Dunnerdale and Innerliethen

Rode to work and back on Friday for some reason despite knowing I was going to race on Saturday. I think it was punishment for being nesh on Thursday!

Saturday morning was very wet, ... very very wet.... and I really wandered what I was doing heading out the door to drive over Broughton Mills for the Dunnerdale race. But I put my faith in the forecast and dodged the large puddles on the roads over Birker Fell and over the gated road into Broughton. Some relief that it looked brighter to the south, as the puddles were becoming floods on the roads, and any bigger would have made it slightly dodgy trying to get back home.

The race was as great as ever, but I was disappointed with my time. My lungs felt full of cak from my cold the other week and so the uphills were unpleasent and it was so wet underfoot that I have to say I was nesh on the downhills. Still I managed the same position as last year - 6th Lady, but I was slower than last year. This has given me a bit of a wake up call so its going to be a renewed effort - well after this week as my mum and dad are up.

I didn't hang on after the race for the pie and peas and headed home as P and I were heading up to Innerliethen in Scotland to meet up with mates for a ride on Sunday. It was a pretty wet and windy drive up, but with the van parked alongside the other vans and us all congregated in the large white one, it was snug and warm. A pint and a half in the pub went down well too.

We were slow getting omving on Sunday despite a dry start, but eventually 11 of us headed out on the trail. It was good to know the first climb was there and I attacked it trying to test my legs out after the race the day before and was surprised by their liveliness! The rain didn't hold off but it didn't throw it down either. A great ride and great craic. Followed by tea and cake in the van!

Had a quiet couple of days after as I've been busy, but rode in to work this morning in the pouring rain. Forecast looks even worse for tomorrow and friday. I could do with a couple of days off the bike before Pendle on Saturday, but I really think the roads could well be imapssable in and out of the valley tomorrow as they're forecasting a huge amount of rain on already sodden and flooded ground. If I want to get to work, it could well be by two wheels not 4 tomorrow!