NEWS

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;

 

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Cannock1 Cannock2 Cannock3

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.

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AS ALWAYS A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO MY SPONSORS;

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Thanks for reading.
Mazie Moo Moo
Photo credit sharperfoto