by hattenburrow | Sep 21, 2017 | Adventure, Biking Adventures, Mountains
Singletrack fun in Solden.
A lazy start with a fantastic breakfast at the Die Berg hotel. We looked out onto a rather drizzly mountain, hoping the sun gods would bless us with some good weather for our endure day.
At intersport I picked up my new ride for the day a Cube Fritzz race enduro bike with 160mm travel on the fork and 27.5 tyres it looked like a serious bit of kit!
Today was the day to try the other side of the mountain. After getting our bikes and heading to the lift, I was glad, in the weather conditions, to have my Grip Grab gloves and shoes covers to help keep me warm.
Arriving at the mid-station at 2,174m we stepped out into a blizzard of snow. I instantly felt the chill in my bones and didn’t need to read the temperature gauge to know it was below freezing.
The trail from the mid-point took my mind off the cold as I cruised down large flowing berms loving the freedom and exhilaration of the smooth trails, constructed by Bike Republic Sölden.
The ‘flow trails’ are man-made with features like board rides, rock crossings and berms. These trails are designed in a way that allows you to flow from feature to feature down the mountain, hence the name. Their flowing lines are cut into the side of the mountain and maintained by a team of trail builders.
We saw a lot of wildlife from deer, stoats and plenty of birds of prey. It is one of the reasons I love biking you can really get close nature and see incredible wildlife you wouldn’t see in a car.
The other thing I love about mountain biking is the ability to go on an adventure, a journey. We traversed the side of the mountain climbing and descending until we got to our lunch stop. A beautiful hut called Gambya Thya at over 300 years old. It had been run by the same family for years, making award winning cheese and ham. We were in for a treat! The quaint wooden hut was filled with ribbons from award winning cows and photos of days gone by. The little rooms were full of character and the family’s welcome arms made me feel warm after being in the fresh alpine air.
We tucked into Austrian delicacies, drank mugs of warming hot chocolate and sipped on schnapps made from pine cones. What more could a mountain biker need on a lunch stop?
Revitalised and well fed we headed out to continue our trail adventure, stamping more lines as we weaved our way down the mountain and back to the valley below.
Wednesday –
Heading to the airport at 1pm it seemed like a missed opportunity not to grab our bikes and head back up the mountain. This gondola was bigger and you could wheel your bike right in and sit next to it. This was much more convenient than trying to balance it on one wheel in the other gondola. Up at the top the view was breath taking. The mountains stood elegantly in the sun, their white rocky peaks towering above the lush green valley below.
The first trail of the day was called Habe line, this was a new section of trail and in places the gravel had not bedded in yet, making the sharp turns a little more challenging. After the top gravelled section we came into a muddy section of berms hitting one a little too fast I has a moment of mud slide and ended up looking like a mud monster on one side! Typical on the day I had to pack to fly home!
A bit like snowboarding having the views and the viability in the mountains made the biking a whole different experience. The trail was dry (in most places) and the bike ate up the ground underneath it, rolling from berm to berm gathering speed before I would break and re focus on the next trail feature.
Breaking out of the forest descent onto a plateau we came across some very friendly alpine cows. They were so inquisitive coming right up to us and even licking one of the guys leg!
My favourite bit of the descent was a board ride snaking its way through the trees and down the mountain side, it was like you were flying through the tree canopy alongside the squirrels. My main challenge was keeping my eyes looking ahead as sometimes through the trees would be the most amazing mountain view, which would grab my attention for a split second as I flew past them.
The flow trails were really good fun. There is a good network of trails suitable for all types of rider, but the trails are not easy and should be treated with respect and not underestimated, after all this is a mountainous playground where the weather can change in a moment so you need to be prepared and understand how to handle your bike in order to stay safe and enjoy the trails.
by hattenburrow | Sep 12, 2017 | Adventure, Biking Adventures
A two day adventure in the Austrian Alps
Monday was the first day visiting Austrian Alps in the picturesque village of Solden nestled in the Tyrol region.
This scenic village is an adventurous paradise with skiing in the winter and mountain biking and hiking in the Summer.
The Solden tourist board (Bike Republic Solden) is creating great infrastructure for biking and I was keen to try it out. So along with fellow mountain biker’s Dave, Martin and Peter we headed out on the first adventure of our trip.
Our first day in Solden was spent testing e-bikes. I had a Hai AllMtn with 150mm travel weighing in at a hefty 25 kilos I was glad I wouldn’t be needing to ‘hike a bike’ anywhere!
We hired our Hai e-bikes from intersport in the village and set off to the pump track with our guide Alex, from Bike School Ride On. As a coach I was very impressed that instead of heading straight to the trails he talked about bike techniques and we used the pump track for him to give us feedback on our riding technique.
We then headed up the mountain towards our first trail, Monday was trying the ‘silent side’ of the mountain where there are no lifts so under our own steam, with the help from the e-bikes we headed swiftly onwards and upwards.
Having never ridden an e-bike before I was pleasantly surprised, the motor works when you’re pedalling and has four settings eco +, eco, standards and high depending on how much assistance you need depends on which setting.
The e-bike made easy work of the Alpine climbs, I used the standard and eco settings mainly, rolling up the gravel paths at an easy 16km the climb to the top took no time at all which was great I can really see the benefit of an e-bike for long days climbing in the alps for those who don’t have the needed fitness levels for such demanding climbs.
The first trail of the day was a black run called Jagers Notweg, Bike Park Solden have introduced a passport system where riders can collect stamps of each trail they have ridden in return for goodies, neat huh!
This was a natural trail with sharp, steep corners which I found a little too technical for my liking. I had to walk sections with the bike and this was really hard work the e-bike weighs almost half of me so lugging it around the trail was cumbersome.
The natural trails were brilliant, if not a little testing, with steep sections, rock shoots, lots of tree routes and the odd hiker to contend with. All natural trails are shared rights of way so you need to be alert and respect other trail users.
Jagers Notweg – the start of this black trail lulls you into a false sense of security as you traverse a very pleasant path with trees on both sides. The trail soon turns into a testing singletrack with hairpin turns, jagged rocks waiting to pinch either you or your tyre and roots at the most unhelpful of angles. The days previously it had rained which had made both rocks and roots slick and the payment for getting things wrong on this tiny trail was not worth thinking about so there was a lot of negotiating on foot this is where e-biking was an issue weighing in at around 58kg my bike at 25kg was nearly half my weight and keeping myself and it upright was a work out in itself.
Just as you think this little singletrack has thrown all it can at you, you reach a bridge and then a 10 minute climb to the double track path. Delighted to reach the top Dave and I chilled and chatted about our attempt at the most technical trail in the whole of Bike Republic Solden, happy to have that stamp in our passports we headed onwards and upwards. I was happy to have some assistance from the e-bike which plodded along nicely in eco mode my feet turning the pedals around 80rpm. Sometimes forgetting I had assistance at all until I stopped pedaling and the bike would coast along like a normal bike losing power. With an e-bike the more power you put in the more it gives back.
We then headed back up towards our lunch spot at Kleble Alm, a typical Austrian chalet serving delicious Goulash Soup. Batteries re-charged we headed down the Kaiser trail and back towards the village.
Overall I would say e-bikes have a great place within mountain biking to help those who don’t have the fitness level to have access to the outdoors and go on adventures.
Tomorrow is Enduro day using the uplift to get to the top and enjoying the flow trails on the way down.
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by hattenburrow | Aug 3, 2017 | Biking Adventures, Racing
Mud bath. Just about covers the weather for my first ever 24 hour solo race. Pivot 24:12 is based at Newnham Park in Plymouth, an old mountain bike cross-country course I have ridden sections of it before and was excited to return.
A mixture of wet weather and a dog who likes to try and go through the side of the tent meant an early start Saturday morning to travel down to the venue.
We arrived into a wet campsite full of brightly coloured tents, loud music and plenty of bikes. The event had a real festival feel to it and a friendly atmosphere. We pitched the tent on the side of the course and I prepared my food and drink for the next 24 hours. I was going to try and stay on natural foods and had plenty of dates, salted peanuts, malt loaf, bananas and cheese scones. I also had Cliff shot bloks and SIS energy gels. Hydration wise I had Dirolyte which is a great as it doesn’t taste of anything but replaces all your electrolytes.
My plan for the race was to ride for 7 hours until 7pm then have a hot food break and then continue to 1am when I would have a little sleep before continuing again around 4am. As this was my first 24 hour race my goal was to survive and ride for over 15 hours. Knowing my body I knew I needed to have some sleep in order to keep going until mid-day on Sunday. So I would break up two riding stints with a nap.
Plan in place, number board attached and food in my pocket I headed to the start line.
A key area I need to work on is getting to these mass starts earlier! I was way down the field which meant as soon as the race started I had to work hard to get through the crowds of riders, some in sumo suit fancy dress, this wasted valuable time. I didn’t let it worry me though I kept checking my heart rate and reminding myself to pace it, after all this was a marathon not a sprint.
The course was a 14km loop which consisted of one main gravel hill climb (The Cliff Climb), lots of fast twisty singletrack through woods, a bomb hole run, a river crossing and a grassy descent. If it had been dry this would have been a really fast course, the rain however had other ideas. As the laps added up so did the amount of mud you had to push yourself through, I had to stop a few times to unclog mud from my gears but apart from that I was feeling strong and going well. I had stuck to my food plan and was drinking as much as I could, the mud was making drinking hard my water bottle tops were caked in mud, so I was drinking muddy water some of the time which wasn’t pleasant. Martyn would get out snacks ready for me and fill my water bottles up. Having a good support crew is really important for endurance racing you need people ready to wash down your bikes, sort out food and keep egging you on when you start to flag. Luckily I had pitched next to a mechanic who helped me out with washing the mud off my bike and oiling my chain to keep things working. Thank you bikecity.biz
On my third lap I was making my way back into the arena when I heard a crunch, stopping, I saw that my rear mech and hanger were caught in my wheel. The only thing I could do was get off and carry my bike until I made it to the arena where I got some help, frustratingly I had to have a new rear mech which was an expensive and timely process! I took this opportunity to have some warm food and change my soaking wet clothes.
Back in the saddle feeling a little flustered I made my way back to where I had come off course and continued.
The night shift.
At 8pm as planned I pulled off and had a hot food break and a well needed cup of tea before fixing on my Exposure lights and heading back out. In the dark the course felt different the rain sounded louder and the descents were harder. After the Cliff climb was the motivation station reaching this point where the gazebo, dressed in fairy lights boomed out loud music was one of my favourite places on the course it was just before a long wooded section which in the dark was eerie and mysterious. It felt longer and there seemed to be no one else around as I made my way through the mist. I was soon joined by a twinkling light up ahead and had to work hard to catch them for the long fire road descent which took us back up to the motivation station before swooping off down more singletrack.
Once I had got over the idea I might get eaten by the bogey man, riding at night is an interesting experience your other senses come to life as your eyes adjust to the change in lighting I could hear the rain clearly, the crunch of a branch I was suddenly aware of the water dripping down my face and the cold in my fingertips. I felt alive.
To enjoy mountain biking at night you need a good set of lights, ideally a head torch and a handle bar mounted light this helps increase your field of vision. Having a head torch is great and the Exposure Joystick I was using was great through the wooded sections and bomb holes as it allows you to move the light in the direction you need it. On my handle bars I had an Exposure Strada which created a large field of vision in front of my bike.
Nearing the end of my second dark lap I had lost all use of my back brake because of the mud and was having to manage my speed with my front brake, starting to feel tired as well I decided to pop into the mechanic tent to get it looked at.
Riding into the arena the rain was being blown sideways under the big lights it was easier to see just how heavily it was coming down.
I stood in a queue to wash the mud off my bike and then took it to the mechanics tent where I waited under the light trying to keep warm. Teeth chattering away I made the decision to have a well-earned rest for a few hours, so after my brake was fixed I headed back to the tent, put some oil on my chain and peeled each sodden layer off. I have never been so muddy! A quick baby wipe shower got most of the mud from my arms, legs and head. My plait was caked in mud and I decided to embrace the mud and get some sleep, after a midnight snack of cheese scone and blueberry muffin of course! It took me ages to stop shivering my whole body was frozen, Luna (the dog) was a great foot warmer.
4am. The alarm started ringing but not quite loud enough to drown out the rain on the tent, I decided to have another hours sleep… 5am I slowly wiggled my way into dry clothes and sorted my bike out as Martyn made porridge and a cup of tea.
Making my way back to the arena to start another lap I felt re-energized, my mood boosted by the appearance of the sun and blue sky! I set off on what was meant to be my first of five laps… The mud had turned to gloop not dissimilar from trying to ride through pva glue and it wasn’t long before I was pushing my bike up a sticky climb at the top I jumped back on, pushed down on the pedal and heard the heart sinking cracking sound. I didn’t need to look, I knew what had just happened although part of my brain would not register there was a problem. I got off and pushed my bike further around the course stopping before the climb to assess the problem. My derailleur was bent out of shaped but had flung itself back I unclogged all the mud, three pedal revolutions later I was back with my feet on the ground unclogging yet again. This time the bend in the derailleur looked worrying, for a split second I wondered if I could push my bike round… that’s not a good idea the rational part of my brain decided and so it was with great frustration that I walked back to the arena with my, yet again, poorly bike.
The mechanics couldn’t fix the issue and had no more rear mechs to buy so my race was over. I felt disappointed that I couldn’t finish my race the way I had planned but the lesson learnt was that you can’t plan for everything and sometimes things happen which are beyond our control and we have to just go with the flow. (I am not usually good at doing this). I washed my bike down and headed for a shower. Martyn made me a cup of tea which I enjoyed in the sun as he packed the car. Leaving the arena I decided to just see where I came as I dropped off my exposure lights and couldn’t quite believe it said second place! I needed a second opinion so ran to the car and got Martyn who confirmed that yes my eyes were in good working order.
I was really shocked and felt a little bit of a fraud as I had only done 9 laps and had a nice sleep so hadn’t been through the sheer pain and suffering some had. I worked hard for those 9 laps and had solid lap times which I am really happy with. I need to practise getting to the starts earlier which I think will help my overall position.
I enjoyed my first 24 hour race the conditions were super tough but I kept positive and kept pedalling (until my bike broke) I think this event will be one to add to the calendar for next year.
Top tips for a 24 hour mountain bike race:
- See it as an adventure, enjoy the ride
- Have a good person to help you out and motivate you
- Have a selection of snacks you never know what you might crave at 2am
- If the weather looks like it might be wet take lots of changes of clothes it’s better to spare some time to get warm and dry (don’t forget dry gloves and socks)
- Have a plan / goal
by hattenburrow | Jul 27, 2017 | Biking Adventures, Nutrition, Training
On Saturday I will be racing 24 hours solo in the Pivot 24:12 at Newnham Park in Plymouth.
I am not sure physically or mentally if my body is ready for what I am about to put it through but then again I am not sure you can ever be 100% ready for anything which is demanding mentally and physically all you can be is prepared for all eventualities.
I haven’t really had a chance to think about the race properly until this week when I went to start packing and suddenly felt a wave of excitement/panic about what I have to do.
It will be one of the biggest races I have ever taken part in and as it stands my goal is to just complete it.
I know my body isn’t great with no sleep so my plan is to try and ride as much as I can during the day and then at night every 3 hours take a little break and if I get super tired maybe an hour power nap which hopefully will re-charged the batteries enough to get back on again!
My friend asked, so what do you pack when you’re going to be in the saddle for 24 hours the answer is a lot!
Clothing wise I have a shorts and jersey change for every 6 hours on top of this I have a selection of Grip Grab arm and leg warmers some light weight and some rain proof!
One thing I know from experience is cold feet mean a cold body so I have 7 pairs of socks for over the 24 hours. I will also be taking two pairs of shoes and over shoes just in case!
For my top half I have a hat to go under my helmet and a base layer along with two warm jackets and a waterproof.
Being able to change into dry and comfortable clothes will make the whole situation more bearable. I hope!
Overnight I will be using Hope lights to light up the trail these are good lights and I will be using a head torch as well as a handle bar mount for optimal lighting.
Nutrition:
During the race I will try and eat as much natural food as possible I will supplement this with gels when I need too. My plan is to eat around 60g or carbohydrate an hour which is the equivalent to 1 banana, 1 energy gel and 2 large dates. This is a lot of food but if I eat enough I should be able to maintain my energy levels for the duration.
From experience I will crave savoury foods so hot snacks when I stop will include pot noodles, porridge pots and cheese sandwiches and maybe some ham and olives!
I will be drinking mainly water but have some Vitamin C tablets and Dirolyte as well to keep on top of my electrolyte replacement.
Every new challenge brings a new experience and opportunity to learn something about myself, my ability as a cyclist and to push my body out of its comfort zone.
See you on the other side. x
by hattenburrow | Jul 14, 2017 | Adventure, Biking Adventures
Last year I took on my biggest challenge yet. The Trans Alp Bike Race, the toughest amateur Mountain Bike stage race in Europe.
My team mate Michelle and I spent seven days doing battle up mountain passes, riding through valley floors and dropping down breath-taking descents as we crossed from Austria to Italy. We passed through 3 countries, climbed over 17,000mts, (which equates to climbing Mount Everest twice) and rode 521km.
Albeit spectacular, The Trans Alp was far tougher than I imagined both mentally and physically. No training in the UK can prepare you for exhausting 2,000m climbs. As a team we burnt around 70,000 calories, went through 4 sets of brake pads, ate mountains of bananas and watermelon, consumed 36 energy gels from High 5 and SIS, drank around 4.5L a day and spent 44 hours in the saddle.
The months after the Trans Alp took me by surprise I was the fittest I had ever been but my motivation to train or even ride my bike seemed to have gone. I felt like something was missing from my life and I felt drained on enthusiasm.
I pulled out of Torq 12:12 as once by body started to relax out of training I started to get ill with colds. This was my only goal after the Alps now I started to feel like I had failed.
I felt unhappy with the way I felt and constantly beat myself up about how I was feeling but nothing seemed to pull me out of the black whole I had fallen into.
Having an operation in November and six weeks off exercise didn’t help my mood and stress levels. Finally around Christmas my boyfriend Martyn had the genius idea of climbing Mont Blanc for our 30th Birthdays in 2017. This was the first push I needed to get back to feeling inspired and motivated towards a new goal and new challenges.
Since finishing the Trans Alp I found the Tough Girl podcast which also has helped! I listened to inspiring women who had been on epic adventures and had come back and felt exactly like I did. Phew! This normalized the way I had felt and helped me to move past these feelings and look to the future.
So, what does it feel like to race a stage race?
I can’t quite put it into a sentence the mental and physical strain on training six days a week around running your own business and working full time, it was immense and I am in complete awe of everyone who puts themselves through this, I salute you! The Trans Alp changed my life, it gave me a new perception on hard work, team work and the dedication needed to be at the top of your game when it counts.
Since getting over my little post-race blip I feel more determined to make the most out of life and the adventures it throws at me. I am now focused on building my coaching business and starting to work with more women to help them achieve their cycling goals.
by hattenburrow | Jun 22, 2017 | Adventure, Biking Adventures, Hotel Reviews, Kitesurfing
Tarifa sits at the Southernmost tip of Spain, where the Mediterranean sea meets the Atlantic ocean. It smiles at Morocco across the Gibraltar Straight which splits Europe from North Africa. With its long sandy beaches and rolling countryside Tarifa is an adventurer’s paradise with plentiful opportunities to have fun in and out of the water.
The town of Tarifa is a quaint fishing port with narrow cobbled streets. Tumbling jasmine and beautiful wrought-iron rejas make Tarifa old town a charming place for a stroll and a great place to stumble into one of its many Tapas bars for a delicious bite to eat.
The ‘new town’ in Tarifa adds a different element to this laid back fishing town with is rows of surf shops, bike rental places and an international vibe.
Where to stay.
For our trip we stayed at the Ocean Nature Lodge about 6km from Tarifa town. The hotel sits back from the road with views over the beach and mountains.
Stepping into the main hotel building it had a fresh, laid back vibe and we felt instantly at home. The hotel had a restaurant which served breakfast, lunch and dinner. A bar which was open all day serving hot and cold drinks, the fresh orange juice was my favourite. During our stay Martyn and I spent time drinking and playing games on the veranda at the front of the hotel overlooking the sea.
The hotel complex included self-contained ‘bungalows’ which looked like great places for groups of friends or couples wanting more privacy.
There was also a nice pool, gym (which wasn’t open when we were there), on site bike hire with Scott Bikes and kite school making it easy to rent gear or have lessons.
The staff where so helpful, they made us feel like friends rather than guests, and they were very patient as we practised our broken Spanish each day.
Our Room.
Our room overlooked the sea. On more than one occasion I found myself sitting on the bed staring out at the palms blowing in the gusty wind and watching the colourful kites dance on the water below.
The room followed the chilled out beach vibe with open wardrobe, roller door and white washed wood a plenty.
The room was a reasonable size with a balcony, nice comfy double bed and amazing waterfall shower in the wet room.
Restaurant.
Breakfast was not included in our room price and cost 12 euros a day but was well worth it. A fresh selection of pastries, croissants, hams, cheeses and fruit. You could also have cooked eggs with bacon or omelettes cooked to order each morning. This was a nutritious way to start an action packed day exploring the nature reserves or playing on the water.
Lunch was simple but delicious; with a small menu selection of salad, sandwiches and mini burgers all the food was well cooked and prepared to a high standard.
Evening meals were a real treat. The menu was small but the choices were cooked to perfection. I had the tuna, caught using the Almadraba method a style of fishing using a circle of boats and nets, a practice which has not changed since the Phoenician times, over 2000 years ago. It was cooked pink and served with an variety of vegetables and new potatoes, as requested by me.
Martyn had the pork cheeks which were melt-in-your mouth tender and came with a butternut squash and greens.
Puddings were also incredible my favourite was a melting ball of cocoa which uncovered a rich chocolate, orange and nut cake with a rich dark chocolate sauce and candied fruits it was the perfect end to any meal.
Scott Test Centre – Mountain Biking Tarifa
Ocean lodge is a Scott bike test centre with a fleet of bikes including, road, mountain and e-bikes to try out in the stunning countryside.
We chose to hire Scott Spark mountain bikes which were super light and great fun! Our ride started early to avoid the mid-day sun. The ride started, as every good mountain bike ride should, with a climb.
We traversed the side of the hill until we reached the top, the winding gravel surface kicked up dust in the balmy heat of the morning and we were soon stopping to admire the view and catch our breath. We had hired a guide to explore the 600 kilometre National Park, which turned out to be a sensible idea as off-road it was a rabbit warren of trails and paths and knowing where the best single track was required local knowledge.
The advantage with going high was being able to make the most of the stunning views out across the Atlantic with Morocco a hazy shadow in the background.
Our route was around 25km in total and the perfect way to enjoy the single track Tarifa has to offer. I would love to go back and do more biking soon.
Tips for biking in Tarifa:
- Go with a guide or use Bike Map to download routes so you don’t get too lost
- Know where you can get water from if you go alone
- Early mornings or evenings tend to be cooler
- Sun cream is a must
- Pump your tyres a little harder for the climbs and then let a little out for the descents
- E-bikes are a great way to enjoy the countryside without so much effort on the climbs
Kitesurfing Tarifa
I had lessons with Kite Force Kiteschool who are linked to the hotel. It was super easy to book my lessons via email and on arrival we worked out the ideal times due to wind and conditions. A friendly instructor met me at the hotel and took me to the beach for each lesson. To read about my kite surfing lessons click here.
