Mudguard Review- BBB Grand Protect XL 29er Rear Fender

Winter can be pretty harsh on your bike when you factor in a combination of the traditional British wet weather and living in a heavily forested area like Sherwood Forest. Therefore a degree of protection is in order for riding the mountain bike throughout winter.

For that reason I recently purchased a BBB Grand Protect XL rear mud guard for the 29er Mountain Bike. (BFD-14R). At around a tenner off eBay I decided to take a chance having only ever used one of the original Crud Guard rear fenders on an MTB years ago.

The BBB Grand Protect XL Rear Mudguard BFD-14R on the 29er

I particularly liked the idea of having something I could easily remove for when transporting the bike in the car. The Grand Protect features a quick release easy locking system which is supposedly suitable for seat posts 25.0- 34.9 mm in diameter so should suit the gross majority of bikes. I can also easily transfer it to my cyclocross bike for the occasions when I fancy some protection.

Above is my first attempt at mounting. From a first ride test after heavy rain I found that pretty much all the rear spray that I would be subjected to was removed from mid thigh upwards. The adjust ability of the BBB rear fender means that I should now be able to raise the height of the seat post clamp and angle the fender closer to the bridge between the seat stays for better coverage above the knee.

The Grand Protect is made from a lightweight composite material. The flap itself is relatively sturdy although the connection between clamp and flap is where I feel the mud guard is let down as there is some flex and visible movement whilst riding. It's not noticeable unless you look behind you however a more robust production would help to resolve this and by reducing the vibration sent through the connector I suspect would increase longevity.

After a first 20 mile test ride around the trails of Clumber Estate I was relatively pleased to have a dry behind and the product stayed in exactly the position I originally set it up. It was also barely noticeable whilst riding which bodes well for a winter of abuse.

So far it's doing it's job and for a tenner I cannot grumble too much. Lets see how it copes with a winter of riding as so far my only main issue has been with cyclocross-style dismounts I often clip the top of the mudguard with my leg. 

Jemma Takes on Snowdon- Man Vs Mountain 2016

Man Vs Mountain 2016- Almost Getting to the Top of Snowdon

Last year I marshaled this event taking the finishers pictures and many happy faces of the achievement for completing Man Vs Mountain. (Often known within the OCR community as MVM)  I made it an aim for me to do 2016 as chances of me able to recover from this and give my best shot for Coast to Coast was slim. Though note last year was a lovely day patchy cloud but on the whole a sunny day.  Fast forward to the race, the notice at registration saying very wet weather.  Mandatory waterproof taped seam bottoms and jacket will be checked before getting our race pack.  This is going to be a re run of Man Vs Lakes and that was 26 odd miles of rain.  Where we decided to stay for our weekend away had very patchy signal on our phones.  Finding a few text messages about the winds and rain to be prepared and extra bag kit checks.  Started to get nervous, making way to the start point we was advised by MC Keith the waves are been held back by half hour as had to change course we wouldn’t summit Snowden due to the rapid heavy winds and our safety.  I 1^st decided to wear just my shorts which been running for best part of the spring and summer season with calf guards.  Sonico compression top and purple UA vest top.  With the weather changing by the min I took out my full length Reebok leggings and put them underneath my shorts and ditched the calf guards hoping I had made the right decision I went off to the start line and met up with Luzanne.

The idea was to try and keep a consistent run wherever possible and use my fast power walk for the hill to make sure wasn’t wasting energy.  The run up to the start of the climb up Snowden wasn’t too technical felt ok with the pace was keeping and bumped into a lot of Rat Race regulars which was nice to mix up the running.  Got to brow of a hill heard what I could describe as a random 90s Jukebox (aka phone in a bag) and found this was Tee fellow Team Muddy Race girl which seem to catch up to in a few events this year.  She was taking it easy with the back end of the flu and running the Unknown the weekend after I can understand her taking the backseat and enjoying the views. 

As the started to Climb Snowdon the path was set out was a large loop we had to do and return back.  Large rocks and gravel seemed to be endless and my thanked myself for wear my trusty Race Ultras for the cushioning which was well needed.  Though on some grassy parts where it was waterlogged I could have done with more grip.  But comfort was key in this race.  The wind had really picked up and the puddles started to appear on the paths with the traffic from all the racers those going to the highest point marker and those on the return made things tight.  Everyone was saying well done to each other and sprits was high.  Finally coming to that highest point marker I saw a wedding party have a glass of champers to celebrate hats off to them running in wedding attire no small feat.  My own return back those puddles had now was starting to form streams just shows the amount of rainfall we had.

Making way back to the finish line I know had to drop my backpack off so can complete the Vertical Kilometre.  I opted to keep my Scott jacket on which by the 1^st feed station really needed it to protect myself from the elements.  This part of the course I kept my head down and power walked up.  Getting to the top I managed to pass a few people giving me a small boost that not that slow.  Heading back down where I came was presented with the lifejackets for the water jump which I opted out as started to feel as would cramp up and not been a strong swimmer.  Again with the abseil into water I opted out for the same reason.  Getting to through a few pools which I could wade in was ok but the last 25 meters was a swim and no way round thankfully was a rope to use and pull myself across.  The current was very strong and that panicked me a lot and found hard to breathe but managed to get through that.  Collecting my backpack a few obstacles later I had finished I felt glad and ready for my soup.

6 and half hours to get up and down a partial mountain plus extra running feel have achieved a lot and already booked in for 2017 I going to summit Snowden and never know might even beat my time (only hope).  Rest and Recover for the big one Coast to Coast 2016 in a weeks time.

Runstock 2016 - Family Friendly Running Festival

Marshaling and a Few Laps of the Course at Runstock 2016 

Having a Rat Race Season Ticket is great when they announce a new event. It only enhances what great value their season passes genuinely are. (If you're willing to travel and work on the logistics to keep prices down). When they put on a new event it's usually something slightly different. We haven't done a badly organised event from them so we expected big things about their new Runstock family-friendly running festival.

Waiting for the start at Runstock 2016

Rat Race Man V Lakes 2016 - OCR and Morecombe Bay

Last weekend Jemma took on Man V Lakes. A new event for 2016 by Rat race Adventure Sports

Gibralter Farm Campsite looking over Morecombe Bay for Man V Lakes 2016

This is the 1 st ever marathon and furthest I have ever run to date. This distance been on my mind for

some months. Having done my second Dirty Weekend and felt in rather good shape at the end gave

me a small boost that should be able to tackle it. After doing two trail blazer half marathons also did

some longer run training I started to feel a little positive. Till I started getting hip tightness in my

right hip this was effecting running and my strength training at CrossFit. This problem meant I had

to reduce the distances run and brought more stretching exercises in to remedy the problem.

Jemma at the start of Man V Lakes 2016 Rat Race event 

Jemma Does the Rat Race Dirty Weekend 2016

Rat Race Dirty Weekend 2016

Jemma finishing the Rat Race Dirty Weekend 2016

This year coming to the event where I had an idea of the terrain and obstacles was a good thing and a bad thing.  Tried and tested kit depending what the weather was going to be on the day.  With 9 am start the sun was starting brighten up for a great day out on course.   I decided that I would use my Inov-8 X-talons with my Sonico compression top.  Compression calf guards with a pair of ¾ Capri bottoms.  This suited me well as the calf guards seem to help when in the water as I seem to cramp a lot while in water for some reason.  We was advised there would be a change of course and wouldn’t see the water sections till around mile 6 unlike last year had at mile 4.  The water sections are for me weakest thing and found a big struggle to do last year.  Knowing I am not a strong swimmer which I am lucky to do 100 meters at best.  This would certainly be a more mental challenge for me to overcome.

The Crossing Rat Race Review 2016 Whitehaven to Scarborough

The Crossing 2016 Whitehaven to Scarborough on Mountain Bike

Me and My Radon ZR Race 29er in Whitehaven for The Crossing Rat Race 2016

Before the leg break 2015 for me was supposed to be focused on doing some different things. The Crossing Rat Race event was supposed to be one of those things. 200 miles (or thereabouts) coast to coast on Mountain Bike across the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. It sounded pretty epic for a weekend riding my bike so had to be carried over to 2016.

I can see the appeal of a coast to coast adventure. Nottingham is pretty much the furthest of anywhere in the UK from the sea which is probably why we seem to flock their en masse. The sad scenario is we flock to the dive that is Skegness . The chance to dip our wheels in the sea at Whitehaven and then three muddy days later in Scarborough is pretty glamorous in comparison.

The Crossing Rat Race Review 2016 Whitehaven to Scarborough

The Crossing 2016 Whitehaven to Scarborough on Mountain Bike

Me and My Radon ZR Race 29er in Whitehaven for The Crossing Rat Race 2016

Before the leg break 2015 for me was supposed to be focused on doing some different things. The Crossing Rat Race event was supposed to be one of those things. 200 miles (or thereabouts) coast to coast on Mountain Bike across the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. It sounded pretty epic for a weekend riding my bike so had to be carried over to 2016.

I can see the appeal of a coast to coast adventure. Nottingham is pretty much the furthest of anywhere in the UK from the sea which is probably why we seem to flock their en masse. The sad scenario is we flock to the dive that is Skegness . The chance to dip our wheels in the sea at Whitehaven and then three muddy days later in Scarborough is pretty glamorous in comparison.

Up to Traquair House for The Mighty Deerstalker

The Deerstalker is the first Rat race event of their calendar and after last year’s enjoyment was looking forward to going back and having another crack at it.  This time Liam gets to play on the course and see what he thought of it.  With me continually running outside all winter which is considerable more than this time last year I was aiming to do a good performance and enjoy the views.  

It had been said that was snow on the ground a week before the event which got me worried would my trusty Sondico compression top be warm enough?  I decided to purchase some cold gear clothing there are many brands floating about the OCR scene and with my body shape keeping on changing with my intensive CrossFit winter training I went with Under Armour woman’s cold gear compression roll neck top.  It seems after the Dirty weekend I suffered with water and calf cramps I am now accustomed to wearing calf compression sleeves and these are perfect.  At this moment in time I am using Skins branded ones.   For the last two years of racing I have used a pair of New Balance Capri bottoms as dubbed “racing bottoms” which sadly no longer fit properly so  This year I have a new pair of Capri bottoms from Karrimore in a Jemma friendly dark purple colour with a perfect zip pocket in the back for a gel too. 

A first for this year we drove up to Innerleithen as a trio. As our friend Mark who likes to marshal decided he wanted to join us on a trip up north and was placed on the finish line.  Liam was booked onto the 1^st wave and me the 2^nd wave so I got to see him off as such and cheer (nice to give myself the illusion I am going to chase and catch up).  I got a different head torch this year from last year which in the night run tests seemed to do the job  though on the packaging didn’t give me how many lumens bright it was (oh dear).  As we I got started finding a pace we came to a field of sticky mud which I managed to almost lose my shoe last year.  Doing a fast pace as best I could again the same thing happened again and trying to get my shoe back on in a sea of runners was hard going.  Which meant at the river under the tunnel crossing I was at a back of a cue?  With the stronger currents we were to go in twos and that cold water just hits you.  No sooner as you get out back to running again and knew would need to warm back up again as the climb up would be a killer.  

Going up the familiar hills was no easier than it was in 2015 but as the sun sets the torches came on.  We were advised there were course changes from last year due to the forestry commission doing felling works.

One major difference this year was treated to halfway round a disco rave in the woods with lights, smoke and music which did bring a smile to my face.  With time pressing on and the usual single file parts of the course started to notice my head torch wasn’t as bright as it once was and this didn’t come too apparent to till the scramble up the scree has started to find it hard to see where I was and finally got to the top i made a slow decent down as couldn’t see too far in front where to put my footing.  This was fine as gave me chance to catch my breath and enjoy the spectacular views.  

Coming to the end of the course we was treated to the sliding finish which most people seem to enjoy bar me don’t know what it is water and slides just don’t seem to hold that fun factor as once did in my younger years but was happy to finish yes slower than last year but with 2016 course feeling like the big brother course to 2015 course.  Only downside this year is where is my Frontier Beer? As that’s a much better pint than Coors light sorry Van Damme it just is!

Liam's Mighty Deerstalker 2016 on Strava

Jemma Takes on the Spring Ram Run

After Marshalling for 2015 autumn ram Run I got to see and play on the course myself as a payment for giving muddy hugs.  I wasn’t disappointed one bit I opted for the Sunday run at 24km giving me good distance in my legs for Rat Race dirty weekend which is fast approaching.  I do like how it’s all been organised.  I went in the Fun runner’s category which started 1^st before the trophy hunters eventually would catch us up and overtake.  The 12km wave was then set off midday with the idea we should all start to finish around the same time and can enjoy more of the after race events.  This I think should where possible adopted elsewhere.

Coming to this race the only worry on my mind was the chest/head flu I had just recently get rid of had left me with a persistent cough and my running miles beforehand considerable reduced almost similar thing happened to me when doing 2015 Deerstalker race. I was aware this course is making use of the natural environment and its obstacles with others which was man made.  Some of these man made obstacle came in the shape and form of approx. metre high yellow hurdles which you jump over which also was used as course markers wherever possible I estimate I saw over 50 + of the now known as Little Yellow Bastards.  The 1^st 12km loop these was a sore point till fatigue set in on the 2^nd loop round and these LYB could have been two metres tall for how you felt getting over them.  Kudos to the Iain and the team for those.  With farmers spraying fields with fertilizer we didn’t have to swim in the river like I saw in the autumn ram run which was great fully pleased for but instead  had to shimmy across bridges with rope which was tricky as with MHSOF knew if you fell was onto concrete but falling into water wasn’t something I wanted to happen.

The man made obstacles wasn’t easy we had varying types of walls to complete in different heights too and the inverted wall one which was for the mere mortals aka fun runner and a massive something like 8 ft one for those trophy hunters was good thing to get teeth stuck into or my case have my bum shoved up and over.  By the 2^nd lap I about mastered the run and launch self over wrapped hay bales which was something nearly 4 ft tall with larger one for the trophy hunters.  The rig which was the new creation as the spring ram run is the 1^st one where you could get qualifier for the OCR championships later in the year so this rig to complete was a must.   Thankfully for my level I was able to get across the parallel bars and crawl under cargo net quite well but hats off to the guys who had the harder section to complete without touching the floor.

The course personally thought was well marked with marshals at every point would want to see one and they was armed with enough haribo sweets to keep any runner happy.  There was reasonably priced food and drink at the end of the event which was still serving hot fresh food right to the very end which some events been too in the past started to pack up before the last runners have come through.  The biggest bouns there was showers to clean up at the end as been one of the last runners I didn’t experience cues for these magical showers and got hot water.  (the boiler must have just heated back up).  This alone makes me want to come back again.  If was running both days there was optional free camping and an event where free car parking on hardstanding floor is great for the inclusive price tag will I be back again defiantly and recommend this to any OCR or newbie runner 

Jemma Tackles the Endurer Dash Sherwood Pines- A Review

Endurer events popped up advertising a new location right near home- so close an opportunity not to be missed at Sherwood Pines. By December last year had convinced a few girls from Crossfit Hexis to join me. Though it came to race day and ended up just being me at the start line. I am used to that and it meant I could just plough on ahead and see what this event company had to offer.

I had heard that the Endurer event company put cracking events up in the Peak District and should be by now a well-oiled event.  I turned up at the Endurer well early before I was due to run.  The plan was sign up go back to car put my Talons on and get self all ready but.I have not seen a queue so bad at an event before. I arrived around 9.45 and the 10:30 wave were not even signed on yet. This got me wondering if they can’t get registration right what’s the race going to be like?  By 10:15 I finally got to get my chip and bib number.  At First look my chip was a wrist strap that was far too big for me.  Though was later pointed out by Muddy Duck aka Alan that should put on my leg so now look like a runner who was let out of jail on tag.

The Queue to Register Really Gave a Very Bad Impression of Endurer Dash Event Management

At this point I saw Liam who was fresh from the muddy trails of Sherwood pines and already talking to some OCR regulars we know.  Once I got my x-talons on and other bits I needed and Liam got my keys for safety I felt a little better.  Though no key drop which would been nice for those who wasn’t in a group.  As the fear of losing your car key could easily happen.