HO HO HO
Hello Legends!
I still cant believe we’re just days away from 2018, it
feels like every year flies by quicker than the next, but not without finishing
off on a bang with a month full of festivities!! Managing the silly seasons extra
food, drinks & late nights out with early starts, hard training & racing
can be quite a balancing act, joys of the athlete life!
I started off the month with my 23rd birthday,
coinciding with my 3rd turn at racing the 3 Point Challenge event at
North Curl Curl, a local favourite of mine on the calendar!! It consists of a
400m ocean swim, transitioning to a 3km
cross country soft sand, trail & road run before another 400m ocean swim at
Freshwater & returning along the same route running back to North Curly for
the final 400m ocean swim to finish! I was thrilled to take the birthday win
& my 3rd consecutive title here, racing for a terrific cause,
very close to my heart in the Starlight Children’s Foundation, a lifesaver for struggling
young children & their families at Sydney’s Westmead Children’s Hospital.
My fellow HPT training partner Nathan Breen took out the Men’s
event in some very cold conditions, with the water temperature only just breaking
a freezing 15 degrees which is bizarre for the Aussie summer in December!
Finishing off my birthday with a nice lunch in Manly, a
trail ride on my horse & an evening out at the Sia Concert before heading
to Watson’s Bay for drinks & a long lunch in the sun on Sunday!
With a quick athlete life reminder on the Monday Night, while having family dinner, as mum lit the Birthday Cake candles & the lights were all off.... the doorbell rang, and it was none other than ASADA at the door for an out of competition test to collect blood & urine, its not all glamour! Having to hold off on the birthday cake until after i had done my job Keeping Sport Clean!
Heading down to Jervis Bay with mum & Dad the following
weekend for a great little escape & my first taste at XTERRA Racing! After
spending more time this year on the trails both running, & mountain biking I
was keen to put my new skills to the test & see what this XTERRA business was
all about!
I was looking to earn myself an Elite Qualification for the
2018 Maui XTERRA World Championships at the Callala Elite Standard XTERRA Race,
kicking off at 1pm with the Elite Men, racing alongside the notable Aussie
XTERRA Legend Ben Allen. Starting with a 1500m chilly open water ocean swim,
with a 200m soft sand run between the 2 x 750m run loops, before heading to
transition to the 30km Mountain bike leg, through the Jervis Bay National Park,
along challenging (for me) single track, soft sand, jumps, mud & everything
in between, coming down a solid 5 times over the 30km, but hey that’s an
average of one stack per 6km, could be worse?
You certainly couldn’t wide the smile off my face out on
course! I was having a ball, the lure of the new challenging unknown racing! Making
my way off the bike, with my Mum & Dad very happy to see me back safely! Transitioning
onto the 11km trail run, a mixed run of soft sand, bush trail, single track,
mud & the road! The legs were certainly feeling it, but I was happy to play
to my natural strength on course & make my way to the finish, taking the
tape for my first XTERRA Race as the Callala Elite Women Champ.
I absolutely
loved it, what a thrill, very rewarding, & It was certainly no easy
race!
A terrific weekend away with mum & dad & some
fabulous strawberry daiquiris to celebrate on Saturday night at the great
little vegetarian/ Mexican café in Huskisson called Pilgrims- highly recommend!!
(times a few rounds post race of course!)
Dad was inspired by the weekend away at XTERRA & came
home requesting a mountain bike for Christmas off Santa, so I went to work with
the amazing team at AVANTIPlus Narrabeen & set Dad up with his own brand new
Avanti Competitor S1 Mountain Bike, helmet, cleats, a kit & some shoes. All
set for some father daughter mountain biking adventures up at our second home-
Sugarloaf Lighthouse in Seal rocks over the Xmas/ New Years Break… he might
just put me to shame! We’re only slightly competitive! 😊
As the year draws to a close its time to plan for the 2018
Season of Racing, with no shortage of racing available between the ITU Oceania
& Domestic season, 2018 WTS Series, World Cup Racing, , French Grand Prix,
German Bundesliga, Spanish League Racing & not to mention hopefully some World
Championships, plus all the favourite Local races, both at home in Australia
& overseas in our winter home of Vitoria Gasteiz in the Basque Country. It was
great to sit down with my Coach Mick & put together a plan for the season,
appreciating all things change but its one process that always really excites
me, motivating me even more in the “off season” with the challenges of a new
years racing ahead! Bring it on!
And because repping a trisuit twice already in December wasn’t
enough for the off season & first month back training… I decided to enter
the annual Warringah Triathlon Club Christmas Triathlon Race at North Head in
Manly the weekend before Christmas! It was awesome to have Cam Good, Australian
professional triathlete back to race at the local event too, with us both able
to get into the Christmas spirit donning some aero bike tinsel & reindeer
ears on the run, taking the line honours for a fun morning out over the 750m
swim, 3km uphill run, 21km ride, 5km run course!
This year for my first time I was also able to join some
good friends in their annual “Mona to Manly” on Christmas Eve, it’s a fun &
friendly swim-run from Mona Vale to Manly. With a group of 10 of us we ran in Santa
hats & Christmas cossies from Mona Vale along the Northern beaches coastline
to Manly, swimming 400m in every ocean pool along the way! Getting plenty of cheers
along the way & making room for that Christmas feast!
Now on a more serious note… This time of year is always full
of festive fun, catching up with friends, sharing gifts, events with food & drinks flowing, celebrating
the year that’s been, finishing up at work, and enjoying time off! But the
festive season is not always such a wonderful, fun & enjoyable time of year
for everyone, life does still carry on & dish out its usual challenges,
whatever shape or size! SO, it is just as important as always to look after one
another- reach out, check in with your friends & family, and ask the simple
question- Are U OK? The gift of a simple caring conversation, understanding
ears to listen, a big hug or phone call to check in!
I hope you’ve all been nice, & Santa had all the reasons
to stop past on his way through with that new cossie, or new power meter or latest
wireless run headphones for you! (or is that just me?)
ENJOY the Christmas & New Year Festivities! Soak up the
time off with loved ones & remember if you over eat on the chocolates or Christmas
food then just add in an extra swim, bike or run to solve the problem!
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Thanks Legends,
Happy Holidays & BRING ON 2018, I can’t wait to rip into
a new year’s adventures!
Em x
