My next big thanks and congratulations go to my team. This Under Armour ride has been fantastic, but there has been no greater highlight than spending time with and learning from 4 of the toughest, friendliest and most genuine people I have had the pleasure of meeting Mick Here is a guy that has so much self-belief and confidence in his ability. Mick injured himself at O-school and that foot injury prevented him from being able to run until approximately mid October. Mick has truly taught me how to deal with injury. I have never seen someone so calculated and so disciplined. All of the traits that make him such a formidable athlete he was able to direct into his recovery. He sort the right help, got a plan and was unwavering in it. My favorite moment from Mick was when he was talking about his moon boot. its a bit of a pain in the ass, waking up in the middle of the night to go for a piss and having to put the moon boot on why don’t you just go with out it? its only 10m i said because I’m trying make 6 weeks in the boot become 4 weeks he said. Despite feeling pressure from athletes, coaches and management, he knew that he was in control, and mate you showed us all. DISCIPLINED Lachlan This bloke is unsuspecting; he is so casual and laid back that I wondered whether we were even doing the same race (I was shitting myself). Behind the scenes though I started to see that Lachie truly is a workhorse. His approach to the race is laid back but his preparation certainly isnt (except when he nearly missed the flight to LA because he read the departure time wrong, but thats another story) As Annastasia said, Lachie has a certain charm to him that allows you to relax and smile, he is always good for a laugh. Lachies most common phrase over the trip 24hrs......SHIIIITTT, why would anyone want to do that! However come race day I saw another side to Dansie, as you all know Darren was hurt and I watched Lachie tow Darren constantly up hill or on flats it made no difference, he was often the team member who would lift the others over obstacles first and then get up unassisted. This guy is so unbelievably strong, super intelligent and an absolute pleasure to be around. STRONG Darren Truly my new hero. It was fantastic spending time with him because he is so god damn quiet. This guy is a master of his craft and I really wanted to learn as much as I could from him. Eventually the jokes came through and it was a pleasure getting to know the man. In the race he was a powerhouse…. and then one wrong step. That wrong step just happened to be the last step off an 11m cliff into water. Darren carried too much momentum and landed on his chest. I wasn’t there to see it but from the stories he was hurting. Darren didn’t want to let the team down and so he persevered. I caught up with them at some stage during the night and asked how he was going “not good” was his answer as he continued to run up a hill. We later found out that Darren had bleeding in his lungs and was reduced to about 50% breathing capacity. Now here is the measure of the man. In life as well as in racing people are always looking for the easy way out, a legitimate excuse to stop the uncertainty, the pain or the fear. In Darren’s case he must have had all three. In the early hours of the morning his opportunity to give up was handed to him… The 5 of us were finishing a lap and all of us stopped out the front of the first aid tent, we looked at Darren with blood streaming from the side of his mouth and said “that’s it Darren we have to pull the plug, you have to stop” he knew that none of us would hold it against him, that he had already put in a monumental effort. Here was an opportunity, to get warm, get out of the wind, get help, breath! But Darren has a mental toughness that surpassed every single person on that track that night, he has never given up in a race in his life. He looked at us and said “no” and walked straight past the first aid tent disappearing slightly into the sand storm alone, leaving the rest of us to stare at each other with disbelief. “In any fight it’s the guy who is willing to die that’s going to win that inch and I know that if I’m going to have any life anymore its because I’m still willing to fight and die for that inch”. One of my favorite quotes in the world Darren, I will never hear it without thinking of you. TOUGHEST Deanna: You are amazing. Not because you continuously beat me that’s more annoying than amazing. I learnt a lot about racing from you, but more importantly I have learnt a lot about life. People often joke and say who would you like to be stuck next to on a flight to London (meaning someone really interesting that cant escape you so you can pick their brain) well Perth wasn’t quite London, but she was stuck next to me all the same. I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to pick her brain! Being the honest, open and caring women that she is she answered every question I ever asked. Success leaves clues and you are someone who has true success, your currency is happiness and you seem to be one of the richest women in the world, may it always stay that way. My life is better for knowing you better. BEAUTIFUL
Posted on: Sun, 23 Nov 2014 03:42:37 +0000