So here we are, the year of 2016!
Another year of Mountain Biking ahead of me, and it looks like a fantastic year.
Towards the second half of last year I had to take it easy in racing and Mountain Biking in general.
Like they say: "it has to get worse, before it can get better", and it really did.
Got better that is.
I was offered a great opportunity to become a rider for Mad Elk Cycles, and I'm so happy to have met such a great bunch of people, who I proudly call friends. Their dedication and love of bikes is truly inspirational.
Thanks to them (and my Dad) I was able to purchase my pride and joy, my beloved Spider.
I was on the search for a bike that would suit my riding style, and be versatile enough, to be able to compete in all races I wanted to do. It took us while and then the lads told me about the Spider. I made up my mind within a week. When Michal built it for me in the shop, he sent me some pictures of a finished bike. I couldn't wait to go and collect it. I drove to the shop with my Dad, and when I saw the bike I couldn't believe my eyes. On the pictures the bike looked good, but in real life it looked even better. I had a quick ride on the car park, back to the shop for few initial tweaks to get the forks and shock adjusted to my weight, and then back home. Just as well I asked my dad to come with me. I was so excited, that it was a good job he was driving us back.
.
When I hit the trails, I couldn't get enough of it. It felt like the bike was built especially for me. Everything I tried to do on the trails, I did with such an ease, as if I was riding this bike for years. Few more tweaks, couple of upgrades later, and I can easily say that it is a bike of my dreams.
There is a draw back though, because the bike is so capable, I have to pull myself back at times.
The truth is, Spider can do more that I can, but that gives me great opportunity to learn and explore my sport further, but not too fast...
Not long after I got the bike, I have done Nire Valley Drop , great event, but because pedalling was so much easier compare to the AMS, I must have thought that I'm invincible, and I don't have to spare myself at all. As a result I pulled my quad muscle, and had a quite painful, last 15 km of the ride. Another time I went on a Enduro training session and enjoying the speed, I pulled a manual and over jumped a small jump that send me flying into the tree, resulting in tearing a ligament in my thumb. After that, I decided to slow down a bit...only a bit :)
So now after two biking blitz races I know, that this is the bike for me.
This is my third time racing this series. Unfortunately two days before the first race in Wicklow, I became ill with flu and I was in two minds whether I will actually race. I decided to go despite better judgement from my better half, advising me against it. It was an utter murder, that's all I can say about it. It was cold and wet. But despite all that I finished on 8th place. I was absolutely delighted with myself, but I had to pay the price. For two weeks after that I was trying to recover from the sickness.
Not all was bad, I got a wonderful email from Tony in Absolute Black that I have been selected as an Ambassador for their Brand! I was thrilled, as even before that I couldn't stop praising their Oval chain rings, but now I'm going to have even better opportunity to try and use the products.
Two weeks later I raced in Limerick. I did not feel like racing at all. Only just recovered from the sickness and training was minimal, so I was like bleh...
My spirits lifted, when I was able to watch my daughter racing. I think it was a great achievement for her after having such a long break. I'm so proud of her, that after all she's been through, she is able to go and detach herself from it all and go racing, and with a smile on her face too. Maybe that's exactly what she needed to do.
On the start line I didn't even try to go in front, started way
back, I thought I'll take it easy. When the siren went, I could almost feel the
Spider urging to go forward. I stepped on the pedals and before we reached the
first climb I was third! I was in the top three shuffling places with other
riders for about half an hour, but after that I had to let off, my body wasn't
able to keep the pace of these lads. At the end I finished fifth. I was over
the moon, when my kids met me at the finished line, and said "I think you
fifth Daddy"!
That was the first race for a long long time, when I actually felt how it's like to be
chased by everyone, instead of chasing the leader. It felt good, so different,
such a different perspective. I have to say, it felt good. Maybe fifth is not a
great place, but for me it is an indicator, that I might be able to get the
podium. Just a bit more training, bit more positive thoughts, and maybe, just
maybe...
