lrjhm3's blog

Been quite a while since I'd hopped onto the MTB - off since last Dec whilst 'Life' intervened.

Rode Forsyth's Mill (lovely little track) for the first time on the Tues prior to this weekends XC Round 1 and it really got me going for the race.

Up nice and early on Sunday and got to Jarrahdale at a little after 7am so had time to doodle around to warm up and then do a slow lap of the course which, for a dismal MTB handler like me (the concept of 'flow' seems to be too hard for my mind to grasp), was nice and flat and non-technical - all good!

To paraphrase Ghostbusters:

"I came, I saw, it kicked my arse'.

So...

Three XC races (Jarradhale, 4HR and Marrinup) and 3 stacks! Yay!

Nothing major in the last race at Marrinup, just a small OTB into some shrubbery but I'm looking for the day when I get thru one without hitting the dirt.

Strangely enough I did a sight-in lap, but at my (albeit slow) race speed - avg 16.4km/h - the course looked entirely different! Where did that rollover on this downhill section spring up from? - guess I'll jump it: hmmm, it helps if you land the jump pointing in the right direction when the track is enclosed by bush

First MTB race for me. Learned a lot and had fun! Decided to go off slow and not hold anyone up in my group which, given my time, was probably the right choice! Managed to pick up a few places but was suffering at the end - the constant pounding and lateral movement on a MTB is clearly something one has to get used to! Not sure if 52 is a good time to start but...

Amongst what I learned:

Reccy the entire course!: Coming up to what looks to a noob like a cliff at the end of a lap is a sure way to slow you down