The middle section of the black run is steep and loose, it’s a combination of chalk and flint with roots in nearly all of the places you don’t want them. As you approach the bottom of the track things get a little mellower but with trees millimetres from your bars there is still no room for error. Then it’s off a drop, round a nice big berm and over a fun new table top. A real race track with a real race feel as you land, tuck and cross the imaginary line.

With my race winning daydreams over I decided to hit up Root Canal (previously called 423). I got to use the giant new roll–in that’s been built. Big, wooden and shaped to give you a real boost into the only flat part of the hill, it does its job perfectly and fires you straight up to speed and onto the first feature of the track, a nice floaty table top.

After that you fly into some petty loose flat corners so a speed check is essential. You can see where the track gets its name straight away, the floor is littered with roots and the further you get down the worse it gets. As you get closer to the end of the track the gradient shifts and it starts to feel a lot more like the Black Run, slower, tech and chalky. I’ve taken a few sliding spills in this section in the wet, certainly loose, but an awesome area to hone your steep skills.