Sofa Time

Yesterday i began watching my 3rd Grand Tour of the season, The Vuelta Espana from the comfort of my sofa. Watching Both the Giro and Tour De France, i was filled with excitment about watching particularly my team mates whom i have enjoyed such a great season with thus far and enthusiasm for when i would finally get my chance in the Vuelta. Unfortunately It did not turn out as planned and while i was still so very excited and sending any amount of telepathic and moral support for my team mates in spain i also had a hurting side of realising what an amazing race i was missing out on. The mood in our young team is always super duper and i knew in the team tt that the TEAM word would have our boys right up the top of the results sheet. Sure enough all nine men turned themselves inside out for vincenso nibali and almost pulled of a amazing victory and in the end only being 4 seconds shy of the all conquering leopard trek team contain world time trial meastro chamion fabian cancellara in second place. Asside from Alan Manangoni none of our boys are pure time trialists but they showed there commitment and tighnittedness to each other to put in such an excellent performance. Not only that but it also clearly illustrates the amazing skills these lads have on there bikes, somthing i am always in awe of at training camps but while i wished i was there so bad with them, thats natural i think, i was also so excited to see the team spirit they showed and take away the results and glory that goes with that, that type of bonding in the team is the thing that i really cherrish and enjoy and will miss so much not being appart of for the next 3 weeks. In anycase i will be infront of the tele every afternoon when the eurosport coverage begins giving them all the moral support i can muster. I am very confidient that there is going to be many more really really really great performances by the boys over the next 19days.

Following another ultra sound on my rib i have been ordered to have another week indoors on the home trainer to ensure it heals up nice and strong. Once it became evident that i was not going to be able to be cleared to race the big races which are now underway the Team Doctor Roberto Corsetti is forcing me to take the utmost precaution with my recuperation. One thing the ultrasound di highligh was the close proximity of the fracture to my lung so upon seeing this spending long hot sweaty days indoors infront of the tele did not seem like such a bad option.

Its pretty fortunate that i dont seem to mind the home trainer. I imagine its another throughback from my rowing days where i think you would be hard pressed to find anything more monotinous than a rowing machine, specially when you spend 1hr at time on one. Atleast on the bike ergo i can watch tele and when i have my time trial bike i can even play playstation. With heavy breathing still not really allowed for me as yet it is no dramas maintaining concentration on the playstation at the low heart rate i am able to comfortable trundle along. Its pretty funny looking at an SRM power file after being on the bike ergo playing Gran Turismo, i seem to slow my cadence down into corners before accellerating out of them with a high cadence simulating the acceleration of the car all completely un beknowns to me. Its a bit like when you are on the coach and you start leaning with your body or turning your head into corners when you get into the game. I have therefore come to the conclusion that its actually a small race simulation with the power ossolations which occur out on the open rd. Sure i wont be replacing playing playstation with my normal training but over the past 10days its been an enjoyable way to pass the time whilst allowing my bone to heal and i hope maintain some of the condition i spent 100hrs developeing in the 3 weeks before this most inconvenient fracture occured. Appart from the PS3 i am very lucky to have SKYTV and i have certainly garnered a whole new appreciation for SportCentre and major leauge baseball, those two can take up a serious amount of mindless ergo trainer time. I also like to try and utalise my time in an effective way and multitask where possible and as a result have found that the History Channel has been excellent in refreshing my memory on all those things that unfortunately left me after having so diligently listened those many moons ago at school. Through in the copious amounts of re runs of Top Gear and i have not really minded one bit saddleing up on the home trainer each day. Having said that i am really really looking forward to hitting the open road again on thursday when i get the green light from Dott Corsetti.

Another great thing is that all my rowing mates have been here during this slightly frustrating period of my season. I time my sessions so we can do recovery seeions in the hot cold baths and there is always soemone to chat to while i am having my daily Treatment from our resident Physio Emedio who has me hooked up to all kinds of modern medical healing machines to ensure i am good as new again. Certainly having the support of the European Training Centre here in my little town of gavirate and Emedio has made the whole process unquatifiably more pleasent and ensured i get the best possible treatment. Us aussie athlete's are sure very lucky that our Magnificent Aussie Government has provided us with such a resourse. In years to come i am certain it play a massive role in the continued increased prominance of aussie sport on the world stage.

cjw