No, I'm not bursting into Led Zeppelin's song here - just simply stating a fact. 3 months actually. But oh so much has happened in that time. I now live in Bendigo (again). I now love my home (and yes it is a home, not a house). The dogs love their new home too, and have settled in remarkably well - but let's face it, they're well adjusted to moving house since this is house number 6 for their short lives of 7 and 8. The location of my home is perfect for work and play (both dogs and bikes).
I did my first race a week after moving to Bendigo. My race preparation included 3 rides with Roz in the week preceding the race. I placed 1st Solo Female in the Bendigo 6 Hour. I rode for 4hr 45 min - my longest ride in over a year. I have not raced since.
Work has taken hold, then a slight mishap with my uni subject meant that the last 5 weeks have been spent completing 2 subjects. Not much riding in the last 5 weeks. But now I only have to finish off a 20 min powerpoint presentation, present it on Monday, and I'm done. I'M DONE !!! I will then be
Justine Leahy BAppSc, Dip Mgmt, PGDip. 3 degrees....how's that for a 'Penriff girl' who dropped out after Year 10?!!!!
I was to race this weekend at the Wombat 6+6 Hour - 6 hours Saturday; 6 hours Sunday. Well a huge work and study week meant that I finally had time to think about the race at 6pm on Friday night. Wash bike. Prepare race nutrition. Pack clothes. I slept through the first alarm on Saturday morning. I woke with the second alarm but dozed back off to sleep for 20 mins. If I had've climbed out of bed at that point and head straight to Woodend I would still make it in time for registration. At this point I decided I was obviously exhausted, I was only going to be 'riding' not 'racing' due to my lack of training, and I really needed to just stop. I haven't stopped for 5 weeks.
So I stayed in bed with my babies; walked them for 45 mins; sat out the back in the sun and read a fantastic book I'm really enjoying while the dogs happily chewed their bones. I lay down on the back step and closed my eyes, and realised that I was at peace. For the first time in my life I WAS AT PEACE. For someone who is restless, ambitious, determined, driven to achieve, this was a new and welcome feeling that was coming from within me.
The time ticked on and I wanted to get a big ride in today even though I wasn't racing. Bendigo - Kamarooka - Raywood - Bendigo seemed like a great idea. A 90km mostly flat ride for my weary and unfit legs. By the time I'd gotten to Raywood I was feeling okay but realised I must have had a fair tailwind, as my average speed was 30 km/h. Sure enough, I then had 30 km straight into a head wind to get home. It shattered me. I dropped down to average 26.4 km over this distance. Just under 3.5 hrs and this is the longest road ride I have done in 3 years. An hour long bath helped my aching legs to recover, but I was glad that I had done the ride. It used to be one of my favourites long ago because of the gentle undulations and quiet roads - nothing has changed.
I'm now going to sleep for a long time.
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