Hi thanks for that Dan and Mark. I have to say it was a great event. Too Tall Tom and i were both racing. We had one helper between us, Martin the fireman. martin drove us up with all our bikes, 4 in total so we had one to ride and a spare. the car was packed to bursting but we thought we had everything we needed. We were wrong.
We arrived at Newcastleton just after mid-day. It is a much smaller event than Mountain Mayhem, with all the riders doing solo, though some were only doing 12 hours, a wise choice as it turned out! Tom and i had both opted for 24 hours. The race course passes through the pit area, literally inches from the tents. We were early so managed to get a prime spot. After setting up all three of us rode the course, Martin on Tom's spare bike. He managed, just, though maybe mine would have fitted better!
The eleven mile course was simply wonderful. The organizers certainly know their stuff. We started with a twisty rooty singletrack between the pit area, a roller coaster, then a technical rooty climb. Not too steep though nor too rooty nor too narrow, just perfect. then it was tracks over fields, the steepest climb on the course, out onto a fire break which was a dual carriage way. This took us onto the start of the Newcastleton red run. Great fun,another climb, more “red” then back onto the dual carriage way, a chance to see the faster or slower riders going the other way. Another climb, a few sections of “Blue”and another chance to see the riders going the other way, and then yes another climb, followed by a long long descent into the pit area. Then off again!
At the pre race briefing we began to realize what a special and friendly event this is. The base was at an out door centre, the course passing through it's grounds. Many of the staff there had given up pretty much all their free time since Christmas to lay stone on the course,( just in case it rained, in Scotland?, as if!) So a special trophy was awarded to the hardest worker. We then realized that pretty much all the staff, who were telling us where to camp, give out information etc etc were all having a go and racing too!
The race started down in the village, after the top 10 riders in each category were called up to sign in! That meant people like Matt Page, Ant White. oh and me! then we were off, well slowly as we followed a “piper” through the village with a group of local cyclists leading the way. Then we really were off and it was a sprint to the start of the course, for some anyway! Tom being quicker was lapping about 15 mins quicker than me. We soon settled into a routine, pretty much not stopping at all for the first 6 hours.Then a quick bite to eat and off again. All the riders were friendly and chatting as they waited to pass or let me pass. I rode one lap with a girl, who was doing her first ever race, but she was fast and it helped me. I kept seeing another girl at the start of each lap, leaving her, then she would catch me up at the end. I switched to my 29er and managed to beat her! Tom had a few problems with his bike so Martin was kept busy. Then the rain came, heavy but not cold, so on we went. then darkness, think mist and more rain.I was struggling to see. The rain got heavier and heavier. The winner in my class from last year crashed and had to stop. I was getting very tired. Tom caught me up and we rode my 7th lap together. I crashed on a downhill, no injuries but it made me realize how tired i was and how slippy the course was in the rain. We decided to have a stop for about an hour, some warm food and dry clothes. The 12 hour riders had finished! By now it was one in the morning. I managed to kick our warm food all over the floor. I struggled for 5 mins to work out how to put my clean bra on, ( Jackie, Lorraine, i needed you then!) The rain got heavier and heavier. Pretty much all the riders stopped. The girl ahead of me was taken off the course with hypothermia. We decided to stay put and sleep. That was when we realized we didn't have anything to sleep on! We managed, just! just after 5am Tom was off, doing another 3 laps, i ate and then followed. If we had know how the riders ahead of me were doing i may have been able to put that bit extra into it and get 2nd, but i made third, one lap behind 2nd and one lap ahead of last year's winner who got going after her crash and did 8.
Then the event got really special. pretty much everybody who competed gathered together in the sports hall,( it was still raining!). We had a raffle to raise funds for the local school. The school kids had done posters to decorate the trails. Our fav was ' don't stop or you will lose!' There were loads of spot prizes, from 'Best smile' to' bushiest eyebrows'. The sponsors were throwing freebies out like confetti. We cheered and clapped any and everything as only people who have competed in a 12 and 24 hour race in the pouring rain can. We were very very happy! the biggest cheer went to Annie, a very young girl who thought entering a 24 hour race would be 'fun'. Her mum dropped her off, she pitted out of a card board box, no shelter, (take a moment and just think about what that means). She had no support, rode a multi coloured basic bike which was not as bright as her tights! And just kept on going. Everybody had seen her cheery smile on the trails. her spot prize was a holiday, some prize but she deserved it, the cheers for her nearly brought the house down. Then the main prizes. I was thrilled to get third solo 24 hour veteran female in Britain and Europe.
Finally, the organizers said the drinks are on us and we headed down to the pub!
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