Race to the Start line

BY: Sophie Halhead

Published: 11th March, 2019

I'm going to be totally honest and confess that I've never been the best at making it to the start of a race on time, and even missed gridding once - at the Builth Wells British National XC in 2017. Oops. There always seems to be so much to get sorted - warm up, tyre pressures, chain lube, water bottles, nutrition, kit, spares etc etc....The list always seemed far more extensive than in my rugby playing days, when I just had to put a rugby shirt on and lace my boots. Of course, nothing to do with having a team bus, 21 others and a manager to ensure I made it to kick off of a rugby match on time!

But now...there's an extra challenge to add to that list... a 5 month old baby....

On to another confession... I completely underestimated the effect that having a baby would have on my body and core. I'll spare the details, but with the baby weighing 10lb 13 oz it wasn't entirely without complications. Thankfully, it didn't affect my motivation and determination to get race fit again (well, perhaps only increasing it). Training and returning to fitness has been going well thanks to the support and guidance from Andy Wadsworth at BW Cycling, who is tackling the challenge of getting me back into shape. I was deemed 'ready enough' to get back between the tapes, so I eagerly sought out a decent event to test my fitness, skill, and..errr..ability to get to the start line!

My search found one of the Offcamber races in Dorset. I'd heard good things about the course, and persuaded my husband Tom to come along with the tempting offer that he could get some training in by biking back to Bristol afterwards.... (lucky him!)

It was an early start to get the car loaded up, baby fed and all of us ready to go, but we made it to Inside Park, a caravan and campsite near Blandford Forum, complete with MTB course. The Offcamber organisers were super friendly and chatty - as were all of the other riders I met, both before, during and after the race.

I managed to pop out onto the course for a bit of a recce and warm up before the race, but didn't manage to ride it all of it - I've made that mistake before then had a big panic to try and get round the course / navigate back to the start without getting lost. After a quick briefing, the race started with a lead out along a road and then up a track climb, before heading into single track. The course just kept giving; awesome twisty (and progressively slippy) single track in the trees, two A/B lines with jumps including a gap jump, roots, punchy climbs, drops, mini rock garden....and....rain, hail and wind. A lot of wind.

I'm so pleased that I chose the Offcamber race - super course, super friendly and I will definitely be heading there again. Although as I've been raving about the event to Tom so much, maybe it'll be me who is biking home next time!

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