Salisbury Plain Gravel Sportive, 17 Oct 2021

This was an event of many firsts for me. Not only was it the longest distance I had ever ridden (on-road OR off-road) at 121km, but it was also the first cycling event I had ever participated in. I was obviously a bit nervous - for a lot of reasons - but my biggest concern was not knowing what the terrain would look like and if I was up to it from a technical perspective. I had also been unwell with a cold for a few weeks and while I was feeling much better I was worried that my fitness level wasn’t going to be enough.

The weather was perfect and there was a staggered start to the event, which made it more relaxed. The terrain was a mix of road, gravel and dirt tracks. There were some fairly narrow single tracks and lots of bottle necking - but I was really pleased to have held my nerve and make it through without any major wipeouts.

There were a lot of rolling hills which were fun and challenging in equal measure. As well, the first and second feed stops were quite spread out. I learnt that, next time, I will make more of an effort to eat on the go rather than waiting for actual, planned stops.

My final time was 7:51 - including feed stops. It definitely took me longer than I thought it would, but I am really proud of what I accomplished.

Heather Pearson