Digging Deep at Newnham: a fierce 3-Hour MTB showdown

A Legendary Venue

Newnham Park in Plympton, an iconic venue in the mountain biking world, once hosting World Cup races, set the stage for an epic race. The Winter Wake-Up 3-hour MTB race promised fast, relentless racing on a 6-mile loop and with the dry and sunny conditions, we were in for a battle.

With five strong elite women lining up, the competition was fierce. The start was on a hill, and while I had warmed up well, the wait before the whistle left me shivering.

My strategy?

Go out hard and see what happens.

Fast Start, Harsh Reality

As the race began, I launched off the line and surprised myself by getting away quickly. For a moment, I thought I’d nailed the perfect start, but by lap two, reality hit. I had gone out too hard, too soon. My legs were screaming, my breathing was ragged, and I had to ask myself—had I just blown it?

By this point, Daisy had already stormed ahead, setting a relentless pace. Behind me, I could see Davina closing the gap, and I knew I had to re-set fast. I got my head down, focused on riding smooth, and worked to build a gap on her, knowing how strong she is over long efforts.

Finding My Rhythm

Approaching the halfway mark, I started to feel better. A second wind kicked in, and I found my rhythm again. I kept my focus, nailed my nutrition, and pushed hard through each section of the course. With every lap, I felt stronger, more in control, and determined to hold my position.

The Final Push

Heading into the last lap, I knew Daisy was two minutes ahead, and I had a solid gap on Davina. Second place was mine to lose. But in racing, anything can happen, so I gave it everything to the finish. I managed to close the gap on Daisy to just one minute, but the finish line came too soon and I had to settle for second in the elite women’s race (again!).

Hungry for More

Despite missing out on the win, I walked away from Newnham feeling strong, hungry, and excited for what’s ahead. The course was fantastic, the competition fierce, and it was great to catch up with so many familiar faces.

One day, I’ll be back to take the top step at this race.

But for now?

A big block of training awaits as I build towards the XTERRA season!