The Edinburgh 48

The Edinburgh 48 - 48 minutes of PEDAAAAAAAALLLMOREFASTERER!

A simple cx style format where all you need is a bit of woodland [Craigmillar Castle Park, on the South East of Edinburgh], some tape and course markers, cheery marshalls and a wiggly,whoopy, flat-out fun course and some up for it racers [some more racey than others, but all co-existing, all having fun].

The quietly shouted about event produced a good turn out of Embra and Tweed valley types - Mr Wardman of this parish, included. Possibly around 45[?] in the open race- not bad for a tuesday evening.

The format was most laps in 48 mins. wins. No bell, just keep kicking the arse out of it until you see the chequered flag or you expire trying. Great fun.

This course MUST be on the cx series as soon as possible - lots of carving fun through the trees and whoopy jumps, plenty of passing, challengeing enough when in ogygen debt, some steps and suitably brutal with absolutely no recovery spots on the lap at all.

I got a decent enough start and settled down behind South African John for a couple of laps, one time up the final grass ascent to the lap counters John was slowing a bit which was most unusual - so I thought if I was going to get past I better get a damn big gap on him, otherwise I'd get promptly crushed. This lasted all of two laps or so until I had redlined myself into a corner, John saw his chance, took it, and I spent the remaining laps going slowly backwards.

To console myself with not getting a race on I decided to see if I could ride up the course steps - an easy win that earned a box of Gu treats. Mission completed I then focussed on trying to enter one of the faster swoopy sections with enough momentum that I would not need to pedal to the next uphill section. I learned my lines and was aiming for a death or glory attempt on what was to be my last lap - I could only claim glory in not binning it when a clipped pedal resulted in calf cramp and a rumbunctious off-piste excursions to the right and then to the left of the course...

More of this - for it is ace! Also the Countryside ranger was saying that there are plans afoot to build some biking and walking trails and possibly a pump track in the park. Let them have your support if you are vaguely local.

So a worthwhile tuesday evening - one tub of Gu sweets for riding up steps, one bottle of Flying Dog Pale Ale [thanks Andy!] for crossing the line and Jac got 3rd place for er... being third lady.