WOODHILL MTB, WOMENS RIDE

I’ve had my mtb since late 2019 and I’ve ridden it EXTREMELY intermittently since then.

I had high hopes – the idea of mountain biking appealed, but in reality actually riding down hills on trails scared the bejesus out of me. Straights I’m fine with, even if there were loads of roots – even going up hill wasn’t a problem – but descents, well they were another story all together.

So – I just had this bike, sitting in the garage, somewhat unloved.

Fast forward to Feb 2025 and as an injured runner who was training for two running events without being able to run, my coach got me back on the bike and I remembered, I do actually love this bike – it’s just the lack of skills (and confidence) that prohibit me from doing it more often.

And then I saw that Woodhill MTB was running a womens ride and they had a beginner group (and it sounded like an actual beginner group – not like when you go to a run club and they say they have a beginners group, but when you get there you find that, the beginners are running a 6 minute km, which is something I haven’t done in years).

So I signed up and hoped for the best.

Thankfully the beginners group were actual beginners (although, I was THE MOST beginner of them all) – but our coach was super patient and whenever I really didn’t want to do anything (like the “big” hill), she’d try and gently encourage me to give it a go, but if I wasn’t feeling it – she let me do the easier version.

What I learned in those two hours was such a confidence booster – just knowing how to position yourself on the bike has made all the difference and I’m keen to practice my new skills so, that on the next ride, I’m able to take on that “big” hill like all the other kids.

Till next time

I’ll be out on the trails ..