Training Weekend #1

Last weekend saw 9 members of VC St Raphael heading towards the

outskirts of Bristol for the first women's team training camp. Women's

captain Maz had kindly offered her (parents) house as accommodation,

and organised a weekend of race planning,getting to know you's and

training rides.

Now I was looking forward to getting together with the girls - a few

chance meetings at Newport meant I hadn't really seen anyone for ages

and I hadn't met Caroline, Nicci, Jo or Ellie before. I was even

looking forward to getting out on a ride with the girls (luxury!!) and

Maz had even promised the first one would be flat. Ish. The 1:9 hill I

drove down on the last leg to her house certainly suggested she was

lying and my poor non climbers legs were going to suffer!

Marianne (well, her parents) had laid on a super lunchtime spread of

jacket potataoes,salads and of course the cyclists' favourite - pasta.

After a quick snack and introductions it was time to get changed and

get out on the roads.

Unfortunately there was still loads of ice around on the roads after

the winter (cold snap!) so we didn't get out for as long as we had

wanted. We rode staedy for a while so we could chat and make friends.

Comedy comment of the day was from veterinarian (I almost wrote vet

and realised in a cycling context that could be misconstrued!!) Nicci

Meadows who likened her love of animal orthopaedics to lego! Nicci and

Caroline (Harding) join us from AW Cycles after they disbanded.

The rest of the ride was largely uneventful - after jinxing herself by

saying the 'p' word, Team Mechanic and Driver Jase quickly jumped out

the car for a wheel change. Oh yeah, and then there was the sheet ice

that saw half of the girls walking their bikes along the road!! The

last climb (what happened to flat?!) just about finished me off so I

suppose it wasn't a bad call to go back to the farmhouse....

Shower and change before discussing the seasons's plan, goals and aims

and then hitting the pub for dinner. Adel (Tyson Bloor) left us after

the meal (part-timer) to go home and watch the Perfs pedals on the

Sunday. I might let her have that one as it is our promotion!! I think

we were all a bit tired when we got back home but we managed to stay

awake long enough to see Maz's house on Casualty (I stayed in the

'drug' room) and take some hot water bottles up to bed!

Luckily for us Sunday was a bit warmer and we got out for a lovely (!)

long ride around the rolling Mendips. I mentioned I wasn't a climber,

right?!

The group headed out at a steady pace, taking turns on the front.

Thanks to Ellie's dad for helping to pull us all along! The first 2

hours or so saw the group make our way towards Cheddar Gorge along

some hilly roads (OK, they were probably just rolling but hey!).

Scenery was awesome, some lovely little descents (my new definition of

a hill is having to do your jersey up on the way down) and awesome

banter.

We rolled into a lovely little cafe before the big C. I would love to

report that we had lovely healthy food but actually the chocolate

fudge cake was pretty damn nice :D Then it was straight out again into

the cold and up the climb!

Jo - who is returning to cycling following a few years out of the

sport - certainly looked as fresh as a daisy powering up some of the

climbs (not jealous at all!) quickly followed by Ellie. Well i think

that's how it went but I was off the back..... not my type of hill. I

should add my thanks here to our only Youth rider, Angie, for snapping

my photo from the warmth of the team car as i grovelled my way up the

steep bit. Thanks Angie!

The pace picked up once we had regrouped and the end was in sight, we

even managed a bit of through and off with a random we picked up en

route! Again, that hill at the end was brutal (give me Cheddar Gorge

any day of the week!!) before we made it back home, 3:45 later.

My legs definitely knew they'd been made to work but it was a lovely

way to cap off the weekend. Can't say how excited I am to meet up with

teh Northeners in a week or so's time, or how excitied I am to get

racing. First entry is already in the post.

By Eleanor Jones

The girls enjoying some well-deserved coffee and cake!

Caroline Harding - enjoying the climb

Nicci Meadows in action

Simply Gorge-ous!

Eleanor Jones tearing up the tarmac!

Ellie Gilham showing the cars no mercy!