The Dyfi Enduro 2010 results are out – You can see them here:
They are in a different format to usual as you have to look up your rider number (or surname) to find your time and position.
Well done to all those who finished.. And even those who took part and didn’t finish as that’s more than what I managed to do as I didn’t even manage to get to the start line this year!
Never mind, I’m feeling a little better today so hopefully I’ll be able to start training ready for the Dyfi Enduro 2011 before too long!
Well, I’m not doing the Dyfi Enduro.
I’ve got a pretty bad cold and its been getting worse over the past couple of days. I was exhausted yetsterday after driving into town and back and don’t feel any better today so there’s simply no point. Especially considering the fact that last time I did a ‘race’ when I was ill I ended up on the cardiac ward in Bronglais Hospital (twice!) and out of action for a few months.
It’s pretty disappointing and I’d really like to do it, but it would be a struggle in my current condition, I wouldn’t be able to put in a representative time and it may put me out of action for longer than necessary. There’s always next year I suppose.
If you’re doing it then have fun, I wish I was there with you but it’s not worth the risk.
Less than a week to go until the 2010 Dyfi Enduro, so yesterday a large group of us had a pre-ride around the course.
There were 17 of us in total. We didn’t do the road section from Machynlleth but started at the ClimachX Trail head and then rode down to the road and up the first long climb. It wasn’t long before I was trailing towards the back of the group with some of the faster cross-country whippets sprinting off ahead. It was going to be a long day so I was quite happy pacing myself.
The first descent rode nicely, but on the climb afterwards a couple of us had flats, me included. Actually, mine was from a previous incident a couple of weeks ago that I thought had sealed itself, but obviously it hadn’t. There was no option but to stick a tube in it. The others had carried on so I had to ride fairly hard to catch them all up. So much for taking it easy! I eventually caught them over the top on the grassy field, which now has a wide path cut into it so that its actually a rocky road across the field.
The descent into Baileys Bridge was nice, if a little greasy and slippery on the off-camber rocks. We did however manage to lose a couple of the group members here. We waited for a while but they didn’t show up so a couple of people went off in one direction to see if they could find them whilst Joe waited at the bottom of the descent in case they came out that way and the rest of us headed up to the cross roads at the top. The rocky descent to this point was pretty sketchy with a couple of people off and a little bloodied and bruised. We waited here for the others to find us, which they eventually did.
After a break and a play on some of the jumps at the top of the ‘World Cup Descent’ a few of the group headed off on their own, leaving us with 11 people. The next descent was the ‘World Cup Descent’ which I hadn’t done before. It may, or may not, be in the Dyfi Enduro. It was mad, nice and flowy at the top with some jumps if you fancy them and then it just gets steeper and steeper becoming a mad, rocky cliff that you ride down. We all made it unscathed, if a little scared at times. If that’s in the event next weekend then it will be carnage!
From here it was a fireroad descent followed by a long climb to the feed station. We stopped here for a bit but as it was getting late, there were lots of MX bikes about and some people were pretty tired we decided to miss out a couple of the descents and climbs in this area and instead started heading back towards ClimachX.
The next descent was a typical loose, slatey, Dyfi Enduro descent followed by the technical climb up to the descent with all the whoops in. Then we climbed back to the ClimachX Trail, did the 3 in 1 descent and then climbed (again) back to the top. We were going to do the Elephant descent and the final Dyfi descent but instead did the final descent of the ClimachX Trail.
All in all a good day out. I felt OK all the way around, but was slow both up the hills and down them. It was nowhere near as far as the Dyfi Enduro will be next week and there were lots of stops and rests so I think it might hurt quite a bit more next week.
Our weekly night rides at the moment are all exploring the trails that are likely to be part of the Dyfi Enduro. Last night we started from the northern end of the course and rode a few of the trails there. The first descent we attempted was covered in branches leftover from recent forestry operations so unless they clear that before the event I doubt that we’ll be going that way.
The other descent were typical Dyfi Enduro style descents with lots of sharp loose slate that managed to slash both Dave’s and my rear tyre. Each descent was of course followed by a long slog up a fire-road. The cold winter does seem to have released a lot of extra rock from the trails meaning that it is very loose under-tyre and slowing down on the descent is difficult as the loose rocks just slide on each other. It may improve a little as more people are up there riding the trails in preparation for the event now. The recent nice weather is drying things out a little up there as well.
Next week we’ll be riding around the Bailey’s Bridge section followed by an end of month ride around the entire route (as near as we can get to it without knowing in advance exactly where it will go).
I’ve decided I need some new tyres ready for the Dyfi Enduro.
Currently my Commnencal Meta 5.5 has a 2.4″ Continental Mountain King on the rear and a 2.35″ Maxxis High Roller on the front. Both are OK for general trail riding but a little too chunky for a longer distance ride such as the Dyfi Enduro and pretty draggy on the climbs… I think I need to make life a little easier for myself on the ups and go with something a little narrower and with a lower rolling resistance.
Haven’t decided what to get yet though… 2.2″ Continental Rubber Queens could be a good option as I still need a fair bit of grip for the descents. Anyone got any recommendations?
Entries for the 2010 Dyfi Enduro opened today and soon sold out completely. I managed to get an entry in though, rider number 282. Most of the local riders also got a place so it should be a good year.
The course will be similar to last years – Click here to see the Dyfi Enduro Route from last year. It is a 75km off ride ‘challenge’ around the Dyfi forest with around 800 riders. Last year I did it in a time of 4hrs 13 minutes which wasn’t too bad for my first attempt, you can see my Dyfi Enduro Race Report here. I came 222nd but as there were 35 people who finished before me but did the shorter route, I could say I was 187th,
I guess my aim (after finishing it) should be to get around in a quicker time this year.
Did you manage to get a place? What are your aims for this year?
The Results for the Dyfi Enduro are out….
You should receive them in your inbox sometime today if you did the event.
I hope you did well. I came 222nd but as there were 35 people who finished before me but did the shorter route, I could say I was 187th. Not bad considering the fact that I’m not as fit as I could be, was in hospital a few weeks before and I’m a wimp on the downhills! I’m pleased with the result anyway.
Here’s a copy of the results.
What position were you?
Been searching for photos from the Dyfi Enduro 2009 on line so here’s a selection of what I’ve found so far:
Photos on Flickr from Peak Cycle Hire
Mark Walter’s photos (Facebook)
Right Place Right time (Coming later today)
I’ll add more as I find them, and if you have any then post a comment and a link here.
I’ve had a few people ask for the actual route that we took on the Dyfi Enduro at the weekend.
So here is a Google Earth file of the Dyfi Enduro route.
Just download it and open with Google Earth. It includes the punishment loop that the top 200 riders had to do.
Dyfi Enduro 2009
May 3rd 2009. Dyfi Enduro Day. I’d never done the ‘race’ before but knew most of the course and as it is my local event would know lots of people there so was looking forward to it.
I headed off and arrived in Machynlleth with plenty of time to register and get ready. I parked next to a car that turned out to be Andy’s (Who I didn’t know was doing the event) so I had a chat and caught up with him before wandering across the field to register. I then met everyone else, Dave (Who was marshalling this year) provided me with one of his Ystwyth-MTB tops to wear for the day. Bernd and Martyn had theirs on too. Myles had his rigid singlespeed bike with a dodgy Bottom Bracket. Jon Baker was there (selling some Oakleys in the car park) and I had a chat with John D and Mark. Although I didn’t see much of Mark as he kept popping off to the toilet and could really have done with some Immodium!
Andy at the finish
I had planned to meet Shem, but couldn’t find him anywhere so headed over to the start with John and Mark. After a quick briefing we were off at 11am. 800 riders snaking their way along the Welsh roads. It was quite a sight to see so many riders all together, especially as they all bunched up on the first little climb. I was somewhere in the middle so could see hundreds of riders filling the road in front of me. I saw Faye and Dawn supporting from the bridge of the Dyfi as we headed off for the forest.
I had loads of people commenting on the colour of my bike. In fact after about the twentieth comment along the lines of ‘You need contrast control for that’ it did get a little tiresome! We were soon on the first big climb and the field of riders started stretching out. Some younger, fitter, faster people passed me and I passed lots of people too. I got chatting to a few people mon the climb as well. Myles flew past me as I was chatting to a girl on her 3rd Dyfi Enduro and headed off into the distance. There was a band playing on the switchback and cheerleaders at the top of the climb, by which time I was nicely warmed up and the field was nicely thinned out into little groups of similarly paced people.
I overtook a few people on the first descent and then headed off towards the open field. I was caught back up by the girl I’d been chatting to on the climb. She had come off on the descent but was OK. I then saw her and several other people at various stages all day so we seemed to be circulating at a similar pace.
I quite like the climb up over the field and overtook a few people here and then it was onto the first proper descent of the day. The first section (where James came off last week) was all about avoiding fallen riders as there must have been at least 10 people off their bikes and in various stages of recovery on this little section alone. I weaved through them and then got stuck behind someone on the faster singletrack bit beyond, but got past them once the trail widened a little, with lots of shouts of ‘Coming through on your right!’. The final bit of descent down to Baileys Bridge again involved weaving through some fallen riders but everyone had big grins on their faces.
Martyn Chilling after the event
The climb back up to the top was fine and once again I saw Faye and Dawn supporting from the side of the road at the top. Faye asked how far behind Shem was, but obviously I didn’t know – at least that meant he was behind me and not in front of me though!
The next nice descent was a bit of a procession but I felt good on the climb to the feed station and heard some shout of ‘go Ystwyth’ towards the top. At the feed station I stopped for a flapjack and a drink, saw Mike Christie and then headed off. I probably should have stopped for a little longer and ate a bit more.
I caught Mike up a gain a little further on, had a little chat and then headed off, but then hit a bit of a bad patch as my energy levels dropped. Mike overtook me at this stage and carried on his merry way. Jon Baker caught me up, had a little chat for a while and then headed off too. In hindsight I should have stopped and eaten something at this stage. It was now close to 3pm, I’d had some porridge 8 hours before at 7am and a single flapjack at the feed station, but other than that just water all day which simply wasn’t enough.
We then had a horrible, very muddy, very slippery descent that I didn’t enjoy much, before starting the climb back to the top. When I got to the stage where Dave was marshalling, he delighted in telling me that I was in the top 200 so had to do the punishment loop. At that stage I didn’t really want to do more but was also pleased that I was in the top 200. Jon stopped to chat to Dave, I didn’t as I didn’t think I’d be able to get going again if I did, and Jon soon overtook me again on the punishment climb.
Bernd - All Smiles
The girl I’d been chatting to earlier in the day caught me at the bottom of the final climb too, but I had a 2nd wind towards the top (far too late in the day) so overtook her again over the top, then it was just another cheer from Faye at the top of the final descent before heading downhill all the when to the end – Phew!
We then had a 6 mile ride back to Machynlleth, but after an energy bar at the forest finish I soon felt OK and quite enjoyed the easy ride back. Back at the event HQ I got my mug and a spot prize (Continental Speed King Tyre) and stood around watching people come across the finish line. When Martyn came in I heard that Shem had experienced a mechanical issue near the end and had to pull out but until then had been riding around at a similar pace to Martyn all day. Bernd had mechanical issues too so came in quite late as a result. Sylvia;s carrot cake and Joan’s chocolate cake kept us going while we waited though. Jimmy and Simon did really well finishing in the 20′s and Myles was quite a way up too. I also saw a few other locals who I hadn’t realised were doing the event, including Chris and Billy.
All in all it was a great day, well organised, a good challenge and good fun. Thanks to all the hard work done by the organisers, sponsors, marshalls and other volunteers who helped make it so. Everyone I cam across on the trail were good too. Most people had a chat if possible, others moved out of the way if they could to let me pass and I of course did likewise, and no one seemed to intimidate or mind if people held them up at times. Everyone was sensible and courteous which made the day all the better.
Personally I was pleased with my time and pleased to be in the top 200. I should have eaten more which may have made the last 8 miles or so a little easier and maybe faster, but I did the best I could and was pleased with my performance.
Roll on Dyfi Enduro 2010!
My GPS showed that the course (excluding the ride back) was 33.4 miles with a total climb of 6187 feet. My unofficial time was 4:13 and my average heart rate was 155 bpm with a max of 174… Not a bad workout.
Dyfi Enduro aftermath
Billy after the event
Bernd crosses the line
