Underestimating XC

Let me start with an admission. I had grossly underestimated (MTB) Cross Country. I guess as a roadie and crosser at heart, I'd arrogantly assumed a bit of "been-there-..." attitude so figured that, apart from a bit of bike handling adaptation, this MTB thing would be pretty easy.

So I arrived at Crowthorne for a round of the Gorrick MTB Autumn Series feeling fairly optimistic, if a little apprehensive about the weather. It was peeing down, and had been for much of the week before, so I knew it was going to be slippy, but it was also exceptionally cold. But how much harder could it be than a cross race? The race start was delayed by about ten minutes which meant standing around in the cold drizzle, not good. Eventually our the small group of 15, the "Sport Male" (4-lap Seniors) category, were sent off.

I was careful not to ride too hard from the off, but on the first open section of the lap through fire roads I found I'd got into a nice rhythm and was starting to easily pass other competitors, good I thought.

But then came the first sharp corner that took me a bit by surprise, cue full use of the 180mm disc on the front, a really bad line and not flicking to a smaller ring before losing a lot of momentum. Then the single track.

On the first lap, I was exceptionally clumsy through the single track section. I nipped the handlebars on trees, clipped roots all wrong and generally made a hash of it. Worse, I used loads of energy doing it and come the start of the second lap I was feeling it. This was odd for me - usually the technical sections in cyclo-cross are where I pull an advantage. Now I had to try to pull myself back into contention on the fire road sections. According to the PA announcement I was running 7th, so I started thinking that 5th would be my target - and so I slid back on the saddle and spun up some pain on the big ring.

The second run through the single track was much better, and I started to feel far more at home. This was also hugely helped by the 1.5 section Conti Cross Country mud race tyres I'd been given by Andy L. The cornering grip levels were otherworldly in the mud and, even up the mushiest climbs, the rear wheel traction was solid. So into lap 3 I'd picked up a position and was about to grab another two, but then into the single track the cramps hit and I was hurting. I lost my hard earned 5th.

And then, on the final lap, it hit me. The bonk. I hadn't eaten enough before (technically with a, 14:15 start, I'd skipped lunch) and I had no gels with me. Daft. There it was, the dreaded wall. I hit it full on. Suddenly I just had nothing in me, I could barely muster keeping moving. And the cramps kept hitting my calves. "How could it all be going so wrong?" was all I could think.

6th slipped away, then 7th. Then I stopped caring because simply getting to the finish would have been a result. In the end I managed 10th, which I'm still not sure how I managed given the state I was in at the end. It does annoy me, but mostly because my form wasn't bad and with proper preparation a better result was in the offing.

So I look forward to taking another shot at XC racing, though I might wait for better weather and rather spend the rest of the winter concentrating on cyclo-cross. I think (just) an hour of pain, and not changing brake pads after every event, sounds like a far better proposition.