CX Nats 2018 Statistics…

Heading up to Bradford on Friday night after a full day at work, it looked like I’d timed it right until the M1 started flashing up as closed a few miles ahead. A quite literal eye roll, and I pulled into the unmarked services to check my options. A diversion via the M18/M62 was the quickest and duly landed me at my cousins. 

Roughly 5 hours sleep, 1 coffee and half a can of Red Bull and 2 hours driving finally got me to Hetton. I briefly got out the car, then decided staying inside it for another hour was a better idea! Talk about a bitter wind!

Anyway… 

Miles driven: 650 ish
Coffee consumption: 5 – considering I’m trying to cut down, that’s a win!
Hot chocolate: 7 – total fail 😂
Riders pitted for: 5 (Gary Worton V50, Sam Murray U16, Ellis Murray U14, Keith Murray Vet40, Keith Murray Senior Men)
Riders/ Pit Crew helped out: 2 (Lydia Brookes – must remember to get that pedal in the right place😂😂 and Ewan/ Luke GM – honestly I don’t do this just for the cake!)
Times Keith was *told* his tyres were too hard: 4? I’m sure he said he wanted 18 on Saturday… and Ellis’ were over 40 😂😓😂
Cake consumed: 6! Thanks Ewan!

Bike changes: 8 or 9. Wasn’t muddy enough 🙄
Friends caught up with: Lost count, not enough.
Arsehole older men encountered in the pits barging through: 4. I might stick knives in my elbows next time.
Crashes witnessed: 2. One in the V40s. One kid faceplanting over his bars.
Finishes seen: none.
Starts seen: U23 Mens when Ewan was gridded front row.
Layers worn: 5.
Jackets changed: 5
Wheels swapped: 8. I’m so pro, I can’t undo through bolts (trapped nerve and Keith does them up too tight 😂)
Radiators sat against: 1
Houses stayed in: 3
Abuse/ heckling shouted at Keith: not enough.
Abuse handed out to Tommo: Also not enough. I mentioned distracting him so Keith could beat him, but it didn’t happen.
Bodge jobs: 1. For my phone charger in my car.
Texts received about seeing me on TV: 5. Damn. I was meant to be incognito!
Messages received: 431. Mostly from Medway Velo.
Winners congratulated: Just Helen Wyman! Tommo winning the Tommo/ Murray battle doesn’t count.
Bikes ridden: 0.
Hours slept: Unfathomable.
Best person in the pits: Ok, not a number. Lydia Brookes!
Favourite person to cheer for: Ellis Murray. Scott Chalmers.
Number of times my power steering failed: Twice.

The above is fairly accurate…
Cracking weekend all in all! 

#keepsmiling

Cyclocross: Back On The Bike

Having not sat on the bike since September, I literally had no idea how I would feel going for a spin around Swinley with Caroline.

Sunday dawned bloody cold, although we seemed to have more frost in Oxfordshire than over there at Swinley. Deciding what to wear when you haven’t been out finessing the art of what lycra to wear at which temperature isn’t easy! 

Setting off at 10.30 with an easy spin up the road, off onto some gravel and onto a very short climb in amongst the bare trees, I think we were both soon warm enough!

Off up the boardwalks through the marshes, somewhere I used to hate getting my front wheel up onto, or dropping off the other end. Experience and good coaching has taught me how to ride these without giving it hardly any second thought, except to mention to Caroline how much I used to be bothered by them! The boardwalks are usually slippery, but as long as care is taken, I’ve never minded riding along them.

Today was not about working hard on every section. Today was about remembering how to enjoy being on our cx bikes on a fine, cold day.

We did ride around the training loop on the fire roads, with plenty of runners, cyclists and dog walkers out and about. The Strade Bianche section wasn’t too bad, but the next section had been done up. A shallow orange sandy mud, that actually was great fun to ride on! Unfortunately my legs started to empty near the end, so I chose to not do another half loop, but rather to head back for a much needed cup of tea.

It’s a hard decision to cut short a ride, but as I said to Caroline, I’d rather end on a happy note, than ride the section home feeling like shit.

It’s done me the world of good to get back out, and now I need to work out how to work training into the hours I work, so I can start again. I’ve had a much needed mental break from it all, and feel like I can start again now.

Kit worn 

Specialized Women’s SL Pro bibtights, Sportful 2nd Skin LS baselayer, Castelli winter jacket and the Castelli CX over trousers. Castelli Gregge 12 socks, Viva headband and a BMC cycling cap… in actual fact I was a little on the warm side, either that or I need colder weather! Usually I’d opt for Castelli Nanoflex legwarmers and Roubaix/ fleece lined bib shorts, but the legwarmers are a little on the big side (insert shock horror face)…

The temperature held steady around 0 to 1 degrees with a rather cheeky biting wind. Perfect CX weather!

CS Cycle Coaching has helped me no end. Giving me the time I need to find my feet again after a big change in jobs and lifestyle. Thank you Caroline!
#keepsmiling