Southern XC Round Four Folly Farm

Southern XC Round Four Folly Farm

Team effort today to get both Emyr & I to the last round of the Southern XC Series in Basingstoke. Thank you to Granny and Grandpa for taking Ffion on an adventure to the deer park so we could go race.

My second race in 7 years & at least this time there was not a rain drop in sight…. By the end of the race I would have given anything for a drop of rain as the heat sapped the energy from my body! 🥵

I had the usual pre race nerves which I’m never sure I will actually be without even though I try and tell myself it’s just for fun & I’m riding my own race….

Going round the course with Em was fun, like having my own personal tour guide as he pointed out things, he remembered from last year racing at this venue.

Emyr had been talking about how important it was to get into the single track first from the start. So when I was called up I had tunnel vision on getting to that right hand first. After a good wheel spin in the gravel I managed to make my way to the front and into the single track. (must focus on a better start)

I made a stupid mistake at the first climbing picking a crap line ended up with me pushing, not a great start but I got back on reminded myself this was meant to be fun! Going into lap two I forgot to take my gel on the gravel track, another rookie error, so ended up trying to do so on the singletrack!

I felt good & kept pushing trying hard not to look back and ride my own race. After over taking a rider I got my line wrong and completely washed out the front wheel landing hard on my side, after dusting myself off I got back on and finished lap two and three with no more errors. Crossing the line feeling super happy with my achievement and having learnt a lot to take into my next race, whenever that may be….

It was then Emyr’s turn up in the Vets race, a hard category with some rapid riders! Gridded quite low after not attending the last race the dust cloud that arouse as they all sprinted away was spectacular. I spent most of Ems race watching his laps on the live tracking and filling up bottles of water.

Emyr said:

The final round of the @southernxc series at Folly Farm and for the first time this year felt like my legs had returned. A complete contrast in the weather to my last race – just shy of of 30° with dry, dusty and fast trails.

A fast start with limited visibility due to the chalky dust being kicked up with everyone fighting for a decent position into the first single-track section. After quickly settling into a rhythm I began slowly moving up the field. All was going well until disaster struck and my chain broke on the quick link. After struggling to remove what was left of the link it finally gave way but took the end of my thumb with it. Back on the bike I tried catch up with the people I had worked hard to pass. Managed to reclaim a few places to finish in 18th.

Despite the mechanical, had a great day of racing – shame the season is pretty much over. Been great seeing so many familiar faces over the past few months…. until next time👍

British Cycling Nationals Round 3

British Cycling Nationals Round 3

On a bleak May day Hannah, Emyr and Ffion headed to Winchester for the third round in the British Cycling cross country series. This race was part of the national series which travels across the UK and attracts the best riders in every age category.

The racing started with Short track, a short course with high speed racing for around 20 minutes. Emyr was first on track for this race, his first ever short track battling a large field to come sixth overall in his age category.

As the rain continued to pour and the course turned to mud the hours ticked by until Hannah’s 2:30pm race. A big shout out to little Ffion who stayed in the car all day at only 18 months her first race experience was not the best! Nerves and conditions nearly sent us packing on more than one occasion this being Hannah’s first cross country race in eight years. But we stuck with it, and at 2:30 along with one other girl and a huge field of men she lined up between the tapes.

Riding her own race from the start and not letting the conditions let her down Hannah kept consistent lap times and consistently falling off once per lap! After 1 hour 10 minutes of racing she crossed the line in first place, ending up on the podium (very unexpected).

At home the kit clean up ready for Emyr’s XCO race on Sunday began… Three hours later, kit bikes and people were clean and heading to bed ready to do it all again on Sunday!

Up early again Sunday, choclate spread sandwiches in the car for Ffion and we headed to a now dry but foggy matterley basin. Although it was not raining the mud had turned to thick brown gloupe and the race was carnage!

Spending an hour and 40 minutes running and riding in equal measure Emyr finish in a very respectable 15th position in the vets race.

A great weekend in the saddle!

The Carpathian MTB Epic – Stage Two

The Carpathian MTB Epic – Stage Two

Stage two of the Carpathian MTB Epic started with the same route out of Fundata as stage one this gruelling climb hadn’t become easier overnight which was a shame as my legs pushed hard, body weight over the bars just to keep traction on the front wheel.

The route climbed a similar path up to the first feed station but today instead of turning left we went right a short sharp climb led to what felt like the roof of the world towering above the mighty Carpathian mountain range, standing still to catch my breath my heart beat was the only sound. The vast wilderness stretched out in every direction un-touched by humans, rugged and wild.

Now for the descent! The start was a grassy meadow, with a twist as it was basically a vertical drop, I opted for two feet! This came with the nuisances of flies, which seemed to think I smelt great. I’m sure I didn’t!

Once past the rather daunting top section the climb entered the woods and became a whole world of fun, loose earth, roots and switch backs made for technical riding. I kept my eyes up and picked my lines carefully as I swept through the forest my Specialized 29’er making easy progress down the mountain side.

We were at the bottom far too quick, a long an arduous gravel road climb took you straight from glory and back to the pain cave for what seemed like an age, as I made my way out of the tree line the rumbles of thunder got louder.

Finally seeing the red tent of the all too familiar feed zone I had made it to 25km in 3 hours 21 mins and passed the cut off for continuing into the most technical section of the course. As I started to climb the weather growled, thunder and lightning seemed to be surrounding me and the rain was coming down like someone had turned the hose on! Reaching the woods I slipped off the path and hurt my ankle, it wasn’t that bad, but in that moment I

decided that my head had to rule and to turn round and back to safety. Reaching the red tent I was surprised how far I had actually climbed. Not stopping at the feed zone I continued on through the rain and wind feeling so cold I just kept pushing, not noticing the time tick by… By the time I realised my lack of eating and drinking it was too late to reverse the damage I had done, it was if someone had switch the power off in my legs and the only gear was slow and painful, I crawled back into the race village.

On unpacking my stuff and reflecting it became even more evident why I was I trouble my full camelback told the story, I was so dehydrated my body was just running on nothing. It’s safe to say stage two was a steep re-education in looking after myself. Usually I am so good at refuelling but the conditions got the better of me and then I paid the price hitting the wall 10km from the finish.

Stage three I promised myself would go better, and it did!

To see more photos head over to my instagram.

The Carpathian MTB Epic – Stage One

The Carpathian MTB Epic – Stage One

This first stage had a total distance of 60km with an elevation of 2,700m (although my Garmin said 2,995m)

Friday was the first stage of the Carpathian MTB Epic. The day started with a hearty breakfast and plenty of procrastination on my part.

After what seemed like an age waiting in the starting box the music fell silent and the loud heart beat timer started our count down, I could feel my heart racing and tried to control my breathing. The starter sounded and the sounds of clicking pedals and gear shifts filled the air as we set off out of the race village towards, what for me, was about to be an awesome day in the saddle.

 

The climbing and heat hit me straight away as the other riders pulled further up the road, I knew I needed to pace myself after all I was here for the enjoyment and adventure not to ‘race’ but as a ‘racer’ that can be quite difficult to get your head round.

 

The course took us through some spectacular scenery we climbed up on to a ridge line, where the first feed station sat, at just over 12km into the race. It had been a mixture of ‘hike a bike’ and gradual climbing to get here up fire roads with horses grazing in the woods and loggers hauling huge trees behind tractors.

I looked up at the climb to the top of the peak and ate another date, I was going to need all my energy for this one! Once up this short sharp climb the course stayed high and traversed the sky line, the view was incredible! The first proper ‘descent’ felt very steep and loose.

The next few hours are a bit of a blur the course continued to be gruelling and amazing at the same time. The clouds had once again pulled in and the thunder in the distance worried me, it was going to get wet, very wet! I stopped and put my rain jacket on and continued my descent towards Feed Zone 2, reaching this I was right to put my jacket on when I did as the heavens open and within seconds everything was washed out, the next section was a road climb which seemed to go on forever, the road had become a river and the rain was making it hard to see.

 

I was relieved to be off the road and back to the gravel; even though this was harder to climb I didn’t have to worry about the cars.

The route meandered through the valley with towering rock cliffs on one side and the open meadows on the other, farmers and their cattle watched on as I slowly made my way around the course following a stream which then became a river to cross before tracking the valley on the other side. I could see little dots behind me, which I thought were cyclists and it felt comforting to know I wasn’t the only one!

 

The climb continued and on reaching the top the huge rock face stood in the distance, you’re going over there said the marshal, wow it looked far away!

Continuing along and down I was surprised to reach the rock face quicker than I anticipated proving that all you have to do is keep pushing those pedals and you will eventually make it.

 

The next climb was exhausting and I really began to question the ‘fun factor’, it was a grassy climb and in the wet my shoes kept slipping and it seemed to take hours to reach the marshals who were lovely, they said one little bit of up then it’s all down! That sounded promising.

Of course that’s not quite how it went it was more like up, down, up, down, up then down.

 

 

 

It was a spectacular descent now on the other side of the rock face and open valley to my left the descent was rocky and challenging I kept my wits about me as I negotiated the rocks enjoying the challenge. The trail led into the woods where I felt really at home working my way through rooty sections, looking for the best line when the trail was off camber and holding on for dear life when it got rather steep in more than one place! Sometimes the descents would be gradual and then turn steep and committing 100% was the only way to make it down, the descents pushed my ability and belief in myself but time after time I made it to the bottom without coming off.

 

The final 10km was hard work the descent for 4km to the road was a rutted field with steep sections that came out of nowhere the last 5km up the road was a killer, pain seems to be a prerequisite of cycling so I sucked it up and pedalled on. Soon enough the white archway was in site and I crossed the finish line.

Stage one down, two to go!

My next adventure is looming, the Carpathian MTB Epic

My next adventure is looming, the Carpathian MTB Epic

Since the Trans Alp in 2016 I have been really keen on riding another stage race. The Trans Alp was so tough both mentally and physically but the highs well outweighed the lows and I have been keen to find another adventure and test my body and mind against the odds.

The Carpathian MTB Epic seemed like the perfect adventure. 180KM, 8,100m of lung busting climbing in 4 days, through the land of Dracula in one of Europe’s last genuinely wild mountain regions.

How could I say no!

This year along with taking on this 4-day stage race my life is a little different to when I did the Trans Alp. Back in 2016 I had no dog to look after and I managed to reduce my coaching right down to just the kids club in order to fit in 12 / 14 hour training weeks. This year that wouldn’t be possible! Luna (my German Shepherd) needs her regular walks and runs and my coaching has been booming. I have this year introduced mountain bike retreats for adults as well as taking Pilates classes, so as you can see life is a whole lot busier than 2016 so 12 hour training weeks are a juggling act!

In short I have had to condense my training into one long ride and a sprints or hill session a week. I have also been running and doing kettlebells each week which has helped to increase my muscle strength. Pilates as always is something I do each week and is a great way to strengthen my core and upper body as well as help prevent injuries.

 

 

 

My tips for staying focused on long rides are:

  • Set out with a planned route or goal in mind
  • Have enough water and snacks for the whole session (If you cannot carry enough water which is likely then know when you can get some on route from a friendly pub or shop)
  • Practice eating different snacks on shorter rides and use your favourites for those long sessions, have something salty
  • Only focus on the hour ahead, this is especially important if the weather is bad or you’re feeling tired only think as far as the next hour that way you can chunk your ride down
  • Use lampposts/trees as little sprint breaks if you’re feeling full of beans or just pick the pace up a little for 2 mins and then drop back down again

The Carpathian MTB Epic is a full-service event running from 16th – 19th August and is the perfect opportunity for an adventure, even for the time crunched like me. If you hurry up and register until July 29 you may catch a good deal as well. Last day for registrations is August 5, 2018.