Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

I was there last night as well (Boardman CX wearing a long sleeve red jersey).

Oh hello! I was (obviously) the one on a borrowed bike, wearing green jersey/black shorts/sad face.

I'm happy to give any help I can if you want some pointers from a relative noob who has been through some of the same stuff.

Thank you – that’s really kind. I found it helpful watching people do some of the drop offs so maybe I need to do more of that and also find myself a great big dose of HTFU.

Did they include the drop off at the far end of the track where you have to do a sharp left to avoid the railway embankment wall? I've raced that dozens of times and still can't get the hang of it.

What gave you the fear, hats?

Ha, you've kind of answered the question there! Seriously, I just didn't feel I had the balls to do it, I didn't trust that I could and the more I doubted myself the less I could do it. Maybe not knowing the bike didn't help, but I've never done any off roading before and I just felt panicked the moment the bike didn't handle like it would on a road.

I think I'm glad I did the session, it’s good to push your boundaries and get out of your comfort zone. After the first lap I was sorely tempted to hand the bike back and go home but I didn't, and that’s something at least! I made it up/down more than half of the slopes by the end, and didn't fall off, so I wasn't an unmitigated disaster. I'm going to give it another go.