Three Carnethys ventured into the mudfest that was the final long race of the three series of races at the Bowhill Estate near Selkirk. I keep saying I am going to stop doing these races since the courses don’t change, but keeping on doing them as a mountain bike race and a run make for a good day out. After the recent rains and snow, the course was probably the wettest, most boggy and slowest I had seen, and that is saying something.
I had an average race not helped by not doing anything on a mountain bike since the short race in November, and not realising that my back brake lever was about to fail after the first time I needed it. The bike section had with three quite gnarly technical single track descents which were not the best place to be with only a front brake. At least I had one brake, but had to let folk past regularly and run down the steep bendy sections.
Nick Williamson managed to go the right way (for a change) and despite my encouragement to get the guy in front as he passed me on the out and back run, and held onto a creditable 2nd place. Chris Boustred had a good race coming in 11th. I came in 42nd out of about 130 racers, despite starting near the front…
So, if you like mountain bike and running combos as a Duathalon involving varying quantities of mud, gloop, ice and snow, lookup the Bowhill Duathalon Series from Nov – Mar next winter and get Durty.
Results here http://www.durtytiming.com/race-results.html
Mark Hartree