Holy Moly

Holy Moly.  I like the phrase Holy Moly, I would perhaps go so far as saying it is in my "Top 5" of phrases. In fact I would definitely say it is in my "Top 5" of phrases. Anywho, back to business and informing all you avid readers or bored souls with nothing better to do than read this drivel, of what's been happening in good ol' Belgium today.

Yesterday was my first race and boy did it hurt! I thought I was actually feeling ok after my mammoth drive on Friday however I soon found out that a mammoth dive mixed with riding against Belgian riders does not make for a good cocktail, so to speak. Having said that I still gave it my all on the day and what d'ya know, I only went and bopped out a peak 1minute and 5minute effort along with a max heart rate, I do love a good bit of data review as it kind of makes the pain worthwhile.  Back to the race and it was great to pin a number back on again and to get the season started after a long and painful winter. The course wasn't too technical, only involving a few cobble patches, corners and a nasty little hill.....oh and lots of wind (no, not from me!). It was a mixed race with the ladies joining the junior boys with us following a car for 4 laps and then 4 laps of proper racing, unfortunately I didn't last the whole race and got pulled out with a few laps to go. All was not lost however as I learnt one important lesson when racing in the wind......Positioning is key! I was like a scared little kitten in the bunch on the first few laps and because of this I was having to chase back on after each corner and when the bunch split in the cross-winds and burnt far too many of those valuable matches. Onwards and upwards and roll on the next race on 29th February and some more pain and to learn to stop being a scared little kitten!!

So far all is going well in Belge, today I went for a spin with Kristina who is a rider on the team and the daughter of the family I'm staying with and Gert who is the boyfriend of Kristina's sister and I got to experience some more cobbles and riding on new roads oh and some more wind. Over the next week I'll be discovering the roads around here and the routes and mixing in a bit of turbo so I'm good to go for the next race and then it all kicks off properly.

Righty ho that's me done with typing for now as my fingers are tired and I need a nap before dinner (it's a hard life!)

Laters gaters