Hello!
i have just started reading ‘How Triathlon Ruined My Life’, by our coach Darren Roberts, and im also reading ‘Feet in the clouds’ by Richard Askwith, a fell runner. These both got me to thinking, seeing how great and motivational they are, reading and learning about different sports seems to be a good idea, so i wondered if anyone has any recommendations of books they have read??
Ever gratefull….Rach.

After much deliberation, and possibly some tears on my part, the decision has been reached that i will not race this year. Believe me when i say the decision was not come by lightly, nor happily, but i feel that to push things too far, too soon could well ruin next year for me.
After talking things through with my Surgeon, Physio, Coach and Family, I decided that my shoulder was too unstable to risk racing, and that concentrating on building the muscle back up so that it is 100% for 2010 was to be the best course of action.
I’m pretty gutted that i won’t be racing, it seems almost as if i am handing the Striped Jersey over without a fight, but i guess sometimes a fight is just not the right way to go, rather silent acceptance and destruction at the next given opportunity! So that is what i am set on, all switches flicked, every memory of racing, good and bad is there to assist me, every feeling of smashing a rutted corner, even boosting the trails and lining my moto up for the win, they are all there ready in line to be got out again, when they are needed.
I feel as though i have never been more well equipped going into a race season, (albeit i may be going into next season sooner than anyone else)
Fresh in my mind is the feeling of raw, unprocessed pain, both physically and mentally, and every fiber in my body is tuned to avoiding that at all costs, and so my motivation level, my desire to win, to feel fast, to have the most fun ever doing it all, is at an all time peak.
Some nights i just wake up and cannot sleep for the thoughts going through my head, the remembering of the feelings that i get when i race, is incredible and i try and hold onto them for as long as i can. They bounce around inside me and everything else just falls back and gives them the space to bounce, when I’m training the bad memories come flooding back and the only way i can describe it is like someone has shot concentrated, pure desire into me and I don’t think i can stop until i have got what i want, what i need.
It may sound melodramatic, it may sound over the top, and it may sound self centered and selfish, which to a certain extent it is. I believe that to be a Champion you must have a certain streak of selfishness because otherwise how would you want it all and not feel bad for those you take it from (the other racers i mean)
Well I’m not ashamed to admit i want it all, the taste was tasted in 2008, and i liked it. 2009 was a bit sour, but 2010, (and let us not forget beyond!) has all the ingredients and more secret weapons than you can shake a stick at!
Game on.

The past week or so has been awesome. Climbing out of my tent after an evening around the fire, to be greeted by a huge lake, the sun and a cup of tea, it doesn’t get much better! Most days have gone by in the same manner, morning tea, followed by a swim in the lake, breakfast then everyone would untangle their bikes and go their separate ways for a few hours, well, me for XC and the others for DH. Later afternoon would see us all shampooing and washing in the lake, then a fire would be built and dinner would be cooked. Obviously other stuff happened but thats about the routine that was set. The XC has been incredible, so much fun just going off and riding up and down, but i admit i got stuck at the bottom of this one huge mountain and didn’t want to ride back up so i caught the lift most of the way! very shameful! But the single track at the top was amazing! There was a quick trip to the hospital one day when someone crashed big time and hurt their back, i thought it was broken and was very freaked out, but turns out it’s just badly bruised. I managed to drag one lad out with me yesterday on an xc ride, with the promise that at the top of the monster climb the best downhill would ensue, and sure enough it did! The track was mega, and being able to ride and follow someone else after so long not doing so was incredible, i was pleasantly surprised to find out that i wasn’t as slow as i had suspected, and the track, being very rooty and fast, brought back the memory of riding DH fast and flat out as sharply as if i had just finished my world champs run. My whole body felt alive, every part of me knew what to do, i had thought that having not really ridden DH since november i would forget, but in fact i think the opposite is true. It is like my body and mind have been ticking over quietly all this time waiting for the return, planning each movement, going over and over what it feels like to smash down a rooty rutted straight, i swear it was insane how at ease i felt, everything just slipped into place and apart from my shoulder making its presence known, it was perfect. The bug has well and truly re awakened now!
To London tomorrow to pick up the brothers, can’t wait! Oh and a few ice creams have been sunk and footy played with the hello kitty ball that ‘bear and sam’ bought….very manly! cheers boys!