The Olympic countdown is on...

Time has flown by this off season, I have been very busy since returning to NZ.
I arrived back in NZ and before I had even slept in a bed I was at the Lawyers office buying a house!! really, who would have thought I could have found a way to buy a house, I still find it hard to believe my self. I managed to borrow my parents equity and secure a loan, and borrow extra to make renovations, probably very risky in this economical climate, but risky is not always bad, you just have to manage the risk, all is going to plan so far. The place I purchased has an unfinished relocatable house on the back section. I'm in the process of subdividing and renovating and hope to have one house up for sale next month.. does anyone want to buy a 3 bedroom holiday house 10 minutes from Lake Tekapo, 5 lakes, lots of mountains, Mt Cook, 3 ski fields (one only 5 min away) great cafes and lots of restaurants, on the school bus route (they even pick up at the gate), this is a wonderful place, and it has a rayburn range to keep the house toastie warm.

Anyway once sold I'll be left with a cottage to call home, and a small bit of land and the sense of a bit of security, after traveling the world and living the unglamorous suitcase lifestyle of a kiwi athlete for nearly 9years, and after working part time jobs and begging sponsorship off sympathetic supporters for too long, I have found a way to feel a little more secure in the world with my own patch of grass (with lots of weeds).

After the last Olympics when I sat down and analysed my 6 years in the sport, it was an easy decision to continue - I haven't yet achieved what I know I am capable of, so I looked at what I needed to do prior to the next Olympics to allow me to focus on performing to my absolute best and have a real crack at winning and not just surviving the experience. One of the points I highlighted as essential was removing the stress and doubt that I found building up towards and then following Olympic participation, that doubt can be summed up by saying 'well was that it? what the hell do I do now?

I decided that I needed to have an occupation or qualification lined up ready to go so that when the time comes for me to retire from the sport (who knows when) I am not left with a CV full of low paying part time jobs and no qualifications. This has been ticked off with my Helicopter licence, I have not fully completed my commercial but with one month of focused training my commercial licence will be complete and ready for me to start chasing a career in aviation. Knowing I have this qualification sitting there ready to go gives me peace of mind, it lets me focus on my sliding with out stressing over the future and what it holds.

The same goes with my unfinished but full of potential house, while it has been hard work getting the renovations done this off season, just having the knowledge that I actually have a wee old home waiting for me back in NZ is a blessing- it removes that whole stress of 'where am I going to stay this off season' and lessens the nagging 'I'm nearly 29 I have no income and nothing to show for the last 12 years of hard work'. I think these are two majors stresses that many Olympic athletes face, especially kiwis who spend far more time overseas, away from home and 'off the radar' than our northern hemisphere counterparts.

I am sure we have many kiwis now only days out from becoming Olympians in China wondering where their august credit card repayment is going to come from and which relative is going to let them stay for free when they get home, I just hope they can all stay focused on the job of doing their absolute best and that the kiwi media give them all the support that they deserve.

One of the features of living near Lake Tekapo that sealed the deal on moving here was the Alpine Springs Winter Park, a new hot pools and ice rink facility in Lake Tekapo, and I cant forget the cafe, they make the best coffee in Tekapo, it is a fantastic facility with a big open fire overlooking the lake and the mountains and just up the road from my house. I have been push training 3-4 mornings a week since getting home and my one hand push is looking great, the one hand push is faster than the two, but my injuries of the past prevented me from using the technique for a few years, now I have it working sweetly. I hope to have taken a significant amount of time off my push by using style, the times will tell with my first World Cup race in November.

My strength and conditioning has been going well, petrol prices made the commute to the gym in Timaru too expensive so I set up a great weights room at my place, I have a lifting platform and bench press, pulleys, med ball and plyo platform and a nice big garden for my hurdles.

I am still in the process of searching and securing all the funds and support I need to make this race season happen, it is endless but I am working on it and I am as determined as ever to be on ice early training with my coach ready for a new season back on the World Cup.