T3T Racing

Two days at Cadwell and a night in the van with VERY cold temperatures - I ache. My mother is the biggest hero, catching a train from Oxford to Peterborough and coming with me! Whilst we await photos, I wrote up a bit about what occurred.
Yesterday started better than it ended... I was having a nice time but was really struggling for grip, I was getting less and less confident as the day progressed because of it (including a rather scary moment on the mountain where my back end slipped out and sent me into shapes). I kept just giving up and pulling in because it was scary.
Late in the day I noticed my back wheel was stiff to turn when I put the rear warmer on (I had mum trained to do the rear). It turned out that where I had asked someone to tighten my footpeg at Donny, that it was too tight and was pushing against the arm/bush/thingy (technical name) so was stopping the brake lever from springing back up. The rear brake was literally staying on, explains why it felt like it was slipping... it was. I only ever cover the back brake at the mountain sometimes to minimise wheelies so I never noticed at Donny! Session 7 was my only chance to go out and try to salvage the day.
Today I was in my head after a bit of a pants day yesterday and also, hormones because mother nature decided to make my day even harder (sorry but this is a reality we women deal with - it does make it harder). There were only 7 or 8 of us in the group but, I was going out at a fairly okay pace and then getting slower as the session progressed because of mistakes I was making getting in my head.
Weefrenchie came to see me after session 5 to tell me to hang off the bike more (I wasn't even sticking my left knee out), relax more and be kinder to myself. I asked her to take me out for a session so I could follow her with her new instructor hat on. Well, she spotted me doing my thing where I beat myself up, and pulled me in to force me to be more positive. It helped, because I finally started to get a bit of smoothness back. Sometimes we just need someone to offer a kind word to make things easier. So huge shout out to her and give her (the first woman to win Club 600 Endurance Championship 2022 with team HEC, part of the first ALL FEMALE team to win a National 600 endurance race and first female instructor) some love.
I am not where I was, or where I want to be, yet. But I will be soon.

I just want my confidence back already. I'm sick of feeling scared and riding slow. 2021 vs 2023

Day 89 - riding around Cadwell Park 😍

Day 5 as a Trainee Instructor for No Limits Trackdays 👍👍👍

Mixed conditions today but managed to get some good laps. Another 4 trainees of various abilities and with various needs, all left with a smile so it’s a good day in my book!

Awesome to see Lissy Whitmore Racing #34 on the new bike today, can’t wait to see you conquer Olivers Mount !!

Equally ace to see friends enjoying the day and sharing a track with T3T Racing! 💪👍🙂

Tomorrow we go again for a full day and the first evening trackday of the year 💪👍🥳
Come and say hi if you’re around! 😃

No Limits Racing NLR | TRACK PREP Racing HQ | Shoei Helmets UK | Profibre | Racing Radiator Guards | Camino Coaching | Send It Coffee Co | Crazyonez motorcycle gear ltd | Bassetlaw Triathlon Club | Track Prep Racing | Pro-Bolt | Notso-Fast Rider Coaching | Akrapovic Exhaust System | Nadieh Schoots | Lightenupgrade | Sarah Dennis/ Athlete | PirelliMoto | Kippax Performance

This is what comfort looks like. Need to channel this energy from back in May 2019 on my 929 'Blade. Same corner as that pic I just shared, I think! MADNESS.

Mostly Cadwell Photo Dump (some Snett pics snuck in) Sep2020 - Jun2021

Mallory Photo Dump from 2021-2023

This is the power of fear! Same corner, October 2021, February 2023. Backwards progression 🙃

Yesterday I faced my fears and returned to the place where people keep knocking me off! The only riding I've done in 10 months is two road rides (which were both cut short) so I was very rusty...

My friend text me Saturday saying he was headed to Mallory. I thought, stuff it, let's try and get my bike ready for tomorrow. By some sort of miracle, I managed to get my bike done, in the van with all my essentials and get to Mallory the next morning just in time to sign on.

I was very scared and nervous all day. Usually when I'm at track I'm like a hyperactive child who has been given too many blue smarties (the old recipe)... yesterday I was a nervous wreck who had to keep going to the van to stop myself from crying (not always sucessfully). I don't even know why I was so scared, but I still am a bit on edge. The fear made me choose to book into inters, I wanted to check the bike was sound and not have pressure of being the slowest.

Me being 5ft2, around 53kg and not very strong, I always struggle with the maneuvering of big bikes in tight flickbacks but add that to the anxiety I felt yesterday, I could probably have run through the bus stop faster than I rode it! But everywhere else felt okay (Edwina's was a lil bit slower than normal too but I've been overcautious there since I high-sided coming out of Nelson's in the rain). My bike fitness was appalling and I was even getting new pains like a sore hip going around gerrards, hello age.

By the afternoon I was so tired that I could barely ride. In the last session I came to the hair pin and scared myself as I got too close to the wall, stood the bike up, then this set me up TERRIBLY for the dreaded bus stop. I JUST made it through, albeit slow and very clumsy. Of course there were people there filming their mates so I waved at the camera as it got my c**k up. Brill. That was enough for me to say, end it here and get home in one piece. So I did.

I didn't conquer my fear yesterday, but I made good progress.