PMBA Kirroughtree Race RePORT
First race of the season was the PMBA Enduro Series at my home trail of Kirroughtree Forest. With the rain pouring non stop for the past few weeks and a few new sections in stages being built I knew the conditions were going to be difficult.
On Saturday, I headed out for practise and soon realised, how slippy and sloppy the conditions really were. I found a very muddy burn/bog to land in after my front wheel stopped and I didn’t! The rest of practise went okay despite huge rain showers on and off. I was lucky to be able to go home after practise and get a hot shower, clean my bike and my kit and get myself all prepped for race day.
One of the good things at the Hope PMBA races is the “Women’s Only Wave”. This gives women the opportunity (if they want) to head out after the E-Bikes and before the masses. It gives us the confidence to get round the first 2 stages without any pressure.
Sunday Morning, I headed out in the women’s wave with no rain and the vibes were good, it felt great to be back racing. Normally I feel really nervous before dropping into the first stage but luckily I knew this one and just felt excited to get going. Stage 2 was shortened as it had got pretty damaged from Saturday practise and the awful weather. However, with it being shortened it was still a long physical stage taking me 11 minutes to complete it! In great company with 2 other fast riders we headed out to stage 3 which was all black trail centre - super fast, super fun!
Stage 4 was my favourite of the day, starting with trail centre, the middle with some loam and slop and back onto trail centre for the ending. Over half way and at this point I was feeling pretty good, my legs still had plenty of energy in them for the remaining 3 stages.
Stage 5 - not my favourite a lot of mud that made it tricky to get through. Successfully, I did manage to not fall into the burn/bog.
Stage 6 was ace and is a regular stage in the series.
Stage 7 had a spicy fire road sprint that totally emptied the tank after 22 miles, 3000ft and being out for 5 hours. We made it back before the rain in time for a pizza, hot chocolate and a bike wash with no queue. Super chuffed with how the day went giving the conditions.
I came 1st in the women’s U16’s and 4th women overall.
So good to be back racing and glad the season is finally underway.
After checking the forecast in the week leading up to Kirroughtree, I knew it was going to be a wet race, but I couldn’t believe how rutted the tracks were during practice on Saturday. Luckily the sun made an appearance so I didn’t mind riding in the slop so much! It makes for some fun, unpredictable riding.
We set off for the race lap as early as we could on Sunday, to try to get as many of the seven stages completed as we could before the rain came that afternoon. We timed it almost perfectly, and it started raining as we got back to HQ.
Stage 1, was raced blind as it was being used for the Hope Women and Academy enduro on Saturday, I quite enjoyed racing it blind, and I think that sort of racing is something I’d like to have a proper go at in the future.
Sunday was probably the most difficult conditions I have experienced whilst racing enduro and made for an interesting race day! They especially made stage 2 one of the hardest race runs I have completed. Around 10 minutes of super physical, rocky, rutted terrain with plenty of uphill sections and interesting features such as the rock slabs and waterfalls. These features were some of my favourites of the whole course, but as it was so muddy I think stage 2 was mine and the majority of the other racers least favourite.
I really enjoyed stages 3 and 4, as they weren’t as rutted, so they allowed us racers to pick up more speed, carry more momentum into the uphills and flow down the hill.
Once all 7 stages were completed, we had ridden 35km over 5 hours, tallying up around 30 minutes of timed stages! Definitely the longest race I have done so far, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Bike set up wise, I ran the Vittoria mazza front and rear to allow for maximum grip when there wasn’t much available! And the Hope Tech 4 E4 brakes.
Overall I had a mint weekend riding with the girls, the community in enduro racing is such a great one. I’m stoked to be back racing after lots of fun riding this off season, and I can’t wait to be back between the tapes again soon!
I was a little apprehensive about the first race back this season. I have had a few too many bugs and illnesses over winter and my fitness is not where it was. I normally do the Hope WMN PMBA races but this year I decided to give the main PMBA race on the sunday a go instead. Last year my skills came on loads and at the end of the year I was full of confidence and feeling good about my biking.
I arrived at Kirroughtree on Friday to get a bit of practice in. The weather in Scotland hasn't stopped raining for months and the trails were more mud and less trail, finding flow was very difficult in such slippy conditions. I had a few big crashes on Friday and Saturday during practice. If I am completely honest with you all I was very in my head about racing on Sunday. I think we have all been there. You know you have the skills, you have ridden harder trails but your brain plays tricks on you and fills you with apprehension and fear. I walked features I normally wouldn't have looked at and I was just having a bad day on the bike.
Sunday morning rolled around and I was determined to defy my brain I knew I could give it a go. Stage two was 1000ft of granite and the one I really struggled with the day before I just couldn't get traction and I had to walk a lot of it. Race day was not much different if I am honest, well except I ran with my bike when I couldn't get my wheels to turn. My first introduction to Cyclocross massive respect for those incredible athletes that is hard work.
Once I had stage two in the bag I started to feel so much better about the day ahead. The stages were tricky with the last few months of rain. I had a couple of crashes on a few stages but I was able to get down them. I did jump off the bike and walk a couple of sections but after speaking to people I was very much not alone in this. I have to say this was a bit more of a mental challenge for me this weekend and I am so glad I completed all 7 stages. This was by far the hardest enduro I have ever entered and I was so delighted to just get across the finish line. I was so surprised to take home 4th place against some super fast and talented mountain bike women.
Would I do it again? Of course I would!
Photos: Jerry Tatton & Laura, Katy & Charlotte.