HOPE PMBA Enduro round #2

So this time it was off to Grizdale, to what was to be our host for round #2, having had not had to bad a result here last year I was eager to see how well I would get on with the new Empire MX6 EVO and some extra training I had packed in over the winter on what is one of the PMBA's  narliest rounds. Kev and Mike did not disappoint!!

So Saturday morning started early with getting the Enduro bus packed up and going to pick up Damo and James #Layburn bikes. As usual  Damo and I got lost so yes we were late arriving to pick up James.

Arriving late afternoon after a fun packed journey it was a quick jump into the riding gear and of we went to get some practice in on stages 1+2
We were greeted with some great technical sections full of roots and the usual  rocks that like to catch you out! So here I am after trying some different lines into certain sections much to the amusement of James and Damo after I had to bail a few times we headed back to the bus before dark for some much needed grub!!

Leaving the pub after a decent fill we decided it was just a bit to late to be pitching the tent in the dark, after all its hard enough in the light never mind pitch black with a pint inside!! So we had no choice but to hang the bikes from the ceiling and cuddle up ;)
Once we'd figured out who was hugging who we managed a decent night sleep.

Opening my eyes Sunday morning I was greeted with the all important sunshine, fair enough a touch of ground frost but sun shine and no rain!! So although it was a bit  fresh when I opened the van doors it looked like it was going to be a nice day. And after a comfortable yet cosy night cuddled up with Damo and James (3 guys, 3 bikes and all our gear we had no choice haha) we were ready for the day ahead!!

Sunday practice meant stages 3 and 4 were open so after a quick coffee we headed out, heading into stage 3 I was feeling good and just nearing the bottom hitting stuff on the bike and enjoying how well it was riding until i got to the bottom and heard the dredded sound of escaping air and on further inspection realizing I'd put a few nice sized dents in my rim and a nice buckle, tube in I managed to get a practice in on stage 4 before heading back to the van for repairs. 

                                     After a quick true up it was prepare for an afternoons racing
Race

Stage#1

After a nice warm up ride to the first stage it was straight to business with slippery roots right from the off! After watching Damo take out the Timing chip dooffa and laughing I went and did the same followed by riding first 100m with both feet of the pedals! Not the best start but once I'd managed to compose myself I started to get in a groove and ride the rest of the stage clean bar the no footer off a not so easy log drop that popped out of nowhere. Making it to the finish it was the pedal back along Coniston Water and up the big old climb for some awesome flap jack and loads of water dished out by the lovely marshals.

Stage#2

After having some good laughs on this stage during practice hitting dodgy lines I was looking forward to this stage, a nice fast entry from the fire road sending us in to loamy roots followed by a nasty little stream crossing sucked up all your speed. Hammering on the pedals again to then hit the slippiest roots I've ever encountered falling of as I had done in practice but managing to keep hold of the bike.  This stage just got faster and faster. On to the fire roads  then back into woods down through a grassy field reminding me of the good old dual slalom days finishing with some super fast single track that had me grinning from ear to ear. Awesome.......

Stage#3

Going into this stage I was pretty confident as I had a good run here last year I just needed the bike to come through without any issues, this is a short stage so I concentrated on hitting all my lines and just letting the bike go hoping not to puncture. I was glad to hit the bottom flat out with no issues sailing through the rock gardens, my Empire just soaking everything up, job done happy with the run and the bike!

Stage#4

Although really liking this stage from last year Kev and Mike had added a fire road sprint to this and it was what everyone was talking about. The trick here was going to be how to keep enough in the tank for the sprint and then for the rock drops straight after, roots just seemed to be a nightmare for me in this race and on heading into the woods I was greeted by a shoulder to a tree! Although it helped by keeping me upright so not all bad. I managed to slip and slide out of the woods and head down through the felled tree area before a quick sprint over the fire road onto the awesome jump line were you had to remember you were racing and not get to carried away.

                                           A nice shot just before sprinting up the fire road

After sprinting hard down the fire road and realizing I still had my legs it was a quick drop back into the woods and through a section of drops. The chicken line being the fastest line here then onto a fast flowing single track trying to pump the bike through it and pedal were you could before firing into the finish.

So that was it, an absolutely cracking weekend with some of the best riding I've done. Super technical and plenty of pedaling to really test you, heading over to hand in my timing chip I was feeling pretty nervous as I had made a few mistakes. Going back and calming down we waited for the results I felt pretty good but was still surprised to come away with 18th out of 110 in the masters category....YES I was buzzing!!

I had broken into the top 20 maybe no big thing to some but feel I am heading the right way and at only the second round things can hopefully only get better with consistent training and practice .

So that's it, a great race with great organization. This series is really starting to shape up as one of the best not just for hardened racers but also beginners, well done again Mike and Kev for a cracking day!!

Big thanks to Jerry Tatton and Adam Sherratt for the great photos and also the marshals for the encouragement they always give.

Thanks again Richard Ford at Mountain Bike Garage


Next race is Maca avalanche at Glencoe !!  Bring it on!!!!

Hope PMBA Enduro round #1 Gisburn

So here we are!!! Back into race mode again for the first round of the Hope PMBA Enduro series. Gisburn forest was the venue for the first round. Now this place has always been a funny one for me as the last few times here either mechanicals or crashes have caused me problems throughout last year so I was hoping for a clean race
Things didn't get of to the best start!! Started to get a bad vibe when the Enduro bus broke down on me on Friday night (wheel fell off) so it was driving duties for me mate Damo!

On arriving early-ish ( Damo was late) and meeting up with James (layburn bikes) it was a quick hop and skip over to sign on before heading out for practice.

Practice

                                                                 Photo/ALC Photography

Was nice to have a gentle spin up to stage 1 where we were greeted by the well known Loamaggedon!!

Even in the summer I doubt this stage dries out but other than a few bogs it was drier than usual. As we moved from stage to stage we got to stage 5,  unfortunately a rider had crashed and required an air ambulance. Well done the marshalls and medical team,  it's you that make us feel somewhat safer when things go wrong, and it didn't take long before we were on our way again finishing of stage 5 with a good few practice sessions on the last off-camber section in the woods that loves to catch people out!

Race

                    Quick briefing and turn the timing chips on before setting off






Stage#1 Loamageddon

                                                                   Photo/Adam Sherratt


After a brief wait in the queue it was time to put the hammer down. We had a good run into the woods off the fire road it was straight into roots and mud, trick here was staying upright and keeping your speed on. You got so far down and there was a bridge that led you into a nice deep bog, some chose to run this while others rode and as long as you kept your speed either worked. Finishing of this you came to my favourite part nice left hander with a big rut of a drop, best line being on the left to line you up over a rise and into the finish, if you get it right its sweet section!! Pretty happy with how this stage went.


Stage#2 Homebaked

My favourite stage with an extra add on of fire road then into another wooded section on to the finish. So setting of like loon it's pretty fast from swooping bends over a wooden bridge before you hit the tight twisty tree section onto cobbled corners with a rock drop. Shooting you out onto the fire road where the winter turbo training came in handy as you sprinted up into the next section of woods,  through some rocky blown out corners with a small jump bringing you over the finish line. Was a good stage for me no crashes and kept my speed.


Stage#3 Whelpstone

Transition to this stage is fairly long so gives you a good chance to have a crack with your mates and general banter before head down arse up.
So straight off the drop keeping control of your speed so not to over shoot the jump that shoots you straight into a corner usual gravely corners, nice and fast but it's like riding on marbels when its this dry. Good stage,  few mistakes made but I'm happy enough.

Stage#4 Hullygully

Everyones favourite this one!! Fast and flowing with big berms :)
Setting off from the fire road start before dropping straight into a nice fast section,  think I was having to much fun here as I managed to get a nice drift round one corner. Not fast probably but massive fun, shooting out into the sprint finish I took a wrong line choice on the grass sucking up my speed before splashing through the stream at the finish! Not me best stage but fast and fun.

                                                                     sooo much fun / Photo JWDT photography




Stage#5 Gas to Flat

Last stage and one of the best, it's got everything! Drops, jumps, rocks, roots and loads of slippy gravel, straight out of the start into some awesome drops and turns before sprinting over the fire road to shouts of encouragement from the loudest marshal in racing Duncan Maffey, dropping down into the first drop now named the KS drop onto the other 2 hitting a sweet tabletop into the woods. It's nice and fast this section before slowing you up again for another fire road crossing into more woods full of roots, this being the jinx of me again as I came into the off camber section I caught another rider!! Ended up me going high him going low,  we then collided and ended up a tangled mess! After sorting out my bars and jumping back on the pedals it was a mad sprint to the finish.

                                                                        Photo/NPMphotos





So that was it I waited for my other 2 mates and another lad we had rode with through the day Carl Crowley, he was one to watch! He was chasing at my back wheel the whole day. A quick blast back to the start were we handed our timing chips in and grabbed a brew while enjoying the chilled out vibe that Kev and Mike have managed to create at every race they put on and part of the reason me and my mates keep coming back. Good banter and relaxed feel, thanks guys.

Overall I was happy with my result made few mistakes and one crash leaving me 20th out of 120 riders in the masters category. Fitness wise I felt great so now its just putting everything together for the next race at Grizdale. Bring it on!!!!!

Big thanks to Richard Ford at Mountain Bike Garage! The bike is a dream to ride .

Big shout out to the marshals and medical staff,  you make it possible for us to keep having fun! And also to the photograpers who always seem to capture the most awesome pictures throughout the day, thanks and look forward to going harder and faster in the next race!

Short video from
Whitenosugar Productions!
https://vimeo.com/160021828

NDH Enduro Hamsterley Forest

Sunday 14th of February. The day I had been waiting for, after all the winter training it's finally race day !
Getting up early Sunday morning (been careful not to wake the wife!!) I was off to make my way over to Richmond to pick up my other bike mad mate James who rides for We love mountains gravity team, I jumped in the trusty Enduro bus and set on my way.
After a sketchy drive in the snow from Richmond we made it to Hamsterley Forest for the first round of the NDH Enduro.

Practice:
After signing on and getting our race numbers it was time to get the gear on and head out on the bikes for some practice ,this was my first real test on the new bike the Empire MX6 EVO, and after hitting the first of the 3 stages it was clear that I was indeed on an awesome machine, going into stage 2 I started to have some fun .

Having some fun on the start of the 4X track

Coming into stage 3 of practice I was really starting get a feel for the bike, that was until I made a silly mistake and over shot one of the berms resulting in a hard slam ,not down for long I picked myself up and made my way back to the Enduro bus for some much needed race fuel.

Stage 1

Section 13 was the start of this stage so lots of peddling to start with trying to keep a  good flow on the jumps and keeping enough speed through the icy berms, once id tackled that it was a long sprint along the fire road (this is were the winter training came in handy). Before dropping down into a root and rock infested mud slop is all I can describe it ,I managed to keep my speed through here hitting my lines and staying on the bike ,good enough for 12th on this stage .

Stage 2

My favourite stage in practice wasn't to be my best in the race, as I took off like a loony over the first jump on the 4X then shooting down the right into the woods straight into rooty heaven (or hell) and that's when it went wrong, and I went straight over the bars after washing out on a root. I quickly picked the bike up and got back up to speed this was my favourite stage so I just let the bike go and hopped, skipped and jumped from root to root. The bottom section of this track was nice and fast if you could keep your speed then you had to haul the brakes on for a tight left hand hairpin another sharp right followed by a nice big drop that you could huck nicely off the top to land at the finish. A bit disappointed with the crash but a good run overall finishing 23rd on this stage .

                                                     Thanks Neil Sturgeon great pic

Stage 3

Not my favourite stage as mostly trail centre but nice and fast. After making the transition to the top I was starting to feel a good bit of pain in my foot so was glad that we were nearing the end of the race, took a few minutes to get my head in the game and I was ready to go. Sprinting from the mast to table trying to control that urge to go hard too early, dropping down off the table it was the usual mix of jumps and snowy berms fast and flowing till I hit one with to much speed and lost the front! Jumped back up with kind words from Jerry Tatton (top photographer) asking if I was ok, cheers mate. I mashed on again with a little bit of anger at myself for crashing,  just before hitting the first fire road I had practiced a nice quick line during practice and hit it spot on so was happy to come out of that maybe making up some time sprinting down the fire road on to the next section.

Feeling the pain here !

Accelerator and Nitrous as the locals call them these last parts of this stage.
I just tried to keep my flow and stay off the brakes
peddling hard over the sketchy rock section at the bottom and round the last few corners to the finish coming in 27th this stage!















It wasn't a long peddle back to the car park to hand our timing chips in, did me usual and handed it in straight away then made my way to the van. By now I was struggling to walk and once I took my socks off I saw a big black bruise on my big toe and after further inspection from the paramedic was told I had broken it !

So that's it my first race of the season, my first as a sponsored rider. Was pretty happy to get 21st out of 62, felt I could of done a bit better had I not had the crashes but happy overall .

Big thanks to Richard Ford at Mountain Bike Garage  http://www.mountainbikegarage.co.uk/ for building an awesome bike.
James and Damo for constantly pushing me all last year and through winter and of course the  wife for always letting me out on my bike! :)

And lastly NDH, all the marshals and photographers your awesome.


Roll on next race were I'll be back faster and stronger...