Hills -0, Barbie - 1

Superset Saturday was not to be yesterday. After last weeks attempt at trying to hammer 2 hard sessions back to back and failing miserably on the Sunday, I asked if I could leave it and do it once a month. I hate giving up on my training but I know my body too well now and know that if I push it too hard that I will eventually crack from the strain.

So yesterday morning I decided to treat myself to a pedicure - oh the joy. Why had I not found this magnificent experience before. I was in absolute heaven - not sure if the girl was as she scraped away at my heels, but I was lapping up the attention. Whilst my feet were being pampered the seat I was sitting on was giving me the best and most intense massage I have ever had. The whole time I think I only opened my eyes once and I do believe I had a cat nap. When it was all said and done I walked out like I was on a carpet of clouds - and my feet looked stunning.

Fresh as a daisy.

Then yesterday afternoon it was time to give it all I had in the pool. I had given myself a treat and some respite and now it was time to flog it out - no excuses allowed.

• 300m warm up
• 900m worth of drills
• 100m Fr/s
• 5 x 400m Fr/s - not sure of my times but I think I was pretty steady in pace
• 6 x 50m Fr/s stroke count
• 50m cool down - had nothing left.

My eldest son Kurtis decided to come join me at squad yesterday and for his first ever swim session he totally kicked major A!!! He swam 2.3km - the young lad is amazing and I am so proud of him. I must admit, he slept really well last night and he did say he had a headache yesterday afternoon - but that's to be expected with all that funny breathing us swimmers do.

Then this morning it was on for young and old. I left home at 0530 to meet up with the girls for our bunch ride. It was still very dark and I was really at the mercy of my night vision to see where I was going. I hit a couple of things - not sure what - maybe those cateyes. Upon arriving to my destination it was still dark. Reminder to self - get a headlight.

There is a kangaroo in this picture staring at me.

As the other girls pulled up for our ride the initial plan of riding to Picton was re-thought, and it was decided to that we would do Cobbitty loop and then Greendale loop, some decided to do s shorter ride. Not any easier but the distance is slightly less. As I set off I made a pact with myself that if I needed to stop today on the Cobbitty loop, I was only allowed to do it once. So with that thought firmly implanted I was good to go.

There were 7 of us girls out on the road - totally awesome. Each of them extremely strong and driven. As we set out one the girls got a flat tyre - it got changed and we headed off only for it to flat again the poor thing. But within minutes it was changed again - great team work I say and there were no flat tyres for the rest of the ride.

As we made our way to Cobbitty Road I remember saying to Sarah, we should have a gel right about now, we will need it. Elissa - who had been on holidays made her way back and said she would meet us at Greendale for the next set of hills.

As we started the inevitable ride I started to get nervous, however I envisaged getting up those hills as a strong competent cyclist. After the first 2 hills which are steep but shortish Sarah comes up behind me and said call me "The Mountain Goat". I have never laughed so hard in my life - for her first time up Cobbitty she nailed it.

I managed to not stop once going through those hills thanks to a little mantra I kept repeating in my head "you will not stop, you will not stop". For every pedal revolution this is what I repeated and before I knew it I was at the top - panting heavily but at the top nonetheless. Sarah was hot on my heels and smiled the whole way.

The stop at Silverdale was just what we needed - refuelling on a KitKat for me and refilling our drink bottles. Susan had to head home at this point and we continued down the hill to catch up with Elissa for the remainder of the hills.

The remainder of the ride was tough but no-where near as tough as Cobbitty. We had a really good opportunity to chat and laugh as women do - but when my time came to turn off home I can say with out a shadow of a doubt that I was ready to go home to a wonderful shower and a nana nap. Before I ate I weighed myself and was pleased to see that I only lost 1kg in weight on this 4hr ride. I must have refuelled appropriately on this ride.

I rode 100km today in 4hrs - not bad for a Sunday morning.