THE WEEKLY #211: IT WAS UPHILL BUT NOT A BATTLE

Sometimes it can feel like an uphill battle but this week was just about traveling uphill, there was no battle. In fact, it was an enjoyable cruise up many meters of incline throughout the week on both my bike and my legs. There was no struggle or battle this week, which is a welcome scenario for my body.

I kicked off the week by finishing up in Tanunda as I wrote about in the last ‘Weekly’. After riding up to Tanunda on my bike (1300m of incline), I did a trail run with a few hills up in the Barossa and the rode back ‘down’ to Adelaide (750m of incline). I then attacked my biggest ever ride of 105km from Adelaide to Port Elliot via Hahndorf (1400m of incline). I did my ‘recovery run’ with 7kms at Kuitpo Forest with Phi’s husky Mishka and then the week finished with a trail run through Belair with 300m of incline on a cold, wet and stormy morning with the boys.

All up it was 2,153m of incline on the bike and 670m of incline on the trail runs. My body feels reliable, which is a welcome change but not one I take for granted nor expect to remain. Each week on the trails and the hills is a blessing and a temporary opportunity. I think everyone has an end date for some activities. Some expect it to be in 40 years while other more injury prone or limited athletes aren’t sure when it’s their last time out on the trails feeling able.

It can often be a bit of a negative mindset to be ‘waiting’ to get injured next but it is also realistic for someone like me. However, it drives you to do injury management, take the steps to prevent it from happening. The most important aspect for me is that I just cherish the fun days out on the trails more than most. I know what it’s worth, what it feels like to be unable, to not know if it will be there in your future. You just smile when you have it and know that it isn’t permanent. It’s just an opportunity you have right now so make the most of it.

This week I received my travel exemption from the government so I can begin to plan my journey over to Europe in the coming weeks, which is exciting but nothing is set in stone during 2020 so I’ll wait till everything is confirmed before getting too stoked on a new adventure. For now, it is a continued opportunity to hang out with friends and family while exploring SA trails and biking routes.

My plan was always to leave Adelaide with my blog in great order, in better physical shape than when I arrived, and to have just embraced the lockdown no matter what was possible or not. I didn’t want to be that person who complained about what they couldn’t do, where they couldn’t go or how it is ‘so unfair’. It’s not unfair, I’m incredibly privileged, SA is a beautiful state and I’m surrounded with positive people who have made my time here in Adelaide an exceptional lockdown.

These ‘Weekly’ reviews may not be quite as full of adventures as they used to when travel was in full swing but it’s a nice chance for me to jot down my thoughts, what I’ve been up to, and have a digital record of that for years to come. If you made it this far, enjoy the photos below from my trail runs and adventures throughout the week. I also shot photos at the SA State Champs for running so those are in here too.