Autumn?..

So yesterday, Sunday, I had another cross race and after a week of mediocre training and a rest week before that I was slightly apprehensive about how I would perform.

The race was again at one of my favourite and very local courses , Herne Hill. So I rode there nice and early setting off a few minute before my mum who was driving over and managed to beat her the 10miles there which I was quite impressed with...you really are better off by bike!

Anyhows as everyone knows it was a scorcher on Sunday, probably some of the best weather we've had all summer! I decided because of the weather I should wear my white summer kit instead of the usual long sleeve darker skin suits that I wear for cross. After riding a few practise laps I realised it was going to be hard and fast because of both the dry course and the heat.

I was relived on the start line when the commisaire announced we were allowed to drink during the race, I had already got my mum positioned where I wanted her in the hope of this being the case. After the gridding of 75 riders I rolled up behind on the first line behind them know it was going to be a hard start to make up places. The race began at it was brutal with the dry mud clouding up from riders ahead making me even thirstier. Luckily as the race swag out of the velodrome I hadn't lost many places, but neither had I gained any. It was on the first slightly technical section after the right hand turn riders were all lined up taking the high line I grabbed my opportunity and undertook taking the lower line and then pulling back and managing to overtake about 5-10riders. For the first few lap I was riding within myself, worrying about fading with the heat however with 2 laps to go and second women bearing down on me I knew I had to push on. Luckily it wasn't too late and I managed to hold on to 1st women, though my placing amongst the men wasn't too great I was pleased to have survived such a hard race.

A massive thnak you to my Mum for handing me up a drink virtually every lap by the end and to Philip Glowinski for organising the event, another sterling job :)

So on to next weekend for the first of the National Trophy series up in South Shields, hopefully with a better week of training under my belt I'll be on for a good result!