Twas The Night Before Cross Nats

Twas The Night Before Cross Nats,

Not a rider was stirring, except in one house;

The skinsuit was hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that cold weather soon would be there;

The tubs were nestled all snug on their rims,

While visions of mud rut danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my lid,

Had just settled down for a long summers kip,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen rain

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature rider, and 9 massive gears,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Slick.

More rapid than Sven his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Seymour! now, Ryan! now, McCall and Campbell!

On, Convil ! on Newman! on, McDonald and Ahern!

To the top of the steps! to the top of the hill!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As wet muds that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the bike full of carbon, and St. Slick too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and posing of each little hoof.*

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Slick came with a bound.

He was dressed all in lycra , from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with blood dirt and muck;

A bundle of tubs he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were so gaunt, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the stubble on his chin was as cool as the snow;

The stump of a Torq bar he held tight in his teeth,

And the smell it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was skinny and ripper , a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the kit bags ; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his bike, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"No Sherlock, no Ferguson, we're in for a fight!"


*you try find something that rhymes with hoof....good luck tomorrow all

Specialised Crux Review

First off i have to give a HUGE thanks to the guys at BikeHub in Howth. They have been a huge help to me this year after i smashed up my bike a few times this season. Paul sorted me with some great racing kit bike wise this year and i cannot recommend the shop enough. They keep buying me coffee and lunch too...

Earlier in the season I realised it was getting to double bike time. I've managed to race 3 seasons on only one bike, but was starting to get to the point where i was crashing out enough to warrant having a spare. That and some of the other kids are at it now as well ;)

Spent weeks searching the net, as you do, and pretty much decided on the Crux. Fills all the blanks about weight, fit, and colour. It was also a pretty damn close match for my UJC which I've ridden the past 2 seasons on.

Changes from stock were pretty simple; Ultegra rear mech, and a set of Frogleg canti's. (Didn't get on with the Avid brakes, and getting carbon pads for less than 45 Euro was near impossible). The Zipps and tubs were my own...more on tyre choices for the year later.

Pro's:

• Internal cables on a cross bike. What more can i say. Makes it easier to shoulder, keeps the gunk out, and makes the bike look much much better.
• Fork, its so stiff. No flex, no straying off line. Stick it where you want and it goes there. Braver than me.
• Chainstay clearance is much much MUCH better for my heals than the last two bikes ive had. Probably not going to need to constantly apply helitape.
• Looks like a carbon frame :) The amount of people who have done a double take when they realise its not..priceless.

Con's:

• When i was looking at the bike the first time i noticed the open end to the tubing on the downtube. OK..water does not tend to go to much upwards into the tube..but...when you are washing the bike and water gets into the tube it can flow down towards the headtube, where it then flows into the toptube...and wont come out. Pain in the ass.
• Fork break brace thingy. Pretty much makes it impossible to carry with your arm across the headtube...as i do. So either i learn to carry under the downtube or i deal with the bruises on my forearms for the near future.
• Brakes, the stock Avid brakes are terrible. No modulation, but lots of power...so kinda ok..but impossible to get carbon brake pads for in Ireland. So pointless. Swapped them out for Froglegs.

Would I advise someone to buy one? Yes. Would i buy one as a second bike for next season? Yes.

Christmas & BikePure GP 2

Being over in Bradford for the National Trophy meant i missed the first instalment of this race. Based on how i rode that weekend it probably would have gone pear-shaped anyway so no issue.

The week before was the happy festive eating period and a time of busyness getting things done before the college closed. But the snow of the weeks leading into it left me with more time than usual as most parties were cancelled, people couldn't get about, and in general the country slowed down. Honeslty it was the nicest lead into Christmas i can remember.

Training was minimal on the bike as it was pretty hairy most days, the turbo got some use, but i got out for a few longer rides on the MTB with lads from Team WORC. All in all a bit less intensity, but a good bit of a base prep to ward off the beer and cheer that was going to follow.

Pauline finally managed to get over to Ireland after taking 4 trains, a bus, ferry, and a bus so i could drive her home over the mental roads. Honestly it was great to just get away from Dublin for the whole of Christmas. I'm not one for it, or the historical BS that has come with it in my life and it was a fresh blast of air akin to all this Vit D that I've been taking when dealing with issues.

After braving the frozen lake and roads we had to head home to Dublin to catch yet another ferry to the UK. On the way it was decided that i was racing as the roads were clear and everyone was going to be there. Awesome elite field with pretty much the entire club turning up. So at least the racing was going to be fast.

Sub 5minute lap was on the cards, plan was to hammer it, see what happens, but not fall over for a change. Was happy with the outcome of the race, even though the field was small, 9th, muddy, tired. What more could you ask for TBH. had some good racing with Andy and Philip until I dropped the bike and lost a place to Andy. Starts are still weak though. going to have to get the aggression I had in Lurgan back. Think that fall did more to me than hurt my elbow.

It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

> what is a grue?
The grue is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth. Its favorite diet is adventurers, but its insatiable appetite is tempered by its fear of light. No grue has ever been seen by the light of day, and few have survived its fearsome jaws to tell the tale

Night time is upon us. We wake up in the dark. We go to bed in the dark. In between i live in a basement.

Running at night, riding at night, training at night. If it wasn't so damn quiet it'd be depressing.

On my own running on my local trails with nothing to entertain me. Turn my brain off. Listen to my breathing and foot falls. Just run.

There are some benefits to winter.

Bradford National Series

Taken from Heidi Swifts blog:

As bike racers we sometimes confuse approval of our successes for love. I remember the first time I got anywhere near the front of a race – the way people reacted differently as I came around course. More intense. More earnest. More approving. It felt good. I wanted to feel that way all the time.

It can get confusing. You have to sort that shit out and remember that you

are not your results. You are a human being who happens to pedal – amazing at so many other things, important for so many other reasons.

Bike racing can fuck you up, man. Don’t let it.

Stay in control. It’s ok, you’re ok.

Bradford was to host a round of the British National Trophy in Peel Park. Hoping to get some faster races in before Nationals this year, and to take a chance to race my first elite race outside Ireland i aranged to meet Alan Dorrington and steal his food and accommodation for a few days prior to the race. A quick ferry over, training session in the ice with Dave Haygarth and a trip to the Chirstmas markets in Manchester with Pauline sorted the first few days. Saturday was spent preparing bikes, getting all the little bits done and just waiting to race.

Sunday morning up early and inserting food into me, bikes into car, and extracting the contents of my bowls. Normal pre race roulette at the moment of if a toilet is close enough at any point in time. A quick drive out to Bradford saw us arrive with plenty of time to pre-ride the course before Alans race in the Vet's group.

Initial feelings on the course were: Hard, iced up, and rideable...even the off camber wall of death was doable. Then it happened. It started to warm up, the ground thawed and then they let 3 races go before us. It was never going to be a pretty race, but at the same time it was never going to be an easy race.

After the break we got a chance to re ride the course again. My previous tire choice went out the window, Fango's off, Rhinos and Mud's to try. Then it happened having ridden 'the descent' in warm up i was confident of both line options. But i wanted to try them both in the mud. I tried the left line and dropped the bike. Ok...not the end of the world go again...dropped it again....broke my shifter....felt like an idiot...the beginning of the end.

Lined up, last min on the line pee and waited to get gridded. Middle slot 4th row. Not ideal, but not the back either. Commissars checking wheels, brakes and all the bits they like too do. No issues with the wheels i was running which was nice. 1 minute to go call. Check HRM, check brain, check gear. 30 seconds. Hooter and rolling, working to clip in as fast as possible.

OK start, coming into the first corner where i wanted to be, take a few places in the first section, and get into the line-out going into the first fast descent and manage to get away with it by running hard and fast. Go as hard as i can for the first lap until the off camber mud traverse section, opt to run this on the first lap and see how it goes on the way. Approach the run up and realise just how many people have crowded around to watch the race. Very different than home. Cross the line and bypass the pit on the first lap. Bike still ok at this time. Hit the descent running and get a 'good option lad' from a local Yorkshireman as i pass 3 guys trying to ride the drop. Hill running experience paying off there again.

Then the wheels came off. I started dropping wheels, thinking about changing bikes to a bike that I'd borrowed from Alan. Thinking about THAT run-up again, THAT descent, and all the other things that cause you to ride like a dog on tiles. HR dropped, breathing increased, RPE went up, a shitstorm hit my body and i could not cope. I'd love to say that i kept it together, i'd love to say that i clawed it back from the brink and chased down the places i lost, i'd love to say that i fought on and was able to overcome my daemons.

No.

I failed on all accounts to deal with my brain and put it in its place. I went backwards, worse than i think i have ever done. Last place, lapped on the 4th lap, looked at by the commissar and given the option to bail. Hit the pits, jumped out of the plane and didn't pull the cord. Race over. Disappointment, apologies to Alan and Pauline who did an amazing job pitting for me, clean bikes when i needed them, no complaints from them at any stage.

Experiences like this need to be learnt from. Nationals are 4 weeks away. I have to look at what i want to do there and see if it is possible. I have to work on my technical skills again. I need to sort my brain out so i can claw it back when it goes into spiral mode.

Ulster Cyclocross Championships

Friday through Saturday and the snow started to fall. Not only were we being given small craft warnings (bikes are small crafts aren't they?) but the temperature was due to plummet. Safe in the knowledge that the Irish road system would fail with even the slightest hint of snow i opened a beer late on Saturday night and settled into a night of relaxing before a race that i assumed would be cancelled. However not to be outdone i did ease off after the second beer, pack the kit bags, set the alarm for 8am, and get to bed by 11:30pm. Just in case.

8am alarm call and I've been away for an hour anyway. Body is adjusted to winter time now and tries to get as much sunlight as it can in the morning. Open the curtains to find 10cm of snow in the back garden and the car under the same in the front. Wander to the loo and send people some texts. Mostly no commital answers until one back from Andy saying 'Robin is on his way up, slowly'. Bugger..... if he is going there is a reason. Text Robin to hear that its slow but he's not hit the M1 yet. Living only 10mins from the main road to the north has its benefits...and if it was clear...even vaugly... Text back at 9:10am 'M1 clear, slow going, get move on'

9:15am, car packed, two bikes, 3 wheelsets, kit, water, ski pants and jacket. 9:17am rolling/sliding to the M1. 10:00am hit the M1 after witnessing some terrible drivers trying to drive at 60kph on sheet ice. One lane open on the main motorway, 40kph until Balbriggan when it opens out fully and can get up to 80. Once past Drogheda there is no snow, frost yes, but its like a different world. Dublin got hit bad for a change but the North was fine. very very weird. Rest of the way to Rostrevor as fast as the limits allow sitting in the car park for the race at 11:15am. Perfect.

Kilbroney park in Rostervor is one of those CX venues that I love and hate. A DNF there last year saw me fall from a top 10 place to a pile of vomiting hell for a week or two.Met up with Robin, Evan, Dave and Andy after sign on and a quick lap of two. The course is great but you need to be fit, very fit. Freezing conditions had left the course like a road race. The MTB races before did nothing to cut the ground up and it was perfect for us. Gridded on the second row had me in a good position for the first section but the first two corners were going to sort it out quick enough. Sure enough after the gun Glen Kinning dropped it in the second corner and a bunch of 12 us managed to get away.

the first lap had us all together until a fracture saw Robin and Matt Adier get away. Shortly afer that another move saw me in a group of 4 hanging off the back of an 8 behind the lads. Matt wrecked his derauiler and that was that for the day. Scrapping would ensue among these groups. Andy Newman from WORC worked his way up and past me and replaced Dave O'Neil (WORC) in the pain train. Glen made his way back up to help his team mate and we played cat and mouse for the next 6 laps. With the course running hard and fast average speed for the race was 21.3kph. Second last lap and i binned it trying to attack out of the group i was in. Glen was smart enough and attacked the second he got past my flailing corpse and i had to work as hard as i could to get back to him. At the exact point again on the last lap where i caught him Glen attacked again. Couldn't get onto his wheel, totally spent but had to defend from the two guys on my wheel. Luckily into the last section of single track i could pull back, ease off and recover. The final climb would be where the attacks came from and i needed to go with them. James McMaster from Curran Racing attacked on the last hill and i went with him before he got to my hip. With an on coming bush in his way he backed off and i went again. Jack from East Antrim CC managed to get past James and that was the end of that.

Video, Photos, and results from the day. 10th place overall, a good attack from Glen left me dead for 9th place. Great move and recovery from the crash on the first lap. Happy with the result overall, happy with how i rode, just not 100% smart on some sections. Good feelings before the National Trophy race in Bradford on the 12th of December.

CX racing

Few races in the last few weeks and a few other things:

Sickness:

Week off the bike bar a single day MTBing in COrk with Enda. On some killer antibiotics to try and kill whatever has been getting me down. Appears to have worked. At the same time i concentrated on some work and got myself in a better position in coaching and work circles so double plus good.

New bike:

It happened, i have been crashing way way to much and a double bike opportunity came about. Will post later about it but HUGE thanks to Paul at the Bike Hub in Howth for sorting me out.

Super Cross Cup - Rnd 4: Tymon

Much much muddier than last time. Felt ok going in. Rode hard as i could as i was gridded pretty badly. Got into top 15 after the first lap then pushed up to outside the top 10. Crashed out following Andy Newman into the off camber on lap 3. Buggered up the bike, so hit the pits for the other bike. But eneded up in 30th. 20 places in 30seconds on the deck. CX has become compeditive now... Pushed as hard as i could but the ribs were killing me. Managed a 26th place but honestly spent the last 3 laps just riding and restraining myself for Sunday. Beers on Sat night were good though :)

Ulster CX - Belfast, Ormeau Park:

After crashing on Sat i wasn't sure how id race today, decided to call it on the morning of the race. Woke up, hurt, but not enough not to go up. Freezing cold day. Horrible course (only cause i felt intimidated by 90% of it) and i was close to not racing. MTFU after i watched Pauline ride well (to 3rd, well done that girl). Course raced well, can't deny that, it just was on the border of what i can ride. All my time was made up on the lower CX section where i could go 100%. One crash resulted in 5 places lots, of which i caught back up 3 to finish 9th. Rode the UJC and switched to the new bike when i realised i needed tubs that were attached. First race this year i am actually happy with my result.