By Lia Leonard, U12 Slipstreamer
Getting Ready to Race!
“On Monday the 27th of April, I entered my first British Cycling race. It was at the Hillingdon track but open to racers from all clubs. I didn’t really know what to expect, but when we arrived, we signed in and I warmed up on the track.
Every week we alternate which direction to cycle around the track and this week we were cycling clockwise. When it was time for me to start, I cycled round to the start line. One of the officials explained how it would work. My age category had to cycle for 20 minutes and then another 3 laps.
When we set off, everyone sprinted off, but after a few hundred metres we grouped together and took turns leading. After I got over the initial nerves, I really enjoyed it. The group of stronger riders were really fast, but in my upcoming races I hope to keep up with them.
When I eventually finished, we had to have our gearing checked. Unfortunately, my friend and I were disqualified for gearing but I still really enjoyed it.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone, especially if you want to get started in cycle racing because the track is familiar and there are lots of Slipstreamers racing.”
Thank you for such a great report Lia!
If you’d like to join in and try out a few races in the Hillingdon Slipstreamers Youth Summer Series do come and join us – full details here. Even if you’ve never raced before – now’s your chance. All welcome! Do visit our calendar for full details or email us if you have any questions.
Oh, and if you don’t want to get out by the gear rules, make sure you visit this page in Rider Resources for an explanation and some clarity on why this is so important.