I'm selling some stuff!!!

Clearing out some of the stuff I'm not using anymore :) Click the links for descriptions and prices etc...

Stumpjumper Comp - Sold!
GBA - Sold!
Game Cube - Sold!
Sunglasses

2006 National Championships

Two weeks ago Mel and I took part in the National Cross Country Championships. It was a reasonable flat fast course a beautiful estate with a few small obstacles to navigate. The weather was beautiful, a bit hot if I have to nit-pick and MAD had a BBQ after the races.

Mel was off first in the Sports race – she had a great start but broken seals on her front fork (a SID race - order new seals from these guys) mean that she had zero suspension from about 4 minutes in. Mel finished 3rd overall in the Sports Women. Not a bad result for her first year and on a fully ridged bike!

Mel going down a fun section

Kerry going down the same section

She is still smiling too much - it's surposed to be hard!!!

A little later I had my start. The Expert race was four laps – Sport was two. I didn't start very well and crashed on my first lap. (Trying to pass some slower traffic :( ) On the fourth lap my legs were cramping up quiet badly but the end was near and I put in my fastest lap time of the day. I even got my first sprint finish against a Team Work guy winning by a second. I think I was a bit lucky as I caught him off guard :) Almost died after the effort though! I came in in 6th position which I was very happy with.

I think this is the VETs just after the start

It took all my effort to make the smile ;)

As usual, there are lots more photos here.

Sunset

Took this photo a while back out my window.

The MAD Rush

The weekend just gone by MAD were running their first proper race with the current set of members. Several months of planning and trail building left a course that was almost entirely single track with a couple of really fun sections. The aptly named Happy Valley was my favorite which was a chute into a slightly twisty (and very slippy with the rain) valley that had berms in all the right places to keep your speed up. I arrived home from the US the evening before (and then built up two bikes before getting to bed) so my race was basically total pain and lack of power on the ups (just look at my face in the photos) and fun on the descents.

Me entering the Happy Valley

Mel also got to race this race, winning her category, on her new bike that actually fits her – an S-Works hard tail. After giving out to me for a long time about my mens saddles she finally got a womens one with the bike – and guess what, she is changing it back to a mans because it restricts movement too much.

Mel smiling (too much?) on her new bike

The event went very well with everyone raving about the course, so hopefully next year we will be running an NPS :)

This week I'll be taking it easy ahead of the nationals at the weekend.

The last few weeks...

It's been a while since I updated my blog and lots has happened since.

First off I had the fourth race in the NPS series. It was held up in Balinastoe forest again. Unfortunatly, Mel was not able to race as she did not have a bike... (I'll come to that story soon) I pre-rode the track the day before the race in beautiful sunshine (It had not rained in about 3 weeks). Of course it had to rain all Saturday night and Sunday morning so I arrived at a muddy course. The race went quite well even though some sections became unridable. The descents were still great. [More photos]


The following weekend Mel and I took part in the Rogaine. It's basically two person team 24 hour orienteering event around the Southern Wicklow mountains. We were both well prepared kit wise so we happily set out on the long hike. I think that this, for me at least, was mostly a mental challenge. Physically it was not extremely demanding but it was hard to keep yourself going. For the experience, we slept out rough inside plastic bivvy bags for a couple of hours. We both finished well and conked out when we got back home. [More photos]

The next control was at the far side of the lake

Until we went to sleep it was difficult to get a rest because of the flies! We sat here for one minute.

Rain clouds were just leaving us...

Sunrise

For the last two weeks I have been in California on business (flying out the day after the Rogain!). I took my road bike with me so that Kieran and I could go out on a few spins over the long weekend (It was the 4th of July weekend over there). I even ended up doing my first road race when I was there. A Low Key Time Trial race over a 16km slightly hilly course. I enjoyed the race.