Hello again you lot! Lee here, Nick's disappeared on a European jaunt and sadly didn't send me a race report, the dozy mare, so I'm letting Angela have the full reign of this one!
....Hi there everyone, I'm writing this sat in a tent in the wet Peak District! You don't get much more hardcore, eh?!
So, here we go! INNERS with the Scottish Downhill Series boys... *claps*
Me and Steve (Foster) got there on the Friday a little bit late in the day and walked up the track...the SDA were using the steep corners at the bottom, I was dead chuffed with that, get in!!
Kept walking up and it was pretty much typical Innerleithen. The run down: up top straight out of the start you were hitting the rooty off-camber sections which was a bit of a tricky one I admit! Once across the fire road it's into the fast pedal-fest motorway section with the doubles, beyond that was the luge, which keeps the speed up nicely. And then it all drops down the devilishly dark and classic Innerleithen tight and twisty singletrack spitting you through the steep corners to the finish line, awesome stuff!
(A little pootle down the woods I think not, Angela makes it all look easy! Photo courtesy of Ian Linton)
Tried to get some kip that night but it was pretty hard with the constant pitter-patter of the rain throughout the whole...... entire......... night - it was sure gonna be a wet one!
(What d'ya mean it's muddy? Nick takes it all on! Photo courtesy of James Cattanach)
Saturday dawned greyly, I only got four practise runs in, could have done with another but planned to have an early start on Sunday instead. That said, the practice went well and I felt pretty good, totally loving the jumps and the steep corners.
(Fresh mud-pack! Photo courtesy of Barry Primrose)
I walked the track again with Steve and the Reno Beasts, saw a few different lines I wanted to take which would hopefully shave a few seconds off.
(Absolutely LOVING this photo of Nick, courtesy of Jamie Rodda)
Sunday, I got my first practice run in and hit all the new lines that I'd wanted and they all felt good, went for a second run and I got turned back, just out of time. :(
My first race run went OK however it's a super-pedally track and I felt burnt-out halfway down. Crossed the line with a 4m 26s and was sitting in third place... can I just add that there were 12 girls racing- which is amazing for a regional SDA! We need more of this please!
(In the dark, dark woods! Photo courtesy of James Cattanach)
After swigging down a can of RedBull I went for my second run and then 'BAM' got red flagged at the top for an hour. Bugger! Once out of the gate I felt like it was a load faster and I pedalled a lot more yet I ended with same result, huh?! To be honest I was really disappointed with my time, but will take the rough with the smooth, and hey, a third place certainly can't be sniffed at ! :D
Looking forward to the last round of the BDS at Caersws! :) ....time now to get some more training in!
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