The countdown is on...reality is setting in

Jeepers! It is only a couple of days before we travel to Northern NSW for my next NRS event: Murrwillumbah/Mooball. My toe is (ever so slowly) getting better; I can do a half sprint and it doesn't hurt, but full on sprinting and climbing hills still really hurts. I am still using my modified shoe, which also has aerodynamic properties and increased ventilation (this is a bonus since winter decided to start last week). You can see in the pic below- it is a great look. The other "great look" is my Scofield.

But as I have said many times; "it is not about what you look like, it is how fast you go".In the B grade trophy race last weekend I focused on (trying to improve) bunch riding skills. I rode at the Track for the first time in two weeks and LOVED IT! "Operation freshen-up Davina" commenced this week and the plan is to be riding like a champ early next week (I love a good plan). I have been doing some prep on the courses for Mooball. 24km TT where I need to average around 41km/hr (according to last years times) to be up there (OOUUUUCCCCHHHHH!!!!). Me and my toe are going to love this. There is two road races; 105kms and 69km (Saturday and Sunday).

But before any of this happens I am off to Albany for the next SRS races. I am using it as some hilly climbing experience; apparently it is hilly. As Darryl (Benson) pointed out at yesterday's motorpace 'you need to be good in the hills to pull that jersey off- I was wearing my polka dotted shirt from MVT'. I am sure you can imagine my response as Bella King (my hill climbing buddy) and I were struggling to stay with the group post-sprint climb. Give it time; we will show them-wont we Bella?

I will report in on Monday with an Albany update and a last minute toe-update (because I know you are hanging onto your seat) pre-Mooball. Best wishes for Anzac Day Weekend.

Training...and things

I have started doing some specific strength and conditioning training, and altitude training with Andrew Ivey (Elitesportz). Altitude training is something new for me... At the beginning of the week we tested my baseline levels at constant power output, alternating O2 concentrations. This baseline testing will be used to be able to track changes in my body's ability to perform under O2 deprived conditions. During this testing my SpO2 levels dropped quite low and from my days of working in the Sleep and Respiratory Clinic...I knew what this meant. I have had a couple of sessions this week training at around 2500-3000m above sea level, with my SpO2 sitting around 84-88%. Think just under sky-diving height, for those who have had the experience. Speaking of height, Andrew is the strength and conditioning coach for the Wildcats basketball team; so having an audience of giants interested in altitude (training) as I am sweating my box off on the windtrainer with my mask on...nice.

Gym work is not my favourite thing, but I know that I race so much better when I stick to my gym program. So now I have someone to follow-up on me and kick me into shape (so to speak). My skinfolds and weight are slowly dropping; but are a long way off where they should be. This reduction in body fat thing is hard work. I have not been to the gym regularly for a few months now...ahh the pain.

I have been interviewed by Flourish Magazine (WA womens' lifestyle magazine) and will be in the June issue (released June 25th) about 20 pages from the front. I think this is kinda cool. I am a little sceptical about the media so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. Thanks to all those who have contributed 'action photos' for me to submit- Megan Harrison and Amanda Graham.

I have entered the Club B grade trophy race for this weekend (I am hoping for no more rain) and will be going to Albany for the next SRS race and to support country racing. Going to try and get some SRS points back from Linda Evans, Clare and Hol (I missed the second SRS event whilst in Tassie).

And my toe? thanks for asking. It still hurts considerably but I am able to train better as Andrew has cut a whole section of my shoe out allowing my (swollen) toe to stick out the side. With a bit of luck I will be able to motorpace tomorrow.

For those non-cycling people who have asked; GC is an abreviation for General Classification. It is the placing/time that (someone) for the overall event/tour (which may have numerous individual races in it).

Everything since early March has been about Mooball...2 weeks to go...no pressure or anything. I would never put pressure on myself, would I?

NRS-Mersey Valley Tour, Tasmania

Before we get started I need to admit to kicking my toe on the kitchen wall (accidentally) and that almost half of my foot and little toe are purple-the purpleness increased after I took this photo, but you get the idea. This was a little silly I know, and has resulted in me having great difficulties in walking and pedaling. Obviously less than ideal two days before the start of the Mersey Valley Tour (Second event of the Elite Womens’ National Road Series). We had a WA ‘Team’ that had come over for the event; Darryl Benson (coach/mechanic/chef/cleaner/driver etc), Elite Men: (Adam Semple), U/19 boys (John Dunlop, Sam Davis, Patrick Gill) and U/19 girls (Melissa Hoskins, Camille Pallett). I was the only Elite Woman from WA. There was 13 Elite women entered and we were going to race the road races with the 16x U/19 girls. They had seeded me #2, I am not sure where they were getting this information from, but with a few seriously good riders in the field I was very impressed with being #2 (NB: Second is still the first loser, in good time I will be seeded #1).

STAGE 1: TIME TRIAL (15kms of pain). I rode to the course with the U/19 boys and my warm-up was good, my toe was hurting (I was putting on a brave face). It started to rain just as I was rolling up to the start line. My start time was 10.32am, just behind Carlee Taylor (Miss Amy Gillett scholarship holder for 2008). I only began to be nervous as I saw Ruth Corset at the start line. I had picked her to win the tour. We had driven the course the day previous, Mel and Camille had ridden it but my toe/foot was too sore for me to do the course. It was undulating, but with just enough kicks to hurt, a bit of wind and 15kms of false flats. Before I knew it, I was off and the whole thing hurt, about ¾ the way through I had a bit of mouth spew and realized that I was either pushing it hard, or struggling. Seriously, I felt that I was struggling; the speeds that I estimated that I would be able to sit on, I was no where near what I was able to do. I did what I could, with everything that I felt I had and I had to be happy with that, but for some reason I wasn’t.
We had to wait until that night for the results. Darryl had to pick them up from the Race Director, Dave.
Elite Women- Top 5
1 Corset, Ruth 23.2.91
2 Summers, Davina 23.03.77
3 Taylor, Carlee 23.09.0
4 McDonald, Marilyn 23.38.6
5 Neylan, Rachel 23.41.4

Holy crap…I was really happy with that. Less than one second off the winning time. After time trialing reasonably well the last few TTs, maybe I could be really good at them if I did some specific training… There was some discussion about a mix up with the U19 women’s times. Mine is in the ballpark for what I recorded on my bike sensor, so I am confident that my time is accurate. The only downfall was my toe hurt even more now, I was really hoping it would get better for the next day.

STAGE 2: ROAD RACE #1 (The hilliest one).
This was the race that I feared…and I was presented with the polka dotted jersey to wear for the day (as I was second on GC after yesterday’s TTs). If you know anything about me you will also find this incredibly ironic as I would not be surprised if I went through my whole cycling career and never wore this jersey (climbing is not my strength). But as someone (important) pointed out to me on this day “you might not be the best, but you are far from the worst, and are not that bad”. Anyway, I learnt a few lessons today.
1. Be in the right position when a move goes. Because you are never going to know when this may be, ALWAYS BE IN THE RIGHT POSITION.
2. Don’t anticipate the people in front of you will chase. If you see the move, move too, don’t hesitate or it will be too late (I hear a little voice of Brian Taylor that I have heard before).
3. If you miss the move, don’t do ALL of the work to try and bridge the gap. Because, guess what, you will blow up (and it will be very messy when you can’t get on to any of the groups going past).
4. If it is raining, use ksyriums…not bonties (do we need to re-live the crash on the descent?). Did I mention that it rained for most of the race?
5. Sore toes hurt on climbing, descending and the flats. Actually, every pedal stroke, one legged pedaling helps only slightly.

Needless to say I was not able to retain my polka dotted jersey…finishing some 12 minutes behind the winner and 3 minutes behind the bunch. Bad day at the office today, my chin was still up and I was positive about tomorrow. I knew today was going to hurt, but I should have gone better, if I had of been a bit smarter in the race. Of the WA girls, ride of the day went to Melissa Hoskins.

STAGE 3: ROAD RACE #2 (The slightly less hilly one). I was so fired up this morning and all ready to have a go, did I mention at any stage that my toe hurt? The weather was better, but I was still going to use a ksyrium rear wheel, fearing for my life was not something that I wanted to do two days in a row, if the Tasmania weather wanted to make my day. There were hills, but they were mostly power climbs with recovery after. I could do this.

We started in Kimberley; out to Railton and back to Kimberley (where the first of the climbs were). This was the point at which I got a flat front tire. I was not sure at the base of the hill, and I found the climb hard so I focused on that (it was probably twice as hard due to my flat tire). At the top of the climb, I confirmed it was flat and pulled over…and waited for a spare. I was a little frustrated at this point- to say the least.

I got a new front tire (with thanks to MB coaching for the neutral spare), was officially coming last and time trialed like a crazy woman to try and get back onto the bunch. There were girls popping off the back everywhere…I was trying to get them to work with me, but I ended up riding off most of their wheels and catching the next person in front. Most of the comments from the girls were “where in the hell did you come from?”. Despite being a reasonable time trialist, I was no match for the bunch, and knew this all along. I finished around 7 ½ minutes behind the winner and 3 ½ minutes behind the bunch. I cried and was not happy. I know that the courses were never going to suit me and I was never going to win, but I still would have liked to finish better than 9th on GC. Of the WA girls, ride of the day went to Camille Pallett.
All in all, a mixture of emotions from the trip; some valuable lessons learnt. I have two weeks to get my toe better and my confidence back to have a red hot go in Mooball. I can't see any further ahead right now.

NRS-Tour de Perth; 5th & 6th April 2008

Tour de Perth 2008; (Perth, WA).
Tour report: Davina Summers

Stage 1 (Road Race): For only the second day of rain for the year in Perth it certainly made up for all the rain we have not had. I had assured my friends from QLD, Liz Young and Carly Hibberd (MC coaching Team, QLD) that the weather would be fine. Apparently we set some sort of new max-rain record. On the drive to the course in the morning there was a road-weather-alert and I just kept thinking about how dangerous it was going to be racing, what wheels to use, what pressure to put in my tires, should I use my Time Trial bike for stage 2???

We arrived early in Roleystone, before the commasaires and most of the organizing staff/volunteers. I am pretty terrible in the mornings, but I am keen so I should at least arrive at ‘work’ early and get organized. I was familiar with Stage 1 as it had been our state road race course in 2007 (which I had won) according to the program it was 104kms. It was out and back along Brookton Hwy and then a small 4km loop around Roleystone before an uphill finish. I was nervous, but calm and under control.

As expected it came down to a bunch sprint, with nothing much else happening. It rained so hard that it was hurting my face and every 20kms or so I had to unfog my sunglasses. There was nearly an incident on the very first corner (some 300m from the start) and at the turnaround point (about 45kms out), but thankfully we all stayed on the bikes. Josie Tomic (WAIS) did a couple of attacks, MB Coaching Team kept the pace high with numerous attacks and some counter ones. Linda Evans had a go and went off the front, no one reacted and she re-joined the group a few kms later. I gave a couple of hits, but with no real intension of getting away, unless I could get a few others with me. There was a few in the group who should have put themselves in the race prior to the last 4kms but sitting in and sprinting at the end seemed to be their style- a little silly as they were not going to win the sprints either. I was happy to finish with a bunch sprint at the end.

We turned right off Brookton Hwy to commence the 4km loop prior to the finish and I thought to myself “I don’t know if you girls know this yet, but I am going to win this stage” I made sure the pace was high around the 4km loop. I was a little over the race by then (we were so, so wet) and just wanted to finish- but I felt pretty good. We came to the last 1km and there was some miscommunication within the group. Liz Young (MB coaching) went off the front as she was under the impression that the finish was at the bottom of the hill (where the 200m to go sign was). I had her wheel and started to accelerate with her for a few strokes then calmed down, remembering how to best conquer this little berg.

Liz rejoined the group in front of me again as we all started to climb. There was some movement in the bunch as people started their sprint, then realizing that it was too early, and then struggled. It is a special hill that I have spent some time working out. As we approached the top of the hill, I kicked in the spot I wanted before I could even think about it. I seriously gave it everything that I had and I was in the position that I wanted to be in. I expected to see someone roll me on the line but there was no one in sight (that I could see anyway). I crossed the line and thought “holy crap, I have just won a stage in a National Road Series Race” and then I nearly fell off my bike. My win certainly surprised a few people, Stage 1 down, soaking wet, freezing cold, and three stages to go.

Stage 2 (Time Trial): I still had not decided whether to ride my TT bike or road bike in this event an hour before the race. It was only 5kms and an undulating course. I had come to the course and completed a few efforts on my TT bike earlier in the week and it had been more difficult that I had expected. There were sections that you could definitely gain an advantage by using a TT bike, but then be quite disadvantaged by using it in other sections. Because of the (wet, slippery) conditions and my increased comfort on my road bike, I finally decided to use this.
The course was a square and I was overly worried about the corners. There was a huge mix up with the start times (I had the same time as Camille Pallett) and then there was a delay in starting the TTs. It was an organizational disaster and I was embarrassed for the organizers, Cycling WA and WA as a state. Regardless, we all lined up, Liz Young (MB coaching) started 30 seconds in front of me, I wanted to catch her. I started well, then freaked out going through the first corner and slowed right down to turn. I remember thinking that this sort of riding was no way to get a good time and to maintain my first GC placing (as I had been instructed to by Andrew).

Out of the first corner, I got back up to speed and was nearly puffed out with only 1km down. I had to find my rhythm and relax through the corners. The big descent was great (I like downhills that are not technical and with no one else around!), it made me relax, I know this course…I gave it everything that I had from that point on and crossed the line after sprinting up the imfamous ‘Roleystone School Hill’ (as for the finish of Stage 1).

There had been some mix up with the womens’ numbers so all the times that ATTA had collected needed to be transfer to the corresponding rider number. I was a little concerned with all the organizational mix-ups that our times would also be confused. Time trials are not my strong point, and I do not really do any TT efforts as a part of my program so I was not expecting to do well, and would be happy with the being in the top 5. After a great delay, I was given my time of 8:28 minutes and 3rd place. I was very surprised and quite impressed. Josie rode an awesome time of 8:02 to take first and Carly Hibberd took second five seconds ahead of me in 8:23. This set the scene for the overall CG. Holly (McClellan) went faster than Clare (Morgan) in a great effort.

Open – Women (Top 10)
1 75 Josie Tomic 08:01.8
2 80 Carly Hibberd 08:23.3
3 90 Davina Summers 08:28.0
4 94 Sarah Kent 08:36.3
5 81 Melissa Hoskins 08:45.2
6 92 Liz Young 08:48.6
7 88 Camille Pallett 08:51.1
8 76 Rebecca Armstrong 08:54.5
9 89 Patricia Palmer 09:06.1
10 85 Claire McLean 09:13.3

Stage 3 (Road Race #2): Post-wedding (last night), it was a little bit of a struggle to get up this morning. Not that I am any good in the morning anyway, but the drive (with Liz and Carly in the car behind) was hard work, I was so sleepy. At least the rain had stopped, but the hill course was about to begin. I had been dreading this race for the whole of the event. Even the neutral section down from Kalamunda to the Pickering Brook sanitarium start line hurt. I was the last one to the start line, even the support vehicles had overtaken me and I had witnessed all of the men urinating along the side of the road, nice. We were off on the 4 lap course.

In short, the move of the race went when Josie Tomic (WAIS) attacked on the Glenisla Rd Hill after the QOM (start of lap 3) and Carly Hibberd (MB Coaching) went with her, the rest of us were about 50m down the road still after the moves from the QOM. They stayed away for the whole of the race as MB Coaching girls would not chase (due to the team situation), and the others couldn’t (or wouldn’t) work with me and seemed happy to sprint off for third- I still wanted to win but did not have much choice as I had not been able to go with the winning move. Really, as a road sprinter in a hilly race, I should not expect to win, but still want to. In the final lap, we managed to pick up the pace in the last lap.

Liz Young keeping the pace high for the final, steep descent (leaving Trish Palmer at the rear doing minimal work). I was on Liz’s wheel for the descent, I took it easy up the first section of the final hill, a few of the girls were hitting it a bit harder. No one did a big attack- it seems as thought there was not much left in the tank of anyone. We made it up the hill and to the flat section 150m from the finish line. There was a few of us up the front (I had no energy to notice who, just that I wanted to beat them all), I started to kick, Trish was in front of me. I had time and a second kick to get her, with about 40m to go I kicked again, she changed gear and it didn’t change smoothly, I beat her to the line to take third. Josie had beaten Carly Hibberd by about ½ a bike length in the sprint for first and second. On the podium for the race that I had feared, with the hill that I hate, I was doing pretty okay. Obviously ASADA also thought so too as I was picked with Josie, Carly and Liz to be drug tested. We had minimal time in between stages 3 and 4 and we in Pickering Brook still, had to make it back up to Kalamunda for the drug testing and Stage 4.

The drug testing was about as organized as the whole event. I had a new friend “Mark” until the appropriate people also arrived back in Kalamunda. I had not had blood taken when being drug tested before and it made me feel quite dizzy. I don’t have issues with peeing in front of an audience (unlike some of the other girls) and was just trying to get it over and done with as soon as possible.

Stage 4 (Criterium): I was not going to be able in improve my GC in the criterium, so I decided to ride conservately to make sure I kept my 3rd place. The only was I was going to loose it was to not finish with the bunch. For the first 20 minutes I struggled with the cornering, and was fighting to stay with the group. Then it all came together (when I relaxed through the corners) and I felt really good. It was good to see Melissa putting herself on the line a bit for the first time this weekend, she did well to run second. Lizzie was quite aggressive, she later said that she had nothing to loose and hate it when people come out to watch women's racing and we all just roll around. Not much happened, no one really got away, it came down to a bunch sprint. I started my sprint with 600m to go, straight out of the corner- I little early you say??? well I realised that and kept an eye out for someone to come at me for the line, but no one came and my second kick was not required. I won the stage and Josie the tour. Below is video of the sprint finish. Note the "ugly husband syndrome" being exhibited in the background.

All in all a pretty good weekend- two stage wins, on the podium each stage, and a 3rd GC for a NRS event. Now to work on hills and Time Trialling...so I can win them all.

Quick little update: I have the first three NRS events coming up in the next 6 weeks and are planning to have the best results for the third event in Mooball (NSW) at the beginning of May. There will not be all that many interstate riders for the first event; Tour de Perth, so I should go reasonably well, although there is some great riders in WA at the moment. Tasmania (TMV) will hurt me, but I am going for the experience anyway. Hill climbing is never going to be my thing based on my physiology, I need to accept this and so does everyone else. It doesn't help when my body fat % also needs to be improved. Many things to work on...
On a brighter note: my club NDCC have profiled me for this month; http://www.northerndistrictscycleclub.com/ it is good for a laugh.

I completed an ATTA club race this week and the race comments were: Davina Summers was the second fastest woman around the course and to achieve this she removed almost two minutes from her previous best and, in doing so was another to join the 40+kph club.

It is comments like these when I realise just how far I have come in the last 12 months. A special thank you to those who have supported me.

WA Women Cycling Forum

On Wednesday 5 March 2008 a group of WA women cyclists (me included) gathered to discuss ways in which road racing in WA could be improved. The outcomes of this evening have been formulated into a draft strategy.

We are seeking feedback on this draft strategy through out March and early April from women (or men) and particularly those who have never or do not regularly race. The draft strategy can be viewed at: http://www.chickscyclingwa.blogspot.com/ and feedback can be given by posting a comment, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Once we have finalised this strategy we will then be calling for volunteers to make it happen. Our vision is to create a friendly, fun environment whereby a large number of Women in WA are catered for. Racing for fun as well as meeting the needs of the more serious athletes with a focus on skills and development.

Your support in providing us with feedback is appreciated and we need your help to make this happen.

SRS-Pemberton Road Race-Sunday 2nd March, 2008

Pemberton, WA.
Race Report- Davina Summers

It was a pretty humid weekend in Pemberton and there had been threats of rain but thankfully nothing became of it. The positive support and atmosphere for the event in Pemberton was great and there had been some good racing in the Criteriums on Saturday. This race was the first of the 2008 State Road Series races, Open Women had an 8:15 start, and I nearly missed it as I was too busy trying to warm up- I am not very good in the mornings. The road race was 67kms (two laps of a figure-8 course), with about 1000m of ascending (it was pretty hilly). We had about ten starters; myself, Clare Morgan, Holly McClellan, Melissa Hoskins, Camille Pallett, Cherie Bonasera, Danielle Longworth, Linda Evans and Rebecca Armstrong. It was an average turnout for one of these types of races- hopefully we can increase this number over the 2008 season.

After signing on and our start line race briefing from the Commissaire, we were off, straight up the hill through the town of Pemberton. The first lap was fairly steady; a few of us (mainly Clare Morgan, Rebecca Armstrong, Camille Pallett and I) tried to keep the pace high. The Peleton banter consisted of the usual; “you go, no you go” to encourage each other to work on the front of the bunch. We discussed the merits of not littering carboshotz wrappers into the bush, dropping your bike chain in the race, the big cow that gave us all a loud “MMMOOOO” out of the blue and the group of cute ducks that we nearly ran over and had to shoo off the road.

The last few kms of the (first) lap included the infamous ‘Pump Hill’. From last years’ race I recalled how much this hill (really) hurt and the lesson that I learnt about doing too much work in the downhill sections prior to the hill (NB: I came last in this race last year). A couple of the women are pretty handy in the hills so I am sure I was not alone in hoping that they were not going to go too fast up it. From what I can remember, Rebecca attacked from the bottom of the hill until about the S-bend; Danielle, Cherie, Holly and Linda fell behind the bunch. Cherie and Linda got back on and Danielle time trialed (still in sight for the next ½ a lap). We completed the first lap mostly still bunched together.

Lap two was where the race really started, Melissa and Camille were hanging at the back making some small talk (I can only assume coming up with an attack plan). I was trying to stay near the front of the pack to make sure I was ready to go with any move, surely a couple of these girls didn’t want it to finish in a downhill bunch kick. I was impressed with the strength and improvement in riding from Linda Evans, Cherie Bonasera and Clare Morgan; Linda was pushing some big gears and Clare was marking every change of pace I made from the front. Cherie’s intense training in the last few months seems to have reward her with great improvements in her racing. With about 5kms left of the first loop before town I wanted to see how Camille and Melissa were traveling down the back so I swung off and slowed down. Within seconds they both moved up in the bunch and Camille launched a great attack, no one reacted and she got about 30m away. Melissa made an effort to catch her, I assume to go with her rather than bring her back to the group, but this was heavily marked by the Peleton. I had decided not to chase at this stage, leaving Camille to time trial on her own worked to my advantage in the criterium a day earlier, so I thought I would try it again. There were some strong riders with me in the group and we could work together quite easily to bring her back. No one else seemed all that interested in chasing her down at this stage either. Camille stayed out the front for a few kms, her lead growing, we were nearly back in town and I decided that I needed to chase her down, or she would get the roll of the course for the final 10km small loop and we would not be able to catch her. I really started to panic when we all did not seem to want/be able to roll through. In the end we sort of got it together as we came into Pemberton. The main group got caught up behind a slow-traveling car down the hill through town, we could see the break (so close, yet so far away) and then a little bit of confusion about which red flag was being pointed down which street. Melissa and Rebecca seemed to know what was going on and put the pace on very well through the back streets of Pemberton before Pump Hill. At the base of the Hill we were all strung out, Camille (first), Melissa (second), Rebecca (third), then the rest of us. I climbed with Melissa and Rebecca, and I gave the last ¼ of the hill everything I had, Melissa came with me and I encouraged her to work with me to catch Camille, but she was very fatigued. With Mel still on my wheel, we caught Camille after about 1km on the undulating section prior to the descent. With about 6kms to go Melissa and Camille maximised their recovery for the finish, I went for a longer sprint, picking it up from 500m out and kicked with 150m to go and somehow managed to hang on out in front.

All in all a great weekend.