Dirty Reiver 2019

It was with a lot of apprehension I headed to Kielder to take part in the Dirty Reiver. I have ridden that sort of distance before (200km) but never off road.

My practice run on the mountain bike in Dumfries and Galloway 2 weeks previous did build my confidence at just shy of 100 miles and helped me make final decisions on what kit to carry.

I decided to ditch the Camelbak. With food stops at regular intervals I decided to go with water bottles only and I was never out fo liquid. I also decided to go with Active Root ginger energy drink. I have never been a fan of energy drinks but this stuff is really the business. The ginger is perfect for settling the stomach and I had no nausea as I have had previously on long distance efforts and the sea salt really stopped any cramping at all…..and it tastes great. I am a fan of ginger beer already.

I also decided to go on my cross bike. A clubmate who rode last year told me the terrain was smooth in comparison to Gelntrool’s Big Country loop and the MTB would be overkill. There were parts of the day I longed for the fat tyres but he was right, they wouldn’t have been worth it on the whole.

Arriving about 40 minutes before the start, as I got out the van to set up my bike the -1 degree temperature hit home. It was freezing. With the temperature hitting a high of 7 and an easterly all day I was able to take the jacket off eventually when I got moving but I can’t say I was ever warm, although the knee warmers did come off at the first food stop.

Food stops is how I broke my day down. Thinking about the final distance could really mess with you so at all times my goal was just to break down the distances to the next food stops and then divide that by two to ration my water properly. The food stops were at 44km, 95km (this one had a fire pit in a tepee) and 135km(with hot tatties and cheese!) and these broke up the day and kept the focus in something my brain could cope with.

The gravel was for the large part smooth and a few sections of road were chucked in here and there to link parts with only the Lauf special stage near the end chucking in some horrendous conditions, which didn’t feel good with 170km in the legs.

Northumberland is desolate and when not cycling through Kielder’s many trees (Europe’s largest man made forest) you found yourself in a bleak hinterland that wouldn’t be out of place in the barren expanses of Mongolia. There isn’t much to look at. Despite the lands barren nature I did manage to amass over 4000m of climbing throughout the day so it is not a route to be underestimated.

I finished the day at 6.40pm at Kielder Castle, back where I’d started at 8am with a moving time of 9 and a half hours and the 200km course in the bag.

This was the toughest ride I have ever done but enjoyable none the less. I’m not sure what it would be like if it rained and I don’t want to find out.

The organisation, course, food and setting are excellent. Will I come back? I won’t say yes but I won’t say no. Despite the cold I got lucky with the dry and April can be a month of snow or heatwaves. There are shorter versions which in the future I’d consider plumping for and maybe having a go on the mountain bike but for now I’m booking my physio appointment and enjoying a beer at the end of a tough ride.

Reiver Training at Whitelee

Wind Farming From Darvel In Darvel a good number of us can see the windfarm from our gardens however as far as access goes we still think of the visitors centre as the main entry point however there are a number of places this fantastic piece of wilderness can be accessed and explored from our side. With the weather turning finally into something akin to Spring I decided to head off road on to the forest roads of the windfarm. With a 200km race on similar terrain to train for the roads of the windfarm are the perfect training grounds. I used a route I have become familiar with over the last few years that I first did as part of a larger group at an organised cycle during the Walking Festival along with the pupils of Loudoun Academy’s cycling group. With modern cycling GPS I was able to save the route and follow it on my own.  The route starts with a workout on the legs straight up cemetery brae before following a series of short climbs till you reach the top of the Calder Water climb and head back downhill towards the bridge which crosses it with the windmills to your left. Not far on from this point where the road continues on to Strathaven you will notice a junction for High Browncastle which almost doubles you back on yourself and is signposted as a dead end. Take this road and just keep going. You will pass some pretty new refurbished farm houses and a few farm buildings until you reach the end of the road at a farm. Without going into the farm and taking a left of the building you will see a stile (you will have to dismount) which when through puts you on to the first of the rougher stuff. A double track road will bring you out at your first viewpoint. I always stop her for a bike selfie as no matter the weather the view is tremendous.  Heading down a slight incline I usually stick to the left and head into some more mature pine trees, following the main forest road to the left. You will soon find yourself going downhill, but watch your speed as the bend at the bottom has a steep drop into a burn at the bottom. Scrubbing speed at this point is a good idea though as there is an interesting, if slightly surprising sight at this point worthy of investigation. Raised above the road is a fenced (overgrown) garden with more natural trees and a grave with monument in the middle. Closer inspection reveals it to be the resting place of a Euphemia Whyte and William Smith of Newmilns with dates from the 1800’s marked on the stone. Maybe our local historians will know more but it does come as a surprise to find this in what can only be described the middle of nowhere. Leaving Euphemia and William behind continue to the right this time till you find yourself on what is known as the Spine Road and follow signs for Uplawmoor. Throughout the windfarm there are now signs directing walkers and cyclists. I wouldn’t solely rely on them though. I once followed a sign for “Darvel via Mucks Bridge” to 3 dead ends. I skipped past the first sign I saw for Darvel which cuts out about 2-3km but as it was a nice day and I know where I am going I added a slightly larger loop but it does bring you to the same exit point of the windfarm. The exit point is at a crossroads on a steep slope. Behind you is an abandoned farm of which I don’t know the name, again our local experts may know more and ahead is the double track back on to tarmacadam. Be careful on the double track. It has a downhill profile but some deep puddles which if taken at speed may see you over the handlebars. All can be negotiated with care.   At the bottom of the double track you will find yourself back on the road to Darvel. Follow the road and you won’t go wrong. You will eventually find yourself back on the locally named “5 mile” where you can choose to cycle towards Newmilns or take a left into and back out of the valley with Darvel’s answer to Alpine Switchbacks. Being a cycle for the Darvel blog I chose to go left and pass the entrance to Fleming’s Birthplace. An ideal photo op for a Darvel ride.  I headed back down cemetery brae and back into Darvel again taking care on the steep decent to finish in one piece. Some advice! If you want to do this ride and have GPS use it to help you. As wonderful a place as the windfarm is with its recent addition of signposts it is easy to get lost. On that note, if you’ve never been in this part, do it on a good day. It really is wild territory and I have been caught out freezing cold and close to hypothermia there IN MAY!! This is not a route for a road bike or slick tyres. It is perfect for your mountain bike which I often do it on. You will notice my bike in the pictures looks like a drop bar road bike. It is actually a Cyclocross bike, an off road discipline for which the bike is designed. Cross bikes are a great bike for non-technical trails like these. Indeed most manufacturers now make a genre very similar called gravel bikes which do the same thing. These bikes are excellent for all round cycling. When the gravel tyres are switched to slicks you have the perfect road bike too. Keep an eye out on DDCC Facebook page as I hope to run a guided ride of this route for those who wish to have a supported run in the windfarm with someone who knows the way. The full route for download can be found by clicking https://www.strava.com/routes/18042581

Training Ride - Epic Big Country MTB

Training for the Dirty Reiver. Rode from Loch Doon, through the Forest Drive, down to Glentrool then doing the 7 Stanes Big Country Loop then retracing my route back to car at Loch Doon.

RGCX 2019 Top 10

I managed a top 10 again!. Taking part in my 2nd Rouken Glen cross race (last years was a disaster) I managed another top 10. On a freezing day I stayed cycling as long as possible. This cost me a good grid position and possibly a top 5 or better. However it was too cold to stand around but my first lap was more of a catch up and manoeuvre through cyclists while the top 5 places got away. I was pleased with my 8th place finished which was only 8th by half a wheel. Still a great result and I wasn't unhappy with the day considering last years, no jersey, ride in polo shirt, ripped shirt, pedal in shin debacle!

New Giant TCX SLR 1

Lone Biker 2018

A Cyclocross Podium!

So it finally happened. In my 9th season of cyclocross I got a podium. I am not ashamed to say that I felt rather emotional at my 2nd place in the Doonbank Trofee B Race. Years of travelling all over Scotland , breaking and running with bikes through Somme like fields of muck finally brought some success.
The day was set up brilliantly for success. The highlight of my day was actually watching my daughter in the U12 fun run race. At age 6 she gamely pedalled her frog bike through 4 laps of the juniors course with a big smile on her face.
The course at Rozelle had been changed up by Ayr Burners and it was a belter. The weather and the course changes made it a faster drier race which I prefer (I'm no runner and I am now back to having no pit bike) as it suits my cycling.
I think the Super Quaich A and B race formats have been a success. Lets face it, for the most part in the seniors and A races we are going to pick a winner from 1 of 3 people and those 3 generally make up the podiums. At times in the seniors you can get a bit disheartened when you've trained hard, eaten right, prepared properly and mid race you know you are going to come in the high 30's or 40's position wise.
The B race however gives you a chance at success. I actually find myself racing harder because I know my place has a value and my racing is worthwhile, I'm not just going to be a course obstacle for Lines, McDonald, Wardell etal.
Key as always to success is a good start and I made sure I pushed myself as high up the grid as possible. I've watched too many similar ability riders stay away from me simply because they had a better grid position. I fired off then from the start and got myself in the top 10 early on.
The last few months I have actually taken a break from cross. I kind of felt I'd lost the love for it a bit. I changed my diet completely and training regime and targeted Doonbank as a return. I managed this return 20lbs lighter and definitely more toned and stronger for ditching turbo sessions for HIIT workout sessions and it paid off.
On the first lap I felt strong and the fast start didn't leave me burst. Over the course of the first half of the race I pulled myself up to 5th position. I always feel stronger towards the end of a race and in a sport that is fast and furious I took my time to reel in 3rd and 4th place to move to second with 2 laps remaining. I was never going to catch 1st but on the second last lap pushed hard to consolidate my position and then played it sensibly in the last lap to keep my second place.
I crossed the finish line in 2nd place in a B race pumping my fist like I'd won the world champs and promptly pulled my brakes, stopped and cried into my hands. I've won small mountain bike races before but this was my greatest race. I finally managed to coincide preparation, fitness, bike and body for success after 9 years of hard hard slog.
It may be the last podium I get in CX but I will be forever proud of it.
Thanks to Ayr Burners for a great course , event and day and thank you to the Super Quaich for giving us also-rans the chance at glory.