Good things come to those that wait

I've discovered that injury is bad for me, not in the obvious way.   As I couldn't ride I spent the evenings on the computer shopping on e-bay (nice new charm purchased for my Pandora Bracelet) and entering silly on-line competitions for a laugh.

I also window shopped for a new DH Bike, the problem with this is I got impatient.  I remembered the difference my Yeti made to my riding and know Granddads too big, seeing all these lovely new bikes I wanted one NOW (stamps foot and folds arms across chest)

So my competition entry focused on achieving my inner child's demands.

I forgot good 'things come to those who wait'. 

I should remember this, when I was a horse mad kid, I worked for free looking after ponies, the owner gave me a head collar for Christmas.  It was wrapped with the gift tag saying the above phrase, and on the other side said 'when the time is right it will happen'.  I still have that head collar, I coveted it for a year hung on my wardrobe door awaiting a horse for it to fit, and yes it did happen.  I waited patiently, saved hard and worked hard to prove I was responsible and I got my horse.  So how could 12 year old Gayle do that but 36 year old Gayle was stamping her foot demanding. 

When I was 12 I didn't even have a horse to ride, I used to beg and borrow peoples ponies, when the horse owners on the yard went for a ride I'd follow on my bike. 


So my competition entry proved fruitful, I've won a tube of anti chaffing cream, and was shortlisted for the Nurofen Big Lives award.  This award would give the lucky winner £1500 towards 'living their big life'.  5 People were shortlisted and the one with the most votes on Facebook won.  Being always broke, waving £1500 just out of my reach is really good motivation.  However I decided to check out the competition, OPPSSSS Nurofen marketing are cunning fellas, so there was little me a nobody on a DH bike who's not particularly good but has fun, the 26 year old world champion professional base jumper,  The British team skydiver, the first woman ever to ski alone across Antarctica, and a girl guide leader who wants to Kayak. 

To be honest me and the Kayaker didn't stand a chance against the other 3 who are pretty much at the top of their game. 

What I learnt.

Despite the opposition I wasn't going to go down without a fight, and boy did I go for it I tweeted, blogged and posted on facebook like crazy.  Alas to no avail, but I learnt a lot.

A) read the T&C's on competitions if they are open to all you could be up against Justin Beiber (or what ever his name is)

B) Getting votes is hard work and I hated it, if you are going to enter be prepared to have to nag and sell yourself lots.

C) There are some amazing people out there, I had some lovely messages from total strangers supporting me, and some of my friends were totally amazing getting behind me and touting for votes on my behalf.

D) Google the other people, see who they are and what they do.  I knew about BASE jumping but never knew there was a world championship in it.  And I never knew about the Artic explorer, she has a book out that gets great reviews so next time I'm injured I'll give it a read.

Serious bit, now.

So I didn't win, and I'd never do a Facebook voting competition again.  I probably pissed off a load of my FB friends (Sorry Guys).  But I learned lots, when a persons injured they go through a 'cup half empty' phase.  I sure as hell did, and I looked at the negatives and not the positives.

Now, I have a perfectly good and capable bike, that was a world cup bike in his day and is more than good enough for me to ride.  So why the hurry.  There's no rush, OK he's a bit big and he's too heavy, why don't I simply hit the gym and try and build up the strength, you never know I might grow a bit and sure as hell need to loose a few pounds. I need to learn the patients I had at 12, good things come to those who wait and when I get my new bike it will be amazing.

Nurofen Big Lives Trust

Please vote for me here read below to see why

After my little crash at Llangollen I realised Granddads size and weight is starting to hold me back a little.

Given that he was only built for me to ride for 1 week in the alps back in 2012 he's done me proud.  Neither I or Darrel ever expected me to take up Down Hilling and Granddad has been instrumental in this, so I owe him. 

He was always a bit on the big side for me, and having been built in a era where DH bikes were build to be tough he's rather heavy.  We could do a few things to lighten him up but there is nothing we can do to make him fit better.  Now I'm trying more technical tracks the fit is really starting to show as I can't move around on him as well as I can on a bike which is the right size.

But more than this, Granddad is irreplaceable, I know from other Super 8 owners experience, that Santa Cruz no longer have the parts to repair him if I break anything, even the mech hangers would have to be hand made if I break one.  This old bike has so much sentimental value to both Darrel and I.  He was Darrel's dream bike for many years, up to the point of buying him.  After purchase our weekends were dictated by collecting bits from the bit shop and fitting them and after he was built many a weekend was spent by me standing on a damp welsh hill side while Darrel rode down (me swearing I'd never be so stupid to do 'that'), Darrel even did a couple of XC rides on him with me. I'm sure my ability to put up with cycling stuff was part of the reason Darrel proposed.

So as I've stuck with this DH lark for 11month and 2 weeks and in that time taken part in 6 DH races, I think it's worth the investment in a new bike. Not a new, new bike (unless a miracle happens - keep reading) but new to me.

Over the months I've sat on bikes to see what fits me and what doesn't so I have a good idea, so while not able to ride I started window shopping.  I was while doing this I saw a few posts on Facebook friends pages for the Nurofen Big Lives Trust, now £1500 would go a long way towards a new bike and it was 2 questions, so I entered not expecting to hear anything more from the.

Roll forward yesterday, I was sat in work eating my lunch when my phone rang, it was a London code so thinking it could be my brother I answered it some-what surprised to hear a ladies voice telling me I had been short listed for the fund.  The final decision is down to the public via a facebook vote, so I'm hear trying to justify why I deserve the money and to encourage people to vote for me so here goes.

I could bleat on about how much I love riding DH and how much a new bike would mean, but anyone can do that, so why vote for me.

There's all the bumf about a new bike and why I need one, which is all true.  But why do I deserve a new bike, I'm not particularly good at DH and being realistic taking it up at the age of 35 wasn't my brightest idea. 

Here are a few unique reasons I should get your vote.

The reason I deserve a new bike is I really want to try harder tracks, I do actually want to get better.  I'm fed up of being a wimp, all my life I've taken the easy options on a MTB, if the going got tough I got off and pushed and I don't want to be that person any more. 

I've got to that age where I've lost my self-consciousness and don't care if people see I'm scared and I don't worry about coming last as long as I don't let myself down by giving up.  This last year of riding DH, I've pushed myself mentally and physically beyond my normal limit and I know I'm a better person both on and off the bike for it.  I'm riding down tracks that I never dreamed I could and although I'm scared the sense of self achievement at doing it has pushed me further than I ever thought possible.  I've found belief in myself, something I've lacked all my life and it's amazing to have confidence in me. 

I would also love to see more women riding and ultimately racing DH, when I first started last year, I was too scared even to talk to the other ladies in my class, I had a preconceived misconception that they were all butch manly tough types (sorry ladies) who would think I was giving women DH'rs a bad name by screaming and swearing my way down a hill.  How wrong I was, they are lovely, welcoming and amazing women united by a love of hurling themselves down steep hills... These women have encouraged me, welcomed me and become amazing friends over the year, and I'd love to introduce more females to this wonderful sport and the absolutely amazing people who take part in it.  By racing and getting more publicity through competition I'd hope that I can encourage more women to ride DH, even pushing for votes to secure this award I hope to encourage more women to realise that DH is for everyone.

£1500 will go a long way towards a new DH bike for me.  I'm not after the newest Carbon V10, that would be wasted on me, what I'd like to buy is a newer entry level bike to show others that you don't need to spend thousand to race.  By getting this award, I can continue putting my money into racing and promoting women's DH through the posts on the Nurofen Facebook pages (part of the condition of the award is that they follow your 'big life'), my blog and through Loeka Clothing, whom I'm an Ambassador for. 

A new bike for me won't just last a few months, it won't be a fleeting experience that  afterwards all thats left is photos in an album and fond memories, a new bike will probably out last me.  My current DH bike has been in my family for 10 years, I still ride my GT mountain bike which I brought 15 years ago.  For me the prize will be a long term investment that even if I change in 5 years time the bike will be passed on to some-one else to start out on.

So please vote for me people here 

Llangollen and Bust

Hi people, bit of a long time since my last blog, I'm not very good at this blogging lark.

So, since my last blog I've been too Morzine again (post still being written on that one) and again came back brimming with confidence.  So I looked for my next adventure/challenge.  At the end of July there were 2 races on the BC events calendar that got my interest;

Race A) the Forest of Dean 2nd round Summer Series race

or

Race B) GAS King/queen of the mountain at Llangollen.

Now the FOD race was on my least favourite track Endo but at a venue I know well, and I could go and practice the weekend before, and knew I could get down it.

The Llangollen race however is on a track I've never seen, Llangollen has a reputation as being gnarly and this race was on the 'easy' track.  So a rare opportunity to race at a private venue on a track I'd have a chance of getting down. 

I chose Llangollen, as much as I loved Forest of Dean it was becoming my safety blanket and if I want to improve I've got to spread my wings and challenge myself.

As per normal with me, nothing ever goes to plan.  I'd not ridden my DH bike since Morzine and the front brake had seized.  Darrel kindly offered to fit his M4 brake to the front, a kind offer but I love my old Hope Minis that don't work properly as I tend to ride stuff I'd normally wimp out of through lack of braking ability, simply put brakes that work aren't good to me riding.

Then the night before my parents had an emergency so my packing the van time was spent helping them out, and worrying about them all night. 

Saturday morning came, luckily I'd sorted all the gear out during the week so Sat morning was a quick pack the van and scarper. 

As we approached the venue the sun was glittering off the tape marking the track, and it was a glorious sight.  I signed on for the uplift and in case I wimped out I entered the race at the same time, having not even walked the course. 

The uplift was fun, never experienced a tractor trailer uplift so a first for me.  Darrel took the lead as we headed down the track, the first sections was fine, pretty straight (not my fav, as I don't do fast) but narrow, so if I stupidly wobbled the bike bounced from one side of the rut to the other.  As it turned down there were lovely bermed corners and an OMG moment.  Even Darrel slammed the brakes, the course designers had diverted off the main track and put the drop from hell in.  From the top it felt like looking over the edge of a cliff, and for Darrel to stop I knew I wasn't over reacting.  After several minutes I couldn't get the nerve up to ride it, neither could Darrel so before I really panicked we pushed the bikes over and continued down the track, it was a great course, the dry weather made the corners slippy and some more off piste bits were off camber and loose. 

It was just the bit at the top that was really stopping me dead.  I did several runs, either ducking under the tape to rind the old track, or pushing my bike down, and as I got more confident on the lower course I was getting more frustrated over my lack of ability on one 2 meter section.  I was lucky to have Ali & Jenny from Campbell Coaching racing at this event, both were happy to pass on advice on how to ride it, and on our 3 or 4th run Darrel nailed it.  So if Darrel could roll it so would I.  I rolled down to the section, parked up off the track and waited for the next uplift to ride it, watching the riders roll down in in various levels of confidence and ability really helped, some went very slow and some darted over the edge, but they all had in common the fact they rolled it.  I stood at the top, astride granddad, and tried, but I just couldn't bring myself to let go.  Darrel kindly rolled it for me hoping to lead me down but NO, one half of me brain was screaming don't you dare, the other was laughing at me for being such a wimp.  At the top of the drop I had a hissy fit, loads of swearing, I even stamped my foot and pouted to the amusement of the Marshall and Medic, who by now had come to watch.  As I stood at the top, the laughing bit of my brain won, with a total lack of commitment I rolled down the shoot, screaming on route in fear, then a yipeee of joy as I realised I wasn't dead. 

Me getting down my mental block

 

 

After pushing back up I rode it again to make sure it wasn't a fluke and happily made my way down the hill, there was nothing I couldn't ride on the track, confident for the next day, but hot and tired we pitched the tent and relaxed to soak up the atmosphere of the event.

 

 

But things happen in 3's and I had more thing to go wrong, it rained, I don't mean a drizzle, I mean full blown all night rain.  I woke up race morning after a poor night sleep dreading what was left of the track.  The Slippy dust was replaced with slimy mud.  As people started practicing for the morning bikes were washing out, and riders coming down plastered in mud. I decided not to practice, I knew the course and as the weather was dry the bikes on track were helping to dry it out, so rather than risk a confidence knocking fall on a slippy wet track I was playing it safe, let the others shift the dirt and once the track had settled I'd be fine.  We walked the track later in the morning and my tactic seemed to have paid off, the track was a nice tacky and nothing had changed for the worse.

 

So at 1pm I headed up with the rest of the ladies for our seeding run, as normal nerves gripped me, but overall for me I wasn't too bad.  As the tractor approached the top of the hill the heavens opened, a proper welsh shower, the view across the valley was totally obstructed as the rain poured and the track was converted to a stream running down hill.  Opppssss

 

So I started my run, it was a seeding run so for me no pressure, just get down and treat it as practice saving energy and risk taking for the race run.  I approached my nemesis drop, as the track diverted off the established trail I modulated  my speed as the new trail was on slippy grass and mud, but I confidently dropped over the edge leaning over the back as the bike dived down, I was clear, but as I headed down the trail I just felt something happen, subconsciously  I must have shifted my weight to counteract the lack of grip but all I remember is heading over the bars, I twisted my body to prevent landing on my head and tucked my shoulders in, but on the tight track there was no room to roll and think I hit the bank.  I got up as quickly as I could, picking my bike up, the Marshall and a lovely guy watching called out to me to see if I was OK, I yelled back then swore a lot, I could feel my shoulder going numb, and just wanted to get down before it seized. 

Me clearing the hard bit on seeding run
 

I wound my way down, very un-confidently as I was a little shaken from the spill, I noticed however I couldn't hold the bars properly with my left hand and as I got to the off camber bits, the bike slid and there was nothing I could do to hold it up.  My left hand may of been on the bars but it was useless.  I slid down in the mud and the 2 roll able drops were agony as the shock went straight throw my shoulder.  I crossed the line, shaking my head, in 1 run I had 2 offs and one paddling with feet down.  I was so disappointed with myself. As the adrenaline wore off it was becoming more apparent that this wasn't just a bruise, I'd done something more and a trip to the medic saw my race day ended as I left in a sling.  However despite the pain, I'd cleared the bit that I'd been freaking out about, and I did a race run at a new venue, all be it ending not how I'd hoped.

 

So it's a week later, the good bits first, X-rays didn't reveal a break, but a rather large gap in my AC joint and my collarbone has been pushed up, further investigation has show I'm very lucky, my ligaments are stretched but not torn.  So a few weeks of rest and some excellent Physio I should be back on the bike.

 

I'm really proud of myself;

• I tried a track I'd never even seen
• I got over a massive mental block
• Despite hurting myself I didn't quit I rode down the hill after my fall

 

It was a really good learning experience, I can do 'big boy' races and I can get over mental blocks.  My fall was just unfortunate, I think I carried too much speed into the drop and didn't appreciate how much speed the bike would gather going over the drop.  Being a bit on the big and heavy side I struggle to do little corrections on granddad, tending to have to throw my weight to correct him, not a good idea on a steep slippy welsh hillside. 

 

So I've got 4 weeks to rest and heals then it's back to racing, accidents happen and in all honesty I've been darn lucky over the years. 

 

Here are a few pictures from Saturdays Practice

 

 

I'd also like to highly recommend the GAS events, it was a great venue and relaxed atmosphere, the whole event was smoothly run.  A massive thanks to Jenny and Ali from Campbell Coaching who let me chill with them pre-race and gave excellent advice on getting over my mental block.