NEW TELEPHONE NUMBER 3rd Febraury 2012

By Jacqueline Easton

We have a new telephone number...
as from today it is 0118 989 2241.
This is due to BT having mistakenly decommissioned our line.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Trailbreak Woodcote CX Sportive 29 January 2012

By Katy Salt

What fun! My first ever sportive and I was unsure what to expect. It was cold and foggy at the start and I was surprised that everyone was just milling about, and setting off at will. There were three categories 40, 60 and 80 km. I plumped for the 60, having never done this before I thought I'd aim for the middle! It was a great ride out and people were friendly, even on the up hills! Just when my energy was flagging a mirage of chocolate cake and flapjacks came into view at Check Point 2, yum. Just the ticket to boost my energy, then off again!

The terrain was mixed, some road, some bridleways and some singletrack, and some very muddy paths!! By the time I arrived at the finish I looked like a large lump of mud, but felt exhilarated! It was a really well organised, enjoyable event. Big thanks to the Trailbreak crew.

Wantage to Goring and back, just for fun! 22 January 2012

By Andrea Fawell

After recent wet, uneventful weekend road rides we decided to get back to off-road riding this Sunday. We set off early for 40 miles on the Ridgeway, endurance riding it was, muddy (hurray, dirty bikes again, that's how it should be), slippery chalk and rutted so it felt fairly technical, but sooooo windy! The windiest I think I have ever experienced. A glorious tale wind out to Goring, we were flying, but oh no, the disappointment of discovering the coffee shop was closed for refurbishment! Re-calibrate brain to expect no caffeine. Thank goodness for jelly babies.

Then the long, hard slog home... 20 miles into full-on head wind...great as had to peddle all the descents which needed full attention but alot of granny ring work, not only on the ascents! In one place the hedges had just been cut so despite careful riding down the centre to avoid the killer thorns, I had three massive ones go in at once. Puncture time! But when we did hit a sheltered section we took off like rockets. Our thighs were pushing under such resistance from the wind, the propulsion was tangible when we were out of it.

The rush of endorphins back at the car saw us straight into Costa for that much craved coffee. The staff loved having us back in there all covered in mud, just as much as we loved being dirty again!

What a Difference a Day can make! October 2011

By Jo Griffiths

Although I have been riding for about 2 years now over the last couple of months I have been slowly losing my confidence, and getting more and more frustrated as my riding seemed to be getting worse rather than better. Time for a Singletrack Skills course with Dirt Divas.

I turned up Sunday morning for the course, not knowing what to expect and feeling a little nervous. I found I was in good company as all the other girls were feeling similar. Jacqueline and her team soon put us at ease and we quickly settled into the course. It was a great day and I really enjoyed meeting the other girls as well as learning new skills.

But how did all this translate into my day to day riding? Well today I found out! We went to an event at Cannock Chase which incorporated lots of tracks around the Chase. We rode the same event last year so I knew it would be a great comparison. I really enjoyed the first two-thirds of the route, working hard and using the new skills I learned including climbs - I managed to ride up one climb I had to walk last year, however the real revelation didn't come until the last third of the route which included the more technical singletracks.

Wow! I haven't grinned so much on a ride for ages. I was really tired when we started this last section and nearly decided to call it a day but thank goodness I didn't. It started with a section of singletrack and I really concentrated on applying everything I'd learned and what a difference it made. I rode with more confidence, cornering better and therefore carrying more speed. After that there was no stopping me and I threw myself into the rest of it even managing a couple of switchbacks (my nemesis) and repeating one fun downhill run despite having already ridden almost 30 miles. When we got back I think my face ached from grinning almost as much as my legs from riding!

Bring on the next ride!

Photo: Jo on the Singletrack Skills course on 23rd October 2011

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Course 23rd October 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

Due to demand, we decided to run an additional course before the clocks go back and the winter weather starts to kick in! We had girls travelling from as far away as Kent, Essex and Peterborough to join the course on Sunday and with sunny blue skies, this was promising to be a great last course for the year.

As usual however, there were plenty of nervous faces first thing at registration, but our expert team of coaches quickly settled any nerves and soon there were groups of smiling girls heading off into the woods. The Back to Basics, Singletrack Skills and Drops & Jumps groups were all going through various skills exercises and then enjoying the thrills of singletrack trails. The all female group dynamic is extremely conducive to developing confidence and skills on the bike, and it was thrilling to see the amount of progress being made in just one day!

Do check out the day's action photos in our photo gallery, and meanwhile, here are some feedback comments from those who came on the course…

Just quickly wanted to say how much I enjoyed yesterday's Drops & Jumps course, I haven't stopped smiling! I really gave it my all but am feeling it now.... my upper back and arms are aching so much! Simon was a fab teacher and I thank you both for all the great encouragement and kind words of praise. You have boosted my confidence and skills tremendously. Sarah

I have had the most terrific day thank you. I'm still buzzing, but about ready for my bed! Guy was a great tutor, the group were fab and I am really looking forward to plenty of practice and attending again next year. Isabel

I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for a great day on Sunday. It was the best birthday present ever! Guy was fantastic and the girls in my group were great fun, I really did have the best day and made some lovely new friends. Jo

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Autumn Classic Tunnel Hill 16th October 2011

By Elaine Hobbin

When the sun shines in October you know its going to be a good day!! I hadn't ridden at Tunnel Hill before so wasn't sure what to expect from the course.

I got a speedy start and held the lead, all the practice and extra tuition over the summer had paid off as I felt great and knew my gear changes were now becoming more efficient and second nature. The course was perfect for me with some sections of fire road that were ideal for picking up some speed and this was complemented with some fantastic sweeping single track (some of which did actually remind me of Glen Tress!) For the first time since racing for Dirt Divas I can actually say that I caught up with the men too! This was a morale boost that put a smile on my face! The biggest challenges for me on this course were most definitely the uphill singletrack sections which at one point seemed endless and very painful, but you were rewarded with some excellent technical sections where I was in my element.

Now, I wouldn't be me without a wee drama, I did indeed make a very foolish error, caught out by a tree stump that threw itself under my tyre (honest!) I flew over my bike, managed to get on again and continue for about 3 meters before realising that I had a rather thick stick caught in my chain and rear suspension. The stick was determined to stay put and was truly jammed, it took me several minutes to free it and by that time I caught a glimpse of one of the other riders in my category catching up. Despite jumping back on, she shot past with the momentum to get up the hill and I lost my valuable lead, however I gave chase for the last couple of miles and was thrilled to come in second.

It was a great course, I really enjoyed it and will certainly be going back there to explore it some more!

My first ride since Singletrack Skills course October 2011

By Sarah White

Today I did my 1st ride since the Dirt Divas course on Sunday and only my 2nd with SPD's. It was great!

I followed a route I have done a few times and tried, as suggested, to better my time and ability on a route I can do over and over. I used my new knowledge to increase my speed downhill and tried to pay more attention to the terrain uphill picking the better 'line'. I changed my grip position and adjusted my seating to really pull myself up the hill. The SPD's caught me off guard when on the steepest part of the climb as I was 'pulling' as well as 'pushing' the pedals and at one point almost did a wheelie where I'd 'pulled' and not kept my weight forwards enough! Recovered this well and paid more attention to my new shoes and how differently they allow me to ride, especially uphill.

I did drop my glasses at the top of Chanctonbury Hill but did a fab tight turn to stop and collect them....again the SPD's caught me off guard and I nearly fell but managed to keep upright thanks to our practicing turning on the course!

The downhill descent was awesome and one of my fastest, I really pushed through my arms like you showed us, pushed my weight back and tried to let speed be my friend! Only issue was all the newly fallen leaves meant I couldn't see the terrain under me but because I've ridden it before I just trusted the line I know to be best.

I knocked 4 minutes off my best time and completed the 17.44 km route in 1 hour 4 minutes. I am really pleased and already looking forward to doing it again and bettering my time further. The South Downs have some challenging climbs as well as some great downhills not to mention it's beautiful up there!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Course 9th October 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

Another great day was had by everyone on our course on Sunday. Our expert team of coaches quickly settled any nerves and soon everyone was engrossed in various skills exercises and huge amounts of progress was being made. After a welcome rest at lunchtime, everyone was keen to put into practice their new found skills so we all headed off onto the singletrack. With soaring confidence and big smiles all round, it was a real joy to be sharing the buzz of mountain biking with such a keen group of mountain bikers!

Do check out the day's action photos in our photo gallery, and meanwhile, here are some feedback comments from those who came on the course…

I had great fun and think your women only courses are perfect for boosting our confidence as well as teaching us invaluable skills. It has made me realise that I can do this and I'm not as bad as I thought. Riding with the 'men' is great, but you end up always being last to the top and slowest downhill which makes you think you're not doing very well. But actually I do ok! …Sarah

Very good course and instructor was great, confidence boosting without being over the top. …Danielle

Really great for confidence. Excellent coach, brilliant at meeting the different needs in the group. …Helen

© Photography by Graeme Warren

XTM Enduro Hawley Lake 8th October 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

Graeme and I took part in the XTM Enduro event at Hawley Lake on Saturday which was really enjoyable. We both managed to ride 7 laps of the 10km course in the 4 hours cut off time which was good going!

Riding several laps of the same circuit gives you the chance to really improve your technique, make better gear changes and line choice etc. a great training session!

Graeme came 15th out of 64 men and I came 1st female.

Photo: Graeme and Jacqueline on the start line...

© Photography by...www.sussexsportphotography.com.

XT Triathlon Hawley Lake 24th September 2011

By Jacqui Clark

I survived the off-road sprint triathlon! I'm feeling really really pleased with myself, so thought I'd share with you all.

The swim was great as there wasn't a bit of weed in sight, bit cold, but absolutely fine. I had however worked myself up into a ridiculously nervous state in anticipation of the bike ride, which looking back was very silly! It started off with some fairly easy fire roads for a few km, but also lots of mud. I managed to hit my handle bars on a tree whilst cycling along a narrow ledge trying to avoid the mud, but just looked up at my exit and carried on (be proud Jacqueline!), so managed to not fall off in a big pile of mud (unlike Trail Trax!).

My highlight was cycling up a steepish hill which had about 6-7 boys pushing their bikes up. They started cheering for me to get to the top after I was about half way up which was really nice, and I obviously made it no problem! I also really enjoyed the single track parts of the course. My lowlight was being chased by 2 vicious rabid dogs for about a kilometre as their horrible owners had let them off the lead after I cycled past. Was very scared, but did cycle incredibly quickly!

The run was pretty tough as it was really quite muddy, and I had to leap across 1 gully which was a bit further than I anticipated and I only just made it!

Anyway, I was extremely proud to cross the line in (what I think is) a very respectable 1:34:22. The 12km bike ride took me 44 mins. I was also only 8 minutes behind Sam, so I think he's a bit worried I'll be beating him soon!

Thanks for all your support and good luck messages for the event. And also thanks to Dirt Divas for teaching me the skills I needed to beat the boys!

© Photography by...www.sussexsportphotography.com.

Hoo Ha experience September 2011

By Georgina Hood

I went out for my first long mountain bike ride on Sunday. Neil assured me that we would do the easier stuff around Peaslake. Half-way down an extremely steep hill, with my bike wrapped around my shoulders and my legs around a tree, I felt it necessary to remind him that this did not appear to have been one of the easier descents and that I would thank him kindly if he could help me to disengage from the tree and maybe find something that was a little less challenging, my explicit request was barely audible above the steam that was exploding from my ears!

Anyway, all that aside, after a good 4 hours of riding, I noticed that nothing was sore and when I actually thought about it, had not had a moments 'front bottom' discomfort for the whole day! I can only put this down to the Hoo Ha Ride Glide sample from the Dirt Divas course goodie bag. I really recommend it. I'm a bit tight when it comes to these little extra's, but even I will be getting some more of this stuff, it works a treat. It's no bad thing that you get the added bonus of a cool south-westerly for a few hours either!

Dirt Divas say…It's a sensitive subject… some women never use chafe cream, others never leave home without a liberal application. If you've never tried it but find yourself rubbed up the wrong way after a ride, or have been searching for the right product, then it's about time to slap a little Hoo Ha on your um.... hoo ha.

It forms a barrier on your skin, it not only protects but contains tea tree for its anti-bacterial properties plus lavender and barley to soothe and help healing too. Apply liberally to your 'nooks and crannies' before a ride - or even your chamois too.

Be warned though, Hoo Ha Ride Glide does contain peppermint and menthol, which gives an instantly 'fresh' sensation, but this evolves into a lovely cool feeling that lasts the ride. We reckon that you'll be applying it for that wonderful fresh feeling alone!

Hoo Ha Ride Glide tube 236ml £16.95
Hoo Ha Ride Glide mini pack 7ml £1.50

Contact Dirt Divas to place your order.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

End2end Challenge Isle of Man 18th September 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

This year the event had 1,696 entries so a new system with timing chips and sensor mats was put into place to ensure accurate start and finish times for all the riders, it also helped to control the flow of riders at the start. I was fortunate enough to be amongst the elite 100 rider start group because of my podium finish last year, yeeha!

I was super excited to get going and made sure I drafted well along the first 10 mile road section of the course. As we turned off-road, I tried hard to keep a smooth rhythm going up the first 500 m climb, it's a real beast, especially the muddy rutted section across the moorland at the top, energy sapping stuff! I figured there were just 2 girls ahead of me...

Once safely down to check point 1, the crowds spurred me on and I settled into a steady pace but kept pushing never the less. Going through check point 2 I enjoyed more cheering from the crowds but I knew another very challenging section was looming so I tried to stay focused, though I did notice another girl slip past me!

Passing through the last check point 3 was a great relief, as I knew that I only had another hour to go plus my favorite section of singletrack was coming up. Soon I was on the road again climbing up towards the finish, I was utterly exhausted now, I even thought about stopping! But I didn't of course and as I rode up the grassy field to the finish line I thought, OK let's give it one last push out of the saddle… but that clearly wasn't going to happen! I crossed the line totally wasted, best feeling in the world, and after a nice cup of tea, the pain was all forgotten about already!

I completed the 75 km route in 4 hrs 10 mins and won my age category by nearly 2½ hours! I came 4th out of 124 women and 116th out of the 1,696 entries. Very happy!

Well done to all the other Dirt Divas who took part, I hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as I did!

Photo: L to R... Cathy, Sally, Jacqueline, Sophie and Linda.

Dirt Divas Course 11th September 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

Although the forecast had been predicting heavy rain, it turned out to be a lovely sunny day for our course on Sunday. Despite some last minute cancellations, three groups of keen girls were eager to get underway. After a brief introductory chat, the girls immediately struck up a wonderful rapport and it was clear that they were all looking for the same thing… more confidence on the bike!

The morning was filled with lots of skills technique and everyone was looking forward to riding the singletracks in the afternoon. Unfortunately one of the girls took quite a tumble on a relatively innocuous part of singletrack, and whilst such incidents are always unpleasant, they are a sharp reminder of the risk involved in mountain biking. The other girls were all incredibly supportive which reinforces the benefit of riding in a group.

Here are some feedback comments from a few of the riders… and do check out the superb photostream of action shots in our photo gallery.

A big thanks to all at Dirt Divas for a really supportive and skill enhancing 'Back to Basics' day on Sunday September 11th. We'll be going for the more challenging dates in 2012 but in the meantime we have booked a few days of off-roading in the Brecon Beacons in November. A big thanks to Graham for the photos, some friends have commented on the professional quality of the photos as well as the inspirational riders. Will be spreading the message… Léonie & Claire

Thank you so much for such an amazing day. It was very well organised and brilliant in every way well done! I learnt so much from Cathy and now understand why I crashed and feel so much more confident. I am an avid skier and now realise there are so many similarities. It's all about having your weight in the right place and being in control of your speed!! In addition of course you are out in the fresh air enjoying the countryside. I would love to now do your Singletrack Skills course… Margaret

Just wanted to say a massive thanks for the course yesterday, I had a fantastic time and surprised myself with what I achieved during the day! It was so much fun!! Cathy did a fantastic job and made sure we were all happy. I can't wait to get out and do more now… Kerri

© Photography by Graeme Warren

'Trailbreak' South Downs Way 3/4th September 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

A few Dirt Divas met up early on Saturday morning on the outskirts of Winchester in readiness for the 'Trailbreak' South Downs Way Lemming event, 100 miles to Beachy Head in Eastbourne. Once we had loaded all of our kit for the overnight stay onto the lorry, we were keen to get underway.

The route was well marked and with several check points along the way, we were able to really enjoy this iconic ride. The 63 miles on day 1 seemed to fly by, apart from the last climb of course! A lovely cup of tea and freshly made sandwiches waiting for us at the over night stop never tasted so good, and likewise the pasta meal served up later that evening. After some light banter recounting the day's highlights, I was soon ready to crawl into my little tent and it was not yet 9.00 o'clock!

The second day, whilst shorter in distance, included some longer and more challenging climbs and there was also rain forecast in the afternoon. After a steady start, I settled into a good pace and was happy to be pedaling again. But then the rain and wind kicked in and things were definitely not looking so rosy! The chalk surface became dangerously slippery and the lack of good visibility became a real issue. OK I thought, this is when 'the tough get going'. I managed to maintain a good pace and soon I recognized the last few miles. I was very relieved to cross the finish line, and now all I wanted to do was get out of my filthy, soaking wet kit and have a nice cup of tea!

In all, it took me 9 hrs 36 mins, I was the 1st female to cross the line and came 5th out of 120 entries, very happy!

Photo: All smiles before the start… L to R Jacqueline, Graeme and Andrea.

Dirt Divas Photo Shoot 20th August 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

On Saturday a few Dirt Divas headed out for a special photo shoot session with our professional photographer Graeme Warren. A sunny day was forecast but as we gathered in the car park, a shower soon turned into a massive downpour, what exactly is going on with the weather this summer?

I was however very impressed with the girls who were all still keen to go ahead, the rain did eventually clear and everyone had a really fun time. Graeme has produced a stunning photostream of shots, some of which I hope will find their way into publication. Do take a look at the complete set in our photo gallery.

Here at Dirt Divas our objective is very much to continue inspiring more women into the wonderful world of mountain biking, the smiling girls in the photos absolutely reflects the fun there is to be had on a bike in a beautiful landscape.

Special thanks to all the girls, Charlotte, Sophie, Elaine, Lina, Lisa and Katy, what a great day!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

First 'Facebook' group ride 16th August 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

As a result of the recently launched Dirt Divas Facebook group, a few girls organized themselves to meet up for a ride in Swinley Forest on Tuesday evening. It was great to see everyone having fun and making new friends and Julie very kindly showed everyone around some of the best trails in the forest.

I imagine this is the beginning of many more informal rides over the coming months including other locations. If you would like to join these rides, why not join the Dirt Divas Facebook group so that you can keep tabs yourself of further ride details as they unfold. Just click on the Facebook link on our home page and request to become a member of the group.

Photo: from L to R… Jacqueline, Nicola, Sian, Lina, Julie, Joanna, Ali and Jenny.

Trailbreak Trail Ride, Woodcote 13th August 2011

By Jacqueline Easton / Sophie Anns

A few Dirt Divas got together and had a great time at the Trailbreak event in the Chilterns on Saturday. With rain the night before, the trails through the Beech woodlands were great fun despite the slippery mud!

The forecast had promised a warm sunny afternoon so I chose to set off wearing my sunglasses, well… I felt like I rode the whole 100 km (62 miles) loop at night as the sun never made an appearance and I had to keep my glasses on because of all the mud splattering in my face, lovely! I managed to get round in 5 hrs 36 mins and comfortably achieved a 'gold time', I felt suitably wasted afterwards and very ravenous, a fantastic day!
Jacqueline

For someone that gets lost on trails at every conceivable opportunity and relies on the sun position for a sense of direction, Trailbreak events are IDEAL! This was the first time that I had done such an event and I am a new convert. I entered the 60 km (37 miles) route option with a bit of anxious anticipation, but fortunately, the route was clearly marked very nearly all the way, (a couple of route markers did go astray).

As I normally ride on the South Downs it was absolutely fantastic to ride somewhere completely different - and most importantly for me, without having to get the map out every 5 seconds! Instead, I rode for 4 hours along lovely swoopy trails through endless woods and some open bridleways, the road sections came as a bit of a relief and broke it up nicely. There was less climbing than what I am used to, so that was a bit of a treat as I could be less cautious about pacing myself and just ride ride ride! Above all: great fun, great for training, and a lovely hot bowl of chilli at the end. Note to self: definitely do more of these!
Sophie

Photo: from left to right… Sophie, Andrea and Jacqueline

Dirt Divas Jerseys SPECIAL OFFER August 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

As part of our recent Facebook launch we are doing a very special promotion on our groovy Dirt Divas jerseys, they are now on SPECIAL OFFER at just £24.99 (usual price £43.00). If you are keen to purchase a jersey, please return an order form to us which you can download from our homepage, be sure to mark 'special offer / facebook launch' on the form. Payment can be made by cheque or if you prefer to make a BACS transfer, then please request our bank account details. Hurry as this offer is only available while stocks last...

'they are brilliant tops, nice shape, good fit and look well cool…'   Julie

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Course 7th August 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

A great day was had by all on our latest course on Sunday despite a huge downpour in the afternoon. Spirits were not dampened and everyone loved the camaraderie amongst the groups which is so conducive to learning new skills. It was a real delight to witness the confidence levels grow throughout the day, but most especially seeing the girls whizzing down the drop-off's in the afternoon with massive grins on their faces was priceless!

Do check out the superb photostream of action shots from the course in our photo gallery, meanwhile, here are some feedback comments from a few of the riders who came on the course…

I had a brilliant time on the course, I would definitely recommend it to friends and would love to come back and learn more skills… Judi

Loved it, will be back!... Sian

Really lovely day, great course, feeling much more relaxed. Thank you… Jen

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Facebook August 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

Are you keen to join the Dirt Divas Facebook? It's become very popular and it's the perfect way for Dirt Divas to communicate with each other... you can organise yourselves to hook up for rides, share details about fun trails or talk about the latest biking products etc.

Just click on the Facebook link on our home page and request to become a member of the group, it'll be great to welcome you onboard!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Sarah's recovery after tumble August 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

After 3 weeks of bed rest, Sarah is now making a good recovery after her tumble on our 3rd July course. Whilst at first A&E diagnosed a bad sprain/jarring of her back, a couple of days later she realised that she had in fact fractured her sternum and a vertebra! A rather harsh lesson for remembering to ALWAYS LOOK AHEAD!

Osprey, one of our key sponsors, have very kindly sent her one of their awesome packs which will surely speed up her recovery :-)   Thank you Osprey!    http://www.ospreypacks.com/

We do not want to put riders off with the news of Sarah's very unfortunate tumble, we just want to be honest and let girls know that it's all part of mountain biking and that you can survive these things and still go on to enjoy lots more wonderful riding. Indeed the safety of the riders on our courses is paramount to us and we are very proud to be able to confirm that this is the only fracture experience whilst having now had 650 girls through our courses!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Course 3rd July 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

A warm and sunny day greeted over 20 girls on our course on Sunday. Everyone made huge amounts of progress with their bike handling skills and general confidence. I hope this is just the beginning of some wonderful mountain biking adventures to come for everyone. Do check out the photostream of action shots from the course in our photo gallery, meanwhile, here are some feedback comments from a few of the riders who came on the course…

Thanks again for a brilliant day on Sunday - was great fun - Simon was a brilliant coach, loved 'the corkscrew' and can't wait to get back over there... god, I sound more like a kid than a 40 year old supposedly responsible mother! Haha
Lisa

I had a lot of fun yesterday (especially the drop-offs) and can't wait to set up a slalom course in the back garden! You must have worn me out more than I realised too - I haven't slept as well as I did last night for months... perhaps you should be marketing your services as a cure for insomnia too!
Teri

Now that I've had a proper chance to reflect on yesterday's course I just wanted to give you some decent feedback. The time that was taken to form the groups at the start of the day was well spent as it meant we were riding with others of the same ability/attitude. The atmosphere in the group all day was one of support and encouragement - I had a lot of fun with a great bunch of ladies and of course Guy. Guy was an excellent coach. He gave us the confidence to try things which at the beginning of the day we would have thought impossible. Also, the balance of the day was good with the split between drills before lunch and then more emphasis on riding after lunch. I have come away with a load of skills and techniques that I will be able to use not just when I'm mountain biking but when I'm out on my road bike too. Many thanks to the whole team and for the 'muc-off' present - I'm looking forward to getting my bike dirty next weekend when I get to show my husband my new found skills.
Debbie

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Recent Fires in Crowthorne Woods update 25th May 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

Parts of Crowthorne Woods were recently ravaged by forest fires which made the national headline news. I'm really glad to be able to report however that the woods are open again with access as normal for all mountain bikers and walkers.

All of our favorite trails are still rideable, though some new firebreaks have been created which has opened up some unexpected views. The 'Corkscrew' thankfully remains untouched. Lots of new vegetation is already growing madly and the birds are singing again and the deer are leaping! Sadly, not such good news for some of the ground nesting baby chicks, which obviously got a good roasting…

Photo: One week after the fire...

Dirt Divas Course 22nd May 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

Despite a few last minute cancellations, we had another great course on Sunday and the sun was shinning again for us! There was a fantastic spirit amongst the groups, a real positive vibe going on and nobody wanted the day to stop.

Check out all the action photos from the course in our photo gallery, meanwhile, here are some feedback comments from the riders on the course…

Thank you very much for a brilliant day on Sunday, it was great to meet the team and all the other girls taking part. I learnt so much, Cathy is a fantastic coach and I am really enjoying applying the skills out in Swinley forest! I really had fun and you guys came highly recommended from friends of mine, I'm already spreading the word and trying to get my girlfriends to have a go, they don't know what they're missing! Thanks again and the photos are fab too, what a brilliant memento of a fantastic experience.
Lisa

Just wanted to say a big thank you to the team for the course yesterday, I can't thank you enough. I had a great day, I didn't want it to end! I would never have attempted the drops that I achieved yesterday without the support and encouragement from Cathy. I have come away with the confidence I needed to go out and enjoy the singletracks more. I look forward to seeing the photos (no doubt with a look of fear on my face...!) Thank you once again for such a fantastic day. You made it such fun.
Lorraine

Thank you for a great day, lots of fun and lots learned! I'm going for a thrash on the bike up our local woods on Thursday evening with 'the boys' so I'm looking forward to putting all of my new 'skills' to the test!! A really good day, with a really good group. Oh, and the goody bag was excellent. See you all again soon for the Drops & Jumps course.
Carole

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Drops & Jumps Course 2nd May 2011

By Ann Fitzgerald

Claudia and I had worked hard to 'psych' ourselves up for the Drops & Jumps course and it looked like our fellow Dirt Divas were in a serious mood too when we arrived at the Crowthorne HQ. Jacqueline and Simon soon broke the ice and we all set off for Crowthorne Woods duly padded-up and with the start of a smile on our faces now we were rolling.

We soon discovered that we would learn all of the jump/drop elements in easy increments through the day, starting with simply bouncing the front wheel up and down kerbs to get used to the idea of timing. We then applied this skill to bouncing over roots at the top of increasingly steeper slopes, starting with a gentle run off and ending up with vertical drops over 6 foot down (I'm not exaggerating, honest!). There I met my match and received my souvenir bruise of the day, and its not going on the Injuries page!

After a short interlude lusting at a fire crew tackling one of the many wild fires in the Crowthorne area that day we re-grouped at a safer area of forest to master the art of pumping. This was genuinely fun and didn't induce any vertigo or the look of fear but, as anyone who has ridden pump tracks knows, it was pretty tiring. Small dips led onto larger ones, along with lips and steps so that any of us carrying enough speed were able to lift both wheels clear of the ground, and land the bike with grace.

By late afternoon we were too tired to look for more tricky trail obstacles to tackle but were all thinking about our own local spots where we could continue the fun another day. The most bizarre thing, apart from seeing Wellington College swathed in smoke from the fires, was that I was still so focussed on the skills I'd learnt that day, I was trying to pump my car all the way home!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Course 2nd May 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

Having had several weeks now of glorious dry weather, it felt like high summer on our second course of the year. The super dusty trails greeted keen riders on both the Back to Basics course and the Drops & Jumps course. What most of the riders hadn't noticed was the fire that was beginning to get started not too far away, they were far too engrossed in our instruction and their new found skills to worry about any approaching smoke! We adjusted the afternoon training locations and upon reflection were extremely lucky to have been able to keep riding.

Check out all the action photos from the course in our photo gallery, meanwhile, here are some feedback comments from the riders on the course…

Just amazing, loved it!
Karen

I wanted to thank you again for a wonderful day, it was such a great feeling to get out on a bike again after such a long time and it's helped revive my passion for the sport.
Katie

Just brilliant, I feel I can hold my own now and hopefully reduce my hospital visits!
Sarah

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Holiday in the Lake District April 2011

By Cat Allen

Just wanted to drop you a line with the news of my rekindled love for mountain biking! Since coming on the Back to Basics course in April, I have been eager to get out on the bike and I have just returned from a holiday in the Lake District where I honed my skills at Whinlatter Forests Altura trails.

I had so much confidence building fun on my first visit of the blue route I did it twice that day, total smile factor. Hubby (who'd completed the North red route the previous day), encouraged me to consider doing the North route the following day. After umming & ahhing, I talked myself into taking a shot at the South red route loop as ignorance is bliss. It had a challenging singletrack climb, really technical top section, then an awesome flowing decent. With my trail love back I had to go back again the following day to cycle my favourite 'downs' again from both trails.

I just want to say thank you so much for helping me believe I can. I now know what I need to improve on so, Drops & Jumps next???

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Weekend in Scotland April 2011

By Jenny Hawken

After having done the Back to Basics course in April, I wanted to share with you my weekend, as I went to Scotland riding. I rode some sections of three of the 7 Stanes and loved every minute of it, (well not the 6 miles of hill climbing).

Mostly blue runs but also touching on some red, I rode with much more confidence, tackling most obstacles doing things I probably wouldn't have tackled prior to the course. I could be heard reciting my new mantra "keep looking ahead Jen don't look down!" I rode a few low skinny bridges imagining that I was back on that plank in Crowthorne Woods.

I have returned home shattered, covered in bruises and bites, but grateful that I was able to get out on my bike and take part in my husbands hobby 'with' him rather than sitting around waiting for him to get back to tell me how great it was. Thank you Dirt Divas.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Back to Basics Course 3rd April 2011

By Molly's other half...

Just wanted to say a huge thank-you for the course last weekend, Molly was very enthused by the whole thing on the way home and it has obviously hit the spot. We look forward to some more adventurous outings and have agreed to start this coming Sunday.

I am sure that the main differences between girls and boys is strength and confidence, ability and skill will invariably compare favourably, but girls just don't realise it ! That was the reason for Molly going on the Dirt Divas Back to Basics course, to unlock some of that potential and to get the mind into 'can do' mode.

After the registration, there was full day of riding in Crowthorne Woods with basic skills training, body positioning, balance, braking techniques, small steps, drops, roots etc. There was a good portion of enthusiasm after the event, helped in no small part by the excellent weather. It was a very valuable experience, partly because Molly now knows she is pretty good on a bike! Huge thanks to the team at Dirt Divas.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Singletrack Skills Course 3rd April 2011

By Ann Fitzgerald

Nicky and I were both feeling pretty nervous when we arrived, but soon felt more at ease once we saw the like-minded type of gals who had also come for the day. After a welcome chat from lovely Jacqueline (Head of Dirt Divas) we split into groups and were introduced to our guru/guide/instructor for the day. I left Nicky with strict instructions to keep smiling and hoped to meet her at lunchtime to check how she was doing.

Our group went off to find some tricky loose steep hills to grind up, and some fast long corners to speed down and drift around (ha! - still can't do that). With each of us taking turns to negotiate each section or obstacle the morning went very quickly and we all felt we had earned our packed lunch. All the groups rendezvoused at a central point and I was pleased to see that Nicky was laughing and chatting with her new riding mates. Her instructor Guy, pulled a few track stands and wheelies, just to keep us amused.

Things definitely got more challenging after lunch as we negotiated some lovely flowing sandy singletrack through the pines of Crowthorne Woods. Then we hit a sort of 'corkscrew' skills area, where we almost completely exhausted ourselves trying the clear the steep berms, roots and drop-off's around the track. We had a chance to relax on another nice singletrack section before the Dirt Divas' pro photographer caught up with us just as we were negotiating a slightly scary drop off. Simon, our instructor, urged us over the edge and each time we attempted it he moved the braking point further back up the trail to encourage us to take it faster and faster. I think 'the look of fear' was captured a few times.

After presentations and farewell speech we packed the bikes back in the car and headed home for Sunday Roast. I don't think anyone would have come away from the day without having gained a bit more bravery, confidence and a sense of fun to go with their future biking adventures.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Back to Basics Course 3rd April 2011

By Nicky May

Somehow I'd managed to persuade myself that a trip cycling in the Alps would be a good idea, but not giving a thought to my complete lack of mountain bike experience and state of massive unfitness. So I joined Ann to Dirt Divas for their Back to Basics course.

Ann tried to pep me up with some encouraging words which unfortunately flew out of my head when she gently warned me that we were likely to be the oldest ones in our respective groups. I ended up in a group of 6 with our instructor Guy who was absolutely amazing and great fun. It turned out that I was actually one of the youngest in the group, hooray, but I was also the least fit, boo. It didn't matter though as everyone was lovely and just as nervous as me!

We started off learning how to stop, which sounds ridiculously basic but actually helped me loads. Then we moved on to tight cornering skills, slaloming and balancing along a plank of wood. We learnt about 'the attack position' which was brilliant and the best lesson of the day! We then did some exercises to lift the front wheel off the ground.

After stopping for lunch we moved into the woods for some singletrack riding. Then the more daring in the group attempted some drop-offs. There was no way I would have ever attempted this before but, putting my attack position to good use, I was very up for these and got a massive buzz doing them.

To my own surprise I absolutely LOVED my day on the Dirt Divas course, I'd done lots of new daring stuff and met some lovely people. Only time will tell whether the lessons will translate to my cycling ability, and I still have the unfitness to contend with.

To anyone thinking of doing a Back to Basics course, I would give the course 10 out of 10 and recommend it to any novice mountain biker like me.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Course 3rd April 2011

By Jacqueline Easton

A lovely sunny spring day greeted us for our first course of the year! The Dirt Divas coaches' enthusiasm and expertise quickly put the 24 slightly nervous girls at there ease as we headed off into the forest. Most of the riders were on the Back to Basics course, and it was fantastic to see their confidence and skills develop through the day. The Singletrack Skills group also quickly got into their stride, and big smiles were the order of the day especially on the drop-off's and in the bombholes!

Check out all the action photos from the course in our photo gallery, meanwhile, here are some feedback comments from the riders on the course…

I thought I would say how much I enjoyed the course yesterday. I learnt so much, Simon was excellent, I rode many ascents, descents and drop-off's that I would never have attempted before! Need to go away and practice now.
Kate

I had a great day, I so nearly changed my mind on route, I lost my mother very recently and just felt I couldn't face coming and would I have the confidence to see the day through. Guy made the day so enjoyable and gave me the confidence to achieve downhills that I could never have done before, and for the whole time I was out cycling, I was able to leave everything else that has been going on behind, so came away really buzzing.
Liz

I feel much more confident in my riding skills now, it was great going out in a female group, but best of all, I had a lot of fun!
Rhian

© Photography by Graeme Warren

The Good Mountain Biking Guide: England & Wales, April 2011

A great new book has just been published which will really encourage you to get out on your mountain bike and explore some of the best countryside in England & Wales.

The Good Mountain Biking Guide is the most comprehensive guide on the subject yet published. It is a huge book comprising 640 pages of tightly packed information covering every area that has access to great mountain bike trails. The Guide has a wealth of detailed information and purpose drawn maps of 400 natural areas and 100 Trail centres in England & Wales. It covers all major destination areas such as The Peak District, Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, North & South Downs, Brecon Beacons numerous smaller areas, many close to major towns and cities. The book will help plan riding of all sorts - from quick blasts after work, to day rides, mountain biking weekends and holidays across the whole of England and Wales.

The Good Mountain Biking Guide features nearly 1,000 route suggestions for the 500 areas that it covers making it incredible value for money. There are over 300 superb photographs of real riders on the trails including some Dirt Divas! The route summaries give a total of 20,000km of riding, enough to suit all levels and types of rider.

An overview map of England and Wales shows every key mountain biking location and allows planning at a glance. The book complements other maps and guides and refers to the most appropriate resources to take out on the trail for navigational purposes. The index of 3,000 place names allows immediate reference of the relevant map. Each of the 500 areas has details of all useful facilities - from parking to pubs, cafes and bike shops.

The Good Mountain Biking Guide is the ultimate reference book and is the one book that every mountain biker should own.

Retail price £19.95 
ISBN: 9780956802903   
Author: Active Maps Ltd   
Format: Paperback; 640 pages; 218mm x 145mm; 500 colour maps plus over 300 colour photos.

Photo: Dirt Divas coach Nicky Hughes as featured in The Good Mountain Biking Guide

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Final Round 5, Frith Hill, 10th April 2011
Category: Grand Veteran

By Jacqueline Easton

A glorious warm and sunny day made for dry dusty trails at the last round of the Spring Series. Frith Hill was a new venue for several of the race team members, and they were in for a real treat. Lots of wonderful fun singletrack weaving through the woods, and plenty of sweeping corners to get the adrenalin pumping. No major long climbs to suffer on.

5 of the team riders made it onto the podium this round which is a great result! The Spring Series overall results saw Yasmine coming 2nd in the Juvenile category and I managed a win in the Grand Veteran category. Well done to all the team riders, it's been a real joy to watch your confidence grow throughout the series and the support amongst the group has been fantastic. Everyone has experienced a wide range of emotions and will be richer for it, mountain biking is a fusion of suffering and great excitement and remember, you didn't do it because it was easy, you did it because it was difficult! The sense of achievement is priceless…

Now scroll down and read their stories, meanwhile, here's my scoop… Having picked up a gastro flue bug thing 10 days before, I still felt very weak but happy nevertheless to be on the start line again. To my surprise I pulled away at the start and quickly headed off into the lead on the singletrack. But soon enough the power was simply not there to sustain any kind of serious effort, and whilst it was frustrating to let my rival swish past me, there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. So I chilled out and simply enjoyed the ride, and a lovely course it was too. Because of the points scoring system over the series, I already knew that as long as I completed the course, I would secure a win of the series, so there would be no sprint finish this time!

Photo: from left to right...Cathy, Elaine, Davina, Jacqueline, Yasmine and Lauren with Louise and her sister Gemma in front.

Gorrick Spring Series Final Round 5, Frith Hill, 10th April 2011
Category: Sport

By Cathy Thomas

What an beautiful day Sunday was. The kind of day that makes you want to kick back in the garden with a good book, stick some chicken legs on the BBQ and get steadily sloshed on Pimms. For those of us with more active hobbies, however, it meant the final round of the Gorrick Spring Series.

This was the first time I had ridden Frith Hill and what fun it was! Probably the best Gorrick course I have ridden. There were so many swooshes and swishes, bombholes and berms that there was barely time to notice how tired I was! In fact the main challenge was keeping the bike going in the right direction. Something I was coping with fairly well until soon after the start of the second lap when my handlebar clipped a tree on a downhill section. The bike stopped. I didn't. A little dazed I managed to pick myself up, dust myself off and carry on but the damage to my lap time had been done.

I had come into this last race knowing that I needed a win to have any hope of getting on the overall podium. With some strong girls in the Sport cat it was always going to be a tall order. After my tumble I decided to just enjoy the day. To be honest it was hard not to, whizzing through the woods with the birds singing and the summer smell of pinecones in the air. Honestly makes you wonder why on earth people ride on the road!

After a respectable 3rd lap I came in 2nd, not enough for the podium but still well worth the trip!

Gorrick Spring Series Final Round 5, Frith Hill, 10th April 2011
Category: Open

By Davina Breaden

Round 5 had it all - thrills, spills, excitement, cracking atmosphere, glorious sunshine, new spd's and lemon drizzle cupcakes!

Although I was nervous about this one I was also quite looking forward to racing for the first time with spd's. As soon as I went on the warm up lap I knew that I would thoroughly enjoy the course, no matter what happened. It was full of twists and turns, fast downhill singletrack, fire track, some steep up hills but best of all dry. I was determined to finish 2 full laps and decided at the start to go at my own pace and hopefully get close to the others on the second lap.

My cunning plan worked sooner than expected and, with 2 crashes already under my belt, I caught and overtook another rider. The thought of not being last gave me a huge boost and, despite crashing again, I got to the finish line 27 seconds ahead of the other rider. Despite finishing 10 minutes behind the winner, I was absolutely over the moon not to have finished last, that I had overcome my fear of spd's and that finally I had some bike handling skills (albeit not very much!).

The support from all the other Dirt Divas was, once again, absolutely amazing and I'm pretty sure that without their encouragement, words of wisdom and cheering I would not have had the confidence to enter any of these races. A big thank you to you all!

Gorrick Spring Series Final Round 5, Frith Hill, 10th April 2011
Category: Fun

By Elaine Hobbin

I was really looking forward to Round 5, I'd missed the previous round due to ill health, and round 3 had not been particularly good for me either! Needless to say I was not disappointed with the course and race at Frith Hill, the sun was shining and the atmosphere was very fun and friendly.

The course, a great mix of fast fire roads (apart from the ones that went "up!") and some great narrow single track with deep bomb holes, made the ride very exciting indeed. For me, it was the ideal course to come back to after being ill as it had a little bit of everything, with just enough to challenge me yet enough that I felt I could tackle it with confidence.

I was doing quite well until about half way through when I decided to get overly familiar with a deep bomb hole, unfortunately my bike decided it wasn't going to follow and I flew down into the dirt and skidded along for what seemed forever! (.... note to self not to get too relaxed on the technical bits!) A couple of minutes later saw me partake in similar acrobatics, this time though it was in order to avoid another rider, who had done a similar stunt into another bomb hole! I just love this sport, it really puts a smile on your face even when it hurts!! Despite my tumbles, cuts and bruised knee, I actually enjoyed the race very much.

I have healed well and am now looking forward to some great riding in Afan and Glen Tress over the summer, after all, the autumn series will be here before we know it!

Lastly, thanks Dirt Divas, because despite some very mixed results for me, I have enjoyed making some fab new friends, I have had a great time racing with you all this series, a great way to spend a Sunday.... and that's before we even get to Davina's Lemon Drizzle cake!!

Gorrick Spring Series Final Round 5, Frith Hill, 10th April 2011
Category: Juvenile 12-14 years old

By Yasmine Easton

This was the last race of the spring series, and I was quite nervous at the start. Everyone shot off when the horn went and I managed to get to the front straightaway, but then another rider overtook me in a tight corner, it was all happening very quickly. We then headed off into the singletrack which I really enjoyed because there were lots of challenges around every corner which is lots of fun.

The course was very dry and it was a very warm day which made me very thirsty.

My favourite bit was coming into the finish, relieved that I could have a rest! I managed to hold onto second place and I came second in the Spring series.

Gorrick Spring Series Final Round 5, Frith Hill, 10th April 2011
Category: Under 12 years old

By Lauren Peacey

At the start of the race I was quite nervous but I was excited at the same time. Because we got there a little late I did not have enough time to cycle around the course. Throughout the race there were some large drops, some of them were quite tricky. The course was rooty, and I nearly had a crash but managed to stay on my bike. My legs were hurting and I could not catch up with the others. Overall I came 3rd and I was quite proud of that!

Photo: Georgia (1049) and Lauren (1060) on the start line...

Gorrick Spring Series Final Round 5, Frith Hill, 10th April 2011
Category: Under 10 years old

By Gemma Hobbin

I found this race the easiest out of the three that I have done so far. My favourite part of the course was the bomb holes because they help with skills and confidence. The worst part for me was going downhill on the gravel because I flew over my handlebars and my bike landed on my head! I'm a tough girl, so I jumped back on my bike and finished the race in first place!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Porridgepot Hill, 20th March 2011
Category: Grand Veteran

By Jacqueline Easton

A lovely sunny spring day and back to a great venue for Round 4 of the series. The Dirt Divas race team were keen to see what lay in store for them and there was much banter and support between the riders. The opportunity of racing within a team has a very encouraging and positive effect on everyone and all of our riders are making huge progress, we're immensely proud of your efforts! Four riders made it onto the podium this time, now scroll down and read their stories…

Here's my scoop… This is one of my most favourite courses, long stretches of sweeping singletrack through the trees with great flow. The climbs were not too long though a lack of open fire tracks did mean that there was no let up, and with lots of tricky exposed rooty bits and some off camber sections, there was hardly a moment for relaxation on this course.

I felt strong today and was raring to go. I sprinted away at the start and opened up a good lead, then overtaking riders in other categories. The 2 laps seemed to be over in a flash and I secured another win. Roll on final round in 3 weeks time.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Porridgepot Hill, 20th March 2011
Category: Sport

By Cathy Thomas

Report coming soon.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Porridgepot Hill, 20th March 2011
Category: Fun

By Julie Smith

Round 4 of the Spring Series was held at Porridgepot Hill, a venue that was new to me and I wondered what the course would be like. I think 'undulating' is the technical term! I didn't find it as tricky and twisty as Crowthorne Wood, but I still managed to crash into a tree at one point, and a few people were caught out at various places. There were some soft, draggy uphills but also a few nice downhills where you could either put your foot down or have a nice rest, and naturally I chose the latter!

It's not long until the last round of the Series - it seems to have come round quickly. After that, I think my aim for the summer will be to dig out my road bike, work on my cycling fitness, and maybe move up to Open for the Autumn Series (I did say maybe...). It's been good fun so far, and I've learnt a lot. It's great riding in a team where everyone is so lovely and supportive. Oh, and speaking of lovely and supportive, I hear there might be cake at round 5, which will surely encourage everyone to get round in record time!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Porridgepot Hill, 20th March 2011
Category: Veteran

By Andrea Fawell

Loaded kids, bikes and dog into the car and headed off to Deepcut for my first Gorrick short course race on a warm spring morning feeling nervous to say the least.

Lining up on the start with less than ten riders in my category was nerve wracking enough but the speed with which everyone sped off at the sound of the hooter ensured I was out of the saddle and pushing hard right from the start.

I was quickly grateful for the top tip from Jacqueline during the quick recce of the course we had done earlier. 'Keep left on the first descent' she had said - good advice as the girl next to me, on the right side of the trail, hit the hidden bump fast and flew through the air on the unexpected jump.

My better line was still not enough to keep me with the front riders as they pulled away on the first climb. The adrenalin and speed of the start saw me struggling to catch my breath and regulate my breathing for the first 10-15 minutes. Once settled into it I found I really was enjoying the rolling single track as it weaved between the trees.

The climbs were short and sharp and the descents thrilling and not too scary, the track in between fantastic; not too wet and easily ridable for a novice like me. Had to keep focused the whole time and concentrate on pulling in enough air to cope with the energy being expended. Must try to get fitter!

'Hi girls!' I called to my kids as we swept alongside the car park. Well, might as well enjoy the scenery and make the most of their cheers, I am never gonna make the podium!

I was annoyed with myself for making the same mistake slipping on a nasty root on the second lap as well as the first but otherwise I got round the 2 laps without incident or injury, and loved every minute of it. Can't ask for more than that or think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Porridgepot Hill, 20th March 2011
Category: Open

By Davina Breaden

Report coming soon.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Porridgepot Hill, 20th March 2011
Category: Juvenile 12-14 years

By Yasmine Easton

At the beginning I was psyched up ready to go, as I already knew the area. The horn went and everyone rushed off eager to get ahead. There were lots of difficult uphills and fun downhills. There were also lots of tight corners on the singletrack to manoeuvre around. About half way round I came across someone who had fallen off their bike which made me feel quite nervous.

As I turned the last corner, I could see the finish line up ahead, I made one last big effort and I was relieved when it was all over. I then went off and played whilst my mum did her race. When I was playing, my friends and I saw a couple of riders crash!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Porridgepot Hill, 20th March 2011
Category: Under 12 years

By Georgia Valentine

This Sunday's race was definitely one of the hardest and most of it seemed to be uphill. I had quite a good start even though it was crowded and there were lots of riders leaning into one another. The race started with a steep downhill, some people flew down and fell off when they went over the large step. I got down safely. I finished 1st which ended a long run of 2nd places. Overall it was an exciting race and I can't wait for the next one!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3, Heath Warren, 6th March 2011
Category: Grand Veteran

By Jacqueline Easton

It was a gorgeous but chilly spring day with bright blue skies for Round 3 of the Gorrick Spring Series. With the return to an old venue, a very different course lay in wait for everyone. Extra focus was required to negotiate a good line through the long sections of super twisty singletrack and tight corners. Well done to everyone who took part, this was not an easy race! Now scroll down and read their stories…

Here's my scoop… As always, I was keen to get going off the start line, but the lengthy sections of very tight singletrack that soon followed meant that I never really got into a good flow which I found very frustrating. I wasn't able to open up and create a lead, and over taking other riders was very tricky.

Then, my rival just managed to squeeze past me going into a corner and it was difficult to keep on her tail. Meanwhile, another rider was chasing me which kept the pressure on, fortunately I managed to hold onto second place up to the finish line.

Whilst this was not my most favourite course, it was nevertheless an exciting race and my skills were most definitely sharpened up!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3, Heath Warren, 6th March 2011
Category: Open

By Davina Breaden

Round 3 - my favourite round of them all so far…! Never having been to Heath Warren before I wasn't too sure what to expect but after a warm up lap I realised just how fantastic the course was. A real mix of terrains, from soft and peaty to muddy to gravelly with a lot of twists, turns, bumps, uphill sections and some bridges thrown in for good measure. All in all quite a technical course but nothing too scary!

After freezing at the start line, we finally got going and I was really pleased to have got such a good start and was keeping up with the other girls. It was hard work concentrating on the technical sections, trying not to slip up and still be able to get on to the back wheel of the girl in front. By the time I got going again after coming unstuck in some thick mud, the others had disappeared from view so I put all my energy in to trying to catch them up again. Unfortunately, half way through the second lap my legs went on strike and I didn't catch anyone up until the finish line, where they were all looking relaxed and refreshed!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3, Heath Warren, 6th March 2011
Category: Juvenile (12-14)

By Yasmine Easton

I was looking forward to this race because it was a new venue for me. At the start there was a big hill, then there was some very tight singletrack where it was very hard to overtake. The next part was really bumpy which slowed me down a lot and I didn't really enjoy this bit. My favourite part of the course was an open section with lots of berms. At the end, my mum was there to cheer me on, which made me feel good. This was one of my favourite courses.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3, Heath Warren, 6th March 2011
Category: Under 12

By Georgia Valentine

Report coming soon.

Trailbreak Winter Whyte Series Burbage, 5th March 2011

By Andrea Fawell

It was just above freezing and a crisp bright sunny morning as I pushed over the start line, hearing the reassuring beep of the timing chip, on another of Trailbreak's Winter Whyte Series.

I had again opted for the 50km route and having struggled to slog through the previous month's route, barely getting off the granny ring the whole way due to extreme clay based sticky mud (think mud-biking rather than mountain biking), I was needing a dryer, harder, faster run this morning if I was going to get my mojo back for trail riding.

I was not disappointed. This month's route at Burbage took us through some beautiful rolling Wiltshire countryside. Places I'd never see unless on such a well researched event. There were lots of woodland tracks which were dry and fast despite the leaves. Some of the farm tracks were more challenging, having to pick one's line well ahead to avoid the deep ruts from the tractor tyres. Fast chalky downhills were mercifully dry, first time all winter it seemed, and I flew down them screaming 'she's a flying machine!' A couple of killer climbs on grass soon got the heart rate near maximum and then some 'free miles' on tarmac ensured the fastest time so far over the distance was recorded.

I did hear another regular participant mutter 'it wasn't as challenging as usual' but although I had to agree, I wasn't complaining. The winter months of slogging through the mud and rain were paying off and I felt more of a rider and less of a passenger.

Not even the hefty bang to the head, whoops… and a broken brake cable could dampen my spirits; trail riding mojo is truly restored!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Grand Veteran

By Jacqueline Easton

It was a very windy day at Round 2 of the Spring Series which returned to Crowthorne Woods. The course was quite different from a few weeks ago, shorter and less demanding with fewer climbs and no mud in sight! The going was fast and furious which made for different challenges. There were lots of big smiles on the Dirt Divas faces and 5 of the team riders made it onto the podium this time in various categories, well done everyone! Now scroll down and read their stories…

Here's my scoop…

Racing falls into two parts, physical and mental. Whilst most riders work hard at their training, the other aspect to consider is race strategy. It's good to make a race plan which may involve a plan A and a plan B, even a plan C depending on how things pan out.

For me, I had a very clear plan this time… to go off fast, get out in front and open up a good gap, then try to maintain the lead all the way to the finish. It's obviously not a risk free plan and it would hurt to start with, but at least my rivals wouldn't be able to see how much. The key would be to stay focused, to keep pushing and not to start flagging!

The plan was executed with precision, I had a good start and pulled away from the other riders, I was loving the dry course and zipping round the singletrack. As I started my second lap, I realised that I was well out in front and so I began to relax, smiling as I flowed through the technical sections. All in all, a great ride and an easy win.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Sport

By Cathy Thomas

There were a few nerves going into this event as it was my first race since last September and jumping up a category into Sport meant 3 laps rather than the usual 2. I needn't have worried, though, as Gorrick had obviously designed their course with me in mind; flat, short and nice and dry! It was the perfect course to ease my way into the season and, although I wasn't as fast as I would have wished, I still managed to make my goals of keeping my lap times steady and riding at a level I could sustain.

A winter spent almost exclusively on my road bike meant that I did spend most of the race feeling like a roadie who'd taken a wrong turn and a couple of the more tricky technical sections had me spending more time with my feet on the floor than on the pedals, but it was still good fun!

I lost my water bottle on the first lap, though, which didn't help. By the end I was starting to hallucinate, thinking that everything white-ish I saw out of the corner of my eye was my bottle! Don't want to do that again! Having said that I don't think it slowed me down at all until the last 15 mins or so.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Veteran

By Sarah Calver

Report coming soon.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Open

By Elaine Hobbin

A much more positive ride for me in Round 2... (thank Goodness!) I knew I had a point to make to myself after failing to finish in Round 1, so straight away that was my motivation... the concept of not finishing wasn't an option this time!

I found the second lap a completely different experience to the first, as the 'sport/expert cat' men started to appear as if from nowhere, how do they catch up sooo quickly, and how do they have the energy to shout at you to get out of the way and stay on their bike at the same time!?

I completed the 2 laps, and I have to say it was very rewarding despite physically feeling my energy sapping away half way through. I still have lots to learn, particularly about pacing myself, but with each race behind me my confidence is growing.

Once again, the support and smiles from the other Dirt Divas was brilliant, notably this time from Cathy who gave me timely words of encouragement on an unwelcome 'uphill' as she passed me on her practice lap. I'm looking forward to Round 3!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Open

By Davina Breaden

Round 2 was my first race in the Open category, which meant 2 laps instead of 1 and a bigger field. Although the location was the same as round 1, the course was different and had a lot more fast, flowing sections to it. Despite getting off to a great start, I very quickly realised just how unfit I am and how much more training I'd have to do to keep up with the girls who quickly went by me on the second uphill section! Ground conditions were great - not too muddy and slippery but not bone breakingly hard either, the weather was dry but very windy but all in all brilliant riding.

The best bit: finally conquering the drop that I had failed to go down on at least 10 occasions during the warm up - I rewarded myself with a bacon butty for that!

Worst bit: not finishing the second lap after mechanicals got the better of me... had to do a run afterwards to make up for it!

Photo: Start of Open Category, Davina 1064 and Elaine 1065

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Fun

By Julie Smith

This was the second race of the series and a far better ride for me this time. The nerves were really there though and I was unsure whether to ride; but I'm so glad I did.

There being only two of us 'Fun Ladies', we set off with the boys, and I tried to go steady and save some energy at the start, which meant that after a few minutes all the men had vanished and I was left doing my own thing. I had forgotten though that I really need someone to follow or I just slooooow down so that's something to remember for next time. I thought the course was really good, and a chat with Jacqueline afterwards reassured me that the really hairy bits were hairy for her too!

Team mates, Elaine and Davina were racing later and shouted support as I went round, which is always so nice to hear. Shortly after seeing them I could hear the tannoy and the music at the end of the course; just a bit further and I had finished my third ever race. Still really exciting!

A bit more training between races has helped and I'm hoping to keep improving my fitness as the year progresses. I guess my aims now will be to eventually move up to more than one lap (I know, crazy talk), and also to start in the middle of the field; surely I'm faster than some of those men (whether they'd care to admit it or not)!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Juvenile (12 - 14 years)

By Yasmine Easton

I was nervous at the beginning, but raring to go. The beginning was quite fast, everyone racing ahead to get the top spot. When I got to 'The Quarry' I managed all the drop-off's. My favourite part of the race was 'The Corkscrew' because it was good fun. At the end my mum was there cheering me on, which made me feel proud.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Under 12

By Georgia Valentine

Report coming soon

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 6th February 2011
Category: Under 10

By Gemma Hobbin (8 years old)

I was very nervous because this was my first ever race and I think I was the youngest in my category. I didn't have a favourite bit because I loved all of it. I can't believe I came 2nd and I get to collect a trophy with my name on it!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Brass Monkeys Round 3 23rd January 2011
Category: 2 hour female 40+

By Tracy Peacey

I had a brilliant ride at the 3rd round of the Brass Monkeys series. The course was really good, there were a few climbs, not too bad but after a couple of laps they were tiring, but when you go up, you have got to come down, so lots of good downhilling! I loved the last down hill, over a little bridge, then up onto the straight to the start / finish line.

I managed to get 3 laps in, at the end of the 2nd lap I was 3rd and managed to overtake a competitor on the climb away from the start / finish line. I managed to stay in that place and finished 2nd, phew! Don't know where that little bit of energy came from as I was bushed!

I have been lucky enough to collect points from all 3 rounds and so I won the series.

Photo: Tracy on the top step of the podium.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Grand Veteran

By  Jacqueline Easton

As the first round of the Gorrick Spring Series got underway, the newly formed 2011 Dirt Divas race team were about to experience the mixed emotions that one encounters when racing. Weekend riding is one thing, finding yourself on a start line is quite another matter! I had reminded the team that they weren't doing it because it was easy, they were doing it because it was hard, and that's what makes you feel good when it's all over!

It was wonderful to see the team spirit develop amongst the group as they supported each other and recounted their tales on the finish line. Well done everyone for doing your best, and a great result, with 6 riders making it onto the podium in various categories. Now scroll down and read their stories…

With much banter amongst the familiar faces on the start line, I was keen to get going, though it felt a little strange with only 2 other riders in my new category of Grand Vet. The course included the well known but treacherous 'Corkscrew' as well as several challenging drop-off's and long sections of very technically demanding singletrack. It sure was a tough course which demanded real focus, but I really enjoyed it especially because I had a very close battle with another rider.

With about half a lap to go, she managed to slip past me and now the pressure was most definitely on! She was beginning to open up a gap and I wasn't sure how much I had left to give, but I was determined to chase her down. I rocketed down a descent and suddenly found I was back on her wheel, then on the last climb, heading towards the finish I squeezed past and managed to clinch first place!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Open

By Elaine Hobbin

I am quickly learning that one of the challenges of mountain biking is that sometimes it doesn't pan out quite how you want it too! With about 10 seconds to the end of lap one, a small stone flew off my front tyre and lodged itself in my windpipe! Luckily, this was in front of Jacqueline, Graeme, Tracy and Tash (....how handy was that!) after a couple of back slaps and a short breather to recover I managed to finish the lap but found that lap 2 wasn't going to happen, the stone had scratched the inside of my throat and drawing in breath was just too painful!

Just before the stone incident I can remember thinking that I was so up for putting my all into the final lap. I cannot remember the last time I felt so gutted. Anyway, that said, if there is a positive experience to draw on, it is that the other Dirt Divas were so supportive, not only could you tell they were gutted for me, they were there with smiles, hugs and words of encouragement! What else can you do but dust yourself off, and prepare for round 2! .... Strepsil anyone?!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Beginners

By Julie Smith

We arrived for the first Gorrick Spring Series race of the year to find lots of very fit-looking people milling about. Although I have been to a few cycling events before, I'm never quite prepared for just how hardcore everyone looks and it always makes me feel quite nervous!

After a few good-lucks and see-you-laters it was time for the off. To say that I didn't have my best ride ever would be an understatement… but I didn't fall off or get lost (however much I might have been tempted to!). I found the course quite hard going; quite a lot of soft singletrack and rooty bits. One thing I have learned is not to pump up my tyres the night before! About a year later I made it back to civilisation and a nice cup of tea made it all OK again.

After that, it was good fun watching the others and trying to spot Dirt Divas among the riders; there was a man in a pale jersey and he nearly got a load of encouragement as we almost thought he was one us. I think he actually had a beard!

All in all, it was a great morning, and I'm kind of looking forward to the next one; after a couple of months spent sloping about with a mince pie in one hand, these races are certainly a motivation to get back to some training! Now, where did I leave my running shoes…

Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Beginners

By Davina Breadon

Sunday was my first race as a Dirt Diva and on my mountain bike - it turned out to be a lung bursting, leg bashing affair but I absolutely loved it! The rain held off but conditions were still slippery, which made it a bit more challenging and meant I ended up pushing my bike up one uphill section and sliding backwards on my bike on another.

It was great having the other girls there to cheer me on and being able to return the cheering during their races. Bring on Round 2!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Veteran

By Tracy Peacey

The first race of the Spring Series! I was a little bit nervous. I had a half decent start and was OK until I slipped on some roots going uphill and half the vet cat riders passed me, I tried to chase to no avail. I made the mistake of not fuelling properly and soon had nothing left in the tank. The course was very demanding and slippy in places, lots of roots. The course was good, I loved the drop-off's and going around 'The Quarry'. I had a bit of a stress head on as a labrador chased me just at the wrong part of the course! Hope for better luck next time.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Tash's return to MTB... Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Masters

By Natalia Wase

It is great to be back with the team! Last year was a challenging one for me. Having prolapsed a disc rowing, I had to undergo a back op in June. The summer was spent recovering and I wasn't sure that I'd have the courage to face full-on MTB XC racing again.

My first toe back in the water was (perhaps bizarrely) a four-hour Army Enduro in September. I hoped a long event would counter the temptation to go mad, take risks and undo all that expensive physio! I started at the back and gradually worked through the field. After 90 mins, cramp forced me to pit regularly for bites of banana and sips of flat-coke (thanks Torq team!) I was therefore surprised and delighted to survive and win the ladies' event.

This result boosted my confidence, but I still bottled the first Gorrick Autumn Classic! However, the Dirt Diva's persuaded me to try the second and I had a fantastic race, only getting overtaken in the final stages and losing by 20 seconds to the winner. Now I had to come back for the Spring Series!

This first was not going to be my race though. The gremlins had got to my bike: the day before I wrecked my forks and therefore had to ride with locked out suspension. To boot, my back gears were ghost-changing and my front ones developed some weird fault that meant I could not change from the big to the middle ring, but had to go via the granny! I also forgot my bottle and was only saved by a heroic husband who brought it to the start line on his motorbike!

Despite the bad omens, I decided to race anyway and in the end really enjoyed myself. The stiff ride forced me to be more careful, but I was pleased to finish third. The two girls who beat me were classy and even without my troubles I couldn't have remotely challenged the winner. I will be trying to get closer next time though!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Juvenile (12 - 14 years) 

By Yasmine Easton

I felt nervous this time because I was in a new category with older girls. We all rushed off at the beginning, eager to get ahead. Fairly quickly we went into the singletrack where I overtook a girl, which made me feel good! I enjoyed going through the really muddy bits. My favourite part of the course was the 'Corkscrew' because I had practised it before and I felt I rode it well. As I came towards the finish I could hear my friends cheering for me which spurred me on. I came 3rd in my category.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Under 12

By Georgia Valentine

The first Gorrick Spring Series race this year was a very tricky race for me. The conditions were pretty good as it was not that cold, although some parts of the course were very wet. The race seemed to go on and on and contained some very technical singletrack. The course had changed slightly from last year and was certainly a lot more challenging. The most exciting part of the race was when my front wheel hit a root and I ended up going completely over the handlebars. Thankfully I was not hurt and carried on. It was a very close race overall with me finishing second, about a wheel ahead of my teammate.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 1, Crowthorne Woods, 16th January 2011
Category: Under 12

By Lauren Peacey

The race was quite muddy and wet. My favourite part was the single track and the muddy parts. But my worst part was the roots because they were wet and my back tyre was slipping and sliding. Overall I came 3rd which is OK but I WANT TO WIN!!!!!!!!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Glentress Scotland's Biking Heaven January 2011

By Elaine Hobbin

After a fabulous New Year Celebration Edinburgh style, what better way to work off that over indulgence (...or some of it anyway!) than mountain biking in Glentress!

Bike hire was great with some superb bikes ready and waiting to be chosen. Being a hard tail rider at home I was keen to see what I was missing out on with a full sus bike and settled on a Lapiere Zesty . (Hard tail hire £20 per day, full suspension £40 per day) We were fortunate that my brother had come along with his friend Shep who knew Glentress well and he got us started on the red trail. It is so difficult not to be distracted by the stunning views and the pull to stop every 10 minutes to take photos! The trails were fantastic, the initial "up" is hard going at times but the efforts are definitely rewarded with the most superb downhill single track. "The magic mushroom" section is lots of fun with various options to get over water and obstacles! What's more, it loops so much that when you finish it is simple to go along the fire track for a minute or two and do it all over again! "Spooky Wood Decent" and "Super G" also provided an amazing downhill rush of adrenalin, with plenty of opportunity to get some air under those tyres!

The weather was great considering how dreadful it had been so the odd snow flurry was simply magical! I thoroughly enjoyed Glentress, couldn't fault anything from the bike hire to the facilities (which are currently being upgraded!) ...even the hot chocolate and Panini at the end were the best I've tasted. I will definitely be going back in the Summer!

Gorrick Brass Monkeys R2 28th December 2010

By Tracy Peacey

This was my first race as a Dirt Diva! I was so nervous and I felt sick… there were so many other riders.

When I settled down it was fun. A few hairy moments though and I fell off a few times. It was quite hard going as the conditions were pretty wet and muddy. I came through the finish and they said I was 2nd, I was so pleased I could not believe it.

A huge thank you to the Dirt Divas coaches for their tips and training sessions. I am definitely getting better.

Gorrick Brass Monkeys R2 28th December 2010

By Andrea Fawell

On the drive over to the Ash Ranges army training ground on 28th December with snow still on the ground it occurred to me that this may not be the most gentle of ways to experience my first enduro race. I was not disappointed, I found it pretty brutal in places!

Within a few hundred metres of the start we were on slushy single track through trees with some technical hair pin turns weaving either side of a deep ditch. The excuse of the still bunched up crowd meant that I walked these but soon the crowd spread out and there was no such excuse when I got to the first mega drop-off, I screamed to a stop as I peered over the near vertical 20ft fall, and still fell off as I took the 'chicken run' option! The army guys and those on the 4 hour enduro were awesome as they whooshed passed me, but I was proud to hold my own on the single track downhill sections through the trees and over the heathland, the wise words from the Dirt Divas coaches springing to mind from the courses and training sessions last year.

By the second lap I really was scared knowing now what to expect, the whole route was technical and tough. I found myself enjoying the uphill tarmac sections just to have a rest from the need to concentrate! But it was a brilliant 2 hours, loved the thrill of the challenge of a full-on, well designed course which really tested me, my skills (and showed the lack of them!) my fitness (mental note to self, do more training!!) and respect to my bike for getting me through safely.

It was a heady mix of scariness and adrenalin filled ride, can't wait for the next one!!

Gorrick Autumn Classic 14th November 2010

By Elaine Hobbin

My first race… The truth on the day was so different to the fears I had the night before. Cycling towards registration, I bumped into Jacqueline and a smiling Yasmine, a calming and nerve easing sight if ever I needed one! Following registration Jacqueline took Jules (another new team rider) and I to practice a few starts and a recce of the end of the course. Ok, quite a lot of up hill bits, but mentally I felt ready for it now, this was after all fun, not the Olympics!

It was great to be surrounded by so many people sharing the fun of mountain biking and we even had time to grab a few words with the other girls in the beginners category, our minds were put at ease as we were all equally nervous.

It was tough going, but the weather was kind and with just enough mud to make it fun, it was pretty perfect conditions for beginners. Admittedly, I nearly left my stomach behind when the reality hit home that the rather large "drop-off" that I spent an hour conquering on the Drops & Jumps course in October, signified the start of the "technical" section of the course! But thanks to the fab coaching last month from Simon, everything fell into place and I managed it with no problems, I even let out a little "Woo Hoo" as I jumped off it!

I must admit I'm still buzzing and so proud to have worn my Dirt Divas Jersey, 3rd place was a bonus, it was just so much fun and I simply loved being part of it.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Forest of Dean October 2010

By Liz Curtis

After having been on the Back to Basics course in October… here is a quick note from the Curtis family about our trip to the Forest of Dean. We have been to the forest many times before but now that I'm using a proper mountain bike and not my old hybrid, my sons and husband took me off to the downhill trails and singletrack course.

The downhill for a novice like myself, was testing and extremely muddy. I tried some of the easier tracks but had to walk down some of them. The singletrack however was not quite so deep in mud and had a variety of challenges! I put all that I had learnt from the course into practice. We then went on to the fire tracks for a more leisurely family ride home, which was mainly up hill. This day we did 14miles.

Our second ride started down hill to Symond Yat to Monmouth and then onto Redbrook, stopping at a pub for refreshment. The ride home was again very hilly, following part of the Offa Dyke path and using an OS map. This ride was 19miles.

I will definitely visit the forest again but perhaps when the ground is a little drier.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

First MTB race 17 October 2010

By Liz Slade

Jenny and I did our first MTB XC race on Sunday 17 October in Swinley Forest. We did the Beginners category of the Gorrick Autumn Classic and Jenny came 2nd by a second and I came 3rd.

After doing the Dirt Divas Back to Basics course in September, we had much more confidence and skills, and have been practicing 2-3 times a week. Got the bug now! We've even brought lights so that we can go night riding now that the evenings are getting dark. Thanks for all your help.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

British Red Cross MTB Challenge Dalby Forest October 2010

By Jacqueline Easton

The bright blue sky and frosty ground was a fantastic start to our mountain bike challenge in Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire in aid of the British Red Cross. I was really looking forward to riding the new XC Red Route with my 11 year old daughter Yasmine, though I knew the 23 miles of technically demanding singletrack was going to be very tough for her.

With official registration complete, we were keen to set off. The route headed up the steep hillside and then began snaking its way through the dense forest. The cold air and shafts of strong sunlight penetrating the darkness created a truly fairytale-like atmosphere, with an abundance of mushrooms and toadstools as well as deer darting across the track, it was all very magical!

After a quick detour for some fun in the jump park we headed off again along more superb singletrack which included some very tricky descents, hairpin bends, drop-off's and 'northshore' style timber sections above the ground. My best memory was riding along a narrow raised section of track sweeping through a carpet of bright emerald green moss with towering conifers either side.

We were soon approaching the last few miles and with some final words of encouragement and a few more tasty flapjacks to keep spirits high, we completed the ride in 4 ½ hours. We hosed down our bikes with big smiles as we had had a brilliant day.

A huge big 'thank you' to everyone who made a donation, we have raised £528 for the British Red Cross, which gives us a great feeling.

British Red Cross MTB Challenge Dalby Forest October 2010

By Yasmine Easton

To start with, it was very cold but I was excited to get going. The track headed off into the deep dark wood, twisting and turning through the trees, it was so much fun. Then I arrived at Dixon's Hollow, the first check point where there was a jump park, I had a go down the jumps which was totally awesome. My best bit on the course was called Fossil Canyon because I went really fast and it was so pretty between the trees.

I completed the 23 mile course in 4 ½ hours and I was exhausted but very happy. I have raised £253 for the British Red Cross which makes me feel very proud.

Dirt Divas Course 3rd October 2010

By Lucy Prowse

I just wanted to say the hugest thank you for such a superb day. It was amazing on so many different levels, getting together with a group of gals that are likeminded in their desire to get out on two wheels, the very obvious passion and love from the Dirt Divas gang, the juicy trails, the rain, sweat, mud and goody bag!

I thought the course set up was great and the group size meant we could get personal instruction according to our different skill levels and what we hoped to achieve from the day, it was fantastic to have that kind of attention. It's been fantastic looking at the photos, nice to re-live the day and see some very amusing facial expressions on all of us!

Also wanted to pass on massive thanks to our coach Simon for giving me so much direction and advice on my technique, I really feel like I've come away with tips that I can work on to improve my technique and hone skills.

I apologise for what's turned into a rather lengthy email but I really wanted to convey how much I buzzed and how warmed I felt from the passion of the Dirt Divas crew, I'm so chuffed to have been a part of it.

Well thanks again for having put together such an amazing event.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Course 3rd October 2010

By Jacqueline Easton

With heavy rain forecast all day long for our last course of the year on 3rd October, most women would surely have preferred to stay at home…? Not so! We had 28 women rock up and they had the best time ever getting wet and muddy whilst learning how to stay upright over the super slippery roots. With enormous smiles and whoops of delight, they could quite easily have been mistaken for a bunch of 8 year olds without a care in the world…

I know from previous experience that rides in tricky weather conditions are often strangely the most fun and usually the most memorable. There was an incredible buzz amongst the groups and I will certainly remember this course as the best to date!

Do check out the photostream of superb action shots taken on the course in our photo gallery, and here is some feedback from some of the riders who came on the course…

"That course is what the word 'awesome' was invented for, thank you for a great day!" Elaine

"I raved so much about the course when I got home that my other half has just ordered a new MTB so that we can go out together! Obviously now I'm going to show him up with my new skills!" Jules

"Wish the time had gone slower, I didn't want the day to end." Jess

"I thoroughly enjoyed the Singletrack Skills course on Sunday and I can't wait to book onto the Drops & Jumps course next year." Rebecca

"Sundays course was great - I really enjoyed it, and what a change to see so many ladies riding! I have sadly got far too used to being the only girlie out on the trails…" Sarah

© Photography by Graeme Warren

End2End Challenge, Isle of Man, 12th September 2010

By Jacqueline Easton

The End2End challenge is an MTB enduro event on the Isle of Man which starts at the northerly tip of the island and finishes in the south, the route is approximately 45 miles long. Entries range from top class riders through to weekend riders who are simply looking to complete the challenge. This year there were 11 Dirt Divas taking part, all of whom experienced a huge sense of achievement.

It was a lovely sunny day but the moderately strong cross/head wind and heavy saturated ground made for punishing conditions. The course had been lengthened and new sections of singletrack had also been added.

Waiting on the start line, the tension was building as everyone was keen to get going. The first 10 mile road section served as a great warm up but then came the monster climb and I realised that two girls had slipped in front of me. I worked hard to keep a good pace through the rutted moorland but it was energy sapping stuff. Then I settled into a steady rhythm on the shale tracks.

Another long climb came just after the halfway point and I had to dig real deep. A testing singletrack section was next through a dense plantation with lots of slippery roots and spongy ground. But my biggest problem was the head camera on my helmet which the TV crew had asked me to carry, its weight forced my helmet down onto my sunglasses which then kept sliding down my nose, making it hard to see anything at all!

At last however, I was on my favourite section of singletrack and the end was in sight. A quick somersault over the handle bars, readjustment of the sunglasses and soon I was on the final climb to the finish. As I glanced over my shoulder, shock horror… another girl was right there! I pumped my legs and managed to pull away. Then a marshal misdirected me and I found myself on the wrong side of a stone wall?! So I heaved my bike up onto the wall, climbed over and jumped down into the brambles arghh! I ran the last few metres with my bike and crossed the finish line inches ahead of my rival and was then knocked down by her, what a drama!

I completed the course in 4 hrs 11 mins, came 1st in the veteran category, 3rd overall female and 126th out of 1,347 riders on the start line. This is an amazing event, and one that I highly recommend for your diary. The event will soon be shown on SKY Sports TV.

Back to the Alps Summer 2010

By Julie Fox

After my Morzine trip last year and some more coaching from Dirt Divas, another trip to the Alps was on the cards again. This time we went with our MTB club and 17 excited bikers hit the trails with more enthusiasm than a greyhound chasing that plastic hare round the racetrack.

Some great new features have been added to the routes in Les Gets and a curly wurly piece of  North Shore certainly made you focus as there was rather a large drop just below the frame that you can't see in the photo. Thankfully my last Dirt Divas course helped me focus on the elements of "looking for your exit" which meant constantly scanning the path ahead on this tricky little obstacle that was followed by a swing bridge that swung when you went over it.

This year I swept through the berms, jumped the table tops, and smashed my way through some pretty technical terrain and all without getting a scratch (bruises don't count surely!!!). Ok the pads and full face helmet certainly give you that added confidence but only by gaining more new skills from Dirt Divas was I able to elevate my basic knowledge from last year.

Luckily the weather stayed warm and dry after the first days rain and it meant the trails were just right, dry where they needed to be and muddy enough to help you look the part at the end of a days riding.

No matter what I do next year, I know another Dirt Divas course will only add another level to my riding ability!

Dirt Divas Course 5th September 2010

By Jacqueline Easton

Another great day was had by everyone on our course on Sunday 5th September. There was a wonderful spirit amongst the group which put even the most nervous riders at ease and contributed to everyone's confidence soaring through the day. The day flew by as everyone was so focused on learning new skills, culminating with whoops of delight on the singletrack and drop-off's.

Do check out the superb action photos taken on the course in our photo gallery, and here is some feedback from the husband of someone who came on the course…

"I just wanted to send you a note after my wife, attended your Back to Basics course last Sunday as a birthday present from me. She was a little nervous on the day, not really quite sure what she was in for but I have to say that she came home absolutely beaming from the experience. She loved it. She's now so much more confident about her riding and really excited about getting out there to ride. Clearly you run an excellent course which is both professional, fun and very good value for money - and with great coaching! It turns out, it was an excellent birthday present and my wife is looking forward to coming back to learn more. Thank you very much!"

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Torq 12:12 29th August 2010

By Laura Pilon

Shortly after Mountain Mayhem, a bike crash put paid to my summer of mountain biking with a sprained shoulder. So why I thought a month later (having only just got back on my bike) that it would be a good idea to enter the Torq 12:12 race, I have no idea! With only a few weeks training time to go, my motivation and mojo was extremely lacking (maybe I lost it down the back of the sofa?).

Fast forward to August 29th and I'm waiting at the Minley Manor campsite for Cathy, more than a little apprehensive of how I'm going to cope with 6 hours riding on so little training.

As always, my first lap silenced the noisy butterflies and I relaxed and enjoyed the 8 mile course with just the right balance of singletrack and fireroad. One or two rooty descents saw my heart leaping into my mouth, but I'm proud to say that I rode them on every lap, even in the dark. Considering the amount of recent rain, the course was in exceptionally good condition, with the half hour soaking it received around lap 3 just damping down any residual dust with no lasting effects and then leaving us with a sunny afternoon and a clear night to finish the race.

In the end, we didn't manage to complete the 12 hours - after 5 laps each, my knee had decided that enough was enough, so we called it a night and finished off with beer and bacon sarnies. All in all, a cracking event and one that I'd definitely enter again.

© Photography by Laura Pilon

Peak District August 2010

By Jo Hymns

A week mountain biking in Cyprus made me think this could be fun and in no time I had a new mountain bike and a lesson with Dirt Divas to help me convert from road to off-road riding. I learned lots but then I had to take my brand new bike back to the shop since the pedal fell off - extraordinary, but it was fixed in moments, which was good news.

This was all such a good idea, so we set off immediately for a week in the Peak District, discovering beautiful scenery and off-road challenges. Most of them were great fun, in particular, a 40km run above Asbourne which was confidence building, and completed in the suggested time and without mishap.

However, that all bred over confidence and led to the unwise decision to take the high route in the hills above Derwent Water which turned out to be less fun, due to the challenging inclines and rocks, rocks and more rocks! Serves me right for becoming over confident, as I ended up over the handle bars with the bike pinning me down. This was fun for my travelling companions to watch at least! That'll teach me, a few days discomfort but I'm not put off yet.

Dirt Divas Course 8th August 2010

By Jacqueline Easton

Another great day was had by everyone on our course on Sunday 8th August. Our expert team of coaches made sure everyone was happy with the basic skills of mountain biking before moving onto the more challenging aspects of riding singletrack. By the end of the day, even the most nervous riders in the Back to Basics groups were riding drop-off's and returning home with enormous grins on their faces! A wonderful indication of just how much their confidence had grown during the day.

Do check out the day's action photos in our photo gallery, and meanwhile, here are some comments from those who came on the course…

"I've taken courses elsewhere and found Dirt Divas instruction absolutely amazing! Highly recommended." AH

"I had an absolutely fantastic day and found myself wanting to push myself to the limit, go faster and try higher drops! I've become so enthused I've just entered my first race in November and I'm going to change to spd's at the weekend!!" DB

"I just wanted to say a big thank you for a fabulous day on Sunday, despite my great trepidations and nearly turning around half way to you in the morning…. I had the most fantastic time. (I can't pretend that I wasn't scared for some of it but I think the occasional adrenalin rush is very healthy and keeps us going through life). You were very kind with your encouraging words, with just the right amount of 'pushing' to keep me going. Thanks also for the bike advice and adjustments." SE

Photo: From nervous rider to real talent in just one day, awesome!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

South Downs Way Randonee July 2010

By Tina Crouch

The South Downs Way is a beautiful ridge of countryside that runs from Winchester to Eastbourne. This route has been walked by people since Neolithic times, and today thousands of people still travel this route to enjoy the scenery and the challenge of the climbs - some 13,600 ft of climbing along its 100 mile length.

When it was suggested that we rode 60 miles of the South Downs in one day for charity, I said it was a crazy idea, but over time, pride overcame fear, and I felt it was something I had to try.

At 6.00 am in a light drizzle, myself and three of my friends gathered in a car-park in Chilcomb to start the ride. I'd put four mars bars and a whole pizza in my camelback as fuel, knowing I'd want to eat it later when my tummy was flipping.

The first fifteen miles were slippery and damp, and I picked up a flint puncture, but the UST fluid did its job. Salt Hill is the first major ascent, and Dave spun out on the slippery chalk and smacked his head. Some claret later we were back on track. From Queen Elizabeth Country Park, everyone was fine until South Harting, when the ride to Cocking (the halfway point) gets undulating, and it wore us down.

Both the climbs from the River Arun to Amberley Mount and the A24 to Chanctonbury are stiff, but you are rewarded with a long descent to the River Adur at the 58 mile mark. At this stage I was broken, and we had the Truleigh Hill climb to contend with. I think only sheer determination pedalled me to the top of that climb. From the crest we could tantalisingly see the finish at the Devil's Dyke pub, but still had 4 miles to ride. Somehow we faltered our way to the finish, walking when we could no longer ride.

We finished in 10.5 hours and I was the first woman over the line in the 60 mile category. I think it was my proudest moment yet on my bike.

Bontrager 24/12 July 2010

By Tina Crouch

Bontrager 24/12 is held at Newnham Park, Plymouth, which is a superb venue due to its excellent trails and camping facilities. This course is famous for the Bluebell Woods singletrack and Cottage descent - a course for people that love coming down as much as going up.

This year I decided to 'woman up', and do the 12-hour pairs. There were 11 mixed pairs including ourselves and we were aiming for at least 4 laps each.

I chose not to pre-ride the course, preferring to save my legs, so Lap 1 was a 'Tour du Course', which established that the climbs were considerably kinder than Mountain Mayhem, and that the descents were greasy, but otherwise in good condition. A 'free-ice' ice-cream van was positioned temptingly at the top of the Clif Climb, and ensnared a few overzealous starters.

Laps 2 and 3 passed quietly save a spill on a slippery route, and a Toffee Crisp stop at the top of the Clif climb for the second lap to refuel.

We lost the weather at 6.00 pm and the drizzle descended and persisted. When I went out for my fourth lap, it was dark and the rain was scattering my light-beams giving poor visibility. A near-crash on the first descent convinced me it would be safer to walk the bomb holes, and an ambulance passing filled with smashed up riders confirmed my conclusions.

Later that lap, the course turned into the Somme. The mud coated my bike making it look like an archaeological find. The chain was full of grit and skipping, mud jammed in every part of the bike until the wheels would no longer turn. Following some 'percussive maintenance' I managed to get moving again and ride up the final climb. The final descent was completed half blind due to a faceful of mud once the wheels started turning at speed.

At transition I grinned at my pair. "Sod this" we chorused, and went back to camp for a BBQ and beer. It seemed many other had come to the same conclusion and we came a creditable 7th/11.

Get into gear Independent on Sunday 27th June 2010

By REBECCA GONSALVES

Whether you're a fashionista, a hill climber, a free-wheeling road racer or a fixed-wheel stunt performer, we've got all the cycling accessories you'll need to turn your bike green with jealousy…

Emily Ashbourn, 29 The mountain ranger, Job: Gift-company director, Bikes: 1

Two years ago my husband Ross and I were looking into Alpine holidays. Ross was selling the rural idyll of a biking holiday to me - swishing down lanes, tracks and fire roads. We invested in a couple of bikes and it became clear that Ross's idea of a bike ride was a lot more adventurous than mine, so I went on a course with Dirt Divas and learnt the basics.

When we were away, I got really into it; the same buzz and sense of achievement that I get from skiing. Now we're out on the bikes every weekend in Surrey or places like Coed y Brenin in Wales, which has loads of purpose-built trails.

There are some great communities within the sport and people share secret trails. It can be hard to find a trail recommended to you by someone in a pub though, it's often, 'turn right at the tree…'

Jersey, £52 and Greta shorts, £65, both sugoi.com; Enduro gloves, £29.99, Tahoe shoes, £64.99, and Tactic helmet, £54.99, all specialized.com. Safire Comp bicycle, £1,599.99, by Specialized, as before.

© Photography by Sarah Morris

Mountain Mayhem 19/20th June 2010

By Jacqueline Easton

Two days have now passed and the muscle pain and fatigue are thankfully subsiding, Mountain Mayhem, a 24 hour mountain biking event in the Malvern Hills is quite some undertaking! Four eager Dirt Divas, Cathy, Tina, Laura and I, formed a team and were ready to put ourselves up for the challenge.

As we talked over our strategy, a nervous calm fell over the group as we planned our night-time shifts… it was very clear that sleep wasn't going to be a main feature! Endurance racing is largely about mental strength and team support, knowing that your team mate will be there waiting for you in transition ready to take the baton at 2 o'clock in the morning is crucial!

In the glorious sunny weather, I found myself just a few feet from the tape at the 'Le Mans' style start, looking behind me I could see hundreds of riders raring to go and testosterone was thick in the air! Then, can you believe it, a rider in front of me decided to take a gigantic pee right there, 30 seconds before the gun went off, oh to be a boy!

The first lap was extremely congested all the way round, but the course was really enjoyable. Some long testing climbs and plenty of super twisty technically demanding singletrack to keep you on your toes. Despite some powerful lights, riding the lap at night was not my best moment, at times I felt like a bumbling novice!

Come the next day, I'd completed 4 laps (approx. 9 miles per lap) but still had another 2 laps to ride arghh… but I knew we were closing on the team in front and all I could think of was 'just keep spinning and keep pushing, it will all be over soon'. We came in 4th place which was a great achievement.

There was an amazing atmosphere at the event, with big smiles all round from pure exhaustion and satisfaction of having achieved your very best! Big thanks to my team mates and support crew, I really enjoyed hanging out with you!

Photo: 24 hours later…coming into the finish arena

Mountain Mayhem 19/20th June 2010

By Tina Crouch

Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory. William Barclay.

Mountain Mayhem is the biggest 24 hour MTB endurance event on the UK sporting calendar. Unlike other sporting events, factory teams race alongside weekend warriors on the same track at the same time. All teams have one aim… to complete as many laps of the 8.8 mile, 1300 ft climb course, in 24 hours.

Laura and I went out for a practise lap on the Friday night. The course consisted of long, sloggy climbs (although nothing impossibly steep), punctuated with sections of singletrack, some of which were great fun, and some of which were off-camber slithery nightmares.

With the full team united on Saturday morning, we planned our strategy. An ABCD running order for daytime, and ABABCDCD order for the night to ensure everyone got some sleep.

The half-mile Le Mans-style start saw Jacque get off to a roaring start, bringing us in third in category with a two second buffer over fourth position. Disaster struck in Lap 2 when Cathy's derailleur fell apart and stuck her in top gear for most of the lap. On my lap I rode in bite-sized chunks mentally (it's impossible to contemplate your full lap quota without despairing!). Laura anchored the team in to complete the day rotation.

If an event goes wrong, it's usually at night, but our good team organisation played into our hands, and though the night laps are always difficult, the team rode without incident through the night.

By day-break we were only 23 minutes off third place, with the remaining laps to be ridden by our fastest riders. Jacque and Cathy blasted through their laps, shrinking the gap to 17 minutes despite a snapped seat post for Cathy that meant she had to ride standing up for part of a lap.

The final result was 19 laps ridden, 4th position in category, and just 13 minutes gap to third. The whole team gave it everything they had and were very proud of themselves.

Photo: Exhausted but happy! Jacque, Laura, Tina and Cathy

Mountain Mayhem 19/20th June 2010

By Cathy Thomas

Wow, what an experience! As a complete newbie to the 24hr enduro experience, I had little idea of what I was letting myself in for at Mountain Mayhem 2010.

Despite being under no illusions that this would be a walk in the park, I hadn't bargained for how physically and mentally draining it would actually turn out to be. I'm more used to one-off races where you give it everything for 60-90 mins then go home and go to bed. Having to do what was essentially 5 such races in a 24 hour period when sleep-deprived and under-fuelled was something else entirely!

By the end of the event I had also earned the nickname "Mrs Mechanical" after a broken rear derailleur in my first lap and a broken seat post in my penultimate lap which added many a minute onto my goal times. But then again this was always supposed to be a challenge!

A highly respectable 4th position for Dirt Divas and on any other day we could well have taken 3rd. All in all, a great effort by the team and well worth the trip!

My best moments…

1) The guy who passed me on the gravel climb as I was hauling my bike up sans saddle. "Bummer", he says. "Yeah", I sigh, exhausted, "Literally!"

2) Following women's solo winner Ricky Cotter up the never-ending ascent past the half way point on my fifth and last lap; both in our very highest gear and spinning up at walking pace, simply unable to go any faster. She asks if I want to go past, I reply that I couldn't even if I wanted to. "I call this the Hill of Death", she called over her shoulder. "How many times have you been up it now?" I asked. "Oh, about 18 or 19 times". Gulp!

Photo: Mrs Mechanical with support crew

Mountain Mayhem 19/20th June 2010

By Laura Pilon

Although I've done a few 24hr events before, this was my first ever Mountain Mayhem and 8.8 mile/1300 feet of climbing per lap seemed pretty daunting on paper - the course turned out to be very challenging indeed!

After a gentle start the track turned rapidly uphill for the grassy 'Kenda Climb' with a sting in the tail. A singletrack shimmy through the trees was followed by more climbing up to a tortuous wiggle up and down through the woods on terrain the consistency of plasticene. This was consistently the most difficult part of the lap with tight corners, quick changes in gradient and looming trees conspiring to have you off the bike one way or another. We were spat out blinking into the sunshine to gain some fireroad miles and then back into the trees for my favourite section of the course - a sinuous, flowing ribbon of singletrack that egged you on faster every time. A speedy descent back to the campsite and we were into the difficult half of the lap. The course climbed steeply away from the cheering spectators and carried on climbing, throwing in some tricky roots and rocks for good measure. A grin-inducing, twisty, singletrack descent led to the second half of the big climb, albeit on easier gradients and terrain. The final run into the campsite combined tricky, off-camber sections, fast fireroad descending, a last short and steep climb, a steep and loose chute (nearly got taken out by an overtaking rider) and some mini-bombholes for good measure.

I was pleased to complete 4 laps for the team and the nail-biting gap of only minutes between ourselves and 3rd place made for real motivation to do our very best. I had no major mishaps thankfully, only 1 near miss and 1 crash (10/10 for style as I vaulted the bike and landed on my feet!). Thanks to the rest of the team for a great event, it's the people that get you through the hardships of the night laps and out the other side.

Photo: 'Kenda Climb' with competitors campsite in background

Kona Mash-Up 12th June 2010

By Yvette Waterfall

Since the very fun and useful 'Drops & Jumps' course last month, I have been out and about on my bike with new found enthusiasm for all manner of 'swoopy stuff', the odd 'manual' and a few 'wheelies'.

I also (somewhat nervously) entered the boyfriend and I into the 'Kona Mash-Up' at Glyncorrwg (Afan forest in Wales) this weekend, I went, I biked, I survived and dare I say it, I had one of the best weekends riding ever!

The Mash-Up is great as you are only timed on certain 'stages', so you get to happily pedal about (in the SUNSHINE - nice one Wales!) and enjoy the awesome trails, then over certain sections, the 'stages' you get to challenge yourself to ride as fast and smooth as possible.

Everyone there was super chilled out and super friendly, I was surprised that there weren't many female riders out there, perhaps the title "Mash-Up" is a bit off putting, it sounds a bit 'rad' and all about the 'lads' with their pants hanging out the top of their jeans. In reality it was a very civilised affair, with free fairy cakes and refreshments at the half way point!

I would whole heartedly recommend the Mash-Up to anyone who enjoys a 'red run' XC route, there is a 'technical' option for the more downhill minded folks too, Tracy Mosely was there showing the blokes how its done! - go Tracy.

The timing system had a few gremlins, so no results posted yet, but when it comes to mountain biking, my main competition is me, so the time is not so important.

Thanks to Jess (our Drops & Jumps coach) and my course mates, I found myself riding faster, smoother and more confidently than ever before, whoop whoop, big grin!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Dirt Divas Drops & Jumps Course 23rd May 2010

By Jodie West

I'd been considering, for some time whether I wanted to partake in a Dirt Divas course. So why did it take me so long to sign up? Quite frankly because I'm a chicken!!! Then I made the call to Dirt Divas and was greeted by a very helpful lady, Jacqueline, who offered some really good advice and put my mind at rest.

I booked the Drops & Jumps course but soon started to think; what if I'm not good enough? What if I'm the slowest? What if I keep on bottling jumps? All these worries were put at ease when I met Jess, our coach, and the other ladies in my group (there were 5 of us riding that day, with a further 3 groups riding on the Singletrack Skills and Back to Basics courses). After a little chat we introduced ourselves and each explained our previous biking experience and what we would like to get out of the course. Personally I wanted to not land every single little drop on the nose of my bike and be able to lift the front wheel more efficiently.

Then once we had checked our bikes and equipment it was off for a short ride up the road to the local woods. Jess led us around various locations where we were taught how to use minimal effort to gain maximum effect. During the day we learnt the techniques required to manual, wheelie and to shift our body weight to our benefit. We were given plenty of opportunity to play and have a go with our new skills as the drops got slowly bigger and steeper throughout the day.

At the end of the afternoon session we met with the camera man who took some real nice photos which we can download at high resolution at no extra cost, brilliant, thanks.

Considering joining a Dirt Divas course? My advice would be jump at it and have a great day just as I did, you sure won't regret it. I loved spending the day with like minded women working at our own pace.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 5, Frith Hill, 16th May '10
Category: Veteran

By  Jacqueline Easton

Big smiles at the final round of the series with 4 Dirt Divas race team members making it onto the podium for the 2010 Gorrick Spring Series in the Open, Veteran and Under 12 categories, fantastic! I've really enjoyed watching our team members grow in confidence and ability throughout these races, and they should all feel incredibly proud of their efforts. There has been a great team spirit with everyone sharing their thrills and spills along the way. Now scroll down to read everyone's race reports…

Having put in a bit more training since the last round, I was keen to see how things would unfold, especially as I knew that I was in with a chance of a podium place for the series.

The course was mostly made up of super twisty singletrack, there were no major climbs to worry about, but not much in the way of easy fire-roads either to offer a break. Concentration was paramount, which in itself is exhausting! It was all about keeping a good flow by trying to relax, which is of course easier said then done in a race situation!

I had a good start, though my rival just eased ahead of me so I neatly tucked in on her wheel and stayed there for the whole of the first lap, we seemed to have left the other riders far behind. Beginning the second lap she dropped in power, was this tactics or had she blown? Feeling good, I decided to make my move and passed her, now I was rocking and on my way, a quick glance behind me confirmed that she had nothing left and I duly went on to win the race.

I managed to come second in the Veteran category of the Spring Series which was a bonus as I have to admit that training this winter has not really been my priority. However, I'm now looking forward to some fun summer riding, taking part in the 24 hour enduro event 'Mountain Mayhem' in June with 3 other Dirt Divas and then defending my title in the End2End Challenge on the Isle of Man in September.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 5, Frith Hill, 16th May '10
Category: Open

By Rachael Helanor

The last race in the spring series already, the time seems to have flown by since January... At last I have finished a race though, and not only has my fitness improved since the start of the series but my riding has too.

I recently attended a 'Dirt Divas' Singletrack Skills course and it gave me some great hints and tips about how to flow through the singletrack sections better, how to get up those hills and how to choose the right line! I think I need to do the Drops & Jumps course soon though as I came unstuck a couple of times during the race on the more technical sections.

The course was a great mix, with (just about) manageable hills, some awesome singletrack with loads of mini bomb holes and drops and the odd fire road to grab a quick drink. I thoroughly enjoyed the race and can't wait to improve my fitness levels more so I can be competing for some more points!!


Photo: Laura (1139), Rachael (1137) and Tina (1136)

Gorrick Spring Series Round 5, Frith Hill, 16th May '10
Category: Open

By Tina Crouch

Frith Hill was the final event of the Gorrick Series. First and second places had already been decided by the preceding four events, and the race leaders decided to sit on their laurels, leaving some decent points available for the rest of us mere mortals.

I had pre-ridden the first few hundred yards of the course and made some decisions on how I wanted to get away from the line. At the klaxon, for once I found myself swept away in the pack, and racing against other people rather than my usual riding on my own, which was exciting and scary at the same time.

Once we got into the woods there were a couple of really cruel front wheel shaped ditches that ate the rider in front of me, and forced me to walk across. Maybe I should have barged past her at that point, but I was frightened of being chased, so I politely let her remount, which was a mistake, as she was riding just slightly slower than I wanted to go. Later in the lap, another mistake allowed me to pass, and I rode past as quickly as I could. The last couple of hills were short but steep and made my legs burn. The run into the finish was a sickening rollercoaster of ups and downs. As I crossed the start finish line I knew a second lap at that pace was not possible.

On lap two I couldn't capitalise speed on the flat sections as I had in lap one, and I could see the rider I passed behind me in the trees. "Oh god don't let her catch me" my brain raced. I extended my lead slightly and started to calm down - "if its hurting me, it must be hurting her too". I managed to hold my nerve to the line, despite making a complete hash of the final technical section.

I came 5th in the race, and those points boosted me to 7th in the series standings. A great result for my first year's racing.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 5, Frith Hill, 16th May '10
Category: Under 12

By Yasmine Easton

This was the first time that I raced at Frith Hill and I was excited to find out how the course was going to be. When the horn sounded, I rushed off the start line, it was a mad panic to try and get in front. As we took the first corner we started to single out and I tried hard to stay ahead.

Then we headed into the dark woods and I really liked that bit because it was very twisty and lumpy and bumpy. The roots were very slippy and there were millions of them. My favourite part of the course was a massive downhill where I went really really fast.

I could see the finish up ahead of me and my mum was there cheering me on which made me sprint for the finish line. I was exhausted but very happy.

Yasmine came 1st in the Under 12 category of the Spring Series, very well done!


Photo: Georgia (1142) and Yasmine (1141)

Gorrick Spring Series Round 5, Frith Hill, 16th May '10
Category: Under 12

By Georgia Valentine

Report coming soon

CLIC24 May 2010

By  Tina Crouch

"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming" Frank Shorter.

"Never again" was my abiding thought at the end of CLIC24 2009. The track conditions were reminiscent of a swamp, the winds were gale force, and we'd had a month's rain in two days. How I could possibly have been stupid enough to sign up for CLIC24 2010 I don't know, but I found myself drawing up to the same field in Cheddar for what is my third CLIC24 event.

CLIC24 is a charity 24 hour endurance event around the Mendip Hills. This year, the weather conditions were cold and drizzly, but thankfully the 9 mile track (complete with 1100 ft of climbing per lap) was firm and puddle free.

'Team Laser Explosion' was three enthusiastic novices and myself. Our home for the weekend was 'Gazebo Mansions', which formed our cooking / chatting / bike repair zone. Our team strategy was single laps during the day and double laps at night, to ensure everyone got at least 6 hours sleep.

The day laps were damp but relatively uneventful, spare a face plant by one of my team mates into the bracken on a rocky descent. I rode 59 minute laps which was a new personal best for me. As the night fell, a more sombre atmosphere descended. My night laps were 11 pm-1:30 am, but coincided with my husband's night laps, so we rode together chatting, which was a huge morale boost.

At 7 am I felt like death defrosted, but peeled myself out of bed to look at the group scoreboard and found the team had ridden through the night successfully! On my final lap I said goodbye to the course and to my surprise laid down a 58 minute closing lap.

Overall the team rode 18 laps, which was a great result for a novice team, and I rode 5 laps, so my best result yet. I'm now looking forward to Mountain Mayhem and hoping to ride my best for the Dirt Divas team.

Dirt Divas Course 25th April 2010

By  Jacqueline Easton

On Sunday 25th April we had our first course of the year which was packed out with 24 lovely ladies. The rain held off and there were big smiles all round. With the majority of the riders being on the Back to Basics course, it was amazing to see the amount of progress being made in a single day, from mastering simple braking techniques in the morning to squeals of delight on the drop-off's in the afternoon! With new found confidence as well as new found friendships, a great day was had by all. Do check out the day's action photos in our photo gallery.

Meanwhile, here are some genuine comments from those who came on the course…
"absolutely excellent course run by people who are clearly passionate about biking" Jan
"a great day, thank you, my confidence has improved so much" Andrea
"been a great day, will definitely hold my own out with the boys now" Kelly

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick 100 Enduro, 2nd May 2010

By  Laura Pilon

I signed up for the Gorrick Enduro 2 weeks ago in the middle of a dry sunny spell where the trails were fast-flowing and dusty. Fast forward to race day and the changing weather meant mud tyres and waterproofs were the order of the day.

I went steady off the start line, hoping to conserve my legs through the 3 laps I'd signed up for. The light rain soon became insignificant as I concentrated on slithering my way round the singletrack and down the speedway-style descents, great fun! I tried to ignore the fact that my brake levers were getting perilously close to the bars, but halfway down the Seagull trail on my first lap, I had to change the pads. The next 20 mins were an agony of indecision, should I continue for a second lap and almost certainly be brakeless at the end of it, or call it a day after one lap?

My legs said carry on, but my brain said stop, my brain won out and I joined Cathy and many others in calling it a day for the sake of my bike. For me, 3 laps would have been a challenge in the dry, but was unachievable in the wet. I'll just have to deal with the disappointment!


Photo: My worn out brake pads!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Surrey Hill, 18th April '10
Category: Veteran

By  Jacqueline Easton

It was a gloriously warm and sunny day which was a real treat. Seven Dirt Divas team members rocked up to the start line in different categories eager to see quite how dry and fast the course was going to be. There were still some nervous smiles but the support and encouragement from the other team members is a real boost and made all the difference.

Three members made it onto the podium this round, well done! The next round on 16th May will be the last of the Spring Series. Now scroll down to read everyone's race reports, they make a great read…

I was keen to experience the dry conditions which had so far eluded us this year. The technique required was going to be quite different and not something that we had practised for some time! As the course headed off into the spectacular singletrack twisting and turning through the trees, I was smiling as I realised we were in for a real treat. The shafts of bright sunlight that penetrated the deep dark wood was truly magical.

As I settled into a good flow along a thrilling downhill section I found myself under pressure from a rider hot on my tail… and then it happened… with the little Pine cones like marbles rolling around on the dusty trail, I couldn't maintain traction in a steep corner and bang! down I went as my wheels slid sideways beneath me. Two riders quickly took advantage and slipped past. Hardly a major accident, but a stinging knee nevertheless. I regained my composure and tried to maintain a good pace for the rest of the course.

Whilst the technical sections demanded real focus they epitomised the very best of mountain biking which is simply to have good fun in a great location. It was a superb course and I managed to achieve another podium finish.


Photo: 4 Dirt Divas at the start of the Open Category

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Surrey Hill, 18th April '10
Category: Open

By Tina Crouch

Fitness is an intangible commodity. It cannot be bought, sold, or bottled during times of excess for times of famine. The only way to find fitness is to ride regularly, far and hard.

Dusty conditions at Surrey Hill presented a grip challenge on the course, the first half was a mix of technical singletrack and stiff climbs and sometimes one right after the other in the same section! Also included was an excursion to the double drop which I had never previously ridden. By the halfway point my legs and back were in purgatory, my HRM was reading 99%, I'd walked up two climbs and survived one very loose descent by the skin of my teeth. I had resolved that I would quit at the end of that lap. Thankfully the trail sadism let up for the second half of the lap with more fire roads, and a more downward gradient. The final descent made my eyes and nose stream like a cold-stricken toddler as I passed the spectators, but luckily I'd discarded my dignity earlier on the trail to save weight.

As I passed the timing caravan, I found my bike steering itself round for a second lap, animated like an extra from Bedknobs and Broomsticks. "Oh go on then" I whispered to it... "but only because its a nice day." Lap 2 was undoubtedly slower than Lap 1, but I rode it a lot more smoothly for a second look at the trail, and chose better lines. At times I forgot I was racing, and enjoyed the trails. As I completed the lap, I found that I had been in a close race with the girl behind, and held onto my placing! I felt proud as I looked back and realised I'd given it my all and got my best result of the series so far.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Surey Hill, 18th April '10
Category: Open

By Rachael Helanor

So it's race day again... Quick check of my bike and then have a look at all the expensive bikes on show! I've got my race jersey now, so feel like I should know what I'm doing! Before the start was the usual mixture of excitement and nerves and then we were off... I managed to get clipped in OK today, then it's up the first hill of many! I really enjoyed all the singletrack on the course, but the hills were really hard and then through the start again for the 2nd lap. Then frustration... I got a puncture about a mile into the 2nd lap and I hadn't taken a repair kit, so it was a walk back for me... Oh well next time!!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Surrey Hill, 18th April '10
Category: Open

By Laura Pilon

I'd forgotten just how punishing the Surrey Hill side of Swinley Forest could be for racing, within half a lap, it all came flooding back to me.

I was raring to go on the start line, a little sunshine and dry trails do wonders for enthusiasm. Mostly ignoring the pre-race butterflies, I got away in 4th. The girl on the outside line of the first corner nearly slid out, a hazard of the dry and dusty conditions that turned into a theme for the race. Luckily, having checked out that corner before the start I managed to hold my line and entered the singletrack at a fast pace. The leaders pulled away rapidly as usual, but I had the pressure of a rival on my tail to encourage me to keep my pace high. As soon as we hit the first steep climb, I couldn't get the granny ring and was quickly walking. After a couple of these she got past me and I was on my own again. A steep, loose descent followed, then a tricky off-camber rooty traverse and another steep descent got the heart pumping for reasons entirely unrelated to the race pace and I was relieved to clean that section. Soon after, the relentless climbing followed by technical descents took its toll and my back was crying for mercy by the end of the first lap.

I settled into an easier pace for the 2nd lap, which combined with a bit of planning, meant granny played ball and I got up all 3 of the front-wheel-lifting-ly steep climbs, almost catching my closest rival in the process. However, she pulled away again as the going got easier. No serious mechanicals this time and no getting lost put me in 6th, my best position yet, big smiles all round (once I got my breath back).

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Surrey Hill, 18th April '10
Category: Open

By Cathy Thomas

A family wedding in mid-May means that Round 4 of the Spring Series at Swinley Forest was to be my last. With second place in the series virtually secured and first pretty much unobtainable, this was a great opportunity to enjoy a race in the sun and some of the best singletrack that Swinley has to offer. This is my regular hunting ground so I was expecting a lot that was familiar. However, as is usual for the Gorrick courses, they always manage to spring some surprises in even the most familiar of locations. What I wasn't expecting on this course was all the hidden, short, sharp hills. I'm sure they're not there on my Sunday afternoon rides!

The hills meant that I found this the most physically demanding of the four Gorrick races so far but the dry weather meant that the course was fast, flowing and enjoyable nonetheless. I can't boast that I put in a particularly fast time, a rather inopportune stitch halfway through the first lap put paid to that; but for once in this series I did manage to keep my times over both laps constant!

For a first season's racing, second in the series feels like a significant achievement and I'm really looking forward to seeing how my year progresses from here.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Surrey Hill, 18th April '10
Category: Under 12

By  Yasmine Easton

I got a good position on the start line in the middle of the front row and was keen to get going. The first corner came very quickly and I didn't slow down enough so I went off into the rough ground on the side and lost a few places but I soon caught up again.

About half way round the course there was a section with some big jumps in the way which I decided to go over, it was scary because I nearly came off but I really enjoyed it. Then there was the steepest downhill ever covered in gravel, I just flew down thinking I was about to fall off at any moment but somehow I was OK although I was really scared.

Coming down towards the finish line the course was very twisty and I managed to catch up my friend, then at the last minute she took the practise lap exit instead of the sharp right turn to the finish line so I went ahead of her. I was relieved to finish the race as I felt very tired, but I really enjoyed myself.

© Photography by Joolze Dymond www.joolzedymond.com.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 4, Surrey Hill, 18th April '10
Category: Under 12

By  Georgia Valentine

It was a good race as the weather was lovely and warm (for once)! The course was very short but felt like 100 miles because it was nearly all very steep hills and rough singletrack. There were millions of roots which all seemed to be there just to throw you off! I had a very good time and race, only faulting when I took a wrong turning at the very end and narrowly missed out on 3rd place. It was a very tough race physically and mentally as it was hard work and you had to make decisions constantly (e.g. what line to take round a corner or whether to get off on a hill). Overall I had an enjoyable morning.

Progress in Drops and Jumps, April 2010

By  Tina Crouch

In a bid to improve my trail riding confidence, I wanted to try a downhill course (rationalising that regular trail obstacles will seem much smaller by comparison afterwards!). I called in some help, in the form of a Dirt Divas Drops and Jumps course. Lots of good advice is provided on the course - too much to say here, but just go, find out for yourself, and ride better. I'm writing now to give an update on how my riding has improved since then.

Over Easter I went to Cwmcarn to ride the Twrch Trail, and got the opportunity to try a lap of the Mojo Red DH route. In my pre-ride nightmares I'd built Mojo up into a landslide of death, roots, rocks, cavernous drops and more death. After I had exhausted all my best excuses with my friends, I had no choice but to board the minibus ride to the top. The course consists of undulating sections, steep sections, roots, small rock steps, rocky bermed corners, tabletop jumps, and a wicked giant berm. I took quite a few chicken runs, rolled the jumps and walked down the road drop, but I made it to the bottom in one piece, and nothing could erase my beaming grin for the rest of the day.

My thoughts for ladies wanting to try DH for the first time are: 

- Book tuition - It can transform your skills and give you a confidence boost. 
- Buy some pads - I feel much safer in a full-face lid and body armour. 
- More women than you think ride DH - there were at least two other women riding on the day I went. DH is not just a man's sport.
- Don't think that you need an 8" travel bike - I went on my 5" travel bike and did fine. The only difference is that you need to pick your lines a bit more carefully.
- Go with some friends who know the course - first person knowledge and chatting about lines is invaluable. 
- It's a lot steeper in real life than it looks on Youtube!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3, Porridgepot Hill, 28th March '10
Category: Veteran

By  Jacqueline Easton

At last the weather was beginning to warm up, a feeling of spring was in the air. The third round of the Spring Series was a tough course with lots of challenging climbs and steep tricky descents, a real roller coaster through the woods! A few of our regular team riders had other commitments this weekend, but we look forward to catching up with them again at the next round of the Spring Series on 18th April. Scroll down to read the stories from those who raced…

Again there was a large group of riders on the start line for the veteran category which is a welcome trend. As usual we flew away at the start but soon settled into a steady pace on the singletrack. The harsh climbs were a brutal test of fitness and the steep descents demanded real focus. There were plenty of deep muddy sections along the way which just sapped all of your energy and umpteen slippery roots to catch you off balance. The top tip for riding this course was to relax and go with the flow which is of course much easier said then done with riders hot on your back wheel!

By the end of my two laps I was exhausted and glad to cross the finish line, no podium finish for me this time but I felt pleased with my efforts never the less.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3, Porridgepot Hill, 28th March '10
Category: Open

By  Cathy Thomas

Report coming soon.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3, Porridgepot Hill, 28th March '10
Category: Under 12

By  Yasmine Easton

At the start of this race there were a lot of other children trying to get a good position on the start line, I managed to get right in the middle at the front which pleased me. Then we all rushed off and quickly went into the narrow singletrack. There were lots of difficult uphills and fun downhills. There were also lots of tight corners on the singletrack to manoeuvre around.

Towards the finish there was a very steep long hill on which my friend fell off and I took advantage of this and raced ahead. There was a bit more singletrack to get through before I crossed the finish line. This was one of my favourite races.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3, Porridgepot Hill, 28th March '10
Category: Under 12

By  Georgia Valentine

At last, a race day that did not start off freezing cold! The terrain was quite wet which made it tough going. I got off to a good start, 2nd in my group. I over took 1st place and then it stayed like that for most of the race. Then about 10 minutes to the finish line someone crashed into my back wheel sending me sprawling. Yasmine who was just behind took the advantage and over took both of us. I came 2nd and it was probably the most tiring race I have ever done!

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 7th March '10
Category: Veteran

By  Jacqueline Easton

Clear blue skies meant a cold start for the early categories, but the sunshine was a welcome promise of spring on its way. Round 2 of the Spring Series was in Crowthorne Woods which is home turf for the Dirt Divas race team. Everyone was keen to get underway and team spirits were high. The gravely uphill start, the infamous rooty switchbacks at 'The Corkscrew', the big drop-offs in 'The Quarry' and the twisty finish arena gave us all a sense of familiarity.

For me it was a personal joy to see so many female riders competing, 65 in total today! In the last few years I have noticed numbers increase steadily, a welcome change from when I first started racing back in 1995 when there were just 10 of us.

Five Dirt Divas made it onto the podiums this time, really well done! Scroll down to read everyone's stories…

I'd been fighting off a cold for a while and knew I was about as sharp as a beach ball, but nevertheless I was still keen to race. As I lined up beside some very strong riders I realised I was going to have to dig deep. After a frantic start, five of us soon pulled away from the rest of the field and then began to settle into our rhythm and enjoy the course. Then the first three riders further increased the pace which I couldn't match. I tucked in behind the rider who narrowly beat me in Round 1 until we started on the second lap when she slowed up which forced me to overtake her. She was then on my tail for most of the time which made for a great race between us as I knew that she was keen to pass me at any opportunity. Finally, as we came to the finish arena, the importance of line choice was to prove critical, I managed to stay ahead of my rival this time. Racing always manages to bring into sharp focus one's determination and commitment.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 7th March '10
Category: Open

By Tina Crouch

Sunday dawned with azure skies and golden rays pouring down onto the frigid trails, weakening winter's grasp. The last of the frost dripped from the tips of leaves, and the scent of spring returning breezed through the cool air.

In the Crowthorne car-park, I donned my box-fresh team colours, and my reflection in the car window nodded in approval and grinned back at me. In a sea of belonging spread before me, I now had a ship to cling to.

A practise run along the start-finish straight informed me that uphill fire-roads were to lead me out; a peek between the trees at the finish told me this course had a sting in the tail. A glance around the trails also allayed my fears that the trail would be a swamp, as it had been two weeks before, when I'd written off a set of brake pads in an hour.

I stood relaxed on the start line, absent-mindedly dismembering jelly babies, and contemplated the race ahead. I was looking forward to the Swinley leg of the Gorrick rider, being a regular visitor to the forest. A bit of home advantage, I hoped.

At the klaxon, the ladies open field made a disorderly departure as a combination of wardrobe malfunctions and mechanicals shuffled the pack. These races are won with a fast-up, slow down approach, but being a singletrack aficionado, I balked the trend and proceeded to lap up the twisties with gusto and crept up the climbs.

Lap 2 was a game of two halves - after the initial climb, the trails fell into place, and I sensed I was making good progress, but by the corkscrew I knew I'd overcooked it too early, and had to take my foot off the gas, while my lungs wheezed like a hoover round a student house on deposit return day.

A fat dab down the penultimate descent brought me to the final helter skelter, and I stormed down to the finish. A cheer from my team mates told me it was all over… for now…

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 7th March '10
Category: Open

By Laura Pilon

After some trepidation about the trail conditions at Crowthorne, it was a pleasant surprise to turn up on the start line on a sunny Sunday to find that the brake pad-eating gloop of a fortnight previous had almost entirely disappeared. The uphill start was all too familiar after last years autumn classic race, but somehow seemed less arduous. For half a lap I stuck to the tail of 2 other girls, but eventually they pulled away and I settled into my own race. The aloneness and familiarity of home trails led to a certain loss of concentration in the mid part of the race and just after the start of the second lap I took a wrong turning and (I found out later) had lost three places when I rejoined. This was my incentive to push the pace again and I quickly retook one of those places. Feeling the end of the race nearing I kept the pace high and was rapidly catching another girl as we entered the penultimate section of singletrack. A near crash on the descent got the adrenalin going and I overtook her on the following singletrack climb. One more climb, a bit more singletrack and I was spat out over the finish line to cheers from the team. 11th out of 14 this time and feeling a bit frustrated that I haven't managed to get through a race without any place-losing mishaps - hopefully I'll have better luck next time.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 7th March '10
Category: Veteran

By Sally Smoker

This was my second race, and I certainly need to develop my racing ruthlessness… The first part of the race went well, but as the male riders started to pass me, I seemed to spend more time off of my bike than on it. I think it's time to sharpen those elbows for the next race (and perhaps my tongue for some of the less patient men!)

Still, the weather was kind and I console myself with the fact that, were I still 10, then I'd have blitzed my category!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 7th March '10
Category: Open

By Cathy Thomas

Too many hills, too many late nights or too many pies? Whatever it was I've been doing wrong over the last few weeks, boy did it come back to haunt me on Sunday! Still, there is no such thing as a wasted race and, despite almost crawling over the finish line with legs like jelly and bits of my shrivelled lungs stuck between my teeth, it was a good lesson.

This was a fairly tough course, beginning with a long section of uphill fire track where the race was really won and lost. Start too fast and these deceptively long hills would kill you before you even got going. After a poor start, where I caught the back of my shorts on the saddle (don't ask) and momentarily forgot how to clip in to the pedals, this was exactly the trap I fell into. Coming from the back I pushed too hard to catch up with the front riders; a mistake I never really recovered from.

I was heading into the end of the first lap in second place but my nearest competitor caught me napping going into the last piece of singletrack and pulled off a beautifully well-timed overtake that knocked the psychological stuffing out of me.

From there it all went a bit downhill (or not, as the case may be!). Even the slightest uphill section felt like an Alpine ascent and I was beginning to feel that very unpleasant hollow feeling in my legs that screams "there's nothing left!" I had thought that my new commute to work through hilly North London would prepare me for the 'ups' - as it was it seems my preparation may have been a little too vigorous. I'd had it.

At the moment the next Gorrick on March 28th seems far too close but I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be in better shape and ride a more intelligent race next time. In between I'll be entering the Fun race at Black Park to get the practise in. I think I need it. And a new pair of shorts!

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 7th March '10
Category: Open

By Jessica Weston

Report coming soon.

© Photography by Graeme Warren

Gorrick Spring Series Round 2, Crowthorne Woods, 7th March '10
Category: Fun

By Rachel Talbot

This was my first race of the season and couldn't wish for better weather, the course was enjoyable yet challenging. Although my skills were a little rusty after the winter break, I will be taking full advantage of the improving weather conditions to get out more and improve on this performance at the next race.