I must have been running on adrenalin. Sunday I wasn't too bad, even after the morning's rain and mud fest. I took a stint driving on the way home while Marc took a power nap, and wasn't feeling overly weary. When we got home I had no energy issues with unpacking the car, starting on some washing, making up a pasta for dinner (even if I sent Marc and Cait to the shops for provisions), and busily pulling out the sleeping bags and sleeping mats to dry out. Marc crashed for a while on the lounge, rattling the windows with his snoring, till I woke him with the gentle reminder that the bikes were still on the roof of the car (so we went out in the dark and rain again and heaved them off.)

Even yesterday morning I was ok. There I was blogging (which is important! because I've missed everyone's blogs, and I am overwhelmed by all these lovely people who missed me!) And uploading photos to a tandem groups site to share with the other tandem families on the ride. And soaking and scrubbing clothes, hanging clothes out, and helping put the sodden tent up in the backyard. And then I went to my swimming class.. and my body said "Nup, woman... this is just too much. I kept your legs going for the whole week.. (ok, so there were issues with your feet after walking down that bush track on the rest day in your cycling shoes...) but I got you through all the cycling.. all the hills. 450km without a struggle. I think the legs deserve a break, don't you? So kicking hard up and down a 25m pool for an hour? Today? No way, José."

Shut down, turn off. Rather than cry in frustration (which I felt on the verge of) I didn't finish the class. I got out early and came home. And then the tiredness hit me like a tsunami. I somehow made it through dinner and the clearing up, chased the kids to bed, and crashed in bed by 9.30. I am feeling a bit better this morning, but I could have happily slept for much longer.

I am also reeling a bit from all the netball commitments for the girls this coming week. They both had 2 hours of rep training yesterday afternoon. Cait has an extra late rep game on Wednesday night - finishing at 9.30. Then this weekend she is off on Saturday afternoon for an overnight rep trip to Cessnock (down near Newcastle) for a Sunday carnival. And Ali has her first rep carnival on Sunday at Port Macquarie. All this after several games of netball between them on Saturday. I would like to go to Ali's first rep carnival, but I would really like a day at home on Sunday. Not surprisingly! Back to reality indeed, and even if it's them doing all the exercise, the support work involved is doing my head in at the moment.

On a positive note, I have a massage booked for 11.00 today, and I am SO looking forward to it. I feel suddenly sore and tight all over, despite doing ok with it all during the ride. Marc also has today off as well - I didn't realise he'd given himself 2 days off after the ride - so that is good news as well - and a good sign in regard to work/life balance. He has been known to race back to work after being away, so giving himself an extra day off is all good.

I should ring my trainer (doesn't that sound a bit.. wanky..?)... and let her know how I did on the ride. (And give her some credit!) Somehow, though, I don't think I'm ready for a session this week. Maybe I should give myself a week off.

One thing I have to watch this week is to cut back on the food intake. For 9 days we ate what we could - hi carb anything. (That bowl of beer battered chips in the cafe at Port Macquarie went down a treat!) I hate to think how much soft drink and gatorade we consumed- plus all the cakes bought at morning teas along the route. (Yes, one of the perks of doing insane things like this bike ride, is that you basically feel entitled to eat whatever you want. Guilt free.) I did hope to have lost some weight as a result of it all, but conversely, while feeling more 'toned', and clothes feeling a bit looser, I'm about a kilo heavier than before I left! I am telling myself that muscle weighs more than fat, and also that our scales may well be playing up after carrying them downstairs to weigh bags before the ride. (In fact they are playing up - they have now stopped working!) But even yesterday my body was demanding food. (Bad food!) Time now to wean it back to sensible eating, especially if I give myself a break from the exercise this week.

Time to face that washing pile again! It is diminishing, but there's still a lot of it! The socks seem to have come through ok.. not quite as white, but wearable. A dozen pairs of bike knicks, and a dozen cycling jerseys between us (and some of the light jerseys are showing the sweat and dirt stains, thus requiring special soaking and scrubbing attention.) Still have muddy bike shoes to clean as well, plus a range of cycling/camping related detritus currently lying about the carport. And, inconveniently, the family is already generating more washing of the everyday variety. Thank goodness for washing machines is all I can say!

Labels: bike riding, daily