Southern XC - Round 2

I laid on my back in the mud, pre race optimism soaking away into the cold clay. The week had started positively. My ride to work on Wednesday was the first time since December I had ridden a bike without having to use my inhaler. Asthma problems seemingly behind me I had tapered my training nicely to leave me fresh and ready for Sundays race; the 2^nd round of the Southern XC Championship.

That’s when I picked up the latest office bug, a proper streaming nose, aching limbs strain of man flu.

Not to be deterred the sunny skies perked up my spirits on the scenic drive along the South Downs to Pippingford in East Sussex. An icy breeze met me as I opened the door and looked around the car park at the grumpy and miserable, mud covered riders. Those who weren’t complaining about the conditions out on the course were busily fitting mud tyres to their clay covered bikes.

While back at home a couple of days of sunshine had dried everything out, the clay of Pippingford had trapped the previous weeks rain. I had only brought my semi-slick summer race tyres, in hindsight a monumental mistake. On the warm-up lap I was unable to ride large sections and with no grip took several tumbles on the greasy surface. So I lay on my back in a puddle imagining the look on my 7 months pregnant wife’s face if she had to collect me from A&E.

Having dragged myself back to the start I was gridded on the front row. I got away well and we were soon into the steep quarry section. This comprised three steep drop-offs, one after the other. I took the chicken run on the first two before braving the third. Actually almost all those around me did the same and even then I still got held up by a couple of fallers!

We slithered on, often running as much as riding. Riders sliding to a halt, then coming back through as others became bogged down. It was slow going and in places fairly scary. There was one section where the course funnelled down a steep gulley and with no alternatives you were forced to turn in and hope! In five attempts I didn’t manage to stay on the bike once!

With my slick tyres spinning as they struggled for grip I felt like I was riding twice the distance. Apart from the mud the course was defined by a long climb, but at least that was on a gravel fire road so actually it offered some kind of respite.

Although totally exhausted sheer persistence paid off in the end; just completing the four laps meant I finished 12^th on a day when many packed up early.

So again points in the bag, but I am still looking forward to sitting on a start line, feeling fit, 100% prepared and ready to race. Meanwhile I’m off for another Lemsip.