Chill Out Week

Well I have enjoyed the last 7 days completely off training. The weather has been absolute crap here so it was perfect timing.

Unfortunately, the scales have gone up a kilo with a daily visits to the Bakery plus visiting my mum who always has chocolate in the house.

Today it was back into training, heading at 7:15am into the rain, but it felt so good to be back on the bike. My next big focus is the World Masters Track Cycling Championship in Sydney starting 19 October. This year I’ve moved up into 45-49yrs category. So it’s 15 more weeks of training in shit winter conditions.

2007 & 2008 World Masters Track Cycling Championship Photos

2008 500mTT - 1st (40-44 years)

2008 Masters World Championship 500mTT
2nd Megan Marsh (AUS), 1st me, 3rd Amanda O'Connor (AUS)

2008 Sprint Finals - Me and Amanda O'Connor

2008 Points Race - Winning sprint - 1st (40-44years)

2007 Sprint Finals - Me and Michelle King (won 1 of 3)

2007 Flying 200TT


2007 Bede (my son) & me after 1st World Champion medal win (Bronze 500m TT)

2008 Scratch Race with 1 lap to go (1st 30-44 years)

2008 Scratch Race

Me & Kim Trzebiatosky (RSA)

Me & Patrizia Spadaccini (Itlay)

2008 Lining up to 500mTT

Manu Robson & me

Twitter

I'm having a break from blogging and now doing the Twitter thing!
My link is www.twitter.com/meganbp
Are you? If so, let me know so I can be a follower!

2009 National Track Cycling Championships

My key highlight at the track nationals was taking the bronze medal in the Elite Women’s Sprint. (Natasha Hansen 1st, Penny Day 2nd). In the semi final, with the winner going through to ride for the gold/silver final, I lost the first sprint, won the second, but lost the third, realising that my 6 hour a week training routine didn’t really give me enough gas in the tank to do the biz on the final sprint.

It was a hard days racing with some really talented riders I had to do battle with. I was so grateful to have Mike McRedmond helping me. Mike has this amazing ability to bring out the very best in everyone on race day.

I placed 10th in the 500mTT equaling my PB and battled my way through the Keirin heats to make the final finishing 5th.

I told myself if I didn’t win a medal this year, then it would be time to change my national racing licence over from “Elite” to “Masters”, but at nearly 45 years, if I can still do the biz with the young chicks, I’m not going to give up just yet.

My other highlight was unofficially breaking the world age group record for the flying 200mTT. I didn’t realise I had done so until I headed back to my motel room and looked up the time on the internet. I had an official attempt later in the week in front of probably 400 people plus. I knew it wasn’t a good sign when the crowd went very silent after I’d finished! I just missed by 0.1 sec. But hey, I’m a great believer, not to put deadlines on your goals, but instead "time frames" and I’ve got five years to achieve this one.

I had a fantastic week down in Invercargill thoroughly enjoying hanging out with my team mates and all the great people you meet at events like this. Plus sleeping in each day and watching Oprah on TV each afternoon between sessions was an added bonus.

However, the champs ended with my coach Hamish and I, deciding that it was best for both of us to move on.

2009 WCNI Track Champs Photos

Got these great pics from Merv Richdale who was at the champs. If you were riding he may have some of you (mobile 0274474221).

The Keirin Action

2009 New Zealand Masters Games

Me with Pauline and Max Pendleton, parents of 2008 Olympic Sprint Gold medal winner, Victoria Pendleton.

The NZ Masters Games track cycling events were held on Thursday, 5 February in Wanganui.

There was a bit of confusion about the start time. The website said 5pm. When we got there the programme said 6pm, and there was a sign on the wall in the clubhouse saying 5.30pm.

It actually kicked off at 5:15pm with the 500m TT, with the women first up, so out to the track I went with absolutely no warm up apart from a few circuits around the cones!

After four years of riding 500mTT’s, I managed to be consistent and ride a another sh*t time for a sprinter, but did mange to take 0.3sec from the previous week’s WCNI champs time. I know I’m not going to achieve great results at Track Nationals competing in in the elite women’s category in this event but I have set a personal goal to break the World Record for my age group, which I think is very doable.

Emma Wensing, me, Fiona Southorn.

Next event was the Sprint. In extremely windy conditions (just look at our hair in the photo), I was happy to ride 12.5sec for my flying 200mTT.

Last year, I was going too fast and peaked too early, so this year my training has been changed so this won’t happen, however it has felt a bit frustrating when I have wanted to punch out good times at events like this.

The last event was the Scratch Race (I skipped the pursuit). As I was the only female doing this event in my age group category, I got fired in with the men 45-60 years, and I bet them all!

Here’s a video of the action over the last few laps taken take by “Bede Cam”. I’m in the green and white with the solid back disc wheel.



One of the big highlights of the evening for me was chatting to the people next to me, Pauline and Max from UK. They come out yearly to spend time each summer at their house in Blenheim and they made the trip up to Wanganui so Max could compete. Pauline said to me, our daughter ride’s the track, you might have heard of her, Victoria Pendleton? I couldn’t believe I was talking to the parents of the 2008 Olympic Women's Sprint gold medalist and World & Olympic record holder. Being a sprinter myself, I just idolize Victoria and her rise to the top and to meet her parent's and chat to her mum was fantastic.

As I was firing up my IPod, Pauline said that one of Victoria's favourite bands is “The Prodigy” (which is also mine too). When The Prodigy found out Victoria was a fan they invited her to a concert and gave her a special plaque signed by them all, saying “Respect”, how cool is that!

The Results
1st NZ Women's Masters 500m TT 40-44years
1st NZ Women's Masters Sprint 40-44years
1st NZ Women's Masters 3000m Scratch 40-44years

2009 WCNI Track Cycling Champs

Women's Keirin from left: 2nd Brei Gudsell, 1st Me, 3rd Jennifer Wilson

Sunday 25 January, was not just a day to test how good you were on the track, but to test how you could handle an extremely hot day with a lot of waiting around.

The Champs kicked off at 10am in Wanganui and concluded at 7pm with the team for the track nationals being announced.

As the champs were 5 weeks out from the track nationals I had done just under 3 weeks training, so didn’t have sizzling form, but did enough to achieve a win in the Sprint and Keirin and place 2nd in the 500m TT competing in the Women’s category.

Five years ago, I thought I was too old to ever ride the track again, so at 44 years to be selected to compete in the elite women's category at the National Track Cycling Championships and last year to have won a bronze medal there in the Women's Sprint, is beyond what I ever thought was possible.

So if you have a burning desire inside to do something, not trying is far worse than taking the opportunity regardless of whatever the outcome may be!

2008–Summary & Thanks

2008 proved to be a successful cycling year for me if you measure success by how many World Championship titles you win (I’m sure Masters ones count)!

Although winning is great, the “journey” to the destination is where I derived most of my satisfaction and personal fulfillment from, challenging myself with goals and targets along the way and also learning a lot about myself and others.

So here is my “2008 Gratitude-Thank You List” acknowledging the people that were key players in helping me achieve my 2008 cycling goals.

A big thanks to:

My husband Rory, who invests so much time, energy (and money) into our cycling ventures. Who strategically knows how to approach things to achieve the best outcomes and help me go faster, and who also knows how to handle me when my training sessions have pushed me over the edge (which happened a couple of times this year)!

Bede, my son, who has to listen to hours of cycling talk and which he’s says are “hours of bored-ness! A big thanks to him for all the great photos he took at the World Masters, and the cycling videos he downloads to my IPod and for just being who he is.

Then there is my awesome Mum, who supports me in so many ways and my wonderful Auntie’s and Uncle’s for their interest and encouragement always. And my Dad and grandparent's who are no longer here, but supported my cycling 100%.

And my workmates, who are so supportive with my cycling and Ron and Sam for their insightful knowledge.

To Gordon at Pedal Pushers for being such a great mechanic and giving the just best service and Garry, Dennis and the other Pedal Pushers guys.

The PN Marist, Feilding and Wanganui Cycling Clubs, and my first cycling coach Max Vertongen who I have to thank today for my fantastic leg speed, after all those tortuous fixed wheel road rides I had do with the big guys in a 68” gear when I was 14 years old. Mike McRedmond who helped me with my track preparation for the track nationals this year where I achieved a bronze medal the elite women’s sprint.

Also to many others, who gave advice, suggestions and insights, that may not even realise how valuable they were to me.

And lastly and importantly, what makes the cycling experience so great is the wonderful people I have met through competition.

I look forward to 2009 as I have set my cycling goals with a different focus from 2008. They will provide me with some new exciting challenges to achieve.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Holidays

I'm currently on holiday until the 12 January 2009! Just bascially hanging out around home with a few day's at Napier with Rory and Bede. It has been such a luxury not having to get up at 5:15am to go to the gym five mornings a week, and go to bed later than 8.30pm!

I start my training for the track nationals 8 weeks out, so I still have some chill out time to have a few Lindys and eat sh*t and not push myself too hard when I feel like jumping on the bike.

Bede (my son) got a new road bike from his Nana for Christmas, a Trek 1400. He's had a couple of track races and loves those sprint finishes.

2008 World Masters Track Cycling Championships

What a fantastic week of track cycling action!

I won four World Championship title’s and became “Champion of Champions” in my age group.

The big highlight of the week was winning the 5000m Scratch Race, racing with the 30-44 year old's in the most testing race I’ve ever done, being - fast, dangerous and ugly.

I was boxed in with three laps to go but I got there. The action can be viewed on the following link, zoom along to about 6 minutes to view the last 4 exciting laps! Click here then on Event 54.

Being a Mind-Performance Coach, I have theme songs for each of my events to get fully amped and zoned in! My music for this race was Devildriver’s, Just Run .. and it worked perfectly with lyrics like…

Courage without conviction

Is apathy at best

Better move with a quickness

Or get shit-canned like the rest

No one taught you how to run with the pack

So blaze your own trail down

Catch yourself if you slip

Chances are there'll be no one around

Get out, leave it far behind Get out,
leave it far behind

Get the fuck out!

Run now…to save your soul

Run now…to take control

Run now…to save your life

Run now…it's do or die

Just run…

500m TT

500m TT - Megan Marsh (Aus), me, Amanda O'Connor (Aus)

2007 UCI World Masters Track Cycling Championships

A pictorial view of my week at the World Masters Track Cycling Championships.
Images: Mike Gladu/www.velodrome.com

Just cruising the "Dunc Gray" enjoying every moment of the experience.

I got 2nd in the pursuit final, and totally surprised my coach as we had only focusd on sprint training. Also have learnt that having a low aerodynamic position can help quite a bit too.

World Pursuit Championship 40-49yrs
1st Mandy Collis (Aus)
2nd Megan Blatchford-Peck (NZL)
3rd Kim Trzebiatosky (RSA)

Scratch Race, one lap to go!

The big win. I look a bit surpised about it all too! Was really in the 'zone' for this race.

World Scratch Race Championship 30-44 years
1st Megan Blatchford-Peck (NZL)
2nd Amanda O'Connor (AUS)
3rd Michelle Ferris (AUS)

Even my huband RG (Rory) didn't give me the big "hands on hold" like the Aussie Coach above.

World Sprint Championship 40-44yrs
1st Michelle King (AUS)
2nd Megan Blatchford-Peck (NZL)
3rd Julie Barnett (AUS)

It's Never Too Late To Be A World Champion

Sometimes life takes you on a new path and you leave behind your dreams and aspirations. This is what happened to me.

I married young at 19 years. I realised 9 weeks later that I had made a terrible mistake and courageously packed up and left with the help of my parents. Suddenly a big gap was created in my life, a marriage disaster and lots of time on my hands.

However, being a positive person I needed to channel my energy into something constructive and started riding a road bike that I found in my father’s garage. It was November 1983, and I couldn’t wait to get home from work and go riding in the warm summer evenings. As the weeks went past, I became slimmer, fitter, and faster, it was such a wonderful feeling. I did some competitive cycling at school and would often ride past the velodrome and watch the track racing. I wished I was good enough to ride as I loved the speed and being competitive. When I got home and I would visualise myself racing around the track.

I have always believed, that “when you focus on what you want, you attract it.” During one of my visit’s to the velodrome, one of the guy’s offered to lend me a track bike, and NZ top cycling coach at the time, Max Vertongen offered to train me. Four months later, in February 1984, I became track cycling National Women’s Sprint Champion.

Over the next three years, I had varying success. I was selected to represent New Zealand at the Australian Games where I won gold. However, it was a struggle to train and I had a mortgage and worked full time. I found training after work in the dark during winter a daunting challenge. I learnt that my specialist sprint event was not being included in the Commonwealth Games and decided to retire from the sport at 22 years.

Life continued and exercising and keeping fit was part of my lifestyle. However, deep down, I loved to compete, race, and challenge myself, and exercising without a competitive purpose was not overly fulfilling.

At age 27 years, I decided to make a come back, and after limited training, placed second in the NZ National Track Cycling Championships, women’s sprint and was selected for a NZ team. However, four months later, my much loved Dad who did everything for me, was killed when warming up for bike race. I decided to end my involvement with the sport.

But, at age 40 the competitive desire was still burning inside. Living in New Plymouth at the time, I thought I would train for a triathlon. As part of my preparation I entered some local cycling club races. A casual remark from a female club member put me back on a serious cycling path. She zoomed pass me in a race and said “how she felt sorry for how slow I was riding up the hill”. That was all I needed to hear. Later that year (2004), I won the National Women’s Road Cycling Championship 35-44 years and successfully defended my title in 2005.

However, my love of track cycling was still burning away inside. Once again, the principal of “when you focus on what you want, you attract what you need to make it happen” occurred. My wonderful husband Rory said, “Why don’t you give the track ago again.” I said, “Don’t be ridiculous, we live 160kms away from the nearest velodrome.” Two weeks later I was the owner of a second hand track bike (the same model I was riding 20 years prior!), and we made the two hour return journey to the Wanganui velodrome to train and compete each week. At first I worried about making a fool of myself, and I was absolutely terrified riding around a steeply banked track, but with time I made the breakthrough. Being an “out of towner and an older female” I was so appreciative of the support, encouragement and received from the Wanganui club track guys.

Three years later in October 2007, I entered and competed at the UCI World Masters Track Cycling Championships in Sydney. I absolutely loved every moment of my preparation. Being a speed cyclist I spent a lot of time in the gym. Focusing on the big picture, I attracted all the right people and circumstances into my life. My husband, son, and I moved to Palmerston North and I started working at the Massey University gym. Early morning starts and a mid-day finish allowed me time to train in the afternoons before my son finished school. I worked with Christchurch based cycling coach, Hamish Ferguson, for 12 months and at 43 years he helped me achieve faster times in training than when I was riding 22 years ago. For me, this was such a personally satisfying achievement that whatever happened at the World Masters would be a bonus.

As well as physical training, I put a lot of focus into my mental preparation. It all came together perfectly, when I achieved the big win becoming the UCI World Masters Women’s World Scratch Race Champion 30- 44 years, beating former Olympic and Commonwealth games riders many years younger than me. Success also came with two silver medals in the Sprint and Pursuit and bronze in the Time Trial.

Success isn’t a solo journey. My win wouldn’t have been possible without the love, time and support from my husband Rory. Many others who contributed with their time, support, comments and suggestions that made a difference. Challenging yourself to be the best you can be, I believe is one of the most fulfilling ways to live your life!

For anyone who wants to reunite their sporting desire, it’s never too late. In 2008 the World Masters Track Championships will again be based in Sydney 14th-18th October 2008 and in 2009 the World Master’s Games are in Sydney featuring 26 sports.

Websites

http://www.cyclingmasters.com.au/

www.sydney2009mastersgames.com.au/