'Race' Debut !

A chance conversation with Jon Harper from the UK Tribe led to some investigation into our 'Brass Monkeys' series of races that are held over three weekends during Nov - Jan. It's a proper race, but also offers the keener weekend warriors the chance to stretch their legs too. With a choice of one, two or four hour races, there is something for everyone. Even with the left-over snow, temperatures hovering around zero, periodic sleet and legs full of Christmas, it wouldn't be manly not to enrol for the longer one would it ?

The attendees are mostly built like Gollum and are as fit as a butcher's dog - then there is me, and Jon. Well, almost - Jon had an attack of the man-flu at the last minute and pulled out, so I went solo. I bumped into Ruth from the Tribe at the start line and swapped Christmas wishes and good luck. I remember thinking that would be the last time I saw her ...

I think the series is organised by the Army and so we get the chance to ride a few places that are normally off limits, such as ASH ranges near Camberley, where the meet on 28th December was held. An eight mile loop with lots of singletrack, lots of mud, a few stiff climbs, a couple of big drops, some bomb holes and a few bits of doubletrack so the skinny racers can easily get past the fat nobs.

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A study in concentration as I enter the last bomb hole ... at speed - I think I need Chris Taylor over here to make me look good on film !

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I didn't really know the routine for such events, but a bit of common sense had spares, extra bottles and snacks loaded into a yellow plastic bucket at the start line so I could re-supply on the way through as necessary. Worked OK and was a common ploy, good guess ...

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The first few miles were steady, enforced by the bottlenecks where the singletrack sections started, but once everyone found their rhythm it was pretty good. At the end of lap one, I was five or six places behind Ruth and going along at a comfortable pace. I overtook a couple early in lap two and was still feeling reasonable - then the gremlins started with the mysterious chain jamming I had in the 'granny' about a month ago when I was out with Mike. I thought the issue was chain-stretch and had thought I had sorted it out. No problems since, until I really needed those 22 teeth ! Afterwards, during the clean and maintenance phase, closer inspection reveals a bent hanger, so that is now replaced and let's see if all works next time I am under pressure.

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To cut a long story short, I wasn't in good enough shape to race over that terrain in those conditions without a small ring. I started to struggle up the muddy slopes and, being paranoid about getting in anyone's way, was constantly watching over my shoulder to make sure I didn't ruin anyone else's day on the sections where overtaking was impossible. I lost a bit more time as I jumped off the trail to let the peleton from the two hour race through, by which time I realized I had learned enough for one day and stopped after the third lap.

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It was a good experience though and I expected it to be a mid-winter kick up the ar$e that would put the fitness requirements into perspective for the coming months and re-enforced the theory that we would be a lot healthier without the alcoholic excesses of December. Drinking my own bodyweight in red wine from the Commonwealth every day for a month made my race debut somewhat pitiful and is going to make January that much harder.