Greetings from Mongolia 29th August 2013

Now I have arrived in Ulaanbaatar the realisation of racing 867km through Mongolia’s most challenging terrain is setting in and I’m almost giddy with excitement.  So many other cyclists have arrived and we’ve all the same look; nervous, excited and in slight disbelief that we are doing something so unique and tough across a country that is so unknown to most.  I lost around 7 hours of my life yesterday as we traveled straight across the time zones; it was 3pm on the flight when the lights went out yesterday and 5am this morning when I could have slept all day! However, I’ve resisted all temptation to sleep and have instead built up my bike and done the tourist bit down to see Genghis outside the tourist building.  It has been hard to resist a ride especially having seen some of the trails the guys have been out on but I’ll feel a lot better with two days off and hopefully will be fresh and ready by tomorrow to have a spin out and will be ready to race by Saturday.

The Genco Mongolia Bike Challenge is set across seven different stages spanning 7 different landscapes in Mongolia.  The longest stage is 175km and it takes place on day four – the pinnacle of four consecutively longer stages. 

The race organiser has quoted;

“It is a stage of incomparable beauty and will be a huge challenge for even the strongest of riders, over the seven days of the event competitors must ascend a total of 12,410 vertical meters.”

“It will be a very strenuous physical trial and a test of psychological endurance which will try every racer,” claim the organisers. “We have designed a course that every passionate biker may desire: extreme deserts, mountain passes, unspoiled rivers and scenery of rare beauty.”

With this in mind there is bound to be some intrepidation going into the race.  I know I have good enough endurance to race for 6 or 7 hours and have done enough stage races to know how important fuelling up before, during and after the race is.  I am also not worried about the climbing, I would much rather be going up a mountain than riding along flat windy plains and having done the Epic the meters climbing each day are pretty similar.  I am however very worried about the conditions.  The last two days were really wet and cold, today has been bright blue skies but still only around 9 degrees at 10am this morning so judging what to wear will be critical.  The temperatures here can vary from 3 degrees to 30 degrees and last year there was snow and floods.  I am useless in the cold even though I should be tougher coming from Yorkshire!  I have experienced near hyperthermia one time too many and in these extreme conditions it is so important not to get caught out.  Mechanical issues are also a worry of mine which is why racing in pairs is so much less stressful, if you have a big mechanical problem you aren’t stranded alone and if I race mixed its always been the bloke that has fixed the problem!! 

Other than those worries I’m fit and healthy (touching wood that I don’t eat anything obscure the next two days!!), training has been going well and my aim is to finish knowing I’ve gone as well as I could having enjoyed the whole experience.  Competition is tough with World 24 hour champion Jessica Douglas and many others but I will try to learn from these girls who excel in the longer events.  I see the main competition been the elements and the Mongolian landscape. 

   

Final preparations for Genco Mongolia Bike Challenge!

This time next week I'll be in Outer Mongolia!  The reality has suddenly sunk in of how big an adventure the Genco Mongolia Bike Challenge is going to be.  Even my family are on about spending extra time together in case I don't come back which is been a little over dramatic.  However, it did make me ring my insurer to book on hazardous activity in an odd country.  It didn't seem right to only pay an extra £18 for this but has made me think they obviously don't think its a particularly dangerous thing to do and they've heard it all so I'm sure I'll be fine!!  

While I'm in the UK I am lucky to pick up work, we have a family printing business and do a lot of summer shows and I work in a few tea rooms.  The downside to this though is that this is our busiest time and final preparations  for Mongolia is all a little rushed and a 'bit here' a 'bit there'!  The training I am not too worried about.  I ride my bike every day, I used to race on the road and do a lot of intervals but moving purely to mountain bike marathons I have found I get much more out of just getting out and off road as my technical skills are definitely my weak link!  I love cycling even more than ever and spending 20 hours a week training is a pleasure.  I have recently met a group which go out in Dalby forest and fly round all the hidden forest trails and ride a lot with a friend who was racing at the Commonwealths in XC while I was at school.  On top of that I very often meet my parents on their road bikes and our local road cycling club which all helps with a bit of speed.  We are also blessed with the North York Moors on our doorstep though  in the middle of winter with howling gales and snow I often don't feel that blessed!!  The days do look a lot longer than I have ever raced before with stages up to 175km so I'm not that sure how I'll cope with them but as long as I'm well hydrated and fuelled I'm sure I'll survive.  Many will have completed far longer and worked a 9 till 5 job.  My main worry now is getting everything ready on time.  Luckily we are now working in York, perfect for nipping out and buying some essentials.. baby wipes, paracetamol, anti nausea tablets and extra contact lens solution were on todays list.  Yesterday I purchased a 2kg camp bed in order to sleep off the floor (to avoid any dodgy bugs that might be carrying some strange diseases crawling around our tent!!). We spent a good 30 minutes convinced it was faulty so my husband took it back today to be shown how to put it together by the manager, thats what I call good service even though he was a little mortified!!  I commuted the 85km journey this morning into a head wind so that along with the same on Sunday is one of the last long ones I'll do, I've work Monday and we are working away Tuesday to so my taper is been made for me!  Tonight I'll give my bike a good clean and tomorrow drop it into the shop.  Everything was feeling fine but its as if my Rocky Mountain 29er also knows it has a big challenge ahead and today was making all sorts of groans!  There will be a mechanic over there but theres no way I want to head off into the desert with a creaking bottom bracket.  

So, the list is still long for what I have yet to do but thats fine.  I have yet to sort out my compulsory kit... we have to carry a mirror which I presume is for reflecting the light to be found as apposed to been able to apply makeup mid race, and I have to find a descent bag to ride with.  I've never rode with one so this morning did but I think I lost more sweat through my back than I drank so maybe I'll find one with a little ventilation!  I have a rear hanger sent all the way from South Africa, a Go Pro helmet strap from Japan and I have most of the tools I need.  I have no idea how to use half of them but am hoping I can play the 'I'm a girl' card and get a little help should I brake down mid way!   I'm not sure what food on top of my race food if any I'll take.  Couscous is always a good idea as is cereal but what with my new camp bed and thermal layers I plan to take to survive minus temperature nights I think my couscous will have to stay at home!   

Hopefully my next up date will be while I'm out there, I'm not sure if my UK phone is going to work in outer Mongolia or if they've ever heard of the Internet but I'll try hard to keep you up to date with my progress and stories along the way.  

Sudety MTB Challenge, Poland 28/7/13 - 2/8/13

Thanks to the organizer for giving me a free entry into this year’s event I set about persuading my parents to come and support that didn’t take much and soon we were flying off to a country I haven’t been to before.  The race looked pretty unique, not in high alpine mountains but with around 2000 plus meters of climbing each day on stages only around 70 – 80km long it was certainly going to be a hilly one.  Sharing three to a room also kept costs down and saved me going in the ‘camp’, after doing that in Trans Alps I decided I could never again sleep in a school hall or gym with a hundred other blokes!! The race started in Kiowa Zdroj, a beautiful spa town with amazing gardens and natural springs, nothing as all what I expected in Poland. 

My helpers for the week in serious preparation.

Prologue

8km Kudowa Zdroj

480m ascent

With a 2pm start and having arrived 7am the previous morning thanks to a Wizz Air delay I should have had plenty of time to ride the route, however my first job was to find the service van after I accidentally let the break fluid out trying to adjust the brake ‘ah self service’ was the comment I got from the mechanics when I explained, ‘ah yes, no more self service’ I said after leaving with perfect brakes and gears costing me about a quid! So, I managed a 30 minute warm up, not enough for the time trial straight up with a few small descents to have a breather on.  I can’t say I felt good at all for 37 minutes but I guess no one would on an uphill race against the clock in 35 degrees!  Recovery was an ice-lolly at the top before riding down and jumping into a very cold shower.  Dinner number 2 of meat and potatoes, followed my ice cream number 3 in the very pretty town square

Stage One

89km Kudowa Zdroj – Kraliky

2101m ascent

The race rolled out at 10am straight into fast fields and short sharp climbs.  To say I was blowing was an understatement as I hung on wheels and got dragged along.  I suffered for around 13km until everyone around seemed to either slow down or I finally warmed up and I rode around the same riders most of the day.  I met 2 Brits and managed to have a chat to them but I’ve got to say riding solo can get a little lonely especially when I hit the odd long forest descent alone.  Mainly though I really pushed it in order to stay with other riders for both the company and for the drafting.  A plus of riding alone as a woman is that you don’t seem to get pressured into doing a turn, or maybe my breathing was that bad that no one would dare ask!!  Mam and dad were at 2 feeds which was perfect but I didn’t stop at the last thinking half a bottle would do for the last 20km forgetting the mountain we had to climb.  Luckily the climb was more shaded that we had been told and I envisaged my banana had enough moisture in the stop a heat stroke!!!  The climb was tough, steep and long.  It took me forever to catch a rider who looked like he’d really blown though he caught me back on the steep descent and we rode towards the finish together.  I felt the dreaded flat 4km away on a road of all places.  The sealant I’d just put in didn’t work and I didn’t know my lead so instead of wasting an age with a tube I rode slowly with a very soft tire down the tar road.  It left me with no energy, feeling a little sick and very dehydrated but I came in 1^st woman.    Another trip to my mates at the services, followed by another schnital and potatoes and ice cream number 5. 

Stage 2

80km Kraliky – Stronie Slaskie

2614m ascent

Today’s stage looked great on paper with lots of climbing and single track and much cooler after a big storm last night.  After 5km my heart sank as I felt the back wheel go soft again.  I bombed it twice but only saw sealant leaking from the spokes.  (I later found a nail lodged next to my pierced my rim tape that must have caused yesterday’s flat.  The valve was also on super tight but luckily I saw one of the timers ahead who happened to have tools and loosened it off and put my tube in for me, the perks of been a woman!!  I knew I’d been stopped around 15 minutes and knew I wouldn’t see any of the riders I’d been racing with yesterday so settled into a steady pace taking it extra slow on the rocky descents.  The last thing I needed was another flat.  Stopping again at the mechanics to grab another tube I at least had a bit more confidence that I wouldn’t be stranded and enjoyed the last half.  Mam and dad loaded me up with bananas and biscuits which I had to down in one since my pockets were full, it was as well as I hadn’t eaten much and we had a big rocky climb to do.  At the top I finally caught the 1^st lady and came into the finish 1^st again by a few minutes.  No need for ice cream today as it wasn’t hot enough, but did get more potatoes and meat for dinner. 

Stage three

60km Stronie Slaskie - Sloty Stok

2024m ascent

I love the translation of the road book… today we started with a ‘lap of honor’ round the town followed by an ‘unusual single track’ after 20km.  Unusual it was, in fact I’d better describe it as a hiking trail.  With loads of hike a bike and with the ridable bits full of roots, fallen trees and rocks it was the slowest 25km I’ve ever ridden.  Riding alone meant I had no one to grumble to and did loose my humor more than once.  However it was real mountain biking I guess and riding along the border crossing was pretty special.  I was glad to get to the finish after lots of the rest of the route was on sharp loose rocks, slow going and pretty technical.  60km took me over 4hours 30!!  I managed 1^st woman again and extended my lead.  We were rewarded tonight with the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in for a bike race, a castle complete with pool, Jacuzzi, games room for a bit of table tennis, a huge lawn, good wine and no potatoes in sight!!

Our posh castle filled with riders, bikes, baggy shorts and compression socks

Stage four

73km Sloty Stok  - Walim

2501m ascent

The first morning we all slept through the alarm happened to be the morning we were 30km away from the start.  Breakfast was a bit rushed which wasn’t a problem really as I was still stuffed from the delicious dinner last night.  I still managed a good warm up, good job as the start was as usual straight up hill and as usual I chose to go as hard as possible then killed myself hanging onto a fast group.  Despite the ‘you will ride up and down, up and down’ description for the day we traveled along at a fast rate and before I knew 30km were done.  After the second feed the steep climbing up to 1015m began.  I didn’t help myself by taking a wrong turn and descending all the way back down and adding an extra climb on by accident but luckily it was only 1km and soon I caught familiar faces up again.  I enjoyed the climbs, there were some walking sections but a lot was steep and loose and required lots of concentration that made the kms fly by.  5km to go we had a ‘very groovy track’ down.  I half expected a smooth single track through the forest but this is Poland and instead it was half forest single track then suddenly loose big rocks on a steep slope.  Wanting to neither break myself or my bike I took it slowly and ran some letting a few cyclists go past but comfortably in 1^st place again.  More potato and meat for dinner but some salad for the first time all week and my own bedroom which was almost as exciting as discovering the pool in the castle!! 

Stunning scenery on route

Stage Five

79km Walim - Kudowa Zdroj

2267km ascent

With the start 4km down the road and awake early after the best nights sleep all week I had plenty of time for a good warm up even though my legs were rebelling and I would have preferred to sit in the shade and doze back to sleep!  I was glad for it as we started up a road that must have been 20% followed by a fun forest descent then up a long open climb.  I started well and intended to ease off but the course didn’t allow for that with either hot grassy slow going tracks, rocky climbs, rooted single tracks or difficult descents.  I think the grass really got to me today too as I struggled to get my breath and was wheezing all day even though my legs felt relatively good.  On the plus there was never a moment to be bored, there hasn’t been all week and I found myself with the same faces and had a chat along the way, especially when we had the first road section of the week and I was riding with the tallest man in the peleton.  I did my work at the front but I’m sure he got no draft from me!  Mam and dad were on hand with my new favorite feed stop food, peeled oranges at all three points and plenty of water as it was easily over 30 again.  The last 20km was extra hard and I took the last descent really carefully, with a big sugar low I really didn’t want to fall or brake my bike and there was no need, I started the day 50 minutes ahead and won the stage too.  The atmosphere at the end was great back in the beautiful spa town we started in, as was the ice cream with our new mates from the UK.  It was a shame to fly home and miss the presentation and banquet but the thought of my own bed, a weekend of doing very little with Rob and not a potato in sight was highly appealing!!

I would highly recommend this race for any keen mountain biker.  The stages are challenging, lots of climbing and technical but not too long.  I was riding around 4 hr 30 every day and finished around 40^th on GC. It’s really well organized, the hotels we stayed in were great and it was all so affordable with free mechanical back up, very cheap beer  (for the supporters of course) and good food (especially if you like potatoes!)

Thanks to my team Bizhub, my Epic sponsor Energas for helping me out with European races and my Rocky Mountain 29er for getting me through yet another stage race.