The news of my departure from the Fleet Elite team has slowly been circulating. I would like it known that this decision was made by Davina Summers and myself, and that I took into account a number of factors whilst making my decision.
I look forward to seeing what Fleet Elite are capable of with new management and wish them luck.
I am looking forward to riding my bike to the best of my ability, bring it on.
Change your losing game. Don't change your winning game.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Dazed and confused
Some days things go well and other days, well...
State Team Time Trial, Pinjarra.
Weird weather rain clearing at the start and wind picking up at the end.
Warming up was a bit of a task in itself, I had parked in the middle of a swampland, the heavens had opened up and like usual, was running behind schedule.
I made the most of the little time I did have. Recovered from a few near disasters, got myself to the start line, had my helmet checked, replaced helmet on head and had 40s to spare.
I was riding with Anna Kauffmann and Claire McLean. Anna has been consistently performing well in Time Trials and Claire had just returned from winning two bronze medals (TT and RR) at the Paracycling World Championships. I knew I had a tough job ahead of me but I was also excited about what we were capable of.
It was a tough ride. Anna was on fire and stompin. So much so that I was really struggling 10km in. But that's how you're meant to feel, right?
I know we're not the first one's it has happened to, and I'm sure we won't be the last, but 15km in, instead of sending us right the corner marshall made us U-turn to go home. Four confirmation requests later we complied, following the lead car and returning home. I'm sure we gave all the other girls a fright as they wouldn't have expected to see us just yet.
I don't know how or why or what happened afterwards, but we were the only team to return early. We knew the course, but we had to comply with the marshall. We were offered a restart to complete the full distance, but with our hearts already poured out on the road and energy stores depleted we didn't go again.
So not the result I hoped for but a bloody hard ride anyway.
Congratulations to Plan B (1st), EHBS (2nd) and a special congrats to the SPR girls (3rd) for winning their first medal at a State Championship.
State Team Time Trial, Pinjarra.
Weird weather rain clearing at the start and wind picking up at the end.
Warming up was a bit of a task in itself, I had parked in the middle of a swampland, the heavens had opened up and like usual, was running behind schedule.
I made the most of the little time I did have. Recovered from a few near disasters, got myself to the start line, had my helmet checked, replaced helmet on head and had 40s to spare.
I was riding with Anna Kauffmann and Claire McLean. Anna has been consistently performing well in Time Trials and Claire had just returned from winning two bronze medals (TT and RR) at the Paracycling World Championships. I knew I had a tough job ahead of me but I was also excited about what we were capable of.
It was a tough ride. Anna was on fire and stompin. So much so that I was really struggling 10km in. But that's how you're meant to feel, right?
I know we're not the first one's it has happened to, and I'm sure we won't be the last, but 15km in, instead of sending us right the corner marshall made us U-turn to go home. Four confirmation requests later we complied, following the lead car and returning home. I'm sure we gave all the other girls a fright as they wouldn't have expected to see us just yet.
I don't know how or why or what happened afterwards, but we were the only team to return early. We knew the course, but we had to comply with the marshall. We were offered a restart to complete the full distance, but with our hearts already poured out on the road and energy stores depleted we didn't go again.
So not the result I hoped for but a bloody hard ride anyway.
Congratulations to Plan B (1st), EHBS (2nd) and a special congrats to the SPR girls (3rd) for winning their first medal at a State Championship.
Monday, September 14, 2009
It's always a fight with your headspace, sometimes you want to win
ATTA Shenton Park TT 17km - Sunday 13th September
It seemed so long since I'd done a Time Trial, but at the same time, I didn't feel ready to do my next one. I've been losing the TT headspace battle recently so I saw Shenton Park as an opportunity to go out and have fun. If you know the course you may think that I'm losing a different battle - sanity. Shenton Park is difficult because it is half uphill and the worst climb is the shortest. The straights are short and one of the turns has a nice bump in it that can get the adrenalin pumping if you hit it wrong. Since Geelong I've been finding my bike love again and I'm finally feeling a bit of fitness.
The weather Sunday wasn't exactly motivating but luckily the skies cleared as riders were starting. Most people that know me, or have seen the back of my car, will know that I am not a very organised person and leave most things to the last minute. This saw me changing brake pads in the middle of my warm up and the usual running around like a headless chook. Unlike my last TT though, I was at the start line on time.
The roads were still wet on my way to the start line, but after getting over the initial shock of cold water in the socks it was fine. The roads were even starting to dry up by the time I was finishing.
I managed to find a rhythm fairly quickly this time and was attacking the climbs rather than being attacked by them. I was playing cat and mouse with Roger Hales for a lap, he passed me on the second climb but I caught him at the corner, only for him to take off on the last climb. I then caught him at the next corner only to say goodbye to him in the straight up Brookdale. It was good to have a little rabbit to encourage me to push harder. Whatever it was, it worked and my time was a PB by almost a minute. I was happy and am now feeling a little more confident going into the State Team Time Trial this weekend.
Full results here
It seemed so long since I'd done a Time Trial, but at the same time, I didn't feel ready to do my next one. I've been losing the TT headspace battle recently so I saw Shenton Park as an opportunity to go out and have fun. If you know the course you may think that I'm losing a different battle - sanity. Shenton Park is difficult because it is half uphill and the worst climb is the shortest. The straights are short and one of the turns has a nice bump in it that can get the adrenalin pumping if you hit it wrong. Since Geelong I've been finding my bike love again and I'm finally feeling a bit of fitness.
The weather Sunday wasn't exactly motivating but luckily the skies cleared as riders were starting. Most people that know me, or have seen the back of my car, will know that I am not a very organised person and leave most things to the last minute. This saw me changing brake pads in the middle of my warm up and the usual running around like a headless chook. Unlike my last TT though, I was at the start line on time.
The roads were still wet on my way to the start line, but after getting over the initial shock of cold water in the socks it was fine. The roads were even starting to dry up by the time I was finishing.
I managed to find a rhythm fairly quickly this time and was attacking the climbs rather than being attacked by them. I was playing cat and mouse with Roger Hales for a lap, he passed me on the second climb but I caught him at the corner, only for him to take off on the last climb. I then caught him at the next corner only to say goodbye to him in the straight up Brookdale. It was good to have a little rabbit to encourage me to push harder. Whatever it was, it worked and my time was a PB by almost a minute. I was happy and am now feeling a little more confident going into the State Team Time Trial this weekend.
Full results here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)