Bristol Bike Fest October 2010 – Race Report

Bristol Bike Fest Rider

Bristol Bike Fest Rider

I did the Bristol Bike Fest on Saturday, a Mountain Bike Endurance race in Ashton Court, Bristol.

Jay and I rode the course at a very easy pace on Friday evening and it seemed really nice. There hadn’t been any rain for ages so it was bone dry with loads of lovely twisty single track. It was pretty rocky and rooty in most places and not too hilly so it looked as though it would be a good event.

Saturday dawned and I got to the event early. There were actually a few races going on, an 8 hour endurance race and two 4 hour events, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. We were signed up to do the afternoon one so I got there early to take some photos of the Bristol Bike Fest in the morning. That went well and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I then met the others ready for our afternoon race. As well as myself there were my two brothers, Jay and Brad and a couple of friends, Matt and Beale doing the race with us.

We got ourselves ready and headed off to the start. The start line was actually part way around the course and consisted of a ‘le Mans’ style run to our bikes and then straight into a little gravel track climb up through the golf course. This meant that the first lap was a little shorter than the subsequent laps. I headed off in front of the others by the end of the first little climb and then followed a train of people through the singletrack. My first part lap was over with within 21 minutes and then I started the first full lap.

Zoom!

Zoom!

The laps are only about 5 miles long so I got to know them pretty well after 4 hours. It started with a lovely flat but fairly fast single-track through the woods. There were a few rocky and rooty bits here to catch you out, but also some lovely smooth, fast twisty bits that were great fun. As with most of the singletrack sections (of which there were lots) there were the occasional places where it split into two which allowed for overtaking. We then came out of the woods, along a flat grassy section and then up a gravel climb through the golf course. It was then down into the woods for a fast rooty section and a drop down into and out of a bomb hole. Along another grassy section, into some more singeltrack then a fast descent with a couple of switchbacks.

From here there was a rocky but fairly flat section before a steep rocky climb up to yet more singletrack. This then cut back on itself for a really nice, twisty, rooty, rutted single track through the trees. From there it was a short rocky climb, a short, very rough descent and then a steady little climb back to the start finish line.

Lap 2 was done in just over 28 minutes and I hadn’t seen the others yet. Lap 3 was quite quick too, again under 30 minutes and I think it was on this lap that I passed Beale who was having mechanical issues. I couldn’t do anything to help so carried on while he limped back to the start/finish line. Brad, who is suffering with a back injury had stopped by now, so when Beale got back, he swapped onto Brads bike.

Lap four was a little slower at just over half an hour as I was beginning to realise that this was a 4 hour race and we were only about 1.5 hours into it. There was a long way to go and I could already feel it in my legs, so it was time to slow it down a touch. I think it was somewhere around here that I lapped Matt. Lap 5 was my slowest, but I think this is when I lapped Jay and slowed down for a bit of a chat. Mind you, as I went onto the climb up through the golf course I could feel my inner thighs starting to cramp as well. I’d only just passed Jay so couldn’t let him catch me back up so had to push on and hope they lasted.

Bristol Bike Fest Rider

Bristol Bike Fest Rider

Lap 6 was a little quicker but still more than 30 minutes and as I crossed the line I noticed that I had just over an hour left – Could I get two more laps in? I’d been slowing, my legs were beginning to cramp up, but to complete two more laps I was going to have to speed up. I picked up the pace very slightly, doing a balancing act between pushing hard and keeping my legs from cramping. It was a close run thing at a few points as my thighs tightened and wanted to go into spasm but I just about held on and battled through the pain.

As I came across the start/finish line all the others were there cheering me on as they had stopped for a variety of reasons. I said I thought I could do one more and apparently the commentator said over the PA system that I’d just gone through but was going to have to do a quick one to finish the lap. The last thing I wanted to do was cross the line a few seconds after the 4 hour cut off and do a lap that didn’t count.

I was pretty sure I could do it, but didn’t let on to the others. They made their way to the bomb-hole to cheer me on and I continued around trying not to cramp up but pushing as hard as I could to make sure I completed the final lap in time.

I put on a bit of a spurt towards the end and managed to finish with a few minutes to spare. 8 laps and I was happy with that. Brad only managed a couple of laps I think due to his back, Beale did 1 or 2 laps on his bike and then 2 or 3 on Brads bike, Matt did 5 laps and Jay managed 5 laps too, finishing a couple of minutes ahead of Matt.

The results are out – Bristol Bike Fest Results – They are a little odd as not only were there three races going on, but each of them was divided into Solos, Pairs, Mixed Pairs, Teams and Mixed Teams and even an ‘Old Gits’ category. I’m not quite 40 yet so was in the Open Male Solo 4 hour event and came 6th, I’m pleased with that too.

Overall it was a good day out, the course was good, the weather was perfect, it was well organised all the other riders seemed pleasant enough. I performed well, had a good ride and placed better than I had expected.

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.

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