XC Racer Blog Post

Return of the Pink Puffer!

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BY: Rob Smith

Published: 12th May, 2010


Another Saturday on the M5 must be round two of the BMBS, this time a slightly less arduous trip from Plymouth to Reading.

 

With Mrs Smith under house arrest I was flying solo but I had the support of the guys from Team Certini McCaulay`s so I wasn't on my own. Arrive, get sorted, sign on, practice lap, I'm beginning to get use to how these things work.  Returning form the first lap I actually wanted to go out and ride another, that was a first.  Lots of great single tracked linked by cheeky climbs and not over long fire track, it was going to be fast with not much time to eat or drink.

 

After watching Maddie take her first BMBS podium in the Elite women's race, I was on Bottle duty for Scott Easter a fellow RNRMCA member racing his first season as an expert.  With the first feed zone some Ks into the course, the second feed zone, just behind the event village, was fuller than an underground platform at rush hour with more elbowing and jockeying for position than out on the track.  Feeding the riders wasn't without mishap but, unlike the women's race earlier in the day, there were no crashes in the feed zone although there were a few cross words, dropped bottles and near misses.  What became apparent is that we racers are better at riding than supporting and we should leave the important stuff like running the pit to our better halves.  

 

With bottle duties discharged it was time to go get ready.  Gridded on the fourth row and having learnt from round one I was mindful of the need for a good start; so as the gun went I failed to clip in straight away and disappeared back a few rows before we even hit the tarmac.   With my Heart bouncing off the rev limiter I tried to make up places before we hit the first bit of twisty up hill single track.  It felt good to be part of a line of riders swooping and cutting through the loamy rooty single track on the way to the drop-in.  

 

Ahh the Drop in, I'd failed during my two practise lap to attempt the drop-in, I'd get to the top look down, self preservation would kick in and I'd ride down the alternative route. Now it was race time what would I do?  Well I followed the wheel in front and before I knew it I was out the bottom of the drop and off up the short climb to the empty first feed zone. Heart still running in the red zone I managed to complete the lap still clinging onto the group in front but as we hit the tarmac road for the second time I began to drop back. 

 

I still had them in sight but they were beginning to look smaller as they pulled away, this time when I hit the drop-in there wasn't a wheel to follow and I stupidly looked down, bottled it and went for the chicken run. Keeping up the pace was beginning to hurt big time and I made some not very pretty noises as I passed the first feed zone for the second time.  I realises that the pace I had been riding at wasn't sustainable so I slowed up and concentrated on riding within my limits and keeping things as neat and tidy as possible. 

 

Being towards the back of the Master's cat the top Vets don't take long to catch up and for large sections of their remaining laps I get them for company. As the fast ones again pull away from me I get the faint aroma of ralgex and deep heat which means that the faster Grand Vets are approaching to take their place.

 

My over exuberance during the opening stages of the race meant the last lap was struggle with everything hurting, I was suffering and with the vets and grand vets only doing four laps it's just me, my aches and pains and the unrelenting Wasing single track. As I circulated alone and sore I wondered whether a move to sport wasn't such a bad idea, four laps, an earlier start but was it the challenge I am after.   I'll be doing four laps soon enough as I've only got a couple of seasons in Masters before age catches up with me and as long as they don't start dismantling the course as I finish my final lap I'll continue to be tail end Charlie until my fitness improves.  Finished just out side the top 50 this time but didn't get lapped.

 

Hopefully the hill of South Wales will be more to my liking and I can break back into the top fifty but before that there's two Fully Sussed.co.uk races, a midweek trip to Newnham and this Sunday's event on Woodbury Common near Exeter.





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Rob
 

Rob Smith

new racer trying to fight his way through the masters pack.

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