International (potentially) Training

 

Amazing ride from Glencoe, up and down the Devils Staircase to Blackwater Reservoir and Kinlochleven and back. 20 miles, 3500ft of epic ascent and midges not too bad!

Key lesson learnt.....must learn how to successfully bunny hop over the drainage gaps!

Ramsgill Downhill Race Round One 8th June 2014

On the 8th June I thought I'd have a go at Ramsgill Cycopath downhill race, the first round in the series.

My partner Dan Rides for the Cycopath Team and they are all really supportive, especially the other girls who ride there. The race is very grassroots and is a perfect place to start racing. I had entered a couple of races there last year, but I certainly didn't feel experienced, other than I knew where the start gate was!

In an attempt to prepare for the race I had a half day session with Roots Mountain Biking at  the Ramsgill track. In that half day Dan taught me how to jump and how to clear the small drop (it really didn't feel that small).There is a middle and a massive one left to conquer, and one in the woods which apparently is the middle size, but it looks like the biggest one to me. Will have to work up to that on a very good day.....maybe next year.

The race weekend was upon me and I arrived late on the Saturday night to sleep in the van and spent the night listening to the heaviest rainfall. I have my two children on Saturdays so I can't get to the track to practice earlier. Usually the race is over a weekend, with the practice on the Saturday and race on the Sunday. The other riders sometimes get there on Friday night to walk the track so they get to know it and then practice riding it on Saturday. I have to hope I get enough practice in on Sunday morning before the race starts otherwise I have to wing it!

Due to the weather the track was in a terrible condition in the morning, really muddy and slippy...

On my first practice run I had completely forgotten how to ride corners and burms. Not a great start. Into the woods and the mud was so slick I had no grip at all and just kept drifting and falling off. Panicking slightly as to how I would be able to ride it, we carried on out of the woods to meet the other girls who had entered. There were 6 girls to start with. One unfortunately broke her wrist going over one of the kickers (hope it heals very soon) and two pulled out due to the conditions. After this I was seriously considering not entering, but Dan talked me round and reminded me that the time didn't matter, I just needed to get to the bottom and enjoy the experience. The other girls were also a huge support, so I decided just to go for it and go steady and slowly just to reach the finish line.

There are always two race runs, in the first I got a flat tyre near the finish so did not qualify and I got a DNF (Did Not Finish). The second run went really well and I managed to make it to the finish line! I then realised that race run was the only full run all the way down the track. I came third, but was less than a second behind second place, and 8 seconds behind the winner, so happy enough and pleased that I had given it a go.

Just entering was a huge learning experience, but the main lessons learnt: 

• I need to make sure I get at least one practice run in before I race
• Take more chocolate for courage
• Take big knobbly tyres, like Schwalbe's Dirty Dan's for grip in the mud...

 

Will I try it again next round? I think so.....