Mothers Day Racing: a schooling in the 6 P's

It's been a bit of a whirlwind—hard to justify when you're staying at home (mainly) and looking after the kiddo...with a bit of stuff on the side.

I have turned into a mummy blogger! But that's not the worst thing in the world, and it's not forever.

It was Mother's Day here yesterday—my first one!

Weird.

I think i'm still getting used to it. I ride my bike, or I play on the computer, or go for a run and it doesn't feel like i'm doing any parenting. Then she wakes up and BAM into mummy mode, it's quite bizarre.

It's been a long wait for 10-spd twisties....let's hope
they're as fab as they used to be!

Elva somehow managed to ring SRAM and get some 10-spd X0 Gripshift for mother's day—some of the first in the country—for my XC bike. I have been a fan of Gripshift for ages, so it will be interesting to try the new 10-spd version. For bike nerds: the internals are completely new, which is odd because the old ones worked pretty well. Ball bearings add a bit of weight to the whole unit, so we'll test it out and see if it's worth it!

I am incredibly lucky and eternally grateful for such a wonderful husband and pretty good kid too!

Mother's Day was spent out at Mt Crosby, for the first round of the State Series XC or SEQXCMTB or whatever it's called (what was wrong with Sunny Series?). The race was held by Kenmore Cycle Club, and was originally scheduled for two weeks ago but it was rained out. I am very glad we weren't racing there in the wet—it was 95% singletrack and there was a few wet bits as it was, it would have been horrible racing there in the rain!

It was a mad struggle with a baby just shy of 8 weeks—trying to fit in a lap of the course, get ready, warm up (or not...) and feed the baby before the gun goes off. We managed but it's just a lot busier now!

So the gun did go off, and I had the world's worst start, which is unlike me! I went from last to third in the first few hundred metres and stayed there. Girls in front of me were off and running the first climb, which I rode, however I probably should have run as I was riding at about the same speed or slower...

It was a hilly course—up or down with nothing in the middle. The few kg's I am toting from the baby, mainly in my boobs really, were well noted on the tough bits! At least I now know what I have to do: ride up more hills and focus on core strength as I was a bit 'all over the place' on the steep climbs whereas with a couple less kg's and a bit more core strength I would feel a lot more solid and stable when it gets steep.

Anyway, my race was cut short due to a flat and my poor preparation. Tempting fate, I decided not to carry a tube and canister "I haven't flatted in years, and never in a race, i'll wing it!". Murphy's law, halfway around the second lap I feel a brrrrrp underneath me, and the steep hills are a little harder to climb. I try to wrangle spares, however with a 29er you have to target who you ask! There were many victims of flats out there today, so I was by no means lonely out there!

As those in government say I was schooled in the 6 P's: Piss Poor Preparation leads to Piss Poor Performance. I won't be doing that again.

Bike racing 2012 Style...

Was pretty happy to feel the burn and see some familiar faces again, and I was pleasantly surprised that my skill level was, if anything, a bit better perhaps? Who knows—I felt faster on the D's than I have before but maybe it's because it's been that damn long since i've raced. Or maybe you lose a bit of fear once you push a baby out your hoo haa.

I have the desire to go out and train properly, but on the other hand I think it will be good for me to 'just ride' for a bit longer. It's a long time until the National Series or All Mountain Series (or whatever they want to call it...) and there's no point in getting upset about not being super fast right now!

Plus, it's cold in the mornings, and if I only get out 4 mornings a week, plus a wind trainer and a run, that's heaps at the moment. And hopefully soon my fat packets will begin to disappear...I hope.

I am also loving the 29er. Whoever says that you have to ride 26" to be able to 'ride' a bike is clearly on another planet, it's awesome fun and they're winning races at all levels :)

Anyway, better go get into parenting mode again...