3 Peaks Cyclocross

Iconic, bonkers, and downright scary! That’s how I’d describe this race.

Ever optimistic about my bike skills, Emma got the idea going, and I entered the selection process with barely a long off-road ride under my belt (see Dorset Gravel Dash).

To my surprise, I got selected (I guess the endurance past helped in convincing I would get the stamina to keep going!), so it was all systems go to “train” for something I’d never done before, had no idea about other than it involved a lot of walking and bike carrying, and was scaring me a little.

I write this a year after the event, so memory is a bit fuzzy. But essentially I remember it all being very wet underfoot, trying to avoid bogs, and having an absolute ball pretty much everywhere.

Highlights include the long walking descent off Whernside where some DH riders could simply let off the brakes, but not me. Then reaching Ribblehead viaduct with all the support crew yelling to their riders. And finally Pen-Y-Ghent. By then my confidence had increased and my skills improved both going up and down. Sliding on my backside on the long grass and the peat from the very top was rather fun, and the rocky descent all on the bike afterwards was fantastic.

If you can get in (the best way is to go marshall one year and get a guaranteed spot for the next!), do it, do it, do it!!!

If you’re like me and have little off-road experience, but will try pretty much anything, then it will be a massively rewarding day!