Southern XC - Pernham Down

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BY: Matthew Lewis

Published: 13th July, 2011

It's always so incredible to read Sally Bigham's blogs: so much planning goes into the preparation, nutrition, training and recovery of an elite racer. For us Masters at the other end of the spectrum things are a little different. In the run up to the 4th round of the Southern series I didn't even get to touch my bike all week (due to work) and leaving the house late (due to our boys mucking around) and hitting awful, horsey-set related traffic at Marlborough caused me to arrive literally 10 minutes before the start. Barely enough time to sign my name at registration, never mind a practice lap. Racing without riding the course before hand is awful! James Hampshire always does this and it seems that I now too had done a Hampshire.

 

The course at Pernham Down is a cracker and seems it has received rave reviews. I think that courses are getting much better these days. I loved the Pernham circuit : a good mix of chalky singletrack and interesting, even unusual down hills. The climbs were short and punchy and, strange though it seems they suited me. I'm no dainty featherweight at just over 13 stone so if I have to go skyward I like to do so as quickly as possible. Which is why riding the course without a pre-ride may have helped because the opening grass climb looked awful! If I had known that that was looming ahead of me after the first singletrack section I would have given it too much respect! It wasn't actually that bad though and on the first section you could set a decent rhythm before it steepened significantly. It was here on the opening lap that the race leaders such as Malaryck (Welsh National Champ)and Gleave (Torq)disappeared. At this stage I was bobbing along just outside the top 10 trying to pedal as fast as I could but always balancing this with the fact that I didn't have a bloody clue as to the obstacles ahead. Those log hops caught me out on the first lap but for anyone that knows me, for me to get both my wheels of the ground (intended, and not falling off) is a rare occurrence anyway.

 

 

At this stage I was in a group with Matt Field and just behind was Rob Purcell of Mountain Trax. The second half of the course was my favourite- very fast singletrack and some loose, dusty downhills- one in particular reminded me of the Pipeline descent down at Newnham. The course then followed the contours of a chalky escarpment and then sent you down a huge white chalky chute back towards the arena. I loved this bit but was ever thankful that it wasn't wet. This circuit has to be used again next year doesn't it?

 

Once I got to know the circuit I tried to up the pace and around about the middle of the third lap I found my legs a little and after a squeeze of vanilla flavoured Accelerade gel I managed to drop Matt Field and overtake a few guys to break into the top 10 and finish 6th. I was pleased with that.

 

Just a couple of weeks now until Tewntyfour/12 down at Newnham, I'm looking forward to this one having pre-ridden parts of the course back in May at the Raceface Circus of Dirt series. Good luck to all of those racing the Nationals this coming weekend!

 

Thanks very much to Duncan from MBKphotos for the image. Here is a link to the photos.

 

Matt Lewis

 

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