A bit fast on the rebound..........

A bit fast on the rebound isn't necessarily when your recently divorced mate gets married again rather quickly!

Last night we met with Martin Wittering of Torque Racing and Donna Gray, former British Ladies Enduro Champion and Overall Winner of the Dawn to Dusk, Clubman class which was fantastic - they're both really super people. Donna is very much at the top of her game and has generously agreed to give me (at the bottom of my game!) some training for the event in September. Very excited, bit nervous and feeling very privileged.

I admitted (possibly a bit too candidly?!) that last week when I had to turn the bike round I had in fact got off pushed it and got back on again. It was quite a narrow lane. Donna suggested that practicing riding in a figure of eight would be good - I did this today however on a six acre field; so quite big figures of eight and room for improvement! I know that it's possible to spin the bike round in it's own space so to speak however, that's out of my skillset at the moment - my clutch control isn't up to it for sure.

Martin and Donna also had a look over my bike, which needs some re-adjustment. It is the suspension that is a bit fast on the rebound not aforementioned mate. This means that when the bike squishes down when you sit on it (technical term), mine comes back up a bit quickly - i.e. fast on the rebound. Learning so much .......also learnt that my husband has new pipes on his Benelli - in fact Martin and Donna noticed this, I didn't. Though it having been pointed out, I did observe that were rather nice (expensive I think) carbon fibre ones......!

Helmet hair & two stroke fumes!

210 days to go and the training has started. It appears I've chosen a good day for it - glorious blue skies and sunshine. As some of you know, I'm meant to be finishing my book this week. Hmm - distraction and inspiration combined!

Having not been on the bike since August, it has to be said I'm a bit rusty! However, I only stalled twice and didn't fall off !

As with any new skill, one has to do it (or think about it) at least 21 times to create a new neural pathway (hard and soft skills) - it seems I've mastered the kick start - practice really does make perfect however tough.

For those of you that have come across Ken Blanchard and Situational Leadership, I'm very firmly at the 'Conscious Incompetence' stage, with hugely wavering confidence.

One hour in the saddle today, however with helmet hair and the indisputable smell of two stroke fumes - best deal with that before client meeting in an hour!

With renewed vigor got the blog and charity pages up today too.

The Catalyst!

I was speaking earlier this week with a client about catalysts and that often a little catalyst can cause a big shift in behaviour, actions, a task......

This evening I was somewhat shocked to discover that I last posted to this blog in August last year....eek! Time flies as the expression goes.

The catalyst in this instance is our mate Gary. A seasoned and uber experienced enduro and trials rider (and I'm led to believe also single handedly despatched a number of mopeds to the moped garage in the sky in his youth!).

It transpires that Gary despite his extensive off-road experience doesn't have a road licence and today he took (and passed) his CBT, the big test in a week or so's time. The motivation being joining Mr T and I on our challenge! Eek - I'd better get planning.

So, the quietly thinking perhaps 'I've bitten off more than I can chew' and perhaps no-one will notice if I do a sponsored crochet instead...... the challenge is set; early September 2011, three days over the Pyrenees starting somewhere near Biarritz. I haven't been on the bike since last summer - 212 days to go!