Saturday 24 November 2007

DEFINITELY A ROADIE

December this year is significant for many reasons. It celebrates four years of riding, the anniversary of my brutal crash, ‘Big Sexy’s’ passing and now the Revolution series! Many think the thought of racing on a 250m track for hours on end is very unappealing, and they would be right. But watching others ride in a circle for an extended period of time... very exciting! Unfortunately I wasn’t in the crowd; instead I was proving that I am in fact NOT a trackie. After 15months without a single track session I was always going to struggle. I attacked in the scratch race with fellow Carnegie member Lisa Friend and was bought back at bell lap to finish last as originally promised. I was again off the front in the points score and despite silent wishes that the girls would catch me earlier; I was left solo for 13 laps, leading with one lap to go. Belinda Goss ended up taking out both races and I claimed second in the points.

Results: Revolution Cycling Series, Race 1, Vodaphone Arena, Melbourne

Sunday 18 November 2007

TEAM LOVE REUNION

Two weeks since my last entry and in that time two Glenvale’s have been cancelled, two revolution promotions completed, three birthday’s celebrated and three massages’ received. Within 4 days my nieces Leila and Angel turned 1 and 4, and my youngest sibling Kerry aged to 17. Unfortunately I didn’t get to enjoy the important aspects of birthday festivities such as...party food =( With just one exam to go the motivation for study is running critically low. Combine this with the hot weather and my new blonde highlights then I’m bound to stumble on some unintelligent accomplishments. I found myself exfoliating my hair a few times last week and honest to god I was attacked by ducks while climbing Mount Tassie! And no I don’t have a photo to prove it...

Although every excursion to Melbourne is a cuisine experience for me at the Smyth’s household, I was treated to a slightly different diet of choice when catching up with “team love” (above). In my old track days I was joined at the hip with three girls in Livia Gluchowska, Apryl Eppinger and Tiffany Godfrey and this was to be our first reunion in over 12months! Planned dinner at a vegetarian restaurant...meaning NO MEAT...had me more than worried about what choice of fast food I would have to purchase on the way home to fill the spot. To my surprise I didn’t even get to lick my plate clean because I failed to fit in the medium sized meal, a very rare occurrence for me! By the time gelati had been consumed I was feeling slightly sick, about as sick as I’m feeling right now after deciding to test out my new running shoes on a full stomach...in the rain...with thunderstorms...

Saturday 3 November 2007

TALKING ABOUT A REVOLUTION!

'Track is back' ... I found myself standing roadside in Mordialloc for 2.5hours this morning repeating this line, and despite the chilly temperatures, many congregated in interest of the Revolution Series promotional banner, or could it have been the free snakes?? Livia Gluchowska, Clint McDonell and Susan Stewart joined me in our quest to advertise the series that begins at Vodaphone Arena on Saturday November 24th. For more information go to www.cyclingrevolution.com.au. To warm up, as the numbers began to die, Liv and I met up with Apryl Eppinger and ventured the few kilometres into Beaumaris for a second breakfast. The French toast went down nicely and when I finally returned home, 7 hours after departure, I was slightly disappointed I’d only ticked over 55kms! A hard week was scheduled for my third and fourth weeks back in training. By the time Thursday hit, the legs were slightly tender but while sitting on the train at 6:30am on my way to motor pacing with Dave Sanders, the feeling was more apprehensive.

We left Edithvale at 9am and suffered our first puncture on our way to Sorrento. On the way home Dylan Boone experienced bike problems forcing Davo to tow him to the nearest station while a mere two continued with their turns behind the bike. By the time we got to Frankston it was raining and the ride home saw me sprayed with water, dirt and grime by passing trucks! As if having to clean my dirt ridden Bianchi wasn’t upsetting enough, I experienced something a lot more painful on the Sunday when I volunteered to marshal for the C grade bunch at Glenvale. The howling winds made my time in B grade quite difficult and I definately gave myself a good workout, but after the hour had passed it was time to do it all again...this time even harder! I was dropping wheels, chasing gaps and found myself taking 3 laps out of the C grade race when my role was to sit on the outer and inform of the approaching A grade bunch. If I wasn’t watching on the sidelines as the pass was made I was certainly in no state to be yelling out to the competitors!