As a team, BCS women we like to think if nothing else we encourage more women to get on bikes and ride, ride ride. Over the last 2 weeks I am feeling we are beginning to show our faces more readily within the cycling world in Bendigo and more things are happening to encourage other women to swing their leg over a bike.
The Bendigo 6hour mtb race was held last Sunday 9th September on Cavagnah's road, a Bendigo Cycles event. BCS entered a women's triple team with Kate Nik and Roz for the day.
Nik & Roz had gone and done some practise runs the arvo before, whilst I had gone over to the Castlemaine clubs combine in Harcourt for her first race since getting back on the bike.
Morning of the race I headed over for an early practise lap and got some time to get all the pain out of my legs from the road race the day before. Then onto the first lap of the day, I was nominate by Nik & Roz to start first as they knew I'd want to mix it up with the boys, and mix it up I did until about the 3km mark when I was copying the speed of the rider in front of me down a hill that was way out of my league and suddenly my head had hit a tree.
I sat there for about 5minutes stunned at my broken helmet, got back up and kept on going to finish this lap albeit a little more careful and cautious. The rest of the day went off without a hitch and we finished 2nd in the mixed 3 team for the 6 hour for the day. It was a blast and thanks for Bendigo Cycles and Bendigo Mountain bike Club for putting it on. Hopefully we can get a few more women's 3 teams next year and have our own category.
Then during the week nik and Jo Lythgo from Bendigo Cycles have put all the plans into place for our next Specialised women's day ride on Saturday 13th October where there will be opportunities to try more clothes as well as a range of rides to meet all abilities that we will have facilitators running. So keep this date in your diary ladies.
In fact make sure you keep that whole weekend free, as the Friday night is our team launch and fundraiser trivia night to be held at the Schweppes Centre Sky Lounge.
Then today Nik and I dragged Carly out to her first race for a very long time. With tired legs after a hard ride yesterday, the 3 of us and Jo Wall attended Bendigos local club racing for 2 laps of the block. The women nearly made up a 1/4 of the field!!!!!
Although none of us were feeling fresh by any means, we all gave it our best, so much that Jo and Nik were seeing stars and struggled to make it to the all important coffee shop following the ride. Nik especially went caboom, thank goodness the Florentines were there for all to grab at Spencers!!!
If you ar interested in attending our ride day or trivia night, just head into Bendigo Cycles for the details.......
