Yesterday 28th May, I did my first road race!! I had spoken
about not doing a road race this year as I didn’t think I was “good enough” for
the field but an opportunity came up with Footscray Cycling Club which had a “Women’s
Novice” field and free race licenses.
As we were in the
middle of no-where, the course was very rough and exposed. If it wasn’t for the
opportunity of riding behind the ride leaders/organisers, we would have been
pushing through the headwind. When the climb started, this was when the group
started to split up with the stronger riders forging on ahead. I wasn’t too
familiar with the course so I didn’t push too hard to get through that climb.
After the first climb, it was a great descent where I could catch up on the
main group. There was a stretch of road where it was narrow and the roads were
rough. For some reason, I was riding very close to the edge and before I knew
it, I had slid off the edge and landed on my head (hard).
I sat there for a
few minutes and held my head in my hands to subdue my headache (concussion) and
had a few ladies from the ride to stop to check if I was ok. After getting my
bike up and checking that everything was ok, checked that I wasn’t bleeding too
much from the fall, I proceeded to the group who was waiting at the turn off
into Granite Road. At this point, I realised that I had a small headache which
didn’t go away and my helmet was cracked. I was asked if I wanted to turn
around or ride with the group, I chose to ride with the group as I wanted to
understand the rest of the course and I was comfortable with the gravel roads.
After we started off, this was where the second climb for course was and it was
the steepest of the lap. From the fall, I was so tired and really struggled to
do this climb. I didn’t have the energy or the strength to ride out of the
saddle as much.
After this climb,
it was fast rolling hills but we had a break as someone in the group had a flat
to fix. We then met up with the turn into the gravel road. I actually love the
gravel road and have no hesitation on handling the bike along this part of the
course. This only came about with my rides on the Dirty Gran Fondo events. The
group then turned off to head back to Little River whilst Nat and I headed back
to our cars.
During the week, I
managed my headache with Panadol but no ibuprofen (no blood thinning medication
with a concussion) and had to manage my whiplash with massage. I bought a new
helmet on Monday. On Tuesday, my training session was done at 90% as it was
hard to look over my shoulders. It was an “over and under” session but we didn’t
realise it and did the entire lap at VO2 and took turns.
I went for a swim
on Wednesday to help ease my whiplash and flush out the legs. During Thursday’s
Albert Park session, I could only put in 75% of the effort for the session
during the full laps. I just felt that I couldn’t hold the 80% power efforts
and I was under pacing myself, even more so before the sprint sections of the
lap before the pit straight.
For Saturday’s
session, I brought out the Liv bike (Valerie) as we were doing some hill work.
I wasn’t too sure what the session was about and how much I should be pushing
but the coaches all knew that I was planning on racing on Sunday. We did a
quick loop around Kew before we headed onto Ivanhoe Blvd and did a few hill
repeats of a steep road. We then turned into Studley Park and did a TT. As Nat
and I were racing, we were asked to do the TT at 80%. Happy to report that this
became my PR for the loop as I didn’t stop at Walmer St.
After the TT, it
was hill repeats of Molesworth Street and then Yarravale Road which I didn’t do
repeats but waited for the group. To minimise DOMS from the day of hilly
cycling, I sat in an ice bath for the first time in over a year.
Race Day
Registration for
the race started at 8:30 with the race start at 9:30 which was a decent time
to get up to drive to Balliang. I got there just after 8:40 and I had plenty of
time for a toilet stop, race number pick up, warm up ride and a re-think of
what to wear during the race. I opted out of a gilet and long finger gloves
which I had during the warm up as I was sweating and didn’t want to feel too
hot during the race. I decided to just wear my kit without gilet, arm warmers
and then short fingerless gloves.
The women’s field
started around 9:40 (last) and the first lap was controlled. I dropped off the
group along the first climb but ended up getting back on at the descent but lost
then again during the second climb as I couldn’t do the turn and just stuck at
the back. After this, I could see the main group ahead but couldn’t catch up
during the steep climb and rolling hills. I ended up riding with a chick called
Tracey and we took turns along this section and the gravel before headed back to
towards the Hall. Tracey didn’t do the second lap so I was solo for the next
5km or so until the lantern-rouge FCC guide came up behind me with another
rider (Heather) who had stopped prior to fix a flat. We were assisted along the
headwind and the climbs and Heather and I took turns at the fast parts of the
route until we turned onto the gravel road where I was comfortable to ride.
They caught up to me at the end of Box Forest Road and then it was the final
left turn towards the finish line.
For the last 700m
of the route, I just decided to put in 100% of what I had and crossed the
finish line with harder gear and out of the saddle. I had finished the course
just over 2 hours for a 2 x 25km loop which I was pretty impressed with
considering we averaged 22km/h during the recce ride.
 |
| My friend Nat from LOC |
After the race, I
packed up my bike into my car and started to realise that my backside glutes
were starting to seize and my legs were starting to be really sore and stiff. I
had a cup of tea at the Memorial Hall and then drove home. My body was starting
to get tighter and tighter during the drive and I decided that I really need to
ice my legs again.
Although I didn’t
win the race (so far from it), I have a great sense of achievement as this was
something which I wanted to do in terms of cycling. I know what my strengths
and weaknesses are and will work on the following:
1) Push my comfort level in keeping within the group even when
it is climbing
2) I am still considerably weak riding into headwind. I need to
work on VO2 and maintaining power. This is similar to this month’s Albert Park
laps.
3) My descents are good especially when I am able to see ahead
4) Work on my climbs for both short and steep and long and
not-so-steep ones. Take advantage of the training session at Kew for this
month.
What’s next? I don’t
have another road race in mind and FCC haven’t released which races will
include the Novice Women’s field. There is one women's race within the Northern
Combine events but I don’t know if I can race it on my 3 race license as I
received it under FCC.
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