XC Racer Blog Post
Welsh round 1
Share on Facebook Share on TwitterBY: Donna Morris
Published: 9th March, 2014
Welsh MTB series round one
After having appaling weather since I don't know when, this past week I have actually managed to go for a few road rides in somewhere near nice weather. But the forecast for the weekend was predicted to be warm and to my surprise it certainly was, the sun shone and I managed to race in shorts, short sleeve top and no gloves!!
We headed off nice and early as Racey Rae wanted to race. Arriving at the top if Caerphilly mountain, still with the sun beaming and a full looking car park. After signing on it was evident that there were strong fields and the sun had brought out lots of women and was all round, probably the biggest field I have seen in the welsh.
The testing under eight's course was completed and Hali-Rae had a lovely little race, lots of mud, a few hairy moments and a few huffs and puffs!
Phil went for a quick recce when Hali Rae's had finished and then I managed to get a quick lap in just I time for me to get to the start line. After the practice my guts was churning and Due to the recent weather the bottom half of the course was practically all unrideable i thought the cross season was over!! Anyway I lined up alongside lots of other women. I was doing the sport, masters, vets cat but we started and raced with all the experts and elites, so a good few to chase. The gun went, after a terrible start, wrong gear, unable to clip in I managed to get past a few that had a few wobbles at the first drop, I just tried to keep going at my comfortable pace, I wasn't really sure where I was exactly position wise, but Sarah Barnwell was very close. It came to the run fest and it was on, off, on off, mud,mud, rock, mud and more un rideable bits, a few streams and a bridge and it was back on the bike to climb back up the recently man made wiggly climb.( well done maindy). I came through the first lap first place and third overall heading out again I felt good, just hot and not many places to drink. My ride was un eventful until the start of the off camber descent, with a failing back brake I accidentally hit the front brake a bit sharp, when I was standing up and catapulted over the handlebars into the bramble ditch. Ouch! I lay in aheap with the bike on top of me for a moment, then hastily got back up,but by this point 2 had gone by. I chased on in agony, very much the same as the first lap, a bit of cat and mouse between Sarah and Ruth Owen Evans, they got to the climb before me, Ruth pushed on and Sarah had a little Gear problem, but was soon back behind me. Ruth was out infant, so I thought I couldn't catch her even though she wasn't in my cat I wanted to stick with her. At the top of the descent I spotted her, I went on steadily and managed somewhere about half way through the running slog. To get past, from there on, I just pushed on, trying not to make any mistakes, at the top of the switchback climb I could see I had made a little gap. I came to the finish in a very pleased first place. And third overall at that point, I wanted to carry on, but with phil expecting his race to start at one I just warmed down, doing the first section if the course before coming back to the pits to take over mummy duties. Stingy,battered legs but, grinning from ear to ear, and actually managed to get a compliment off the Phil, which believe me is a rare occurrence!
Podium time was upon us and my little photographer was on duties, thanks Hali-Rae.
Daddies turn, not expecting too much today, as the course was not suited to him, with there being so much off the bike. He started good and came through. The first lap just hanging on to first place, the next two laps he was just behind first place lee shubourne. He was evidently a good runner and made extended gaps on the off bike sections. He finished in second place and will be determined to be top spot at the next two rounds!! Hilly, billy wells!!!
Results on fully sussed, thanks to Maddie and jay for all your hard work and for getting the times up so quick.
Well done to all the Marshall's, who usually have to stand in vile weather, but probably got a tan today! And finally to Liz slater and to Maindy flyers for hosting the event, without them there would be no racing!!
See you all at builth on the 12th April, and don't forget there is plenty of racing that weekend, with the Scott big night out and marathon series kicking off, organised by Cycle Tec, Builth Wells. Save yourselves some pennies and get your entries in now.
Donna Morris, XCracer.com/scimitar.
Blogger Info:
Donna Morris
Mum of 2 cherubs, keen to get better mountain biker, wife of Phil and mini manager of XCracer.com team
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