An intense start

Well today is a day to catch my breath. Things have been so full on it isn't even funny! The week before last I started my job, Annaliisa and I had about 3-4 hrs of photo shoots, and to top it off we went down to Palmerston to race the nationals course and compete in Otago champs. Work is good. I am doing 6 hours a day and then training. It is quite mentally fatiguing and I am finding it a bit of a challenge, but I am sure I will get into it. One of the best things about it is how little time I have to think about other things. If I do have time I usually think (and stress) about cycling. I know it isn't good for me so the job is really good as it always has me engaged. I am working on a pilot project with the under 5's team trying to improve accessibility to resources and improve child health.
Training has also been good. Annaliisa and I seem to be getting a unbelievable number of flat tyres though... Annaliisa is forever replacing tubes...
The photo shoot went well. It was long and I felt quite stpid standing there while the photographer took many photos for a long time! Annaliisa was so silly throughout the shoot which meant I never stopped laughing. Some of the photos are out for you to admire!




























Last weekend we rode the nationals course. It is a nice course with 3-4 short sharp hill climbs. The steepest of these is a bit like Murray Anslie except longer. Then you had to ride about 3km of the main road. We had to do 2 laps, and Annaliisa and I hammered them. We rode in a bunch with AWD riders and other vet 7 riders. We got away and finished about 1-2 minutes faster then the first bunch. It was a good ride, suited to how Annaliisa and I have been training. It was kind of like the Cust 85km race we had ridden the week before only much shorter which set us in good stead. I am confident Annaliisa and I will give it our all at nationals.
The time trial was a real disappointment as we had a head wind on the way out and a side wind on the way back. This meant it was a very slow slog, slower than I thought it would be. If we do get the same conditions at nationals we know what to expect.

Last week was a bit of a slower week except for monday. On monday I had 2 newspaper interviews, the star and the daily mail. They wanted the whole story, my story and my dream. It was fairly taxing going back through everything twice, but it reminded me how far I have come, and what a big goal I have in front of me. The stories came out on wednesday and it has been really great to see peoples support. I love it when strangers talk to me about what is happening or wish me luck. Yesterday Annaliisa and I rode a scratch race at Eierton. It was a very fast intense race and the bunch was closely matched so there were no breakaways. I found it very challenging both mentally and physically. After the race though about 5 people came and talked to me. Some talked to me about the newspaper story and most wished me luck. It really stoked me out.

Well I will write again soon, as this dream becomes more and more real.

Neelu