On a Giant adrenaline rush..

Final SKCC Open Criterium of the season.... I've been looking for a win for a while. It's been 1 month since I've started my bike training with my coach. Time to discover, time to start pushing boundaries! And with Giant sponsoring some extra prize money for the race, the crowd being bigger than usual, my mates all giving me their full support - I had to give it my best shot.

The race nerves had already started building up from the moment I woke up. I was carrying a little fatigue from the last few days of pool training and jumped straight into the shower to wake my body up. Trying to stomach down some fruit toast with a few butterflies in my tummy at 7am was a bit of a struggle. I checked...and rechecked my bike (see last post)... all was good.. and I was finally on my way to the crit course.

After bidding my g'day's to some of my mates, and registering from my race number, I went off for a couple of warm up laps. My HR was a little higher than normal, probably due to the race nerves, but legs were feeling pretty good. Alright - it's race time!!

The first lap is usually taken as a neutral lap (where the pace is easier, and riders are not allowed to attack) and I positioned myself to stay at the front of the bunch. There was a pretty decent headwind out on the back straight, and I knew it was going to be a different race today. Going into the 2nd lap, the 2 other sprinters that would normally sit behind in the bunch launch for a breakaway - the pace was driven up right from the get go. I immediately counter-attacked, and held onto their wheels. I surely was determined not to get dropped.

Being out with the 2 other girls meant we were going to be working together - each taking turns out on the front of the bunch. Different to previous weeks where the usual sprinters would sit on the back till the final few laps, this time it was 3 of us sprinters on the front - each pushing each other, each testing each others limits.

Each time I took my turn out on the front, I tried to push the speed just 1 km/h higher. And the whole bunch were still on my wheel. I knew that surely wasn't enough and attempted to break. Attack 1 - I managed to break 2 bike lengths, and they would bridge. Attack 2 - same thing.

Women's racing is all about opportunities - you have to look for them, and you have to go for them. With 25 mins into the race, a rider in front was rolling a turn at a slower pace - I knew this was it. I attacked.... and attacked hard. This time, I managed to breakaway - I was finally out on my own. "Come on Grace.. just spin those legs!" I was pushing hard and managed to hold the bunch off for about 1/3 of the lap. I was on a high. As I got around to the back of the course, the headwind was already picking up, and I hit a wall. Damn. With the determined bunch behind me, they managed to bridge my break. Oh well, at least I tried.

I got back into the top bunch, and managed to quickly spin out the lactic acid. Ok, I was all good again. With less than 5 mins of race time to go, Marlena, one of my mates moved up to the front of the bunch and gave me a slight nudge to launch another attack. My brain was saying "Are you kidding - another one?", but my heart was saying "Come on, give it one more shot!". And I launched. I pedalled as fast as I could, heard someone in the crowd screamed at me to go faster - I stood up on a corner, and bham... my left calf crammed up. Oh crap!! And the bunch bridged again. "Spin, spin, spin.. get that lactic acid out" That was all that was going on in my head.

I didn't see the sign for the 3 laps to go - and only realised it was the last lap when I heard the bell. By now, the front bunch had grown and there were quite a few of us jostling for position. I got caught behind some riders but I had worked hard, and no, I wasn't going to let it go on the final lap. I pulled back a little and managed to find some free space. Again, I spotted Marlena, she gave me a wheel, and the adrenaline was really kicking in.... I practically screamed at her to push the pace higher.

Coming out of the last corner, I spotted the other sprinter attack. I grabbed her wheel, and launched as well. On an adrenaline high - I chased..I got up...I sprinted. Alas, we got to the finish line, and I missed by 100s of a second. I had run out of road for the sprint. 2nd place it was.

"Battling it out on the final sprint." (Photo by RobM)

Sure, I was disappointed at missing by a fraction of a second. Especially, cause I had run out of room, rather than power. I had come out for the win, but conceded to 2nd place. Nevertheless, I received the "Most Aggressive Rider" award, won my first piece of Giant clothing and was happy with my overall performance today, having worked hard on every attack.

And yet again, I have discovered new things. Today, I came out to explore, to learn new things about my bike and my body. And I pushed my boundaries. There's this thing called adrenaline that can overcome anything - it's stronger than what your mind is telling your body when the feeling of pain tries to break them apart. And today - I found it. I was on a Giant adrenaline rush..

The mean little machine needs some attention too

My race experience last weekend was one where I really had to thank my lucky stars. I woke up earlier than usual to a rather gloomy Sunday morning. Dark clouds were still hanging it the air, the roads were wet, but the rain had stopped. Great! I didn't mind the slippery roads, the colder summer air was perfect, and my legs were feeling pretty good.

I arrived at the race course earlier than I normally would, registered and got straight into my warm-up. A couple of laps round the course later, I was all pumped up for the race.

As I unloaded my pockets of my accessories, my bike which was parked on the curb fell to the ground. Darn. I picked it up - took one quick look and all looked good. Phew.

5 minutes before the start - my worst fear happened. I got a flat - and it was on my back wheel!! Oh crap. Ok..stay cool..don't panic. I quickly went up to the race director, and phew, being the first flat of the day, they had a spare wheel. (Turns out there was glass on the road, and I was the first of the 10 or more punctures we had that day). Wasn't exactly the best, but that would have to do. I hurried to the start line, and on the go..off I went with the bunch.

The roads still being pretty wet from the rain, the whole bunch was a little cautious and the pace was a little slower that day. About 3/4 of the way through the race, another disaster. As I launched into a sharp corner, my bike slid under me. The girl sitting on my wheel screamed thinking I was going to crash. But, somehow or other, quick reaction, and I managed to stay upright. Phew...another close call.

Still a little shaken, my bike just didn't feel right after that. Every corner after, my bike wasn't handling well and felt like it was about to slip at any moment. I took a couple of looks down at my back wheel, trying to figure out what the problem was. Didn't occur to me to take 1 lap out to check the bike. All that was going on in my head at that time was not to give up. As strong as I was mentally, it wasn't the best move. Bad call.

Well... I finished the race with the bunch and did attempt the sprint. However, my bike felt "all over the place" - I couldn't take the last corner hard, and my sprint just felt way off. Although I finished in 4th or 5th place - I was pretty dissapointed as it wasn't my best performance that day.

Turns out that a series of bad calls led on to another. At the end of the race, I was pretty shocked to find the lever of my front wheel half opened!! In all honesty, looking back, another 10 minutes of racing could have seen me flying off the bike without a front wheel! It would most probably have been from my less than ideal tightening the night before the race - and the bike falling to the ground that morning onto the lever side must have caused it to losen up. One bad call.

The borrowed wheel had a fatter rim than my normal wheel - and being in a rush, I did not losen my back brakes. The bike sliding under me had caused the wheel to move a little, and my back brake had started rubbing against the rim in the race, which led to my bike feeling really weird on the sprint. I definitely should have taken 1 lap out to check my bike. Yet another bad call.

Cycling is such an equipment-heavy sport. There's you, your helmet, and of course your bike. The bike's then broken down to the frame, handlebar, drivetrain, wheels...and the list goes on as you break it down even further. Unlike sports like running or swimming, without your mean little machine, you can't compete! With the ever-improving technology of mankind, there's tonnes of bikes in the market today. From the very affordable ones, to the omg, I want one of them - whatever your bike is, you gotta give it the attention and care that it needs.

A series of bad calls - but I was pretty lucky not to have crashed. I can only thank my guardian angels for watching over me - but like every other mistake you make, learning is the most important part of all.

As I prep up for another exciting weekend of racing, it's not just mentally and physically - but giving my bike every attention to detail that it needs. Making sure every single nut and bolt is tightened well. Wheels are in good condition - properly pumped and properly locked in place. Making a checklist - and remembering every piece of equipment that I need. Learning to be a cyclist is very much about learning to be a bike mechanic too!

Every once in a while, you take 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Every race is an experience - it's about learning from the mistakes you make, putting them behind and believing in yourself to go forward.

My mean lil' Giant..

Perseverance, Confidence and Self Belief

Sport, competitions and adrenaline have always been my thing.

From running around in flip flops on the gravel streets, to leading out teams on the playing fields, to climbing granite rocks hanging on a rope - I have always loved being an athlete. Competitions were the best part - the sweet victory of winning with every podium finish, the desire for redemption with every lost.

But I dream big, set big goals. I don't want to be just a good athlete. I wanted to be the best I can be - to become part of the elite.

And so it all started less than 2 months ago - I found my 2 wheels. Found that racing a bicycle to a finish line brings an indescribable adrenaline rush. Realised that I had the legs to go fast. But like every elite athlete, excellence is not just talent, it comes with hard work.

And thus, begins a new passion, a dream of being an elite cyclist.
There may be doubters, there will be obstacles, and there will be lots to learn.
But with perseverance, confidence and self belief, dreams come true.

Follow me on my cycling journey as I discover, believe and turn dreams into reality.