Three Peaks Cyclocross

[wheezing donkey]

Yes, a cracking day ( despite seeing Rob getting pipped by 15 seconds ). Seeing them descend the single track off P-y-G, before joining the top of Horton Scar Lane, was awesome! Both had their wheels on the track, leaning into one another's shoulders, travelling at 20+ mph over a blind brow!!! Fortunately no-one was ascending.
Good to get re-acquainted with Bob ( hope the arm mends soon ), plus meeting up with Derby Tup and Ady-in-Accy.
As I was trotting down Horton Scar Lane, I spotted AntiSocial ( with a huge rope of snot hanging from his nose, which did nothing to improve his looks ) and gave him an encouraging shout. He told me to, "Sod Off!!" Much to the amusement of a passing lady walker.

[richpips]

No Triathlon or Idler to be seen..............?

You can't have waited around long enough

4:44 - happy with that. Suffered a bit on the roads bizarrely - no speed. Cramped a bit. Not enough to eat. Blah blah. What an experience.

'C'est nes pas sport. c'est la guerre!'

Well done mate, back next year for more?

[GeoffB]

Absolutely fantastic - victory for Pennine Fell-runners!!

Well done Nick, that's one hell of a result.

[Hanneke]

Well, I am still exhausted after yesterdays efforts!

I found it really really really tough, the hardest thing I have ever done...

Not sure if I want to do it again, but I suppose I will, as I feel I can do and should do better...

Managed to stay in one piece, having thought about more or less everything that could go wrong with the bike. Stupidly, I never envisaged loosing the use of one shoe My left cleat came loose coming off Whernside... Spent about 10 mnutes f-ing and blinding on the track side trying to get it to either fix back on on one screw/bolt whatever you call these things, then trying to take it off alltogether but failed. Problem was, the half loose cleat would clip in but not unclip Was stuck on the bike without being able to get off, bit awkward!!! So could not put that foot on the pedal at all while descending Whernside. Was just about ok on the road but my left foot was completely dead by the time I turned off the road for Pen-y-ghent. Then I found I could not ride up the track because I could not clip my left foot in.

That was why I looked so grim when you spotted me Merry! I was pissed off by the lack of cleat and how it was setting me back and making it really hard while I was already quite knackered... I should have been ridng up there, which would have been easier and faster than pushing the bike

In the end I descended Pen-y-ghent in anger, especially as the woman that was ahead then behind me all the time going up and down got a tow off a clubmate that came up to find her!!!

This pissed me off, so I sat on her wheel tanking down then shouted I was going to do them for drafting... so he dropped back behind me...

Got cramp in my right calf on the descent on the bridlepath though, as I had been powering and controlling the bike with my right leg only since I'd lost my cleat... so had to jump off and run a bit, which is where I lost that woman... she finished a minute ahead of me... but I did manage to overtake a few people on the descent so I wasn't quite last, phew!

Managed to max out the bike on the road section clocking a maximum speed of 57 km/hr as per my Garmin

Not quite sure why I was that slow, as I was averageing a decent 20 mph on the road sections... Must have been my lack of carrying power and lack of technical skills descending. Certainly, by the time I was coming off Pen-y-ghent they had improved dramatically. Also, once there you don't worry so much about bike breakages and bursting tyres anymore, so I was less cautious...

I do seem to have developed a right bicep over night as well...

[Hanneke]

It was great meeting so many forumites... Maybe we should enter a team next year?

Just realised that my previous post was the longest I have ever written on this forum... I must go and have a lie down now

[Derby Tup]

H you did great, well done Oh, and you'll be doing it next year

[Hanneke]

H you did great, well done Oh, and you'll be doing it next year

I thought I had instructed you and Ady to stop me if I'd threaten to enter again next year?

[trilathon]

Well, I am still exhausted after yesterdays efforts!

I found it really really really tough, the hardest thing I have ever done...

Not sure if I want to do it again, but I suppose I will, as I feel I can do and should do better...

l...

for most of us it is really really tough, even without a bad persistant mechanical problem....first year I almost packed in on simon fell and went home....same again this year

the race evolves with ups and downs in so many ways as you progress through it

most seem to reduce their time considerably each go

still as tough...but in an addictive way

Did you see the guy ride over the line on a borrowed shopper bike...his own cx athwart his shoulder with forks snapped at the cantis ? most would of abandoned...it's the spirit of the race that is epic, aswell as the topography

[dominion]

Lots of pics here,

http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/cyc...o-Cross-2009-0

including one of the snapped forks!

[idler]

Loads of good pics appearing on the web. Dave Haygarth's site has lots of links http://3pcx.blogspot.com/

This fella seems to have aged 10 years and lost all dress sense...
From http://www.flickr.com/photos/eddieal...57622346982373