I surprised myself today and know my MTB days provide practise for power.

This is my chance to firstly say thank you to people who have sponsored, supported and cheered me for my 32 mile bike ride today to raise money for a cause I feel is very worth while.

I was all prepared this morning, water, hydration drink, everything I needed, bike in the boot, ready to rock, sat nav ETA9.25am for the photos at 9.30 kick off 10am.

I got lost, very stressful, short story I managed to start the ride at 10.31am, 30 mins behind everyone else.

Started riding checked my speedo no recording arrrrrr I don’t know how far I have been and how fast I am going so I just rode as fast as I could with my mission to pick up with other riders for the group.

The first section was 16 miles I figured at an average of 12 miles an hour I should make it before 1.5 hours.

At 50 mins I picked up a group of our riders who had left at 10am but quite rightly taking a leisurely pace, we stayed together for a while and then I sped off hunting down another group I was hoping I may catch before the 16 miles stop point, I didn’t catch them but arrived at the Bax castle pub (16 mile point) just minutes after rider 1

The people who had helped me earlier and were now at the pub were gobsmacked to see me arrive 1 hour and 20 mins after I set off and to be rider number 2 check in.

I must have been going some but it is relatively flat and I was determined and on a mission.

Rider 1 and I decided we would ride back together it was a slower pace, we were hot, we got lost and we were having a really good chat. in fact we were both disappointed when we arrived back at the start because we had been having such a good time.

In all the 36 miles we ended up covering took us 3.5 hours and I think that is quite good and would give an average of 10mph.

I managed to use some skills, got her to raise her seat, use her gears better and we had a steep up and down hill, we both enjoyed the down 😉

It was a really great day and you guys would so love the cakes we had on offer.

The lovely people we have supporting were back at the finish taking photos and it was just amazing and wonderful really.

Without the MTB stuff I would not have had the power I had to race that first 16 miles and I was extremely impressed.

Came home Dave had cooked dinner, done all the ironing and run me a bath (LOL), ooops no but he did wash my bike down for me and not mind me chilling and watching a chick flick 😉

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About the author

Cathie was introduced to mountain biking by Dave about 9 years ago but only really been riding regularly since May 2008 when she invested in a new hard tail (a white On-One classic Inbred), a wise investment as a result of being able to trial different bikes at Cycle Works demo day at Holmbury-St-Mary. She also rides a full suspension Giant Cypher which was this year's treat and saw many miles during the summer of 2010.

Cathie has attended skills days with Dirt Divas at Swinley Forest, she would like to improve her skills on bomb holes and her favourite trails are the ride over to Newlands corner loving "Whitedown" and a favourite trail through Denbies.

Cathie loves meeting other female riders of all fitness levels and experience and is hoping for less punctures in 2011 now that both bikes are wearing tubeless tyres!