Wessex CX Round 2

Whilst the hard people were heading off to the #3pcx challenge today, I was heading off to Swindon. To a golf course no less!

Before you get your hopes up that I’ve given up cycling and taken up golf, I have to tell you that the golf course is decommissioned and I went to cyclocross instead.

LCCA didn’t have a round this weekend, so I planned to combine seeing my parents, with a cx race. It’s still less than a year ago that I started racing, and I need all the experience I can get.

So, whilst I would have preferred to be in Yorkshire cheering on Keith Murray, Scott Chalmers, Scot Easter and Emma Osenton, I found myself moseying around a nicely technical grass course.

The other part of the reason I like the Wessex league, is that it so friendly. With the likes of Caroline Stewart, Chris Macleod and Graham Robins there, they make you feel more than welcome.

Caroline rode a recce lap at my pace with me, and I quickly identified one corner that I found tricky. Just one mind. Off camber, 180° right hander going downhill. Why I’m having problems with exactly the same type of bend two races in a row, I don’t know!

Very, very glad to be riding Continental CX Race tyres. With a course that had such a decent covering of grass, even when the heavens opened briefly, it didn’t properly cut up. Sure there were some damp, squidgy grass, but it was merely suicidily slippery. Not muddy as such.

It took me a while to get into the race. And looking at my lap times, my last lap was fastest again! I need the experience more than anything. Different courses, terrain, and people. I found it a huge learning curve today. Eventually winning the battle at the back with another girl.

The only problem I had was faceplanting over my bars on the second lap. Not entirely sure how I ended up on the floor – but hey ho!

I didn’t enjoy the first lap. But by the second I was back in that love/hate relationship. I love the course. I love riding cx. I dislike that I’m such a novice and so slow. I love the friendliness.

It’s not easy not having the experience or background of years in and around cycling clubs, road races and cross.

#keepsmiling

Having to choose!

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve made the right choice – about what I do for a living. Let’s face it I could be sat in an office, climbing the walls with boredom, getting RSI from typing on a keyboard too much, or iPad finger, doing nothing all day but reply to emails, answer the phone… it just doesn’t interest me!

Wow we had some serious strange weather today, and I was outside to experience it – heavy hail, light rain, blazing sun, freezing wind… the list goes on and on.

So I’ve got to the point in life where I realise I can’t do this job for the rest of my life, and I don’t want to. I don’t want to be worn down and become bitter like a few people I know who still work with racehorse. So where do I go? What do I do?

I actually have no idea. I went to Loughborough Uni mature student open day last year, and yes it looked awesome. Do I have the pre requisite grades? Er, no. Should I do a course to get those grades? Er, can’t afford it. Crap. Now what? Maybe the Open University? Actually I’m quite tempted, but again the cost of it… Fail.

Ok so what interests me? Ah, racehorses, cycling, photography, reading books, socialising… What can I do with a list like that? No, I don’t want to be a vet! should I get Cytech qualified? Learn how to take better photos? Hmm, I really don’t know.

Somewhen, I’d like to travel around the world – just to see what it’s like. Funnily enough Britain is boring me….

Anyone want to lend me a VW Campervan for the Tour de France this year? Anyone at all? Ah… thought not

Keep smiling 🙂 (and thank you to the one person who does keep me smiling!!)