Surprise, surprise I’m on another long-haul flight after a whirlwind 7 days on home soil. The last trip home was a holiday, this one a business trip designed to tick as many boxes as possible. I’ve tried on some of my Olympic uniform, done filming for Channel 7, been drug tested, blood tested, seen a doc, physio, dentist, sports psyc and caught up with my QAS coach. Somewhere in between all of that I got some quality, slightly jet lagged, training done too. Oh and of course I caught up with some of my fantastic family and best mates. Everyone says they’re lucky to have the people they have around them and I’m certainly no different! I’ve got the added bonus of having great people in both places I call home.
Filming the promo shots for Channel 7’s Olympic coverage and doing an interview on camera was a little surreal. I remember watching other athletes on TV and dreaming that one day that’d be me. To have that start to come true is amazing! I’m assured it all went well but it definitely took a little time to get used to it, particularly the interview.
Those that know me will attest to the fact I have a habit of talking a little too fast a lot of the time. Put me in front of a camera and, well, that gets worse. Hopefully though I managed enough coherent sentences for them to get something useful. It was fun getting to play up for the camera, have my hair and makeup done and enjoy the little bit of attention. The shots they got look awesome and I can’t wait for everyone to get to see them! There’s a few photos below but possibly the coolest shots you’ll just have to wait until Feb to see.
I went through team processing prior to the Sochi Olympics in 2013 in a completely different headspace. At the time I’d been sliding for less than 2 years and the Games, realistically, were not even remotely a possibility. This time round it’s a different story. There was less of an eyes wide open approach and more of a methodical approach. This was just as cool and exciting but in a more realistic, this is another stepping stone way. Plus I got to do more filming (the shots I didn’t get photos of) which was brilliant.
On a more training based note, it was nice to be back in the familiar surroundings of the QAS gym and Bracken Ridge Little A’s. As I was doing my last session it occurred to me that I fought for so long to get in that gym and then gave it up kinda quickly. I miss the atmosphere and my coach more than I probably let on. Thankfully though I’ve still got Chris on my team and as a sounding board when I need him. We really do need a teleporter some days still!
I’ve decided that I’m going to relish every part of this year as my dreams unfold before my eyes. It seems like the right way to go
about it and hopefully it yields the results I’m craving. So yes, I’m stuck on another jet plane but this is just part of being an international athlete living on the other side of the world. When I really think about it, I’m getting to do this a lot at the moment, this is exactly how the dream panned out. Flying from place to place representing the country I love on the path to the Olympics. I might’ve swapped summer for winter and a tan for pasty whiteness (no, I’m never letting that go) but the end goal hasn’t changed. In fact, the closer we get the more determined I am that we’re going to make it happen. I’ve had more than enough of being at the wrong end of the pack and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to do everything I can to change it. Win or lose if I’ve done everything I can than it’ll be enough…it might just take a while to digest.