The British MTBO champs moved back up north to Scotland this year. Ex-British Squad riders Phil Winskill and Janine Inman planned and organised the Middle race held at Drumlanrig Woods. Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate is set in the beautiful rolling Dumfriesshire hills and was bathed in sunlight as we arrived. The views out from the castle over the estate’s parkland and forests were spectacular as a good turn out of Britian’s top riders met, awaiting their start times.
Following my crash two weeks ago, whilst competing in Hungary, my ribs had not really got any less painful (probably an indication of some cracks rather than bruising) and post British Orienteering Champs fatigue had left me feeling not in the greatest shape. A lurking chesty cough then materialized on Thursday, adding to the woe.
Starting the race I rode strongly up the first two hills, not feeling too bad, although splits show that those thaking the risky route along a difficult-to-ride track on the way to number 1 had much faster times. I rode cleanly until a mistake on an unmarked track at number 4 cost me perhaps a minute but it was after number 5 that I started to feel the effects of my chest. Splits show I lost time on the climbs up to 6 and 7, and I made a small, silly error on the way to 8 costing me another 30 seconds. At this point, eventual winner Killian Lomas came past on a mission. I managed to stay with him for a couple of controls but he slowly pulled away and, although my heart rate was not that high, there was nothing I could do about it.
The course dropped down into the parkland for the last few controls which took us through grassy hollows off-track via some controls on ‘proper’ orienteering features to the finish. At the end my legs were like lead and I really struggled into the finish feeling quite downhearted
at my performance, in fact my split to the finish from the last control was one of the slowest. Downloading although obviously disappointed with 8th I was cheered by the fact that I wasn’t too far behind and given my condition.
I went back out for a bumble warm down to collect controls and enjoyed the lovely scenery some more, before heading back down the M6 for a comfy bed rather than camping, to get ready for Sundays long race……