So, because I used to race BMX during 1980 and 1986ish, I bought a cruiser to help encourage Tara when we went practising at our local BMX track mid-week. For those not aware, a cruiser is a bigger version of the nromal BMX. Standard BMX's have 20" wheels whereas a Cruiser has 24" wheels. They are supposed to be more forgiving I'm told?
To be honest it was quite scary the first couple of go's. Even though our Club track is Preston Pirates, our local track is actually Blackpool ( Stanley Park ) and its a fast long track with some big jumps. Gaining confidence bit by bit both myself and Tara took part in Preston's coach Shaun Calvert's Intensive Training session at Blackpool on Weds night ( 19th June ).
It was mental. Absolutely knackering. Shaun's training involved us doing a variety of different activities in a bid to improve our bike skills and fitness
The first activity involved us doing gates 2 at a time chasing your partner around the full track at racing speed. That was quite tiring in itself! Water, I need water! Just staying on the bike at these speeds takes some getting used to. Its been 27 years since I've ridden a BMX! I still haven't got the bottle to jump properly and only just starting to be able to lift the front wheel to sort of Manual over a jump. Having said that, after some advice by Shaun to lift my bars bar turnign over the stem, the lifting is a little easier. A little! Those that can manual proper look awesome and so smooth. I'm just about hanging on and more often than not, banging the front wheel againt the upside of the second jump! I guess it will come with more practise!
My training partner Russ seemed quite suprised at my speed - I'll take that as a compliment!!
After that we had to ride our bikes on a grass course marked out by cones. The idea being because the corners were tight you would need to use your arms to pull on the bars and accelerate out of the corner. Again this was racing against your partner. We also had a bamboo cane or 2 to bunny hop over along each straight!! Not that I'm competitive or anything but I would have won each go had I not gone down like a sack of spuds at the 2nd corner leaving Russ to take an easy victory. Shaun thought it hilarious that the first to crash was an original old skooler! More water needed too!
Back to the track we all lined up on the first jump facing the start hill. The idea was we had to roll ( free wheel ) down the first jump and when Shaun shouted `Go` we pedalled hard up the start hill. Again, good solid practising for using your upper strength to acclerate the bike. I don't think Lisa Hilton liked it too much as she didn't always make it to the top - I think she was saving herself for later!
I think we did some more racing around the track but as I'm getting on a bit, the memory isn't quite the same!
To finish we had a relay race around the grass course. What a laugh this turned out to be. Great team building and making friends.
Russ Clegg we already knew from our little evening sessions ( in the jeans )
Richard Sealey ( in black and white )
You can just see me in this photo over the first jump!
Lisa ( Elbows Out ) Hilton
Amanda ( I need the loo ) Stileman
Michael O Murcho ( on the right, tongue hanging out, going to get ya! )
Andy Hill ( who apparently knew my name and used to race back in the day as well against the likes of Wayne Llewellyn, etc. Andy, I haven't seen you name in any of the old BMX Bi-Weekly mags I've just found on the internet!!). He's in the red/blue Sky jersey
Coach told us what we should do but, of course being the kids we all were, none of us listened to him so I suggested he showed us what to do. Good on Shaun for showing us!
I, of course, make a fool of myself at the same corner as I crashed out on, on my bike. This time on foot! Unfortunately for me, but not for everyone else, Bike Widow Photographer Suzanne McHugh was on hand to capture the evidence. Cheers, really appreciated! He he. It was the cone that jumped out at me, honest!
Ric and Lisa then decided to have a little scrap much to the amusement of the rest of us!
Fancy being picked on by a girl, Ric!
At the end I had jelly legs. Considering I class myself as fit with all the road cycling I have done, BMX is completely different and, obviously, uses different muscles. Hard work but good fun.
Big thanks to Shaun for the session. Thanks to Suzanne for the excellent photos and many thanks to Molly's mum Diana `The Bag Lady` Cranshaw for looking after our water bottles!!
Back for more? Maybe.........
