Gnarkill - round 2 woodland 2014/15

Round 2 was on Gnarkill. I had never ridden the track since it had a new start but I have to say it's one of my new favourites. Much more enjoyable than Scotsman used in round one. 

For the first time I choose to ride my new On One codeine, a 29er enduro bike. It suited the course perfectly over the Demo. 

The codeine came into its own on the flat turns and sailed over the roots and through tight techy sections. Honestly that bike can jump! whoever said 29er can't jump was obviously on the wrong 29er!

Being my second race back after over a year off I was much more settled and calm.

With a fresh perspective I put down a solid, safe first run putting me in 3rd place. Feeling confident that all of the girls were only a couple of seconds apart I really went for it on my second run. Unfortunately I clipped a tree and my cleat came out and I couldn't get it back in before the big drop. Even though I lost lots of time in the middle section I got a 1:29 again so must have flown through the start and end sections to have made up all the time. 

I finished in 4th but was really happy as I was 2 seconds off 3rd place so felt Im getting back on my game with a competitive time. 

From this race I learnt new shoes with different position cleats take more time to get used to than I thought!

I've been really happy with my progress doing all of the jumps in both rounds. It's one less advantage that all the 4x girls have.

Throw yourself back into it!

woodlands rounds 1 2014

start ramp gap jum

Wow its been along time since writing a race update!

Due to severe lack of funds my husband and I have had an entire season out of racing downhill!

We sure picked a good one to get back in to it!

Officially the hardest racetrack woodlands has to offer - the Scotsman... and of course some good old English rain!

It was a sloppy day on race day so all the previous days practicing and line choices didn't mean much so a fresh perspective was required. Having practiced all I could I knew it wasn't going to be an easy day.

The beginning of the track was straight forward, gap jump off the start ramp into a flat turn with tree stumps, try not to slide out of the corner and line up to pedal like mad and launch off another jump. Then on to my favourite section steep switchbacks.

All good so far and then came the horror of the bottom section....

It was steep, very steep with exposed roots criss crossing and sharp turns to negotiate. Once through those it was over some rocks and roots into the crap catcher, or around it, neither was easy!

Having practiced the crap catcher and going straight over the bars with everyone else I decided chicken line had to be a winner on this occasion although forgot to control my speed with the excitement of racing so still did an impressive hip slide down the hill. Once scrabbling around and back on the bike it was into the final section littered with rocks pointing in all directions keeping momentum was hard and the light was poor and in a fluster of nerves and frustration rode into a rock which stopped me dead! once having fought my way out I sprinted to the finish line.

It felt like my worst race ever and I was so frustrated and angry. I knew it would be hard from the start but in hind sight we all came off several times and our times were pretty close.

On reflection I leant a lot from racing such a hard track and am now even more motivated to push on with my training building my skill, strength and fitness for the next race.

A video for anyone who loves a bit of benny hill and riders falling in to the infamous "crap catcher"

 

my new Video - Tavistock woodlands