Marina Duvnjak

Hey

Well, here I am, back home in one piece!  I actually arrived back like 10 days ago, but have been trying to keep myself busy working, and just having some fun for once!!  The arrival didnt go quite as planned, which I wont go into, but everything else is all good!

 I have managed to unpack my bike, and actually ride it for a whopping 40km…  since the last time  I rode it was on the 14th which was the Ardeche tour… man its gooood!!!!  

I’m thining I shall start tomorrow as I got a couple of kg’s to get rid off, and Oceania’s are like 7 weeks away…oops..

Im thinking, since I seem to be picking up the neighbours wireless connection , sweeeet!!!!  i’ll keep writing on here, not quite sure what but i’ll make it up as we go along!!

Ok, I’m pretty stuffed from my weekend of having a normal life, and my head hurts!! hehehe…. im off to bed!

C U

Marina

Hi

pre warning this is written with minimum sleep and a rather sore head……. last race… long drive… few drinks….. bit of unc unc and doof doof and the local disco till 3 am…hhehehe = rambling on the blog!! sorry

Well here it is 5 days = 6 stages, bloody hilly, stunning hot weather, a pretty tired bunch of girls all round. 120 or so starters and 61 finishers…. I wasnt one of them….oops

I would go through the stages one by one but to be honest they seem like a big ass blur right now, all I know is it was freaking hot, hilly and I was pretty munted to start with. I will say I did try my best, I especially munted myself on the 3rd day in the first 50km which were flat then we turned right and basically went up a climb like Mt Wellington, only 12km long……… Rush and I were so far out the ass we were hoping like hell we’d get time cut, but no, we made ot by 2.5 min…….. grrrr…. I knew I was past it that day when I couldnt eat throughout the race and had to force myself to eat at dinner…. me and food man…. we’re like so tight!!! hehehe but I just couldnt.. and could barely face another day on the bike.

Anyway the morning rolled round and there was no doubt about starting the race just to see what happens and hello! We started straight up the hill, like literally clipped in while trying to go up…. nah, that was it, I was out the ass again alone and had enough of this shit, pulled the pin… did my best but when its over its over! My goal was to finish on a good note here and I kinda sounds and looks bad but I feel like I did, cause as much as it hurt I really did enjoy the race and my mental state kinda improved so I’m am looking forward to racing back here next year… just with some better form… Which reminds me I’ll probably be based in Belgium with a womens pro team, but will tell ya more bout it when I know for sure, just in case they change their minds  before I sicgn a contract!!hehehe…. that would suck ay!!!

If you want the full on version of the tour from my teammate go to   www.daletye.blogspot.com  

So anyway, I’m back in Limoux right now, no more racing. Trying to change my flights to come home int he next week or so… maybe a bit of shopping… who knows.. but I sure as hell am looking forward to going home! yaaayyy!!

(oh just in case someone didnt quite figure it out, the 6th spot wasnt taken for the worlds…… man with results like these I just dont understand why….. hehehehhe ….. I’m kidding)   Man I’m so wxcited for the girls that are going they are soooo wicked!!!

righto C U all soon!!

oh shoud I keep writing on this thing once I’m back?/ will anyone still read it?? …… anyone…. at all??

Over and out

OOps!!! 

 My bad! Always happens aye, heheh…. in between the half hour that I wrote the last blog and the 8th and 9th time I checked my emails today, there is in fact an email from the boss…. it dosent actually name the team…but it does say…..

  There is a 6th spot available,”for any rider showing their level in Ardeche” and  “that any of you is up to the international stanadard and that you`ll be able to pull your weight “  then we might be considered!!!! 

By process of elimination  I have figured out who the team is!!! 

Toni B, Mitch H, Carissa W, Rosara J and Jo K………….. and I must say that is a wicked team!! They have worked their butts off the whole season here and are a bloody strong team!!!!! yaaaayyy!!!!!!! GO KIWIS!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, for me its a relief to finally know what is happening…. so now I can plan my next step…..

There is a tour we are doing starting on Tuesday called Tour de Ardeche!, and its 5 days,  so will wait and see what happens there….. hopefully I can haul my ass up those damn hills….

Ok, C U
Marina

Sup!!

 Well I know I said I’d let ya all know on Monday on whats happening with the worlds and it was going to be rather interesting and exciting…….. or not…. depending on what the verdict was gonna to be… anyway just prior to the WC we were told, nah it will be announced during the week, probably towards the end… well its Friday 12noon right now and I still dont know shit! And to be honest its really bugging me…. I know I’ve had some good results over the season, and part of me thinks uh uh, maybe there’s a chance i’ll get in the team, and then a part of me’s like… hell girl, you’d be struggling to haul your ass up that course (as it apparenlty isnt quite my type of course)…… but who knows on a good day maybe I just could!!! heheh…

Anyway, the point of this story is I am slightly stressed and really want to find out whats happening!!~ grrrrrr …. I was thinking if anyone sees the team announced in the herald, or some sort of website, please let me know…. as this seems to be the quickest way to find out!!

Right, I’m off to do some retail therapy right now…… catch ya laters!!!

 over

Duv

Hey!

Well where do I start!

Mitch H and I travelled up to meet the team on Wednesday, which was the 11hr train trip to Loriant. Then we spent 2 days in a hotel room in a town int he middle of nowhere. There was absolutely nothing to do but lie in bed reading mags and watching TV on silent as it was all in French! funny that …

 As I said last time I was finally starting to feel slightly better in the couple of days prior to Plouay, but dont think it was good enough,  all I was still doing were steady 1.5-2.5hr rides with short effort and that wasnt quite enough for a 120km world cup prep,  but hey was gonna try……..I was getting ready for the pain, even thinking about Grom putting new bar tape for me to chew on as I was gonna be HUUUUUURRTing!!…. Well what do you know, turned out I actually felt pretty good on the first of the 6 laps, legs were good, I wasnt imtimidated in the bunch once…. but my breathing was pretty bad, just couldnt get deep breaths in and my arms were lactating before the legs, strange, and then I think my head went before my body gave out!!   I shut it down 50 km.(sorry team)…..    I must admit my minds been a bit on the fu***d up side in the past 3 weeks, think too much, I guess its just that I was supposed to be getting better and better as the year went but instead I went good then, buff! Its downhill for a bit, and I was hoping to climb up again in time for the worlds but  now I just have to wait and see. Maybe I’d done enough through the year to show I have got it somewhere within me to pull out a good ride for the team!!, it just has to come back!!!  Grrr…

We will find out by the end of the week, so will keep ya posted! In the meantime I will jsut think that I’m going and train hard, eat right!

Anyway we are all back in Limoux, My roomie has gone “smelly Ali”, well its more like ’smelly,tocking, snoring,clicking Ali” hehehehe…. Man she’s one cool chick! Shes off to Boulder for altitude training, so now I have the my own room… kinda wierd!… and quiet!   Mitch K has also gone back to NZ, the season wasnt going quite her way so she decided to shut it down!! 

Right, thats all for now, Sorry I havent got any amazing news!!! Hope everyone’s good and cheers for your comments its cool!!!

Will update in couple of days! Promise

Marina