With just over 2 weeks till we fly out for our big adventure, I have really hit my straps with this riding thing (or at least I am doing MUCH better than I have).
My aim this week is to ride EVERY day and so far I am sticking to it! I have ridden 90km in 3 days which is SOOO much more than I have done leading up to this point.
Getting on the bike every day has certainly challenged me in a load of ways. I have dragged the bike trainer inside so I can keep one eye on the children and throw a movie on the TV to keep riding, long past my comfort zone. 33km, 28km and yesterday 30km... if I can keep this up for the week, next week I plan to up that to a bit more each day!
Last minute preparations are in order and I have started penning notes for Adam to read to the kids each day I am away (H.A.R.D but kind of fun too)... Oscar has started counting down the sleeps which makes it VERY hard to stay focused... poor little man gets this look on his face when he tells me how many sleeps :( But I have told them I am going to buy them a little gift for every day I am away, so the frown the sentence starts with soon turns to a grin when he remembers that's 14 presents!!!!
My anxiety levels are still VERY high, but with my concentration now pretty much solely on making sure I ride every day for a substantial amount I am thinking about it less and less (although of course it never leaves me that in a few weeks I will not see these little angels and my husband - he's okay too - for 2 weeks).
I haven't been able to source the RABIES vaccine so please if your reading this, encourage the universe to keep rabid dogs and monkey's away from our group... I think I mentioned in my last post that it would be just my luck that a monkey would try to hitch a ride being I will most definetly be at the back of the pack... so good vibes universe - keep the monkeys and dogs AWAY if you can!!!!! I think I am the only stress head even worrying about this sort of thing, but hey someone has to be the weird one, it may as well be me :)
My team is full of some amazing women who have been smashing this riding thing each and every week all year, I just hope I can keep within eye sight of them.. that is my goal! And of course, maybe enjoy a RHONDA moment or two post rides!
TICK TOCK TICK TOCK TICK TOCK!
(L-R) Marissa, Sal, Jane & ME
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Monday, 14 October 2013
A little scary....
It has been such a long time since my last post... I guess I have been busy with life as I know it! But jumping on and publishing a blog would also mean admitting once again that I am terrified of time ticking away, of take off!!!!
My bike riding skills have increased some, I am at 30km for my biggest ride so far which I am really REALLY happy about - my aim in the next few weeks is to get in the seat EVERY day! Something that is quite tricky with 3 small kids, a working husband and a farm outside these four walls not stopping and waiting for me to get "BIKE FIT"!!!!!
I am still not loving the riding, but I am getting better and I am working on my mind set :) I know I can do this, I have faith in myself... but I am also super aware that my mental preparation is just as important as my physical one (if not more so).
Everyone keeps telling me I will be fine when I get there, I won't have time to worry about home etc.. but the truth is I am terrified, TERRIFIED of leaving my little family behind. Terrified of what 'might' happen while I am gone, terrified of what I will miss.. terrified they won't miss me.. all really sad things for a mummy :(
But I digress.... I AM working on my state of mind (did I mention that already?), focusing on the GOOD and trying as much as I can to push the negative aside.
It is tough though... I received a text message from one of my lovely team mates reminding us it was 5 weeks to the day last week... well I was excited for a second and then panic set in! I started to think about leaving and I got upset... really upset. And then my son on cue asks me how many sleeps I will be away for and OH LORDY the emotional rollercoaster is in full swing then!
But after every "session" of feeling sad and emotional, I remember why I signed up for this journey in the first place and a big part of it was to prove to myself that I COULD! So much of who I am is tied up in my family, but not for 2 weeks in November... then it's all about me (cue selfish smirk and evil music)!!!!
On another note, I have been jabbed and pumped full of so many foreign diseases in the past fortnight I am at least sure I won't be coming home with some random illness... I have probably gone a little overboard but figure this is something I can control. Who doesn't love a big spend up on random vaccinations!
At the end of the day knowing my luck some crazed wild monkey will jump onto my bike and hitch a ride through one of the villages...being one of the slowest bike riders to EVER ride.. no seriously S.L.O.W.... I will be at the back of the pack and just ripe for the monkey hitch hikers! Hey I might actually go faster if that happens woot woot - where can I guarantee me a monkey hitcher!!
All in all, we have under 5 weeks till take off. (There I said it and I am dry eyed... YES!) Planning mode is well and truly underway... a few more wardrobe additions, some new joggers, LOADS of hand sanitiser and a truck load of dutch courage ON ORDER!!!! I am also starting to think about some donations for the ORPHANAGE we visit... they are in need of baby formula - starting to think do I buy that here or there? I would LOVE to leave them with something from my visit ... so the hunt is on for a way to buy it cheaply here and transport it.. or whether to chance it over there???? Any ideas most welcome :)
Off to look at my bike and consider jumping on ... two kids in care, one asleep - what's the bet the minute I get on George wakes up and wants to play.. oh well, the joys of trying to fit it all in!!!!!!!! Thanks for reading x
My bike riding skills have increased some, I am at 30km for my biggest ride so far which I am really REALLY happy about - my aim in the next few weeks is to get in the seat EVERY day! Something that is quite tricky with 3 small kids, a working husband and a farm outside these four walls not stopping and waiting for me to get "BIKE FIT"!!!!!
I am still not loving the riding, but I am getting better and I am working on my mind set :) I know I can do this, I have faith in myself... but I am also super aware that my mental preparation is just as important as my physical one (if not more so).
Everyone keeps telling me I will be fine when I get there, I won't have time to worry about home etc.. but the truth is I am terrified, TERRIFIED of leaving my little family behind. Terrified of what 'might' happen while I am gone, terrified of what I will miss.. terrified they won't miss me.. all really sad things for a mummy :(
But I digress.... I AM working on my state of mind (did I mention that already?), focusing on the GOOD and trying as much as I can to push the negative aside.
It is tough though... I received a text message from one of my lovely team mates reminding us it was 5 weeks to the day last week... well I was excited for a second and then panic set in! I started to think about leaving and I got upset... really upset. And then my son on cue asks me how many sleeps I will be away for and OH LORDY the emotional rollercoaster is in full swing then!
But after every "session" of feeling sad and emotional, I remember why I signed up for this journey in the first place and a big part of it was to prove to myself that I COULD! So much of who I am is tied up in my family, but not for 2 weeks in November... then it's all about me (cue selfish smirk and evil music)!!!!
On another note, I have been jabbed and pumped full of so many foreign diseases in the past fortnight I am at least sure I won't be coming home with some random illness... I have probably gone a little overboard but figure this is something I can control. Who doesn't love a big spend up on random vaccinations!
At the end of the day knowing my luck some crazed wild monkey will jump onto my bike and hitch a ride through one of the villages...being one of the slowest bike riders to EVER ride.. no seriously S.L.O.W.... I will be at the back of the pack and just ripe for the monkey hitch hikers! Hey I might actually go faster if that happens woot woot - where can I guarantee me a monkey hitcher!!
All in all, we have under 5 weeks till take off. (There I said it and I am dry eyed... YES!) Planning mode is well and truly underway... a few more wardrobe additions, some new joggers, LOADS of hand sanitiser and a truck load of dutch courage ON ORDER!!!! I am also starting to think about some donations for the ORPHANAGE we visit... they are in need of baby formula - starting to think do I buy that here or there? I would LOVE to leave them with something from my visit ... so the hunt is on for a way to buy it cheaply here and transport it.. or whether to chance it over there???? Any ideas most welcome :)
Off to look at my bike and consider jumping on ... two kids in care, one asleep - what's the bet the minute I get on George wakes up and wants to play.. oh well, the joys of trying to fit it all in!!!!!!!! Thanks for reading x
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