MTB XC Season is Done!
Sorry for the lack of updates, I feel like I start all my blogs like this, I have been so busy with training and racing it’s been a little hectic and a blog updating hasn’t been my top priority, this isn’t great I know but I would rather my racing improve than my upload speed 😊 if you follow me on Instagram you will be up to date with my racing.
So since the last update, I have done a few races, I won’t detail them as the blog would be really long and boring, I will do a summary for each event and hopefully explain the day;
HSBC MTB XC National RD2 – Monmouth
Honestly a day to forget, I really did not like the course and my fitness was just shocking, I tried my hardest and my best was a 7th, not where I wanted to be but racing at the highest level in the UK I was still somewhat please with my result. Upon reflection after this round I was super unhappy with my fitness, so I asked for help from a local ex elite rider and we came up with a plan.
Mud Sweat & Gears XC - Eastern #4
With being so down with how the Nationals had gone I just wanted to race, my fitness was lacking but also my confidence, I headed down to Thickthorn in Norwich to race a “Regional” I guess, I had a two week training block heading into this event so I was fairly tired but I felt great, I pushed from the start and I managed to take the win, so this was a great confidence boost.
HSBC MTB XC National Champs – Plymouth
I headed to Plymouth really just for a race, I had been training super hard and I raced this event super tired, not ideal but it was just a race / training day for me, I wasn’t a massive fan of the course, more cyclocross based IMHO, only good part was the rock garden. I tried to push out the start but I had nothing, honestly it was just a battle for an hour so to come away with 8 from 19 was a small victory for me even though from the outside it maybe didn’t look great.
HSBC MTB XC National RD3 – New Forrest
What a place and what a great mtb course, you’re going to see a pattern here but again I raced this event as a training ride, I lined up tired but I was feeling good. I got a great start and pushed into the lead, I made a silly mistake and fell off, I headed to the pits to get my handle bars sorted and rejoined in about 8th, I pushed super hard to the finish and I managed to take a 5th, my best result at a national and I was closing down (time wise) on the leading riders.
HSBC MTB XC National RD4 – Newcastleton
We headed North for the penultimate XC national round, I was nervous about this event, not really sure why as I had been training hard and really enjoying my riding, I think the 5th place I took at the New Forrest had dropped a bit of pressure on myself as I wanted to back up my result and not make it look like a one off. Again I was riding this event as a training race, I wanted to do well but having a hard week before was starting to take its toll a bit. I really enjoyed the course it was MTB, techy in places, climbs, fast downs and a mud bog to add to the fun. The whistle blew and I pushed hard, I pushed to stay with the leading 2, maybe pushed a bit too hard as I took a trip over the bars on one for the techy log stump things, I remounted in 4th and rode the course for fun, at the finish I crossed the line in 4th, improving on my 5th from the previous round so I was super please but a tiny bit annoyed with my OTB incident.
HSBC MTB XC National RD5 – Cannock Chase
Cannock, my home event and I actually had a day’s rest from training 😊. I’m not biased here in any way but Cannock Chase has it all for an XC race venue, hills, speed, tech, mud, rock gardens, you name it (ok no jumps) then Cannock has it! I was super excited to race my home event, I had friends and family come to watch, the weather was perfect and I loved the course. I pushed super hard out the start and took the early lead, I got passed but I tried hard to stay with the lead 2 girls (Who are super awesome by the way), the 3 of us raced together for most of the race, Tulsi put in a really good sprint halfway round the last lap and dropped myself and Zoe, I just tried my hardest and myself and Zoe sprinted to the line, with Zoe coming home in 2nd and myself in 3rd, I was super happy with my result, I had worked so hard for this since RD2, I wasn’t disappointed with losing out on the sprint, I was just happy I had the opportunity to even be in that position at the end of the race.
Overall this year has been a massive eye opener for me, first year of nationals and it’s been a shock to the system, honestly after round 2 I was thinking about calling it quits for 2021 but I’m pleased I got my head down and worked my ass off to improve.
Massive thankyou to Christian Aucote for all his help and support, honestly I know I’m not the easiest but you have understood me and pushed me in the right direction every time.
If you got this far down, then well done and thank you.
AS ALWAYS A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO MY SPONSORS;
Full Throttle Racing
Halo Wheels
Nudo Sock
Squirt Cycling Products
Absolute Black
Links can be found under the partner's tab.
Thanks for reading.
Mazie Moo Moo
Photo credit sharperfoto
Welcome back :-) I have a few updates for you, Enjoy.
20/06/21 - Southern XC Checkenden
On father’s day I travelled south to race a round of the southern XC championship at Checkenden, this was a last minute decision, to be honest with you, I just want to race and there is nothing going on in the midlands right now.
My practice wasn’t until 11 so we didn’t need to leave super early, we had a steady trip down in the rain and arrived just in time practice.
The course was extremely flat, fun, technical due to the wet ground with super slippy roots, I rolled out for practice and had a steady lap, although it was flat it was a great course and I was looking forward to my race.
I headed to gridding, I knew I would be called up last due to not racing any previous rounds but I just want to race so this never bothered me, we got under starters orders and once the whistle blew I pushed hard to move to the front, I sprinted from the back into the 3rd but I dropped a couple a couple of places before we headed into the woods. I got my head down and raced my own race, it was very slippy in the woods and being careful and consistent was key under the canopies, I made a few passes as the race went on and as I crossed the line I finished in an awesome 3rd place, I was super happy as flat courses are a bit of a weakness of mine.
Overall it was well worth the drive, I felt good and I’m improving every time I ride.
27/06/21 – Midlands Regional BMX Round 1
So this past weekend I fancied going back to my roots and racing BMX, now this sounds straight forward but I don’t have a race bike 😊
Lucky for me I was able to borrow one (Thank you to the Weaver clan) so early Saturday morning my dad collected it and we headed straight to a local track to have a test ride (massive thank you to Kieran Edwards of Wrekin Riders), it’s been 4 years since I last raced so I need a bit of time on the gate and I needed to get the feel for the small wheels.
After a few hours I felt comfortable on the bike and I was excited about racing the following day.
We set off early on Sunday morning and head to Bulwel in Nottingham, I know this track well and it was the first ever race I did at the age of 4. I headed out for practice and I put a fair amount of laps in and it has been a while, after practice I went back to my setup, had a chill and a catchup with people I have not seen in a few years.
As the entry for the 13 girls was low we got mixed in with the 13 year old boys, this didn’t bother me as I used to race in with the boys when I last raced. I headed up for my first moto and I did get butterflys in my belly, the gate dropped and as expected my gate wasn’t great, I entered the first turn in 8th but I managed to make some moved down the final straight and I crossed the line the 6th.
Nerves no gone I went up for moto 2, I got a better start and rounded the first turn in 6th, I pushed hard to the finish and managed to cross the line in 4th.
3rd moto, gate dropped and I pushed hard, I didn’t have the best start but fought hard, another 5th, lucky for me going 5 – 4 – 5 in my motos gave me a space in the A final, something I was fairly pleased about given it was my first race in such a long time.
Final time and the nerves returned, I was expecting to be here and it really played on my mind, the gate dropped and I got an ok jump, I pushed hard but being in gate 8 as was hung out on the outside, I went for a high low move in the first turn and the lack of practice kicked in, I clipped the back wheel of another competitor and went flying over the bars! I hit my hip pretty hard but overall I was fine, make sure you where protection otherwise I would have been in a much worse state, that’s for sure.
8th overall for my first race back in the 13 year old boys, happy with that, maybe I wont leave it 4 years until my next race 😉
This weekend I head to Monmouth for Round 2 of the HSBC British Cycling XC National, I’m really looking forward to this natural course.
AS ALWAYS A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO MY SPONSORS;
Full Throttle Racing
Halo Wheels
Nudo Sock
Squirt Cycling Products
Absolute Black
Links can be found under the partner's tab.
Thanks for reading.
Mazie Moo Moo
Photo credit sharperfoto
HSBC XC National RD1 – Woodys Bike Park
Welcome back internet people, thank you for visiting and taking time to read my blog.
It’s a little late but I have been busy the past couple of weeks.
A couple of weeks back now myself and dad travelled down early Saturday morning to Fowey on the South West Coast, this was going to be my first ever mtb XC national. The weather was typical British, it rained, and making the hilly course slippy in places, this added to the difficulty as the place was like a world cup venue, amazing downs with gruelling ups, we headed out to walk the course and this made me excited for practice.
I headed out for practice and I was extremely nervous, not about the course but about the event in general, in the midlands I’m confident about my ability but at national level it was a total unknown and this really played on my mind. The course was fantastic, practice was hectic to say the least, riders all over the place, riders crashing in the slippy conditions but after all that it was fun course with some awesome A lines, and for once the A lines actually rewarded you. I completed a full steady lap and head back to my van for clean up and get ready for the race.
I made my way up to gridding and rode around to warm up, the rain started again! We got called up in by our race number so lucky for me I managed to get onto the front row. I waited anxiously, when the whistle blew I had a great jump and then bang nothing, appeared I was riding in glue meaning I had possibly the worse ever start (nervous maybe), I rounded the first turn in next to last place. I fought hard but as the course from this point was mainly single track it was dificut to make passes. The lead 4 had gone, I got my head down and ticked off riders one by one when the course would allow, I pushed hard on the downs and the ups, at the end of the race I crossed the line in a very respectable 7th (maybe 6th, not really sure as there appears to be different results published), given my awful start and the quality of the competition I’m happy with my result, it not where I see myself and its shy of my goal but I’m happy and I know what to expect in the future.
I would like to say a thank you to the venue and organisers, it was a really enjoyable experience for my first National, and I’m looking forward to RD2 already.
Woodys XC National Round 1, Mtb Race Highlights
As always a massive thank you to my sponsors;
Full Throttle Racing
Halo Wheels
Nudo Sock
Squirt Cycling Products
Absolute Black
Links can be found under the partner's tab.
Thanks for reading.
Mazie Moo Moo
Photo credit davepricephoto, westlarjfotos & sharperfoto
I did a race and I liked it....
The title is not totally true but being on a start line is something I have missed.
Yesterday (Sunday 16th May) I raced round 3 of the Pulse events MegaCross. Cylcocross isn’t a cycling discipline that I enjoy and the Worcester campus venue just adds pain to that, the flat layout really is more a road ride than anything else but it’s the same for all so you just have to get on with it.
Being behind a start line was the goal for this event, grinding the gears over a race duration was key, it’s been a fair while since I last raced so I was keen to get out there, have fun and come away with some data.
I headed out to practice and surprisingly given the amount of rain we have experienced over the past week, the course was in great condition with only a couple of spots of slop to contented with.
I headed to the warm up zone and just before our race it absolutely threw it down, but the show must go on. We got called up and awaited the start whistle, I got an awesome jump and pushed into the lead, unfortunately on the first lap I dropped a few places but I pushed hard for the full race and crossed the line in 4th, not exactly the result I’m looking for but I will take it and I’m happy to get a race under my belt in 2021.
I know my site has lacked content but there has been nothing going on and I’m sure you’re not interested in seeing picture of me training, that’s boring and does not create good content, hopefully it’s looking like we have a few events popping up now so fingers crossed I will have more to share with you.
As always a massive thank you to my sponsors;
Full Throttle Racing
Halo Wheels
Nudo Sock
Squirt Cycling Products
Absolute Black
links can be found under the partner's tab.
Thanks for reading.
photo credit Eliott Beard & sharper foto
Mazie Moo Moo