by hattenburrow | Jun 25, 2013 | Racing
Mud Sweat and gears Round Four Ickworth House
On Sunday 16th June, my Dad and I headed to Ickworth house in Bury St Edmunds for the next round of Mud Sweat and Gears mountain bike series
I was not feeling in great form after doing very little the previous weeks due to packing up and moving house, so didn’t feel too confident going into the race.
On riding the course there were some technical bomb holes, which I enjoyed, and a lot of fast flat single track. Luckily after the Nationals in Hopton two weeks previous the hills felt easy in relation to the monster hill at the start of that National race.
I watched Dad go off in the open category and then it was my turn.
The organisers changed the line up from lining up next to each other to one behind the other, this worked in my favour as it put me on the front line.
The race started and I felt happy out in front, when we got closer to the first single track section I could feel Alex Nichol (Team CCN/ Torq/ Chain Reaction/ Streetlife -) try to come past me so I sprinted away and managed to stay in the lead. Alex pushed me at every opportunity she could to overtake, but I held her off until we reached the biggest hill in the race which was muddy and had logs and stones making it hard to pick and stick with one line. Having rode the course earlier on the left hand side I knew the right hand side was actually a clearer line and easier option so I stuck with the right hand side even though it meant hopping over some logs. This created a large gap between Alex and I as she stuck with the left hand side. I over took a lot of men in the open category and kept pushing forward not prepared to give up my first place position now!
On approaching the second bomb hole I was aware that on the practise lap a girl had fallen as it was slippery from the rain. On my practise lap I had done the chicken route and gone back and rode the technical line too. I decided to take the technical line as this would save me time, as long as I didn’t come off! This worked well and put more time between Alex and myself.
Knowing that Alex had done a lot of longer endurance races I kept pushing during my second and third laps to make sure I had a big enough gap between us. Once I felt comfortable I had achieved this I just worked on riding the fastest, safest race I could. I was feeling tired by my fourth lap so had to ease off on the pace and look for the quickest line and not make any errors which would lose me time.
Overall I feel so happy with my performance I was relieved to cross the line in first place and although I felt tired I felt like if I had to, I could have done another lap. My heart rate overall was an average of 170 and max of 183.
My lap times were more consistent than they have been which I am happy with. However this is something I still want to improve on. I finished the race 9 mins 48 seconds ahead of Alex who came in second.
The race took me 1 hour 34 mins and was around 16 miles long. Lap times: 17.46, 19.15, 18.55, 19.27, 19.29
Dad was happy with his performance too coming in 66th out of 93 riders in the open category. He thoroughly enjoyed his Father’s day racing and his Mercedes Vito Sport racing jersey I gave him! The Fathers day treat of a carvery on the way home was welcomed by us both after a tough but gratifying race.
by hattenburrow | Jun 6, 2013 | Racing
On Saturday Martyn and I travelled down to Hopton Castle, Shropshire so I could compete in round three of the British Cross Country Nationals.
I decided to ride the course on the Saturday giving more time to practise. I walked parts of the course whilst Martyn raced in the open category. This was to really help me on the technical downhill sections, knowing where to enter the corners and noting any routes that may be tricky!
Riding the course was good fun but challenging the course went straight up for the first couple of kilometres. First on a cart track and then after a small open flat sections onto a gruelling climb up grassy and rooty single track. This was going to be the hardest part of the race and potentially the part where the race would be won or lost due to my ability to go up hills faster than my opponents.
(Having been to Wales recently) The downhill sections where fun and I felt comfortable riding them as they were similar to things I had previously ridden and quite recently ridden in Wales.
After having my practice lap, I felt confident about my ability to ride the course and potentially win!
The next day started early with the race starting at 9:30 we got down early so I could warm up.
The race started and was very bunched up as we all headed up the hill into the first left bend, I pushed on and was sitting quite comfortably in third. However we reached the next sharp right hand bend and I cut the corner and slipped which cost me time but I pushed on. (The next grassy climbed as I though really split the group up ) does not make sense and I pushed on into the next bit of single track downhill where a lapse in concentration cost me dearly as I came off and then had to wait for everyone to go by, before I could get back on safely. This lost me my third place and put me in last position.
I pushed on and over the course of my second lap regained a lot of lost time and actually pulled ahead of Fiona Innes (RAF) to regain third place, this happened on the second section of hill where I was able to put a big distance between the two of us.
I kept pushing on hard and taking the downhill bits steadily as to not make any errors which could result in me loosing time.
I finished the last section of downhill and rode back into the arena relieved to have finished as it had been very demanding on my endurance skills.
A tragic mistake! I believed once passed the time lapse truck I had gone through the finish, this was not the case! And as I watched in horror, from the other side of the barrier which I had crossed and saw Fiona taking third place. I crossed back into the arena to finish the race feeling very frustrated about how I could make such a blinding error which cost me dearly.
Overall this race showed where my weaknesses lie and where I need to improve, including my ability to push harder uphill and turn sharper and quicker both on downhill and uphill.
These are points I am now working on ready for the next race.
After this race I am now sitting in third position in the sport category overall.
by hattenburrow | May 21, 2013 | Racing
Mud Sweat and Gears Round two
On Sunday I traveled to Thetford forest for the third race in the Mud Sweat and Gears series.
I was looking forward to this race but felt a little nervous as the course was going to be mainly flat and fast, which doesn’t play to my strengths. We arrived in sunshine which was good as I had been expecting rain. yay!
The course was as predicted, very flat with some good twisty sections of single track which weaved through the trees and back onto open fields and cart tracks. The course was not technically demanding but the lack of hills and technical sections meant it was all about maintaining speed.
I knew I had to go out as fast as possible to hit the first section of single track as close to the lead as I could. This worked really well and I maintained second position behind Melanie Paddington (EHF Racing) throughout the four laps of the race.
I felt strong and although fast paced races don’t usually suite me I think knowing that I had to just keep driving on to try and catch Mel helped my motivation and kept me pushing forward. I also wanted to try and catch up with my Dad racing in the open race which had set off earlier.
I had been training on pushing a bigger gear and maintaining cadence so kept this in mind on my laps. I kept checking my watch after each lap and trying to keep my lap times consistent this worked very well with my lap times coming in at 20 mins, 21.36 mins, 21.38 mins and 22.08 mins meaning I only gained around 2 mins in laps, this is something I am going to work on but feel happy about my progress so far.
The course was 17.86 miles, which is the longest race i have done and it took me 1 hour 26 mins to complete.
Really happy to maintain my second place standing within the Mud Sweat and Gears series, but still chasing that first place!
After this race overall i’m sitting in third place nationally. Looking forward to the next race.
My dad also took part in the open category and loved it, his lap times were slower than mine (what a relief either I would never live it down) and he came in 57th place out of 96 which I think for his first race was not bad, although I know he wants to improve on this next time.
by hattenburrow | May 5, 2013 | Racing
British Cycling National MTB Cross-Country Series Round Two 28th April
On Saturday Martyn and I travelled down to Wheal Maid Valley, Redruth, Cornwall so I could compete in my first Nationals of the season.
After a five hour drive we made it to Cornwall and decided to take a trip to the beach to grab some lunch before heading to Redruth to ride the course.
Riding the course went well, there was some steep drops in the A routes (more direct line) of the course, but I felt confident that I could ride most of them. I had a fall on a steep uphill which dented my confidence a bit but I felt ready for the next day and had decided on which A and B routes I would take on race day. After riding the course we headed back to the hotel for an early night.
The next day was an early start as the race started at 9.30 and I wanted to have a good warm up.
I felt strong going into the race and after the first lap was only 11 seconds behind Fiona Innes (Royal Air Force CC).
The course was technical and pushed my comfort zone. I was using the A routes to my advantage and catching up with Fiona, then a small lapse in concentration sent me over my handle bars on a fast flat bit, ending up with my face down bumping along the gravel. The marshall got me up and I sat down while she looked at my foot, which hadn’t released from my pedal, but it was fine. I decided I could still race and new I only had to ride one and a half laps to get my points even if it meant giving up first place.
I got back on and although my left side was sore and my knee rather cut I carried on. It wasn’t until I got down the next part of the course and over the lake that I went to change down gear to find my gear lever had snapped off, which meant I had to carry on the race in the middle cog on the front. This made it hard work, but I eventually had nearly completed my second lap when yet again more bad news, I rode round a corner into a wooded section and the bike slid from under me, I knew that feeling flat tyre! By this time I felt my race was over, having already dropped to third. I felt so frustrated about coming all this way and only having a lap to go. It was then that another rider rode past and thankfully gave me her “Ultra Instant Bike Tire Inflator Sealer”, which was an amazing relief I was able to pump up my tyre with the foam and get on with my race, so thank you so much for that!
I managed to gingerly finish my third lap and in the process actually regained my second place standing which I was delighted about, only to hit a steep uphill and not be able to fight off the competition due to a lack of gears! I gave it everything I had but in the end decided that third place and finishing was better than nothing. I ended the race running as my tyre went down for a second time. Completing my three laps in 1 hour 25 mins.
After this race I am now sitting in third position in the sport category overall. Not bad for my first season.
by hattenburrow | Apr 24, 2013 | Racing
Mud Sweat and Gears Round Two Codham Park – 21st April 2013
On Sunday I travelled to a rather sunny Braintree for the second race in the Mud Sweat and Gears Eastern Series at Codham Park.
This was probably one of the most fun but demanding races yet this season. The pre ride of the course highlighted several features which would need extra attention, including a steep grassy bank, technical singe track sections and a rock garden.
The course started off down a gravel track before making its way over fields and into the first part of single track which led you up to a steep grassy bank. After the bank the course again made its way across fields and into a section of wooded single track, ending with a stream crossing, before again heading back up a grassy hill. The next section was by far the most enjoyable as the course headed downhill towards the BMX track, it was really good fun.
The following section was a technical single track with steep drops, hard climbs and a rock garden thrown in for an added bit of interest. All in all this course picked up the mountain biking play book and threw as much at you as it could in a 6 kilometre loop.
After a strong start I was lying in second place trailing behind Melaine Melanie? Paddington (EHF Racing) and briefly over took her, only to find myself very quickly back in second place. After trying to keep on her back wheel for a while i made a silly mistake resulting in my chain coming off and having to stop to put it back on, losing valuable ground on her.
On my first two laps I felt strong but due to another error of mistakenly taking the “chicken run ” through the last section of singletrack i lost more valuable time.
I kept pushing on and knew that Alex Nichol (Team CCN) was not far behind me and this helped spur me on, determined not to loose my second position.
I finished the 15 mile course in 1 hour 39 mins and my heart rate data shows that I was maxing out nearly all the way round.
Things to take away from the race:
> slower cadence bigger gear to try and get more speed
> work on long grassy hill climbs, need more power
>wear sun cream!
All in all I’m really happy with this result and buzzing for the British Cycling Nationals in Redruth next weekend. Bring it on.
Fingers crossed for more sunshine!
by hattenburrow | Mar 20, 2013 | Racing
Mud Sweat and Gears Round One Tunstal Forest – 17th March 2013
Today was my first competitive race of the season, I competed in the Mud, Sweat and Gears Eastern regional round one.
I came into this race not in top form after suffering a fall, which left me unable to put in any training in the last couple of weeks.
The course was nine miles in length and the female sport category had to do three laps. The course weaved its way through the forest, and was made up of singletrack paths and wide open cart tracks. The technical element of this course was not in the riding as such but in maintaining speed as there was several opportunities to over take. In terms of technical riding there was one bomb hole that tested my ability to stay upright in the mud, luckily I succeed this on all three laps giving me an advantage against people taking the much longer ‘chicken’ route. Overall the course was good and tested my speed and endurance, something which I will be working on ready for the next round.
I completed the race in 1 hour 22 minutes, with my first lap being the fastest, completed in 26 minutes. I came second overall in my category which I am very pleased with as going into the race I was not sure I would even be able to complete it, yet alone end up with a podium finish. All in all a great day.
In reflection I think if I had been in top form today I could of knocked five minuets off my time.
