This year Biketreks is helping Leanne Thompson of the Lune RCC with her racing. She is currently using one of our Specialized race machines which by all accounts she is piloting to good effect.

This month I’ve ridden the Bike Treks Fred Whitton Challenge and the Wallacehill road race in Scotland which is part of the Women’s National Series. My Preparation for the Fred Whitton was hindered a little by a lingering cold but at least when it came around I was well rested and felt great. All was going very well until someone let their dog off its lead on Whinlatter pass and it ran out from behind a car and straight under my front wheel. I went down quite hard and hurt my wrist badly but I decided after spending some time recovering (thanks to those people who helped me out) that I would carry on and see how it went. I spent most the time from there to Cold Fell feeling quite miserable and sorry for myself but managed to get going again on Cold Fell and after a visit to the nurse at the 2^nd feed I felt much better. In fact I felt really strong which was lucky as I couldn’t stand up with my wrist and shoulder pain so I had to sit all the way up Hardknott and Wrynose. That was less painful than the descent, by which point I was worried about the damage I might be doing to my wrist. I was then home and dry and couldn’t quite believe I was back in seven and a half hours, 20mins quicker than last year and having spent at least half and hour off the bike. So anyway, although it was a shame not to have done a faster time, I was really pleased to finish the ride, happy that I must be far stronger than this time last year and really happy that I might be able to do a ride around the 7hr mark, if conditions allow.

 

My wrist was given the all clear at A&E and with the help of lots of ice and heat I knew by mid-week I’d be OK to ride the Wallacehill RR at the weekend. The course was a rolling one with one short climb per lap (of which there were 3) before a long drag to the finish which kicked a little right at the end. The pace was fairly high at times, interspersed with a few attacks every lap but there was never a really sustained attack on the climb. As a result the bunch was thinned down but approximately 10 riders remained on the long drag to the finish. There was one early attack which I pulled back, after which I think everyone knew it would be a sprint for the line. I left it fairly late to make a move but managed to get round to take the win in the sprint from Ella-Sadler Andrews a friend of mine from Lancaster who is in her first year riding with the senior women. We were both very happy that the long but scenic drive had been worth it. 

 

I’m taking a break from racing now to prepare for the Women’s National Series road race on the hilly Capernwray circuit in mid-June. This is promoted by my own club, Lune RCC so I hope I can have a good ride for the club.

Wallacehill RR sprint finish