A CC with the right mentality?

Ironically I still don’t belong to any particular CC’s (cycling clubs for those of you who don’t know), although I ride under Sigma Sport when I race (ahem, trying to stay in front of the last person on a cx course would be more apt), and help out with the Women’s Rides from the store when I can.

A great little article that encompasses all that the bad stuff I’ve come across was shared on Facebook this morning. Truly, talking to some people, they would have me believe that it’s all in my head, and it can’t be that bad.

Well, fuck you. Yes it can. We haven’t all cycled for years, or had a local club we could join. Or even had people willing to share a bit of advice. Not every club is suitable for every person, no matter if you have 2 members, or a few hundred.

Have a read of this: Dysfunctional Cycling Club and why you should quit…

Thankfully I’ve found one of the most supportive bunch of people I could ever have come across, despite not actually being a member of their club, I try and join them for rides when I can – as long as it’s tolerated. They even invited me to race the London X League Team Champs with them – even though I wasn’t in their kit, or even any match for their slowest rider.

Just goes to show, that there are decent people out there. Massive thanks again to the Kingston Wheelers – all the social riders that appear frequently/ infrequently on Wednesday nights (and other days) for the Richmond Park ‘laps’ and weekend rides.

Anyway. I’ll enjoy my day off the bike today. The Kinesis is being fixed at Hampton Wick, and I need to put slicks on my Colnago cx bike.

#keepsmiling

London CX Team Champs

Finding out the night before that there was no entry on the day was a bit of a downer. Although there had been an odd message or two that suggested there was an outside chance of joining in with the fun, so a decision to rock up with the two bikes turned out to be the right one.

Dave Spragg suggested joining in with the Kingston Wheelers composite team, as they only had three riders; Matt, Tim and Jumpei. So I took a leap into the unknown (not having met my teamies before), and signed up.

Despite problems with registering the tags, I thoroughly approve of Crawley Wheelers event. Probably because I got there early enough to avoid the huge queues!

A warm up lap made me well aware of the sections that might prove tricky. The first section into the woods was the only one I’d thought might get tricky, but didn’t. The others; Tree Root Central Part One, Death Drop Slide, Slippy Hill, Brake Hard Corner (they spray painted that on the track!) MTB dip, Woodchip Mud, Tree Root Central Part Two all had their fair share of spills!

As they called us to line up, I discovered I couldn’t find any of my team mates (I’d met Matt by then), so hung around wave 2 until I saw Barry Hyde (another lovely Wheeler in a different team). His suggestion to stay in wave 2, was probably the right one, Matt eventually showed and started in wave 3, Jumpei in wave 1 I think.

Then a completely nuts start. As everyone; Seniors, Vets and Juniors, Male and Female, all started together. Jumping on Barry’s wheel was the best thing I did, following him until the sheer press of people made it impossible to stay there. I think I did ok on the first lap, riding Death Drop Slide was impossible as there was just too many people.

However, as the press of people thinned out, it didn’t actually get much easier. I decided to stay on the Kinesis as the mud wasn’t sticking too much. 2nd lap was harder, I totally blew up after riding Death Drop Slide and had to run a couple of sections, which helped me get my breath back a bit. I walked/jogged Slippy Hill, as the first of the guys started coming passed me – one of them even complimenting my gorgeous ‘anodised red’ (orange) Giro’s (the most ridiculously comfortable shoes ever – and of a colour even Scott Chalmers would approve of!) The course was chopping up by then, and I had a couple of worrying moments at Tree Route Central Part Two. I did admittedly snap at a few vets and seniors, four of which didn’t call a line, and hit my front wheel when chopping in front of me.

Quite a few people racing actually called out with various ‘Go on Elz,’ ‘Keep going Elz,’ etc, it’s a right boost to be honest, half the time I have no idea who you are though!

Which cheeky fucker told me to stop chatting?!?!!

Brake Hard Corner had a few people off in front of me, and I was far too cautious riding down to it, thought I did ok, then rode a bit too hard into MTB dip – and completely face planted. I’m assuming Jon Baines has a hilarious picture of me rolling in the mud!

A decision to change bikes on the third lap was good/bad/neutral. The Colnago is quite different to ride, a bigger frame and different geometry, but hell is it pretty! I was tired by the fourth lap, and a couple of silly mistakes almost, ALMOST had me down, but I managed to stay fairly upright and still attached to the bike.

And I’m fairly certain I was smiling still when I crossed the finish line! I really enjoyed it, such a great community of people out there.

Massive thanks to the Kingston Wheelers, especially Toria pitting for all of us today, Dave Spragg and Barry Hyde. All of you have really helped me find a bit of faith in myself, and get more confident!

Super to see all the Brixton Cycles girls, David Barnaville (good to actually meet you, rather than brief phone conversations with Saddleback) Jody & Stu  and the various others that said hello.

#keepsmiling

 

 

Lovecrossed CX

I’ll freely admit I’d had Lovecrossed CX in mind since I’d got the Kinesis last year. Accordingly, I actually pre entered online. What I hadn’t factored into a beautiful frosty Thursday morning as I left for work, was getting hit by a car.

I’ll not go into too much detail apart from I no longer have the Trek I’ve been flying around on, and my backside is the colour of the night sky… yes really. I’m very very lucky to have not been badly hurt unlike a fellow employee.

I managed to get on the cx bike for commuting to work on Friday, thinking I’d be ok to just trundle in and back. I was. On Saturday I discovered the Kinesis brakes were playing up again, and as I was getting increasingly stiff and sore, slowly rode up to Sigma Sport (the shop at Hampton Wick) to see if anyone would have time to have a quick look at them. Luckily Will had time to fit me in before they became non stop busy (Will also did the Mechanics Course which I did a couple of weeks ago, a very patient teacher and excellent at explaining more complicated procedures easily).

As Lovecrossed CX is held at Chavenage House, it’s a bit of a trip for me, so a decision to stay at the parents on Sat evening was a bonus. It also meant I got there a bit later than expected, finding Hank on parking duty (certainly a role reversal – usually me on parking duty and Hank racing with NFTO!) and finally meeting Tangwyn Andrews.

A quick faff with the bikes, before realising just how sore and bruised I was. Oh well. Sign on. Find the pits. Take the Kinesis and stuff down with poor Verity having her first eye opening experience in the pits. A quick half lap warm up, tarmac, gravel, into the woods, winding in and out, into the field where it was just starting to get mucky. That special Cotswald sticky claggy mud. The first foray into the haha, and the kids were racing on the rest. Could see the start, but not really where the course was going.

I managed one full warm up lap, not long before the start, not realising quite how much it would cut up in the race. Luckily the parents arrived too and gave Verity a hand cleaning the worst off the Kinesis.

Sadly they only gridded the Veteran Men in front of us before calling everyone else up as one mass start. Within 30 seconds I realised I had nothing in my legs and my backside up to my right shoulder was not too comfortable. I rode at the back, just happy to keep up an average pace, ending up walking/ carrying the bike from the second haha (not the one from my first half lap) into the wood, over the hurdles and the coffin (n.b Hank – should leave those hurdles up for a very small hunt jump!)

I tried riding the through the wood, but it wasn’t happening. I bet a few people had a laugh everytime I appeared around the stone wall and into the pits. No bike change on the first half lap. Back on and away.

I rode what I could, and carried/rolled the bike through the rest of it. I probably shouldn’t have done it but I’m damn stubborn sometimes. I know I finished last. I really don’t care.

Lovecrossed CX has a lovely set up, everyone was friendly and welcoming, and it’s a fun, hard course to go around. Lets hope I’ll be a bit more with it if they have it next year!

We did stay to watch the last couple of laps of the Senior Mens race, gathering from Keith Murray that Scot Easter was having a bit of a nightmare of a race. However, sailing around at the front was Scott Chalmers (Felt Racing/ Saddleback) who won, pulling his trademark wheelie across the line…

 

 

(Scott Chalmers being interviewed, not that he actually managed to speak into the microphone!)

And finally managing to grab a chair by the fire in the house to watch the Worlds from Zolder!

((Next up could be this: Aber Cycle Fest

– but I don’t actually have a road bike anymore!))

#keepsmiling