Elaine's big adventure at Lee Quarry

Last Sunday Matt and I did one of the Brownback racing events at Lee Quarry. Legend has it that this was once a booming slipper quarry but started a steady decline when cheaper more popular moccasin slipper imports became popular in the 70’s. This post industrial landscape was the dramatic backdrop for the 3rd race in the Autumn series. Along with other events going on up North, such as Hit The North and Mary Towneley Loop , it looks like we may have a long awaited calendar of events happening on our very own door step.

The start was concocted by someone with a pure evil streak; a steep climb on loose gravel it was I have to admit though, perfect for spreading the field out. The rest of the course consisted of short steep descents, flipping amazing berms that when you put your trust in properly delivered, oh, and the obligatory steep, loose ascents which I’m not ashamed to admit saw me hiking the bike.

After avoiding some poor chappy who somersaulted over his bars on a steep descent I managed to graze (well that’s what I thought at the time) my leg on some genuine quarry rock, then in a stroke of genius that I can blame on inheriting my mum's inability to remember directions I took a wrong turn… Once back on track I gave myself a few internal word of encouragement and just kind of plugged away. I thought I may have lost 1 or 2 places due to my detour but hey it was Sunday morning the sun was nearly shining and I was on my bike, it was all good!.

The leading lady who I had a bit of a chat to on the start was fully representing the ladies she seemed to be effortlessly floating up the ascents that had me pushing the bike. I didn't see her again until her race was cut short by what looked like a snapped chain. I felt gutted for her because she had it in the bag for sure.

Matt lapped me just near the end so I knew the boy had done good, but what I didn’t know is that he had 2 punctures which makes his final position of 3rd in the Weekend Warriors even better… Kudos points to the Holstead.

After a painful looking incident with a slippy northshore type thing I managed to steal another place, from the girl I’d been trying to catch since my little detour. She must have really hurt herself and landing in a freezing bog can’t have been any fun, but you did us ladies proud and soldiered on... Well Done!

Once over the line I took a closer look at my leg that had seemed to attract a lot of attention, and realized that yep it was a lot worse than I thought…

Queue the chaps from the Mountain Rescue who cleaned and dressed it for me and strongly recommended a trip to A & E. I just had time to do a quick costume change and collect my spot prize of a super duper Marino wool reversible (pink and Grey) Bennie that was donated by the cycling angels at Minx– Girl apparently awarded for being stupid enough to carry on with a bit of my shin missing!  Then to top it off I picked up category winner with £30 to spend at my favourite cycle website minx-girl. The Trophies provided by Hope were pretty funky as well.

Massive thanks to all the organizers and marshals especially the nice chap who brought my bike down from the quarry, and of course all the other fabulous racers. And just to prove to the mountain rescue that I did as you said and went to A and E here’s a stitched and steri-stripped version of the leg wound.

See you at the next one folks.