London Cyclocross League 4 - It's all good!

After a week off, I returned to another school playing field course where once again I had a great result! i.e. I didn't crash and I didn't come last!

There were 2 really steep sections that I walked up - including one not long after a section of planks where it was pretty difficult to get any momentum to tackle it after remounting. I took that part as a "break" and most laps stopped at the top to have a look at how the better riders tackled the section. It was pretty much 50-50 between those who rode up and those who ran. Towards the end of the race, the runners were definitely making quicker progress than the riders. The course was nice and wide so I was able to stay out of everyone's way. And as the race went on I really improved at flying down the banks (without braking! Woo hoo!) and attacking them again to get back up. On a couple of occasions I had to be careful of my line so as not to run into the back of someone grinding to a halt in front of me. 34X25 (about 36 inches) is my smallest gear. I don't think I need anything smaller because it isn't power that I'm lacking (what that doesn't get me up, I'm probably better off running up) but confidence and a sensitivity for traction. I've never encountered such climbs before (well, maybe once on the 2nd day of the Tour of Wessex last year) but I'm having a go and it's getting easier.

"It's all good", as I'm wont to say about anything cycling-related.

There were 8 or 9 women in the field - a great turn out. Including Nicky who was one of the guides at the GPM10 women's alpine training weekend that I did back in May.

Rode home, got lost a couple of times and then ended up in a traffic jam in Greenwich. Had to stop in Bexley for a sugary drink. By the time I got to the Greenwich foot tunnel, the lifts had stopped running so I had to walk down and back up the stairs while carrying my bike. It's all good training, I suppose. Yup, it's all good.