Sherwood. Result!

Share on Facebook  Share on Twitter

BY: Melanie Alexander

Published: 26th March, 2012

Fourth at Sherwood: very happy with that.

 

 

Deja-vu, my race start was awful. The gun went, my foot searching for the pedal slipped hitting it against my shin. I was standing still as the pack was charging, aiming for a good position in the single track.

 

Entering the single track near the rear I had to just chill as the riders snaked along the single track and attack when I could, but there were more places to overtake than I originally thought in practice. By the end of the 1st lap I had worked my way up the field and rode into the arena with Katy Winton in 6th and 7th spot. Maxine Filby, Jessie Roberts and Mel Spath were all in sight up front. Lee Craigie and Annie Last were well out of sight.
Although I had been working hard and attacking on the fire roads I still felt good and very fired up. I caught Maxine and Jessie half way round the 2nd lap and worked hard to get a bit of a gap. Starting the third lap I had a small gap on Maxine and Jess and was 30 seconds down on Mel. My bad start seemed to be going in my favour and it felt good riding my own race and overtaking and not being overtaken. Still feeling good I was determined to chase Mel down - she was in sight.

 

Ten minutes later I was not feeling so positive as the gap was not closing to Mel, I could feel my legs rebelling and I was starting to make silly mistakes as I could sense three riders closing down on me. It hit me that rather than a chance to get third I could just as likely find myself in 7th. Through the arena at the start of the fourth and final lap Maxine led a charge and brought the gap down to 10 seconds whilst Mel had gained an extra 15 seconds on us. I just had to go as hard and focus on riding as smoothly as I could for the final lap. My aim now was more to hold off Maxine, Joanne Clay and Jess rather than to catch Mel. I had gone from thinking I had a chance of third to thinking I could just as easily end up 7th so much was down to this last lap and I was just hoping that Maxine, Jess and Jo were tiring. It was close at times but I managed to keep fourth, so so happy. Joanna Clay finished 5th, Maxine 6th and Jess 7th, only 45 seconds separating the four of us.

 

I thought the course was really good fun to race on. I normally leave Sherwood feeling frustrated and worn out but not this time, I felt pretty good afterwards and way too excited.

 

Thanks again to my sponsors:

Cyclopedia

Just Riding along

Mojo.