AND THEY'RE OFF!!!
DONE! First races finally out of the way! What a weekend it was, too. I'm absolutely shattered! So I'll start my report from the very top...
I travelled out on Friday (Steam Packet boat, then train as usual) to meet up with some of the team & management. Exhaustion from plodding around the country on boats and trains is commonplace for me so it was a welcome change to my usual routine that I'd be staying at the team managers Nicky & Neil's house. You begin to realise just how much people who manage teams & coach riders pour into the sport, and it's evident more than ever in Nicky & Neil - it's inspiring, and very humbling, to see how much they really just adore bicycling, racing and the teams they put so much into. A brief catchup with everyone and some much needed coffee and it was a trip down to Club Energy of Otley to do a spin class!
Now, we have to bear in mind Mooleur is rather new to fitnessy-type-things not least the smorgasbord of alternative activities outside of road cycling. Spinning is has not entered into my remit. The class, hosted by our boss Neil, was great fun...the spin bikes, however, are something I think I would really need to get used to - evident from the stiff pain in my legs the morning after. There's muscles I've not used recently! Not a great start to the day of my first race of the season! Ho hum, time to HTFU!
The weather in York was generally un-Yorkshire-like, stunning, warm, sunny and slightly breezy - perfect for racing. As I'd be the only one from the team racing in the women's race, some sideline attendance in the shape of Sinead, Rosa & Natalie gave some much needed moral support, as my nerves were climaxing at a rate that "counting to 10" simply couldn't nip in the bud. The race itself was a normal 30sec handicapped crit on a closed purpose built track. I used to like these when I first started, nowadays not so much. I struggled to clip in (it felt like my first ever race all over again!) and lost a couple of places down the group. Not to worry, I thought, it'll be easy enough with just a few of us. We got to the first hairpin and that's where it all went wrong. My nerves and all that build up in my mind finally got the better of me - a general lack of technical training ensured I hit the brakes way before I needed to, and as I slithered round the corner I watched my counterparts ride away.
An unfortunate turn of events, mainly stemming from my own naivety, then transpired. At the start of the race we had been informed that if we were lapped at 5 to go, we were to pull out. Thus, with that in my mind I turned the screw and rider by rider I picked off as many people as I could who had passed me, getting closer to the group but never quite close enough. As I drew closer to the sign stating 5 to go, I passed another 4-5 riders, hammering it to make sure my placing would be positive enough to MAYBE get inside the points - the main peloton then lapped us all. I sat up, feeling relieved....wondering why the women whom I'd passed were still going....we'd all been lapped - we'd all been told to pull out? At 4 to go I pulled over to the Commissaire (the dude who runs the race) and asked what was going on...."Oh just carry on.."...........I had buried myself into oblivion for well over half an hour, picked off rider after rider to cling onto some hope of a reasonable first placing of the year, to then be told that all of that effort was for nothing, as every single one of the people I'd passed then passed me back.
NOT A GREAT START GUYS. I don't enjoy crits...one of the reasons being that throughout my 2 years of racing every single time I've been given one set of rules only to be faced with another. Granted, they're confusing for any organiser to track...but can you imagine the frustration? When a rider travels all that way, ruins their legs and lungs doing anything they can do be as good as they can...only to be knocked back like the young fella who's forgotten his ID and REALLY needs a pint.
Onwards and upwards. Sunday was Pimbo - I did well (for me) here last year so I was looking forward to it. There was a fantastic turn out for all of the VCUK teams including Elite men and 3/4 riders as well as 7 of the ladies! We were forecast sun however this wasn't to be as we lined up (a field of 70!) it was bucketing down little droplets of hellish freeze. It was a grim day. First five laps went swimmingly, the main bunch of riders staying together as we began to wind up for the first preem (intermediate sprint). I knew my team mate Rosa was keen to contend these so midway through the lap I got myself up to the front. I heard someone shout (and I'm not sure if it was my team mate or not, I think it was!) to hold off for a mo, so I kept my pace steady until I heard a "Now Laura!" - so I start winding it up, turning the next corner I'm so far in the red I can't even see any more. As the sprint passes me I keep my eyes to the side to ensure I sidle myself back into the group comfortably.
I see rider, after rider, after rider, after rider and before I know it a gap...."what happened?!" I said to myself. I've still only got a small gap on the group so I try and press down to make some contact but there's nothing, the elastic has well and truly snapped. I rest for half a lap and settle myself onto the drops, here begineth the timetrial. Again I'd caught riders. Again the commissaire had informed me to pull at 5 to go. This time I didn't. I needed to finish this race. I wasn't lapped until the latter half of the race. As they came past I saught a small amount of solace from their shade. Realising how easy it felt I did begin to feel some regret on pushing too hard so early on...but also realising that this means I'm so much further on from where I was this time last year. In the end I rolled in late-mid table....happy enough with that considering, and it turns out Rosa did get a preem in the end, happy days. I still can't feel my toes.
The main thing that's improved for me this year, other than my fitness, is my fear of the bunch. I no longer feel that fear but actually yearn for it. I don't want to timetrial around on my own any more. I want to be in the group. Feeling refreshed and happy. Thankfully it's not too long until my next proper road race, and this time it's hilly....eeeek! Another thing I'm feeling this time around is a huge sense of pride in being part of the team, Ph-Mas VCUK, everyone who's part of it is awesome and already I feel 100% part of it & welcome. It's going to be a brilliant year.....oh...and I've still got DOMS from that spin class!!!
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| OUCHIES |
Now, we have to bear in mind Mooleur is rather new to fitnessy-type-things not least the smorgasbord of alternative activities outside of road cycling. Spinning is has not entered into my remit. The class, hosted by our boss Neil, was great fun...the spin bikes, however, are something I think I would really need to get used to - evident from the stiff pain in my legs the morning after. There's muscles I've not used recently! Not a great start to the day of my first race of the season! Ho hum, time to HTFU!
The weather in York was generally un-Yorkshire-like, stunning, warm, sunny and slightly breezy - perfect for racing. As I'd be the only one from the team racing in the women's race, some sideline attendance in the shape of Sinead, Rosa & Natalie gave some much needed moral support, as my nerves were climaxing at a rate that "counting to 10" simply couldn't nip in the bud. The race itself was a normal 30sec handicapped crit on a closed purpose built track. I used to like these when I first started, nowadays not so much. I struggled to clip in (it felt like my first ever race all over again!) and lost a couple of places down the group. Not to worry, I thought, it'll be easy enough with just a few of us. We got to the first hairpin and that's where it all went wrong. My nerves and all that build up in my mind finally got the better of me - a general lack of technical training ensured I hit the brakes way before I needed to, and as I slithered round the corner I watched my counterparts ride away.
 |
| Pimp ass new team car - and awesome team mates! |
An unfortunate turn of events, mainly stemming from my own naivety, then transpired. At the start of the race we had been informed that if we were lapped at 5 to go, we were to pull out. Thus, with that in my mind I turned the screw and rider by rider I picked off as many people as I could who had passed me, getting closer to the group but never quite close enough. As I drew closer to the sign stating 5 to go, I passed another 4-5 riders, hammering it to make sure my placing would be positive enough to MAYBE get inside the points - the main peloton then lapped us all. I sat up, feeling relieved....wondering why the women whom I'd passed were still going....we'd all been lapped - we'd all been told to pull out? At 4 to go I pulled over to the Commissaire (the dude who runs the race) and asked what was going on...."Oh just carry on.."...........I had buried myself into oblivion for well over half an hour, picked off rider after rider to cling onto some hope of a reasonable first placing of the year, to then be told that all of that effort was for nothing, as every single one of the people I'd passed then passed me back.
NOT A GREAT START GUYS. I don't enjoy crits...one of the reasons being that throughout my 2 years of racing every single time I've been given one set of rules only to be faced with another. Granted, they're confusing for any organiser to track...but can you imagine the frustration? When a rider travels all that way, ruins their legs and lungs doing anything they can do be as good as they can...only to be knocked back like the young fella who's forgotten his ID and REALLY needs a pint.
 |
| That's not a smile, by the way. |
I see rider, after rider, after rider, after rider and before I know it a gap...."what happened?!" I said to myself. I've still only got a small gap on the group so I try and press down to make some contact but there's nothing, the elastic has well and truly snapped. I rest for half a lap and settle myself onto the drops, here begineth the timetrial. Again I'd caught riders. Again the commissaire had informed me to pull at 5 to go. This time I didn't. I needed to finish this race. I wasn't lapped until the latter half of the race. As they came past I saught a small amount of solace from their shade. Realising how easy it felt I did begin to feel some regret on pushing too hard so early on...but also realising that this means I'm so much further on from where I was this time last year. In the end I rolled in late-mid table....happy enough with that considering, and it turns out Rosa did get a preem in the end, happy days. I still can't feel my toes.
The main thing that's improved for me this year, other than my fitness, is my fear of the bunch. I no longer feel that fear but actually yearn for it. I don't want to timetrial around on my own any more. I want to be in the group. Feeling refreshed and happy. Thankfully it's not too long until my next proper road race, and this time it's hilly....eeeek! Another thing I'm feeling this time around is a huge sense of pride in being part of the team, Ph-Mas VCUK, everyone who's part of it is awesome and already I feel 100% part of it & welcome. It's going to be a brilliant year.....oh...and I've still got DOMS from that spin class!!!
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