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Mountain Mayhem 2007
The weekend came and went as quick as you could say 'mountain mayhem'. It was full of pain, food and plenty of mud. England was one big rain drop when the team arrived on Friday. Yet the sun was shining on the Eastnor Deer Park. Could it hold out for the whole weekend and go against all forecasts?
Friday night was spent setting up camp and chilling out. A can of John Smiths each for the competitors and catching up on the free magazine highlighting the last ten years of the Mountain Mayhem. Some great stories. Then came the memories of previous events for the team from the 2h 30m lap, the dreaded landrover track to the first place run.
Saturday morining and it still wasn't raining. A gentle stroll around the stalls reveiled some quality bargins. A few inner tubes here and energy drinks there and a wonder back to camp to fettle with the bikes. The disappointment was the lack of fifa Xbox game, oh well maybe next year. It was decided by the usual democracy that Joe would do the run and the first lap. When we say democracy we mean the others had all done the run before and thought it was a good initiation being Joe's first Mayhem. Besides Dave thought it might help loose a few pounds!!
After a good sturdy lunch and 2pm soon came round. Yet it was still not raining. There's always a first for everything. Joe was ready and waiting. The team hit the start line only to forget the batton (a stupid slap round your wrist type thing that probably, in the long run, was the easiest to use). A quick sprint back to camp and Joe soon had it on his wrist.The race kicked off with out the big count down. It seemed to take everyone by suprise. The runners set off to amble round the run section. The usual meddle happened when the bikes were collected for the first lap. So the race had started and still no rain.
The first lap seemed quick before the rain started. A quick short heavy down pour just to wetten the track. The course itself seemed an amazing bit of planning. How can a track starting and finishing at the same point have more uphill than downhill. Out of the camp with a long climb and into some singletrack muddy woods. From there it was a sharp downhill through the water trap and back to pass through the camp. Then came the longest climb ever. It seemed like at least 2 miles (even though it wasn't). From the top and a mixture of muddy up and downhill sections into the muddiest wood in the world. Then a snake type downhill and back to camp. A tough 8 mileish course where peddling downhill was essential, somthing no one wants to do.
The order was Joe, Mick, Pete and then Dave. The plan was a lap each and then pairing up into the night stage. It went well. The times were averaging around the hour mark. Then at around 2am the rain came for good and lasted until the last lap. The legs felt the force of the mud. A constent battle to drive the bike through it. Then two laps before the end Dave rode in with a revalation "Mud tyres, they're great". Cheers Dave.
No major stories from this event just a good steady ride with loads of laughs. a steady finish of 61/293. The main learning points were charge your lights to the max, keep peddling in mud and lose some weight.
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