So Eventually I managed to open up the legs at my 1st MTB race of the year at the Welsh XC Round 2(Round 1 cancelled) with our typical weather of hail, wind and rain which turned what could be a pretty good course to an absolute mudfest!
The course was only 3km with a long uphill muddy fireroad before turning down a thick muddy descent that clogged your bike up adding a few pounds to the weight of the bike. Then it was a short ride across a fireroad to a steep uphill that was only rideable to half way up before having to dismount and pretty much run the next km of draining, calf stinging mud!
So after a confusing race start time between riders I lined up at 2 o’clock ready to test the legs. The start for me didn’t go amazing, I think I got into 5th position to start and the legs hated every second from the word go!
I decided to hit this event with ride at my own pace attitude and slowly bring the legs into it and try and push harder as the race went on. Without realizing it I was moving my way up the field each lap going from 5th to eventually 2nd by the halfway point! The next half I was feeling stronger and legs weren’t as shocked and screaming like they were at the start. With 3 laps to go I was closing in on the leader and thought I could catch him since he was only 20 meters or so in front of me on the unrideable climb. However with the amount of mud and no traction it was hard to breach the gap in the short number of laps remaining. So with settling for 2nd and gaining on the leader every lap I eventually finished 10 seconds behind with a bike that weighed more than a complete steel bike!
Next outing will be at the Wentwood 50km, which will help the legs come on more as I prepare for the 1st major race that I dread every year, Sherwood Pines National XC!
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