“It ain’t about how hard you can hit. Its about how hard you can get hit, and how much you can take, and keep moving forward.”  Rocky Balboa

 

Absolute heaven!

I am currently sitting in a motel in Echuca-Moama after having my first race back in the world of Para Cycling. Wow, what a day. And yes, I am absolutely completely knackered – it was a bit of a shock to the system smashing out 13km into head-winds, cross-winds, and nearly pucking for 22.59minutes. Did I love every second of it though? Hell yes! It was bloody awesome to test myself both physically and mentally. (The post-race celebrations at the Echuca location of the Beechworth bakery also saw every second enjoyed during a pie, date scones and hot choc; again, another shock to the system and resultant stomach issues).

 

 

The time trial for the National Para Road Cycling Championships was held just outside of Echuca. When telling people the location, I was told to phone Dorothy for advice given that “light winds” = relative strength of a tornado. And after doing a recon of the course yesterday, fearing for my life, and coming back looking like the windswept version of Bridget Jones, I was starting to give credit to the “light winds” theory.

 

As it turns out, I didn’t need to plug Dorothy into my speed-dial. While the course was windy, it was manageable, and hence I am still in one piece (excluding the leg on the floor). Being my first race back, I did find it difficult to get to sleep last night but found my recent adoption of mindfulness meditation helped to calm my nerves. As a result, waking up in the morning I was ready to rock’n’roll.

 

Arriving on the race-course, everything seemed new but familiar at the same-time. I think that is the beauty of Para racing; the people are genuine, happy to be there, welcoming (already made lots of new friends and put names to twitter accounts!), and it goes without saying – they are excited to race. It was also awesome having the coaching team of Helen and Bob Kelly providing support, guidance, and being a calming influence. My last instructions were ‘Go hard, turn left’. Easy right? I was also extremely grateful to have my massage therapist, Lois Kent, and her hubby Paul, as my own personal cheersquad.

 

Feeling the love from my podium representatives (aka Loie and Paulie)

 

I was also like a kid in a candy shop racing for the first time on my Apollo bike, and carbon wheels/aero helmet (courtesy of Trent – yes, I owe you a coffee or two). And it goes without saying, that I am lucky to be on another adventure with my roomie/team-mate/role-model/good-friend (although after our dinner date the other night I think our friendship is reaching new heights), Carol Cooke*.

 

About to start – all systems go!

With a time trial, you are sent off 1minute apart. I had a start time of 10:07. This meant jumping on the stationary bike 35mins before, completing my warm-up, getting kitted up and heading to the start line. Feeling surprisingly calm watching the clock count down the last 30 seconds, I gathered up the knowledge that I was ready for this. I was ready to race again. After slogging it out in the rehab world for the past 2.5 years, having 2 hip surgeries, getting knocked down again and again, feeling completely frustrated, and wondering if I was crazy for pursuing cycling. However, once you find something that you are passionate about, that you absolutely love doing, that gives you a sense of freedom, makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning – then you have found something that is worth pursuing. It is worth going through rep after rep of blue theraband windscreen wiper exercisers, it is worth doing physio/deep-tissue massage/pilates/ice-bath/aqua jogging multiple times per week, it is worth taking the time to set the foundations and getting all the neural pathways speaking to each other correctly.

 

Sometimes it felt like I was staring up at an unsurpassable mountain with snow-capped jagged peaks. However, when you take things one day at a time, one hour at time, one moment at a time – and make the most of the time we have right now, then you start carving your own path up the mountain.

 

And no, I am nowhere near the top of my mountain; Rio is still another 1236 days, 12hours, 30mins, and 46 seconds away  (at the time of writing).  There will definitely be more obstacles to overcome, but while you get knocked down, get up again. Because no-one can keep you down apart from yourself.

 

The KCC Team after the Time Trial at the 2013 Para Cycling Road Nationals – Alex Welsh (Bronze), Bob Kelly, Carol Cooke (Gold), Helen Kelly, Han (Bronze)

 

Until next time,

 

Ride safe, ride with a smile, ride in the moment,

Han

 

 

 

*For anyone interesting in following an absolutely mind-blowing journey, follow Carol on her website.