September was an Anniversary for me!
It was a year since I entered my first DH race and became a reluctant downhiller, and with the start of the Forest of Dean Mini DH 2013-14 series looming my life down hill has come full circle. So I thought I'd be all reflective and write a blog.
I still remember my first DH race like it was yesterday, the nerves and perpetual feeling of wanting to vomit, the sleepless nights and dreams of crashing... And that was before I got on the bike!
So what made me do this, if you ever see me before a race you'd wonder how I ever survived a weekend let alone a year. But I have and what a year it is been, I'm not sure if there are words to describe the highs that come with DH racing, and although the biking may be predominately going down, the emotion linked to this sport rarely head in that direction.
Firstly the racing for me is only a fraction of why I've continued with this sport, for me it's been all about the people I've met, who have supported me, advised me, become friends and make DH'ing the amazing sport it is. I won't name and shame them on here, they all know who they are, I love you all for the help, friendship, advice and encouragement given.
I can't deny it, I'm still pretty useless on a bike if you compare me to my peers in the sport. It's only been since September, this year, that I've started properly jumping the DH bike and enjoying my wheels leaving the ground. I still get scared and I still scream and swear my way down a track, but I don't think that will ever change. Much to my embarrassment I was referred to at my last race as 'Ms Potty Mouth' by the organisers. My riding has however improved 10 fold, I've just had 2 days of DH riding where I felt my riding was terrible (fighting the bike, no flow, over braking), but looking back on a bad day this year I rode down a track that last year I was too scared to try! I'm also pushing myself, I'm looking for the more technical lines, I'm trying different techniques over sections too see what works best for me. Last year when I looked at a track I'd always look for the easiest way down, now I look for the best way to suit my riding style. I'm also keen to try different tracks, and have even entered races on tracks I've never seen, this is a massive step for me as at the time of entering I didn't know if I could get down.
My year has also seen me become a Loeka Girl. I brought some Loeka kit off CRC in a sale in 2011, I'll admit I brought the shorts because they were cheap, in my size and looked OK. When they arrived I was really pleased they looked better than the picture and after a week riding in the Alps I was so impressed I brought another pair and a top. So when I saw the company asking for riders to support I applied, not thinking I'd get anywhere, you can imagine my surprise when I received an e-mail asking me if I wanted to join the Loeka Girls. I'm honoured to be representing Loeka, their products are brill, those shorts I brought back in 2011 still look brand new after a wash. Being a Loeka Girl has enabled me to meet other riders in different disciplines of MTB'ing that I'd otherwise of not met. I'd also say that by Loeka having faith in me has helped push me when times have been hard and given me the confidence to keep going.
I'm still bashing around on the old faithfull Santa Cruz Super 8, AKA Granddad. He had a new lease of life with the fitting of a new DHX5 rear shock this September. I can't believe the difference this has made, it's like having a new DH bike. This old bike is proof that you don't need all the newest gear to race DH, he'll be 15 years old next year and yes he will be celebrating. At races he regularly gets recognised, with many people coming over to see what was their 'dream bike' from their youth.
So my years stats are:
6 DH races
1 injury
6 weeks recovery
and one hell of a lot of bruises
Shockingly no punctures!
countless hissy fits
A lot of swearing ( this is improving )
Meeting and befriending some of the most amazing people ever...
Would I recommend Downhill Mountain Biking to everyone - Hell Yes
Am I still a Reluctant Downhiller - Yes when I'm sat at the top of a track, but when I get down I love it...
Reluctant Downhiller in action
Thursday 21 November 2013
Tuesday 12 November 2013
Awesome Antur Stiniog
Antur Stiniog opened in July 2012 just after we came back from Morzine, and Darrel and I have been keen to go since, but for one reason or another never got there.
So after a fellow FB diva posted that she was going on the 29th September, we used that as an excuse. Against my advice of, wait till after Taff Buggy to book, the morning of the race Darrel booked our uplifts. In hindsight it was a good decision as the uplift sold out by the following day, but the pressure was on for me not to crash on my race runs.
Following the race, it was a couple of days R&R, an XC ride then getting excited about Antur.
Now I'd been disappointed (my own fault) by Bike Park Wales, but Antur Stiniog had no identity issues, its a Down Hill venue, 4 trails; A Blue - Drafft, Red - Wild Cart, Black - Black Powder, and the double black - Y Du. This doesn't sound much but trust me it was.
We got there at 10 and sign on was a simple affair, with Darrel joking about them not having a no swearing rule YET! Once the bikes were unloaded, body armor fitted it was a a very short stroll to the uplift, and a surprisingly short (by my uplift experience) bus ride we were being dropped off at the top. My game plan was to have fun and not push myself, having done that to the extreme the week before so I was starting easy and moving on once I felt comfortable with my riding. Darrel was also happy to hit the blue with me so we parted to the left to the start of the red and blue trails (the 2 blacks having a different starting point). We rolled down the trail and learned pretty quickly that everything was rollable, if a feature was a bit more technical there was generally a rollable bit to the side. The trails had a lovely alpine feel to them with views over the valley.
I spent my first 3 runs playing on the Blue, Darrel had got a puncture so I had fun trying to hit the trail faster and with more flow. Once Darrel had fixed his puncture, we hit the red it's a nice step up from the blue, not massively harder but definitely a step up. A couple of sections I got off and looked at to get my line before rolling them, it wasn't that they were hard, more that the approaches were blind. On the blue track line choice is rollable drop or track, the red step up was that the other option needed to be popped, so I didn't want to hit that line by mistake. I got down brimming with confidence and keen to show Darrel how practice had paid off on the blue.
A run up to the top and Darrel followed me down the Blue, and to my surprise he came off :) now I shouldn't smile but for the 13 years we've been together he's never followed me down a track and come off.
So here is the video of this momentous occasions
Lunch was a patch up Darrel's grazed elbow and a chat with Sarah and Co, who's kindly invite had finally got us there. Then back on the bus to repeat the mornings fun.
Darrel joined the others on the Blacks while I stuck to the Blue and Red keeping relaxed and pushing myself to go faster. Antur seems great for this, it's the first time I've ever found myself really trying to hit jumps and pop off drops and after a few runs I was confidently getting my wheels off the ground, and not taking the easy lines. I lines I'd had to look at on the red in the morning I was trusting my judgement over and using my brakes less each run.
OK I only stuck to the easier tracks, but without and pressure I was doing what biking is all about, having fun with great company. I really loved Antur, the whole vibe was nice and relaxed, the trails are amazing, long and rough. Darrel's verdict on the Black was; awesome gnarly DH! I'll give my verdict on them when I go back because I'm definitely going there again.
I didn't video much, so here's an edit of my very tired final run down the Blue...
So after a fellow FB diva posted that she was going on the 29th September, we used that as an excuse. Against my advice of, wait till after Taff Buggy to book, the morning of the race Darrel booked our uplifts. In hindsight it was a good decision as the uplift sold out by the following day, but the pressure was on for me not to crash on my race runs.
Following the race, it was a couple of days R&R, an XC ride then getting excited about Antur.
Now I'd been disappointed (my own fault) by Bike Park Wales, but Antur Stiniog had no identity issues, its a Down Hill venue, 4 trails; A Blue - Drafft, Red - Wild Cart, Black - Black Powder, and the double black - Y Du. This doesn't sound much but trust me it was.
We got there at 10 and sign on was a simple affair, with Darrel joking about them not having a no swearing rule YET! Once the bikes were unloaded, body armor fitted it was a a very short stroll to the uplift, and a surprisingly short (by my uplift experience) bus ride we were being dropped off at the top. My game plan was to have fun and not push myself, having done that to the extreme the week before so I was starting easy and moving on once I felt comfortable with my riding. Darrel was also happy to hit the blue with me so we parted to the left to the start of the red and blue trails (the 2 blacks having a different starting point). We rolled down the trail and learned pretty quickly that everything was rollable, if a feature was a bit more technical there was generally a rollable bit to the side. The trails had a lovely alpine feel to them with views over the valley.
I spent my first 3 runs playing on the Blue, Darrel had got a puncture so I had fun trying to hit the trail faster and with more flow. Once Darrel had fixed his puncture, we hit the red it's a nice step up from the blue, not massively harder but definitely a step up. A couple of sections I got off and looked at to get my line before rolling them, it wasn't that they were hard, more that the approaches were blind. On the blue track line choice is rollable drop or track, the red step up was that the other option needed to be popped, so I didn't want to hit that line by mistake. I got down brimming with confidence and keen to show Darrel how practice had paid off on the blue.
A run up to the top and Darrel followed me down the Blue, and to my surprise he came off :) now I shouldn't smile but for the 13 years we've been together he's never followed me down a track and come off.
Lunch was a patch up Darrel's grazed elbow and a chat with Sarah and Co, who's kindly invite had finally got us there. Then back on the bus to repeat the mornings fun.
Darrel joined the others on the Blacks while I stuck to the Blue and Red keeping relaxed and pushing myself to go faster. Antur seems great for this, it's the first time I've ever found myself really trying to hit jumps and pop off drops and after a few runs I was confidently getting my wheels off the ground, and not taking the easy lines. I lines I'd had to look at on the red in the morning I was trusting my judgement over and using my brakes less each run.
OK I only stuck to the easier tracks, but without and pressure I was doing what biking is all about, having fun with great company. I really loved Antur, the whole vibe was nice and relaxed, the trails are amazing, long and rough. Darrel's verdict on the Black was; awesome gnarly DH! I'll give my verdict on them when I go back because I'm definitely going there again.
I didn't video much, so here's an edit of my very tired final run down the Blue...
And a few pictures kindly Taken by Neil, please note wheels OFF the ground...
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