I don't think I've been to Castlemaine to ride since moving to Bendigo 12 months ago, but I made up for that this weekend by riding there twice!
Jane's Liv/Giant Girls Ride is always something to look forward to and treasure. Always good rides, lovely 'ladies' (I use that term loosely) and lots of laughs. As it was, the laughs were on me on Saturday.
I had a busy Saturday morning coaching netball (last game of the season) then rushed to Castlemaine to meet up with the girls on their way back from Vaughan Springs. Not far after I'd met up with the girls I was following Jane through a fast section when I big stick flung up from her rear wheel that hit me in the arm. After a few laughs I then realised that it had pulled the hydraulic cable from my lockout leaver, leaving me with locked out front suspension for the remainder of the ride. The first rough decent had me complaining that having no suspension exacerbated my bingo wings, tuck-shop arms, fedebedahs (I think Mick calls them that cause that's the noise they make when they flap around), and of course Jane had her quick laughs to add to the mix. All laughs aside, damn, considering I was racing that bike on Sunday. But on the upside, it's a good thing that I have 2 Scalpels.
Sunday didn't exactly go to plan. However the social side of the race was as it always has been - fun, supportive people, some I have known for many years, some more recent friends. And I was on my race Scalpel, so I was really looking forward to a beautiful ride.
The first lap was great fun and had the heart and legs going hard. I knew the second lap wouldn't be as fast, but I was enjoying the company. I had a verbal altercation with a roadie who was strong on the easy climbs but struggled on the technical climbs and descents, but this didn't fluster me, but I will say that when someone says 'Rider....RIDER' that means that if you are walking a technical section you GET OUT OF THE WAY and let them ride it!! That guy learnt Mountain Bike Etiquette 101 very quickly....just because he can't ride something doesn't mean everyone else behind him has to walk it too.
The 'A' line beat me for the first time ever. It's been 9 months since I last rode there, and as I found out it's changed a bit. I made it through the hard rocky descent but was focusing too much on it and forget to look ahead for the sharp left-hander immediately after it. I managed to steady myself and tried to rectify it but stepped off and slid down the hill on my front. A dirty jersey, grazed chin and a chest full of dirt is a dead giveaway that I face planted. Nothing hurt and a quick recovery and I was back on my way. And many thanks to Andy for having my bike upright for me by the time I had run back up the hill to get it.
I was struggling halfway through the second lap. I stopped to help out a female friend on a couple of the technical descents, which she mastered with a couple of attempts. Once sorted she rode off in front very pleased with her achievements, and I really hope she managed to ride them in subsequent laps. Jake and the photographer gave me a huge double thumbs up for some nice air I pulled off a rock drop - always a bit of a motivator.
By the third lap my bike was making a clunking sound whenever I launched off something. I was a bit worried about this noise, and was thankful that I pulled the pin early on the race when I found that I had sheared one of the rear shock bolts off.
I was struggling very much, but I rode briefly with the very lovely Amanda Herd - always supportive and friendly, and good for a laugh. I was fatiguing to the point where I was starting to make silly mistakes, and baffled as to why I was so exhausted. Surely I've got more in me than 2.5 hours. I pulled the pin after 3 laps having had lots of fun, but also having had lots of time to think about why I was struggling so much. I know work has been stupidly busy with 4 - 5 weeks of trips all over the state, but had that really taken that much out of me? Or was it these interruptions that have meant that little riding/training has been done during this time. Or has the unusually wet Bendigo Winter been the bit contributor? Or my poor nutrition during the week and days leading up to the event? Or simply a combination of all of the above? Though I thoroughly enjoyed the day, it has been a realisation of many things - some I can actively do something about, some I can't. But I do know that the days are getting longer, the temperatures are getting warmer - who'd have thought that we would be racing in nicks and a jersey in August in Castlemaine! - and I always have 2 beautiful babies to return home to after a good or not so good ride.
Thanks to Bruce for running a great event, and to Jake and crew for all your hard work and the hours spent preparing the track.
The puppies gave me a good laugh after my race. i gave them 2 new stuffed toys to entertain them while I had a relaxing bath. 5 minutes in Buzzy had destroyed his toy and was eyeing off Beep's. However she wasn't giving hers up in a hurry. The progressive photos below tell the story very well.
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| Buzzy excited with his new toy |
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| Buzz having destroyed his own toy is now eyeing off Beep on the couch with her intact toy |
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| Buzz doing his best to hijack Beep's toy, but she wasn't giving in easily and even pulled the nose back |
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