Trials Blog - Champ Trial - Trials UK

Trials Blog - Champ Trial

• 26th October 2010
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First off, I'm delighted to say that my knackers are fine this week. Quite surprising really, given that this weekend I stepped up a level and competed in a championship trial.

Now, before I get delusions of grandeur, I need to remind myself that the trial I participated in is not a championship trial like the World championship - merely a local championship, where some of the members of the club (this time Horsforth DMC) can come and compete at a good level. I still rode in the 'easy' sections and came 3rd from last, but I absolutely loved it. And I mean LOVED it.

I managed to muster up the courage to take part in the trial only because, along with Nige of Trials UK and local trials stalwart, Howard Gulley, I went to help set out the course. The trial was to be held at a cracking venue called Heck Gill Farm.

Now, how do I describe Heck Gill to you? Hmmm, well, if I was to ask you to describe your ideal trials playground - somewhere which would be your perfect back garden, what would you cunjur up? Somewhere with water, perhaps? Somewhere with big rocks, maybe? Trees, tree roots and grassy banks? Somewhere with something for everyone? Well, I am sure that, whatever you came up with, you would all describe something similar to Heck Gill Farm. Best of all, it really IS someone's back garden!

We are fortunate enough at Horsforth DMC to have access to some incredible trials venues throughout the year and we get to play at Heck Gill just once every 12 months. Having ridden there this weekend, I understand why there was such a good turn out.

So, how did I end up going along to help with/watch the setting out of the trial? Well, I'm not actually sure myself! There I was enjoying a cup of coffee with the boys at Trials UK when in comes Howard. He stops and chats for a short while before he and Nige announce "Right, we're off to set out tomorrow's trial. Mike, do you want to come along?" Well, I had nothing else on, so I went.

Upon arrival I couldn't help but drool at the possibilities for this place. There was just about everything for a perfect trial there. My job was to be the 'would you have a go at that' man. The tester, if you like, for the easy sections. Howard and Nige would decide where the sections would start and end and then I would be asked "Mike, would you go up that", or "Mike, would you go down there, or would you be happy going down that harder bit"? It left me realising just how far I had come on in the last 12 months. Had I been asked the same questions 12 months previous, I would have undoubtedly said a firm "NO!" to almost everything.

Having walked the trial the day before, you could argue that I had an unfair advantage, but I was never going to be a threat to any of the serious players (the end results prove that), but it gave me the courage to take my bike and have a go, rather than back down and offer to observe. And how glad am I that I did it.

The whole trial was a real triumph for me because my days at the gym are proving to be of value as my fitness is up and my weight is down (for those who have yet to see me/meet me, I am - and have been for almost 20 years - a little portly). In fact, I hurriedly took home a pair of (excellent) Wulf trials pants to match the awesome Trials UK/Wulf trials shirt (embroidered with my name) that Nige presented to me as a thank you for the work I have done on the web site only to find that they were too big! 

Yay - I am no longer a lardy-arsed wobble bottom, merely a podger. Slimness here I come. (I think I'll have a pie and a Mars bar to celebrate!)

More after the next trial.