National Hill Climb Championships, 25 Oct 2020

2020 has somewhat lacked on the racing front but I carried on wishing and hoping that the hill climbing season would go ahead. I was just waiting for something to come along and snatch it out underneath us which is why I was so happy when it was still going ahead and I was lucky enough to be in tier 2 where it was still allowed and felt very grateful for that. 

During these strange times, it was heart-warming to see everyone come together in the #climbhighertogether movement for equality in cycling for women. As I am sure you have all seen, this year saw a record number sign up for the nationals and you could really feel the change in atmosphere at the event compared to the prior year. There was a real buzz from the stewards and competitors.

The day itself

My morning started a little more eventful than I had hoped for, after deciding to lend my road bike to my friend as her bike was around 11kg which is not a nice weight to try to carry up Streatley especially when the 25% gradients kick in. 

She came to pick it up on Sunday morning before her train and we thought it would just be a simple wheel swap but ended up with various mechanical issues – struggled to swap pedals, had to adjust the brakes, had to deflate tyre to get wheels off and on etc. We spent so long with these issues that she ran out of time to catch the train and we had to squeeze her into the car with an extra bike ending up with 2 bikes in the boot and 6 wheels squeezed in the middle of the car (I have 2 sets – tubular for the climb and clinchers for warm up). We arrived with just under 2 hours to go before I start. I am very glad I had aimed to arrive for 12 (14:19 start) as that gave us a bit of a buffer which was needed after all the mechanical issues.

We get our numbers, loo stop, eating, chatting and before you know it, it’s less than one hour before my start. I was planning to do the warm up on a turbo but last minute my friend’s boyfriend needed them as she brought her rollers which I couldn’t use as the grass was too long and I had never used rollers before so I had to do the old school way of warming up: on the road. It was not terrible but also not ideal. There was traffic building up at the end of the road in both directions so could only do about 5 minutes before having to turn around and on several occasions had to slow down for cars overtaking (or not overtaking) but the main goal was to be warm and I was relatively warm.

It rained during my warmup which meant Streatley Hill was more slippery than usual.

I cycled to the start line on my tubulars making sure to slow early for hazards ahead as the braking surface are not too great on these wheels.

I try to keep warm, going up and down the side street but I end up a little cold at the start line which is common for me with Raynaud’s. I lose heat extremely fast.

I am so nervous I feel sick. My friend gave me a snickers bar just after my main warm up as I realised, I was starving. I think the nerves had burned away my big breakfast and the tuna sandwich I had at midday.

At the start line the steward asks me how I feel and I respond honestly saying I feel sick and she laughs and says “great attitude” which stuns me a bit but actually makes me feel better. The stewards are lovely and after denying a swap of sides to push off that this girl and I wanted (not allowed), I make my way to the left side and think ‘how on earth I am going to push off this stand and stay upright’.

I had recce’d the climb once and vaguely remember its brutality. Previously I had done it on a 42T chainring and now I had a smaller 38T on which means it’s easier and more spinny and I am pleasantly surprised half way up the climb with my gears as I definitely feel like I had a good range and didn’t run out of gears. One thing I was less pleasantly surprised about was my choice of wheels. One rule I’m sure you’ve heard countless times: ‘don’t try anything new on race day!’ Well I would hands down stick to that. I had never tried these tubulars up hill and I realise too late that they are not ideal for this climb. My back wheel was skidding out when I stood up so I had to sit back down several times. I am a ‘seatie’ climber but had just started standing more after discovering the extra power you can get from standing and was a bit disappointed not to be able to stand more and give it a bit more welly.

I get to the top of the steep bit – it came a lot faster than I had expected (luckily). The easier gearing means there was a bit of delay trying to change up gears and go fast on the flat bit but once in high enough gears I push hard to the end and cross the line pretty knackered.

I’m not really one to fall on the floor after a HC and wonder if I ever will – I quite like the security of the bike and like to spin out a little bit afterwards. I remain on my bike and just breathe heavily and for about 2 minutes I am relieved it’s over. Then I get tears in my eyes with how elated I feel and I have already forgotten the pain and want to do it again! Why are nationals a whole year away? The only upside is that I can get some decent hill practice in between now and Nationals 2021. I really hope we can have crowds next year and I will be there with grippier tyres and will have recce’d the hill properly. I’m excited for some more zone 6 workouts (thanks Tim for almost killing me) and hill practice in the coming year.

I gave my all and loved every painful second of it.

Maddie Heywood