(A very belated post)
So a while back in August, Sydney Cyclocross Collective posted about a free workshop with Lindsay Gorrell, NSW State Champion.
So a while back in August, Sydney Cyclocross Collective posted about a free workshop with Lindsay Gorrell, NSW State Champion.
(via australiancxmagazine)
And I thought, I can't turn down this opportunity!
I used to think Cyclocross was odd.
I mean, who creates a bike race where you pick up the bike and run up stairs?
Anyway, after watching my husband and his friends do a race, I just thought it was a very fun thing!
Lots of pain faces very early on, but everyone laps everyone, so you never know who's winning or last.
My kind of race!
I even wanted to buy a CX bike!
Liv Giant 2014 Brava SLR 2
It is pink..
Anyway, so I did this workshop - I didn't want to do it and when I arrived I didn't want to do it even more because everyone had Cyclocross bikes or mountain bikes and I had my road bike.
As usual, I decided to have a goal so that I could try and have a sense of achievement at the end.
My goal was to try everything at least once. Even if it was slow or a walkthrough. (A pretty basic goal as I was expecting to be challenged. This would be the first entrance to off-road cycling that I'd ever had.)
Our first lesson was suitcase carrys over a barrier.
Which meant unclipping, and moving 1 leg over the back of the bike while still rolling, before unclipping the other foot and picking up the bike and running over the barrier.
I had trouble unclipping.
I am still not 100% confident with my clipping in / unclipping.
I felt like crying!
Thank goodness I always cycle with glasses, so hopefully when I'm crying, it's mostly hidden!
The first exercise and I already couldn't do it!
I thought to myself, this is just going to be a horrid day!
But, I thought about my goal - "try everything at least once".
So I sucked it up and gave it a go.
Not me.
It was pretty shit.
Lindsay was super nice though and tried to loosen my pedals (already at max looseness) and then gave me some exercises for practicing clipping in and out.
I talked myself into continuing - as I'm sort of used to cycling without being clipped in.
So I decided to practice by unclipping super early.
That was much better.
And I also did my first down hill slope.
It freaked me out watching the other girls, and I had a mental block of thinking of road bike would slip out.
Finally, I agreed to borrow someone else's bike (see how friendly everyone is!) and I did it!
Not me. (That's Lindsay)
So after all of that worry and initial mental anguish, it ended up being a really fun day and great meeting other girls interested in CX.
That's me.
The group.
A few weeks later, I ended up doing 1 race at Terrey Hills but I felt like my attempt was a bit lame
I did it on my road bike with my road tyres.
I was too nervous and I didn't really apply anything that I learnt.
My transitions were really awkward and clunky. Basically, stop, get off bike, walk over obstacle, stop, get back on bike, go.
The technical parts were also really difficult (even for those on mountain bikes).
Something to think about for next year. ;)
Favourite part of the race - at the beginning - speaking to Lizanne:
Me: My goal is to do 2 laps.
Lizanne: Oh, you'll do more than that, unfortunately..
Yeah.. I did 5 laps. (The winners did 8).
