kate Betts Race Reports 2008

Dragon DH Rnd 4, Rheola

Having spent a week riding in Scotland and some expert coaching from Des on my cornering I was really looking forward to the weekend. The weather was seemingly against us with severe weather warnings during the week and flood alerts throughout South Wales. The sheer volume of rain however had washed a lot of the slippery mud off the top of the course and it was really grippy. The fear was that the rain would stop and it would become sticky and more slippery as it did during the last round.

Saturdays practise went well (although the rain did die away during the afternoon) and I was pleased with my riding. My cornering felt much smoother and the course didn’t feel like the huge obstacle that it had during round 3. I was in for a big surprise with my seeding time though. 5’55!! I couldn’t believe it. I had done the cleanest run imaginable. Not a single mistake, I hadn’t had to a single dab. My conclusion on the slow time was that I thought I was riding a lot better than I had previously and thought that my improved technique would have increased my time. Obviously, I was wrong. I was in good spirits though as I was confident with the track. The day left me really tired, even my hands were aching at the end of a couple of runs! Rheola is a course to be respected. It batters the body and tests the suspension of the bike to its fullest.

Sunday morning dawned and we made our way back to the venue. I decided to spend time on the last section of the course where a new section had been put in and I hadn’t been happy with my lines through it on the seeding run. Due to feeling so tired the day before, I only wanted to do one full practise run. I wanted to do it late on in the morning as the ground would be more similar to how it would be when I did my first race run at 1:15.

Having become happier with the new bottom section, I made my way up to the uplift truck. The top section of the course was running a lot faster. The rock section was smoother but as soon as I got into the forest it was evident that the mud sections were much more slippery than on Saturday afternoon. I came into Star Wars at a steady pace but the line which I had hit time and again the day before was suddenly to my right and I was headed towards a tree. Slipping to a halt in time, I pushed back up to a where I could get a decent run in for a 2nd attempt. I got most of the way through but still managed to mess up the exit. I was running out of practise time so I continued down to the next section. I hit the maze of roots square on and popped the bike over the first group. The second group of roots caught me out and before I knew it my chest slammed into the ground. Winded and shaken I took a few minutes to gather myself and pushed back up to try again. This time I got through without a hitch and continued. I was really happy with the rest of the run and was glad I had spent the time on the bottom section as the line choice worked really well.

I cleaned the bike, got changed out of my waterproofs and headed up to the truck. I tried to tell myself that I was here to enjoy the riding and the ‘race’ didn’t matter but I was still nervous (it never works!) and I did my best to keep my head clear.

I had a good run. My only mistake was the drop onto the fire track after star wars. I missed my line to the left, panicked and plopped down the drop without either foot clipped in. Everything else went well. I came through the finish to hear my time of 5’54. I could not believe it! I thought that the adrenaline alone would have made me much faster than my seeding run, not 1second faster!! I saw Des before I went up for the 2nd run and he told me that he had seen me ride through the root section after the board walk and I had been going so slow I could have walked it! He also said I didn’t look like the rider I had been in Scotland and I had to get off my brakes. This had a profound effect on my second run. I had a Myoplex energy bar and made my way back to the truck.

I sped away from the start line and headed down the rock garden. I felt my fingers touch the brakes and immediately released them. My Kona Stab Deluxe absorbed the track and got me to the next section with ease. Every time my fingers touched the brakes on the straight sections (not that there are that many!) I released them. I was amazed at how many times I was braking when I didn’t need to. I dropped down onto the fire track before the star wars / bus stop section to hear ‘go on Kate, your catching her!’. Sure enough I could see Alex Hunter heading onto the first bus stop just seconds in front of me. Encouraged and excited I pedalled down towards the bus stops. My head completely went! All I was concerned with was catching up with, and over taking Alex (my XC roots I think!) I needed to overtake her on the 10 meters of fire track after star wars otherwise there weren’t any easy passing places. With my head so wrapped up in catching Alex I didn’t concentrate through star wars and made a right mess of it! I took the correct line to start with but slid toward to right and completely stopped before hitting a tree. With my front wheel stuck behind a root it took me a few panic stricken seconds to get going again. I was furious with myself! I managed to ride the rest of the course well and finished to hear my time of 5’42. This put me in 3rd place and leaves me second place in the race series. I was really pleased with the improved time but really cross with myself for the loosing my head just because I could see Alex.

I am so excited that I realise now what I have been doing wrong and I cannot wait to race again.

Many thanks to Bicycle Doctor, I love my bike so much its ridiculous! Thanks to EAS, Dakine, Spy, Polar and Elite Fitness for your continued, much needed support.

Welsh Champs 2008 – Mynydd Du

I had heard the various comments about Mynydd Du being one of the hardest courses, especially in the wet. Naively, I kept telling myself that surely it couldn’t get any harder than the final round of Caersws and I had lived to tell the tale from that so surely I’d be ok. I was so wrong!!

Having walked the course I was extremely nervous going up for my first run. I waited for most of the others to go down so I wouldn’t have anyone on my tale as I ambled down, taking it steady to get a feel for the course. Within seconds of leaving the fire track the track narrowed off and the roots closed in. I managed to stick to my lines and ride cleanly through the narrow lines, through the tree stumps and over the roots. I was surprised how quickly I got to the first fire track and even more surprised to have made it unscathed. I was so nervous my mouth was completely dry as I headed down into the next section. The rocky burn took me to the step down I had seen people have problems with when I walked the course, but fortunately I didn’t find it too bad and I rode through managing to stay clipped into my pedals. My heart was racing as I approached the tree stump section. I wasn’t going fast enough to go high over the roots to head straight down the middle but I managed to cut into the middle from the slightly lower line. I thought my problems were over once through this, I felt relieved and confident. I rested at the next fire track before entering the forest to take the first of the drops. I had forgotten that I had to land in the rut and panicked as I did, hit the edge of it and flew over the bars narrowly missing head butting the tree! I didn’t want to let it beat me so I straightened my bars and pushed back up to give it another go. I made it and carried on down. Before I knew it, I was heading down the steep, muddy, slippery bank. I made it (still on the bike) to the bottom, I paused on the burm to get my breath before the next drop. My legs were shaking so much that I could hardly get my feet back onto the peddles to restart! I calmed down a bit, approached the drop but didn’t have the speed to even attempt it so took the chicken line around. The single track that followed felt like the fastest part of the track and I sped to the final fire track to cut down into the finishing area. I was so relieved to be down and in one piece. I had a quick drink of Iso-drive and made it back to the uplift truck. Run 2, the track had become more slippery and I went over the bars twice. I decided to put my wet screams back on. (Still can’t believe I’m using spikes in July!!) Run 3, I was happy with my tyre choice and had a cleaner run. Run 4 was a disaster! It was going ok until the root step downs in the top section after the burms. I approached the second drop much too slowly, went off the steepest point and straight over the bars (again!) my bike landed ontop of me and had to be lifted off as I was pinned to the ground. I had bent my back brake lever so riding down the rest was more difficult. I didn’t do the jumps as I was pretty shaken up and used my bent lever as an excuse not to attempt them! I hadn’t had any problems on the steep slide down but this time I got to the bottom, over steered at the bottom and slid off the side. I then got going for about 2 meters, my pedal hit a tree stump and I went over the bars, slide down the bank and found myself once again pinned underneath my bike. At this point I’d had enough! I just wanted to be at the bottom. I couldn’t get my brake fixed in time for the seeding run so called it a day.

Sunday dawned and I was sore everywhere! I didn’t know if I’d be able to hold onto the bars as my palm was badly bruised. I decided to go up for a run to see how I felt. As I warmed up, my neck felt better and I didn’t hurt so much. I even started to enjoy the course. I took the time to look at some better lines where I’d previously made my mistakes which made me feel much more confident.

Unfortunately the Masters Ladies category only had 2 entrants to start with and Caroline (the other entrant) had an asthma attack so was unable to ride, leaving just me! This meant that all I had to do was start and finish and I had the title of Welsh Master Ladies DH Champion 2008. Not much of a challenge after all! On one had hand I was disappointed, on the other, I was glad I could get down safely without any pressure. I didn’t ride too badly, I even over took the man who had gone 30 seconds before me and I got to the bottom with no mishaps and I was proud of a well ridden run.

Having now raced Rheola, Caersws and Mynddu Du, all known to be monster courses, I’m hoping the National Champs next week will not seem so daunting.

Many thanks to Bicycle Doctor for taking care of my bike, Dakine, EAS for my hydration & energy needs, Elite Fitness, Polar and Spy Eyewear for my fab goggles.

Caersws Cup Rnd 3, 29th June 08

We arrived on Friday evening with just enough light left to walk the track. It was so steep, wet and slippery that we had to hang onto the trees and roots just to scramble up. I was surprised by how how difficult the course was and had a slightly restless nights sleep.

Although the ground was really wet on Saturday morning, it wasn’t raining so I was hopeful. I bided my time to get onto the uplift as a lot of the course was new and not bedded in so I figured I’d let the slightly less sane riders ride it a few times first.

My first run down was extremely sketchy. The course was so slippery and it would be fair to say that I did most of the steep sections with one foot on the bank. I crashed numerous times and my bars twisted so I cut off at the fire track to go back to the van for Allen keys.

The 2nd run wasn’t much better and again I crashed and my bars twisted! I had a good 3rd run but on the 4th I had 2 big over the bars crashes. I went back to the van with whiplash, a twinge in my back, a sore knee and sore ribs. I have to admit that for a brief moment, I felt the mountain had beaten me and I wanted to give up. I had a sit down and a drink and made my way back to the uplift. I decided that my biggest mistake was that wherever other riders were stopped, I pulled up too. This time I wasn’t going to stop (unless someone was across the track of course). My plan seemed to work, I concentrated hard, rode calmly and kept going. Before I knew it, I’d made it round all the steep switchbacks and down to the fire track. I decided to keep going over the jumps and down as far as the field. I wont say it was a clean run as I did have a few foot down moments but I didn’t come off. With my confidence restored I made it back to the uplift truck. The track dried out so much during the day, it was unrecognisable by the end of the day. I walked up the track with Des and James Dower and they helped me chose some new lines that I’d try if it stayed dry.

Sunday morning dawned and to my dismay it was chucking down! The mud and the puddles were back! This time there was no sign of the rain stopping. The uplift started at 8 am so there was no time for messing. Dismayed at the weather but undeterred, I went up for my first practise run. It wasn’t great but I wasn’t worried about the bottom section so cut off at the fire track to get back up as quickly as possible. I had 3 runs of the top section before completing the run down to the field to find out my race times. I was quietly confident that if I could keep my head and not panic, I could get a clean run.

I made my way up to top early. This was a mistake as the racing was put back ½ hr whilst the medics expertly removed a rider from the course on a spinal board! Not really what I needed to see before my run but I put it to the back of my mind. My time finally arrived and it was absolutely chucking it down. Goggles weren’t an option (they don’t have windscreen wipers!!) and I wasn’t confident enough with the course to use tear offs. I rode steadily into the first jump, landed well and dropped down into the slippery single track. I wasn’t getting on to the off camber high fast lines so made the best of the lower lines. I rode well and committed to all of the switchbacks. As I approached the jumps I had so much mud and spray up in my face I was blinking furiously to try to keep my vision The jumps on the bottom section were a joy on my new Kona Stab Deluxe and the tyre choice of Wet Screams (for a change!) made light work of the field. At the finish line my eyes were completely clouded over, didn’t half sting!

I’d made it! All the way down without crashing and undoubtedly the biggest challenge of my DH career so far! The time wasn’t great at 3’50 but it was good enough to take the win and the series win. I was a happy girl in need of a hot bath!

Many thanks to Bicycle Doctor for taking care of my bike, Dakine for allowing me to always have dry base layers and gloves, EAS for my energy supplements, Elite Fitness, Polar and Spy Eyewear.