Grampian Challenge Mountain Bike race RR

You see the "mountain" in the name of this race? I should have known but they said one can use cross bike. BUT it was definitelly NOT a crossroad bike friendly course. Too much technical trails, single track with rocky hills etc.

I am really mad at myself that I did not try to borrow a mountain bike from someone. It was miserable and I know I could have done much much better if I had a mountain bike. Because consider this: the guy I went there with did the race last week only 6min faster than I did on his ($7500 S-Works Specialized) mountain bike with cross tires. Today he was 30min faster on his bike with mountain bike tires!!! I did 2h55min today. First woman was 2h41. Pathetic. Me, not her. Well, I think that her time is pathetic as well, but mine is more pathetic. I am confident that if I had a mountain bike and managed to stay with faster people at the beginning I could have taken her. But I know, I know, IF does not count:)

We hit trails and I immediatelly got passed by everyone and their grandmother. I also wiped out, silly me. We were on trails for around 10miles, which is a lot. Everyone fast was gone and I did not have everyone to ride with once we hit dirt roads. I was all alone the whole time, pushing and passing people. Dirt roads were 23 miles but it was not long enough to make up lost time. I passed quite a lot of people but then we hit trails again, around 6 miles and most of it single track. And people passed me back.

I still managed 3rd expert woman though (I think that there were 6 or 7 of us...). It was a good effort but not as hard as last week, since noone around to push me.
I realized that it was really stupid to sign up as expert woman. I am no expert. I did one bike race like this. I should have raced as sport and I could have had better placement and probably win some cash. But on the other hand, racing as expert will maybe give me more leverage when trying to get some sponsors, right? So hopefully it is all for good.

But I really liked it otherwise, course was very nice, I actually like single track technical trails, it is fun. If I stay here, I am definitelly going to get a mountain bike and do this more often. That guy I went there with is selling his bike because he wants a 2012 model (although his current bike has only 12 rides on it, but some people just have to have the newest and coolest stuff) and he offered it to me. But I do not have $7500 so I had to pass on the offer, haha.
And I got one business contact and met some nice new people, although none of them were hot bikers:(