Stage 19: Hurt Locker

Rookie error. Covering up the pain in your quads with a codeine and ibuprofen combination also has the effect of covering up the pain of saddle sores.

With the hills over in Stage 18 I was hoping this would be a pleasant 200km recovery day like Stage 15. Alas it wasn't to be, instead I was faced with one if my hardest days on the bike.

Sitting on the saddle was literally eye watering, and getting any power from my legs was like squeezing blood from a stone. 

As we have learnt by now rolling is not the friendly cycling conditions that the term suggests. At least when you're climbing a Cat 1 hill you know it's know it's supposed to be hard. Rolling hill after hills while you are nearly in tears is a little harder to deal with!

The only things that got me through the stage were Katrine-Mari and Robyn, who stuck with me despite the fact I barely said a word to them for 9 hours, and my beautiful German friends Ivo and Ingo, who made a coke stop and pedalled it up to me when I was at a particularly low point.

The other thing that kept me getting in the van (because I really was thinking about it, a lot), was that I was so damn close to the end.

More kindness was on show when I got back to the hotel, the lovely Caroline met me with clean washing, peanut butter M&Ms, and a hug as I tried to pull myself together (after a bit of a weep on the massage table).

Then something rather cool and unexpected happened. The chapeau award is given out daily by the previous days recipient to someone who has represented the spirit of the tour. 

I was fortunate enough to be the days recipient, and all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you to Mum and Dad who told me I could do anything (even if the Tour de Dugong wasn't what they had in mind).

Thank you to my coaches Daryl and Charlotte who taught me how to believe that I am an endurance athlete.

Thank you to the amazing women of Darwin Tri Club who taught me that riding and running like a girl is a compliment.

Thank you to Cassie and Wendyn who were there for me while I trained.

Thank you Andrew for the training rides.

Thank you to everyone who donated to the William Wates Memorial Trust so I could reach my fundraising target.

And thank you to so many Tour de Forcers who have shown such support and generosity of spirit, especially but not limited to: Sarah, Phil, Gavin, Claire, Col, Kirsty, Katrine-Mari, Caroline, Florian, Matt, Ivo, Ingo.

xx