How's it going?

About time for an update on my endless plight to seeking glory! Let's not beat around the bush, how's the racing going? Well, I'll start from the beginning and work my way up. I'd like to cover as much as I can if anything to help encourage any ladies out there that might be feeling a bit too nervous to take the plunge.

I posted about my first couple of races a few months ago, a big crash on a warmup lap and some end of table finishes - pretty unspectacular start. So far I've not come last place yet, which to me is an achievement in it's own. I've raced alongside some truly amazing women such as the likes of Boddy and Barnes from MG Maxifuel, the CTC and Wyndymilla girls, could go on but really I'm namedropping.... it's quite something to be able to say I've competed with women at this level! That's one thing I will credit the small competitive field for, it gives us newbies a fairly humbling chance to try our hand at riding with the women we aspire to. 

My third race at Hillingdon.

Starstricken mind aside, I did two crits at Gravesend and then one at Hillingdon. Hillingdon was much more interesting as I was starting to make gains and the field was fast and fun. I was with the peloton for the first little while for the first time and it was thrilling... until I put in an extremely and stupidly early attack. I didn't realise how much this would hurt, and how difficult it would be to recover from. I found myself chucked out of the back where I had spent so much time before. I rode my heart out for most of the race to finally catch up with some girls to finish with, brilliant fun. I had a little break from racing after this, as I'd actually gotten ill. 

I returned to racing not with British Cycling but to TLI (The League International - www.tlicycling.org.uk). I was feeling disheartened at being declined entry to British Cycling races based on me not being a high enough category, or not being part of a womens team (my team is all men and me) or for just being female full stop. It was frustrating and it still angers me today that British Cycling run events still seem to take a very backwards attitude to women's amateur racing in that it is still seen as a much lesser sport than the males equivalent. Have no fear, TLI to the rescue - a fair and just form of racing in that all ages and all genders can compete as equals. I began racing their handicaps at the North Weald Airfield, run by Craig and with a wonderful friendly atmosphere - I could finally get some practice in without feeling under pressure or isolated.

The Airfield circuits were great, I've done four and each time I've built my fitness up having to try to keep up with the boys. The one race I was doing really well in (sticking with the bunch and putting out some excellent power figures) I punctured, sods law! I have managed to win a £5 prime in one of the races though, progress! People might think it's strange not to race to get British  Cycling points but I say sod the points, get as much practice in as you can and the TLI events certainly provide for that. You aren't denied entry and you aren't demoralised in the process, you're just accepted as a cyclist with a thirst for bettering yourself and that is exactly what is important. 

Me this week at North Weald.

I should probably take this moment to mention that I am actually moving back to the Isle of Man in two weeks! Big move, but on that note all of the events there are TLI based, not British Cycling, so again I hope to build some valuable experience racing with and against some of Britain's, and even the worlds, finest talent. If that doesn't put some strength in my legs I'm not sure what will. 

So that's the crits, I'm really enjoying them, they're fast and my top end seems to be coming out on form now. So what about the big road races? It's what I've been waiting for all along right? I've done one, it was the British Cycling South East Women's Regional Championships. I came close to the bottom of the table, for some reason my performance was very under par and I tired very quickly. I have to say the RR was probably the hardest thing I've done on a bike, it was all the pain of a crit but prolonged and mentally agonising. I cannot wait for more. 

Next is the timetrials, I've done two, again up in Essex you can do CTT based 10 mile timetrials organised by the Beacontree Wheelers. Much of the same guys who race at North Weald do the TT's so it's a friendly crowd, with free tea and cake for afters. I've got in some fairly respectable times for a newbie on a road bike with my first being a 28.45 and second at 27.59. I've been given some tri bars so I'm looking forward to seeing if I can beat that time on the Isle of Man. 

So far nothing spectacular, but as you can see from the two pictures I've posted on today's blog I am certainly a different cyclist now to what I was when I began racing. I'm now down to just under 61kg and just shy of 3.5 watts per kilogram for an hour, that's 1.5 watts per kilo of gain since this time last year. For those of you that don't know what that means, watts per kilogram is the amount of power you can put out for a given amount of time based on how much you weigh, as I've lost tons of weight and built on my power considerably it means I can go a lot quicker without as much weighing me down. My climbing has improved tenfold especially since racing. So ladies, if you're thinking of taking the plunge but don't quite know where to start, I'd say give it a shot, try a criterium or short circuit to start with and just give it your best - you'll probably definitely love it. 

My progress this season has left me with a burning desire to go harder and do better, not only that but I have so much excitement for next season and what it might have in store I'm finding it hard to contain. So for now, I'm going to ride to Paris for charity (see my previous post, and donate!) and chillax a little. Catch up with you once I've moved! :)