The coveted stripey jersey, the symbol of a national champion, awarded only to the one who gives it their all and emerges as the best in the country. I’ve raced for that title, that jersey, and that honour many times. As an under-23 rider, I came close with a silver medal, and as a senior I’ve won gold four times, along with more silver and bronze finishes than I can count. My last victory was in August 2022, but since then I’ve transitioned from mountain biking to gravel racing, with only one MTB race in the past two years.
Heading into this year's Marathon Championships in Newcastleton, I had no expectations. I wasn’t the defending champion, nor did I consider myself a favourite. My preparation was minimal, I’d barely touched my mountain bike all year. My goal was simply to enjoy the event and soak in the atmosphere.
The travel was heavy, last weekend was the National Gravel Champs and Raiders Gravel event in Scotland. After a brief stop back home in the south of England, we returned north to the borders for this weekend’s Marathon Champs. It was a shame the events didn’t align with the end of summer holidays, but as National Championship races, the travel was well worth it.
Newcastleton trail centre, located just down the road from Kielder, offered a fantastic surprise. We’d been to Kielder many times but never explored these trails. After practising on Saturday, I knew the course would be fun but challenging, and come race day, it delivered. The red-graded trails, mixed with gravel and freshly cut sections, created this 17 mile course. Three very muddy sections, combined with the challenge of the rest of lap meant the race would be a test of both physical and mental endurance. For the three laps we’d estimated total race time between 3:30 and 4 hours.
At 10 AM on Sunday, the sleepy Scottish town of Newcastleton transformed into a bustling start line for the UK Marathon Champs. Right on time, the gun fired, and we were off, chasing the lead car out of town and up the long climb to the trail centre. Despite starting in 24th position, I quickly moved up to the front group as we hit the singletrack. However, as we crossed the first rock garden, the lead rider had an impressive crash flipping over the handlebars, a quick reminder that this course was unforgiving.
A group of five riders quickly formed at the front, and while I felt comfortable on the gravel and hard pack trails, the freshly cut muddy trails were a different story. My lack of recent mountain bike training and technical skills showed, and I struggled to maintain the same pace as the others. I could close the gap several times but the others identified my weakness and would lift the pace to make it trickier for me to catch back up. I burnt quite a few matches to close the gaps but the elastic eventually snapped toward the end of the first lap.
Settling into time trial mode, I focused on riding at my own pace. The bike setup felt rapid—the Suntour Axon Werx fork, the new shock tune, the 1.2 kg Strada XCO Ultra wheels, and Schwalbe Racing Ray and Rick XC combo made the bike feel like a rocket. Unfortunately, as good as the bike was, my lack of speed through the mud meant the podium places were disappearing.
As the race progressed, I could see the riders ahead pulling away. One rider dropped back to me, but soon disappeared behind, having emptied the tank. At this point, I was riding solo, knowing that all it would take was a mistake from one of the riders ahead, a puncture or mechanical issue, to open the door for a podium finish.
By the end of the second lap, fatigue set in. My energy levels were dipping, and I started looking over my shoulder, worried about being caught from behind. To keep going, I chugged energy drinks and gels, consuming around 125 grams of carbs per hour. My legs and arms were both burning, but a mid-race caffeine gel helped me claw back some momentum.
Starting the final lap, there was still no sight of anyone in front or behind me. Occasionally, I caught a glimpse of riders on the hillside in front, but the gaps were significant, likely close to five minutes. I knew I had to ride fast on the open sections, conserve energy where possible, and avoid mistakes. Flying through the berms and getting air on the jumps provided a brief break from the relentless pace.
On one of the final descents, I saw sealant sprayed across the track, someone had punctured. Was it one of the riders ahead? Was a medal within reach after all?
I pushed hard but had to remind myself that forcing the pace on these trails could lead to mistakes. Smooth is fast. I did all I could but crossed the line to finish fourth. While a podium eluded me this time, I was proud of my ride. With minimal preparation, I was still able to compete among the best in the country.
Congratulations to Cameron Orr, who took the men’s title, and Anna Flynn, who won the women’s race. And a special shoutout to all our coaching clients, who put in some incredible performances!
Maybe I’ll spend a bit more time on my mountain bike next year!
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