WHAT a final week at home it was – Bunbury, my favourite place in the world.
After setting up shop for a solid four months back in Bunbury and training really hard in my off-season, the last week at home started to bring some unexpected emotions.
I began to pack my bags to head back to California for the year, and I found myself a little emotional as I pulled my bikes apart.
It has been such a good time at home – summer time, friends, family and great training.
I am certainly going to miss that.
I found myself surrounded by the most supportive and loving people in my life and stepping outside of that comfort zone to chase my dream to make next year’s Rio Olympic games is going to be tough.
At the same time, the excitement to get to come back to California for the summer, and a very busy race schedule ahead of me, I was super pumped to get back on the circuit.
I’m back in San Diego now, back with my training partners and starting to freshen up for our first race on the US circuit next weekend in South Carolina.
If we take it back to the final week at home, some great memories were made.
I was lucky enough to be here for the birth of my sister’s baby boy and on the same weekend, the next stop on the Australia tour was in Perth – rounds five and six at the Westside BMX Club.
Coming into this event, I had a solid race in Melbourne a couple weeks prior, with a second and third.
I had continued to work hard and really put a lot of effort into my mental training coming in Perth.
Being a somewhat local race, and having friends and family around to watch and support, I was itching to get a win.
I set out some solid goals for myself over the weekend and knew if I stuck to the plan and remained focused the hard work would pay off.
My track speed was getting faster each week so it came down to me making it happen.
The competition was going to be tough as I was against the same fast girls on the circuit who I’d been racing the previous events.
It was one of the best weekends in my career.
It was the first time in about four years that I claimed back-to-back wins throughout the weekend.
To do this in front of the most important people in my life, at home, right before I leave Australia and with the hard work on and off the track, it was amazing.
I had my sights strongly set on glory that weekend, my confidence was different, my attitude towards the race was different and I raced exactly how I imagine things when I close my eyes at night.
It certainly made the long flight across here to America much easier.
This was a huge confidence booster coming into the big season ahead and also earned myself some solid world ranking points.
With South Carolina next weekend in America, I will be packing for a six-week trip.
After that I’ll be heading to Manchester for the first round of the supercross world cup series and the first of the Olympic qualifyer followed by the Australian national championships – then it’s straight to Holland for round two of the world championship.
z Keep reading the Bunbury Mail for the next edition of Keeping Track.
