As State Champion more is expected of me so Craig has asked me to write a blog. Not sure if this is a good idea, but here goes.
At the start of this year, my coach Craig from Eleven Hills Adventures asked me if I would race at the XCO State Titles at Mackay in October (Olympic). Beg your pardon, I said. When he repeated the question, I just shook my head in disbelief of the thought of even competing in the event, let alone go and race. If I decided to have a go we would race a few Sunshine Series Races and see how I went and then I could make My mind up..

First race was a shocker, I bashed Maggie on a trip over the Conondale Ranges the week before and she would not behave and kept slipping gears, so it seemed like a nightmare at the start, luckily it ended with a second place. Craig kept saying you can win this just believe. It was decided by others at this point if I was racing for the win Maggie would not cut it, so we got a new bike from Gold Coast SuperCycles. Then with no bike issues and packing The Stealth Bomber; I won all the rest of the races plus a few at big private events. It was then I realised I would be competing for the win instead of just having a go.

To say the first two practice laps I rode on Saturday morning were not very successful would be an understatement. The race course was steep, very technical with sketchy rock gardens and tight. Craig even said his seat was hitting him in the chest in one section. On the first lap I was following Cooper who was also racing but in the under 15 male category. After riding the first few A lines I was starting to think that the course was not too bad until I came crashing down off the toughest section of the course, ‘Original Sin.’ Craig said he could hear the crashing of the carbon against the rocks. Luckily I didn’t injure myself badly and was able to get back on the bike. The crash did shake me up a bit and I was not riding with my usual confidence or ability through the next lap which resulted in another real good crash, off a rock garden and down a bank. At this point and pretty near the end of the real hard stuff we decided we would limp through the rest of the lap before I really hurt myself and then come back later in the afternoon, after I give myself a chance to slow it down and think about it.

At this point I started to have big doubts about the race, but luckily my parents, Craig, and Colette’s family (who we were staying with) were very supportive. I had a talk with Craig about the track and ways I could improve, we decided that it would be best to simply take the B line instead of ‘Original Sin,’ despite the loss of about 10 seconds and I would follow him for a lap while we filmed it, I needed to relax and I needed more momentum. Repeat after me, I’ve got this. He was right, after riding a couple more laps in the afternoon, I was feeling way more confident about racing the next day and left the track pretty happy. On the morning of race day, I had the usual nerves but I felt really good riding my last practice lap of the course and was feeling very determined. I was a bit disappointed in the lack of competition in the under 15 female category, but I was pretty excited to race among the under 15 men.

I had a really good start to the race and was the first in my category to hit the single track after the climb. I felt really strong throughout the race and rode the best I had all weekend. The best part was that I really enjoyed myself, especially when I could hear Mum and Colette’s family cheering for me. I was very proud to cross the finish line as the under 15 female State Champion.

Cooper also had a great race and finished third. Congratulations to all the other people who raced. I loved the race course, it was challenging, super technical and was nothing like I have every raced before.

Thank you Gold Coast Super Cycles for my Top Fuel 9.8.

Thank you Craig from Eleven Hills Adventures for your mentoring and training, as well as supporting me before and during the race.

Thank you Mum and Dad for all you do for me to help me pursue my passion.

Thank you for all the support from my friends and family from home, as well as the Sunshine Coast Hinterland MTB Group.

Holly @11hills

... you either love it or hate it.
​
One of the interesting parts of this whole venture has been watching the competitive people who become riders, then get the bug and start into the race scene.   For some it is a first foray into competitive sport full stop, for a few others it is another chapter in their own list of achievements. The only common denominator is that they all started pretty much from scratch and had to learn how to ride the bike first and foremost.
For me the balance between pure fitness, versus bike skills and confidence; and then subsequently how each element has its day depending on the difficulty of the course intrigues me.  For me it’s primarily about the technical skills, but, the fitter you are the more fun it is; we have all watched a really good rider make something look effortless, the bike is under full control but skating right on the limit of adhesion into a hairpin or just flicking from side to side on a steep deeply rutted drop, while you struggle at half the pace.
The Development Team of young riders started the whole process for me, we started out as 7 and finished as 2.  As we all progressed it got faster and then harder and then too hard or too steep for all but 2.  Those two have now had a good look at a variety of races at different tracks with some really good results, but more importantly to the outcome, each time the stepped up a level they rode each new course as if they had been there 100 times before and enjoyed the ride.  All you hear after is “did you see this bit? What about that bit”? Not “that was scary”.
The Ladies Friday group has uncovered more than a handful of willing racers and watching them progress has been a highlight.  I wobbled through the Glasshouse with them in January and now in November a few are up in Tewantin riding stuff they wouldn’t walk down at the start.  Big difference in skills in less than 12 months, I can see the improvement and confidence and I have seen the speed build in steps.  Once again, good technical skills can make up for a lower level of fitness if the downhills match or exceed the uphills and most mtb parks are now becoming gravity fed..  Every time this Group travel to a new track and challenge themselves and explore their limit within their own risk boundaries of course, they must improve.   All this will ultimately benefit them next year when they no doubt tackle more demanding races on more difficult courses and feel totally comfortable that they can handle the terrain and conditions.
I have heard it said a few times now that I don’t wrap my riders in cotton wool and I think that’s absolutely true.   I have also heard it said that “in my usual group I am an advanced rider but here with your group I’m a beginner”, ‘(go girls) and I have forgotten how many times I have heard “this race should be easy because”??? But honestly spend a real three hours circulating any genuine mtb park and then tell me how easy it was… I have never been in a proper mtb race that was really easy, some are just harder than others and that keeps getting proven every time we turn up.  One of the best tip’s I ever got was from a guy who went and rode the Isle of Mann TT, we were pretty evenly matched before, then after that he came home and wopped me at the next meeting. When I asked him what had changed he simply said “it helps when you’re not terrified of the track to start with”.  

Why an instructor is better than a coach.
My philosophy is to keep it simple; riding a bike is not a complicated process, the difficulties arise because to do it well involves lots of very simple steps and each one is an integral part in the whole process, try and incorporate the whole lot and overload the beginner with lots of instruction during lesson one and that’s when it gets complicated.
I have watched several inexperienced local coaches recently try and impart their wisdom to a group of new riders, they laid out lots of special obstacle’s and then bombarded the new riders with this is how you do it.  Wrong, once the seat height is sorted and that’s a control and comfort thing, step 1 is the brakes, left one first, right one second and then progressively squeeze harder until the bike stops.  Front brake has more effect so why the rear brake first?  Well simply put the bike will stay flatter and not hobby horse. That’s one of the reasons why Mick Doohan went to all that trouble to fit a thumb operated rear brake after breaking his leg at Assen.  On one occasion when a coach was asked which was which, I saw the coach pulling each lever trying to work out which brake was which.  I kid you not.  Left is the rear dopy and it should be second nature.
I learnt most of my craft racing motorcycles, mostly on tracks, but at times following older better riders in the hills around the Sunshine Coast.   When I did final switch back to push bikes it took a few years to become comfortable on every track I rode.  Places like Parklands put plenty of fear in me and for a long time I thought I would never feel at ease.  While I will never say I have the place conquered I kept at it and now relish every opportunity to get up there and cut a few hot laps. But and it is a big but, never on my own.  Why? Because make a mistake and we all do the place can bite and bite hard.  I’m still not comfortable on extreme north shore obstacles but that’s probably an age thing and I also have a very real understanding of how long I will be off the bike should I snap a wish bone, I will however ride most of the stuff in places like Sugarbag Rd, it’s a mind over matter and simply put, step 2 or rule one is; where you look is where you go.
When I had a real job I was lucky enough to spend a few years helping out one of the other local instructors who also has a bike hire business on his school program.  His approach was really simple, helmet works this way, brakes are here, keep your distance between bikes at all times.  I questioned why he didn’t go into the gears and counter steering and his simple answer was it will go in one ear and out the other.  He was dead right, now after nearly four years part time and 15 months full time with all sorts of new riders and now instructing other would be instructors I have a good understanding of just how long it can take some riders to grasp what to the intermediate and advanced rider is second nature.
What’s the difference between a coach and an instructor?  Some coach’s will get off the bike when it gets steep or technical, walk through distracting the rider while talking about diet and strength and conditioning.  An instructor has one role and if they are any good should be able to ride the obstacle so the learner can see how it’s done and then break it down into small parts and then if they are up for it the learner can have a go.   Fact: Just because someone has a good motor does not necessarily make them a good technical rider.    Remember, step 3 or rule 2, ride what you can, walk what you can’t.  There is a lot to be said for a KISS.  Oh yeah and it’s about the fun factor as well…