Milestones……What a week?



It has been a big week for me for a couple of reasons.  Yesterday saw me exit one decade and enter a new one.  Yes that is right it was my birthday and I hit the big 4….0 that is right, I am now in the naughty forties as I have been told.  Not sure it will be any different to the dirty thirties, but we will see, I can only hope it is a little more on the naughty side.  I would also like to point out that according to my 4 year old, I am old now and nearly dead.  Isn’t it wonderful how children perceive things.  The benefit of this though is that I will be a fitter healthier person in my 40’s than I was in my 20’s or 30’s.  Something to look forward to and keep the grim reaper away for a little bit longer.

Weigh in this week saw me lose 1.7kgs which was a nice surprise.  I was not sure how much I would lose but I had hoped after the weekend’s ride it would sizeable, so to have almost dropped all of the weight gained on holiday is a bonus.  Actually, since the ride I have been buzzing.  Not because of what I have achieved, well partly because of that, but more in anticipation of what we will achieve for next year as Julie and I have committed to do the ride again.  I am also thinking about doing the Sydney ride a fortnight before the Melbourne one.  Our team which consisted of 6 riders this year has already doubled and is going to get bigger.  I have been overwhelmed by the kind words of congratulations and also encouragement that have flowed in from people whom consider what we have done to be some superhuman feat.

There have also been those that have commented on how much it means to them that we have done this as they have been impacted in their family by cancer.  This is why I chose to do the ride.  As much as it was a personal achievement and something that allowed me to focus on some physical activity and getting healthier, it was all about the cause and making money.  It is also part of the reason the new team members have joined.  I have been very lucky that we have a few people that have joined this week which are my 12WBT family.  These ladies are all new to riding, just like I was 6 months ago, but they will all be joining our super supportive team for this ride and I am sure they will be over the moon with their achievement in 12 months just like I am.

Our bikes after the ride

I have mentioned in the past how much I have been enjoying exercise since I started this new phase of my life.  Well it became even more apparent to me this week when I found myself wishing I could be outside enjoying the nice weather on my bike when Julie told me she was going for a ride.  Who would have thought that after just having completed 200 kilometres I would want to be sitting on that bike again.  Getting on my bike is a new release for me.  It allows me to get out and go as fast as I choose and not have to worry about anything except the crazy people walking dogs in front of me and thankfully no more magpies.  I have also found myself planning next year’s ride and discussing plans for fundraising and training. 

So in my 40^th year I am planning on becoming the lightest I have been in 20+ years.  I am also planning on riding my bike a lot and raising a lot of money for Peter Mac.  This year will be the biggest of my life in so far as achieving what I need to do so I can be healthy, happy and the best version of me.  I believe they say that life begins at 40 so I am looking forward to tackling it head on and if I am going to have a mid life crisis it may mean I have to buy a new bike and not a sports car.  Call me boring, but that will suit me just fine.