Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

I'll be at Leyton - not riding though

I am helping setting up the course tomorrow and just watching a race first time this season. Looking forward to that.

I'm attending both but taking the train up today so not much use for lifts. Frozen ground and fast courses I expect.

I'm aiming to ride Leyton tomorrow but I've got a football match in the morning so I'll see how I feel.

Apparently there is entry to the league and the race on the line - Any ideas how much that will cost in total?

I believe league entry is now half price at £5, entry on the line is in the region of £20.

Not cheap is it!

No. They want you to sign up online beforehand and offer a hefty 'discount' for doing so.

Any pics?

I tried, but I couldn't without league entry, which was not available to buy at the time. Argh.

I think the price is pretty much inline with other forms of bike racing I've participated in. Admittedly cross is a bit shorter, but that doesn't effect their costs a great deal.

Course conditions changed dramatically at the Bowl yesterday. First few races were really fast before it started to thaw out and the going got heavy. So much so that the U16 race was almost 1 minute quicker per lap than the seniors. I suspect it will be similar today. Great course though, I'm a big fan of the bowl.

Great course today in Leyton. Can anyone raise me on three incidents of rubber side up? #staycrashy #crashlikeyoumeantogoon #crashface

I managed to keep it upright all race, despite the conditions changing by the lap as the course thawed.

My patchy training over the last 6 weeks was very evident today.

Rider Down

Heard at today's race that Charlie Craig, son of Nick Craig, died this weekend. The very tragic loss of a talented rider and admirable young man.

I had seemed almost inevitable that Charlie would have been a bright star of the future of british cyclocross and we are definitely the poorer for his passing.

RIP Charlie Craig

Yes, I heard that too. Awful news, he was how old, 15? One can't begin to imagine what his parents are going through. Thoughts are with them.

Really sad.

The battle between himself and Ben Tulett for the u16 honours a fortnight ago was the race of the national championships.

Nope. Only one incidence today of my bike and I disagreeing about our preferred direction of travel. It was bloody slippery though - a thin layer of slimey mud over frozen soil. In another unrelated incident I did get a running mount wrong and ended up thrusting my gentleman's accoutrements forcefully into the back of my saddle. There were a few sharp intakes of breath from the spectators.

I stacked it on top of one of the humps doing a warm up lap. Now my knee has an extra lump.

It was my first cross race and it wasn't great, but I finished it. Definitely can't do the cornering thing yet.

five, and of that five, three dropped chains and a bent rear mech hanger. still, it was brilliant. a really good course where there could have so easily been a dull one. you really noticed the amount of volunteers and the amount of effort that they had all put in, so a massive thank you to those such as @Hulsroy . there was a great turn out too, and being able to race without gloves in January's a great treat. days like today make days like last sunday totally worthwhile (for me at least).

Every time I saw you you were putting your chain back on ;-)
You looked like you had fun tail whipping like MvdP and what not:

Other LFGSS people I saw was:

It was truly a beautiful day

And well done @Jon. for almost winning two days in a row. You did well!

This little crowd pleaser section was my fav. Such good atmosphere

Great shots. particularly the last, @leggy_blonde, I think. I managed to stay the right way up, though I did ride into two poles on the opening lap.

Was a comedy start in the seniors: sprinting followed by gingerly tiptoeing around the corners. Enjoyed riding elbow to elbow with @Jon. for all of three seconds before he disappeared up the field.

Great course and organisation though.

Also got to see @Hulsroy's monster tourer in the flesh: very nice!

sprinting followed by gingerly tiptoeing around the corners

Almost literally, on that ice between the barriers and the stairs.

five, and of that five, three dropped chains and a bent rear mech hanger

OK you win.

Surprisingly few people fell on that though. Which is good.

I thought the course was excellent, it made really good use of the available terrain, especially the elevation changes.