I’m known for being a little bit useless with travelling, as I have no sense of direction whatsoever and would be lost without my sat nav. So to make it from Belgium to Newport with a bike box by 3 trains and 2 taxis gave me a chance to redeem myself.
Penny Rowson
Once at Newport I jumped on my track bike and rode the point’s race at the nationals, where I really enjoyed the racing yet it was so different to the road. However it was my dad who was the talk of the track centre. He drove josh down to Newport in my little car, stayed over at Sam Harrison’s house then woke up at 5am, out on his bike for 6am and rode all the way back to Sheffield! With just a few powder drinks and a Garmin he arrived at 9pm, 198miles later with an average of 18mph. What a nutter!
For the rest of the week Hannah Manley was kind enough to let me stay with her, as we planned to follow the junior tour of Wales, which is known for being the best junior stage race in Britain. As we were home alone, it was going to be interesting. I was told no party’s or burning the house down, but I never planned on cooking anyway!
We set off following the 1st road stage from HQ to the mountain finish, and chose a sensible Anne Dibben as the perfect person to follow behind the convoy. However she was far from sensible behind the wheel, as my little car struggled to keep up down the fast, narrow country lanes of Wales. It became a comedy when we constantly got directed the wrong way and had to keep turning around. Till eventually we made it to one of the check points which had gathered a crowd of parents. As soon as the race past everyone ran to their cars and off they went….. it was like rally racers. Even team tactics came into play as Anne stalled twice at a junction to hold up traffic for me to get out behind her. Then she took one for the team by driving first through the really narrow and unsafe bridge to take the lead up the mountain finish. Where we saw Josh claim the yellow jersey, after gaining back 4mins on the break and getting the record up the climb.
That night we decided to turn up to the Cardiff Ajax BBQ. Being the only Yorkshire person there I’m not sure if I was invited or not, but since there was free food I made myself honourably welsh for the day.
Monday, my last day with double trouble Manley and Manon. We couldn’t resist shopping just before we went to the tumble for the finish of the tour. Unfortunately packing 3 bikes and a bike box into my little car or the clothes shopping that took awhile, either way we made it to the tumble just as it had already finished and apparently josh won taking another record up the climb. So I only went to the presentation to get his prize money since he owed me a subway J
All content © 2013 by Matrix Fitness Racing Academy