Not part of the plan...

Unfortunately my big plan to try and get back into racing shape is on hold for the time being. 
Training was going well and I was out in the forest for a weekend ride and loving it when things turned slightly pear shaped. 
I had another fall over the bars and what I thought was a good crash with no damage, was not as I soon found out the next day. 
I have since spent a month in a neck brace due to ligament damage. 
I am not sure yet as to how long I will be out of riding for but just taking it one day at a time for now. Fingers crossed it is not much longer :)

Sweet New Ride!

THANK YOU MERIDA!
The new Ninety Nine has been out testing the trails this week and I am glad to say that it is one magic bike. 
I was a bit sceptical at first with the new suspension set up especially since the Merida 96 was just my dream bike, but they definitely know what they are doing when they design these things. 
The bike is more upright with a shorter head tube that climbs like a dream and the new suspension set up means the bike is designed to respond to those bumps and go downhill FAST! 

New Merida Ninety Nine 

The summer season was awesome fun and looking back at where I started and with where I am now, is definitely motivating to get in those hours training over the winter. 
I began my National  Mountain Bike Series Calendar on the side line as the course was too steep and by the top of the climb my legs were no longer responding. Next race was a goer, a wicked fun trail in Christchurch where stopping in the race to stretch and try to relax and get my back muscles to release was a very real and annoying factor to slow me down. 

Feeling the hurt but still loving it.
This is why I ride my bike :)

Winning the Senior Women's race...
Bonus!

A few weeks later and some good recovery and training meant the next race in Napier was a good race to set a goal of not having to stop mid-race.... And that I did, achieving a huge milestone in my rehab/ recovery. I raced, and raced hard till the end. Feeling stronger and really being able to get that burn in the legs on the last lap to finish, which I so miss! 
The recovery following racing was getting better and better, involving a good stretch and some lying down and a good sit meant my back muscles could release and the pain really not be an issue a few hours latter. 

Getting ready
 I forget about the nerves
 I DON"T miss them...

Going too fast for the camera, hehe.

The last major race for the summer season was the Oceania's in Rotorua, home trails... Yus!
There was a good solid goal that I was aiming for and aiming high is better than not aiming at all, so that is what I did. So turns out I have made that much progress. I am now the 2012 Opens Women's Oceania Champion!
I was pretty impressed :) What a feeling, it was such an awesome course, I didn't have to stop and the pain was managed as it came on through the second lap. That in itself, managing the pain, is huge progress and the better I get at it and the better my body gets at riding a bike again, hopefully that 'managing' part will be no more and I can JUST ride my bike again. 

Last half of the last lap and still loving it!

This new bike is going to be my new race machine over the winter and I am looking forward to testing it, as well as me on all the trails, and pushing those boundaries to get better and better. 

South Island Adventure

Along the East Coast heading to Kaikoura 

Training has been going well and the recovery is getting better and better. I have now ventured down the South Island on a road trip to race and watch the South Island Mountain Bike Cup and be part of the action at Challenge Wanaka.

The first of the South Island cups were in Dunedin and so far the racing was a no go. The track was brutally steep and on a practice lap, it was a quick and sure decision not to race. I got maybe half way up the one and only steep climb and already NEEDED to stop, have a break and stretch to try and release the tension in my back and get the legs feeling again. Only the tension was there for a solid few hours after only that one cruisy lap.
I didn't want a repeat of the Tauranga North Island Cup last year and this race be the end of me for another year. And with a positive feel for the Christchurch course having ridden it a few times on the way down to Dunedin with no issues training, I am looking forward to having a hit out in that race.

Looking down at the race HQ in Dunedin. Standing up
the climb only a fraction of the way up. 

The plan in Christchurch is to take it easy as it is my first race since my last attempt and try have some fun without the added pressure to perform that top level racing puts out.
Now Dunedin is done, everyone makes their way to Christchurch for the next battle. Huge congratulations to Anton Cooper, Carl Jones and Karen Hanlen, super performances!

Some of the Elite Women
heading up the climb.

But for this week, till Saturday afternoon, I am in Wanaka with Olly Shaw where he is preparing for a different kind of battle in a half Ironman at Challenge Wanaka. For me, it is training and play time in the sun and wicked trails to keep improving and moving forward towards Christchurch on Sunday morning.