Around the time I started looking at road bikes last year I developed a little fantasy about doing some racing. A decent challenge for myself, but one that was easier to say "I'll do that next year". I started riding with Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club as a step towards this, I figured that when I could keep up with some of the faster guys, I'd be ready. Problem is, some of the faster guys are A grade riders, and if I didn't give it a shot some time, it may  never happen.

So after going along to Heffron Park and having a look at the crits, I decided to just have a go. The general consensus seems to be that you will always get left behind on your first few goes, so I figured I may as well get that out of the way early, then I'd at least know what I'd need to do next time.

Last Saturday, I arrived at Heffron, fresh licence reciept in hand, and signed up for the D Grade race. I got there really early and did a quick lap around to have a look, three quarters of the way around I seriously considered turning around and going home. Heffron park is rough, has lots of corners, and is WINDY. I already knew this, but damn, that lap hurt. My heart rate was rocketing. Figuring it would be a little easier in the bunch I calmed down and waited for people to arrive. I was very thankful to see a couple of club mates arrive to race in the same grade, to hide behind if nothing else. Geoff took me on a warmup lap and gave me some useful tips on the course and how the bunch was likely to act.

We lined up at the start line and the announcement was made there was a newbie in the pack and I was pointed out.... great. We got the go signal and of course I lived up to newbie status by not being able to clip in to my pedals (I seem to have problems when I'm nervous, and no Phil, I'm not going to give up and get Speedplays). After a few metres I got cliped in, found the right gear and got moving. Thankfully these things don't take off straight away.

We took the first few turns and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could corner as quickly as the other riders up near the front, and even happier to find that I wasn't dropping back. Halfway around the first lap I had settled in to a bit of a rhythm and was keeping up fine. In fact, I was wondering if this is as fast as it got because I wasn't struggling at all. I made the mistake about then of looking at my heart rate monitor, I was sitting on a number that I usually only see on a really hard day. My body was obviously working damn hard, but the adrenaline and excitement was masking the pain.

The race continued, I saw different people sit on the front, copping all the wind, I was up there for a moment myself when I realised I really didn't want to be there, so got out of the way and found someone bigger to hide behind. In my second lap I felt a tap on my shoulder, Lindsay had pulled up alongside and let me know I was doing great.

In my fourth lap I took a corner and my wheels skidded a bit, I managed to recover from the skid, but it was a bit of a concern. A few hundred metres later I knew something was very wrong, I panicked a little and took a quick exit off the track and up a grass bank. I jumped off the bike and checked my tyres, sure enough, I had a flat on the front. I walked the bike back to the start line, my race over. Had I known a few more people I could have swapped wheels and rejoined on the next lap, but I wasn't too worried. As predicted, I hadn't finished my first crit, but it wasn't because I wasn't fast enough.

Can't wait to do it again!

That's me, in the red.

P.S. The next morning's ride to Waterfall and back was pretty painful in the 35 degree heat. I really enjoyed having a swim later in the day.