Kielder100....take 4!

After finishing this race three times and a promise of a special prize for those who had completed it all four times if they finished this year I really had to enter. I really wasn't sure about my ability to either do the distance or manage it fast enough to make the cut-offs. Ali had targeted it as her main event of the year and had done some good training towards it, although the Olympics had kind of brought a halt to it. I on the other hand had a background of a stay in a Psychiatric ward followed by breaking my collarbone and being off the bike for two months. I had been riding again for nearly two months and back at work which led to lots of commuting miles but there had been very little off-road miles. Riding the MTL with Ali a week before had given me some confidence as I had finished the ride feeling strong and rode most of the descents, it had hurt though.

I spent the week before being my usual annoying and anxious self. But I did get organised and have most of my stuff packed by Wednesday night, still meant I had lots of Ali's to do. Work fantastically let me finish early on the Friday as numbers were down at the school I was at so I was home before Ali, meaning that once she got home (she had finished early as well) I was able to pack the car and we were on our way. We were staying at the Youth Hostel this year so arrived and made our dinner while catching up with Norn and Hannah. At registration we found out my number plate had not arrive, I was meant to have one with my name on due to having finished the event three times, so I had a temporary one in case they didn't arrive.

Arriving at Kielder my only real aim was to get round within the cutoffs I had secondary aims of trying to be as close to 12hours as possible and maybe just sneak onto the podium. Due to having finished every running of the race so far I got to start at the front. This meant I spent the whole of the neutral section and the first couple of hours of the race feeling like I was going backwards while all the fast guys came past me. Ali caught me up just after the neutral section and stayed in front of me for a while, I also knew there were two other females ahead of me but that at least one was a vet. At the cross-over point on the course I went past Ali as she removed a layer and that was the last I saw of her.

I reached the first cut-off point with an hour in hand and was feeling confident, I was descending reasonably well and although hurting nothing was too bad. Turning left to head to Newcastleton I spent most of the rest of the race slowly passing people which helps with moral. I made the last cutoff with an hour to go and knew then I was going to finish as I only had 22miles to go and it would take something major to stop me! Like last year I felt reasonably strong on this section. I traded place with a few lads but on the whole I rode on my own. Heading towards the last descent I realised I was not only going to break 12hours but I might just set a new PB (my previous being 11:55 in 2010). I really enjoy the final descent, so much so I don't even mind the bit of climbing joing the sections of singletrack. I crossed the line with a big smile on my face and realisation I would have to return next year!

Turns out I was 3rd female back but 1st senior female as the other two were vets so I made the top step of the podium. Ali had a fantastic race finishing only 20minutes behind me and 2nd in our category. Which made the podium even more exciting. I finished in 11:52:40 so got my PB and was 132nd overall. So next year hopefully I can avoid hospitals for a while!

Thanks to:

• Cooksons Cycles for the help getting such an amazing bike (Both myself and Ali rode Trek Superflys) and always making sure my bike is in top working order.
• Mikey at Velocake for the peptalks.
• Ali for being fab and looking after me as always even though she was racing as well.
• Work for letting me leave early on Friday and the fact that we are encouraged to travel to where we are working by bike as commuting is where I get all my miles in.
• Everyone else who has kept me going this year.

Kielder 100

It hardly seems five minutes since I was up here and racing the inaugural kielder100 and we were back again for the 2010 version. No Ali racing this year as she had managed to hurt her back in the run-up (good for me as it meant she could look after a stressing trio!) On the friday we got ready to go and then I changed my mind, I wasn't as fit as last year, I couldn't do it, we wouldn't go. Ali ignored me and we were soon in the car on the way up the M6. Arriving at the campsite we found our pod, thanks to Rich being organised and booking in advance before deciding on a different adventure we were camping in luxury.

After registration Ali cooked me dinner, she is good, we then got eaten alive at briefing and I decided that looking stupid in a midge net was worth it. Off to bed and thanks to Jon for lending me the comfiest sleeping mat in the world I really was in camping luxury. I still didn't sleep well and I should learn that if I wake up cold I should put more clothes on and not just try to go back to sleep as I just wake up again! Morning dawned and Ali was up and cooking me porridge (while I was lying in bed denying all knowledge of any race!)

Up to the castle for the start, wow there were a lot of people! 534 started out of the 627 on the start list. I "dibbed" in and joined the queue. I found Jane and tried not to feel too nervous or remember how bad I felt last year. Once again we just all started riding and it wasn't long before the pace car pulled off and we were allowed to race. I was on Heathers wheel at this point but we hit the hill and she disappeared, if fell running makes you that fast uphill maybe I should try it? With so many more people on the course some of the singletrack was a solid line of people meaning that I was riding harder than I liked at times but also slower than I maybe would have with the trail to myself on some of the downhills.

But after the first bag drop it got quieter. Just after I finished all the vimto in my camelbak and was swooping down some singletrack I came round a corner to see Ali and Andy taking pictures. It's always nice to be cheered and I was feeling good at this point. I did see if Ali had my spare camelbak but she was expecting me to want it at Newcastleton. So I headed onto the next water stop and filled up there.

At this waterstop we had to head down the hill and up a grassy bank before completing a 7mile loop back to the water station. At some point on the loop climbing a fire road my rear tyre exploded off my rim in a cloud of latex. Time to work out how to remove the rim strip (the valve was attached) and put a new tube in. For me I managed this with minimal panicking, although I did think at one point I wouldn't get the tyre on as everytime one bead was seated the other didn't want to. Jane came past and stopped to check I was fine but I told her to keep going as all I had to do then was fill the tube with CO2 and it meant I had a target to try and catch ;-)

Then it was the lovely switchback push up the boardwalk at the top where Joolze seemed to be doing a spot of landscape photography! Then the course headed over towards Newcastleton. I felt I knew this trail well having ridden it twice since last years even and tried to pretend I was with Ali on the fireroad descents (she was noticeably faster than me last time we were here so I had to not brake!) It seemed like no time at all and I was getting to the feed stop at Newcastleton.

In I went and grabbed a chocolate-cake-biscuit thing and a banana before waddling out, Ali insisted I did more waddling for the camera! I made my stop short and got back out quickly, heading up to cover more of the Newcastleton trails.





















I had nice chat with Jane at Newcastleton as we both stuffed our faces! She was much better with the timing dibber than me, I needed someone to help me!

The next section to the final feed was good. Last year it had been hell but this year I felt good, I mean everything hurt but I still felt reasonably strong. The last feed I grabbed some more water and my teacake and waffle and proceeded to walk up the hill before riding a section with two lads where we were almost taking turns at the front and pulling each other along. Back into the singletrack and I had to walk up a couple of sections but I recognised the last uphill and so there were lots of smiles as I turned onto the last descent. Flying past Ali offering me the keys to our pod I told her I couldn't stop there!

No picture of me finishing as although Ali ran the last mile down to the finish (not along the trail though) I was a lot faster on the bike! Odd that ;-) Back up to the castle for my free beer and food and to wander round in a daze for a while!

A fantastic event and I'm already thinking about next year maybe gears??? Ali is looking forward to getting to ride it as well.

Time: 11:55:58
5th female, 2nd female singlespeeder, 205th overall

Kielder 100

Wow how hard was that but how much fun...

So on fri Ali and I headed up to Kielder Forest to take part in some silly event. Somehow it was after 4pm when we left so obviously I was a little stressy! We got there in plenty of time and after sorting out Ali's entry, getting the tent up, eating and getting to the riders briefing I was shattered!

The next morning the alarm went off at 5am, it was still dark and it was all a shock to the system, Ali was her wonderful usual self and made me porridge. The campsite was full of lots of scared looking zombies. We headed up to the start and got checked in. It wasn't long before we were following a car along for the neutralised start. Then we were let off the lease, it felt like everyone was flying past me. Kate was up there as well and we spotted another girl at the start on a singlespeed. She flew past me on the first uphill. On the first few climbs I could see Julie in the distance and it looked like she was flying, I couldn't hear Ali and kate chatting behind me anymore. But I was concentrating on not getting carried away at the start and let the speedy people fly! I was enjoying myself and felt like I was riding okay except on the downhills, but after 25miles that improved! My strategy was not to stop so at feeds I got what I needed and headed straight off. Cut-off was made with plenty of time and I headed over to Newcastleton, it was bleak over the tops and with no-one in sight a little lonely! It was nice to arrive there and be greeted by a piper and loads of people cheering!

Heading off from there I felt good, I caught the other singlespeed girl who was fixing her chain and pushed on, I felt I was riding the singletrack well which was good! Not long after that I stopped feeling good and my digestion was not very happy. Miles 66 to 73 were the hardest I have had on a bike, but after that I could drink again and things started to feel better. From then it felt like I was plodding away, reaching the last feed where I had sweets was great. After that I was counting down the miles! Any singletrack climb was walked and the downhills hurt so much, at least my automatic pilot for riding downhill seemed to be working!

The finish line was a welcome relief! With Ali there cheering, turns out she just missed the 55mile cut-off, still 60miles on a bike is her longest mountain bike ride ever! after being bitten alive we spun down to the castle, some food and beer and it was time for the presentation. Kate arrived back just as they had started, a little later than me as to save me feeling bad when she beat me she had a play in the bike park over at Newcastleton! First up I was 3rd in the open female which was exciting. Then I got to stand on the top of the podium as the 1st female singlespeeder, I got to spray cha,pagne everwhere for the first time in my life which was exciting. I also got a load of singular goodies, not sure what to do with an XL jumper though, it drowns me!

The event was fantastic, the organisation brilliant and the course a great mix of fireroads and singletrack. Not sure I would recommend it fully rigid though! I think I took just under 12.5 hours and it was hard, but if you want a challenge I recommend it!