So the 2011 season is just around the corner and I’m heading back to Holland at the end of February for a training camp and the first race of the season, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. MichelleG

 The winter has absolutely flown. It doesn’t seem like too long ago that people were telling me to calm down with the training “sure it’s only October”!!!! I’m pretty happy with how the winter has gone. I started back in October having taken a complete break of six weeks off the bike to allow my shoulder to recover properly. Back then the length of my training spins were literally dictated by how long I could hold my head up!!! Now with thanks to Paddy Doran (coach), Aidan Woods (physio) and some awesome training buddies I’m feeling pretty strong and ready for some intensive training to get the season off to a good start.

 So – how was my first season with Moving Ladies? Well – brilliant and brutal probably covers it. Spending a season as a full time bike rider, racing with the best in the elite women’s field – for me it’s definitely living the dream. I did flat cobbled classics, hilly cobbled classics, flat windy races, hot hilly races and elite post tour crits that leave you with the taste of blood in your mouth!!!

 The season was a major learning curve for me. Simple things like positioning to the front of the bunch and holding that position, navigating feed zones, dealing with the legendary “road furniture” in Dutch and Belgian races, riding in crosswinds and remembering to eat and drink in the frantic racing were learnt the hard way. On reflection I may also have raced a little too often and I had some absolute nightmare races as a result. Hopefully I can carry lessons learnt into the upcoming season and have some good results.

 When I think of last season there are some overriding memories; Fighting the winds on the bridges in Zealand; Climbing in the oven like heat of Czech where after each stage we returned to the luxury of our garden sheds (with no running water) to fight over potatoes and mystery meat;  Ten and twelve hour car transfers sweating like maniacs; Having the craic with the team; Flying on the cobbles; Getting my lungs and legs ripped out in crits ; Nervously lining up at Open de Suede Vargarda (World Cup) in Irish kit; Laughing my head off at a team mate who looked almost on the verge of tears when Cees, our soigneur’s legendary custard cake was knocked from her hand in a brief stall in the midst of some savage racing – I could tell that the thought of eating it had probably kept her going for the last ten km or so!!!; Out motorpacing with the legend Harrie van der Horst. I would develop an almost murderous hatred for Harrie who I was convinced was trying to kill me during those sessions!!! I could go on and on!!!

 The team itself was fantastic. Dutch, English, Scottish and Irish riders – sure how could you go wrong!!!! Really experienced tough riders like Scotland’s Kate Cullen to learn from. A brilliant racing programme. Great mechanics and soigneurs who do unbelievable work behind the scenes so that all we have to do is race and recover. And Chris (DS) who knows everything up to and including the best parking spot before every race (very important!!!).

 All this reminiscing is making me all the more eager to get started on the new season. My goal is to take everything I’ve learnt, the miles of racing and a good winter into next season and make it a good one. Let the games begin!!!

Smile

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