BACK AT IT! MAD DASH IN THE PARK

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BY: Donna Morris

Published: 13th January, 2016


Well you may wonder where the Morris's have been hiding in 2015. Well to put it in a nutshell, we started off having to miss a few keys races because of a number of stag doo's and then weddings, this was then combined with Phil converting our loft.





So very little time on the bike at all as he got in from work and he was straight up the loft. My last race was forest fields nationals back in April. With work and kiddie commitments the bike training went out the window, allowing time for running as miles can be bagged easier than on the bike, time wise. I therefore raced on my two feet not my wheels for the summer, until bad luck struck at the beginning of September and I broke my ankle. This meant 6 weeks in a cast and crutches then a further three months off.

This totally mucked my plans of cyclocross and cross country xc running. And boxing day was my first proper ride on my bike ( 2nd time for total since April!!!!!) with my return to run training being slow due to imbalances and ligament misalignment on my right knee, I am restricted to a mile at a day. With the horrendous weather most days, well everyday really that I'm not working there is no point going out of on the bike, and I am most definitely not getting on a turbo. Swimming has been my lifesaver this past 6 weeks, but deep down I was keen to race my bike again.

I have a swimming buddy who told me about a series called mad dash in the park. After having a look at dates etc, our diaries were free and with the conversion complete, 2015 well in the past. I signed us both up for it. Date 10th January woodchester park, near Stroud.

Leading u to race day the weather gods were predicting a dry day. How wrong could they be. We arrived at woodchester park, after 2 hours of driving in pouring rain. The overflow car park was a swamp, but lucky we had the 4x4. I really didn't want to get out, despite pouring with rain, the temperature was low, and there was a good distance to the start.

Finally I plucked up some motivation and headed in my waterproofs and ski gloves, with my bag of clothing a goodies for after the race in a bag. There was a shelter /bag drop tent at the start. We collected our number boards and timings chips!!!, very clever and simple to put on your handle bars. Off we went on a practice, OK so lots of hard packed fire road with streams running on them, boggy marshy fields and a soon to be mud slide descent. It was about a twenty minute lap for me. We got back and I was very sad I didn't have any mudguards of any form on my bike. We huddled under the shelter like sardines, strip to my race kit, although more layers than normal and a coat. I really couldn't be bothered to stick to my normal loo routine as I didn't want to be perished to start. I bumped into a few women, fay cripps being one of then! The women's field was strong for a little a low key event and there were 11 women in total.

10.30 was upon us and we were off, I had a good start unlike Phil, who managed to not hit the single track first, this held him up and he lost time on the first lap, he chugged on and finished in 2nd place. Onwards and upwards now for 2016 for him. If he listens to his Nagy, but always right wifey !!! He should have a successful 2016.

I rode well through the off camber single track and over took 2 women to take the lead, this was the case anyway until speedy fay caught me up about three quarters of the way around. Then just before the end of the lap another lady passed me. The fire roads need the power my little legs don't have! Then another one passed me, but I was determined I could claw her back. Which I did, my technical capabilities enabled me to gain the advantage. I pulled away each lap then, until the biting cold was hurting me more and more each lap and nearly forced me to pull out, (which would have if I wasn't in third!) the second to last lap I got really wet feet and had lost all feeling everywhere, every pedal was becoming agony. I slowed on the last lap but managed to hold off fourth lady, crossed the line in a very icy, painful third lady. I handed Phil my bike, I could hardly speak and I began having a raynauds breakdown. I spent 30 minutes crying and shivering uncontrollable and until my pain attack on my hands had eased. I'm afraid I was in no fit state for the podium so I slowly set off up the journey back to the truck, with half a field of mud in my eyes and a body with white skin. Lovely! Not!



Phil although freezing he was in a better state than me, so he stayed to collect our trophies. Then he returned to a squealing cat in the car, me! It took about an hour to be somewhere near normal just black hands and feet which felt like they had been trodd all over. Ist macdonalds it was for a hot chocolate.

In summary, a fantastic little race, although the weather was hideous. The course held up amazing though it was the amount of water and freezing conditions that have impelled me and quite frankly I have never being so cold racing before. I only took one sip of drink in 90 minutes of racing!! And the cold certainly played to my disadvantage more than no training on my bike. I normally get quicker every lap, however today was vis versa.

Unfortunately we can't make the next two rounds but if your free head on over, but you must pre enter. Next race 7th February. Mean and dirty events.

This is the start of our racing year, although I am going to be only doing races that I am able to giggle with the kids and I'm second to phils racing plans. So I may have to miss a few events or race in different race that caters for racing mummy's and daddy's.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy, racing 2016!!!

Donna morris racing for
xcracer.com/scimitar
Mt Zoom
Torq
Exposure

Sent from my iPad

More on the MAD Dash in the Parks 2015-16 - Round 2:
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Donna
 

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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This blog post was written by a third party and their views do not necessarily reflect the views of XCRacer.com

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