Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Enjoying the process


I can be so impatient at times.
I always have goals, and look forward to that final end result. The finish line. The end.
In doing this I seem to miss a lot along the way. Recently I have been learning to enjoy the whole process. Taking each training ride as it comes. Taking each day as it comes.

Last week was a great example of how well it can work...
I enjoyed our team's last preparation before the race, rather than anxiously wishing it was over.
I let the tension and the pre-race nerves just flow this time... and they seemed a lot less when I didn't actively fight them.
My goal was to simply enjoy each lap of the race rather than waiting desperately for the end.

And it was great!... working with the other girls, watching and bringing back the attacks, building up a fast pace... and to top it all off our teammate Jane did a fantastic job at the end to win!

But honestly, the connection with my teammates during the race was really the highlight.

Have goals, and be focused, but don't keep looking too far ahead that you miss what is right beside you.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Adversity and triumph


What a week of contrasts and extremes... of bad news and good news.
The Victorian fires, the Nth Qld floods.

Somehow the bad news outweighs the good news right now.
It seems weird on one hand to feel happy about some good racing results for people I know, at the same time as feeling sad and almost disbelieving that there are many people suffering and dying (or dead) in other parts of Australia.

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
- Confucius

Matt did so well in his 12 hour race on the weekend, along with Andrew Bell and Andrew Fellows.
It was a fun race.

Kirsty Broun has done amazingly well again and managed a 3rd place in the Women's Tour of Qatar.

Yet thousands of people are homeless in Victoria and Northern Qld from some of the worst natural disasters.
All we can do from a distance is offer our support... with thoughts and/or prayers, and by even the smallest of donations; and hope that together they can prevail through this very tough time.