Zoom Zoom

Ali wanted to have a go on the Phillips Park trails so after collecting her bike from Cooksons we had a quick blast. 7.5miles my shortest ride in a long time but lots and lots of fun.

Back chasing the boys

After a great ride last tuesday I knew I wanted to get out again. Ali is demoing a superfly100 this weekend so I decided to be 'helpful' and go and collect it. I should have had plenty of time but I needed to replace the brake pads on Rigger before riding down, maybe I should have gone on another bike, so I ended up sprinting. Rigger isn't the right bike to try sprinting on the road as I tend to spin out.

At the shop it was a quick change of pedals, light mount and garmin mount and I headed out following the boys. The ride was spent working as hard as I could to keep them in sight. I'm sure its good for me. On the road the bike felt fast but I was looking forward to getting off-road. Up Rooley Moor Road and it climbed really well, allowing me to get away with some poor line choices and standing up was fine as well.
At the top we stopped to look for planets, the windmills were still for maybe the first time I can remember.

Descending the boys lights disappeared and I pootled down, slowly getting used to being off-road and trying to relax.

We split in Ramsbottom and I tried to keep the effort up along the road. It felt great to be off-road and chasin the boys will hopefully speed me up a bit.

The Runcorn Bridge

After the bad news of last night I knew I had to be careful today, that didn't change the fact that I had to do a recce ride today. Fortunately the ride itself was quite short and flat. I met Jen on the train and we headed over to Merseyside, this time the ride started in Speke. Once we got on the trans-pennine trail Jen started demanding geocaches (I think someone is hooked!

The first couple were fine, although I let Jen do the scrrambling through the bushes this time. But then we got stuck, the clue being a slab and no slab nearby. Never mind we moved on to the next by the bridge. No luck again but time I think it was us as it was a difficult one, one I'd like to retun to. One last one had me scratched to pieces and then we got the train home. (before I broke myself we had talked about riding).

Next week I have two days in schools in merseyside so train times are planned, work is giving me an easy week mileage wise the week after so hopefully the back will improve. I've even taken the advice on ibuprofen and I'm taking it. So heal back heal!

Broken

Well it seems I really am broken this time. I had the weird bum/leg/back pain again so tried massage/exercises/stretching with no luck. So after another night of waking up in the night I emailed mills physio with a help fix me plea. Today I headed over to hebden bridge after work, ok riding up the road to her house on my fixie my not have been sensible but it was too much of a challenge (i made it just!)

Anyway she poked, prodded and did lots of clever and painful things but the muscles in spasm just wouldn't relax. So i'm now taped up and have to try and rest as much as possible including no long rides where 5miles counts as long! I'm still hobbling when walking but no way can this get worse so I'm being sensible, already asked for an easy rota for next week at work to cut down the miles. Anti-inflamitories taken, tomorrow will be heat/ice etc.

Guess that means the end of exploring on my commute like this morning, just followed my garmin and found a nice path. Although I wasn't quite on the right bike for it!

Fettling

Last week on thursday I sprinted to Cooksons when I finished work to collect some cables for my cross bike. The plan was to fit them that evening as I was going to ride the bike for a recce ride over in Merseyside the next day. In my usual fashion that didn't happen and I got sidetracked and instead shared a bottle of wine with Ali that evening and then did the ride on kiwi. Since then I've kept meaning to do them but other things and my laziness have got in the way. Today I had no choice, tomorrow is the three peaks, without brakes it would be impossible. So workstand up and I did my own fettling. Now its fingers crossed they all work tomorrow as it'll be a little different to a workstand!

Deg Yn Llandegla

When this event was first announced I planned to enter but then it was only two weeks after SITS and Ali was away with the car. I still wanted to go though and when Andrew from work offered me a lift it seemed like I had to go. So on Friday I met him and Becks in Bolton and we headed down. Getting there in time for the pasta party (we got loads) before curling up in my tent. As always I slept really badly and then was woken up early by the guy who had parked next to my tent driving off at 7am. I got up ate my breakfast and got everything ready. I knew I had to be prepared as I had no Alison to look after me.

It wasn't long before race briefing and it was slightly hard to hear due to there being no PA, some regulation or something. But I gathered that we had a long section for transistion where we had to walk our bikes. Wayne had kindly given me space on the JMC table so I had all my bottles out. I joined the boys near the front but was happy that the start was on the bike.



It wasn't long till we were off and there was pushing and shoving where I got a bar end in my leg, its now a huge bruise! But they sent us up a fire road climb which spread the riders out. I spotted an Isle on Man rider go past me and I was sure she was in the same category. But it was too early to worry and she was flying. First lap of the course and I loved it! Wayne was amazing and was stood there to hand me my bottle and gel, so no time lost. Out on the second lap and entering my favourite bit of the course, the black downhill section, and I caught the Isle on Man girl. She caught me again on the uphill and I tried to keep up but she was amazing. I had realised she was definitely solo now so I tried to keep her in sight but it wasn't happening and then I punctured. Thinking I was only half a mile from the end of the lap I opted to run. Turns out the first lap was slightly shorter and I ran a mile. Wayne then was a star, fixing the puncture and getting me on my way. Unfortunately two solo girls passed me when stationary. Heading back out I worked hard and got those two on the first half of the lap but I was sure the speedy climber was well gone!



A couple of laps later on the black descent I caught her again. This time I let her go on the climb, I was impressed to find out she was meant to be riding pairs but was her partner was injured. But she was obviously struggling and I was having fun. But I knew if I tried to hold her on the climb I would die. Coming back to transition and she was there downing a gel, I grabbed a bottle off Becks (thanks to her and Liz taking over Pit duties) I headed out first but it wasn't long before I was caught on the climb. This climb wasn't as steep though and I managed to push on a bit but she was always there. After the climb we turned into a muddy section through the trees, I couldn't see her when I came out and it turns out I rode the steep muddy chute and she walked. Only one thing for it push on. I kept expecting her to catch me on the climbs and so didn't stop at transition pushing the whole time.

Next time through I knew it was last lap, I was still loving the course so grabbed a bottle and headed out, hoping that my speed on the downs was enough. I was still loving it and was told by a couple of people I should have stopped smiling by then, but how could I on such a fun course?

After finishing I was obviously tired as I went to change and forgot to take my clothes! They had a BBQ which got me much needed protein and I took some advice to drink beer to rehydrate. Waiting for the podiums meant it was a late night but lots of lovely people to chat to.




So I finished 1st female and 10th overall soloist, my first top 10!
Garmin Stats for geeks like me.

Thanks to:

• Rich for the photos
• Andrew and Becks for the lift
• Becks, Wayne and Liz for the help during the race
• Cookson Cycles for everything as always!
• No Fuss for an amazing event I really hope they put it on again next year!

Sleepless in the Saddle 2011

All too soon we were in the car and heading down to Catton Park, the car was full of food and kit with two bikes and a gazebo on the roof. We got there mid afternoon and set up the Gazebo and tent trackside, said hi to a few friends and headed off to my sisters. She kindly provided me with loads of pasta and packed me off to bed to get some sleep. Morning came and I tried not to be too stressy as I ate breakfast and then the three of us headed back to Catton Park. A lot more people had arrived since we had left and the solo area was noticeably busier than last year. A bit of catching up with people and I had a little rest in the tent before eating some lunch. It seemed no time at all and I was lined up near the front ready to start the race with a run. Once again everyone headed off and I went backwards through the crowd. I thought I saw two solo girls go past me but I stayed at my steady plod as I didn't want to pay for the run later in the race. I was just behind Ros at this point who was racing in the Women's team category. Helen had my bike ready and I was out on the lap and making sure I kept my spot in the line, half a lap was spent with queues into the singletrack but nothing too ridiculous.



Through after the first lap and the commentators announched I was the first solo female through, Ali agreed with them. I was handed a bottle and some food without me stopping and headed back out. I was walking a couple of the steeper hills and was rubbish through the twisty singletrack but I was enjoying the course and for the first few laps was riding with the same few riders who were also soloing. A couple of times I even rode the "Jump of Doom", I was having fun!

Then came the rain, first was a five minute shower which wasn't too bad but it quickly was followed by a 15minute deluge, I got drenched and started to get cold. Into the pits shouting for clothes, Ali sensibly stopped me at just a base layer as by now the rain had stopped and I headed back out. The next lap involved a lot of dragging my bike around as the mud became unrideable. Back to the pits and I headed out on rigger leaving Ali and her helpers (thanks Jenn for washing the bike and Shona and Rich from Keep Pedalling for lending us a Dirt Worker so no-one had to queue at the bike wash) to sort out a muddy clogged up bike. The course had dried up so it was back onto the Superfly.

Nighttime came pretty fast and it was time for lights and partway through the night 3/4's. I kept plugging away and by now the lead had gone up to 30minutes, but I knew anything could happen and so I couldn't stop. Each lap I came in and demanded a doughnut whatever else Ali tried to give me, this apparently caused lots of amusement.

Morning came and another change of outfit, by now I had been wearing my cooksons jersey for longer than was probably pleasant and it was warming up so I wanted to get shorts on (and back into bibs). I was slowing down and now I wanted Bacon Rolls, two in total. My body was playing a which bit hurts the most game but I knew if I kept moving I could keep the lead (now at over a lap).




I realised that I could get to twenty laps without having to speed up much, I didn't fancy pushing my body to go five minutes faster so I could get out for 21! The second to last lap was the hardest, my knees decided they hurt the most and I was a little worried I was doing permanent damage. But heading out on the last lap things felt a bit better, I bumped into Paul who rode with me through the singletrack and suddenly I could follow and not think. Lots of people were cheering and I was still smiling. The singletrack lurkers tent gave me some bucks fizz and I cross the finish line five minutes after 2pm to shake hands with Pat.

It might be a solo race but I'm not sure I could have done it without Ali, she was a star in the Pits and also stayed up for the full 24 hours!

All that was left was to shower, pack up and me to be helped up onto the podium. Ali is already planning next year but I'm not so sure!

Lots of people to thank:

• Ali for being the best pit bunny in the world
• Helen for the bed, extra food and perfect bottle handups
• Cookson Cycles for the help with the bike, getting it ready when they are busy, lending us the Gazebo and basically being the best bike shop in the world. 
• Squirt Lube for keeping my bike running
• The marshalls who kept me going through the night
• Rich and Shona for the Dirt Worker and Jenn for washing the bike
• Minx for help with clothing - no one else seems to have such a great range of womens bike clothes.
• Everyone else I have forgot because I am still really tired!

Cross bike is no longer being neglected

Somehow my lovely cross bike has ended up at the back of the pile and stayed there, I had a great cross ride earlier in the year with Jenn which reminded me how much I enjoyed it but then nothing. I knew the wheels were dodgy, the rims very concave and that was my excuse. So today I decided to ride it for the Cookson Cycles ride. Riding there I realised that one of the reasons the braking was so rubbish was lack of brake pads to the lads set about changing them, next thing they knew I had them putting wheels on. The bike wasn't really safe to ride and I do enjoy it, this should mean I use it more than just leading rides that are on sustrans trails.

No one else came for the ride so I rode home, 10miles off-road getting nice and muddy and loving having brakes! Next is new cables the current brake cables are a little rusty and clogged up, imagine how amazing the brakes will feel then.

Thanks to Cookson Cycles again, my bikes would cry at the neglect without you lot!

Mountain Mayhem

I was racing Mountain Mayhem in a Sports Mixed Team for Cookson Cycles but things didn't work out quite as planned and we only had four riders. The organisers said we could race as a non-competitive team or change into the Expert Category. So at 12noon on saturday we sent Shaun out on the run against Nick Craig. The top teams had lapped us by four laps in, but with Liam Killean racing for the Hope team we knew that we had no chance of matching them. The suprise came in the fact we were having a close race for 6th/7th/8th place.

I was 4th man out and the boys had all done sub-hour laps. The pressure was on me! I had plans of doing some intensity work in the leadup to this event. But with a combination of a operation and then crashing my bike it never happened. All I could do was push as hard as I could, I was at my limit on all my climbs but the lack of recent mountain biking showed on the descents and I was struggling to ride them and crawling down them. Still with lap times between 1:08 and 1:18 throughout the race I was pleased with my riding. On my night laps I was caught twice by Anna Buick riding for Salsa. The first time it was at the end of the first climb, I held on till a descent and she got a gap, I worked on the hills to slowly bring her back but every descent she seemed to fly putting 3 minutes into me at the end. The next lap I was already finding it hard to get my heart rate up but I held on as long as I could, she lost me on the final descent. That girl is amazing downhill!

The boys tried some fast laps but at the end they were shattered and so I did our final lap, I couldn't hold off the fast guys so we finished in 8th in our category and 22nd overall.

Shop Ride

Wednesday saw another shop ride from Cookson Cycles, there were eight of us out and after a day of constant drizzle the sun came up. We rode a mixture of the purpose built trains at Prestwich and some slightly muddier singletrack. Getting back to the shop at 9pm it was time for me and Ali to ride home, we took the road option to try and get a slightly earlier night. I was on my singlespeed and remembered how much I love riding rigger, this year hasn't seen enough singlespeed miles.

Riding with Chris again

Chris keeps reminding me I am lame as I haven't been out riding with him for ages. So this tuesday I ignored all my good excuses and got myself down to the shop for 5:30ish (Okay I was a little late but neither Shaun or Chris were ready). They both told me they had tired legs due to riding the Etape du Dales on Sunday. As always they seemed fast to me though! Up onto Rooley Moor Road and the boys wanted to bypass Cragg Quarry but I was having none of it. I've only ridden it twice and the last time with Chris was so windy I couldn't really ride. It's lots of fun but very pedally.

Down to drop Shaun off near Ramsbottom and then back along the road with Chris. I noticed that my front tyre was a little soft but there was enough air to get me home.

Another good ride and I'll be out again to slow the boys down.

Evening guided rides

Cookson Cycles are starting a regular ride from the shop. It's going to be the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month meeting at 6:30. Tonight was the first ride. Shaun and I headed out with four other riders onto the Prestwich trails. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it and will be back for more.

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Just a short ride

I am rubbish at staying off the bike. Especially as the last few months have felt like a great month, rubbish month with illness, great month, repeat. I have on the whole being sensible and having my tonsils out should help the illness. I've not been feeling too bad in my recovery just a really sore throat and not swallowing easily. So after lunch with my mum, involving ice cream I pedalled down to Cookson Cycles. I took it easy and then rode bacl easy on ruby. Chris came back for pizza which was a perfect end to a nice day.

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On the track again

A post on the Mills Cycling Club forum about a track session went up the other week and I was quick to sign me and Ali up. It was a late one running 8pm-10pm and I was working in Warrington so I had lots of excuses for being slow.

We were asked to go on the track if we were 'experts'. Ali and I didn't think we were in that category but apparently being accredited meant that we were. So we went on and a huge long line formed as we warmed up. After this I made the decision to drop to the 'intermediate' group as my twitter friends were in it and I like to talk at people! The first session was the same for both groups, standing up on the bends. I've tried this before during intervals at a cyclechat session and did not enjoy it. This time after the first couple I started to feel more comfortable.

We did a couple of other skills and then time for a chaingain in pairs, I like this as I seem less scared with someone next to me. I grabbed fellow Velocake rider Tim and we worked together, I thought we communicated well and did a good job of dropping back into the line. We also tried to speed the group up a little.

Meanwhile Ali was still flying round with the huge group of 'experts'.

Reminded me I do like the track, when is the next cyclechat session?

Hit The North

The night before Hit the North basically involved people telling Ali she was racing, she wasn't so keen on the idea but eventually decided to give it a go. So on Saturday morning we both lined up in Cooksons kit (after a rush to get Ali's shorts dry as me being helpful had washed them that morning!) Ali was also rushing off to Grimbsy for the football after the race.

My first lap felt like a parade at walking pace, I made the odd place up on the bits linking the singletrack in the purpose built section and rode the berms slower than I ever had before but it was fun and I was able to chat. Ali was somewhere behind me having started with Pauline and probably chatting as well. On the second lap I had more open track, not that I could ride a lot of the muddy stuff. But I was enjoying just going round, I have to admit that I maybe could have put a bit more effort in, I did however want to ensure I didn't fall off as I was still pretty battered and bruised from Thursday. This lap I could see Damien (also racing for Cooksons) ahead of me so that did help with motivation if I did slow down at all.

The course was a mix of very muddy sections, steps or slopes to steep to ride up and the lovely blue route at Prestwich. I enjoyed the course even with the amount of walking I was doing and on my fourth lap I was starting to get into it. I could no longer see the girl who had been on my tail for quite a while but I was hoping to get back just in time for a 5th lap, as it turns out I missed it by about 30seconds.

Still 2hours of riding, average heart rate of 174bpm, 15.5miles covered and 555m of climbing. Oh and I managed to win the race so I got to stand on a car tyre. It was the first race on the new bike and it was brilliant, in fact at times I thought I was probably annoying it by braking as the Superfly certainly wanted to go faster.

Some Thanks:

• To Jason for organising the event - it was awesome!
• Chris for putting my pedals on before the race and then washing both mine and Ali's bike after the race
• Cookson Cycles for helping me out when it came to purchasing the Superflyand gernerally just being great
• To my Mum for finding a race I had mentioned in passing and buying me a bacon butty at the end of the race.
 

22/30 - Nothing exciting

Working in the morning, there were loads of little ones learning to ride so it was quite good fun. Especially the smiles when they got it, only one cried and asked for his stabilisers back on, dad was sensible and said no though.

After that I rode down to Cookson Cycles to put mudguards on Ruby ready for an audax tomorrow. The boys seemed to like playing with my cones. The mudguards were a little fiddly and in the end we left off the chainset protector bit, getting it not to rub being an issue. Still they're a lot better than no mudguards, especially if someone ends up behind me on a wet road.

While there Chris got pizza, I helped him eat it of course.

Home and my garmin decided to crash, still not got it working. But everything else, I think, is ready for the morning. My planned early night hasn't happened, but there's not much work on next week so I can recover then.

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11/30 - Pizza counts?

Busy day today, first I headed off to Cookson Cycles to get my new wheels for kiwi. The rims on the old ones being at the dangerous stage. While there I noticed that the inner tube was bulging out a hole in one of the tyres, so it was new puncture proof tyres, and new brake pads and cables. Bike is all ready for me to commute on friday now. Chris had me working on my own bike while he made brews and got me chocolate cake. This all took longer than expected, so then it was back home and get some more of the to do list done before heading back out on the mountain bike.

Chris is racing Strathpuffer at the weekend so he suggested a flat, easy ride. So we headed round the trails at Prestwich a couple of times before heading out to Bolton, a quick loop round the golf course and back to mine (this did give me 22miles). Then it was an evening of pizza, beer and playing on the wii with Ali and Chris. Both of whom kept beating me, I'll have to get some sneaky practice.

8/30

An early one today which is always a challenge for me but I'd offered to lend Kate a light for puffer and since Jumbly is running with her today I headed over to drop the light off with her before she left for the peaks, where they are doing something silly like running up hills in the wind and the rain. It was very windy on my way over and a bit drizzly but I was enjoying being out there. Back home again just as it was getting light with 1hour35mins on my garmin. Then to add to the smug feeling I did a core workout, always on my mind to do but something I never get round to, and then stretched. Brilliant start to the day!

4/30

Ali said that it was fine for me to ride with Chris tonight so I headed down to Cookson Cycles to meet him and Shaun at 5:30pm. They took a while to get ready but we on our way before 6pm and heading to Scout Moor. I had told Chris that I didn't want to long a ride so I might bail out somewhere early, but he told me not to be rubbish. We headed over to Scout Moor via a variety of trails and back roads, I only knew where I was when we crossed a major road the odd time. Up Coal Road where the boys zoomed up and I plodded up, turns out my legs were tired from all the riding the previous few days. Then there was a section where I pretended I didn't know how to ride before we skidded down the ice to Ramsbottom to drop Shaun off, then home to Bolton for me.

Just under 30miles in just under 3 hours, I think day five is going to be hard.

Chris kills me

I decided it was time to head out on a ride with Chris again. I knew it would be hard but I wasn't sure how hard I would find it. Still I reminded myself it was good for me. So I headed off to meet him at Cookson Cycles, leaving a little later I had to push the whole way there, still it warmed me up.

Chris had his 6pack on his bike and I sneakily switched it onto mine, unfortunately he noticed so I was back to my light. We headed off towards Bolton with the plan being to head up on winter hill. Near my house I was already tired and by Smithills realised we would be doing more than the 25miles I had suggested still I was having fun. I stopped halfway up for an energy gel. Still by the top I was gone. I minced down the descent and found it hard to concentrate on the line.

At the bottom I said we were heading back on the road, that was enough for me. 31miles on the gar,in once I got home and I was shattered. But it was great fun.

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