A couple of weeks ago, Joe Williams and Phil Walker (in a moment of madness) decided to enter the Newnham 60 Mountain Bike Endurance Event. This is the traditional end of season bash where many of the country's MTBers celebrate the end of a hard fought season.
The event has options of 30 or 60km tests of endurance. Joe opted for 30km of pain and Phil chose the 60km route.
After a 5.30am wake up the intrepid duo arrived at a frosty Newnham Park - it was so cold that even Eddie the Greyhound wouldn't get out of the car. After a bit of coaxing by driver, photographer, cook, bottle holder and general dogs body "mummy Williams", the crew got out of the car.
So all signed, on the victims lined up on the start line, right at the front of a rather large peleton of mtb's. After a short wait they were off at a cracking pace. There was a short loop 'till the mad men and women negotiated the first river crossing - now I know why the boys were at the front of the race -there were bodies everywhere!
With 3,000ft of climbing for each 30km lap and 4 or 5 river crossings, it was a hard event. Phil managed to crash in the river then had to endure several miles of cramp.
Joe did a cracking ride finishing only 6 min behind Phil for the first 30 km.
Phil soon decided that was 30 km was the better option!
Joe clocked a time of 2 hours 22 min.
Phil Walker
2 Oct 2010
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