Lea’s Story (2006)

I started cycling to work first before I could drive, and I carried on cycling to work when the car went wrong, or if I couldn’t afford the fuel.

Whilst working in a horse yard in Essex a young chap called Colin Wilgress (now also an Essex Roads member) was working at the same place and invited me to take up cycling properly. Being a very sporting and competitive person (in the horse world) I decided to have a go.

I think my first club races were competed on my brother’s old Raleigh 501 with the front forks stove in - when you turned the front wheel it used to catch my toes! When Colin took the wheels off of it they actually didn’t spin round at all. They were so damaged and over used!!! He threw them away and put an old set of his on so at least I went a bit quicker.

Then he persuaded me to try some SPD Peddles. Well that was terrifying for me. I think I fell off twice!! But I knew it was the way forward if I wanted to do well. I was next to borrow his road bike for a club 10 mile time-trial on the E4 back in 1999. I think I produced a 25.46. I then progressed and it was decided that I needed a new bike. Colin managed to purchase for me ‘The Yellow Peril’, of which I still have and ride today. It is a Peugeot road bike, very basic, with a Shimano 9 speed group set, which I raced for a couple of seasons on and did my first 50 on the E5. It gets me to work and back and around the occasional club 10 now.

We were then getting on famously with other cyclists on the circuit and a young man by the name of Andy Page (Ciclos Uno) was selling his GT frame. Colin decided that this was the one for me. He got the gang at Trevor Maddens shop Ciclos Uno to build the bike for me. Purchasing second hand Cinelli Angle handle bars (full aero bars and arm rests) which took some getting used to… and a new saddle for comfort, a Ladies Trans Am with the toilet seat effect! I borrowed Colin’s other wheels for a while and occasionally borrowed his disc wheel when he wasn’t racing. An offer came up for me to purchase a Mavic disc wheel for half the price and a new Mavic Cosmic front wheel. I have had some serious fun at the Nationals for the last few years. The girls are fantastic and we all stick together as there is not a lot of us around in this very male dominated sport.

About 3 years ago I started to ride the Essex Roads Wednesday night time-trial races as it was easier for me to get to these than other club races. The atmosphere was and still is always warm and fun, everybody there is always pleased to see you no matter what club you ride for. I then rode a couple of Essex Roads Opens and Mr Spanton suggested in 2005 at their last open that I would be welcome to join Essex Roads CC. Since joining Essex Roads it’s been fantastic. Everybody wants you to do well but also everyone likes a good laugh. I have ridden quite a few opens this year and I am faster this year ever. Smashing my personal best over 10 miles, now standing at 24 minutes and 6 seconds, I know I can go under the 24 on a faster day. I have just beaten my old 25 mile time taking that down to a respectable 1 hour 1 minute and 31 seconds and also winning the Ladies Prize, not to mention winning the Shaftesbury Open 50 Ladies and getting another personal best down to 2 hours 10 minutes and 58 seconds…

I am currently lying in 2^nd place in our district SPOCO events, and have some ECCA Medals to come too. I broke a course record over 7km at the ECCA Festival after two days of racing, I was so elated.

Last month it was decided that if Colin & I borrowed a tandem that we might have a go at beating some of the club mixed tandem records. The wonderful Mick Scott (Essex Roads) has kindly lent us his tandem and thoroughly encouraged us to go for it. So we have entered several different distances and it’s a kind of watch this space, you never know by the end of this 2006 season we may have a few under our belts. Have a look on the Essex Roads website to see just how I got on!