Whittle Pike English Championships Race

The week before this race, I’d ridden to work and back twice on the bike, and been for two short runs, so felt reasonably fresh for the race. It was a warm humid day although it was also quite cloudy. For me this is the worst type of conditions as I hate humidity!!

We rocked up fairly early for the race, the ladies being at 2pm, after the men’s. P was with me as we were heading south to my parents for a family gathering on the Sunday. He was going to head out on his mountain bike and check out Lee Quarry and other riding in the area, while I was racing.

It was great to watch the men’s race start and to see the front runners come in, but I did have to drag myself away to concentrate on my warm-up. I’ve been playing around with different warm-up strategies, and have finally found some things that seem to really help me, and really seems to make a difference.

At 2pm, before all the men had finished their race we were off. As usual I set off fast and soon had to reign back in a bit on the first climb. The descriptions I’d heard of the race all said something about if you’re on the flat you’ve gone wrong – and I now know why! The whole route is either up or down, often quite steeply so, but at the same time, no ascent or descent lasts very long. It was a hard run for me – I pushed hard and consequently hurt all the way around, and really suffered towards the end with knackered legs. The final climb up a very steep short gravel bank then grassy slope really made a few pay for earlier speed, and I made a few places up here!

I was neck and neck with a lass on the final run in down the tarmac, and unfortunately she had more in her legs than me for the uphill finish! I had no idea where I had come, but knew it was enough to get some championship points – so I was really surprised to find out that I’d come in 12^th – my highest ever placing in a champs race by miles!! I do know that this is more to do with quite a few better runners being absent but, hey you have to be in it to win it!!

After the race we travelled down to my parents, and before a mighty buffet lunch to celebrate my cousin's not so recent nuptuals, I trotted out for a gentle 4 miles around their town in lovely warm early morning sunshine. I probably then undid all that exercise with too much food – but what lovely food!