When i was asked if i wanted to do a race the other week i was yeah OK cool, bare in mind i had been at the Manchester Christmas Markets for a few hours and few Gluhweins so would probably have said yes to most things... A few hours later when i was reading message i sent one back saying "What kind of Race? ".

" Mini DH Sheena at the Forest of Dean", was the reply.. Now obviously my first reaction was OMG, i had seen downhill racing on various sites on Internet...  Are you serious i couldn't do that!!!!.. I had never done a downhill trail in my life let alone raced on one.

I found out after bit of research that Mini DH wasn't as full on like the DH World Cup series, scaled down version, especially to get beginners interested but also still enough for all abilities to enjoy..  friendly atmosphere..

During the week leading up to the 1st DH Race on the 1st December there was a lot of banter on facebook which did relax me slightly also knew couple lasses going one of which was my sponsor Kelli Salone from Dame Cycling...  First time she would be at one of my races its just happened to be one that i wasn't use to at all, didn't know what to expect, i did check few videos out on You Tube.  But when i actually saw,, rode the course for real it was nothing like the videos.. They actually looked tame.. lol

                                                      The Day

It was a well early start Sunday morning on the road by 5:15am, by time i had arrived at the centre the nerves and excitement had kicked in...  Collected numbers, kitted up in Bluegrass Full face helmet and my Bluegrass D30 knee/shin pads i started to feel the part and headed off up the hill for practise runs..  Like i said i am very new to this sport so i wasn't expecting much for myself apart from getting down course in one piece, then if liked it could improve on the next one end of Jan..
My first run down was nerve racking to say the least and i didn't even make it to the bottom, a rooty section was going to take me victim like a few others it seemed, my bike just went from under me and luckily i ended up just inches from rolling down the huge roll off without my bike...  Got up, few words from Kelli who had witnessed it and walked back up to the start..

 

Second practise run successfully got myself through the rooty section down the roll off onto fire fire road and through the technical rooty section the other side.  I probably didn't take the best line but that's where the walk the track on the Saturday would have been very useful.  But i survived and all that line choice will come with practise. Got a lot to learn.
I ended up stacking the bike along some roots further down the course, this time was annoyed with myself..Was stupid mistake, split second loss of concentration.... Picked myself and walked down to meet Kelli, two practise runs, off twice this wasn't a good start to my 1st experience of DH racing!!!
We decided to go back to the cars to get drink, snacks it was here that realised that my forks were locked out - possible answer for me stacking twice. This was proved to be probably have being the case during my actual race runs..

                                                           Race Time

11 am, 27 girls at the start line, amongst ourselves we decided who would go first etc, some of the slower, less experienced riders including me opted to go nearer the back, my first run i was so nervous, legs were slightly jelly like i will admit but as soon as those bleeps started counting down by body was pumping with adrenaline this was it Sheena your 1st even DH race, i successfully got round the problem areas from in the practise runs, i was smiling.. Near the bottom i heard someone shout Rider, there was someone hot on my trail, this just made it more exciting. I know now when i look back, places where i should have pedalled more, just after the Road Gap i should have picked up the pace and pedalled because i had a rider come round on the inside and take me on that berm.. I could have kicked myself..  Listening for my time   2:12   i was happy with that but the little devil inside my head was saying push it more net time you still have 2nd run.

 

   The next race wasn't until about 1:30pm so had bit of time watching the other riders, chatting to people, this was such a friendly event, every one was being really supportive too.  When it came around to the start of the 2nd run it was us girls again who decided what order we were riding in again, this relaxed me a bit as the nerves had started to appear again with the waiting around.

My 2nd run down i felt bit more confident and with words of encouragement from people in the crowds found myself smiling and enjoying my run down.. I did push it a bit more when came into that last section and to hear my time being called out 2:06... YES had managed to shave some important seconds off!!!!!

 

 

Mini DH, 1st time Experience i was in one piece, got two respectable times, was mega smiling and was proud to be wearing the Dame Cycling hoodie, that by end of day was dirty... Under the nervous moments of the first couple practises i loved it and think the DH bug may have captured another female.. Thanks to all the girls that helped me with my nerves, the general banter was awesome, also to Kelli Salone, if it wasn't for you i wouldn't have done the race..  

The excitement didn't actually end there for me, hyped up on adrenaline Kelli took me up to go do the drop on the GBU.. Nailed it three times, perfect end to a perfect day.......