Harriers V Cyclists

[Womble]

Don't forget people that this weekend at 2pm sees the crazyness that is the Harriers v Cyclists, great race, great atmosphere (especially when you pass the cyclists!).

See you there 2pm, Fisherman's pub, Bingley.

[RichardAThackeray]

I'll be there, & probably running, not on the bike

(not sure if anyone's been brave enough to form an 'away-team' yet??)

[superflyguy]

i'm hoping to be there too. really enjoyed my first experience last year.

fingers crossed my knee holds out!

[Rob Furness]

I'll be doing the boring but fast Abbey dash on Sunday so won't be there. Eventually I'll make it but this year I want a fast 10k time....

[RichardAThackeray]

I'll be doing the boring but fast Abbey dash on Sunday so won't be there

Quite a lot of our members are at the 'Abbey' too, as it's part of our 'Grand Prix' series.

I'm down at the 'Barnsley 10K' on Sunday, but not sure if I'll be struggling around it, or flying, due to the 'H v C'

(the 'Barnsley' course has got quite a sharp hill roughly a mile from the start)

[losidan]

I found out to my cost in 2007, before I bought another cross-bike, that it can be hard on a MTB
Then, even though I'd bought a cross-bike, I compounded the error in 2008, by using the Trek again, thinking of the discs for the descent off Baildon Moor & the drop down to the finish



But, anyway, here's my 'take' on it, having run, & ridden it



Pro's;
1. Very big clearances, so less clogging, compared to a cross-bike, especially as I use 1.8" front & 1.5" rear tyres on mine, which also cause less drag, having less resistance (Specialized Houffalise??)

2. The front suspension was useful on the long rough descent from the top of Baildon Moor, then through the boulder strewn trail on Shipley Glen, & that concrete (railway) sleeper track

3. The disc-brakes actually offered retardation in the most horrible mixtures of cow-shit and mud, without chewing the pads to pieces, on the first/last 2 fields, & the drop back down to the finish

4. The low gearing made some parts rideable, that I know I'd have to run(stagger up[?), or at the least struggle to ride on the Cross bike see point 4 'Cons'



Con's;
1. The smaller frame in comparison to the Cyclo-Cross bike made the sections that required it to be carried very awkward (MTB = 17" frame/sloping Top-Tube. Cross-bike = 53cm Centre-Centre)

2. The weight was a large factor over the Cross bike (roughly 7 - 8Ib heavier?)

3. Gearing was too widely spread on the faster, rideable, sections

4. I could possibly ride certain sections that were 'questionable' (on grounds of gradient), as it was lighter than the Trek.

Thanks for that. The mtb isnt really rideable for this one so I'll be running it. I ran over baildon moor down to the glen last weekend and it was mud a plenty

[Ady In Accy]

Never got round to doing this race - I have a cross bike and I have fell shoes - I just need to make an effort on the fitness to qualify! Pics online.

[RichardAThackeray]

Well hacked off this afternoon!

A reasonable start, then whilst climbing up through the boulders/woodland onto the top of Shipley Glen, I collected a branch in the face.

No-ones fault, just one of those things, but I lost a contacnt lens, felt like i'd been smacked in the eye, so called it "quits" there & then.

Driving back to Wakefield, via Bradford was .... interesting


So, after an hastily (ie; pleading request!!) appointment to try & get more lenses, it appears that I have scratched the Cornea, so have to let my Eye 'rest' for a week.


Bugger!!!!!

SO, no 'Barnsley 10K' tomorrow now

[Ze Monsta]

Well hacked off this afternoon!

A reasonable start, then whilst climbing up through the boulders/woodland onto the top of Shipley Glen, I collected a branch in the face.

No-ones fault, just one of those things, but I lost a contacnt lens, felt like i'd been smacked in the eye, so called it "quits" there & then.


Bugger!!!!!

SO, no 'Barnsley 10K' tomorrow now

Tough break there Richard, hope it's not too bad.
Thoroughly enjoyed the race myself, thanks to all the organisers and marshalls. Weather was as good as I can remember in mid Nov, the last two weekends running I've been overheating, sweating buckets, and squinting into bright sunshine.
At 6 miles 650 ft it looks not too bad on paper, but there's not much opportunity to take things easy, I was pretty spent by the end.

[superflyguy]

bad news richard. i think I saw you go past me just after the concrete sleepers. sounds tough, hope it's nothing too serious.

really enjoyed it again. the course is really good. i enjoy getting up close and personal with all that lycra and spinning metal my first race back after 6 months and everything seems to be ship shape so one happy camper here.