Cycling
Shane and I made a secret mission to join 6 of our family members in a stealth mission over to Perth to surprise my sister for her 40th Birthday! Needless to say it was a total surprise, there were tears of joy and we spent the remainder of the weekend with the family catching up and cycling our favourite places.
After we got back from Perth I had a couple of days in Sydney for a work conference, then spent 5 days in Cairns to relax with Hannah, my sister and Stephen Lane (Slane).
The second day we met up with Fi (one of Slane's athletes that he coaches) and took a ride out around the sugar cane.
The third day we went and challenged a local KOM called Copperlode.
The fourth day we went and checked out the gorges/waterfalls and went for a hike. The fifth day we re-visted Copperlode again.
I had one final break in August before a big block of work and booked in a trip to the Northern Territory to coincide with the Top End Grand Fondo. It was super hot and I just missed out on the podium with 4th place, but it was great to visit another place on my bucket list. Last state is Tasmania. Not sure I can fit it in this year, but that would give me the complete set!
I also got talked into doing a crit on a semi-technical circuit. It was steaming hot, but good to get out there again. Finished in the bunch mixed in with C-Grade men so I finished up with a surprise second place.
Work started up again and Shane went to Europe for Eurobike. The next time I touched the bike was for Amy's Gran Fondo. Thanks to Thule and Go Active Outdoors we had entries and new kit to wear.
Unfortunately the weather turned to drizzle and cold day out so it was pretty miserable through to the great ocean road home. We had the best fish n chips and our housemate Chevonne Arrowsmith won her age category. She did so well!
With the big goal of Around the Bay looming up, I didn't want a repeat day like the gran fondo, so I kept on riding through September and signed up for the first day of the Rapha Transfer ride to Wagga Wagga. We took a train from Melbourne to Seymour then rolled our way to Rutherglen. It was an interesting day as the weather just held out for us.
We had a delayed start with a tree that had fallen down on the train tracks, then flooding in the area meant we may have to re-route, but the police checked that we could get through on our ride. Arriving at a local pub, it was a line-up for the two showers, but with a record 11 ladies completing the 200km day, I was feeling pretty chuffed. Another bucket list item completed - 200kms in one ride.
Unfortunately I got a head cold from riding in the rain from Rutherglen to Beechworth the next day, then cycling up Mt Buffalo into the snow, so I had a few days off the bike before Around the Bay.
The day before the big event, the weather turned quite bad with gale force winds. My team had abandoned the ride and if I was going to do it - it was going to be solo! With the change in plans, I decided to ride to the start and it ended up being a LONG day out jumping from bunch to bunch. I set a new personal best kilometre count with 240km, and set a new Strava QOM record from the Westgate Bride to Queenscliff.
Wind assistance helped for sure as the trip from Frankston to Melbourne City was abysmal and pretty much solo.
Here is the interview that Shane put up on YouTube for Around the Bay.
The next big event was Rapha Prestige Margaret River over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. I was pretty excited for this event after the Brisbane Prestige. Rachel Edwards was keen to come along right from the outset and had sorted out some sweet kit from ZOCA in California. I wanted to get a few local ladies on the team as well, so Erin Kinnealy joined us for the 180kms. Melissa had to pull out in the last week, but signed up Sabine Bird in her place.
We had a great time out and about, though I wished that I had have continued riding after ATB to have a bit more fitness under by belt. Stunning scenery was at every corner, but the weather did not play too nicely with the wind and drizzle setting in for the second half of the day. Totally worth the trip though and many thanks to Subaru for the car.
Here is the post ride interview Shane put up on YouTube.
The next day after WA, I was on a flight to Sydney for the next block of work. I left my bike in the bag and re-packed my work gear around it. Now I am training for L'Etape Australia. A mega benefit of joining Rapha cycling club this year has been to keep consistent in riding in a city I don't know.
Sydney is not the easiest place to get around, but with the high pressure I am under for work I am very glad that I brought my bike. Only 12 days to go before the race. Looking forward to doing some new hills!
Catch up 2nd half of the 2016
The last few months have been a blur finishing off the Zwift Academy, so here is a recap of the adventures to date.Shane and I made a secret mission to join 6 of our family members in a stealth mission over to Perth to surprise my sister for her 40th Birthday! Needless to say it was a total surprise, there were tears of joy and we spent the remainder of the weekend with the family catching up and cycling our favourite places.
After we got back from Perth I had a couple of days in Sydney for a work conference, then spent 5 days in Cairns to relax with Hannah, my sister and Stephen Lane (Slane).
The second day we met up with Fi (one of Slane's athletes that he coaches) and took a ride out around the sugar cane.
The third day we went and challenged a local KOM called Copperlode.
The fourth day we went and checked out the gorges/waterfalls and went for a hike. The fifth day we re-visted Copperlode again.
I had one final break in August before a big block of work and booked in a trip to the Northern Territory to coincide with the Top End Grand Fondo. It was super hot and I just missed out on the podium with 4th place, but it was great to visit another place on my bucket list. Last state is Tasmania. Not sure I can fit it in this year, but that would give me the complete set!
I also got talked into doing a crit on a semi-technical circuit. It was steaming hot, but good to get out there again. Finished in the bunch mixed in with C-Grade men so I finished up with a surprise second place.
Work started up again and Shane went to Europe for Eurobike. The next time I touched the bike was for Amy's Gran Fondo. Thanks to Thule and Go Active Outdoors we had entries and new kit to wear.
Unfortunately the weather turned to drizzle and cold day out so it was pretty miserable through to the great ocean road home. We had the best fish n chips and our housemate Chevonne Arrowsmith won her age category. She did so well!
With the big goal of Around the Bay looming up, I didn't want a repeat day like the gran fondo, so I kept on riding through September and signed up for the first day of the Rapha Transfer ride to Wagga Wagga. We took a train from Melbourne to Seymour then rolled our way to Rutherglen. It was an interesting day as the weather just held out for us.
We had a delayed start with a tree that had fallen down on the train tracks, then flooding in the area meant we may have to re-route, but the police checked that we could get through on our ride. Arriving at a local pub, it was a line-up for the two showers, but with a record 11 ladies completing the 200km day, I was feeling pretty chuffed. Another bucket list item completed - 200kms in one ride.
Unfortunately I got a head cold from riding in the rain from Rutherglen to Beechworth the next day, then cycling up Mt Buffalo into the snow, so I had a few days off the bike before Around the Bay.
The day before the big event, the weather turned quite bad with gale force winds. My team had abandoned the ride and if I was going to do it - it was going to be solo! With the change in plans, I decided to ride to the start and it ended up being a LONG day out jumping from bunch to bunch. I set a new personal best kilometre count with 240km, and set a new Strava QOM record from the Westgate Bride to Queenscliff.
Wind assistance helped for sure as the trip from Frankston to Melbourne City was abysmal and pretty much solo.
Here is the interview that Shane put up on YouTube for Around the Bay.
The next big event was Rapha Prestige Margaret River over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. I was pretty excited for this event after the Brisbane Prestige. Rachel Edwards was keen to come along right from the outset and had sorted out some sweet kit from ZOCA in California. I wanted to get a few local ladies on the team as well, so Erin Kinnealy joined us for the 180kms. Melissa had to pull out in the last week, but signed up Sabine Bird in her place.
We had a great time out and about, though I wished that I had have continued riding after ATB to have a bit more fitness under by belt. Stunning scenery was at every corner, but the weather did not play too nicely with the wind and drizzle setting in for the second half of the day. Totally worth the trip though and many thanks to Subaru for the car.
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| A little bit of off road |
The next day after WA, I was on a flight to Sydney for the next block of work. I left my bike in the bag and re-packed my work gear around it. Now I am training for L'Etape Australia. A mega benefit of joining Rapha cycling club this year has been to keep consistent in riding in a city I don't know.
Sydney is not the easiest place to get around, but with the high pressure I am under for work I am very glad that I brought my bike. Only 12 days to go before the race. Looking forward to doing some new hills!
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| Ciao from Margaret River |
