11.11.12

Week 1 & I have survived!!!

I haven’t written for some time due to a couple of reasons:
1) I haven’t been racing nor planning on much of it for the remainder of the year (at this stage) &
2) I have been making some decisions and changes that needed to be finalised before I opened my mouth about them publically!
After China and yet another poor performance but  giving nothing less than 100% to my program & training it was time to reassess what I was doing. After a couple weeks consideration I decided the best thing for me to do would be to move on from Lennox Head and Gilsey. We parted amicably and I have no questions about the success he is seeing with his male athletes, it just hasn’t worked for me. I have been, I have tried & I have learnt lessons, but I’m not getting any younger and when someone asked me what my short term goals were my answer being  “first of all I want to be the athlete I was 2years ago” I knew I had answered my own question of what next.  
So what next??? Well first of all I wanted to go home. No, not back to Roma (never ever!), home being the Sunshine Coast. So a hopeful email to my wonderful old employer Adam in hope of some work- check- I will be back working at Warana Sportscare (Physiotherapy) 3 days/ week starting December which is when I will officially move back. Next a trip back to start moving my stuff back which (coincidently!) happened to fall on Noosa triathlon weekend. With no desire to race I really enjoyed the weekend there catching up with good friends & family, training on the awesome QLD roads and running around Noosa national park, cheering on my friends racing and enjoying a few drinks at the after party.
It was great to get to the expo and not be stressed about resting my legs the day before the race. It was fabulous to catch up with so many of my sponsors. Ed from Cannondale showing the world the newly released sexy Slice RS, Neville from Ryderseyewear who got me into a pair of Leader shades, the boys from Allez sport & Johnny and Sarah from Cyclezone- who deserve a big congrats on tying the knot up there yesterday!
The after party was to be my last hurrah as Monday saw the start of ‘my shot’.
Well the good news is I have survived week one! I had exchanged a few emails with Sutto the past 6weeks or so and with the change of circumstances in my coaching situation I have been started on his elite development program with the ever thorough coach Matt Koorey. No leaf has been unturned in the prep towards this new start. I am overwhelmed with Matt’s dedication to individualising the plan to me. The beautiful thing is it’s simple, it’s stuff I know that has worked well for me in the past and it fits with me and my life. With that part sorted, it’s now up to me. Give it everything I have got and see where it gets me. Not much more to it than that than head down butt up!
So within a month I’ll be back on my beloved Sunshine Coast, back to a very flexible convenient working environment conducive to my sport & surrounded by my friends and family. The past twelve months I have met some great friends down here. I will really miss my incredible housemates (& the best landlords ever!); Ben & Amy. They have had me in their beautiful home since March and have become my closest friends here in the northern rivers area. Ben is the most considerate bloke I think I’ve ever met- putting up bike rack in the garage a week after I moved in and doing all the ‘blue jobs’ in the house for us girls. Amy has introduced me to TV on the net  J, got me addicted to the x-factor and has gone out of her way to introduce me to her friends and include the outer- Towner in everything. I’m so excited for your wedding next month! Pip & Justin have looked after me to no avail: been my ears to vent upon, feed me on numerous occasions, take me to Byron for swimming and breaky on a Sunday and have shared insight and connections that they both have in the tri world- I am in debt to you! Clare, Georgia, Clayto, Aimee, Lukey & Skinner- you guys haven’t gotten rid of me that easy either!
Unsure as to racing plans at this stage. You will know when I do!
Rachie xo