Having DNF'd at the last round and STILL sore I turned up yesterday just wanting to finish and salvage some points for the series. This was the least of my achievements as it turned out........
I got to the venue in plenty of time and managed a pre-lap; dry and frosty under wheel, and a very fast swoopy course awaited the hordes of riders. To be fair to the course-setters it wasn't the most demading or technical Thetford course ever, but at least the elevation changes ensured some good lung-stretching moments.
The race was flagged away in bright sunshine, I got an awful start and was something like 15th in our group (2hr) into the first singletrack sections. Immediately, it became apparent that the leaders were getting away while negotiating the horrendous traffic, and leaving a series of accidents in their wake. I managed to get past at least a couple of tumbles at the top of the first open climb section, but was seriously baulked by a lady competitor going into the very fast downhill tree lined section soon after. I called for a pass, but she misunderstood my intentions and put me off the course straight into a tree! John McAndrew (OTH - leading Vet rider) thought I was out on the spot, but half a lap later I was back with him - "Is that Smiffy?" he asked incredulously.
I could see a group of riders including two Plumz tops far ahead, knowing this was Carl Hulston and Ben Loaker I set about making up the gap. By half way through lap two McAndrew and myself were there, he having pulled away from me slightly meantime. It took the best part of the rest of the lap to get throught these guys, and the start of lap 3 saw McAndrew and myself clear and really beginning to thread the various sections together. He was pacing us through the technical stuff, I was pulling us up the climbs and fire-roads. The traffic had thinned out, allowing us to do complete setions of singletrack without hindrance (occasionally!) For an hour or more we were never more than 20 metres apart, and circulating at the best speed we could both manage.
We were passed later in the race by Euan Adams (Red Kite/Torq Bar) but I was so wrapped up in our progress I can't even remember this! This put me third in the race for my class, more than good enough. McAndrew and I crossed the line in close succession, he to win the Vets class and me on the podium.
More good news, this result put me third overall in the series so I was obliged to get on the podium again. After the hiccoughs of rounds two and three I'm chuffed to secure third overall, my best ever overall result in an enduro series. Just DON'T ask me to do 4 hours, please!
