationary queue of traffic waiting to attempt the bomb holes. I probably lost a good five minutes on this lap getting past riders and also used up unnecessary energy passing and powering up the climbs in order to get myself into a space.
The start of the 2 hour race
By lap 4 however this was a whole different story. The main problem is that I am too slow. About 60 seconds a lap too slow. Faster and I would have beaten the two hour cut off and passed the start before the 2 hour race set off. As it was I met the tail end of the 2 hour racers at the start of the first single track section and hit a stationary queue of traffic waiting to attempt the bomb holes. I probably lost a good five minutes on this lap getting past riders and also used up unnecessary energy passing and powering up the climbs in order to get myself into a space.
The start of the 2 hour race
By lap 5 I had however managed to find a little niche in the middle of the 2 hour race where all the riders around me were a similar pace and helped spur me on. By this time my drive chain had pretty much thrown its teddy out the pram and repeatedly jammed every time I put a lot of pressure on it (that would be every little rise then!)
Rich Jones - looking strong on an early lap
As I started lap 6 I saw team mate Rich Jones and girlfriend Holly Bettles stood in the pit lane cheering riders on. I had to do a double take; they were supposed to be on bikes! I did wonder why Rich hadn’t passed me. In a perverse why this gave me sufficient motivation to carry on. I had no idea where I was placed in the ladies field and I was working on the assumption that Emily and Iwona were probably practically finished. The climbs on lap 6 really took their toll on my legs and I started to get the first niggly twinges of cramp. I kept the bike in a low (really really low actually) gear and spun my way up. By this stage there were a couple of sections that had become a cross racers playground and I found it quicker to admit defeat, jump off and run, rather than try to ride and fail. The last section of single track was a welcome sight. I finished 3rd in the end, significantly down on Emily and Iwona, but well up on fourth place.
A big thanks to all the Gorrick team - Andy "Shortcut" Smallman was never lost for words on the PA
Well done to everyone who raced today, all the supporters and of course the Gorrick team for putting on another great race in the face of extreme adversity. One more round to go and saving the best for last, my home stomping ground of Tunnel Hill. Come on boys, dry your eyes, MTFU and get out there. Surely we are due for a dry(ish) one!
Rich Jones - looking strong on an early lap
As I started lap 6 I saw team mate Rich Jones and girlfriend Holly Bettles stood in the pit lane cheering riders on. I had to do a double take; they were supposed to be on bikes! I did wonder why Rich hadn’t passed me. In a perverse why this gave me sufficient motivation to carry on. I had no idea where I was placed in the ladies field and I was working on the assumption that Emily and Iwona were probably practically finished. The climbs on lap 6 really took their toll on my legs and I started to get the first niggly twinges of cramp. I kept the bike in a low (really really low actually) gear and spun my way up. By this stage there were a couple of sections that had become a cross racers playground and I found it quicker to admit defeat, jump off and run, rather than try to ride and fail. The last section of single track was a welcome sight. I finished 3rd in the end, significantly down on Emily and Iwona, but well up on fourth place.
Ladies 4 Hour Podium with Emily Iredale and Iwona Symzd
A big thanks to all the Gorrick team - Andy "Shortcut" Smallman was never lost for words on the PA
Well done to everyone who raced today, all the supporters and of course the Gorrick team for putting on another great race in the face of extreme adversity. One more round to go and saving the best for last, my home stomping ground of Tunnel Hill. Come on boys, dry your eyes, MTFU and get out there. Surely we are due for a dry(ish) one!
More on the Merida Brass Monkeys Winter Enduro Rd 3:
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Louise Robinson
Mum, Pharmacist and XCracer Team Rider
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