NPS Round 2 - Ballinastoe Race Report

This race was pure evil, with more mud and general slippyness than i have ever ridden in before, to sap all the energy out of your legs in the first 5 minutes and thereby causing much pain for the remaining 2 hours or so. The course itself involved some really long and slippy rocky climbs (more of a push for most of us mortals), some really long and slippy muddy singletrack descents, with a couple of high speed fireroad descents and low speed fireroad climbs tossed in for fun.

There was 5 MAD riders in total, 4 of us in the Sports event and 1 in the fun category. Unfortunately none of us realised that Aidan was there so he probably thought he was all alone, however this inspired him to great things with a 12th place finish on a course where actually finishing deserved a prize (well, i would think that wouldn't I).Unfortuantely for Mick he had to cycle down there due to a shortage of car spaces and so was utterly shattered at the end of the first lap and had to pull out. Another casualty was Nigel who suffered severe leg cramps in the second lap to end his hopes of a good showing (he certainly overtook me at some speed on the descent of the first lap). Judith (Fun Category) did really well to complete her lap in such awful conditions and indeed completed as much of the course as quite a few people in the Sports category.

As for myself, well, i finished (which was my pre race goal), causing much carnage and deforestation along the way. I actually spent more time picking myself up off the ground than actually cycling on the first lap, but had improved vastly by the 3rd lap in which i had only one major incident involving a tree and my left arm/shoulder. I ended up 26th out of 27 finishers, but am consoling myself with the knowledge that there was at least 35 entrants (i hope!).

Finally, a big thanks to Judith for the lifts there and back, and also for the most fantastic homemade carrot cake to cheer us all up at the end of the race (still owe you petrol money and beer as promised!) Lets all now hope that it stops raining for a few days to make things a bit easier for the next race.

Paddy
---------- Aiden Adds -------------
Hello to all the mad riders,I think paddy has summed up the race quiet well, I felt like crying at times during it, the pain being almost unbearable. I also missed the start so if any of you were overtaken near the start by some ignorant young fella on a giant xtc shouting "on the right" I apologise! I also forgot to unlock my Manitou skareb until the start of the second lap and spent the first lap wondering why I kept nearly flying over the handlebars. anyway, after the first lap it wasn't so bad and in the end I was glad to have finished it. I'm looking forward to the next race, it's on in ravensdale in Louth somewhere so I hope to see some of ye at it.

All the best