Eleri - doing well on the track

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Because she won't, I thought I'd tell you all that Eleri (BNA regular, particularly on this forum) earned 4th place in Division 5 of this years RAW track series. She was one of the few female winners this year, though there were lots of female competitors.

Well done Eleri.

So, how many of you other Sydney girls are going to get on the track? Both Dulwich Hill and LACC have track racing over the spring and summer. You don't need fancy bikes, just the (metaphorical) cahones to do it.

[Eleri]

Thanks BFV!

And hey! I won a case of beer!! how good is that??

For anyone else thinking racing track, please give it a go. Most fun I've had in ages and I've learned so much about bike handling and short race tactics in a pretty safe environment.

Although I'm going to take a lead from BFV and promote myself up a grade next winter.

[foo on patrol]

If you don't promote yourself Eleri, then no one will know how much you enjoy the sport and how good it is.

Foo

[Eleri]

Thanks Foo! I'd love to say I was modest, but ... I certainly promoted my achievements elsewhere.

But taking your point, I rode in Amy's Gran Fondo a couple of weeks ago where the top 25% in each age group would qualify for the UCI World Cycling Tour and get a medal. Now this is 125km or something and I wondered how many women in my age group (Masters 5). Even in the State Masters Road recently there were only a handful in my division. So I figured - perhaps 4 or 5.

Which would mean I have to get first to get a medal. Unikely. So I put that thought aside and rode the ride at a reasonable pace, jumping on various bunches when I could and finished feeling great,but with no data as my garmin was in my pocket.

Imagine my surprise when I looked up my results later that day and then got a text to say I had qualified and would soon the proud owner of a UCI medal! There were around 80 women in my age group which is fantastic for the sport, says alot about those women who went it, rode the distance and the challenging 9km long Skene's Mountain climb.

Did I mention I have a UCI medal?

But seriously - good on all those other women who rode in this cyclo sportif (sort of the City to Surf of cycling races). There's far more of you out there than I ever see racing and that's just great.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Well done, Eleri. The only way I'd be winning one of those is if I was in an age category with no one else in it. My family tends to be long lived and I plan on participating in (and winning) the Masters 13 category.

80 women in your age group is fantastic. I don't think I've seen 80 women in total in a Sydney race.

[foo on patrol]

Yeah, you go girl.

Foo