Lauren Stevenson’s first Ard Rock

I’d only been mountain biking for 10 months when Santa signed me up for the Intro at Ard Rock.

 I was quite happy with the idea of spending 2025 working on staying upright for a whole day’s riding, so every time my partner floated the idea of entering, I shot it down - you can’t enter something like that after only riding for a year!

 So when I opened the invitation from Santa, my heart sank… Mainly because this wasn’t something I could regift as I didn’t have any mountain biking friends and Santa had already signed my partner up too for moral support. It was really looking like I was going to have to actually have a go.

 I spent the first 2 months of the year in total panic, in which time a girl I met at a ladies' day managed to convince me to sign up to Ard Moors, 2 months before Ard Rock (I know what you're thinking, and yes, I was crazy)… In for a penny, in for a pound though, right? Not wanting to feel embarrassed in front of my newest (and first) female mountain biking friend, I signed up.

 4 months of anxiety, overthinking and self-doubt with many a “you’ve signed up to Ard Moors before trying Ard Rock?!?!” type conversation followed. By the time the big weekend arrived, I just wanted it to be over.

 Of course, the weather was absolutely insane; rain like you’ve never seen and sideways hail resulted in mud up to my eyeballs. Not ideal conditions for my first EVER race!

 I decided I was just going to ride what I could and walk what I couldn’t. I didn’t start mountain biking to be competitive after all, I started it so I could challenge and be proud of myself.

 Well, it turns out that kind of attitude can get you a third place podium finish at your first enduro.

 That event was a real eye opener for me and meant I went into Ard Rock with a totally different mindset. I realised it didn’t matter if I was steadier than my friends, or if I walked more sections than I rode, I was out there to experience the highs and lows of enduro and get better at a sport I had grown to love.

 Sure, the nerves came and went over the months leading up to it, and I definitely had a mild panic before dropping into my first stage, but the Ard Rock Intro was a whole lot of fun from start to finish.

 The Intro was everything I wanted as a female beginner mountain biker for my second-first experience between the tapes. I rode with a little crew of girls I had met over the year and over the course of the day we gathered more to our troop - you don’t get that in any other sport!

 There was no aggression, everyone was courteous on passing and there was plenty of gal-fizz at the top and bottom of each stage. It was all clearly taped and there were a whole load of marshals there to cheer us on or scoop us up if we had a little “lie down”.

 I was on a total high for weeks after the event and my riding ability absolutely sky rocketed - that alone is a reason to get yourself signed up!

 My first proper year of riding has been an absolute rollercoaster and 2026 is set to be exactly the same. I haven’t chosen all my races yet but one thing is for sure, Ard Rock Intro is a definite. As for Ard Moors… we’ll see what Santa brings!

Written by Lauren Stevenson a Trail Bloom Ambassador