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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2009 17:43:49 GMT
I did the Western league at Aston Court in Bristol today. It largely used a mountain bike course with lots of single track, so there were a few moments, for an unfamiliar off-roady like myself. Nonetheless, I was flipping determined to end the long-running (2 races) saga of coming 4th woman - and managed 3rd instead (not out of 4 before anyone asks!) and coming ahead of people who've beaten me before. Overall 39th out of 57 starters, not sure how many pulled out though. I discovered about half way through that me and the girl in second (Hargroves cycles girl - not as good as I was expecting) were lapping at exactly the same pace ((the route went back on itself in one spot). She had a better start, and presumably didn't spend the first lap going over the tree roots and up the rocky hill. Other progress, no falls or bruises, getting on is a bit better, but still painfully slow as various spectators pointed out!
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Post by andyw on Oct 19, 2009 9:30:58 GMT
It is pretty much all about the start. You get the gap in the first 15minutes, then spend 45minutes defending that lead. The skill is getting that gap in the first place, without going so deep that yo then can't maintain the pace for the rest of the race.
Regarding lines, I hope you're doing a practise lap (or two) - it's always useful to follow someone else round, preferably someone relatively experienced. They may not alway choose the most intuitive lines to you, so it's worth seeing where they go and asking yourself why - is it smoother, faster, sets you up for the next corner better?
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Post by delia on Oct 19, 2009 10:46:21 GMT
Melissa, well done on moving up the rankings - it sounds like you had a good race.
It's definitely really tough to come back from a bad start. I had some shockers at Herne Hill and ended up riding around almost the last rider for the first few laps. With a bit of practice, I've found that it's better to start in a slightly easier gear. Once you've got up to speed, you can change through to make sure you're keeping your position in the initial sprint.
Also, you've basically got to be a bit of a cow about getting space for a decent start. Don't worry that you might knock into someone or get in their way - you all paid the same entry fee so you've got as much right as anyone else to get to the first corner first. I almost took David out at the start of a race once and we're supposed to be on the same side. Never show any mercy!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2009 11:51:10 GMT
Cool - nice one Melissa. I've done a mountain bike race at Ashton Court and there are definitely a few sections!
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