Brass Monkeys - Christmas Cracker!

The Brass Monkeys series is the highlight of the winter MTB race scene here in the south of England. Back in February at last seasons final round I battled hard to secure my only top 10 result as a Veteran. As much as I was looking forward to the race I definitely wasn't expecting a repeat performance this Sunday.

I know my fitness isn't where it was earlier in the year and as I've documented in my blog recently, the loss of form means I've been struggling for motivation. To get my excuse in early I'd also had a terrible disturbed nights sleep looking after my poorly son. In fact I didn't even decide to race until 8.45.

Fittingly for the first day of winter, it was a cold day in Aldershot. The puddles were still frozen as the 4 hour race got underway. The course was based around firm well draining gravel tracks so conditions were perfect in the morning Sunshine.

I'd been up for hours and the truth is my heart wasn't fully in the racing. I set off just enjoying the opportunity to ride somewhere different. Riders swarmed away and I drifted around the course about mid pack. The gears on my bike started miss-shifting and I began to consider how long I would ride before calling it a day. 

Reaching the pit area I stopped and checked the bike out. There was nothing obviously wrong. Luckily the process of just looking obviously dislodged something and when I jumped back on the mech was running across the cassette smoothly again. I needed all those gears on the massive opening climb of the lap. As the trail headed skyward I re-passed those who had gone by while I had fiddled with the bike. This has to be the longest climb I've raced locally, starting as a long drag it ramped up right at the end. I was out of the saddle crawling over the crest of the hill after several minutes of climbing.

Bike functioning again, now I was having fun in the sunshine! A herd of roaming cattle providing extra mobile obstacles as they grazed in amongst the trees. I was enjoying myself and the sense of speed in a group, but still wouldn't say I was fully committed. One motivation to keep up the pace was the threat of being caught by friends in the Grand Veteran 3 hour race which had started 5 minutes after our event.

Matt was the first to finally catch me on lap 4. I tucked in following his wheel and slicing through the singletrack when I heard the dreaded PHSSST! from the front tyre. PUNCTURE! The No-tubes latex didn't immediately seal the hole so I had to stop and get out the pump. A number of riders I recognised passed while I was stationary for 3 or 4 minutes at the side of the trail.

Strangely rather than totally break my resolve the puncture really kick started my race! I chased off determined to regain my position. Charging into the penultimate lap I could see 3 riders ahead, but had no idea if they were Grand Vets or in my race. Regardless I chased them down and attacked them as soon as I got past, opening up a gap behind me. When I hit the bottom of the opening hill for the final time I could only see one rider ahead right at the top. The 3 hour event having now ended he had to be in my race. Glancing behind nobody was in sight. My steady early race pace meant I still had plenty of energy in the tank to attack.

I had several minutes to make up on the rider ahead, so once at the top of the hill and into the wood I lost sight of my target. Still I continued to press on at maximum speed. Turning out of the wood half way around the lap I looked up and could see the gap had closed to less than a minute. I sprinted along the hillside track, the gap closing all the time. We then dived back into the wood for the final loops before the finish line. At one steep switchback he was just below me and we exchanged a knowing glance! I pushed and pushed, but the line was getting closer and I couldn't quite close the gap in time, finishing less than 10 seconds back. 

So imagine my frustration when the commentator announced I'd finished in 11th place! Argh! The result is still far better than I expected. Without the puncture and with a bit more commitment earlier in the race a top 10 result would have been in the bag.

I know I'm lacking fitness at the moment, but as at the Gorrick Autumn Classic a few weeks ago my finishing position was definitely a pleasant surprise. Perhaps it just goes to show how important experience is when racing.