RACE 21 - GRIM II - BEAST IN THE EAST - 14 May

This race is one of the "Grim" series of races. My blog/facebook picture is me last year in the Grim Duathlon while I undertook  the Grim "original" as my third race (see Race 3).  Its quite noticeable  at how verbose the blogs have become - boy don't I waffle!   

Autumn view from Grim website

From their website The Beast in the East  is described as "a course truly worthy of the name, GRIM!   Plough through the mud [there wasn't any as it been too dry], sand and hills of the counties best motocross circuit. This course is extremely tough and will blow you away!  The course is a mixture of trails, grassland and of course, the motocross circuit. The downhills are as tough as the uphill so get some hill training in and we'll see you on the start line! We didn't think anyone would break the hour for this 10k but many brave souls did [including I'm pleased to say me last year!] 

As per usual a little bit of history about the site but this time rather than from a website about history, its from the Sidcup Motorcycle Club website. http://www.sidcupmotorcycleclub.co.uk/index.html

Aerial - from SMC website

"The course at Swanley, Kent known as Canada Heights, acquired its name during the 1914-18 War when a large contingent of Canadian troops were camped there on the high ground. It has, however been in regular use for off-road motorcycle sports for many years, and by the Sidcup and District Motorcycle Club since 1948. Over the years, the circuit has hosted many events, from Club level to International status. It drew large crowds and national television coverage with the BBC "Grandstand Trophy" events during the 1960s.

View from SMC website

Despite its popularity and regular use by riders and spectators alike, it still remained just a rough piece of land for motorcycling until 1985, when the Sidcup Club bought it with the aid of a Sports Council grant and sponsorship from companies and individuals. Once purchased, the Club members set about transforming the whole area. Access roads were laid to improve entry for spectators; the tangled undergrowth was cleared to provide better parking and viewing. Then the exciting new track was created. During the recent years, the land has been dramatically improved, but never at the expense of the beautiful countryside and wildlife. Further land at the rear of the site was recently purchased and in 2010 a storage barn was built to accommodate the ground maintenance equipment. The land has been properly managed, with many new trees planted as the Club continues to develop the "South’s Most Spectacular Circuit".  


For those interested in motorsport you can watch a video of a lap of last year's British Cross Country Championship at  http://blip.tv/file/3977465  And an aside, the reason I'm using pictures from the websites is that although I took my camera with me (this time) I totally forgot to use it until I was leaving the car park.  I suppose forgetfulness is yet another sign of old age!


As the race venue was just the other side of the M25 (you could hear the continuous roar of the traffic at the site - which I guess makes it a perfect place for motorsport) and not far from Brands Hatch (now there's a place I haven't a) been to or b) done an event at) it meant it wasn't an early start.  Picked up Kevin Murphy (if I'd remembered to actually use my camera their could have been a picture) at about 8:30.  Being met at the front door first thing Saturday morning by a man in tights was a bit disconcerting but that aside, it was good to have some company for a change.     It was also amusing seeing how quickly he could get in and out of a newsagents to get some tissues as you don't want to hang around Sarff London in tights (OK so they were 2XU running tights but even though...) 


Out on the A20 where having a co-driver proved it's worth as we could by-pass the bottlenecks via a route I'd never done before therefore saving time and stress.  Promptly missed the turn-off though so all the time we'd saved ....  Never mind, I got to pass Brands Hatch so at least I know where it is.


Got to the site, parked up, registered, dropped off the car keys and met up with Pete Mackintosh who was also doing the race.  Found some trees to hide behind as the queues for the 'facilities' were massive - so much so they delayed the start by 15mins.  As I think I've mentioned before, I really don't understand the mentality of people, especially those running in groups, who push their way near the front with no intention of racing hard.  Needless to say on the off, there was one such group who felt the downhill track we were on was too slippery to run down so started walking within 100m .....  I mean honestly!  


The first slope up separated the men from the boys and the women from the girls!  We'd driven up it to get to the car parking field in second gear so that gives some indication of how step it was.  At the top was the 1km marker.  Then off around the undulating field - long inclines up and then down, up then down - the absence of flat was noticeable.  The final climb up through the woods brought us to the 2km marker and the top of the motocross course.  The surface was predominantly loose underfoot, but due to lack of recent rain it wasn't muddy and therefore kicked up a fair amount of dust (not quite as much as the link to the video clip shows).  The slopes here are very steep with drop-offs of probably 45 degrees and more.  As shown in the aerial, its quite a tortuous track so you go down, round a corner and back up, round a corner and back down ..... seemingly ad infinitum.  


However after 1.8km we finished and it was off into the countryside.  Firstly a field running alongside the M25, then up through woods on a single track path so there was no slacking otherwise people get frustrated at being held up; through more undulating fields - up - down, up - down + absence of flat for about 4.4km, eventually making back to the field we'd originally been around seemingly an age ago but this time in the opposite direction back to - you've guessed it - the motocross track to do another 1.8km lap. This time after the previous exertions I probably took it a little slower? 


The cheering crowds and the effervescent race commentator kept things moving - I even got a name check!  It was hard work though and I was a sweaty (well it had been rather sunny for most of the race) mess as I finally came off the course onto the finishing straight only to be overtaken by three people sprinting past who still seemed to have some energy left after all that! 

Making my way up the hill to see how Pete and Kevin were doing, I got to the top just in time to hear the race commentator calling out "and here is no. 8, Mr. Kevin Murphy looking very dapper".  And sure enough there he was in shades, black top and the matching two tone tights with a big grin on his face, with hardly any evidence of sweat running up one of the steepest parts of the course!  Not only that, coming into the finishing straight there was still enough energy to sprint and if that wasn't enough having finished he then proceeded to jog up hill with a big grin on his face declaring "that was fun!"  


Pete had also finished so we made our way (further) up hill to the car - me hobbling, the others ridiculously 'chipper'.  I'd obviously had not cleaned my off-road trainers well enough after the Gauntlet (race 14) as the selection of blisters were impressive.  

It was great fun running with others so thanks to Pete and Kevin for the company.  It also meant I didn't have to nap on the way home - kept awake and alert by the 'sparkling conversation' .......


Result: 73rd out of 567 in a time of 51:15