Richard does the Red Bull Minidrome

Today I went to Victoria Baths on Hathersage road with Richard and his track bike (plus very small chain ring) to watch him attempt the Red Bull Minidrome - 10 laps of a 25 metre track.
When I got there he went to sign on and I went to find the track. It was really, really small with tight corners. I watched some of the other competitors there were more DNF's than riders completing the 10 laps! Riders were going over the top of the tiny track, sliding down the banking in the first lap and falling off whilst trying to stop!

I became extremely nervous and didn't want him to ride it, but he was up for the challenge. As he did his 6 'warm up' laps, it was clear he was riding too high up the track but on each lap he got lower and lower - closer to the faster red line. He stopped after the 6 laps and got ready to race his 10 hoping to qualify for the evening knock out session. The beeps went and he shot off. The first lap was good - nice and low, but he was going too fast. On his first time past the start finish line he drifted up onto the blue and beyond - straight over the top! Fortunately he didn't hurt himself too bad, landing on the crash mats. It looked pretty funny though.. see for yourself!

See Richards report

Also see redbull's version

Cycling Come Back from my broken collarbone

So the couch potato has enjoyed the last couple of months not having to ride with me. The first few days I felt (and apparently looked) like I’d been hit by a truck. Everything was so sore it was almost numb. A couple of days later I started to feel my shoulder, it hurt like crazy and felt really unstable. I couldn’t sit up or lay down by myself and needed a pillow when sitting on the sofa to tuck behind my shoulder. I couldn’t be a passenger in the car – any bump was agony. I wasn’t able to do much so stayed at my parents, shuffling around the house and getting help dressing. After about a week, as the bones were starting to connect, the began rubbing over each other making a horrid grinding noise and sensation. The painkillers made me feel ill so decided to man up and take the pain instead. I was so fed up by the end of the second week i forced myself back into work.

Xray from Abergavenny Hospital

 I have spent the last 8 weeks off the road - 3 weeks complete rest, holding my shoulder and not being able to properly move, progressing (if you can call it that) to 5 weeks suffering on the turbo trainer. I had my collarbone pinned on 6^th August – quite scary as I’d never been to hospital let alone have an operation. All went well, I have 9 screws and a titanium plate in my shoulder. I spent most of the first Monday night Track League comparing war wounds (obviously not racing) although everyone was enjoying reminding me that Wiggins had come third in the Vuelta with a freshly pinned collarbone. I did get to laugh at the couch potato however, complaining for being put in the fast group http://richardtowse.blogspot.com/2011/09/track-league.html .

I’ve been in close contact with the other girls who broke bones that day, in particular Tanya Hunt who also broke her collarbone. She did a better job than me though, breaking it into 5 pieces one of which shattered – mine was just in 3 bits!

Generally everyone has been really helpful and I’ve recovered very quickly. I even got back on my bike last weekend – total of 50 miles including 30 in the wet (don’t tell the surgeon). Although the couch potato, was ‘too busy’ to make it out in the rain. The turbo seems to have done the trick and I look forward to riding in my new Champion Systems Speedsuit at the National Hill Climb Championships at the end of the month!

See you there?