The Aquarium

So we had another rest day yesterday and thought we would head along to Europe's well known aquarium here in Valencia. It was another hot day so only spent a few hours looking around also watched a dolphin show to finish off the visit... I just thought it would be easier put a few photos up on here.

Ups and downs. RIP Nic.

¡Hola

Firstly, I just want to say a little message; unfortunately we lost a friend, a sister, a best friend and a member of “the crew” to cancer. Everyone is still struggling to come to terms with this, but Nicola Stock I still can’t believe you are not here with us anymore you were one of the most courageous, talented and humorous young ladies I have ever met! Jerry you have always been there for her, Nic will always be watching and guiding you. Rest in peace Nic xxx.

We have now left Wales and have arrived in Spain to train in the heat and have also met up with the male sprinters that had arrived a few days earlier than us.

In Wales we were all unsure what to expect or what we would find in Wales, but we were lucky enough to venture to Cardiff on our rest day which is the capital of Wales – 30 minutes drive from Newport if we were lucky with the traffic. To start our day in Cardiff we did what all tourists do and jumped onto a double decker touring bus with Nigel our tour guide after the 50 minute tour we split up and did a bit of shopping. Wales was definitely a place that I wouldn’t have expected to go to but I have got to say I would love go back!

Wales National Velodrome, Newport

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Wales tour bus

Something interesting on the tour bus.

A castle with the girls.

More Castle

Yankees...

Out to dinner with the team.

  

The track in Newport was quite different to any other track that I have been on. We spent 10 days to familiarise ourselves with the track and especially for Natasha as the transitions on the track in Newport are very similar to the one she will be racing on during the London Olympics!! If you are on twitter I think you should follow her progress  and support her at  

https://twitter.com/#!/NatashaHansen01   

  So we have finally settled into our crib in Valencia. Our first hit out was on the road and went for a spin through Valencia’s city and we even got to ride through the start/finish straight for the formula 1 grand prix circuit! The weather here is hot and quite humid. It’s good to actually feel some heat in the sun and get some vitamin D, rather than waking up to frosts in the morning. The track here isn’t your norm it's an indoor concrete 250m, felt like I was back on Auckland’s track so it took a while to get use to it and its colour...on that not I am looking forward to getting some more Vitamin D into me and get some colour back into me!

Adiós a mis amigos!

Beach time here in Spain!

Beach again...

F1 Tourists

Valencia's Track!! Temperatures inside!

 

Arrival

Hi there,

Heavy frost - day of departure

Snow - Drive to Alexandra!

Firstly we have all safely arrived in Wales, after Natasha and John (JR) were stuck in Christchurch as they experienced an early snow fall which closed down the Christchurch airport so they met us the next day...not to mention the snow fall in and around Alexandra during May and also the heavy frost the morning I left Invercargill, so I’m not going to lie I’m pretty happy to be in ever so slightly warmer weather here. It’s meant to be summer but I don’t think Wales experience summer as well as other countries...quite similar to Invercargill .....

Governors House

But before we departed BikeNZ held a camp over the Queen’s birthday weekend for the sprinters that are off to Junior Worlds and also a few other up and coming sprinters both U17 and U19 had the privilege to be invited to the camp. They were an awesome bunch of people and I was delighted to be involved with it, even I learnt lots that weekend! Thanks to the coaches and the helpers that gave up their time and helped us all out and congrats to the Queen’s birthday Weekend champion – Jeremy Presbury, there was some great sprinting that’s for sure...can’t wait to see them in action later this year if you haven’t got your tickets yet, I suggest you should get some by visiting  this website  http://www.juniorworlds2012.com/

Diabetic alert dog :)

Governors House

On a different note at the end of May I was asked to speak at the 50th Annual Diabetes Conference in Wellington alongside another very talented Diabetic Morgan Curry. It was only for a couple of days but I was able to met lots of people and I hope everyone that was there listening to me actually got something out of it! Whilst I was up in Wellington we were also invited to the Governors House as part of the AGM and conference. I was very privileged to have met the Governor but I don’t think he was so excited to met me as I could imagine he would have met hundreds if not more people that day before he me! But still it was pretty awesome to have seen the house, wish I lived in a house like that!

Governors House

The Governor and I

So for now we are knocking up the track and the gym in Newport, Wales. We had our first day on the track today to get use to it and also to smash out some starts alongside the GB Junior Development endurance squad which was pretty cool! We will then be moving onto Valencia, Spain in 6 days here we will be meeting up with the male sprinters!

Bridge to Newport!