Thursday, August 21, 2008
August 08
Hiya,I can’t believe its mid august already, the year is flying by. The Olympic games have been great to watch and have definitely lifted me and given me some inspiration!. Unfortunately that hasn’t really been showing in my races. I’ve done so many kermesses the last few weeks and now trying to think back it all seems a bit of a blur, I have had a lot of top tens but still no win, ive been very close but I just need that bit of luck.
This year is turning out to be a big learning experience for me; it’s very different to previous years where ive been told: where I’m racing, when I need to be at the airport, when I need to eat, sleep, rest, recover etc. Now I have to do every little thing for myself which is definitely not a bad thing and I think if anything is going to help me so much for hopefully the next few years.
One of the bigger races which I did do recently was Holland hills. This I knew I would find difficult I haven’t ridden in the hills all year or competed with all of the top women for a good few months. My form was ok but to be good in those races your form has to be good. I started right at the back of 200 keen riders it wasn’t long before we reached the first climb and when we did I was half way through the field, people were stopping leaving gaps and I made the mistake of getting stuck behind a lot of people and getting put into a bit of a rubbish small group, for the next 30km I was racing through the cars to get up to the 2nd main group which eventually I did, as I was racing round I had seen a lot of people had pulled out and we got told if we were 5 minutes behind the main break they would pull us out, and that they did after us racing 85km of the 100km race which I was disappointed about. I really would of liked to have finished and in myself I felt strong but I had just made a very bad choice at the start which put me in a rubbish position for the rest of the race, needless to say if I ride that again I will do things very different.
Last weekend I did 2 kermesses one of which I came away with a 4th and the following day I ended up with a big nail in my tyre halfway through the race. I have three more races this week, 2 in Belgium and finishing off with one in Holland before returning home for a little break.
The season has been a very up and down one so far, and its very hard to be able to compete in the bigger road races when for most of the year all ive been doing is kermesses in Belgium, they are completely different types of racing and to be able to step up in the bigger races you need to be in them. At the moment I’m quite tired in my head with all the smaller races which is why I have planned a break for next week where I return back home to see my friends and family.
Nikki xxx
This year is turning out to be a big learning experience for me; it’s very different to previous years where ive been told: where I’m racing, when I need to be at the airport, when I need to eat, sleep, rest, recover etc. Now I have to do every little thing for myself which is definitely not a bad thing and I think if anything is going to help me so much for hopefully the next few years.
One of the bigger races which I did do recently was Holland hills. This I knew I would find difficult I haven’t ridden in the hills all year or competed with all of the top women for a good few months. My form was ok but to be good in those races your form has to be good. I started right at the back of 200 keen riders it wasn’t long before we reached the first climb and when we did I was half way through the field, people were stopping leaving gaps and I made the mistake of getting stuck behind a lot of people and getting put into a bit of a rubbish small group, for the next 30km I was racing through the cars to get up to the 2nd main group which eventually I did, as I was racing round I had seen a lot of people had pulled out and we got told if we were 5 minutes behind the main break they would pull us out, and that they did after us racing 85km of the 100km race which I was disappointed about. I really would of liked to have finished and in myself I felt strong but I had just made a very bad choice at the start which put me in a rubbish position for the rest of the race, needless to say if I ride that again I will do things very different.
Last weekend I did 2 kermesses one of which I came away with a 4th and the following day I ended up with a big nail in my tyre halfway through the race. I have three more races this week, 2 in Belgium and finishing off with one in Holland before returning home for a little break.
The season has been a very up and down one so far, and its very hard to be able to compete in the bigger road races when for most of the year all ive been doing is kermesses in Belgium, they are completely different types of racing and to be able to step up in the bigger races you need to be in them. At the moment I’m quite tired in my head with all the smaller races which is why I have planned a break for next week where I return back home to see my friends and family.
Nikki xxx
# posted by Nikki @ Thursday, August 21, 2008
