Start as you mean to go on

This year my race season started slightly later than usual. After picking up a knee injury in Spain that demanded a few weeks of complete rest I decided I need to get a few solid weeks training in before I started to race.

My first race with Saint Piran was the Dave Peck Memorial Race as part of the womens team cup. It was a nice gentle start to the season on a relatively flat course with a slight drag up to the line. I was happy to come away with 6th despite being boxed in for the sprint.

Dave Peck RR- 📸 Huw Williams

Then it was time to head back to Spain to get some last minute training in before the season properly kicked off. Unfortunately I ended up testing positive for COVID on arrival which meant taking it easy until I tested negative. Luckily for me I had no symptoms and as soon as I was negative managed to get some base training in.

Once back in the UK it was time for the Tour Series. For those that don’t know the Tour series is made up of 8 rounds of crit racing across different towns/cities around the UK.

As with most racing; a series this long is bound to have it’s ups and downs. It also has way too many races to go into depth about each individual round so I’ll pick my favourites!

Guisborough was the first round and a definite shock to the system with the race time having been increased from previous years to an hour. The fast, technical course was great fun but unfortunately for me the extra 15minutes took its toll and I lost contact with the front group after 45minutes.

Guisborough Tour Series 📸 Chris Perry (Full Beans Ahead)

Skipping ahead to Sunderland, although still fast this course was completely different to the previous rounds. A relatively straight forward rectangle with a slight climb through the finish and fast descent on the opposite side of the course. Luckily for me it was a race that you could save a lot of energy by riding smart. I stayed with the front group and lead out the sprint to finish 3rd from the bunch putting me in 6th! My best ever tour series finish!

Sunderland Tour Series 📸 Velo UK

Following on from the success off Sunderland it was time to head up to Stranraer, Scotland. The course was narrow with a slight drag on the backside of the circuit and the finish pretty soon after the final corner. A crash early on allowed 4 riders to escape the peloton and I ended up stuck between. I rode hard to try and bridge but the gap didn’t seem to close so I eased off and rejoined the peloton. After such an intense race schedule the legs were ready for a rest. I ended up starting my sprint a bit too far back but still managed to squeeze into the top 10 with 8th.

Stranraer Tour Series – 📸 Velo UK

Part way through the tour series also saw the first round of the National Road Series at the Lincoln GP. At just over 100km the iconic race takes in 8 ascents of the cobbled climb of Michaelgate. The climb was tough but riding it from the front made it a lot easier. The key with this race is to be at the front before you get to the climb; obviously easier said than done. This year I finally managed to position myself for the climb and make my life a bit easier. Although that climb never gets easier! I came into the final climb a bit too far back I managed to pick off riders up the climb and finished just outside the top 10 in 11th.

The atmosphere at Lincoln is one of the best I’ve raced. It’s also an extremely special race as I’ve been riding out to watch the race since I started cycling and always have the support of the local riders coming up to watch.

Lincoln GP – 📸 Alexander Naylor

The last race for this block was Tour Of Estonia UCI 1.2. This was my first UCI race since 2019 and first time racing in Europe post pandemic. The course was mainly flat with a 5mile gravel sector and 2 ascents of a brutal cobbled climb on the finishing circuit. The race itself split just before the gravel due to a crash and then a lot of attacks went in the run into the finishing circuit. We hit the climb the first time in a pretty big group but the climb split the group and I made the front split of around 25 riders. The next lap my legs fell off up the climb and I got caught in the back 15. Unfortunately a few of the girls in our group weren’t willing to work despite being close to rejoining the leaders so we ended up sprinting for 13th. I started my sprint from the back and gained a few positions but ultimately had to settle for 18th. I’m pleased with a top 20 in my first UCI race since 2019 and can’t wait to get back out racing on the continent soon!

Tour of Estonia 🇪🇪

Now I’ve got a small break from racing to rest and reset before going again in a few weeks at the CiCLE Classic.

Saint Piran WRT Team Launch

For 2022 you may or may not have seen I have joined Saint Piran WRT. Last weekend saw our team launch so I thought I’d give a bit of an insight into the team, our sponsors and heading into race season.

Who are Saint Piran?

Most people know Saint Piran as the UCI Continental Mens team that have competed in events such as Tour Of Britain; but Saint Piran is more than just a team it’s an identity.

Saint Piran have a drive to support and nurture riders and provide a pathway to the top level of the sport. The womens team is a relatively new addition to Saint Piran but has progressed into a national level womens team heading into 2022.

Equality is another stand out quality with Saint Piran offering the womens team the same support as the Mens UCI squad.

Saint Piran is unique as it is a brand in itself. Sponsors aren’t displayed on our jersey but support us because of our aligned views and the team identity that is developed from having a consistent team image.

Team Launch – 05/03

Last weekend (05/03) was our team launch at team HQ – Bike Chain Bissoe. What’s the significance of this day? It’s Saint Piran’s Day!

The day consisted of testing out our new team bikes on a 2 hour route with teammates and Saint Piran supporters. After that we did a short Q&A followed by plenty of socialising whilst listening to the talented Tom Cary playing live.

Team Training

Sunday was reserved for team training. Spending time getting used to riding together and understanding each other’s riding styles so we have a more cohesive team when it comes to racing. We also spent some time doing one of my favourite skills drill; sitting on the back of the team car.

Sponsors

We are lucky at Saint Piran to have some extremely supportive sponsors and we were lucky enough to have Luke from Pacenti Cycle Design to join us for the weekend of riding and help teach us about how the tubeless works on our new wheels which are equipped with Schwalbe Tyres.

We are also lucky enough to have the support of Lapierre. I will be riding the Xelius which is Lapierre’s climbing frame.

Our kit this year is provided by Castelli so I can confirm I will be very comfy on my bike this year! This will be accompanied with a Met Trenta Helmet and Salice Glasses.

Off the bike we will be partnering Dryworld for our leisure kit to keep us warm and comfortable between races! Alongside we will have our team edition Big bobble hats.

What’s next?

My first race of the season is a local Mens 3/4 to support one of the local cycling clubs (Spalding CC). My first team race will be the British Team Cup at Virginia Waters.

A successful start to the season

After kicking off the season with a 2nd in a strong field at the Vive Le Velo 10 the next test would be to see if I could put the power to use in a more tactical road race scenario.

Darley Moor was first on the list and a last minute addition to my plans. It was the day before BUCS 25 but as it was only short and I was going to be there anyway to support Josh I thought I might as well give it a go.

It felt strange to be back in a bunch but I’d missed it a lot. The racing was so positive which made a nice change with everyone attacking and chasing. I made a move with 4 laps to go and few girls came with me but it was short lived. Everyone wanted a bunch sprint so that’s how it ended up. Coming into the final corner I was boxed in on the second row. I didn’t panic because I knew gaps would open up around the corner and they did. I slipped through a gap and ended up on the hip of second wheel. The girl in front had gone for a long one so the pace was high. I was already in the wind so as we approached the chicane I decided to start my sprint. I knew if I left it later I would have to slow down through the chicane as there would be people to navigate around. I pulled away and caught the girl in front then it was just a case of holding off the rest of the field for the drag race to the line. Luckily I had the legs to hold on and take my first victory of the season!

📸: Andy Lidgett

Next up was BUCS 25; most probably my last ever BUCS event. With all the other events this year being cancelled I really wanted to perform at BUCS but I knew it would be a challenge given I’d never done a Time Trial anywhere near as long. The course was near Newmarket and consisted of 2 laps of very rolling circuit. My aim was to go sub hour but that would rely on everything going perfectly. The first lap I held back I was so worried about going out too hard and blowing up and with a few steep hills to the finish that could really hamper the time. After a lap I felt surprisingly good but kept holding off putting the power down and all I could think of was blowing up on that final straight. So I waited until that final straight to put the hammer down. By then it was too late I’d already lost too much time. I crossed the line in a 1:01:48 with energy to spare. I was absolutely gutted. If only I’d backed myself enough to go earlier.

📸: Kane Smith

Looking back on the ride I’m quite pleased with it for my first 25 but when you know you could’ve gone quicker it always leaves you slightly disappointed. My mood was lifted a little when I saw my time was good enough for 10th. A lot to improve on but a solid start.

Fast forward to this weekend and it was time for another open TT. This time on the A46 Near East Bridgeford. It was 6miles out and 4miles back down a rolling dual carriageway with a massive headwind out. I really didn’t have very good legs at all. The way out was tough and I just felt like I couldn’t get anything out of my legs. I reached the turn and my legs started to come back. On the way back I was in my biggest gear spinning our most of the way and managed to make up for some lost time and finish with a time of 23:03 to take the women’s win. I was happy with the time but I knew again that I could’ve gone faster.

On to the next, being Matlock 10. An early start against a competitive field including riders from Team Breeze & Cams Basso. It was a bitter start and I couldn’t feel my fingers! The course was a simple out and back and I thought it would be quick. Oh how I was mistaken! Nothing would suggest otherwise with it being relatively flat down the A6 but I clocked a time of 23:38. After initial disappointment, my mood was lifted after seeing other similar times and realising the course wasn’t as fast as I initially thought. After tentatively watching Strava all morning, I was thrilled to find out I had won when the results were published!

📸: Tony Wood

Next up I’ll be switching back to the road for my first road races of the year at the Wyre Forest & Halesowen RR.

New Year, New Team, New Ambitions

As you may already know I have a new team for 2021; this may have come as a surprise to you given the lack of racing last year. To be honest I wasn’t expecting to change teams either.

Team Boompods have been amazing especially throughout such a tough year. They have provided support and are a really good group of girls with great organisation from Hannah & Nikki. I wish I could have represented them more but unfortunately the ambitions of the team and myself didn’t quite align.

With Team Boompods predominantly focussing on the British National Series, I was in search for a team with more international ambitions. I was in contact with a UCI team in Spain but unfortunately that fell through last minute so it was back to the drawing board. I had been in contact with a few teams after that but all were full at such a late date.

The change of team actually came pretty late when Team Jadan offered me a place on their team in March. Their British calendar was identical to Team Boompods but plans were in place for some UCI racing on the continent later in the season (COVID-19 dependent).

The addition of UCI races was something I had been searching for in a team which is what ultimately led to my decision to join Jadan – Vive Le Velo. It is a great way to progress and gain the experience required to take the step up to UCI level.

The ambition to reach the highest level has always been my target however since A-levels my training and racing has been sub-par at best. Lockdown for me ignited my drive to succeed again. I had previously felt like I was so far behind and I didn’t have the time to get back to the level I was at in 2017 but 2020 gave me hope. I had the time and motivation to make the most of the situation with help from my coach Dani (Rowe & King), boyfriend, friends & family.

2020 led to more Time Trialling; mainly due to the fact it was the only racing available. It gave me a goal to work towards and I really enjoyed it. So much so that I decided to adopt a ‘control the controllable‘ style approach. I knew that given the situation with COVID last year time trialling would still go ahead in 2021. Road racing however was a big unknown I had no solid dates nothing to aim for with ever changing goal posts. Instead I decided to put some effort into time trialling; it will only make me stronger for the road which can’t be a bad thing! It gave me a solid goal and motivation for what has been an extremely consistent winter.

My first outing for my new team was last weekend at the Vive Le Velo 10 mile TT; The ultimate test to see how you’re going after a long winter as well as eyeing up the competition. My new found love of time trialling also led to some impulse buying in preparation for the season ahead with the addition of a new aero helmet and some chainrings (I don’t quite know how I managed with a 52T last year!!).

The course was the new Market Weighton V7113. It was fast but incorporated a lot of roundabouts, starting down a fast descent and then remained pan flat until the final incline to the finish. It was snowing as I rode to the start! I braved the legs out and no gloves but my hands were numb by the end. I paced it pretty well, holding a consistent power and was definitely dying coming into the finish. I’m not sure how much of that was pacing though or my burning hatred for hills, haha.

Vive Le Velo 10 – 22:55 📸: Craig Zadoroznyj

I finished in a time of 22:55, a PB by 20 seconds! I was over the moon with my time and my pacing. It was the perfect start to the season; ending up 2nd behind a flying Abi Smith (Team Breeze). It gave me confidence that I could be competitive this year!

I’m looking forward to mixing time trials and road racing this year! Starting with Darley Moor and BUCS 25mile TT next weekend!

A Beginners Guide To Zwift

Up until the COVID-19 pandemic I very rarely used Zwift. I found it a good distraction for turbo sessions in the winter but that was about it.

When racing got cancelled last summer my coach suggested doing some weekly Zwift races. I raced until Time trails started back up again and then returned to Zwift in the winter for some TTT racing with Rowe & King before joining Canyon Esports Development in January.

Joining Canyon gave a new meaning to racing. It made me more motivated for these races and I started to take it more seriously. There were so many things I learnt that helped me improve my racing without necessarily increasing my power so I thought I would share some of these with you.

Why Race On Zwift?

• It’s fun (in a sadistic kind of way)
• Community – Racing; especially TTT races give you the social interaction that we are all lacking at the moment. It also gives you a sense of belonging within a team
• Fitness – It makes you stronger and is an easy way to go hard without having to look at numbers all the time
• Motivation – We all have days where we find motivating for training hard! Zwift races provide a session you don’t have to think about and can even change your mood and make you look forward to it.
• Time – Ideal for cyclists strapped for time. It allows you to get a great quality workout in a short space of time.

And if it still doesn’t appeal due to the intensity then there are always some great workouts and group rides you can take part in. I don’t know what I’d have done without these especially when it was snowing and 3-4hours was done on the turbo!

If you’re looking for a workout why not try the Canyon Higher Power Session, Fridays at 19:00 GMT!

What is Zwift Racing like?

The only way to describe zwift racing is full gas! Depending on what race you enter some may settle down a bit. I found the WTRL Zwift Racing Leagues tend to settle down a lot more than a regular zwift race but this is highly dependent on the course.

Top tips for Zwift racing:

• Equipment – Preview the course before racing and equip accordingly. If it’s hilly choose a lighter bike and shallow wheels. If it’s flat make sure your bike is aero and you have some deep aero wheels in.
• Course – Make sure you check the course before racing. Knowing when the climbs are coming can be make or break. If you know the route it makes it a lot easier to be at the front for the climb and increase your chances of staying at the front of the race.
• Settings – Having the power setting on Zwift at Instant rather than 3 second average helps to go with attacks. It stops any delays in power increase and also doesn’t average out the power spikes.
• Power Ups – Use then wisely; make sure you weigh up the pros and cons. If you’ve got a good power up and are feeling good in the race you may be better to try and save it for the end rather than risk not getting that power up again.
• Sprints – If the event has intermediate sprint it usually sits up after the line so pushing that bit harder to stay with the front will mean you stick with the leaders knowing you will get the recovery.
• Positioning – It’s more important to be at the front in Zwift especially at points where the group is likely to separate. It’s hard to move through a group and once gaps open up on zwift they are extremely hard to close. You want to be close enough to the front that you can see what’s happening and react whilst still being far enough into the bunch to benefit from the draft.

Hopefully this has been helpful and I’m sure there will be some more Zwift Content in the future.

My dissertation is based around the Zwift Difficulty Setting and what it is actually controlling. So I’ll be publishing my findings on that once it is complete!

You win some you lose some!

When I left you last I was supposed to be heading for the Pyrenees. Unfortunately COVID-19 put a stop to those plans but luckily we still managed to get away for a week to the slightly rainier Yorkshire Dales! But we’ll come to that later.

Mallory 10 mile TT was my first open of the year. It was rather wet and my legs just weren’t quite there. I managed to replicate the low 24 that I had been achieving systematically in every TT this year. It was enough to put me 3rd women in the event which I was content with.

Then it was off to Yorkshire for a week away. I was looking forward to lots of new climbs and gorgeous scenery. We were staying near Hawes just off the edge of Semerwater with a steep climb to greet us as we left or returned from the cottage.

Day 1- The weather was categorically horrific with strong winds and rain! Welcome to Yorkshire! Our first ride took us up 2 of the 100 greatest climbs. The first was Fleet Moss a 3mile climb with an average gradient of 6% maxing out at ~30%. Surprisingly I quite enjoyed that climb! Unfortunately I didn’t feel the same about the descent where I could barely see for the rain.

Next up was Park Rash; this one was a million times worse! Despite only being 1.35miles long it averaged 10.7% and again maxing out at ~30%. The view when climbing was gorgeous though!

Day 2 – Another day, another endurance ride. This time the weather was slightly better and the rain held off. It also meant another 2 of the 100 greatest climbs. The first was Tan Hill with an average gradient of 2% it doesn’t sound much however you definitely felt it after 6miles! It finishes at the highest pub in England: The Tan Hill Inn.

Then it was on to the infamous Buttertubs Pass. Honestly… I thought it was going to be a lot worse than it was! I actually quite enjoyed it. Approximately 1.4 miles at 9% with a maximum gradient of around 20%. The view from the top was amazing!

Day 3- More endurance this time doing Buttertubs in reverse (that was fun!) and then up Oxnop Scar. This climb was savage! Starting with 30%+ hairpins and then carrying on for 2.5miles with an average gradient of 6%. I adored this climb! It was by far my favourite of the trip with a mini Winnats Pass style bit to finish. I even managed to surprise myself with a top 10 on the strava segment!

Day 4- Rest Day! As per usual Yorkshire weather it was bucketing it down. So we decided to spend our day eating and going for a scenic drive. We visited some waterfalls and the town where Emmerdale was filmed.

Day 5- Last chance TT preparations before National 10 Championships meant we decided to ride the Croft Evening 10 mile TT. Circuit time trials are a lot easier in my opinion as they’re easier to break down. I felt good and only got faster and faster. I finished with a new PB of 23:17 just in time for Nationals.

Day 6 – Our final ride in Yorkshire before heading down south for the National 10. We took on another 2 of the 100 greatest climbs, this time Greets Moss and Turf Moor. Turf Moor was 2miles long with an average gradient of 5.8% starting with a long tree lined section varying between 15% and 20% with the climbs max gradient of around 27%. This was followed by Greets Moor; 2.5miles at 6.7% with a maximum gradient of 20%. We finished our ride past the gorgeous Asgarth Falls with an Icecream.

On to National 10 at Hungerford. Honestly it couldn’t have gone more wrong. My preparation and warm up was less than ideal and I didn’t find my legs until the way back. I finished disappointed with a time of 24.02.

📸 Huw Williams

Next on the cards was Bourne Hilly 18mile TT. It’s the only TT I’d do that’s over 10miles! One thing I should probably reiterate about Bourne is that it’s pretty flat so it’s ‘hilly’ is more of a ‘lumpy’. I like this course a lot sk was happy to break the womens course record with a 26:46.

📸 AH Media

Then came my first of very few Hillclimbs this season. The Sportslab Hillclimb in Leadenham was relatively local but despite that I had never ridden the hill before. It was only 3/4 mile averaging 4% so it wasn’t anything spectacular and neither was my performance. I managed to scrape 3rd but the legs really weren’t with me.

At this point I realised I really needed a rest! Mentally and Physically. So my Boyfriend Josh and I went to the North York Moors for a couple of days. We took the Mountain Bikes and went shredding round Dalby Forest which was fun before taking some quality time off the bike visiting the zoo, playing mini golf and eating… a lot of eating!

Back off holiday and straight into the Cyclocross National Trophy in Milnthorpe. The course had a very technical Bank section followed by a fast track around the field. It was really muddy too, the kind that really clogs up your bike. I had a good start but couldn’t get clipped in and tried to work my way through the field but unfortunately I didn’t get very far. I came off feeling really deflated and disappointed but on further inspection when I got back to the van I realised h the free hub had completely disintegrated!

📸 Richard Howes

Next up was the National Circuit TT Championships at Thruxton. The race was over 5 laps of the circuit which was pretty draggy but still quite fast. I had a good warm up for the first time in a long while and felt motivated to have a good ride. The ride itself was consistent and I paced it pretty well. The placing wasn’t what I’d been hoping for but we live and learn. One thing I know for sure is I definitely need a bigger Chainring for next year!!!

📸 Huw Williams

My final races of the season came in the form of the Matlock double header. 2 Hillclimbs in one day the first up Riber and the second up Bank Road.

Riber is 1.2 km at an average gradient of 10.8%. It’s a really tough climb with some really steep hairpins down a very narrow road. I held back at the start where the gradient was lower because I knew I’d need everything for the steeper sections. The first 2 hairpins were fine and I felt like I was going well but after the final hairpin I felt like I hit a wall! My legs turned to jelly and I just had to do what I could to get to the line. I finished 5th in the end with a time of 5:46.

📸 Anthony Wood

Next up was bank road, a slightly shorter climb at 0.6km with an average gradient similar to Riber. It was a case of going full gas all the way… or so I thought. I held myself back slightly at the start but apparently not enough. Despite feeling pretty strong I did start to struggle staying out of the saddle. I ended up finishing with a respectable time of 3.08 putting me in joint 5th place.

📸 Gary Mccaffery

I surprised myself and discovered that I actually quite enjoy Hillclimbs even if I’m not that great at them! Especially when they’re local and you can ride out and back at a nice relaxed pace.

Now onto a full winter of training for the 2021. My next blog in a few weeks time will go into a bit more detail about motivation and support.

Turning into a tester.

Given the current situation where road racing in the UK is non existent, I made the decision to start focussing on a weakness of mine; Time Trialling.

As club 10 mile TT’s started back up a few weeks ago I decided to make the most of this time to try and improve my time trial performance and position.

The first week saw the Bourne Wheelers 10mile TT on the Greatford circuit. It consists of plenty of small rolling gradients with a short steep climb just before halfway. It’s not a fast course and the conditions were less than ideal on the night as it was quite windy. I went out hard, I knew if I could hold it until halfway I would be on for a good time. I finished in a time of 24:25 beating the previous course record by 20 seconds and getting a new all time 20 minute power PB by 15 watts.

📸 Josh Housley

The next week was on a slightly faster course on the Bourne Wheelers Aslackby Course. The first quarter of the course incorporated a couple of rolling climbs but after that it was pan flat until a slight drag up to the finish. My legs didn’t feel as good as last week so I focussed on getting aero and just seeing what I could manage. I was uncomfortable the whole way round and never really managed to get into a rhythm but I persisted until the finish. Surprisingly I managed a PB of 24.01 and yet another course record beating the previous record of 25:10 set by Louise Day. It just goes to show what good weather conditions and getting a little bit more aerodynamic can do!

📸 Chris Perry

Last week I decided to have a little play around with my position to see if I could get myself into a more optimal aerodynamic position. I dropped my ski’s and tilted them up a little. I only wanted to make a few minor changes so it gave me a chance to adapt to the new position.

The test event for my new position was the Sleaford Wheelers 10 on the c10/10 . The course was a simple out and back but with some rather draggy sections. It was a slow night but the new position felt amazing. I felt like I was locked in and could really get the most out of my legs. I came home with a 23.45 on the garmin but unfortunately when the results came out I had only equalled my previous PB of 24.01. However it still gave me the women’s win on the night making it 3/3 so far this season.

📸 Richard Howes

On a slightly different note, last week also saw me see Matt Hallam of Crimson Performance for a bike fit. Firstly, I was really impressed with his professionalism and knowledge as a bike fitter. He explained everything really well and helped me realise not only what was wrong with my position but also why it was wrong.

For those interested I found out that my reach was too long with had been causing pressure to build up in my hands which led to aching and numbness. I also found out my right leg is slightly shorter than my left (by about 5mm) which meant I needed some special insoles in my shoes. Although the biggest change was cleat positioning. Previously I had been riding with my heel in which is likely the cause of my previous knee injuries and had also led me to use only 3/4 of my quadricep muscles effectively.

Next up for me are a few more TT’s before I head for a week of riding in the Pyrenees 🏔

Keeping Sane During Lockdown 🔐

This was supposed to be a post about the start of my season but instead it’s looking like there’s barely even going to be one.

Instead I thought I’d give a bit of an insight into how I’m personally coping with ‘lockdown’ and not knowing when my next race is.

In the few races that I did manage to do I could feel my legs were better than previous years. I was positive for the season ahead so the frustration of all that preparation seemingly going to waste was intense. So how did I combat this?

Trying to focus on the bigger picture

Worst case scenario this years road season is written off. Instead of thinking of this as a missed opportunity to showcase whatever form or fitness you have this year think of it as an opportunity to increase it even further for the coming year. This is a unique opportunity where a lot of your competitors are likely to lose their heads, motivation will drop and they’ll plateau or reduce in fitness. Think of it as an opportunity to get ahead of the competition and make the most of a rather rubbish situation.

Enjoy the sunshine ☀️

The weather for the past week or so has been absolutely lush! If motivation is low just go out on you’re bike and enjoy the weather. We are not yet at a stage of lockdown where we can’t ride our bikes outside so make the most of it. Obviously be sensible and stick to the guidelines but it gets you out of the house and prevents you feeling trapped at home.

Find some kind of routine

This is a BIG one for me. As my university has cancelled all exams and I’ve finished all my coursework I quite literally have nothing to be getting on with. For me it was a case of where possible getting up at a reasonable time (8:30) for training to get it out of the way and to make me feel good about myself. Then it’s a case of finding something you want to do that’s productive. I started an online massage course which has given me something to do and it’s really worthwhile. I’ve been wanting to do one for ages but just haven’t found the time. So use this unique opportunity to do something you’ve been putting on the back burner whether that be an online course, learning a new language or instrument. The options are endless.

Make sure there is time in your routine specifically dedicated to allowing you to relax and unwind. Watch your favourite Netflix show or read a new book. It helps you to manage things and also not run out of things to watch!

Do things together!

Although we’re all stuck inside most of us are with our family, friends or partners. Find time to do things together there are plenty of yoga or fitness videos that you can do together. We’ve been doing yoga and my parents have been doing the Joe Wicks workouts! Even if you’re not with your loved ones with the emergence of Apps like zoom and FaceTime you can still catch up with people. Online Quizzes with the family have been a personal favourite but I’ve seen friends having movie nights and all sorts using it. I also read about this idea of calling 3 people a day and getting each person you call to do the same. I thought I’d add the in here as I think it’s a great idea. It’s an initiative to try and reduce the number of people that feel lonely.

Find new goals

Initially I really struggled to accept this concept. If I don’t have a race to train for then what’s the point I can just stop for now and restart in a few weeks. Then I realised without cycling there would literally be nothing to do and nothing to take my mind off the constant negativity of the media.

Goals don’t have to be performance based. Pick a weakness maybe you struggle with strength or top end sprint speed so try to structure you’re training around that. If you use power pick a target number to reach for a given effort. Alternatively keep the performance goals. There are plenty of Zwift races that you can use as targets admittedly the demands may be slightly different but you can still use them to keep motivated.

So there’s a few of my top tips! Everyone’s in the same situation so make the most of it and stay safe!

Team Launch & impromptu Cyprus Training Camp

2020 has already given me some of the best and worst times I have had to face both on and off the bike. As ever it has been a rollercoaster of emotions and has shown me that life means more than just riding a bike.

January started off with a bit of a lull in training after a big block over Christmas and with deadlines looming. Once they were over I started getting back into the swing of things again until I received a phone call telling me about the death of my friend Jose in a collision while out on her bike. For me that made everything grind to a halt; I couldn’t believe it. For a few days after the news I could barely touch my bike. Riding on the road seemed impossible and every time a lorry passed me I was in tears.

This has to be one of the hardest things I have been through. It took me until very recently to be able to accept that it’s okay to feel how I feel. I shouldn’t have to feel guilty for being upset, the length of time you have known a person does in no way define the closeness of your relationship with them. I still feel there is a massive hole but situations like this help bring everyone so much closer together.

I went home to some quieter roads and surrounded by family and got myself back on track. I changed my mentality and decided I was going to train hard for her!

Team Launch came around in a flash and I was up in Middlesbrough meeting my new teammates. The group of us gelled really well and made me even more eager to get the season underway. Not forgetting the amazing sponsors I could go on all day about ( see more on my Sponsors & Support page ). The weekend was spent with a dry but windy social ride with the girls on Saturday and a soggy ride on Sunday.

A few weeks later I snuck in a track League at Derby as an excuse to get out in the new kit. Nothing to write home about but was a good, hard nights training!

After plans for Calpe had fallen through and the weekend weather forecasts consisted of storm after storm making riding outside extremely difficult I came to the conclusion I needed to get away! My auntie has a place in Cyprus so my boyfriend (Josh) and I decided to book 5 days in the sun to get some last minute gains before the season starts.

Day 1 – 3hrs were on the cards and I had some TT efforts. We chose a relatively flat route to ease into it and it was lovey finishing the ride riding by the sea at sunset. The TT efforts were another story entirely having to hang on to Josh’s pace which made sprinting off the wheel at the end almost impossible!

Day 2 – We headed to the mountains, and being the keen cyclists we are, decided we were going to ride to the highest point on the island; Mount Olympos (1,952m). The climb itself was 15miles at an average gradient of 6%. The views were amazing as the climb weaved its way through the valley. A few miles from the summit we hit snow and then an apparent snow storm! I carried on climbing but it began to settle on the road so I turned round so I could avoid unnecessary descents in the snow. The further down I got the colder I felt but luckily Josh came to the rescue in the car!

Day 3 – After the disaster of the day before we decided to stick to the flat for the middle day of our trip. 4hrs enjoying riding our bike along the coast in the sun. Josh was on an easy day so that meant lots of pictures!

Day 4 – We has a big day planned, 5hrs (75miles) from Limassol up the Troodos Mountains. It included a 10mile gradual climb and a 3mile steep climb. We got 3hrs in and were only just halfway! I didn’t think I was going to make it round but luckily for me the majority of the second half was downhill back to the coast ! Result!

Day 5 – Our last day. Due to a busy schedule and some health issues I had to cut my ride short and only managed an hour spin. On the bright side it allowed us to have a quick visit to the beach before it was time to go home!

Next week I kick of my road season as I do every year at the MK Bowl. Lots to look forward to this month with British Cup Series races (formerly Team Series) and the BUCS 3up TTT in Bath.

BUCS Track and beyond. Ending 2019 on a high!

Track has never been something I’ve seen as a strong point in my time as a cyclist. The lack of access to the velodrome makes training for it quite challenging. So I make an annual appearance at BUCS but that is about it.

This year the University Of Birmingham team had a total of 3 training sessions at Derby arena which we spent most of trying to get our team pursuit up and running and get used to riding as a group. This was quite hard as we had 5 riders and 2 completely different tactics. We experimented swapping riders out. Our first line up consisted of having a strong starter take us round for the first couple of laps and then go down to 3. This was a risky move but the 3 of us were very similar so we thought we would go faster if we were all doing similar turns and pace. Our other line up kept us with 4 however with a slightly more varied group of riders. Both were effective but the latter had a smaller risk but we’ll come back to that later.

BUCS Day 1 – Saturday was a pretty relaxed day for me, I entered the sprints so I had something to do as my main events were all on Sunday. Qualifying was a flying 200m which I had only practiced twice. If you know me then you will know that short efforts are not one of my strong points as an endurance cyclist. Technically everything went to plan and I did the best I could on the day which was a 13.5 which I was pleasantly surprised by. This left me in 10th just missing out on qualification for the match sprints.

BUCS Day 2 – A busy day at the track for me with 3 events spread across the day.

First up was the team pursuit. We decided to take the risk of going down to 3 early in the qualifying which probably wasn’t so sensible. In the closing kilometres one of the girls struggled to hold the wheel after a rather quick acceleration which left is qualifying 4th and putting us into the bronze ride off. Not quite the ride we had in mind but at least we got the chance to ride for a medal.

In the final we were against Cardiff we switched tactics for this one trying to keep us with 4. We had a false start and then on our second run one of the girls pulled her foot out on the line. So we were down to 3 early on. I did a longer turn to try and protected our third rider and then the next time I changed we were somehow back to 4. The communication was lacking a little as after my next turn we were down to 3 again. I missed the gap and had to work hard to close it. It was honestly a bit of a shambles especially compared to our training sessions. We lacked smoothness and there were things all of us could’ve done better. (Such as remembering to pump your tyres up so you’re not running 60psi 🤦‍♀️) We ended up 4th but it was a big disappointment for the team.

Next up was the elimination! This has always been my favourite track race. It’s a race where tactics are just as important as pure speed/strength. I started at the front, there were a few times where it was a very close call but I managed to stay in. With 6 riders remaining there was a crash just behind me one of the bikes caught my back wheel but I managed to stay upright. The race was then neutralised to allow the riders involved to get back up and rejoin the race. Shortly after the bell came and I went full gas to the line. I won! My second ever track race win! Happy days!

Finally came the points race after a rather successful elimination. I went in with no expectations just seeing what I could pull off. First sprint came round and I came 2nd well I thought I did… but apparently not. Anyway the next sprint came around and I ended up 4th putting me on 3 points. Then an attack went and I decided it was a good idea to ride hard and bring it all back myself. Rookie error. After that I was a bit of a shell. My brain wasn’t working properly at all after that, I had the legs but couldn’t get far forwards enough to use them. So the rest of the race I just survived. I ended up 10th but got a pretty good workout!!

After BUCS Track I sustained a back injury which put me off the bike for a week. Frustrating was an understatement. I had finally started to get back on track with training and then this happens. I had recently bought a new training bike (Cannondale Cad 13) and with the addition of some new bars had set it up slightly too long. I had to pull out of the regional championships due to the severe back pain. For the next week the pain was so intense I couldn’t sleep, it would get better during the day but then worsen again over night. I went and had a sports massage which gave me temporary relief but soon the pain returned. A friend recommended going to see an osteopath and honestly it was the best thing I’ve ever done after the first session it was significantly improved and after the second the back pain had completely cleared up. The problem was caused by immobility in my lumbar spine it was so stiff it was barely moving but thanks to the osteopath it was only a week off the bike.

The Christmas holidays consisted of many hours on the bike. I was lucky enough to find some great company to help the hours tick by. Spending a lot of time sat on the wheels of rather fast lads. Consistent training made me feel so good and I definitely felt like I earned my Christmas dinner!

Christmas is always my favourite time of year getting to spend time with family and friends and take a bit of a break from everything. I was happy, healthy and ready to go for 2020!

I also had a few cross races which were all much of a muchness. However I did finish the season of on a high winning my final Lincs League race which was on a really tough course! This meant that subsequently I won the league!

Now all focus has been shifted to the 2020 road season. I am lucky enough to have such a variety of places to train thanks to my boyfriend so this winter riding has always been interesting. If I want climbing I can go to the Peaks, if I want flat I can go home or to Loughborough and for something in between there’s Birmingham.

However I’m still planning on heading out to Calpe in February as usual to get a big block of training in before the season. As is usually the case with me this still hasn’t been organised so dates are yet to be confirmed.

In the meantime I have my team launch in a couple of weeks at NRG Cycles in Middlesbrough. I’m so excited to meet my new teammates and get to find out a bit more about our amazing sponsors at Team Boompods!