Where to start

Hello & welcome to my new blog.
I've decided to start a blog on account of my overwhelming guilt about never updating my friends & supporters on my progress via Facebook, primarily because I mostly only use the internet at work, where Facebook is of course banned. By the time I finish work, training, cooking, housework, training diary and (hopefully) stretching for the day, the last thing I want to do is open up the computer and spend an hour lost in the wonderful world of Facebook!

So, now I have plenty of room to write... what shall I start with?
Well as you most probably know if you are reading this, in 7 weeks myself and my number 1 support crew/coach/husband Johnno are off to the good ol' US of A so that I can compete in the International Triathlon Union Long Course World Championships, in Henderson, Nevada on November 5. I qualified for the Australian team for this race by completing the Coles Bay 100 triathlon in Tassie last March.
It will be my first big important race (and certainly first race overseas) but I am hoping it will be the first in a number of stepping stones to qualifying for a long course professional racing licence from Triathlon Australia, and ultimately a career as a professional triathlete - in the long term of course!

I haven't got much idea of what to expect at the Worlds except for a hilly, tough course in the middle of the desert. Training started about 7 months ago and has been progressing well with no major injuries or illnesses, touch wood.
Yesterday was a major test along the way whereby I completed the Ross Marathon, winning the women's race in a time of 3 hours 5 minutes. I will admit I was hoping to crack that elusive 3 hour barrier and after 30km I felt great and was on track to do so - it was the last 10km that killed me! Luckily, the run in Vegas is only 30km... but will it feel good after swimming 4km and riding 120km??? I doubt it!

In order to (attempt to) make it hurt a bit less, I'm putting in up to about 24 hours of training a week (in an ideal week- of course "life" tends to interfere with that rather more than I appreciate) in between working around 40 hours across my jobs at the pool (front desk, office and aqua instructor) and bike shop (Cycle Torque and Coffee).
It makes for a busy life and a messy house, but I love it. Johnno is very good at putting up with me being constantly stressed, time-crunched and grumpy, and making tea for me :) even if we do normally eat at 10pm!! (forget the "no carbs after 8pm" rule!)

Anyway work is busy - HATE school holidays - so I have to go. Next blog coming soon!
Yours in tri,
Holly