Dead Tadpole Saturday August 14

[billaroo]

Don't miss this if your a Junior- not many Cross country races for you.

[SpikedPunch]

Cool stuff, how long is the track/average lap time?

[billaroo]

Cool stuff, how long is the track/average lap time?

laps about 7-8k with times being 18 minutes roughly.

[Dutchee]

I'll be coming out of retirement for this one. Not as though I ever did race anyway haha

Hope there's plenty of chicks again this year to kick my butt. I must remember that if Jo helped mark out there's no reason to think that she's right on track and I'm lost. Ah well, I guess I enjoy getting lost. God, I'm feeling knackered even thinking about riding and then I've got more "racing" on Sunday to contend with.

[TarshKTM125]

This is the only event I know of which has a ladies only race. For those who haven't tried racing this is a perfect entry into the sport and always a great atmosphere. Hope to see you all there.

[clmintie]

This is the only event I know of which has a ladies only race. For those who haven't tried racing this is a perfect entry into the sport and always a great atmosphere. Hope to see you all there.

Shame my girls aren't old enough..... Next year.....

[SpikedPunch]

Shame my girls aren't old enough..... Next year.....

Are they gonna enter in the juniors mixed?

[TarshKTM125]

Shame my girls aren't old enough..... Next year.....

I'm sure there will be a few Junior Ladies in Race 3 (Junior 12-16 years). Would be good if they could make it along.

[clmintie]

Are they gonna enter in the juniors mixed?

Yup, we'll be there......

(Fixed thread title to Saturday...)

[SpikedPunch]

Awesome :D Dad has been asking me for some new pix of me on the bike for his facebook...Hint hint :shifty:

[Dutchee]

Yup, we'll be there......

(Fixed thread title to Saturday...)
Cheers for fixing the thread title - bit confusing seeing Sunday in the forum and then when opening it, Saturday. If it'd been on Sunday, I wouldn't be there.

[D dub]

My son is sooooooooooo looking forward to tomorrow!!:yes:

[Dutchee]

First of all, a big thank you to everyone who helped out putting on this event. I know I just can't get the chicane's right, but at least this year it was just stalling at the lap scorer, rather than dumping the bike as I had the first year.

Numbers were definitely down, but probably due to the weather, which means that some folk will be disappointed they didn't go - it wasn't that bad up there. Only a bit of drizzle occasionally.
No one seemed to get lost, except when they decided to try to find the start themselves.
Start for the chick's race was running bike, hands on head - at least two of us ended up with dead engine start hehehe

To me, it was my 2nd trail ride this year, nothing more. As I was last off the line (I like last), when I caught someone up, I was happy to ride behind her, but then felt I was intimidating the crap out of her, which hadn't been my intention. She rode better after I told her it was a trailride for me as well, and I was happy to ride behind her.

We caught up to another rider, who'd either had an oops or dunno, but she was waiting to let us past, so I thought it rude not to and rode the rest of the race on my own.

I'd pull out of the way (sometimes) to let other riders past (those I thought were lapping me), and then realised one I'd just let past was on the same lap as me.

On one hill, there was almost two lines and a rider behind me, so I intended to go wide, pull over and let her past - I stuffed that up and the poor thing went down (sorry chickee, that was a stuff up on my part, I knew what I had planned, you didn't - I should've waved for you to turn tighter).

After lap one (somewhere in this story), I was feeling my age and absolutely stuffed. I figured I had three laps to do, so felt a bit peeved I couldn't ride faster and get four in this year. I told my husband that I was pulling off after three laps as that was it for me, both energy and time, but when they didn't take the wristband off me at that point, I thought it rude not to do another lap.

I had promised my friend Jo that I'd ride for both of us (she's broken), so decided that the fourth lap was for her - it meant that when I nearly crashed hard I had to remind myself that I was riding for both of us, not meaning to join her in the broken club.

I kept waiting to be told "you're too slow, we've got another race to go, you need to head back" (or was that wishing?). D-dub decided to see if he could push me to crash and chased me/followed me for a while, which was good inspiration as it meant I did actually push myself to a point. Not sure if he figured out when I went into lala land (I did), but all of a sudden I realised, I had to get moving and actually concentrate on what I was doing, rather than just cruise (normal mode).

I really don't have a racer mentallity (except for being shitty in the pits, that I can do), I just ride because I really enjoy it and I need to find my motivation wherever I can.

On my third lap, I realised I was getting hungry and really had decided that it was my last lap. I also had to prepare myself in case, by some miracle, I'd be made to do a fourth lap. I talked myself in and out of that so many times it wasn't funny. Even as I was starting the fourth lap, I was trying to figure out how huge a mistake that was going to be. I did think I'd be pissed with myself for a year if I didn't do it, Jo would not talk to me again, but more importantly, I'd have let me down. To have finished having done it was, to me, a huge accomplishment and I was proud of me. I have no idea if I was last or not, that's for me to be upset about later and try to motivate me for next year, but even if I was, I had a great ride, and in the words of a friend/acquaintance who I look up to "the miracle isn't that I finished, the miracle is that I even started". (that was touch and go this week).

It really is a fun event, and no matter what your motivation is, what your goals are - definitely book yourself in it for next year.

So, long winded as always (yeah, I know, I'm reasonably quiet in r/l, but when you're married to a chatterbox - it's hard to get a word in edgewise, so why bother) - thanks again to the WMCC team who organised it - I'll come out of retirement again next year and wonder why I don't ride dirt more often hehehe
Michelle

[SpikedPunch]

Had a cool time at my 1.5st race (0.5 for my DNF 1st attempt at a race last year...), thanks WMCC :) The track was fun and very rideable. I managed to get myself tangled in a wire fence on my first lap and was stuck there for quite a while (naughtily wishing I had a pair of wire cutters), but made it out ok. Was pretty tired after that and didn't really get into it again until right at the end of that first lap. My only goals for the race were to get four laps and not come last, which I managed so I'm happy with that.
Was a fun experience and I think it helped improve my riding! Bit of a shame having so few girls this year, found it hard to get out of trail ride mode and into race mode when I was riding by myself a lot of the time, had to keep reminding myself not to cruise so much. Hopefully if the weather is the same next year it won't put people off, it was totally sweet conditions in the forest!
Nice to meet you Dutchee :) Wish I had gotten to talk to more girls today but I was too busy being in super pain with my shoulders/delts after the race, I think I need to lower or cut down my bars, I couldn't lift my arms by the end of it!

[Midget200]

Had a cool time at my 1.5st race (0.5 for my DNF 1st attempt at a race last year...), thanks WMCC :) The track was fun and very rideable. I managed to get myself tangled in a wire fence on my first lap and was stuck there for quite a while (naughtily wishing I had a pair of wire cutters), but made it out ok. Was pretty tired after that and didn't really get into it again until right at the end of that first lap. My only goals for the race were to get four laps and not come last, which I managed so I'm happy with that.
Was a fun experience and I think it helped improve my riding! Bit of a shame having so few girls this year, found it hard to get out of trail ride mode and into race mode when I was riding by myself a lot of the time, had to keep reminding myself not to cruise so much. Hopefully if the weather is the same next year it won't put people off, it was totally sweet conditions in the forest!
Nice to meet you Dutchee :) Wish I had gotten to talk to more girls today but I was too busy being in super pain with my shoulders/delts after the race, I think I need to lower or cut down my bars, I couldn't lift my arms by the end of it!

Good on you Spiked Punch for getting out there! So how many girls in the race then? I hear Shannon came second. Who was first and third, tell all!!!

[lizzywutang]

Thanks WMCC! That was a fun race. Totally enjoyed racing in a ladies only race for the first time. Great track with nothing too tricky so everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. It did rain a little but I didn't even notice as I was having so much fun! Will definitely be back to race again next year!!

[Dutchee]

Thanks WMCC! That was a fun race. Totally enjoyed racing in a ladies only race for the first time. Great track with nothing too tricky so everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. It did rain a little but I didn't even notice as I was having so much fun! Will definitely be back to race again next year!!
I think I was in a clearing or something at one stage when it started drizzling. I looked to the heavens and thanked it for cooling me down a little.
First would've been Natasha (again), but no idea who was 2nd etc (hopefully the results will be up tonight or tomorrow).
spiked punch - I do sometimes think about getting a KB tee, as it is nice to figure who's who and a chance to introduce your online persona but then I can't really be stuffed.
Bit sore today (as expected), but not enough to not ride the bucket (I really had a goal of three bikes, three days happening and am stoked I did manage that hehehe).
I think that I'll "try" to make some of the Riverhead rides this summer, as I've figured out that's the end of Woodhill for me this year.

[SpikedPunch]

Good on you Spiked Punch for getting out there! So how many girls in the race then? I hear Shannon came second. Who was first and third, tell all!!!

Don't really know, antsy to see the results tho :) I was kind of nervous beforehand but it was all pretty straightforward in the end. I got a bit confused on the start, we were idling the bikes with hands on head and I was sort of wondering what happened next when all of a sudden the horn went and everyone was away! Was a good experience though and I'm looking forward to the next two man :)

[lizzywutang]

Good on you Spiked Punch for getting out there! So how many girls in the race then? I hear Shannon came second. Who was first and third, tell all!!!

In the Novice class Caitlyn Walker was first, Shannon second and Rachel Parker third......

Expert first was Tarsh, sorry I don't know the names of the girls in second and third.... anyone else remember?

[peadub]

The results have been posted on the club website
http://www.waitematamcc.co.nz/content/tadpole-ladies-class-14810

[SpikedPunch]

Thanks! Lap times were about what I thought, second one was the best, first really slow cause of my little fence incident.
Goal for next race is not to hug any wire fences :) I ran into one in the pits too and got a handlebar in my guts, so embarrassing...:o

[L Rider]

Good on you Sacha for doing this:yes: Last year i had every intention on getting bike fit & doing it this year - with Brooky getting right into his racing i just don't get the time on the bike - MAYBE next year!
Not many ladies - i thought there'd be heaps more

[SpikedPunch]

Come out next year for sure!:) Not many girls this year cause of the weather I think. It was meant to be really horrible according to the rain radar, but wasn't all that bad once you were out there. Woodhill is it's own weird little microclimate I think.
Couple of pics from Krad's cellphone:

[billaroo]

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[SpikedPunch]

Thanks for the vid! Cool stuff :)