Ok, so I work in an environment where comb-overs and bad cardigans are more prevalent than in any other industry in the country. And Canberra is totally orderly and possibly pretty boring for someone passing through – except of course if you are into museums, miniature villages and town planning….

But, life in Canberra is anything but boring when you are into mountain biking! I live in the burbs 25km from town but can ride all but 3km on dirt if I don’t mind a few hills and sometimes dodging kangaroos. And the amount of excellent, easily accessible single track is amazing. I mean, who wouldn’t want to live here?

For me, mountain biking has gone from something I do on the odd weekend when the weather is nice, to something that dominates my life. Ever since my brother in-law Felix gave me the ad for the ‘Dirt Roads to London’ (DRTL) AIS program, things have changed…

I laughed out loud when I read the description of who the AIS were looking for but with encouragement from a few people, I made the trip up to Sydney to have a try anyway (I mean there was nothing to lose!?!). Now that was a great day – I managed to have a stack on each of my timed laps and was certainly not skilful in any way. But somehow I was asked back to the next trial.

The following months were a blur of training, and trips to Sydney for trials and races. In October, when the final DRTL squad list came out, I was miraculously on it. Of course I was ecstatic but also dubious about my capabilities to race at the national level in the summer. I mean, only 6 months earlier, I had raced nothing higher than a B grade women’s club race!!

But now that its autumn, it seems that the summer of major races also passed in a blur. With my new Yeti and heaps of support, mainly from my coach Michel Vermande and partner Paul (the best darn feed dude and all round helper there is!!), I achieved some great personal goals and continued to improve throughout the season. So much so that I managed to come in 9^th in Elite Women’s at the Oceania Championships in March.

And now, I’ve been lucky enough to gain sponsorship with TORQ Australia, it seems that things just get better and better! I get to wear cool orange and black gear (although the caption on the butt of my shorts is a bit interesting….), consume great products and have even made some brilliant new friends. I need to thank the wonderful Kate Potter for helping me realise that sponsorship was a possibility, and Gen and Dean for making it a reality.

So who knows where I’ll be going from now on?? But rest assured, I’m still training hard and will definitely be back there on the start lines for the national and international races next summer.

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