Clifton CC

I was once again billy-no-clubmates (with the exception of Andy Coates, who'll be joining Clifton for next season) at the East Coast vets race out at a gorgoeously sunny Burton Fleming. It was breezy, but nothing like last year when a fierce northerly made the hill to the finish all but unclimbable. A big field too - the event is now part of the Percy Stallard national series - and plenty of people chasing placings and points.

After an early escape of two riders, which was steadily pulled back over a lap or so, it became a jumpy race where for five of the six laps plenty of riders had a go at getting away but none managed it. I spent most of the time up towards the front, getting into a few short-lived splits and discovering that the front isn't always the safest place to be, when in a group of three just off the front and the fella whose wheel I was following overcooked a corner and came down heavily, resulting in a suspected broken collarbone (and a few extra grey hairs for me). On the last go up the hill a group of three got clear and managed to steadily increase their lead to the line. The rest of us filled the road-width for the dash to the line, with Andy and I both choosing to stay in one piece and rolling in just behind the serious lads. Nil points, but good fun, and for me the last of a really good year's vets races.

Me, Paul C, Paul S and Ian C and Lilly did the Manx End to End at the weekend. This race starts at the northern tip of the island and runs to the southern tip over 75km of mainly offroad riding (with 1500m of climbing).

The weather was wonderful and the race was very professionally run. Even though they said ride on the left of the road we had motorcycle riders and loads of marshalls and police at every junction gate or road so we got priority and did not have to worry about cars. 1259 riders signed on to take part and as about 650 of the riders were from the Isle of man so we had a lot of support along the way. It really did feel as if you were riding the Tour of Britain with the professionalism and the amount of people lining the route. Paul S was our highest placed rider and managed to come in the top 50 even though he had a puncture! We all came in under 5 hours which was good. Paul C was our second rider in even though his front brake stopped working half way round and he was suffering from the onset of a cold. Ian C was brilliant on the technical decents. I was amazed as I kept on passing him up the hills and then he would zoom past me (and everybody else) down the other side. Lilly also had a excellent race and came 10th in her category putting lots of chiseled looking men to shame. All the locals seemed very friendly and I had loads of offers of help when my chain broke. I must thank rider 144 for giving me some chain links to help me do this.

The weekend was topped of by Paul S dad providing us with lodgings, excellent food and a bike and gear carring service.

I should also point out that Andrew Windrum managed 5th which was even better than his placing last year, so York Cycleworks are getting their moneys worth sponsoring him.

Several of the MTBers competed in the Manx E2E Race this weekend. A mass start, 50m race from Point of Ayre on the north coast to Craigneash, near Spanish Head. Route here

We took the Ferry over Saturday afternoon to be greeted by Paul's father, and our host for the weekend. After a quick tour of the Island we were fed and, er, 'watered' and put up in luxury for the night.

The following morning we took a van to the start to join 1200+ other riders on the start line.

After the usual pre- ride tinker (fixing Lisa's gears and me scratching my head a squishy front brake), Paul Scott, Jeff Barber and myself got a space in the middle of the 1st pen with Wayne Elliott and Deb Goodall 3 or 4 rows back. Lisa Bolton and Ian Cartwright (aka Steve Fenby on the start sheet), modestly took up position at the front of the <5 hour pen. At 10 we we off and the 1st 13 miles was a road section allowing for some tidy bunch riding. Paul and Jeff took off with the lead bunch but, suffering from cold, I thought better of the 'balls out' approach and tucked into the 2nd bunch. Good group work followed by some efficient through and off with 3 Manx locals saw me hit the 1st climb and off road section in 36mins.

After passing the half way marker at about 1hour 40mins a sub 4hour time was looking v. realistic but this coincided with me losing my front brake completely. This killed any hope of a decent time as my descents were now necessarily very cautious and I had to get off and run one particularly greasy forest section, watching lots of riders wizz by

Anyway everyone had a good ride and the finish was in a sunny field at the top of a, somewhat cruel, last climb overlooking the southern tip of the Island. We all rode pretty much solo efforts, although Lisa did catch up with Deb and ride with her for a while. Special mentions to Paul, who's on fantastic form at the moment and finished 44th overall and Lisa who's also had a successful year just hitting her < 5hr target and finishing 10th in Cat. Also those who know Andrew Windrum will be glad to hear he beat last year's result with 5th overall (2nd in Cat).

Full results here but here's a summary of Clifton results;

Paul Scott 3:39:05, Pos 44 overall (16th in cat)
Paul Crane 4:26:32, Pos 183 overall
Wayne Elliott 4:28:56, Pos 202 overall
Ian Cartwright 4:37:30 Pos 246 overall
Jeff Barber 4:43:33 Pos 283 overall
Lisa Bolton 4:59:49 Pos 376 overall (10th in Cat)
Deborah Goodall 5:05:01 Pos 405 overall

(edit: seems jeff and I were writing reports in parallel so you have 2 choices of write up!)

Latest round of the Nutcracker MTB series for me on Sunday. Held at Camp Hill, Bedale but with a revised course.

Pleased to say much the course was much better than the first round in April where large parts of the course were unridable due to the mud. Despite the rain last week the new course was in great condition, and pretty fast. The trails are either a mixture of bumpy and or rutted tracks or soft going through the woods with a couple of open grass sections (which always seemed to be into the wind) and a couple of fire road sections. Despite the flat nature of the course it was hard. I think that's probably due to the fact that there is only 1 little downhill setion on the course which means you're pushing (and therefore working) all the way.

Got a reasonable start but couldn't hold the pace of the leaders so concentrated on picking off those riders ahead of me. By the second lap we had 3 of us together through the finish line. I went to the front and we dropped one of our group through the little climb leaving 2 of us working through the wood section. At this point I was starting to feel the effects of the first 2 fast laps and when the guy sitting in went to the front at the start of the technical section I couldn't stay with him through a difficult tight section that included a lot of sharp right angled turns. Into the last lap it was definately damage limitation as my lack of miles over the last few weeks started to tell. Lost one place in the last half of the final lap and finished with nothing left.

Delighted to find I finished 9th in the Vets race, so my target of a top 10 place this year has been achieved. Fantastic!

I also took part in the Nutcracker Race. I had not done a mtb for a two year or so and it showed.

I knew i was on to a beating when my gentle warm up left me tired.
I took a bit of a beasting and was last for a long part of the race, but managed to overtake two other dudes to come in 14th, which made me feel better until I got lapped.

i guess i will tell people that i came 14th but not tell them that 16 raced in my category!

Well done to all the MTBers.
Also discovered that Heather came 3rd of 80+ women in the Helvellyn triathlon the week before. 1mile swim in Ulswater, 38mile bike leg over Mallerstang, Dunmail and "The Struggle", then a quick run up Helvellyn and back in 4-26 total. Sounds quite an adventure.

Sunday clubrun for me this weekend. 9 in The Square. With Mal planning an early bath, and Bernard dropping off to travel at his own pace, that left self, Muzzy, Andy G, Nigel, SeanL, SeanW and Heather to tackle the classic route through Markington and Brimham Rocks to Pateley. Stiff headwind, but fine and dry. Howardesque cafe stop, where we put aside the irony of discussing the weight difference between Al and carbon steerers while tucking into full cooked breakfasts...

Luckily it was a flat 7-8 miles after the cafe to settle stomachs before toiling up Jordan's in an ever lengthening line of human endeavour. Wonderful tailwind descent to Masham then a brisk ride home to be back in York at 3-30. Great day out and thanks to all for the company.

Cockayne next week anyone?

After seeing the rest of the group disappear somewhere near Marton I decided on the more direct route to the cafe, & therefore saw Malc at Ripley & then arrived after a trip round Brimham Rocks at the cafe just after the others had ordered. Then decided on the York Folly route back to Darley, Birstwith, Hampswaite before deciding to see what the Beryl Burton route around Harrogate now looked like after not doing it for a number of years. Some of it could do with attention especially where bricks has been used to fill in some of the pot holes, but it was passable.
This left me with the usual route along the riverside at Knaresborough before picking up the tail wind for the fast ride back home with arrival at 3.10 & 78 miles on the clock.
Bernard

A weekend in Dalby forest for me - the Dalby leg of the NYMBO series on the saturday with a just respectable score of 365 followed by the 45 miles & 1500m climb of the moors marathon on the sunday. Boggy conditions off the back of Fylingdales and Sneaton, along with a mechanical in Cropton took my time to just over the five hour mark, 9 minutes slower than last year. Still, 3rd place leaves me smiling after a great weekend of riding

Good luck to Steph who will be wearing the coveted Team GB shirt in Italy soon.........

Rob wrote: With Mal planning an early bath,

...

... for the best of possible reasons..

Mrs Mal (aka Lyn), directrice sportive of equipe vieux grognard, was taking her star rider for lunch. I was therefore under strict instructions to be back for 13:00.

Gasp, gasp, wheeze, wheeze, cough, splutter, cough and there I was. 75 miles in the wheels, at a stunning (remember this is me, here) 18mph. Sorry to miss Lofthouse - Jordan's - Masham but two hours of excellent company was not to be missed, even if you did make me do a stint on the front you rotten lot!

I rode the C2C this weekend from Whitehaven to Whitby.

• Day 1: St Bees to Appleby-in-Westmorland (aka The Lakes)
  Day 2: Appleby to Osmotherley (aka The Dales)
  Day 3: Osmotherley to Whitby (aka The Moors).

Great route - if you would like GPX files please send me a PM.

Comedy photos of fellow MAMILs can be found here:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/pwlthomas ... rtC2C2010#

Regards to all....

Pete