Muckmedden and SXC

A bit of a round up...

After a day's rest it was time to attack the local Harrogate chaingang which has been growing since February and is becoming increasingly popular.  It's surprising how slow the first lap feels and how painful the 2nd lap is at exactly the same pace!  Fortunately there are a few of us that are a similar pace to put the pain down, unfortunately they're all 5ft 6, so I get ZERO draft..  Not that I'm bitter.

There was good reason to train too.  Sunday was the inaugural Muckmedden MTB event held at Pitmedden Forest in Fife.  Pitmedden is well known amongst aged Scottish XC riders (of which I am one) as it has often been used for XC races about 10 years or so ago.  The trails haven't changed dramatically in that time, which is good as they were and still are, absolutely fabulous.  Think roots, add some awkwardly placed roots, moisture, mud, ruts, more moisture and mud, drops and bridges and you're about 50% of the way there..

Probably not a good place to introduce someone to MTB racing you'd have thought?!?  I suppose that there is some truth there, but fortunately I am blessed with amazing powers of persuasion.  I was joined in a mixed pair by my significant other (it's the official term I'm told) who was taught the ropes with my instruction on Saturday, "Just follow my line down here...." .ahem, yes I think you can tell how that went...

A refreshing format, Muckmedden riders entered the arena 3 times each lap after visiting different parts of the trail network and you could do a handover at any rider entry to the arena.  Complexities were dealt admirably by chip timing systems and most opted for two laps, so 6 sections in all.

After getting the short straw of the first few sections, I tore down the start fireroad - note to UCI commissaires, no barriers, no pinch points, no start loops and wow, everyone was ok.  Bit of common sense shown here, good job chaps.  Anyway, chest feeling uniquely crap again and I simply couldn't make myself "work" much to my frustration and I settled into 3rd position.  If the chest problem was more frequent I'd do something about it, but it's so damn inconsistent I can never predict when I'll have a problem!

After a brief 180 degree spin when I caught a rut incorrectly I returned to the arena and handed over the timing chip, which in itself was difficult as it wouldn't leave my ankle.  I see a triathlon transition is going to be a particular challenge to my motor skills.  

After a short 50 mins (which I was later to learn incorporated a fair bit of running) it was back to my turn to ride the trails and bring home the prizes on behalf of the team.  The course had bedded in a bit now and I really enjoyed tearing round the technical loop and some of the climbing as my lungs had released their earlier tension.  All in we finished first mixed pair by a fair way - winning dinner!  We were just over 5mins down on the overall win, which is a pretty good effort and one which I suspect won't be repeated unless I carry out my end of the deal and complete a triathlon.

Feeling pretty jaded on Monday and facing my plans of a week of training in Glasgow I had a small recovery ride up through the Campsies and over the crow road.  First impressions road riding round Glasgow are that you should buy a cross bike with tubeless, a suspension seatpost and wear double padded shorts.  Rough roads like you wouldn't believe!

Tuesday dawned with mad plans for a summit of Mt Keen with Mark (Angus Bike Chain and Team Derailleur Nein Danke member), down to Glen Tanar and over the fungle road in Tayside and a ride I hadn't done in several years.  It quickly became apparent that the weather was not going to allow this so we opted for a smaller loop which would also get out into the wild.  By the time we got to Tarfside hands and feet were frozen and a detour straight back to the cars was required.  Annoyingly, as soon as we got back to civilisation the rain had disappeared but black clouds remained over the Grampians.  Sense prevailed on this occasion.

Wednesday and still trying to dry my shoes out it was time for night riding round North Third near Stirling.  WOW.  Great trails, some serious cliff exposure and excellent night riding as the darkness came in.  We even managed to escape the torrential rain forecast for the rest of the country and viewed the site of my mate's two broken wrists. ouch.

Thursday and hungry for more big mountains to ride round/over/through I went off in search of a route round Glen Finglas near Aberfoyle.  Much steepness, brutal winds and wonderful views were had.  Not much in the way of singletrack but sometimes you don't need that for a good mountain bike ride - splashing through streams at 40miles an hour hoping that you don't hear rim/rock interface provides as much adrenaline as I required that day.

With the beauty of Glen Finglas on my mind I embarked on an 80 mile road ride on Friday - with plans to go a bit harder on some of the flats and carry some good speed over to Callander through the Dukes Pass.  I think I found every headwind that was going that day, much hard work was done and only one coffee drunk.  A bad combination.

After much persuasion that perhaps Triathletes don't swerve, all ride tri-bars and do stop for coffee, I ventured on my first triathlete group ride on Saturday.  I was still scared though; petrified they'd see straight through my chat about "brick sessions", "carbon bottles" and other such triathlete conversations..

3hrs, 1 coffee stop and 1 climb over the crow road later and I made it home safely.  I had a close association with a Ford Focus at 40mph, although 6 inches is enough of a gap from handlebars to car I think?!?!

With all this riding I was a little unsure about riding the SXC race at Glennifer Braes on Sunday.  Never mind, in for a penny in for a pound, or thirty three in this case.  My fault for not pre-entering.  The course was held in the country park and wound it's way to the top of the hill before tumbling down through a rock gulley and some fun off camber root sections.  It was the classic case whereby a course is ok to ride, but really good to race.

With only 4 riders in the Elite field, and two of them being XCracer.com riders (myself and Rob Friel) we had a fairly good chance of a result.  Fortunately Rob is a very decent rider and took the win after 6 laps.  I had a brief battle with Douglas Shearer from I-cycles before falling into my own little world to cruise round to 3rd.  A second trip onto the podium in seven days is not to be sniffed at though and certainly not where money was involved.  Thanks to SXC and Rockhard mtb club for the excellent organisation.  I'm going to rest next time I race, honest!  That will be this weekend and on the road bike hoping to instil some more speed into those legs.

Sorry for the extend ramblings.  Well done for making it this far.  Note to reader, you can do worse than base yourself in Glasgow for some good riding.

Niall Frost

Xcracer.com

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