My first roadie race

A tweet started it all, there was a women's circuit race at the Tameside race directly after the main race and Ali fancied it. A bit of research and I found it was a Go-Race designed to get people trying racing so after a bit of a twitter conversation I decided to give it a go. My bike isn't ideal (it has full mudguards) but I was assured it was fine and all different speeds of people would be there.

Arriving we signed up and in the end there were eight of us, everyone seemed friendly and Ali and I weren't the only first timers. We had one lap of the circuit before we were lined but, I was a little nervous as one corner really worried me still too late now. The start was lowkey just a quiet go and my worries about finding my pedal (the last Lee Quarry race I was last due to not getting clipped in at the started) didn't matter as we all pootled away, not for long though and three of them went on the first corner (all had ridden the circuit more than the rest of us) and then three came past me, including Ali, I was in no mans land on my own. Here I was to stay for the whole race, at one point I was gaining on one girl but then she crashed, getting back on but it eventually led to her leaving the race with a mechanical. I lapped one girl and the winner lapped me. But I managed to hold my position and finished 6th. Ali was beaten in a sprint for 4th.

It was suprisingly good fun and I felt I could have gone faster but my legs didn't respond. Will hopefully do. The next one in August but may have to borrow a bike as apparently shouldn't really have mudguards.

Average speed was 20.5mph (off my garmin so probably higher as it won't cope well with the tight corners) which I was very impressed with. Average heart rate 179bpm.

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