soggy rd 2

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BY: phil Morris

Published: 27th January, 2013

Today was the rescheduled soggy bottom, down in Plymouth. It had been cancelled due to the heavy snow last weekend and fortunately we were still able to make this weekend. However, the challenge now was the flooding, not snow!

Kids dropped at Nannie and bampy's for the day and husband and wife xcracer.com team, were on route, quickly diverted in our own town Builth Wells, due to the river bu1rsting its banks!! Good start hey! After going through quite a few little floods and observing some very burst rivers on route we made it in 3 and a half hours. Not the best for ya legs, just before a race, but a must in our eyes. We were met with beautiful sunshine and clear skies. What more could we ask for? Music? Yes we had that too. Gotta love Soggy Bottoms, friendly, super atmosphere, great courses, timing and commentary!!

We headed off to sign on, chatted to a few friends had a quick catch up with Boss Martyn Salt!

Number board attached to the bike, kitted up I head off for a little spin, to gauge my gears for the cliff climb (killer climb!!). Having never ridden t Newnham before I was a little unsure of the route, but I didn't feel I had the energy to do a practice lap as well as my race. I got back to the car and Phil had been all the way around, he described it nicely for me, "gonna be a tricky one dear!!" "muddy too". Great, nothing like giving me the ebby gebbies before start! It wasn't long and it was race time. The women's masters field was looking flush too, 5 or 6!! Yikes, I knew they were all dam good riders and my aim was to get around, not coming last, enjoy it and if I'm honest I would like to push the boat out and beat Wendy Chapman( who I had a good battle with at Forest of Dean last year!!).

We went off with the male masters, straight up the climb, with it loose under foot I was concentrating hard on not spinning out and sitting it out, grinding to the top! I was first in my cat up to the top and off I headed, shortly followed by Wendy, who got past me before ewe got to the cottage return downhill. Very muddy, rooty, with the odd rock thrown in just to keep you on your toes. Having to really pick ya lines all the way, then across the bottom, sludge through the thick gloopy mud. It was a slog, in amongst it Emma came past and I was in third. It was hurting but I always find the first lap the hardest, then I just get a rhythm going. Me and Wendy played cat and mouse on the first lap, but she came through just in front of me. Up the cliff climb again, I got past her and maintained in front, although for most of the lap she was not far behind. I pushed on and the field drag and then the field climb, was just zapping!! Then I was boosted by "go on dear!!" ok, I'll push a little harder, blowing out my backside as it was!!! Then the lovely flowing downhill and slippy, tricky descent down to the tarmac. Then out and across the bridge, having to keep an eye on what I was doing, one false move and I was gonna be down! Back along the river and up into the arena, for the last lap. I was in 2nd place and I couldn't hear or see Wendy anymore. In my mind it was just keep pushing hard, don't give up, you never know what might happen. I could feel I was going faster on the second and third lap, keep having jelly babies and I will get there. I just didn't want any little surprises behind me! When I got to the filed climb, I kind of knew that all I need to do was not to fall off and keep going at the pace I was, I couldn't see any women in front or behind. Only the odd male, looking bewildered that a woman was passing them!! Love it!

 

 

What a feeling coming into the finish, with my hubster waiting for me and coming in 2^nd place. First race of the year and a very hard, but enjoyable one. Quick wash and change and it was podium time!!

Thank you to all Martyn's crew and marshals, basically anyone involved, faultless as always. Also thanks girls for a tough challenge and well done. Next weekend we are racing a bit closer to home at Red Kite Events Round 3 at Coed Trallwm, Abergwesyn.

 

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