IG Nocturne London Bike Show

I signed up to compete in both the Fixie track bike race and the Elite Women's race for the IG Nocturne at the London Bike Show. I didn't realise that they were back to back!!

It was a big night for my team, the MuleBar Girls, it's quite rare that we can actually manage to get all of us together, so I was fully committed. I was already at the show on my AnaNichoola stand and getting two bikes there was a complete logistical nightmare! Luckily the snow wasn't too bad at 8am and Mummy G managed to drive us there with both bikes in the boot.

I was just about to leave to go and sort out my Mongoose Maurice in time for the race, but a big potential customer turned up so I couldn't walk off the stand. After an hour I said my "thank you goodbye" and ran over to my buddies at Madison.

"I need handle bars!!"

"Here you go"

"can you fit them for me please?"

"OK"

Then I ran over to my buddies at Hope

"I have flat tyres"

"I'll fix it you go and get changed"

"Thank you"

Three Mulebar Gels got me buzzing!

I put my skinsuit on for the first time in ages and ages, gutted to see that I'd got fat :-( Holding my tummy in I ran back to get my bike from Hope, ran to get signed on, met our photographer for the night, made him run with me, signed on, ran back to my stand to get my number put on, ran back to the course, did a lap and we were ready do start! I kicked back to stop and SNAP! something happened and my pedals no longer moved the bike forward. I ran away from the start, back to the pits, V ran around shouting for tools, I sat on the floor and said I didn't care anyway, Sarah ran somewhere and came back with a tool and turned my wheel around, I jumped back on my bike, got to the start
3...2....1...go!

Fixing the bike. Remembered to take the wrapping paper and  baubles off pre-race too!

Holy Moly I was in the tiniest gear ever!!!! I was doing rollapaluza, basically spinning my nuts off and going nowhere! My face looked red to explode and I had sympathy cheers the whole way round. That's what kept me going.

Mongoose Maurice

I finished, I was buzzing.

I ran back to my stand, changed my number, ran back to the track centre, changed my pedals onto my mums road bike, ran to find a helmet to borrow, ran to the start line
3...2...1...go!

I'd missed it, I was soooo close! Almost in tears the organiser spotted me

"take your number off, you won't count officially, but jump in"

:-)

I raced my legs off, pulling out with 3 to go because I got cramp. The nice Italian fixie girl helped me stretch it out and then I ran to the finish line to cheer on my team.

Louise was on her cross bike with juddery brakes.

Natalie was on a borrowed bike from Hope.

V was on her Winter bike with mudguards.

The snow had messed things up you see.

Sarah, me and Jimmy stood on the finish line and shouted for Lou until we were nearly sick! A storming ride from High Wycombe CC's Clemence Copie meant first was in the bag and the bunch sprint was for second and third place. Screaming we saw Lou come out of the final corner in third place behind Alice Barnes and she help it until over the line.

It was a wicked evening with the team, I've totally got the bug for crit racing again, can't wait to get fit and do some more races during the season! I loved being with the girls, the support for each other was phenominal.

blah blah blah

A massive thank you to the London Bike Show and IG Nocturne for putting this race on, it showcased the level and commitment of women's racing, all the girls who managed to get there some way or other despite the snow and everything against them. More please!

xx