Blist Hills Cyclocross
I was really looking forward to race at Blist Hills Cyclocross event, I had looked at videos and pictures from the event last year and it looked a fantastic course and lots of fun, but things didn’t quite go to plan ………………..
4.30am Saturday morning I woke burning up, headache and my whole body ached, I spent most of the day sleeping and taking pain killers, but by 3pm when we needed to set out I told my mom I felt better and got her to drive me over to the event, the weather was hot and once arriving at Blist Hills I felt quite poorly and freezing cold at this point, but I booked in and went to the gates. I didn’t have the energy to hold my bike so sat on the floor while we were being entertained by a juggler. The gates were then removed so we could go out for practice, I manged to do one lap of practice but I admit I was struggling. Soon after I made my way down to the start line as I really wanted to take part. I was placed at the back on the starting grid ( to be honest I didn’t have the energy to push through to the front of the grid) once the whistle was blown I pushed as hard as I could even though I really ached, I kept with the pack and enjoyed the course, on the hill climb we had to dismount and carry our bikes up but spectators were allowed to help carry our bikes, I was lucky that a kind man carried my bike up for me every lap, this was great for me with the way I was feeling, I managed to complete five laps in 20 minutes, when I came over the finish line I was so glad the race had finished, normally I could carry on after a race but I was completely worn out and the bug had now completely court up on me. I don’t know where I had finished as my mom had lost track as she was too busy worrying I was going to pass out on the course with being so ill.
We were going to go home prior to the presentation as I wanted to sleep but my mom asked the results and I had finished 3rd, I was extremely happy with this result under the circumstances.
Blist Hills was an absolute fantastic event and I will defiantly be back to race it again next year.
