Where to even start! Half way through 2017 and I am only just putting my electronic metaphoric pen to paper!
So summarizing is a massively abbreviated version of start til now.
My year started out with the broadest spectrum looking forwards I have in many years. Meaning I broadened my horizon of objectives and goals, and really sat down and assessed where I wanted to be, what I wanted to achieve, and potentially how. I wanted a different experience to last year, and went through a rigorous interrogation process of myself and those that would help me facilitate this. Time for a shake up and a change, and a new canvas to play on.
Rewinding in fast forward (if that even makes sense) haha, it was exciting to start working with a new Coach, Cam Watt. Some early season niggle saw me miss the first few races and I did a training camp in Brissy instead.
I jumped into a few World cups in the deep end coming out of niggle territory so did not see my best performances out of these but great to be back out there racing more than last year!
I raced in Chengdu World cup China, first up, where I simultaneously won and lost a race at the same time - B final win!
After the race here in China the voyage North continued. I settled back in sunny France where I indulged in fresh lettuce again, and got training ahead of the next World Cup in Madrid in a few weeks.
So summarizing is a massively abbreviated version of start til now.
My year started out with the broadest spectrum looking forwards I have in many years. Meaning I broadened my horizon of objectives and goals, and really sat down and assessed where I wanted to be, what I wanted to achieve, and potentially how. I wanted a different experience to last year, and went through a rigorous interrogation process of myself and those that would help me facilitate this. Time for a shake up and a change, and a new canvas to play on.
Rewinding in fast forward (if that even makes sense) haha, it was exciting to start working with a new Coach, Cam Watt. Some early season niggle saw me miss the first few races and I did a training camp in Brissy instead.
I jumped into a few World cups in the deep end coming out of niggle territory so did not see my best performances out of these but great to be back out there racing more than last year!
I raced in Chengdu World cup China, first up, where I simultaneously won and lost a race at the same time - B final win!
After the race here in China the voyage North continued. I settled back in sunny France where I indulged in fresh lettuce again, and got training ahead of the next World Cup in Madrid in a few weeks.
I was really excited about the new race course in Madrid, nice hard bike!....until my bike never arrived from the airplane. :( Slight hiccup...ok massive hiccup. First I was worried about the my pre race prep going so pear shaped, until I realized it was never going to arrive on time, and I had to worry if I was gong to be able to race at all instead! (Iberia customer service gets about a 1/10 on this on this occasion) and I actually had no bike to race on at all. Thanks to the help of the Spanish federation however, they sourced me a bike that morning. I'de be lying if I said I wasn't on the verge of pulling out. I had no race gear except my togs and run shoes. The likelihood of a crash on a foreign bike, far from my own bike set up! in someone else's bike shoes, with brakes back to front, made me nervous let alone how on earth I was going to keep up, on that hill on this bike! Somehow I got through it, definitely not the way I wanted too, I had to write that one off, but at least I got to race and saw some run legs creeping back with one of the fastest splits, I guess, I'm looking for silver linings, and I also apologize to the girls I was riding with if I was being a bit twitchy haha, now you know why!
Final pit stop of the World Cup trifecta was Cagliari, Italy. A seaside town in Sardinia, and it automatically won my affection with pink flamingos, and the way to my heart by way of gelato. :) The Italians sure know how to make gelato right!
I was fortunate enough to have my own set of wheels this time, which made for a better result, but with some big changes I had made this year, and my previous niggle, I had hurried into these races, before I found my real "groove" again. Though I knew that before I started, I still made time for a little tanty about it post race.
Final pit stop of the World Cup trifecta was Cagliari, Italy. A seaside town in Sardinia, and it automatically won my affection with pink flamingos, and the way to my heart by way of gelato. :) The Italians sure know how to make gelato right!
I was fortunate enough to have my own set of wheels this time, which made for a better result, but with some big changes I had made this year, and my previous niggle, I had hurried into these races, before I found my real "groove" again. Though I knew that before I started, I still made time for a little tanty about it post race.
A new adventure loomed after Cagliari. I packed my bags, and beanie, and hoodie, and headed up to train somewhere new to me. Up to the beautiful mountains in Switzerland, to St Moritz, with the Trisutto crew. (be prepared for photo spam)
Well if I had a mortgage it would be sold to go on the cost of living here, but you certainly buy beauty. The place is quite stunning. And an amazing backdrop to train in. Sitting at 1850m, snowcapped mountains, lakes, forests, dirt trails, its quite breathtaking. I wake up every morning and say wow. Except when its freezing and raining then its more a 4 letter word, f&*k. :0.
Without a doubt trail running is one of my favs. I just love it, and there is a network of running trails here that are just insane. This tied in nicely with my niggle being the past and finally being able to clock up some decent miles to my delight, to go and get lost in the woods!
So with running coming back together nicely now, training ticking along well, I ducked down to do a local Swiss race in a place called Uri. More mountains, more pretty lakes, #Switzerland . I got to test out my new Blue seventy Helix wetty, (which was awesome by the way) had a solid bike, and was on target running down the girls to run onto the podium, until race mishap showed its head again and I fell flat on my face. I rolled my ankle, I had stepped on a tree root hidden in the grass running full tilt, and did a land version of Astro boy sliding along the grass. I hobbled my way to finish the race and inspect the damage. I wont replay the verbal dialogue going through my head here, as I had just got my running coming back together, but I knew I was out of action again for a bit, and the stench of chlorine was going to grow rather rapidly on me the next few weeks.
So there we are, 6 months in 8 paragraphs! I am still up the mountain enjoying my fresh O2 depleted air, paying exorbitant prices for tomatoes, sticky taping my foot together, spending the longest time in a pair of tracksuit pants I have in 8 years, and getting ready to race again! Next race up will be Edmonton WTS.
Flick xx
Well if I had a mortgage it would be sold to go on the cost of living here, but you certainly buy beauty. The place is quite stunning. And an amazing backdrop to train in. Sitting at 1850m, snowcapped mountains, lakes, forests, dirt trails, its quite breathtaking. I wake up every morning and say wow. Except when its freezing and raining then its more a 4 letter word, f&*k. :0.
Without a doubt trail running is one of my favs. I just love it, and there is a network of running trails here that are just insane. This tied in nicely with my niggle being the past and finally being able to clock up some decent miles to my delight, to go and get lost in the woods!
So with running coming back together nicely now, training ticking along well, I ducked down to do a local Swiss race in a place called Uri. More mountains, more pretty lakes, #Switzerland . I got to test out my new Blue seventy Helix wetty, (which was awesome by the way) had a solid bike, and was on target running down the girls to run onto the podium, until race mishap showed its head again and I fell flat on my face. I rolled my ankle, I had stepped on a tree root hidden in the grass running full tilt, and did a land version of Astro boy sliding along the grass. I hobbled my way to finish the race and inspect the damage. I wont replay the verbal dialogue going through my head here, as I had just got my running coming back together, but I knew I was out of action again for a bit, and the stench of chlorine was going to grow rather rapidly on me the next few weeks.
So there we are, 6 months in 8 paragraphs! I am still up the mountain enjoying my fresh O2 depleted air, paying exorbitant prices for tomatoes, sticky taping my foot together, spending the longest time in a pair of tracksuit pants I have in 8 years, and getting ready to race again! Next race up will be Edmonton WTS.
Flick xx
Here is just a small slide show of some extra pictures. I thought id should share.
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