The day I wrote off my parents' car.

SatNav ETA’s are there to be beaten aren’t they? So when you watch the minutes dropping off it makes you feel pretty good… but then when things get in your way and slow you down – like drivers doing 25 in a 30 zone… (OK, that’s just me being irrational) or people driving along at 30 in a 60 zone (that’s worth getting ratty about)… it just makes the journey feel a bit more stressful.

I did this journey alone, probably for the best with my awful karaoke style singing along to the radio… and yes it does get worse when I lose reception to the radio and it goes quiet… I seem to get more out of tune – must be bad if I can tell my own singing is awful.

Here I am blogging from the roadside…  I’ve left Kara’s beautiful Welsh home (and my gosh is she one heck of an awesome hostess, cannot thank her enough for making us feel so welcome) I’ve driven a few hours down the road towards today’s race in Abergavenny and my car has broken down…. So thought I’d make a start on my next blog!  Going back in time… here’s what happened for my weekend away.

I broke my race bike during last week – snapped the already lose frame mount for the bottle cage out – but thankfully a great friend of mine, Marty, came to the rescue with a lovely little carbon Blue bike for me to use – what a hero! Sadly that’s where my luck runs out… I managed to leave my wallet in the Volvo I share with my other half, and he drove said Volvo to Yorkshire on Friday leaving me with no money, no cards, no ID… nothing. Nightmare.

Mum came to my rescue, loaning me her Laguna with a full tank of petrol and some cash to tide me over the weekend… one of them “so you shall go to the ball” moments… but to the bike race… you get me.

After an epic 5hr journey from Reading to Tywyn on Saturday which included being parked up on the m42 for 30mins while a car that was on fire was dragged away… something in the engine bay going bang in my car and power dropping off (but still driving)… then getting to mid Wales and driving along country roads being stuck behind a learner – that sucks… then getting stuck behind a tractor – can my drive get any slower? Yes. I then got stuck behind some sheep being walked to the next field… which took 20mins. It was getting a bit touch and go if I would make it to the race on time.

I arrived in Tywyn with 45mins before the race was due to start, I ended up pratting around losing this and that by putting things down and got in a bit of a panic… I had no warm up aside from riding around the circuit twice at a steady pace behind the commissaires car. The race started, and it took me 10laps out of the 30lap race just to get warmed up and my legs to feel less dead from the drive… God did I miss Jody and his physio skills today! When I started feeling better I started attacking, and got away 4 times off the front – annoyingly I kept being brought back. I got away with another rider with 2.5laps to go, but we were brought back with 1 lap to go…  I was still in a fairly good position so contested the sprint, and came out with 8^th. My team mates Gaby and Hannah got 4^th and 7^TH respectively. Curley contested each of the sprint primes and came away with 3^rd both times, only to find out she was sprinting for points and not cash… I think she was a bit gutted :p

So, back to were I am right now... the Laguna limped its way over the mountains, went down to 1st gear at times. I figured it was a big ask of the car so didn't dwell too much... but driving along the twisty roads it suddenly lost all power - I tried as hard I could to get it towards the turn off ahead, and away from the blind bend that it cut out on... but it didn't make it that far, and died just short of another blind bend. The car behind me narrowly missed driving into me as they hadn't seen me until they were basically upon me, I closed my eyes and hoped :( I got out the car and ran over to the junction... only to watch as another car overtook the Laguna as 5 motorbikes came round the other blind bend rather fast. I had to turn away, and the sound of screeching brakes set me off crying. I was so thankful to see a police officer turn up, he helped to slow the traffic down and put up some warning signs. phew. It only took 30mins for Greenflag to get to me, but they couldn't get the car going so they arranged for another truck to drive me back to Reading.

 I was sat in a small Welsh layby, just outside of Builth Wells writing this blog awaiting a second recovery truck to tow me back to Reading, he turned up within 15mins - even faster! I do hope he’s a nice guy as its going to be one heck of a long journey home!

In the recovery truck we drove through Abergavenny – the location of today’s race… that I missed. Gutted. On the upside he was a really nice guy so the conversation was great for the journey home!

Arriving home my (engineer) dad looked over the car… and after a few tests of bits and poking around and unscrewing things he came to the conclusion the engine had “dropped a valve” and that it’s a write off. I was shocked at how well they handled this situation… me borrowing their car for a weekend and returning it on a flatbed truck written off. Ooops. Well, as I’ve eaten so much food in preparation for today’s race I guess it’s only right that I go out and ride my bike.

Until next time!

Weight, bad losers and road trips

So I weighed myself when I returned from Czech - I figured that as I'd just done (most of) a stage race and had been sick a number of times that I would be at my lightest. Nope. I put on 2kgs... how is that fair? The first week back home involved getting to bed as early as possible and eating as little junk food as possible - I had to lose that extra weight. Hello celery, my old friend.

And coming back from Czech I've realised I need to get stronger - how was I to find a climb like I rode up in Czech around Reading?! The morning core stability sessions resumed where they left off earlier in the year, and I've now made plans to start getting on the rollers or going running before breakfast every other day - kicks off the metabolism, or so I've heard. I've found some tough looking climbs around my area... but may need to do over-geared hill repeats up them to get the desired effect! Damn its going to hurt!

So, I haven't done much racing this month - I did the Reading GP track race, but didn't do so amazing. I screwed up the derny race and got in a bad mood... which meant I wasn't in the best frame of mind for all the other races - I should have just gone home, what a sour loser! Today (Saturday) I'm off to Wales, for Tywyn crit and Abergavenny WTS on Sunday... and the whole team is staying over in our super kind team-mate Kara Chesworth's home :) she must be mad! Onwards with packing the car and the road trip!

For now, ciao!

Bike racing, epic road trips and food poisoning.

Apologies in advance... I go off in tangents... this could be a long, random, read.

What a few months it's been - the very first womens' Tour Series event, hosted by Johnsons Health Tech kicked off this summer. Peterborough, Stoke on Trent, Oldham and finally Woking all within the space of a month. To add to that there was the Smithfield Nocturne held in June. Now I work full time... so I had to book off annual leave for the Tuesday or Thursday it was that the race was held, then drive back to Reading in the evening ready to go to work the next day. By the end of it I was exhausted - from the travelling! The racing was fantastic, what a platform for womens' bike racing to take off from; the atmosphere, the courses, being on TV - amazing. Bring on 2012's rounds, rumour has it there will be 10 of them!

Then came the national women's road race championships, another epic drive up to Newcastle - or not as the case may be... as I decided to take the train. Bored out of my face, I decided to hitch a lift back with Em G to Reading than face sitting alone on a train for 6hrs again! The race itself was hard, a wall of a climb to get up and with riders such as Emma Pooley, Nicole Cooke, Sharon Laws and Lizzi Armitstead, to name just a few, ramping up the speed it was inevitable that the bunch was going to split up. Watching it back on the T.V. a few days later it was shocking to see just how much the field split up on that climb! I managed 14th place, of which I was very proud of :)

Today I got back from Czech... after competing in the Tour de Feminine in Krasna Lipa. We travelled out on Tuesday morning, leaving London and hitting traffic straight away - great start! The Tigertours bus was fantastic - 9 seater, 6 seats in the back facing each other with a table in the middle... and TV screens and a playstation to keep us amused. Then there was the little bed at the back... for taking a cheeky nap on. We drove all over the place picking up riders as we went... and eventually stopped at 2am to sleep. Up early and back on the road we eventually got to Krasna Lipa to sign on... with about 1hr to spare before the race sign on closed! As soon as we arrived at the boarding school (our accommodation) we got kitted up and went for a spin... discovering cobbled decents and broken roads... riding through fields and along tiny farm tracks and finally coming back just in time to make dinner.

Day one of racing, my word - around 180 riders on the start line I had never been in a race like this in all my years of riding - I was scared, I'll be honest. From the off the racing was fast - and with nervous riders in the bunch a slight touch of breaks rippled through the bunch to develop into full on anchors down for riders towards the back. Glad I put brand new brake blocks on front and back... might have run out of pads come stage 5! Up the climbs I struggled with my gear... 23 on the back just wasn't small enough for the climbs and I got dropped with 60 other riders. I managed to ride back onto the front bunch... but got dropped up the next hard climb - I finished alone about 2-3mins down on the winner. Not too bad. Severely dehydrated and cramped up I collapsed in a heap on the floor after the finish... looking my best, naturally, Rouleur photographer Gerrard dived in for some shots of my suffering. Big thanks to Jody for bringing that coke and sitting with me as I lay in the foetal position recovering.

Day two of racing... a number of riders caught out by the time cut on day one the start line was a bit lighter. I felt more confident with the riders around me... and avoiding anything caffeinated and drinking more during the  race I felt like 10 men. I kept with the bunch up the climbs and found myself much higher up in the position, everything was going so well until I punctured. Not a problem I thought... put my hand up... pull to the side, take the offending wheel out and hold it up so the team car/neutral service can take the right wheel to me. How wrong was I. My teams car was ahead following a break away group... and neutral service went straight past me... along with every other team car. I was left on my own. Yes, I cried... and swore. Thankfully a chasing group wasn't too far behind, and Horizon Fitness stopped to give me a wheel change - my heros! I finished at the back of this group alongside Curley... neither of us willing to sprint to the death for 90th place.

Day three of racing... this time riders weren't starting because of time cuts and the much talked about bout of food poisoning that went through the boarding school occupants. We blamed the rice. The Germans blamed the fish. The Czech blamed the Germans. etc. No one knew what exactly caused it, but what we did know was around 50 people were unwell following the rice and fish meal. Miffy, Gaby, Gerrard and Jody were up all night with it... Miffy and Gaby had to pull from the race. A sad day for them both. Jody put on a very brave face and sorted all the riders legs out, cleaned and filled our bottles and spent the day handing bottles out in the scorching heat.

I rode the TT... and felt OK ish... a crap nights sleep and dodgey tummy meant I wasn't feeling amazing... but I was surviving... I did a good ride considering - averaging over 41kph on a rolling, uneven road surface with a tough wind. Happy with that!

On to the second stage, the 92km road race, Curley was sick on the drive to the start and had to call it quits then... there was no way she could continue. I was sick just before lining up. Nerves maybe? Got to the first climb, 9km into the race and I was sick again, this time all over my leg. Classy. I got dropped, but chased back on. Next climb, I was sick again... I got dropped again... I wasn't catching back up, but then a train held up the bunch and I rolled up to the back along with other riders. I stayed with this front bunch until the next climb where it all happened again. About 70km into the race and I was delirious, I was weaving around on my bike and just retching over the side... I was running on empty. None of my drinks or gels were staying down. I got to the top of a climb, and just started crying.... the broom wagon drove up beside me and asked if I was finished. I nodded and turned back. Game over.

Day four of racing, by now all that was left of our huge team in the race was Em G and Cath - two very strong, very tough riders. Lucky for them the sick bug hadn't hit them too hard, but that doesn't mean they weren't suffering some of the same symptoms. To have carried on and finished showed true grit and determination, I'm very proud of them girls! Not only did they finish, but Em finished 24th and Cath was in a chasing bunch not far behind, amazing rides!

The epic road trip home began at 1.30pm, the back of the van piled to the roof with bikes, bags and wheels. Our seating was already bagsy'd and shot-gunned with pillows and iPods. A few detours led us along cobbled narrow roads and to a river crossing... we were on a ferry by the late afternoon... sadly this ferry didn't take us to the UK... just over the river. We drove all night, stopping only for fuel and toilet stops. A fry up at 3am on the ferry was a welcome choice. Arriving back in the UK around 5am we began dropping people off on route, I jumped out just off the A2 and carried on my travels with a very tired James, who I woke up at 3am to declare plans had changed and I was now going to be in the UK early in the morning, not late in the evening!

So. For now I am focusing on catching up on lost sleep, and shaking off this sickness... but soon I shall have to turn my focus on getting as skinny and strong as I can to get my a** up climbs faster later in the year!

Peace out!