Race 20: Northern Rock Cyclone, Newcastle, 25/06/2011

My first long road ride for months and it was 108 miles with 7400 ft climbing. A nice day out for the Northern Rock Cyclone with the Skedaddle team. We all looked very smart in our shiny new kit.

It was raining when I arrived (at 06:50!!!) but luckily it cleared and had stopped by the time we set off. I had my raincoat, arms and gillet in my pockets as I have had some bad experiences with road rides this year! But it was really warm so I carried it all for absolutely no reason. When the sun came out it was rather too warm, we all got daft cyclist tan lines where we got burnt.

We set off in a pack at a rather brisk pace and were averaging 19 mph by mile 35. Then I got a puncture. Really annoying but given we'd passed about 20 people changing tyres, it was inevitable that it would happen to one of us I guess. I thought I was toast but Anne Woods and Ian Wingfield kindly stopped with me. Ian even did the pumping for me, how nice is that!

It took us ages to catch up to some of the other Skedaddlers after the puncture stop. We never did catch up with some of the boys as they were long gone. I was feeling OK until the middle section of the ride. I tend to get this on long rides. When there is no end in sight and your legs are getting tired I seem to lose the will completely. Anne was strong the whole way around, she is brilliant at endurance, didn't slow down at all.

So in that middle section I was feeling my legs, having not done any long rides for months, I could tell. It didn't help that my gears were a complete mess so I was trying to stay in the big ring the whole time, fine for a short ride but tires your legs on a big one! Miles 70 - 80 sometimes I had to shut my eyes and force my legs round up some of the hills. It was quite rolling so they were popping up all over the place. I hope there were no photographers on those bits! I did the counting thing too to make sure my legs kept their rythmn. In the end the gears wouldn't change at all so we stopped to have a look, it turned out that the front mech had slipped and it was bashing on the chain ring. We didn't have allan keys so flagged down some nice young men and they lent us some.

Then I ate a gel and it ripped longways, covering my arms, legs, shorts, bike and gloves in a sticky mess. It's amazing how much is in that little sachet when it spreads all over like that! I licked it off the places I could reach (even tried my legs but it's quite tricky licking your own legs whilst cycling!!) but there was a lot left over and I was a sticky mess for the duration. My hands sticking to the brake levers etc. The part I did manage to eat was really tasty, it was a bannoffee torq gel. Highly recommended. And it was like someone turned on the lights! All of a sudden my legs felt fine again and I was good to go.

We came storming to the finish for the last 10 miles, 20 - 25 mph on the flat. Our total average speed was 15.6 mph so not too bad given the lack of endurance rides this year! Everyone at Skedaddle had a great time. They had about 30 riders in total so a great turnout.



Time for a rest

Mingling with the best

Race 19: MTBO Middle, Rattvik, Sweden, 20/06/2011

The final race in Sweden and mine was a middle distance in the same area as yesterdays long. It was all good apart from the 3rd to last control which was a long and very complicated leg. I paused at just about every junction as I could hardly see the tracks on the map and there were about 20 junctions to get right. Talking to the others later, they said I should just go down any tracks and just use the compass to get there as there was a big 'catching feature' at the end. Then you'd just need to work out how far along you were and go in for the control. Given I took 10 mins my way and I could have done it in 5 I'd say it was good advice! Next time..

There were some parts of today where I got up to full speed, which was great. There were some sandy climbs and also I sprinted the last control and the finish. I had those worked out already though, the last control was under a ski bridge and then you got channeled to the finish.

I came 5th today, the Russian (a different one again!) beat me. Rubbish! Charlie got gold again so is double world masters champion!!!

The finish area

My route where red is stationary and green is fast..

Race 18: MTBO Long, Rattvick, Sweden 19/06/2011

A much better day, it wasn't raining! I got back almost as clean as I set off so much happier, also I could see which was a bonus!

I was 2nd starter, Charlie had the same start time too, of course I let her go in front through the gate as she was going for world masters. I wasn't as nervous today, didn't really get the dry mouth thing like I had yesterday. The map fit on my new big ass map board too so no re-folding required.

The route to number 1 was track central but it was surprisingly easy when I focussed, it was sandy and there were lots of steep ups and downs. To number 2 I had to descend all the way to the river, past a campsite and up the other side, so far so good. I saw a control and glanced at the number thinking it was way too soon to be mine. 30 secs later I looked at the map again and I could have sworn I read number 44, so I spun around and dashed back - it was my control!

I then spent probably a minute plotting my way to number 3, there was no direct route so I could do a big loop left or a big loop right, neither way was a nice main single track. I plumped for right as it looked marginally shorter, so it was back down to the campsite and up the other side again. It seemed to take ages to get there. I met Charlie coming out as I went in, she'd chosen the left loopy way.

Out of number 3 I was looking at the lake below and it didn't look like the right shape. Then there was a lake on the other side too and I knew that was wrong. I'd not made a turning and was about 1cm from going off the edge of the map! The junction was only a moment behind me though so not a big mistake.

The rest went without incident, until the end, which got very complicated so I slowed right down and made sure I took all the right turns through the mass of tracks. The commentator was very loud too so I didn't want to accidentally pop out and look all lost in front of everyone! All was well and I got the last two and the finish OK.

I came 6th, beat the Russian but it was a different one to yesterday. Charlie came 2nd and got on the podium again :-)




My route where red is stationary and green is fast

Race 17: MTBO Middle Rattvik, Sweden, 18/06/2011

It was spitting when I got my map and then it started raining really heavily as I passed the start triangle. My glasses steamed up and I couldn't see a thing! It was the first time it's happened on an MTBO. Luckily I hadn't done my bib shorts up so I could use the bib part as a glasses wipe. Although it made it all smeary, at least I could kind of see..

I messed up number 1, getting confused as number 6 was in the way! But I sorted myself out and didn't do anything else bad for the rest of the race. I wasn't fast, as I was being very careful, stopping to check at the complicated junctions. So no huge time losses but quite a few small stops. It was quite hard to navigate through the tricky bits on the move because of the rain and the slippery ground. Some bits were really sandy, very hard going. Also I went through a stream twice on an in and out control.

I passed Ifor, John R and Andy C coming different ways, it was nice to see them as I was completely on my own for the whole race. I have no idea where all the others in my class were!
I ended up coming 6th, 2 mins behind Olga the Russian. She keeps beating me, my new target is to beat her in a race, I'll try my hardest tomorrow in the long.

Today Charlie came first so she retains her title as World Masters Champion!!!

The last control

Me, Steve and Beth just before our first race

My route where red is stationary and green is fast

Race 16: Brownbacks XC, Lee Quarry, 05/06/2011

I was surprised at how technical this course was, rocky with some very steep loose climbs, some pretty serious cliff edges and a couple of steep and rocky descents, also some pump ramps and table tops. There was no time for resting, actually, I tell a lie, there was a 10 sec flat bit after a skinny rock bridge and before a steep climb. The other bits that might have been slightly restful were so windy that it was a challenge just to pedal!

The racing (top) category for both boys and girls set off at the same time. I had my eye on 3 girls, one had an assistant holding her bike and giving her bottles and things (she ended up winning), one had an England sticker and name on her bike, the other was in some team kit or other and looked pretty racy. Debs pointed out another girl who was towards the back, she was in baggies with an orange 5 and Debs reckoned she might win and that she would leave it until late.

The start was pretty harsh, we were on a loose fire road that must have been about an 8% climb. When the whistle blew I flew off with everyone else as it went to single track straight after the climb so I thought a good start was important. It was horrendous, I was nearly sick! From resting to max heart rate in 5 seconds!!



I thought my start was pretty rubbish, but actually I was in 3rd position, in front of Miss England and Miss baggy shorts. There were so many blokes around me that it was impossible to tell. I didn't pass the other two girls. Lots of boys passed me, it was a nuisance when they came barrelling up behind me on the single track along the cliff edge. I stopped a couple of times to let them past but actually why did I do that, I was in a podium position and they probably were not!

At the end of the 2nd to last lap, as Debs had predicted, Miss Baggy shorts passed me! I stuck with her for a while but didn't have enough to get back past and annoyingly she finally pulled away. I came 4th. 1.5 hours of full on concentration and leg screaming climbs!


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Provided by Clear-Shot Photography