OK, clearly my life is SOOO hectic that I can’t find twenty minutes to knock out a blog post in, errr, I don’t know how long. As I always say, I am sure everyone has been hankering after an update, waiting with bated breath and completely unable to function without knowing what is going on. In fact, there IS a lot going on. So there.
So, first things first. Ever since JPM has been in New Zealand for the World Championships (will blog about the fantastic racing produced by GB, the awesome pocket rocket Frida Svensson taking Karsten down and surprises in other events separately) I have had cause to examine where I am in terms of my day to day training, and where I feel comfortable and happy. I have taken the decision, after a lot of soul searching, to move up-river to Henley Rowing Club and I moved the little ship up there on Tuesday morning where she seems quite happy. It felt like my first day at a new school but the other children played nicely and Captain Dan (who I knew anyway) was a very helpful headmaster.
The spare boat is currently sitting on a trailer in Turin, ready for this weekend’s Silver Skiff head race, held over 11000m on the River Po – we fly first thing in the morning and I am so excited. I did a practice 9000m piece at Eton Excelsior last weekend in preparation for it and O. M. G. I bleated like a good ‘un! It’s going to hurt like a bitch, my glutes will scream, my lungs will fight for air and every fibre of my body will beg for mercy but I am relishing the challenge and loving the thought of getting back out there. I had a bug three weeks ago (which everyone seems to have had I think) and I’m getting much better, so much so that I’m not even considering it as a factor in my preparations. I have done a lot of NLP and work on my self-confidence, and it’s constantly surprising to me still that I don’t feel this sense of pathetic apology when preparing for races, ergos and training. I was talking to my Pilates clients this afternoon when they asked how things were going, and I could honestly say that I am heading towards, and experiencing, the things that I have been searching for, for so long both in my training and attitude. I cannot wait for each race now; training is about speed, not weight, and races, which were almost an interruption to my training, are now something to be searched for and become enthused about. I’ve got former World Champions Pamela Weisshaupt of Switzerland and Daniela Nachazelova of the Czech Republic hunting me down and it’s going to be a right old ding dong. Whoop whoop! Bring it ON!
The other exciting project which I was being coy about is looking very good, but has been marred somewhat by a huge curveball, unceremoniously chucked at us courtesy of the All Africa Games organisers who have now moved the competition from 3-17th July to 3rd – 18th SEPTEMBER!!
Basically, I was contacted some months ago by a chap called Tim Cook who found out about me on tinterweb while browsing about rowing in Zambia. He is planning to put together a team to be the first people to row the Zambezi from the Angolan border with Zambia to the Victoria Falls at Livingstone, and he has asked me to be the only – and therefore first ever – woman to complete the challenge. The row will probably be taking place at the end of July/beginning of August, which would be perfect timing if the AAG dates had been at the original time. Now we have to start thinking creatively and work out the best way of dealing with the situation.
More about all of this later.
Peace, out, until after I have bleated my way down the course on the River Po. Roll on the Italian Job, Zambia Styleeee!!
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
So, first things first. Ever since JPM has been in New Zealand for the World Championships (will blog about the fantastic racing produced by GB, the awesome pocket rocket Frida Svensson taking Karsten down and surprises in other events separately) I have had cause to examine where I am in terms of my day to day training, and where I feel comfortable and happy. I have taken the decision, after a lot of soul searching, to move up-river to Henley Rowing Club and I moved the little ship up there on Tuesday morning where she seems quite happy. It felt like my first day at a new school but the other children played nicely and Captain Dan (who I knew anyway) was a very helpful headmaster.
The spare boat is currently sitting on a trailer in Turin, ready for this weekend’s Silver Skiff head race, held over 11000m on the River Po – we fly first thing in the morning and I am so excited. I did a practice 9000m piece at Eton Excelsior last weekend in preparation for it and O. M. G. I bleated like a good ‘un! It’s going to hurt like a bitch, my glutes will scream, my lungs will fight for air and every fibre of my body will beg for mercy but I am relishing the challenge and loving the thought of getting back out there. I had a bug three weeks ago (which everyone seems to have had I think) and I’m getting much better, so much so that I’m not even considering it as a factor in my preparations. I have done a lot of NLP and work on my self-confidence, and it’s constantly surprising to me still that I don’t feel this sense of pathetic apology when preparing for races, ergos and training. I was talking to my Pilates clients this afternoon when they asked how things were going, and I could honestly say that I am heading towards, and experiencing, the things that I have been searching for, for so long both in my training and attitude. I cannot wait for each race now; training is about speed, not weight, and races, which were almost an interruption to my training, are now something to be searched for and become enthused about. I’ve got former World Champions Pamela Weisshaupt of Switzerland and Daniela Nachazelova of the Czech Republic hunting me down and it’s going to be a right old ding dong. Whoop whoop! Bring it ON!
The other exciting project which I was being coy about is looking very good, but has been marred somewhat by a huge curveball, unceremoniously chucked at us courtesy of the All Africa Games organisers who have now moved the competition from 3-17th July to 3rd – 18th SEPTEMBER!!
Basically, I was contacted some months ago by a chap called Tim Cook who found out about me on tinterweb while browsing about rowing in Zambia. He is planning to put together a team to be the first people to row the Zambezi from the Angolan border with Zambia to the Victoria Falls at Livingstone, and he has asked me to be the only – and therefore first ever – woman to complete the challenge. The row will probably be taking place at the end of July/beginning of August, which would be perfect timing if the AAG dates had been at the original time. Now we have to start thinking creatively and work out the best way of dealing with the situation.
More about all of this later.
Peace, out, until after I have bleated my way down the course on the River Po. Roll on the Italian Job, Zambia Styleeee!!
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
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