Gobsmacked Part 2

This holiday just keeps getting better. Not only am I enjoying the benefits of being able to train at Port Macquarie but we are all just relaxing and chilling and seeing different places around town. My children are not avid beach goers but they do love the pool so they have been taking full advantage of the resorts beautiful pool. We have even had games of tennis and gone for nice relaxing walks. I think the kids are just really enjoying not having a schedule and being able to sleep in to whatever time their bodies dictate.

It has been serving me kind of well the past two mornings as I have been able to get my training out of the way before they have even risen. Yesterday morning I was able to join forces with Port Macquarie Tri Club for one of their swim sessions thanks to Nicole from DailyMile. What a session! It was tough but so glad I got 3.9km out of the way. It went something like this:

• 400m warm up
• 10 x 50m Fr/s
• 9 x 150's (meant to be 10 but I died on 1 of them and only did 50m)
• 1 x 50 from the previous 150's
• 12 x 100's - 4 with band, 4 with band & pullbouy, 4 with band, pullbouy, paddles
• 12 x 25m sprints - 4 Fr/s, 4 Fly up Fr/s back, 4 Fr/s
• 100m cool down

I was totally stuffed at the end - but I had met some really nice people and was thankful that they took me under their wing for one session. By 1pm yesterday arvo I had to have a nanna nap to recharge my batteries - whilst I napped Stephen took the kids back to the pool for about 2hrs.

Then this morning it was back up at 0445hrs to go for a bike ride with Nicole. I wanted to end 2010 with a BANG, and that is just what I have done. I met Nicole out the front of the resort and we made our way out towards Lighthouse Drive. As we headed out I was thinking to myself, today is the day - today is the day I do Matthew Flinders Drive.

Making the way out there from the resort there are a few hills, nothing major but enough to get the blood shunted to your quads. I remember thinking to myself "if I am struggling now what am I going to do when I hit the big one". Oh well, there was no time to focus on that I was going to use the ride out and back as a warm up and try to get my mind focused on the fact that I could do this.

As we hit Lake Catheye - we stopped and had a drink - more for my sake because my back was a bit sore. My husband and his family used to holiday down here so it was good to see it. Will most definately take the kids down so they can go for a swim.

On the way back I started to fret - was wondering what gear I needed to be in to tackle that monstrosity. By the time we had made it to the first little turning hill which signalled what lay ahead, Nicole said to me "Barb, you can do it, just don't look too far ahead". Okay, it was time to grin and bare it - have some faith woman.

I could feel it start to ascend and I started changing gears to make it easier. No sooner did I do that, the road did another little kick up and it was time to get out of the saddle and start peddling hard. I could feel my legs really working hard to turn over a revolution and I was leaning so far forward I think any lower and I would have been kissing my aero bars. Just when I thought to myself I was going to have to stop - and believe me if I stopped I would have either rolled backwards to my death or fallen off, it was time to turn onto Davis Cres. There was a slight reprieve and then another short, sharp climb back out onto Lighthouse Drive. I have never been so happy to see a small easy climb - it almost felt like I was riding a flat path.

When I got to the top, I was sooooooo happy. I could not wipe the grin off my face. I rode past an elderly couple and said "I just rode up Matthew Flinders", they both smiled and said "Congratulations dear". I wanted to scream it at the top of my lungs and let the whole world know how far I had come - but being early in the morning I thought BEST NOT.

The rest of the ride was pretty much downhill apart from a few dispersed hills - spaced enough so I could recover. We rode through the heart of Port and I was shown where transition will be and where the swim entry and exit are.

What a way to end 2010. I have done so many things here at Port and the one thing that had me spooked beyond all words I conquered. Thanks Nicole. I look forward to Sunday's ride and seeing so much more of this beautiful countryside.

I want to wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR. May this new year bring you lots of love, joy, happiness, contentment, new goals, new dreams, and most of all a happy healthy self.

I know it will for me.

BRING ON 2011.

" Be Yourself... There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them. Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are."
Author Unknown