Brass Monkeys Rd.2 (2014 Series)

Round 2 of one of my favourite race series, after a fun xc race the weekend before at the Off Camber series, where I came a strong 3rd behind national level expert and master xc racers, I felt to have some form and speed.

With the usual fast faces on the start line it was never going to be easy! Ceasers camp is renowned for being a hilly course, but that usually suits me. I got a good start, but I knew better than to try and keep up with the front 5! I settled into a group with James Braid from Wiggle and a few others, I held the pace up the hills and sat back during the single track, trying not to make any silly mistakes! this went on for the first 2 laps.

Eventually we split up, the pace was too high for me to sustain, so I hoped to catch them later on. The rain began after an hour or so, light to start but it got heavier so I changed into my Castelli Gabba jersey, such a brilliant piece of kit, it kept me warm and dry without me overheating!

The course was great fun once it got muddy, slippery in places but there was still lots of grip, my lap times dropped slightly, but I stayed 8th, feeling strong. I started my last lap 10minutes before the cut off, the course was much quieter by now, but in the last few miles I caught 7th place, I knew I had to put a gap between us so I upped my pace, then in the last hundred metres I spotted 6th place, I tried to sprint for the line, but I had left it too late! happy with 7th, glad to be in the top 10, few niggles to resolve but happy with my form. We have a short break of two weeks until the next round, where I hope to be riding my new team bike!!

Brass Monkeys Rd.1 (2014 series)

Having changed jobs and moved house November had been a busy month, but I had tried to keep up training from my new location of Poole, it had gone ok and I was getting to know my new surroundings.

I was really looking forward to the first round of the 4 hour Brass Monkeys series, I always enjoy them and it helps to shake the winter blues. The first round was at Minley Manor, which had been the venue for Torq 12:12, my last competitive race. The venue had been logged heavily but the Gorrick crew had still put together a great course, with a mix of singletrack and fire road, with a few sections of bombholes.

I was expecting it to be freezing so I had brought my training rollers to get thoroughly warm before the race. I got off to a good start, although I didn't feel like I had much zip. The first lap went ok, I dropped off the lead group after quarter of a lap but I tried to settle into my own rhythm, but I had the nagging feeling my tyres were too hard, which was knocking my confidence and reigning in my singletrack pace.

At the start of the second lap I caught a tree root at a poor angle and lost the front wheel, which happened to smash into a tree! I went down, but I wasn't hurt, my bars had twisted, I righted them quickly and got rolling but my front wheel was buckled badly, I limped round the rest of the lap. I swapped to my spare wheel and it immediatly felt grippier. I got to work making up the 5+ minutes i'd lost!

The rest of the race went without issue, I felt strong, I made it back up to 12th place, not good enough, but not bad considering. Lesson learnt: soft tyres!!!

New Road Bike: Hong Fu FM066 SL

I've only had a road bike for 18months, and ever since I had a bike fit I've enjoyed riding it, enjoying the connivence of being able to go for a quick ride or an epic with having to think too much!

My first road bike came from Planet X, bought through cycle to work, it was a simple Aluminium road bike with horrible wheels but full SRAM Red groupset, minus the crank, so it was lightweight and climbing well once i'd swapped out the wheels.

Having got on well with my Chinese carbon 29er frames I knew a road frame was worth a try. I'd read good things about the FM066 SL frame, it had geometry which suited my long legs, short torso and long arms, matching the Cannondale Supersix geo. I sourced the frame+fork+bottle cages through a vendor in china, reducing the cost slightly. It arrived within 7 days, packaged well, total cost around £450.

The frame weighed 900grams with mech hanger included, the forks were 340grams. The build was relatively simple; the internal gear cable routing required patience, due to the lack of internal guides: the lack of barrel adjusts made setting the front mech up more complicated: rear mech hanger wasn't completely straight.

The ride feels great, road buzz is reduced over my alu frame and it climbs very well, I had been concerned over the bottom bracket/seat stay stiffness, but my chain catcher which is set very close to the small ring never contacts the chain, even under heavy load. So far i've done around 600miles since getting it 5 weeks ago.

Build specification:

Frame and fork: 56cm Hong Fu FM066 SL
Wheels: H Plus Son Archetype 32H on Hope Pro 3 hubs, Hope Skewers (training wheels)
Tyres: Continental GP 4000s 23c
Drivetrain: Full SRAM Red 10speed, 53/39 crankset
Brake: Planet X CNC Superlight
Seatpost: Thomson Elite 27.2 x 410 (should cut it down but increases stiffness)
Stem: Thomson Elite X2 120mm x -10 deg
Bars: 3T Ergnova Pro 42cm
Pedals: Cheap Shimano SPD SL's
Saddle: Specialized Toupe Expert
Extras: K Edge Garmin Mount, Exposure Light Mount, Unbranded Carbon Bottlecages

Weight: 16pounds 13ounces (15pounds 6ounces with Strada Carbon Tubular wheels)

FM 066 SL

Torq In Your Sleep 12:12 &The Endurance Series final round

It feels like its been a relatively long season, but it seems to come from all my races being in blocks of 2 weeks, Bontrager 24:12 then 2 weeks later Brighton Big Dog, then 2 weeks later Torq in Your Sleep. I had originally planned to race the 6 hour option, but after my result at Brighton Big Dog( I was 7th overall in the Endurance Series) I thought I had a good shot at a podium finish, so I switched to the 12hour option. Unfortunatley my chief pitman (my dad) was away, luckily I managed to find some kind biking friends who stepped up to throw bottles and encouragement at me! thanks Team Cycleworks.

After arriving the mornning of the race I did a full practice lap, the course was ok, but I felt it got rougher as time went on. I started near the front but didn't get an especially good start, getting caught up with riders through the vast amounts of singletrack, but as laps ticked along I got into a good rythm and felt ok. towards the 5 hour point I felt a little weary, thinking previous races were catching up with me, but I knew I was in 4th place and I couldn't drop out knowing I would score enough points to finish on the Endurance Series Podium, so I had two cans of coke and a caffeine gel and ploughed on!

The last few hours went well, but I was suffering from the bumpy course and knew another lap near 12 o'clock was a possibility, I conciously began to slow up, knowing I had a big enough buffer to 4th and wouldn't catch 3rd. Crossing the finish line at 11:59:50pm I wouldn't need anoter lap, and i'd secured 4th place, but I was only 7minutes down on 3rd, BUGGER!!

A great result overall in the end! The Endurance Series had not been a season aim, but it was a great bonus and its only my first season racing with gears.

My main season is over now, I have a few races lined up but i'm reducing my training hours to try and fit in being sociable…..

Thanks Vermont Images

Thanks again to my sponsors for the support this year and Francesca Bennett for her coaching expertise.

Summer Racing updates

A few other summer races i've missed

Southern XC Rd.3 Expert - Wasing

First time racing in the expert category, the course was good, technical and fast with little climbing. For once I got a good start and kept in touch with a few fast guys, but this only last so long as a few fast masters caught me on the second lap. The next 3 laps felt pretty good and I finished strongly in a sprint finish, 13/21, not a bad effort but room for improvement.

Are You Tough Enough 6 hour Solo- Surrey July 7th

Super steamy hot 30 degrees, most singletrack on a course I have ever ridden, which lead me to chase hard for the win, but ultimately loose out, 2nd was great, and the training was useful, recommended event.

Well done Rich Penning

Brighton Big Dog - 6hour Solo

I used to live in Brighton so I love returning for Brighton Big Dog every year, this is the 3rd visit to the trails of Stamner, I've done well here, 5th the first year, 6th last year, but checking the entry list before the race shows that Big Dog is going Big time, most of the top marathon and endurance racers in the country were racing solo!

A practice lap on friday was slippery due to the early morning rain, but the course was familiar and the extra hills suited me, it also caused my guide to dislocate his finger in a crash!

Strada Wheels Race team, with some extra's

Race day was bright and sunny, the course had dried out really well and I was now keen to race. I got a good start, cleared the steep climb and early singletrack to avoid all the first lap carnage.

I settled into a maintainable pace, slower than the front runners but I always try to keep my lap times consistent for the whole race, instead of blowing up mid race.

The laps were great, hilly but enjoyable with fun, twisty single track, passing slower riders took patience but I try to be polite.

Laps were ticking up and I moved from 11th up to 8/9th, near the end of the race I lost a bottle on some single track, lucky the laps were short and it didn't effect me too badly.

I started what I thought was my penultimate lap, feeling good I rode safe, heading back into the arena I managed to pass a solo rider, moving me up to 8th, checking the time I wouldn't manage another lap, which was a shame but I was happy to finish 8th in such a strong field.

Thanks for the help from the Strada Wheels and Brighton MTB crew, always nice to get cheers along the way. I'm now 5th overall in the Endurance Series, with one more round I've changed from 6 to 12hours at Torq 12:12, a good race might see me grab a podium in the series!

Bontrager Twentyfour12, 12hour solo

Newnham Park is an ace venue for an endurance race, the campsite is in the middle of the course, so you get two visits to civilisation each lap, which is nice, but last year it was horrendous, 12 hours of solid rain ruined my chance of enjoyment. This year it was back and luckily, so was the crowds.

For 2013 and after my disappointing ride at Exposure 12, Twentyfour12 was my next big races of the year, and after a surprise 3rd place 12hour solo male in 2011 I knew the course would suit me, long climbs and nice flowing single track. I was racing 12hour solo again, but the competition was tougher this year with reigning 12hour UK and European champion Tim Dunford and Elite XC racer Stephen Hodge a good result was going to take a battle!

Come race morning I felt refreshed, but nervous and I wanted to get riding! after my overly fast pacing at Exposure 12 back fired I knew that I needed to reign my pace in, despite a few fast riders in the 12hour I had to pace my own race and let them go and ride my own race pace.

Almost front row, queuing starts early

I rode a few medium fast laps and felt comfortable, pacing was consistent and I was having fun. I was up into 4th, but it was early days!

After 5hours I had to swap onto my spare bike due to suspension troubles, no matter, the lack of steep hills suited 1 x 10, pacing stayed consistent. Next lap back through the pits Dad tells me i'm in 3rd after Steve Hodge of Mondraker had a mechanical, it wasn't long before he caught me again, but we still had  over 4 hours to go. Over the next few laps we had a fun battle, trading places a few times, Steve riding away, but I could catch him ok without changing my pacing too much. After I saw him dive into the pits for lights I needed to make the most of the gap.

As I started what I thought was my last lap I made the most of the fun course, until I rolled round to the finish line at 23:45pm, bugger! Back out again then, luckily the first half of the lap was the toughest, that out the way I put the hammer down still feeling strong.

I finished well and secured 3rd! I'm really pleased my hard work had paid off, Dad was a great pitman as ever, i'm sure he enjoys the races more than me sometimes! Chapeau to Tim Dunford who won by 2 laps over me and Ajay from Torq who was 1 lap clear, it wasn't till after the race I found out he was the XC champion of Nepal and twice Yak Attack Marathon champion! I was just glad the weather stayed nice and it showed how great endurance racing can be!

Mixed or Solo? 

Thanks to Darren and Jonathan from Strada Wheels, the Mulebar guys, I really can stomach their gels for a whole race, Finely Tuned Ride for ongoing tweaking and Francesca Bennett for her coaching expertise.

Next up Brighton Big Dog, more a social than a race.