Drink. Sleep. Run. Bike. Run. Sleep.
On Sunday Round 2 of the High Terrain Events duathlon series took place at Kielder Castle, Northumberland.
At Round One I was lucky enough to win some lovely prizes including a 36 pint Keg from Ennerdale Brewery. Four friends and myself decided in our wisdom, that the best day to drink the keg was the Friday night before the event…
Oh. Dear.
Lets just say that my rice n pasta carb-loading probably wasn’t going to be of much use, given that I’d just puked it all back up!
So, not the best preparation, but my hangover eventually lifted by the Sunday morning, and I was ready to see if my body would still function.
Run 1–> A more laid back starting pace this time as we gradually wound our way up the fire-roads that encircle the emotively named deadwater fell. Everything was so serene until we jumped over the stile and attempted to run down the really technical open fell-side. People were falling, disappearing down holes, twisting ankles, and shouting out all over the place. I managed to keep upright and came out at the bottom in joint 1st place as we ran back towards the transition area.
Bike –> I gained a few valuable seconds at transition and the two of us headed out together. We competed with each other for the lead up the first climb and I managed to just hit the singletrack in front. I thought now was the time for a big effort to try and get away. I managed to keep extending the lead throughout the adapted ‘blue’ course.
There was some awesome autumnal riding through the gorgeous forest and moorland with some great little features- small kickers, berms, and some flat, fast meandering corners.
Run 2–>This should have been fairly uneventful with a good lead, but I managed to miss a signpost and get lost! Surely my vision was blinded by the low sun?! I’m used to getting lost at races as my MTBO mates will know, but this was without a map! I desperately asked some poor walkers if they’d seen any race arrows, but they didn’t seem to understand my garbled, exhausted, beer-brained nonsense; so I ran back a little way to find my missed marker. Pretty soon we were back at the Castle after traversing a short distance through some sumptuous open woodland.
High terrain Events really deliver at these events; so well organised, and really fun courses!
Thanks again to The Bike Tree, for their continued support. Everyone should check out their new shiny website Here!
Many thanks to SportSunday for their great photographs and support out on the course. Be sure to check out their site too.. even if you didn’t race!
