by hattenburrow | Aug 16, 2015 | Biking Adventures, Training
Due to a family emergency I have spent this week in Suffolk on the East coast. On Wednesday I got out on a training ride, a vo2 session and then trying to catch my parents on their ride, I did not succeed!
On Thursday Mum and I left Carlton Colville and headed towards South Cove on the back roads through Mutford. Our aim was to find a new footpath which would take us to the beach. We crossed the A12 and made our way on a quiet country road down past South Cove heading in the direction of Kessingland. After several twists and turns it seemed we would not find the right path but instead enjoyed our ride meandering between fields full of crops of sweet corn. The sun shone on us, but the wind was picking up as we got closer to the beach.
We reached Benacre sea front and the wind had become very fierce crashing the waves into the un- protected coast line. I remember as a child there being a lot more beach than there is today as the coastal cliff steadily succumbs to the waves.
From Benacre we turned left towards home travelling through Kessingland and then back through the country roads making our way through Gisleham to Carlton Colville.
Our 15 mile ride had been really good fun and a reminder that sometimes it is good to stop and take in the view instead of rushing past. When you’re training you don’t have time to stop and admire the view because you’re transfixed on what is happening on your Garmin! So it was a very welcome change to get out and ride for the sheer pleasure of riding your bike and completing a journey under your own steam.
The next day instead of making driving to my grandparents, I jumped on my bike and made the trip across town. I travelled quickly through Oulton Broad past rows of cars stuck by the bridge secretly enjoying the freedom two wheels was giving me, being able to wiggle my way through the traffic. I went past people enjoying a drink by the Broads and Swans with their goslings pruning themselves in the sun. It was a really pleasant way to make a small journey that I have done over and over again in a car and always got stuck in traffic!
On leaving my Nan and Granddads I decided to ride along the sea front. As I reached the sea wall, the wind was strong and a couple of kitesurfers were making their way through the breaking waves. I followed the shore along the cliff top until I could go no further on the cliff and made my way down onto the beach. The deep sand and pebbles made it tough work to get to the line of hard sand. The spec of cliff top in the distance slowly became nearer until I could make out houses, then slowly I could see windows and make out people on the cliff top. My destination was Kessingland, as I travelled along I passed shrieking children playing in the surf, dog walkers and runners. I kept worrying that I would run out of hard sand making my journey along the beach almost impossible. That is when I spotted the tell-tale tracks of another bike! I latched onto this hope that if someone else had been here before that I would make it to Kessingland.
I kept my eye on these tracks following beside them, with my head down focusing on the tracks I was not focusing on the cliff which had now disappeared, replaced with a bank of shingle giving no clue as to where exactly I was. It wasn’t until I got to the sluice wall I realised I had gone too far! Not one to turn back when an adventure has started I continued along to Benacre Broads and slogged through the hard sand onto the footpath that my Mum and I had taken the day before. Once off the sand I was grateful for the small bag of Haribo that I had found in my bag as my legs resembled jelly sweets themselves!
I slowly made my way along the farm track through fields lined with Sweet corn until I got to the road. The road was lined with blackberry bushes which taunted me with their nearly ripe fruit. I stopped to try a couple which were very sour so I continued on regretting my foraging attempt. My pace had dropped off and I felt like I crawled into Henstead. I turned right into Mutford and felt a rejuvenated sense of energy at being nearly on the home straight.
Saturday was my final day. Mum Roger and I made plans to ride along the sea front to a little café to have breakfast, it was tranquil as we rode along the deserted sea front. The sea was calm and just a few boats and sea gulls graced the blue water.
From the café Mum and I made our way back through Oulton Broad with another Grandparent visit. Once we returned home I headed straight back out to get in a hill climb session. Now the East Coast does not have that many hills but I headed to one in Mutford that I thought I might be okay and one I had used about a year ago.
As I sprinted towards the top I realised that my fitness from last year to this had improved dramatically as I reached the top in 40 seconds. So I turned to plan B and did three all out efforts round the 2 mile block pushing as hard as I could. My heart rate at the end of each effort was always over 180 but during my 2 min rests it always dropped back down, another good sign for my fitness levels. After 3 efforts and still feeling like there was more in the tank I pushed round for a final time. Finishing this last effort I felt a huge sense of achievement in getting out and pushing myself. I then enjoyed ambling back through Bluebell woods, where there was no bluebells! The tree canopy made the track seem dark and mysterious until it released me back into the dazzling mid-day sun, the ground going from smooth to rough and bumpy in seconds, I pushed hard up the hill. Turning towards home on the road I had really enjoyed my time cycling and training somewhere different.
Altogether I covered 85 miles and it was great to share those miles with my family.
by hattenburrow | Jun 22, 2015 | Biking Adventures, Racing
It’s 23:51 and I am waiting for Martyn to finish his first double lap. I don’t usually start blog posts half way through a race, but then my races are not usually in a pair, for 24 hours, so why the hell not! Plus there is so much to remember I need to start now as I fear my brain will not be the same come 12 noon tomorrow!
Today started in the usual way me making breakfast for me and Martyn, the difference today being we would be sharing in this adventure together. After practising the course together yesterday I was excited about racing as a team but hadn’t really considered the fact when one was riding one would be resting so actually apart from the hand over the baton there would not be much ‘time together’ never the less I was excited about the race, along with those beastly pre-race nerves I always get!
At 11 we went to rider briefing followed by a Le Mans style start, I pulled the short straw and started which meant not only would I be riding the first lap I would be running the 800m to my bike! Not one for running I wasn’t thrilled by this idea.
I lined up helmet on bike parked behind me and when the horn sounded slowly crept forward into a run all the time being mindful not to trip or twist my ankle! The first lap went without a hitch and I passed the baton over to Martyn ready for his first lap and headed back to camp.
Now an hour is usually a long period time, but for some reason these ‘resting’ hours seemed to go very quickly compared to the time spent on the bike.. Anyone who can explain this please do!
We had decided to do one lap on one lap off until 6pm and this worked really well I got in some fast lap times, perhaps getting a little over excited!
Each rest stop I would have a small carb snack mainly malt loaf or porridge seemed to be my nutrition of choice, also yoghurt coated peanuts and raisins so scrummy!
6pm arrived quickly and I headed out on my first double lap of the day, half way round I felt like my pedal stroke had become a bit jumpy so stopped and got off and wriggled my crank arm, sure enough my bottom bracket had come loose I gingerly completed the lap, luckily as I came round to our base Martyn was standing on the side line ready to cheer me on so I pulled in after a quick decision Martyn sacrificed his two hour break to go back on the course so I could get my bike fixed. As expected I couldn’t get a new bottom bracket so had to do with getting it tightened.
Once Martyn finished his lap I went back out on my double lap just as the sun started to disappear the forest was so dark I was a bit shocked by how much the tree canopy sheltered the forest floor. It seemed like double laps were becoming my nemesis as this time my headlight gave up on me, so again I pulled into camp which and grabbed a new light before heading back out for my second lap. It now seemed pitch black in the woods, the wind seemed to have picked up and every tree branch now resembled some scary monster trying to pull me off my bike! I worked hard to stick with people not really being a fan of the dark! Especially at the Skratch laps lakeside trail!
I was surprised by how the dark changed the perception of the course, a course I would say after riding it several times I knew well… But things seemed to have moved the smooth line through now had a tree stump and the more technical sections felt hard, I didn’t seem to be able to find the nice flowing lines I had enjoyed earlier in the day. When I came back into the arena this time close to 11pm I new I needed that good two hour break my legs weren’t that tired but my arm and back muscles were sore and I was craving hot food! Meatballs and pasta sorted out this craving and to make sure I was properly re-fuelled I had a porridge pot for good measure!
So I am now sitting in camp waiting for Martyn to get back and the plan is a few hours rest before starting again.
At the moment we are lying in third place and have completed 13 laps so far not bad going for our first 24 hour race. I am very impressed with Martyn’s stamina he has not had time to do much training but seems to be breezing round.
Dawn Raid.
After a well-earned and needed sleep I woke at 5 (slightly later than planned) and got breakfast ready. I had been having some bike issues so Martyn took the first lap. The last couple of hours went by in a blur of eat, ride, repeat. We decided that if I put in a fast last lap and got in just before 12 Martyn could then go back out, this worked well and I completed a fast lap feeling exhausted but proud to have finished as Martyn headed out for his last time. Meanwhile I started to get camp packed down, a little while later I looked up to see Martyn go charging through, sadly I missed his big finish (I’ll be there next year).
We sat down and had a well-earned rest Martyn had a celebratory beer or four! We had held on to our third place even with a 4 hour nap! So felt really happy with our achievement. Going up to collect our trophy from Princess Anne, who owns Gatcombe Park, was a moment I won’t forgot she shook our hands and asked how we divide the laps and I said I did the lions share! Actually only two laps more than Martyn so hardly the lions share but Princess Anne found it amusing. As you can imagine he won’t let me forget this!
Thank you to Pedal 2 Pedal sponsors, Bike Fixers, Dog Tag and Grip Grab. Thank you to the organisers who put on an amazing event it was our first Mayhem and I am sure we will be back!
by hattenburrow | Jun 16, 2015 | Racing
Yesterday was my first six hour endurance race, The Merida Summer Monkey, run by Gorrick.
I was quite nervous and not sure what to expect as I lined up with Karen ready for the mass start. I had in mind than I wanted to get a good position going into the singletrack. I got a good start passing other riders and going into the singletrack in a good position.
We were not allowed to pre ride the course which was something I wasn’t used to so I took the singletrack steadily to make sure I was ready for what was coming up!
The course was fantastic made up of twisty singletrack with lots of roots to tackle linked together by fire road, it seemed most of the climbs were fire road too which made them easier, but the chance of being overtaken was increased.
The weather was over cast and there were spots of rain at times, riding for such a long time I was glad for the shelter from the sun, it would of been a lot harder had the sun been out!
I had a plan for my nutrition which was too keep fuelling every 30 minutes, this worked really well I spent the first 3 hours eating real food (malt loaf and bananas) and then moved to energy gels this combination worked well and I felt strong through most of the six hours. I kept my bike bag fully stocked with jelly babies and munched them in between.
As I came into my second lap I had made good time, completing it in 44 minutes, but wondered whether I could sustain this pace. I decide to keep pushing and eating, keeping an eye on my heart rate. I had decided that as long as I stayed aerobic for the majority of the time I would be able to keep going.
The first 3 hours were good fun and I enjoyed learning the course, unlike a cross country course which are short and easy to remember this long circuit kept catching me out as to how much was left to go!
Hours 4 and 5 were hard I spent a long time without seeing any riders and when I would it would be passing them or them passing me too fast for me to stay with them! Having done most of my training alone I am used to my own company luckily. I always find it interesting the places your mind drifts to when you’re in that zone where your feet keep turning and the bike eats up the ground and yet your mind is in a totally different place.
Coming into the pit I was relieved to find out this would be my last lap as my body was starting to feel tired, I ate my remaining jelly babies and pushed on. Half way through the lap was a sharp right hand bend which had caused me no problems for the 7 previous laps but being tired a lapse in concentration sent me sliding along the bank, I didn’t hurt myself but it made me panic I felt sure that I was going to be over taken and after having worked so hard for the last 5 hours and stayed in the lead the last thing I wanted was to blow it now!
I pushed on composing myself, it was just after this I decided I wouldn’t have an energy gel because I was so close to the finish…. This was potentially the wrong move.
Just as I was approaching the last singletrack drop and hard uphill part, a girl came hurtling past me I shouted to find out what category she was in and thought she said 6 hour solo, my body filled with dread and suddenly my legs seemed to have been sapped of energy, I gave it everything I had left to stay with her and although I couldn’t over take her I did manage to stay with her, just about!
I finished the race really happy with my achievement but slightly annoyed at being pipped at the post with so little of the lap to complete. It was then that I found out she was in the 4 hour category solo so I had kept my win.
It wasn’t until podium that I found out I was the only girl in my category so had been competing with girls in other category’s but this didn’t matter, I had worked hard for 6 hours given it everything I could and had consistent lap times.
I came 2nd girl overall for the 6 hour race completing 8 laps which was a total of 56 miles in 6 hours 7 minutes.
A huge thank you to all my supporters including Silverback, Grip Grab, Bike Fixers Portsmouth and Dog Tag.
Lap times:
Lap 1: 44.56
Lap 2: 46.30
Lap 3: 46.27
Lap 4: 46.40
Lap 5: 45.12
Lap 6: 45.35
Lap 7: 47.17
Lap 8: 44.59
by hattenburrow | May 18, 2015 | Racing
This weekend I travelled to Wales for the third round of the British Cycling Cross Country Series. Arriving at the venue on Saturday it was clear there was going to be some good climbs ahead! I set off on my practise lap eager to get in a couple of practises, as the course turned out of the arena you were it with the first climb the first section was a bit muddy this crossed a fire road where it then opened out and started to climb more steeply after the second bend my body was ready for some down! The next section was good fun singletrack weaving through the trees to an A/B line. I felt good so went for the A line it was steep and twisty but as long as you looked ahead and kept the bike moving it was manageable, I made a note to come back and practise it again!
After this came an open fire road and then more climbing! After the second climb came my favourite section a fast descent through the trees with some technical roots and steep off camber sections. The next part included obstacles such as a stream crossing, log jump and a little more climbing!
I felt happy with the course and went and chilled out with Vanessa from Arrow Cycles.
Race day came quickly and I was soon being called into grinding in between Mel and Vanessa on the back row. I got a good start as the riders in front piled into the tight grassy bend I followed Vanessa on the outside, thanks Nessie! I pushed hard on my first climb but as always found this first explosive start left me with a bit of an energy debt which I needed to pay back and climbing this monster hill was not helping me do so!
The singletrack came as a relief and I worked hard to catch the rest of my category with a few riders in sight I kept pushing on, my first two laps seemed to go in a daze, I worked hard to catch and pass Emma and new I needed to get enough distance between us on the climbs as she was fast coming downhill. On the third lap in the final section a girl in the expert category crashed badly in front of me and after moving her bike out of the trail and looking at her knee I decided I had to help her to a Marshall, a few riders including Emma passed me and said they would go get help, thanks to those who did! Heulwen who had crashed and I made our way gingerly down the trail using my bike to support us both until a Marshall came running towards us, I left Heulwen and got back on a little cold but glad she was now in good hands and could get some proper first aid. I carried on but new my next lap would be hard as I felt like my body needed to warm up again!
Overall there were lots of positives from my race, my climbing improved as I went on, where I sometimes find steep off camber turns hard and enjoyed the challenge and felt faster in technical areas.
Also my nutrition was a lot better than usual I managed to eat more pre and post-race and benefited from this.
Thank you Emma for talking to the marshal’s and exchanging places!
Thank you to Bike Fixers for keeping my Silverback Syncra 2 in tip top condition. Thanks also to Grip Grab, Dog Tag and Arrow Cycles for once again adopting me!
Lap times:
Lap 1: 00:25:56
Lap 2: 00:24:43
Lap 3: 00:26:32
Lap 4: 00:26:28
by hattenburrow | May 12, 2015 | Racing
Southern XC Series Round 3 Wasing
After a not so successful round last time I was feeling a little apprehensive about my next race. After spending three hours working on my manuals on Saturday with Scott form Fit in No Time I felt a lot more confident and went out to practice the course on Sunday feeling more confident in my technical ability.
The course was a mix of singletrack and fire road with technical bits dotted through the trees. The first technical A/B line I decide on the B line not too convinced in my ability to manual for the double log drop. There was then a sharp left hand bend to a fire road climb which I found tough but manageable. After the climb the course worked its way back into the woods and soon the next technical feature was in sight this was a series of log steps, after watching someone roll over them I had a go and found, as with most technical ground, keeping momentum was the key to success! I had another go to make sure I was entirely happy and found a slightly better line straight down the middle which felt a bit smoother.
The next A/B/C line which had been heavily featured on social media and was interesting to say the least! I decided the B line was the best option and had two goes to make absolutely certain I was happy.
The rest of the course made its way through the forest with a couple more A/B lines to choose from. I enjoyed the course and felt happy. Lining up on the start I got a good start leaving the arena in 4th place, the first climb was hard on me as it always takes me a while to kick into gear!
I was at the back of the field and got over taken by a few riders, I worked hard to pull them back and by my third lap had overtaken four people (not in my category) my plan was to keep consistent lap times which I accomplished.
I had a slight dilemma on my third lap when I reached for a gel to find they were all gone! They must have dropped out around the course. I had a little bit of a panic but new that all I could do was keep going and just drink more of my High Five 4:1.
Lap times:
Lap 1: 22.24
Lap 2: 22.37
Lap 3: 22.42
Lap 4: 23.14
Lap 5: 23.35
I finished happy with my progress finishing only 12 mins behind Cat Ross which is a huge improvement on two weeks ago! It would have been interesting to see if I had been able to have another gel whether that would of made the difference in my final lap times however, my lap times are a lot more consistent than usual which is one of my targets, so overall my best race so far this year and looking forward to Nationals next week!
Thank you to Southern XC for putting on great courses. Thanks to Karen and Fred for picking me up and cheering me on, well done to Fred who came second in his race Karen who came sixth in hers and Edith who started her first race. Great progress all round for the Pedal 2 Pedal team
Thanks to Grip Grab, Bike Fixers and Dog Tag for your support.
