So I've now done 2x CX races. The touring bike didn't work, there was not enough clearance, so the mud just built up and it wasn't nice. However it did give me a good tip. I've bought a £20 bike off ebay which will be perfect for my 1st cross season. My tips:

1. Get the right bike (a CX bike, hybrid or MTN bike)

2. The easiest way to clear the build up of mud is to roll the wheels backwards. If it is stuck in a large clump, 9 times out of 10, it'll just come out easily.

3. Work on your dismounts and remounts. If you can make these smooth, you can pass people easily when they're standing still and unclipping.

4. If theres a steep bank, shouldering is much easier than standing and pushing the bike.

5. If you're running a muddy section, shoulder the bike away from the mud or it will get clogged up.

6. The racing line isn't always the fastest line

7. You only need to lift the bike 1mm above the barriers to clear them. No point lifting them excessively, its just wasting energy

8. Know when to recover- use downhills and flats to recover. You'll use most of your energy on obstacles and uphill sections (although you can power away on the flats if you wish)

9. Don't worry about clipping in after a remount, just get yourself moving forward, the clip in will just happen soon enough

10. HAVE FUN! There'll be guys hammering it and going for the win, but don't worry about them. Race your own race. After the first lap, you probably won't be able to tell who's near you in the standings anyway.

Its all one big learning curve (albeit a muddy, steep off camber learning curve)