Time trials, thunder storms, horrible tin can cars....

It's probably best if I don't mention how long it's been since I last blogged.

Doh!

Well, it's the first World Cup round this weekend in Munich, and Team Zambia is primed and ready for the new time trial system being tested this weekend as contingency for unfair weather conditions next year. I mean, come on, Dorney isn't unfair. Wait a minute. That's the OFFICIAL line. Anyone racing at Wallingford Regatta three weeks ago might have a slightly different opinion, myself included. And why is it that van Deventer ALWAYS gets lane 6 or 7 when it's a raging cross-head, sheltering Lane 1 etc? Apparently the wind isn't an issue in August though. Funny, I could have sworn the Worlds in 2006 were windy as well...

Ah well.

So, I have had a few ups and downs, not really in a training sense, rather emotionally and motivationally, hence the radio silence. The Constitution, which included a new clause providing for dual nationality, was not accepted when it went to the Zambian Parliament in March, which means a long wait until the elections are over, and the Bill goes before Parliament again. This means no passport for the time being, but I remain positive, hopeful and as the saying goes, I haven't heard any fat ladies singing yet. I will race all three World Cups, probably the Holland Beker again as it is a fantastic event, and then I will row the Zambezi in July. When God closes one door, he opens another, and I am very thankful to be able to take part in the Row Zambezi Expedition - more info here: http://www.rowzambezi.co.uk. I'll blog more about this another time.

Tomorrow morning is the time trial, with the top two boats from each heat progressing to the semi finals. I have Greece no2, Poland no1, Uzbekistan, Poland no2 and The Netherlands (Frenken, whom I raced at the Holland Beker and who I am dying to have another pop at). I will take each stroke at a time, and get from A to B in the fastest and best time I can get out of myself. JPM was very happy with my paddling and bursts this afternoon, and the new boat set up is working really well for me. We've had some issues with blades (long, woeful story) so I am very grateful to Louise Wymer (nee Carey) for her generosity and understanding in allowing me to use her set as mine did not arrive from Australia in time. Other than that, training has been going very well in the main part, and now it remains to see how I stack up against the rest of the world!

I am currently waiting for the boy's flight to take off as it is delayed due to weather. No such issues for JPM and Jill, as they drove overnight to get here for about 2pm! I think they did stop for three or four hours, but I am still an extremely lucky girl to have had such support and efforts made for me and my little project.

I wish that my lucky German was here. However I know that she is on my shoulder, driving me on, as I am with her in spirit while she deals with her own nightmare of broken pelvises, Berkshire PCT cock-ups, misdiagnoses and failures. Once again, she proves to me just what the human mind can achieve, and what strength of character really means. She is truly an inspiration to me and I hope that I can repay her the same somehow.

Oh, and one more thing. If you ever think you might like to buy a Chevrolet Spark, don't. Just don't. Tin and can spring to mind, not to mention the complete lack of any power! I swear, I have to wait for the biggest gaps in the traffic that I can find to get out in time without having some German driver ramming me up the backside (so to speak).

Peace, out.

Curve balls, bleatings, new starts and exciting prospects!!

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!!!!!!