although when I read the professional bit I’m not sure,  I had to double check he was on site  ;o)

Thank you to the people who volunteer to course mark and marshal and who make the pack down possible.

Thank you to the locals who don’t complain about the chaos that starts early Sunday morning waking them in their slumbers.

Thank you to the riders who race, it’s what it’s all about

Thank you to the team for putting up with me.

see you on the start line!

This Sunday Me and Mat did the one of the Brownback racing events at Lee Quarry, legend has it that this was once a booming slipper quarry but started a steady decline when cheaper more popular moccasin slipper imports became popular in the 70’s. This post industrial landscape was the dramatic backdrop for the 2^nd race in the Autumn series. Along with other events going on up North, such as Hit The North and Mary Towneley Loop , it looks like we may have a long awaited calendar of events happening on our very own door step.

The start was concocted by someone with a pure evil streak a steep climb on lose gravel it was I have to admit though perfect for spreading the field out. The rest of the course consisted of short step descents, flippin amazing berms that when you put your trust in properly delivered, O and the obligatory steep lose ascents which I’m not ashamed to admit saw me hikin the bike.

After avoiding some poor chappy who somersaulted over his bars on a step descent I managed to graze (well that’s what I thought at the time) my leg on some genuine quarry rock, then in a stroke of genius that I can blame on inheriting my mums inability to remember directions I took a wrong turn… Once back on track I gave myself a few internal word of encouragement and just kind of plugged away. I though I may have lost 1 or 2 places due to my detour but hey it was Sunday morning the sun was nearly shinning and I was on my bike, it was all good!.

The leading lady who I had a bit of a chat to on the start was fully representin the ladies she seemed to be effortlessly floating up the ascents that had me pushing the bike. I didn’t see her again until her race was cut short by what looked like a snapped chain. I felt gutted for her coz she had it in the bag for sure.

Mat lapped me just near the end so I knew the boy had done good, but what I didn’t know is that he had 2 punctures which makes his final position of 3^rd in the Weekend Warriors even better… Kudos points to the Holstead.

After a painful looking incident with a slippy northshore type thing I managed to steal another place, from the girl I’d been trying to catch since my little detour. She must have really hurt herself and landing in a freezing bog can’t have been any fun, but you did us ladies proud and soldiered on… Well Done!

Once over the line I took a closer look at my leg that had seemed to attract a lot of attention, and realized that yep it was a lot worse than I thought …

Que the chaps from the Mountain Rescue who cleaned and dressed it for me and strongly recommended a trip to A & E. I just had time to do a quick costume change and collect my spot prize of a super duper Merino wool reversible (pink and Grey) Bennie that was donated by the cycling angels at Minx– Girl apparently awarded for been stupid enough to carry on with a bit of my shin missing!  Then to top it of I picked up category winner with £30 to spend at my favourite cycle website minx-girl. The Trophies provided by Hope were pretty funky as well

Massive thanks to all the organizers and marshals especially the nice chap who brought my bike down from the quarry, and of course all the other fabulous racers. And just to prove to the mountain rescue that I did as you said and went to A and E here’s a stitched and stery stripped version of the leg wound.

See you at the next one folks.