So having wanted this weekend to come quickly (which it didn't, the prior week just had to drag its feet like a reluctant child), when it actually came I had changed my mind.
In the week I'd made a very rash decision to buy a British Cycling Racing Licence, to go with my new bike and not so reluctant attitude to DH. OK so in theory, it's a bit of paper with my picture on stuck between to sheets of plastic! Wrong, it means I just got serious, I'll (hopefully) be collecting points, and if I ever get my skills up, I'll be able to race in the British Downhill Series.
The new bike also to me meant I'd be expected to go faster.
The course had been released as Corkscrew, which to me is one of the least technical tracks, it's not tight or twisty and the bottom has limited lines, it's just rough and rooty. I also thought it was the best track for my first race on the Jedi, I wasn't used to him and being unsure of how he handles a point and go track was in my favour.
So I was up the top of Corkscrew on my lovely shiney new (to me) Canfield Brothers Jedi, ready to roll down for the first time. And it went fine on the top section, I was feeling comfortable on the bike, and even starting to lay of the brakes a bit. So after a few runs down to the road getting my lines sorted , we decided to go for lunch, as the bottom half of the track was still busy I opted to roll down another DH track which I enjoyed and relaxed on the bike a bit more.
We had a relaxed lunch break and as riders started to thin out, we made our way back up to practice the lower rougher section. Pushing all the way to the top to warm up our muscles, as I rolled down I was just filled with dread at the thought of the rooty lower half, I really don't know why, I can ride it all. As I started the root steps down to the forestry road I unbalanced on my bike as my muscles tensed. As I crossed the road I slammed on the brakes... I just couldn't do the roll into the lower section. No reason, other than my own stupidity...
I pulled over off the track and sat with the other riders watching them filter off to the lower section. One of the best things about DH is people help each other, no-one laughed or criticized my stupidity, and Ami and Rachael even offered to ride with me sandwiched in the middle to help me down. Forest of Dean guru Ieuan (4 seconds behind Danny Hart) Williams offered to lead me down, even offering to go slowly. I had a hissy fit at my own idiocy, the numbers dwindled and I calmed. Ieuan got ready to start and knowing I'd have a clean track in front of me I nipped in behind him with Darrel on my heels.. I honestly don't know what I panicked about, the Jedi was brilliant, absorbing all the bumps and despite my tense and bad riding didn't send me unceremoniously sprawling across the mud. After getting to the bottom, I actually wanted to ride it again, this time not so tense, so I pushed up and rolled down, working on looking up, not at roots, and getting used to how the Jedi acts on the rough. After a few runs I was even getting my lines naturally. As it was now 4pm, and I did need energy for the race tomorrow we decided to head home.
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| Nick Morris (AKA twiglet) posing in the car park |
Sunday 5:30am came way too soon, and despite a good nights sleep, I woke up with a massive feeling of dread. I loaded the dishwasher with last nights dishes and even made Darrel a mug of real coffee (grinding beans etc..) to try and find some solace in mundane tasks. It wasn't working, I felt sick and just full of impending doom. All the kit was loaded in the van so it was just a case of picking up the items like my knee pads and SPD shoes that I had worn home last night. I put my knee pads on to make sure I didn't forget them and my SPD were next to my trainers by the door. As we drove down the road, the horrible feeling that something was going to go wrong got worse. We approached Crickhowell (approx 1/2 way) it clicked. I'd not put my SPD shoes in the van, we pulled into a lay-by and a check revealed me to be correct. It was too late and too far to go back home, I was going to have to ride flats, which I've never done, like ever. I took up MTB'ing on SPD's, and being clipped in is 2nd nature to me and stops me doing stupid things. Oddly I relaxed, that feeling of impending doom melted away, I was annoyed at my stupidity, but all I could think is I knew something was going to go wrong and forgetting my shoes was not as bad as slamming into a tree flatout :-)
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| Jed, number board on and ready to race |
As we waited for the bike shop to open, Darrel decided, if they had a pair of nice SPD's in my size he'd get them for me, and take the cleats out of his. So after my normal 2 visits to the ladies, I was walking alongside Darrel, who kindly pushed Jed, up the hill to the start in a nice new pair of 661 SPD shoes, to go with my new bike. I wasn't expecting my first run down to go well, normally it doesn't so as I rolled down the top section to warm up I was please to hit my lines and feel relaxed. After a couple of runs on the top half, I was feeling happy so with a cheer to Simon the road crossing marshal I darted into the lower section, feeling confident on the Jedi as he gripped to the churned up mud. As I went down I failed to notice that one of the roots had hollowed out the other side more, as I popped over it, the bike washed out to the side, rather than recover I let the bike slip off the track, so I could have a look at where I'd gone wrong and let 2 faster riders have a clear run. It was a simple fix, I'd normally dropped to the left to land on the flatter part of the track, but this had worn and now the root needed to be taken more to the right. Happy and confident that Jed and I could do this I continued down, getting my lines and feeling happy. I was made even more chuffed when a random guy came over and said I was looking a lot more relaxed on the new bike today, and starting to let it do it's job... With a massive grin on my face I pushed Jed up to the start.
Now, I'm not going to say I'm not nervous, but I'm not going to bore you with it either. Starting a DH race will never be easy, I'm sure even the pros would agree this. But it's a fact of life that you got to start to race to race. So once again I was on a start mound waiting for the beeps to drop. Then I was off, I stuffed up my start, changing down a gear instead of up, annoyed with myself I looked ahead to find my line to the right onto the table top, letting the bike go in the air this was quickly followed by root, corner, brake, jump, braking bumps, root corner jump it all seemed to speed by, I cheered to Darrel and Simon as I over braked off the forestry road, still no 100% trusting Jed, as I hit the roots, concentrating on the one I needed to stick left on, as I dropped over it the bike stayed on track, hitting my lines over the other roots and over the corner, I could hear the commentator calling my name as I was on the short home straight. Pedalling across the finish line, my heart was thumping so loudly I didn't catch my time. I was just happy, the bike was amazing and I was down in 1 piece. Nick came over to ask me what time I'd wanted to beat, 1:50 had been my previous, Nick informed me I'd done a 1:46, on such a short track 4 seconds was great, new bike, less grippy track it's hadn't been in my favour to beat last years time. Darrel came down with some food and we sat relaxing watching the guys come down.
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| Me and Jed on our first ever race run together |
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| Relaxing in between race runs |
1:30pm and I was back at the top, yet again waiting for the beeps. I'd put in a great first run, so no pressure on this run as I heard the start I was off, this time I know I was faster on the top section, everything felt smooth and comfortable as I headed down the track, I over braked on the large root drop I needed to keep left over and off balanced myself, as I headed down I missed a marker, and instead of going on the line I'd been practising I found myself on a middle line into the largest of root drops, I didn't mean too, however I must of cursed myself out loud 'S*$t I'm on the wrong line' in reply I hear a guy yell back 'don't worry just keep going your doing fine' so I did, dropping off the roots I pedalled to try and make up the lost time, hitting my line and letting the bike head down I knew I was going slowly and let off the brakes, making the turn onto the now very slippy finish straight pedalling again as I crossed the line, I was so happy. 1 second off my first race run time, it doesn't sound much but to me it was.
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| It's no all about the racing :) |
We stayed to watch the rest of the race and enjoy the atmosphere.
So my review of the weekend and why I got so stupidly nervous.
A) New Bike, I'd only really had 1 proper days riding on him and that was with the too soft forks. I didn't know how he behaved on different terrain and with the new spring in the forks he again acted totally differently. I didn't know where the bikes strengths are, or weaknesses. Also Granddad has been part of my identity, know one was ever going to take me seriously on a 15 year old bike.. Now I'm on a bike that says I mean business...
B) Putting pressure on myself. I now had a really good new bike and a racing licence, so I should be fast and competitive
What I've learned is:
The Jedi is an amazing bike that I'm going to have a great time on, it's way more competent that I gave it credit for and I love it.
Having a racing licence means nothing, other than I have a number after my name on entries and might gain some points.
Racing DH is one of the best sports ever, and I really love it.
So my exciting life doesn't stop here, I've got 4 days to recover then the bit I'm really scared about. I've got a training session on Friday with World 4x Protour Champion, DH rider and Haribo lover Katy Curd.
Massive thanks to Loeka for my lovely kit, Fix Distribution for supporting me and getting me and Jed together. Everyone at Naked Racing for putting on such an excellent event and to all the riders and spectators who made the weekend so great. Special thanks to Darrel for not racing to support me on my new bike and for buying me some lovely new SPD's
Grateful thanks to Mark @ Photo-bike.com for supplying me with these images from Sunday. Gotta love my facial expression on the bottom one :)
Grateful thanks to Mark @ Photo-bike.com for supplying me with these images from Sunday. Gotta love my facial expression on the bottom one :)
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| Image supplied by Scott Kendall |
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