What a year it’s been. I don’t know about everyone else but I’m so relieved to see the end of it writes Ruth Nugent
I’m sure we will still have restrictions of a sort next year but hopefully, we will get back to some normality when it comes to racing!
RSA Rallysprints
I began competing in the RSA rallysprints in Class 2 at the beginning of last year and finished the championship at the start of this year. A few months later I was given the news that I had won my class in the Winter championship. I couldn’t believe it! I had gone to the RSA events for some experience and fun and found myself a lot more comfortable with this form of racing, I never would’ve imagined actually doing well in it. It gave me the confidence boost I needed and then I made the hard decision to sell my Fiesta Zetec (aka. Freddie the Fiesta) and begin building a Mini Cooper into a race car with the aim of racing in Rallycross, Hillclimbs and Rallysprints within Ireland and Northern Ireland. I have no mechanical knowledge whatsoever but have always been interested in how a car works and how a car is adapted to become a race/rally car. With the help of my Dad, cousin Mark and his son Alex, we have successfully managed to make it sound and look the part. There are still a few last bits to be done, I need to get all the cockpit bits (seat, belts etc.) but it runs well and is ready for the final additions. It’s been a long, patience-testing and expensive journey but it’s one I’ve always wanted to see through and it’s a dream come true. I’ve loved learning so much. I learned every possible thing to tick off a list when a car won’t start (turns out it needed a new fuel pump!), how brakes work and how they’re fitted, how clean a car really needs to be for painting the inside, the wiring of all the electrics in the car, how important earths are, what an inertia switch is and so many more things. It’s safe to say I will stick to being a land surveyor for a living but at least I learned a lot! I can’t wait to unveil the final product and my plans for 2021! It’s going to be an exciting year.
BMX
With very little racing happening this year I had to find a way to stay sane and somewhere to channel my energy and of course that meant that I needed wheels in some shape or form! I had taken up BMX back in 2018 and got my first mountain bike in 2019 and haven’t looked back since. Mountain Biking was a bit more accessible this year during the countrywide lockdowns as BMX tracks were closed so I began get 10-20km cycles in as often as I could and get to mountain biking trails whenever possible. I cannot believe how much my fitness has improved over the last 9 months!
Bike Like Me
Then, during the Summer, I was chosen to be a “Bike Like Me” advocate for Cycling Ireland. “Bike Like Me” is Cycling Ireland’s overarching campaign to inspire more women and girls to discover cycling and feel confident on their bikes. The Cycling Ireland led campaign aligns with Sport Ireland’s Policy on Women in Sport which intends to address four target areas – Active Participation, Coaching and Officiating, Visibility and Leadership and Governance. Cycling Ireland and I both hope that as a beginner in both BMX and mountain biking, I could encourage other females who may have an interest in either forms of cycling to feel like they could take the next step forward and get on a bike. I decided to organise a ladies beginner meet up a few months ago purely because I wanted to meet more females within cycling and I was lucky enough to of met so many amazing ladies buzzing to get on a bike and up a mountain as soon as they could! We’ve kept in touch and had more meetups since which has been great as we’ve all been able to learn together. I have recently been asked to join the Helmetor team as an ambassador. This was a big surprise to me and I’m delighted as it has given me the motivation to decide to give competing in an enduro race next year a go for a bit of fun and experience! It’ll be a great way to keep the fitness up for racing in the Mini too.
Finding the positives
I probably (definitely) have too many adrenalin-filled hobbies at this stage but I’m loving every minute of it! It’s important to still take time out to relax and reflect too. I’m always trying to find the balance but as of right now, I feel like I’m getting there and I’m grateful for all the opportunities and people who have helped me get where I am now. 3 years ago I never would’ve imagined I would built a race car and be mountain biking or BMX-ing! It hasn’t been an easy year, that’s for sure. But sometimes we have no other choice but to try and take the positives from the negatives.
Here’s to a happy and healthy end to 2020 and beginning to 2021! Until next time check out my previous posts here You can message me on Facebook here or follow me on Twitter
Ruth Nugent
26th November 2020
