Blogs
Tue, 21 Jun 2011
One busy week!
By Dani King - Horizon Fitness Racing Team
Well I'm now paying the price of having one of my biggest weeks on the bike. 3 races, 2 track sessions, 2 gym sessions and a few road rides. The week started off with a massive day at the track, I'm currently training for the under 23 Europeans where i will be able to wear my world championship stripes for the first time! I'm in a strength phase at the moment so my training consists of big gear efforts, fast short efforts and gym sessions (the first time i did a gym session i was aching for the following week).
On the Tuesday was my first race of the week (Stoke tour series), i was really excited as i won this race last year so really wanted it again! The team rode amazingly and i managed to win solo. To me it was a team victory not an individual win; everyone did a job which helped me win. We ended up with the team win, sprint jersey, individual win and leaders overall (couldn't of asked for much more really) In the interviews after i was adamant that i wanted to return the favour for a team mate in the next tour series race on Thursday.
Wednesday was an easy day for myself and Hannah Rich who was staying at mine in between races, our day consisted of an easy ride and 90210 (which im sure you all know I'm addicted to as i tweet about it 24/7). Thursday came around too quickly and i was up at the crack of dawn for a track session followed by gym, followed by a race! (Mental?) The track and gym session went well and i was really looking forward to racing that evening in Oldham which was perfect for me living in Manchester.
When arriving at the course i could tell it was going to be a good night, the course was hard which plays into our hands nicely (the harder the better). Myself, Helen, Annie and Sarah Byrne ended up in a break working hard to keep it away, i kept pushing on knowing the bunch was slowing behind us. This was the race i could work for one of my best friends and team mates Annie Simpson! In the last lap we worked perfectly as a team and Annie got her hands (one hand actually as i don't think she could believe shed won) in the air! It was one of the happiest moments in my cycling career and it meant more to me than winning the race itself. The team has really bonded in the last few months and its changing women's racing for the better! Friday was my first rest day of the week where i put my feet up and did absolutely nothing! On Saturday I did an easy 2 hour pre race ride and was looking forward to racing the following day!
On the Sunday I rode the 80km hilly womens road race, Capenwray! Id ridden this race once before and got dropped and finished about 10minutes down so I was apprehensive but excited about how much id improved. The race went well, myself, Jo and Penny all tried to make the race hard and there were riders going out the back from lap 1. By the last lap there were about 15 riders left in the field, it was an uphill finish and I timed it perfectly and won resulting in my 3rd top 2 that week. After a hard day on the track Monday I started to feel under the weather and had to see the GB doctor after my worries of glandular fever returning being exactly the same week as I contracted it last year. After having a couple of days off the bike and a few easy days ive started to feel myself again and am raring to go for the nationals on Sunday. I think the team will put in a really good performance and continue with the fantastic racing already achieved this season.
For more information on the Horizon Fitness Racing Team, visit www.horizonfitnessrt.com.