For my last “training” ride before SITS Chris and I headed out into the hills north of Bury straight after the shop closed. I had decided to ride my geared bike since I am racing gears at SITS. We start off flying along until the road goes uphill where Chris does his mountain goat impression and I go backwards. This continued as we did a magical mystery tour round the edge of Bury and up onto Owl Betts Road. I think Chris was trying to get me lost but we kept popping out on roads I recognised. Every hill he was reminding me to stay in middle ring, it was really hurting! Up onto Scout Moor and then down a new descent to me. Here I had to add a layer and a scramble in my bag found a cereal bar. In hindsight I should have brought more food with me. Up over onto Holcolme Moor, at this point it was too much and I dropped into my granny gear. It was a lovely evening and up here we bumped into the only other riders we saw all night. Down and over the firing range before weaving round near the Strawbury Duck and down the Witton Weavers Way.

It was at this point Chris pointed at Winter Hill and asked if we were going up it, he was actually joking. But me being me, even though I was already struggling, decided it was a good idea. So over we went and UP the Belmont descent. It was a long plod for me and I was struggling to follow the line I wanted leading to a few dead end ruts being followed. At the top Chris fed me some Cliff Shot Bloks and the burst of energy was enough to get me home. Back the easiest way, we split on the outskirts of Bolton and it was straight home, food, bed, shower for me.

46miles and 1247m of climbing and one very dead Amy

The Hit the North team had organised an 8hour enduro this summer. Since the race/event took place just down the road from the shop and we were providing energy drinks, mechanical support and prizes it was only right that we got a team together. In the end there was a trio in the mixed category, two solo males and a solo female showing off the lovely Cooksons Cycles Kit.

As always the boys had ordered the weather, lovely sunshine had given way to rain on Wednesday and then it rained and rained and rained. Saturday morning came and it was still raining. I was meant to have been racing in the solo female category but despite my best efforts of eating lots of fruit, drinking lots of water and resting loads since getting ill on Wednesday I still wasn’t well enough to race. So Ali offered to take my place. It meant I was pit bunny for the day, a job I was a little nervous about taking on as Ali has always done such a good job I had a lot to live up.

The race started with our solo boys, Shaun and Dave, out near the front, Mike came through well up for the mixed team and Ali wasn’t far behind. I think all of them were glad to get the run out of the way. First lap done and Shaun came through in first, working harder than I do in races being chased by twinklydave who looked comfortable, Dave wasn’t too far behind the two of them. Ali was next through saying it was fun and she was going to do another lap, followed quickly by Mike who sent Paul out.

Ali headed out on her third lap with Shaun (now in second) following her out. Just as he was catching her she decided to fall off a cliff into a stream, completely submerging herself and killing a few trees. Fortunately Shaun was there to fish her out!

After four Laps Ali decided she wasn’t having fun and it was time to stop. But after Martin sorted her gears, some dry shorts, pointing out she was in first place and me leaving her with no choice she got back out there and the smile came back.

The race continued with rain, sun, rain, sun before the sun eventually won and the course started to dry out.

By this point Dave was comfortably in third and starting to catch Shaun, this seemed to motivate both of them and the lap times were dropping. Ali kept plodding away keeping her lead at about 10minutes and chatting to everyone she saw on the course.

Out on their last laps, there was some confusion as to where the trio were placed with Mike having had a disaster of a lap after puncturing and failing to get the sealant to seal the tyre he had to walk nearly a whole lap. But they were smiling and still keeping the changeovers slick. Ali went out saying this was definitely her last lap and Shaun came through to be told he had less than a minute on Dave, Dave didn’t even stop as he grabbed his water bottle and set off in pursuit.

7pm came and Ali crossed the line, she had stopped to chat to the last marshall to ensure she didn’t have to do another lap. Mike finished with a smile for the trio and Shaun stumbled across the line cramping, turns out he had spotted Dave and so sprinted round the lap! Dave wasn’t too far behind him in third and they both avoided being lapped by the overall winner.

Prize giving time and everyone was on the podium with the trio getting third in their category (next time carry a tube Mike!), Shaun 2nd, Dave 3rd and Ali 1st.