August Updates

 This month has been quite a busy one! I started the month of with a week of chilling and training at home after coming back from Kreiz Breizh. Then, I flew from Edinburgh to Toulouse the day before my birthday for a bit of a holiday for 10 days. I say holiday, but I was still training and half way through the stay I went to Picto Charentaise UCI 1.2. This was a bit of a adventure as I took a TGV from Toulouse to Bordeaux then Bordeaux to Poitiers. During the race I felt pretty strong despite the heat, unfortunately I was crashed into the back of 8km to go and didn’t make it back to the peloton, I came to realise my brake was jammed on after I finished which explains why it felt like the longest 8km of my life! After the race it was a quick turn around to get me back to Poitiers station for the last train back to Toulouse, after some issues with my bike I made it back successfully. 

I returned home on the 20th to race Ryedale on the 22nd. Unfortunately I felt absolutely terrible, which was really disappointing as I wanted to get a bit of a result as I felt I had raced pretty well on the continent the previous few weeks. Since then I’ve felt pretty run down and ill as I suspect the last few busy weeks have caught up to me. 

I’m currently having a few days off to try and feel better before what’s going to be a very busy 2 weeks. On Friday I start the 3 day u23 Watersley Women’s challenge in the Netherlands and then 2 days later starts the Ras na mBan in Ireland for 5 days. It’s fair to say this will be quite a turn around but I do enjoy the travelling! 

I’m hoping I can get a few good results in the many races I have coming up and I can start the racing feeling 100%. 

Thanks for reading,

Liv 

July Updates

 July has fortunately entailed more racing than June. I completed Ilkley, Barnsley (not in the town centre RR), a few local crits and yesterday was my second ever UCI race Kreiz Breizh.

Starting with Ilkley, it was inevitably going to be a very tough race as it usually goes off from the gun, although I wasn’t at the end of the race I would have liked I was pleased with my efforts and finished the race completely spent which is all you can ask for! I know that the harder the races I get in the legs the fitter I will become throughout the season (have to remember the season doesn’t finish until October). 

Next up was Barnsley road race, this was a very hot day out over some grippy Yorkshire roads. I wasn’t too optimistic about staying at the front of this race as there was a pretty decent field, but I was pleased to stay in until 7km to go where I completely blew on the last climb. But considering I’m still coming back from injury I felt that this was a improvement from my last race. 

This week was Kreiz Breizh UCI race over in Brittany. This entailed one 132km stage and a 137km stage the next day over some tough climbs. I was lucky to be double vaccinated so I could go, but I wasn’t too confident about it due to it being the longest race I’ve ever done, being a huge step up riding with World Tour level teams and was worried my back would cope through it.

 However, I completed the whole race, finishing in the second group on the first day and finishing in the peloton the second day on the same time as the winner. I’m really happy to get round this and I’m feeling confident for my up coming  races.  

Thanks for reading,

Liv

June Update

 This month has been quiet on the racing front. I’ve just been trying to get the training hours up and my back right. As well as completing my second year of University exams. 

I was meant to do Cicle Classic last Sunday, however a few days before the race the physio rang and said that if I’m needing to take pain killers to race and struggling to get the power out I shouldn’t be racing. It was pretty tough to see the race going ahead as it was the first Women’s National since 2019, however I enjoyed helping out the team in the feed zone and supporting my brother! Afterwards I realised it probably would make me feel worse racing it as I knew I wouldn’t perform to my best and would just be a case of me pushing through pain and surviving. 

Since then I’ve had a bike fit at Sigma sports which has been a huge step forwards and a bit of a relief. It was found it was the lack of support in my pelvis and feet is what’s causing the back issues, as well as the leg discrepancy. I’ve now got shims under my cleats and a new saddle which is giving more a lot more support so I’m feeling super optimistic that the many months of pain have started to become resolved, it’s definitely not going to be better over night but there’s been a huge improvement!  

Tomorrow I’m going to be racing Otley, it’s likely to be a bit of a baptism of fire as I haven’t raced in a month but I’m so excited to be back at one of my favourite races. Then on Sunday I’m off to Belgium for a Lotto cup so the race calendar is starting to look very busy providing all goes well with the back! My aim at the moment is just to get some races under the belt. 

Again, I would like to thank Pedal Potential, Loughborough sport and AWOL O’Shea for their support over a rocky month on the bike. I’m hoping things are going to look up from here!

Liv 

Finally racing since 2019!

 I think the last month has been the most exciting month in terms of racing in a very long time....

This month I raced the Yorkshire road race test event and the Cams Basso Hog Hill race. These were both very different courses and weather.

My first race was the Yorkshire road race. It was hailing, raining and was round quite a brutal course, which is to be expected in Yorkshire. I was a bit disappointed with the race but despite having no winter training in my legs and still suffering with my back I should be pretty pleased I managed to be one of the few people that managed to make it round the whole race!

The Cams Basso race was one I completed yesterday, this race was very hot and brutal 45 times up Hog Hill.... Despite going dizzy I was very happy to make it round in the front group, as this was a massive improvement from 2 weeks ago. I definitely need to work on my sprints and accelerations as I quite literally crawled to the finish but it was a great sign of my fitness improving and I’m sure by the end of the season I can be somewhat at my optimum fitness. 

I’m super happy that training is going well and I have gained some confidence in my fitness within races. I still need to work on getting completely pain free riding, but with continued physio support from Loughborough I’m sure it will gradually get there! 

Thanks for reading, 

Liv 

Things starting to look up!

In my last blog post I had just started to be able to ride my bike pain free. A month on and I'm now gradually building the miles up to return back to proper training. I have managed to ride over four hours and incorporated intensity back in too. I'm very lucky to have such a great support network at Loughborough as I'm continuing to have weekly physio and have been training in the altitude chamber  to try and get me back to race fitness quickly.

It's always easy to believe you will loose massive amounts of fitness when you have had time off with injury, but I have been pleasantly surprised about how I feel in training. My first race back (in a very long time) is on the 16th May at the Yorkshire road race test event. I'm not particularly expecting anything amazing but I believe the best way to get race fit is to just throw yourself back into racing, and to be honest I'm looking forward to it!

Over Easter I went to a few circuit training sessions with 30 people attending so I have already past the initial bunch riding experience, it was strange at first but after a few laps you get back into it easily. These sessions were a confidence booster I needed to see where I was at.

My calendar is starting to fill up now too with a few UCI events, Lotto Cups and National Road series so I have plenty of events to have some motivation for. It's definitely going to be very strange properly racing again as my last event was September 2019! 

I'm still really hopeful for the 2021 season despite the covid restrictions and my injury as I have a new team, and amazing support from Loughborough and Pedal Potential.

Thanks for reading,

Liv

Not an ideal winter...

With races finally appearing around the corner, I have not had the winter training preparation I would have liked but unfortunately it’s just one of those things.

Throughout my cycling career I have suffered on and off back pain, but as a cyclist I thought it was something quite normal. However in January I started to suffer to the point I was struggling standing to do things like cook. I was in so much pain. I got to the point I realised there was no way I could cope with 16-20 hour training weeks, so I reached out for help in Loughborough cycling academy. Initially it was quite difficult getting seen for bike fits and proper help due to coronavirus precautions, but last week I had a bike fit and a mobility assessment. 

It was discovered I have quite a significant 3cm leg length difference, which explains the pronation of my right knee whilst cycling and difficultly standing (which I have had for years). As a result of this, I have things like hip weakness. 

Thankfully the bike fit has massively improved my back pain,  and I’ve been in the gym working on weaknesses as well as being seen by the physio, so hopefully I will be much more efficient and comfortable in the long run. So far I have been riding pain free, so I think I’m on my journey back to fitness for some racing in May! 

I’m extremely lucky to have the support Loughborough cycling academy has provided to conclude the cause of my pain, as I’m sure I would have done a lot more damage if I carried on the way I was, (Moral of the story, don’t ride through pain). 

I’m now looking forward to potential UCI races and a few National rounds in June/July with my new team AWOL O’Shea. I have a few months to get back to fitness all going well! 

Again I would like to thank pedal potential, Loughborough Cycling Academy and AWOL O’Shea for their support. 

Another blog post.

 So the last time I wrote a blog it was July/June in lockdown. A few months later and not much has changed... 

As I write this, I am on day who even knows of isolation. To be honest it’s not been anywhere near as bad as I thought, but it is a very strange experience to be locked up in your own house by law. I’m very fortunate to have my house mates, who are also my very close friends, and lots of people around to ensure we are okay. Unfortunately it was inevitable one of my house was going to get it at some point with the cases surging everywhere.

I personally think it’s best to just get it over and done with, so you have a bit of immunity for the upcoming few months. 

University is back in full swing, deadlines for essays are already creeping up, but I’m very thankful that we are still able to have face time face teaching and plenty of work to be doing during these times, as I would definitely go insane. 

My cycling fitness however,  as a result of 2 weeks off and then going straight into isolation is another concern.  Luckily it’s still very early into winter training, so plenty of time to get fitness back for what’s hopefully going to be a exciting year (providing this corona ends)

I haven’t much to update on the cycling front, it’s pretty strange having a year with no races as that’s what my life has evolved around the last 5 years of my life or so! I’m very luckily to be part of the Loughborough performance programme again this year, the support and training I gain from them is surreal, so should mean I’m hopefully in a strong position for a good season next year. 

Although 2020 is a year you quite literally couldn’t make up, so far I’ve had one of the best years yet. I had a bonus month in the Alps, did a bit of city touring (within restrictions of course) and ticked off a few walks in the Lake District and Peak District. Sounds cliché, but I just had more time to appreciate the outdoors and people that are around me. You just have to make the best out of a shit situation. 

I was going to make a optimistic statement to end the blog about Covid ending soon, but I’m not too sure.

Liv  

2020 taking a turn for the worst

The last time I wrote a blog I was talking about my winter training and my plans for the 2020 race season, since then it's fair to say A LOT has changed. It does feel like a lifetime ago I was packing up my stuff from University and driving home unsure whether I will be back before September.

Three months on from the start of lockdown it's pretty clear there won't be much of a race season. However, despite no races I feel I have really reflected on why I decided to ride a bike. I've started to get that enjoyment and appreciation of being able to get out cycling that I seemed to have lost a few months before. I feel that if the whole pandemic hadn't occurred perhaps I would have gone into the race season not very confident and enthusiastic. Although what has happened is awful, it's definitely allowed me to take a few steps back and understand why I ride a bike. It's made me motivated and enjoy cycling more than ever as It's one of the very few things we have been able to do throughout this pandemic. I think the only racing we might get this year are some TTs, and I have been very lucky to be provided with a TT bike from Loughborough this year, so I will be starting some TT preparation soon in hope that some local events go ahead.

It's also been nice to be back at home with my family riding round roads I am much more familiar with, and are a whole lot more scenic and quieter. It's definitely been a challenge being in lockdown in a family of six, my parents are still working and my siblings are doing school work, so in a way getting on my bike has also been a escapism from the chaos at home. My family have been very supportive with training and seeing my brother getting out has definitely motivated me to continue training.

It has been a challenge being away from friends, racing and other stuff I would have been doing. I have found myself looking back on memories of last summer and earlier on the year, but I know my situation could be a whole lot worse. I would like to thank Pedal Potential, Loughborough performance and Jadan for their continued support throughout the pandemic, and I'm looking forward to it being over and racing returning.

Thanks for reading,
stay alert ;)
Liv

2020 race season and winter training

It's getting to that time of year where it never seems to stop raining, the wind is relentless and all you want is some sunshine.....

Since moving to the Midlands in October my experience of winter cycling conditions have been nowhere near as bad as previous winters in the North. It is however, still a tough time of year to get through my schedule of training. Becoming a student at Loughborough University has provided access to plenty of group rides, the opportunity to ride new roads and establish new cycling friendships. This has made my recent cycling journey a whole lot more interesting.

I now have more hours available to train on the road compared to previous years and I have had lots of guidance within the gym which has really made a difference on the bike. Admittedly I have been enjoying going out and living a bit of the student life but I feel it's good to have a balance to take your mind off training every now and again. Living in halls and general University life has taken it's toll. I have suffered with illness on and off, but I guess It's just one of those things you have to just get through in first year!

With the 2020 race season now lurking round the corner, I now need to finalise my race calendar. Although officially the National road series dates have not been announced, I do have an idea of what the season will look like. My main focus will be the National road series where I aim to better my results from last season and I have one race in the Netherlands confirmed in April. I will also be competing in BUCS cycling events. I've been fortunate enough to be provided with a TT bike this year from the University so I'm looking forward to getting stuck into some TTs now I have a proper bike, although admittedly I am yet to look into TT events this season...….

I am very grateful for the support Pedal Potential, Loughborough performance squad and Team Jadan cyclespace are providing this year. With the race season less than a month away, I'm looking forward to getting back into competing.  

Reflection on my 2019 season and new beginnings

Overall I would say the 2019 season was a successful one, on and off the bike.
There is no denying 2019 has been the most difficult year of my life, but it has also been most successful. Racing and trying to pull off some decent A levels at the same time is tough, but it seems to have gone past in a blur.

I started off the season in March with some respectable results regionally. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to race two Nations cups, with Storey racing and Liv awol at Healthy ageing tour and Omloop Van Borsele. All I can say is that I won't be in a rush to race in the snow in Holland with 140 girls crashing left, right and centre. It was a great experience nevertheless, but it certainly wasn't for me.

Around the end of April I had a break from racing to focus on my exams, I returned back to racing at Ilkley criterium, which was very a much a shock to my legs. That weekend I had tour of Reservoir, which is almost certainly one of the toughest women's Nationals of the year. I wasn't feeling too optimistic after Ilkley 4 days before, however it was one of my strongest races of the year, finishing 20th overall.

For the rest of the season I picked up my first top 10 and 20s in women's Nationals, which I was very happy with as I really wasn't expecting much this season. I then finished my season with 18th overall at the women's Ras na mBan, and my last race was Watersley ladies challenge Nations cup. By this point I had pretty much cracked, I just about managed to get round. I was a little disappointed with the quality/lack of junior National women's races, but unfortunately the junior girls numbers seemed to really lack this year.

A few weeks after my last race I started Loughborough University. At the start of the year I thought I wanted to take a gap year to race abroad, but after my experience of  Nations cups I decided it wasn't the right thing for me. I've been really enjoying a fresh start here, and the support and facilities available at Loughborough are amazing. I'm really excited for a new start on their programme racing both track and road next season.

I would also like to say a huge thank you to Vic and Scott from Team Jadan Weldtite for all their hard work to support the team all season, it wouldn’t have been possible without them.

Thanks for reading,
Liv