Fort William Fat Tyre Weekend

10 Under The Ben

First up on Saturday was 10 Under The Ben.  I was approached a long time ago to ride in the mixed pairs with a work colleague so this one had been a target for me all year.  The competition was pretty strong in the mixed pairs with fellow VCM team mates Addy & Maddy riding too.

It was up to the boys to start as Me and Addy faced the long out lap before getting into the course proper.  The usual carnage ensued during the hectic scramble off the start but during our lap and a half we made good progress working together and we steadily moved up through the field.
The placing's settled in quite quick and remained pretty static throughout most of the race but Addy & Maddy overhauled the 4th place team to move into and finish a fantastic 3rd mixed pair (Well Done).  Myself and Cherie from Highland Fire-fighters Cycling team kept it steady throughout and finished 5th mixed pair with 9 laps in 10hours 6minutes.  Altogether I was delighted with our placing considering the competition that was present.


Enduro Enduro!
Sunday dawned reasonably bright and so we decided to try and loosen the legs at the Enduro Enduro at Nevis range.  The relatively short route was just under ten miles long with four timed special stages.  The stages were varied giving something for everyone.  I had decided to ride the enduro on my hardtail so I wouldn't get carried away and damage myself as there are a few cycling things coming up that I want to be 100% for.  My thoughts were that if I stayed on I wouldn't finish last. There were a few sketchy moments just to keep me on my toes and I had a few words with myself to not be so stupid and get a grip.  It must have worked as I emerged unscathed to finish 38th out of 111 riders.  Now how much would I have made up on the full sus?
As it was I turned out to be the sole VCM rider for the enduro in which I had to rock the white kit after using the black the previous day!

On reflection it was a great weekend of racing, Catching up with folks I hadn't seen in ages and meeting new faces.  10 Under was as tough as ever and the Enduro was nice and chilled.  Good times.

Now it's onto Haughcross and then the mighty 3 Peaks.  Keep the wheels rolling!

No Fuss Wee Tri 2

Last weekend I headed north the Fort William to take part in my second ever triathlon. My first being somewhat 'in at the deep end' the Half Big Ben Triathlon last September. So I thought that the No Fuss Wee Triathlon aimed at novices was more of a sensible event to enter.

With the entry list for the Saturday race bursting at the seams, No Fuss put on an additional race on the Sunday to accommodate the demand.
I headed up on Saturday morning to cheer on some friends who were competing that day and also to scope out the course for the Sunday.
The race format was slightly different to other triathlons (so I'm told!) where the competitors go straight from the water and onto their bikes. The No Fuss Wee Tri way is much better! The swim leg was done in heats to get everyone time gaps to start their bike leg on. This meant there was plenty of time to get a shower and changed into dry bike clothes. Nice.

We were then allocated our race numbers in order of our swim placings and then rode in convoy round to Glen Nevis for the start of the bike section.
The bike course was a short sprint on the road then onto the fire road along to the end of Glen Nevis, then back in along the road. Riding my cyclocross bike really paid off here as I was able to make up about 5 places. But I was soon cursing my non-mtb gear ratios as we were diverted off of the road and up the steep loose climb at the back of Cow Hill. My beefy 53-39 chainset was maxed out as I grunted my way to the top!

href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4yAsS4bjbmOcGRbnMr16bCsa7ri0OJK1yjXi56EsxFBN1BzPji_tKxVTRwPOBLHbs8c-bZmdUmFwHGDKMA9Rkokj0gZULoNwZNtnMUdA7cRPmfUoiRWtCcNG0MohO_Iy95JTSV_DGJY/s1600/photo+3.JPG">(Photo: Frazer, No Fuss)

The trail stayed high above the town, before dropping us down at the leisure centre and our trainers for the start of the dreaded run lap.
As it happens, I actually felt pretty good going into the run and I headed out feeling strong. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm still more Eamonn Holmes than Kelly Holmes, but its all relative!


(Photo: Frazer, No Fuss)

The run leg wasn't too hilly and was a mixture of road and off-road. I managed to make up another place on the run and I was told that I was first lady. Trying not to hyperventilate with the pressure of such an unusual occurrence for me, I plodded on and managed to cross the line before the super-fast Julie Wilson caught me.


(Photo: Frazer, No Fuss)

Thanks for another fantastic event by No Fuss. Just the right mix of challenging, great fun and sociable.

Well done to Highland girls Marie Meldrum, Fiona Beattie, Emma Holgate and Jo Cardwell who were all on the podium on Saturday's race. And congratulations to Ewan Thorburn who's winning time on Saturday was the fastest all weekend.

FBROTY, Lyndsey Wins and my FTriOTY

Sky by Marty

I have relaxed my deathgrip on the clipboard and slammed shut the netbook after an amazing Scottish CX season, looking on from the timing sidelines.

Time to ride bikes!

Muick by Marty

One of the few things I'm planning on doing this year is the TransProvence [why] as such I decided I needed a training plan:

1: Read "Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes" by RLS. [The one where our Robbie simultaneously invents bivvying and the literary sub-genre of quirky travelogue].
2: Go do some big rides in the hills.
3: Do something else. [It is a long time until September and I needed some more immediate goals]

One big ride I have had in mind for a while is a high level loop around the Lochnagar area - just so happened that Marty had the same idea for the weekend just passed so an early start saw us at Glen Clova basking in almost-warm sunshine. We ticked off 4 Munros, intruded slightly on a plane wreck, were mesmerised by rocks that looked like massive jobbies, and [I] failed yet again in the 'pack correct sized tube for bike wheel' test.

First Big Ride of The Year!

Carn t-Sagairt Mor by Marty

Something else? I decided to try this triathlon thing, not for the competitive-ness, nor the wetsuits but because I am crap at running and swimming - so they are effectively new things to learn. The "Craggy Island" tri later in the year sounds fun, it is all off road [swim included] to or on the Isle of Kerrera near Oban.

The No Fuss Wee Triathlon presented itself as a good introduction and would give me some decent feedback on stuff I need to learn or get mo'better at.

The first learning point was that the place to get a takeaway pizza between Glen Clova and Fort William is Victoria's in Pitlochry. Now you know.

Second learning point was that I am not as slow at swimming as I thought. It is unfortunate that almost everyone else is faster.

Third learning point is that 5" travel trail bikes are not the ideal when the course is a 50/50 split of gently undulating fire road or tarmac.

Seems like Lyndsey had the right idea with her cross bike allowing her to crush all her female competitors and all bar four boys. Well done that woman!

Victorious Carson photo pinched from Frazer

And yes, I need to finish that book...

No Fuss Winter Duathlon

With a couple of triathlons in my sights this year, what better way to spice up training than with a wee early-on duathlon fittingly called 'The Appetiser'.

After taking part in my first ever triathlon in September, the No Fuss Half Big Ben Triathlon, I knew that this off-road duathlon would be right up my street.

So I packed my VCM kit, running shoes and bike gear and headed up to Fort William on Saturday morning.

Sign-on and the race start, finish and transition area took place the picturesque Lower Falls at the far end of Glen Nevis. It was the ideal setting for the event with stunning views of the Ben, very little traffic and a pleasant feeling of remoteness.

The race format was a 4km trail & road run, a 12.5km road & off-road bike, followed by the same run again. 

I did a bit of a warm up jog and some self-conscious lunges, then No Fuss Fraser gathered us round for a pre-race briefing. 

Then it was 12noon and we were off! Heading up the road I tried to settle into a rhythm and not panic about how quickly my heart rate was rising! After a short distance we were off the road and onto a gravel path which follows the Water of Nevis. I had been trying to keep pace with the guy in front by watching his heels, and when I looked up, I saw the front runners winding their way a bit of a sharp hill. Telling myself it's not Ben Nevis, I vowed not to slow to a walk and I made my way up with short strides. The trail wound on a bit farther and eventually came to a road which we blasted back down to transition area.

I lost some places in transition while I seemed to take ages getting myself ready. Well, it wouldn't be a Sunday bike ride without some pre-ride faffage! I jumped on my bike and beasted it (well, 'my' version of beasting it) down the road to try and make some time up. Luckily the winding road was quiet and I was able to overtake quite a few folk. I only got overtaken by a guy on a road bike with slick tyres on, but by the time we got to the turn off to the fireroad I'd caught him again. I've no idea how he got on on the rough fireroad with those tyres but good luck to him!
I peddled as hard as I could along the fireroad & a female came into view in the distance. I tried my hardest but could not get any closer to her before we dismounted and went back into transition again. 
Helmet & bike ditched and soggy trainers back on, I was back on the road trying to work out why I had swapped legs with Charlie Chaplin. I soon settled back into a rhythm and vowed once again not to walk at any point - even on the dreaded Ben Nevis Junior!
Soon enough the No Fuss flags came back into view and I even had enough energy for a sprint finish with a couple of guys.

I hadn't a clue where I'd finished and was so chuffed to find out at the prize ceremony that I'd finished 2nd Senior Female. A No Fuss medal and well cool Big Bobble Hat was dished out as prizes (not to mention the free Endura socks we got at registration). 

The Appetiser was the first in a series of 3 winter duathlons put on by No Fuss. Looking forward to the 'Main Course' in February.

10 Under the Ben 2011

Better late than never, I suppose!
My rose-tinted specs are well and truly back on now, so I thought I'd better do a wee write-up on Maddy & I's race at 10 Under the Ben.

With last year's 3rd place female pairs prize sitting proudly in our trophy cabinets, we didn't want to settle for less this year. After all, the No Fuss prizes are just too good to miss out on! ;o)

So, in bright sunshine Maddy lined up with all the other first lappers for the usual Le Mans style start. No Fuss Frazer kept them all waiting quite a while though ......

Shortly after lap 1 the rain came on - and it didnae stop!

No Fuss had added a couple of singletrack sections to spice up the race route and these were riding lovely for the first few laps. Rooty and slidy with some new boardwalk. Unfortunately with the newness of the trail and the hundreds of bikers battering through it in the pouring rain, it got pretty beat up and soon turned into gloopy mud soup. No Fuss then rightfully diverted the course onto the harder packed World Champs course. Which was welcomed!

Maddy & I decided to stick to last years race tactic of single laps each, proabably the fastest way for us. But with the rain and the cold, I soon found that my off laps were cold and miserable and I couldn't wait to get back out and warmed up again - albeit soaked to the skin.
All in all, the course was enjoyable and tough enough in places as the laps wore on. I thought that it balanced out well, with the hard going stuff at the start of the lap and then the fun, swoopy reward in the second half.

In the end we managed 10 laps between us and, riding towards the finish line to Maddy's fantastic encouragement (SCX-ers will be aware of this!), I was delight that we'd maintained our 2nd place right through to the finish.

A Benromach miniature and a handshake from Frazer was dished out to every finisher.

No Fuss did another grand job and did really well to keep everyones spirits up in what was pretty unfavourable conditions. As miserable as I felt at times, looking back.....I actually loved it!