The weather was a bad - really bad, with heavy and on going showers through out the race. It was my first ever marathon race and first ever tour in the MTB, so I didn't know what to expect and have to behave.
I'm definitely not a long-distance mountain bike rider, in fact I think it was the rainy weather who made it so much fun. It reminded me a bit of cross! I really liked the fact that I could just only focusing on keeping the speed and keeping warm. It was properly my first long ride ever on a MTB, don't know what it says about my normal MTB training effort - once a road'er always a road racer - even though I'm planing on this season to change it! Now the season has begun only 1½ month before the scheduled time.
As they always say; racing is the best training you can ever get!
For the moment it's quiet here, spring may finally have arrived - enjoy!