Alpine Bikes Winter Series Round 3

Well for some weeks now I had been looking forward to riding up in Scotland. Gas insisted that I should go as it would be good experience for me. The Inners track looks mental and I kept thinking that maybe it was a little out of my comfort zone - but I suppose I wouldn't know until I've tried! I arranged to get a lift with Steve Collins and met him and his son Chris, who rides for MTB-Bitz at Birmingham train station.

I arrived at Innerleithen and the car park already had people in their campers. I was so excited by this time and couldn't wait to get out and ride - then it began to snow really bad. I was frozen to the bone! I had a look at the track to check out some early line choices. It soon dawned on me what I had let myself in for *gulp*! The track at the top was very steep and tight and you had to get your lines right here or else your going to be sent over the handlebars... or hugging a tree... either way! After the first fire road came a steep, loose rocky bit that snaked round a few trees and then into a small open section linking back into the forest. The track snaked again round some more trees. This was really tight and the dirt was loose. The track from here again was tight with a couple of little jumpy bits and some more tight bits, over a stump and then from here on basically all you needed to do was 'let go of your brakes and fly..' well I flew, sometimes without a bike even! The end was a jump that sent you into a large berm (much to my delight) however the run up to the berm had breaking bumps (not to my delight) and my feet kept slipping of the pedals! To sum it up, basically the track was steep- and tight! To be honest, much of the track was a blur, I think I just went into autopilot for most of it!!

Saturday morning and Chris and myself, got out riding - I was keen but my first run was a complete shambles! I crashed - just couldn't get my lines right! I followed Gaskell on the second run so that I could try and get down without flippin' crashing!! I managed to get down in one piece but it's different to riding behind someone to remembering the lines on your own! The track was really hard and I felt a little out of my depth at times, but I stuck to it! I met Rachel for the first time today - I was so star struck on the uplift coach I couldn't say much!! Pah, what a idiot I am!! anyway the rest of the day basically consisted of trying not to crash and to keep warm... all of which failed miserably however, had good fun :)! I was shattered at the end - only did 4 runs and had arm pump! I missed out on going to the pub so i could get some early zzzz's!

Then came race day....

I couldn't believe it, we was going to have to push up the friggin' hill as the uplift road was covered in 3ins of snow!! Argh, never mind. I pushed up with all the elite women which was kind of weird... felt like that is where I should belong. One day maybe. Anyway, my practice run couldn't have gone any better really. I was very happy with it.

Rachel and I volunteered to dig some of the snow away so we could at least have an uplift for the race run! We managed to fill the road with grit with the help of some others, so finally, we didn't have to push up all the way!! Then came my race run - I don't know if it was the fact that everyone was so chilled out (no pun intended) but I couldn't seem to concentrate! It was as if the atmosphere was too friendly! I was being counted down from 30 seconds and I must have left my brain in the bus or something because I couldn't get in that 'zone'! It really affected me in my run and I messed up. the conditions didn't make it any easier either. I got to the end and was really embarrassed by my time - 4:16???! I came 3rd but God knows how! At first I thought I deserved to have come last and thats the truth. Deep down I knew I could have done better. However, under the circumstances and conditions, I did myself proud regardless. It was the single hardest track I have ever ridden in my life and I believe I did well. Its no good thinking what could have been - I have to learn by what has happened and to do something to ensure I do better next time. I have learnt so much from this experience and I am going to go home with a new way of thinking and really work hard, knowing that riding these tracks are well within my capabilities.

It was worth the 8 hour journey - credit to Steve for driving me and providing me with the essential food I needed :).

Jessi x