BRW Triathlon - Corporate Cup

So my last race in Australia for a while, and what a great way to leave.

A stunnning day dawned as Rob and I left the kids with the grandparents and drove to Lady Macquarie's Pt. We both had good early waves. Handy in a race with over 4,600 on the course. I was in a great team with two of the stars from last year's race, Sonya and Lisa, who were defending their crown. We had raced together in two womens team events at the World Champs last year to double gold success, so hopes were high. I hate high hopes as from there you can only be dissapointed. I just hoped I didn't dissapoint the other two girls.

Swim was okay, over pretty fast and out of the water 7th or so. By the time I got to my bike I had passed 5 of the faster swimmers as the transition run was probably 600m or so and had a bridge in it to slow a few down. Then the bike! I managed to pass the last remaining female from my wave early in the first lap before an interesting misadventure. I got hit off the course by a beginner on a MTB. The dangers of Corporate triathlons! I called through "on your right" to warn the guy I was coming through, but instead of holding his line or moving left, he immediately swerved to the right swiping me off my bike over the curb into a grassy bank. Luckily my bike and I were both okay, a bit shaken and a bit of an adrenaline boost to get up and get on with the rest of the race. I passed the same lady again and got really nice encouragement from her (great sportsmanship well appreciated then). Off on the run and I sprinted out the 3k up the hill and on to the finish.

A bike got in front of me on the way down the hill and I was blocked by him so asked him to move off the course. He sped up a bit instead to keep out of the way before I realised he was in charge of leading the first female home - oops. I liked him after that as I had never had one of those guys lead me before, so that was groovy.

Son and Lisa meanwhile were vying shoulder to shoulder the whole way around the course. The final footrace was great with only a leading left foot charge by Lisa (timing chip is on left ankle)finally deciding it. They came in 5th and 6th females of our wave, which was enough to give us the overall win by a whopping 6 min margin. Yay! So coffee and breakfast together in Wolloomolloo with Rob and his team who had also had a great day out there coming 2nd in the Financial Services category and 16th overall and back for presentations to close off a great day!

Pack up kids, it's bell time soon

So twelve days to go until we fly north to France to start our new adventure in the Haute Savoie, and it feels like an inverted Christmas countdown.

Every day for these twelve days we will give something away (including sleep, calm and very possibly our sanity) until we fly out from Sydney next Thursday. Today we are trying to give away our car, at least for that we will ask for some cash in return, a trampoline to the neighbours over the fence and exchange a patch of dirt for some well grassed lawn at the cost of A$60 in rolled turf and a slightly sore back.

Next Thursday our little clan, including Christine and Rob (aka Mum and Dad) and Jackson and Liam (aka Master Trouble and Senior Strife) head to Europe for a year or three to learn about life from a different perspective. Establishing our base in a small rural town high in the French Alps, we are going to create a mountain life together, training for and racing triathlon in summer, sking in winter and investigating the mountains by foot, bike, rope, ski or snow shoes throughout the seasons. All this outdoor activity of course will need to be appropriately balanced with hanging out together as a family, eating fresh bagette, visiting cool old towns and drinking hot chocolate, coffee or red wine depending on age and time of day.

So, 12 days to finish packing up our life and leave our beachside, city existance surrounded by good friends and family, stunning but crowded beachs, corporate jobs, tight schedules, training, and regular but known stress to enjoy a very different European adventure.