Category Archives: Sport

2011 City 2 Surf weekend

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So, what have I been up to lately? Oh, only running 14km despite being sick for over a month earlier and not being able to run. How about you?

The weekend started by flying into Sydney just after lunch on the Saturday. I waited at the airport for half an hour before meeting two of my friends, and headed to the hotel. We dropped our stuff off, where suddenly we all heard the bells chiming at the same time.

It was beer o’clock.

We settled on a bar in Woolloomooloo, sitting on the balcony upstairs overlooking the docks while sipping on some wine and eating some light afternoon snacks. I was incredibly fatigued from a late night before, and struggled to get some energy together. I managed to down one glass of wine though before we all went back to the hotel. I had a power nap, Julie had more wine while looking out the window at the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Jens went for a run (because it’s totally natural to go for a run the afternoon before a 14km race, though in all fairness he was testing out his knee as it had been hurting lately).

Dinner consisted of a russian feast that included cabaret, something I wasn’t expecting until I saw a sign in the restaurant. As part of the feast, Jens and I agreed (after a bit of coaxing from the host) that we had to have a vodka shot with our entree. I immediately took the shot, and was startled to see Jens sipping small bits while he was eating his entrees. That not how you take a vodka shot!

Here’s a few photos from the restaurant (click to view larger sizes):

Beers at the Russian restaurant

Beers at the Russian restaurant

 

Vodka shot

Bottoms up!

 

Herring entree

Herring entree

 

Jens having his entree

Goulash and mushroom crepes

 

Chicken main

Chicken something for my main

 

Cabaret dancers

Cabaret dancers

 

Strawberry crepe

Strawberry crepe

After downing one of the strongest cocktails in my life, followed by a more subtle cocktail and managing to avoid getting on the dance floor with Julie, we finished dinner and made our way back to the hotel. We turned the tv onto the music channel, and continued to drink wine until the screaming of our subconscious minds reminding us about the following morning grew too loud, and we agreed it was time for bed. Jens and Julie returned to their room, I drunkenly painted my fingernails then passed out asleep on the bed.

My alarm went off early the next morning, and upon rising discovered I was the recipient of a hangover headache. Not cool. Glancing out the window I saw it was pouring with rain. Even less cool.

First port of call was the hydralite packets I’d thoughtfully packed, and after downing one of those, showering and messaging Julie with a weather update I decided to go in search for a poncho. After losing a small fortune at the corner store but finding myself in possession of two ponchos and painkillers, I waited downstairs at the hotel for Jens to pass by. He was in a running group that started nearly an hour before Julie and I, so we arranged for him to wear his jacket to the starting line then pass it to me as he ran past. I was thrilled to see the rain had eased off so it wasn’t coming down by the time Jens started, however the roads were still quite wet.

I photographed the start of the race, collected Jens’ jacket, and after packing up the rest of my gear upstairs made my way back down to reception and checked out. Julie was already waiting for me, and given the time we opted to just make our way to the starting line rather than worry about breakfast. We figured waiting until we got to Bondi sounded like a good option.

Approximately 15mins after our official starting time, we finally passed the starting line and were on our way!

The start of the City 2 Surf 2011

Superman leading the pack

 

Storm Troopers at the 2011 Sydney City 2 Surf

Storm Troopers amongst the crowd

 

Runners on the street

 

The view from my hotel room

 

2011 City 2 Surf route

The route for the City 2 Surf

 

Split times for the 2011 City 2 Surf

Our split times for the race

One hour and 49mins later it was all over. Given I had been sick for nearly 6 weeks, the last 3 with bronchitis, I remain incredibly proud of how we did for the run. A few days earlier I’d tried to go for a run in the morning and had struggled to run for almost 2mins straight. Here I was, 1 hour and 49mins later and 14km further from where I started, knowing I’d only walked approximately 1 – 2km of it. Regardless of how fast I could have been, I still remain thrilled, and now I have a good benchmark for next year.

My 2011 City 2 Surf medal

Reward for my efforts

Throughout the whole race I had been able to smell barbecues and food on the grill, which made my hunger even more insatiable. My stomach kept growling, and I kept assuring it that it would be stuffed full soon enough. Thankfully the hydralite had pushed away any thought of a hangover too, not to mention getting gatorade from the numerous drink stops along the track. By the time we arrived in Bondi I was truly ready to shove anything I could find in my mouth, and I was stoked to receive a text letting us know that Jens had found a table at a cafe. He had some lemon squash and coffees waiting, and we quickly made up our mind on what to eat. I don’t think I’ve ever had a big breakfast so fast, and I felt sick by the time I finished. But boy was my stomach satisfied!

After a 20min queue for the bus, then standing for 40mins on the bus, we found ourselves back at the hotel where they were kind enough to let us use the showers in the gym to wash away all the sweat and return to beautiful smelling individuals. There was a quick visit to a local bar for one more afternoon drink (I got an OJ, so hardcore), then I was off to the airport to fly back home to the beautiful (and much warmer) Sunshine Coast. Coming home was a great conclusion to another fantastic weekend away for the City 2 Surf.

After 3 years of going to the City 2 Surf, I am definitely in love with this tradition.

 

Should I document my triathlon training?

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This Saturday marks the beginning of my official preparation for a triathlon I’m aiming to compete in during October. It’s the first time I’ll have ever done a triathlon, and should I succeed, I will also be able to mark off one of my New Year’s Resolutions. Awesome.

I’m wondering if people are interested in following in this journey with me. I’m very much of the opinion that making things public will put more pressure on me to succeed, and I’ll feel that much more motivated as a result. I hate failing, and I certainly hate letting other people see me fail. Thus, sharing in this journey is definitely appealing to me. The official training sessions are only held once a week (although I’ll be regularly running/swimming/cycling during the week), so I would only be updating the diary weekly. The idea is that I’ll either write or video a blog after the training sessions, discuss how the training is going, any fears etc. Basically a random rambling like I’m know best for :-)

But while I think it’s an interesting idea, it’s pointless if I don’t have an audience. Thus I’m asking you, the readers. What do you think? Are you even interested?


Should I document my training for a triathlon?
Yes – absolutely: video log
Yes – absolutely: written diary
No – who gives a damn? You’re just going to get injured anyway.

pollcode.com free polls

 


I would absolutely love it if you took the time to vote above for me. Training starts Saturday, so the poll is only valid up until then. Go on, let me know what you think! Feel free to comment below as well if you want to offer some feedback, let me know what you’re particularly interested in knowing.

 

Possibly brilliant, possibly dumb: I’m going back to netball

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Let me take you back to a time…a time long, long ago. Where a girl called Kelly freely roamed the netball court, playing up to 5 games a week. A time where she was able to jump, catch, stop, turn, pass and run without a care in the world. A time where she had only a week before played in the biggest game of her life, a superleague grand final (losing the final but still being thrilled with 2nd place for the season). A time when nothing held her back.

And then this happened:

Last Thursday I was unlucky enough to bust my knee during a game of Netball. I’m not sure what happened exactly, if it dislocated or not, but it felt like my knee went one way and my body went another. Long story short and two days later I am on crutches with a big puffy knee that I can’t put much pressure on.

Three months later, it was followed by this:

My knee just after my knee reconstruction surgery

That was in December of 2008. After 2.5 years I’m finally making my way back to the netball court, under the blessings of my physio. I should point out this is also NOT under the blessings of my sister or one of my best mates. I believe their statements were along the lines of “you’re a dickhead”.

I won’t lie to you all. I’m scared, very scared. I don’t want to hurt myself, and I know that I run the risk of doing so by stepping back onto the court. Realistically though, every single person who partakes in any sport is taking a risk, and it would be foolish to believe otherwise. I’ve been doing my exercises and I’ve put in the hard yards with the physio. My body is as ready as it’s ever going to be.

I’ll also confess and say that it wasn’t my idea to get back out there. Truth be told, I probably wouldn’t be out there if C hadn’t asked me to join his team. I’ve had a few offers from friends and I’ve turned them down because it was easy to ignore them, but when C challenged me I accepted. He’d timed it perfectly.

I’ve had the craving to play again before but I’d always been able to push the thought to the back of my mind. A few weeks ago I watched the final between Australia and New Zealand, and was literally standing in the middle of the living room screaming at the defence to get an intercept. I felt the rush of the game come flooding back, and I wanted to play. C saw that, asked, and I accepted. I know I’m not doing this under any pressure from him at all, I’m going back because I want to. I’m scared, but I’m also nervously excited.

The most important thing is that I need to have realistic expectations for myself so I don’t get frustrated. I need to understand and accept that I’m not going to be as fast as I used to be, or that I won’t be able to move my feet as quickly as I could. I need to realise that it’s OK that I’m going to be afraid on the court the first time, and that I won’t be playing like a superstar (not that I ever did in the first place). I can only do my best and be proud of myself for being brave enough to get out there. I’m not sure how I’ll respond when I get out there; whether I’ll be afraid of people coming near me or if I’ll just stay rooted to the same spot for fear of moving. I might also go to the completely opposite end of the scale, and feel my competitive nature come flooding back as I play harder than I’ve ever played before.

I believe there will be some huge benefits in it for me. By playing again and seeing that my knee holds up I won’t be afraid of doing a fitness test anymore, one that I’ve been putting off for about a year now. That more than anything has really held me back; it’s the dark black thought niggling at the back of my mind saying “you’re afraid, you’re so pathetic, you’re afraid”. It’s true; I’ve been afraid to put my knee under the strain of the test, which meant that I wasn’t able to apply for the police service (I need to pass the beep test as part of the application process). My physio believes that while my knee is ready to return, he thinks I’ll psych myself out. I think that once again he’s spot on. Time to be brave and overcome my fears.

Wish me luck. I’m afraid, but I’m excited.

Kelsbells the netballer is back.

 

I’m going to the third state of origin!

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Oh my goodness I am so excited. It turns out that C has some tickets to the State of Origin game next Wednesday, and asked if I was interested in going. Trick question really – we’ve already discussed our joint passion for the Maroons (QLD side), and he came over for the second game, meeting my friends in the process. He knew there was never any doubt of whether I was coming or not – I was there the minute he asked.

It’s always been a dream of mine to go to one of the State of Origin games. For people who aren’t familiar with the game, it’s a special series held within the NRL (National Rugby League) season. It’s three games, winner is the best of three. Players are selected based on which state where they first played football. The game is only held between Queensland (also known as the Maroons or Cane Toads) and New South Wales (called Blues or Cockroaches), and held every year. It’s a huge event, and around the time of the game it’s not uncommon to see the best of friends arguing over who is going to win. It’s a game of intense passion.

This year the third game is going to be bigger than ever. The series is currently drawn at one game each, so the outright winner will be determined by the third game. QLD have won the last 5 series in a row, and in past years NSW never really looked like much of a threat. This year there is a good chance of them winning, so they’re more desperate than ever, while QLD are dreaming of what it would be like to clinch 6-in-a-row. The embarrassment factor for the blues is a great motivator.

The third game is also going to be the final State of Origin game for one of the QLD greats, Darren Lockyer, as he retires from the squad at the end of this series.

Darren Lockyer (born 24 March 1977) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and current captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his NRL club, the Brisbane Broncos. All three of these teams Lockyer has led to success in their respective competitions culminating in winning all 3 competitions in 2006. In 2009 he broke the record for most games and in 2010 the most tries for the Australian national team. He is a multiple-premiership winner, a Clive Churchill Medallist and also became only the second player to have won the Golden Boot award twice. He is considered by many as the greatest player to have played the game.

  • Part of the Series Winning Sides in 1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 (also drawn series in 1999 and 2002)
  • Captain of the Series Winning Sides in 2001, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010.

Source – Wikipedia

The game is a sell out. The last time I was at Suncorp Stadium with a sell-out crowd was for the A-League grand final last season, so I know exactly how magical a vocal Suncorp Stadium can be. I’ve lived and breathed the State of Origin series since I was a kid, and it’s difficult to explain the amount of passion I have for my team.

I can’t wait.

Go the maroons!

Just one of the boys

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Last night I went to a friend’s house for a few drinks for his birthday. There was about 15 – 20 people there, we played music, ordered pizza for dinner and generally passed the time chatting. It was a bit of a quiet one, but after the last few drunken weekends I’ve had recently I certainly welcomed the sobriety.

I met a guy there who was interested in soccer, which unfortunately that’s a rarity for me – the Sunshine Coast is very much an NRL based town. Ee spent about 20mins chatting about the game, when suddenly he said:

You really do know about sport don’t you? You’re just one of the boys!

That kinda got me thinking.

I have been told I’m one of the boys on more than one occasion (due to my love for camping and non-fussed attitude to getting dirty) but it was kind of a shock to really see it picked up upon by a stranger so fast. I still find it incredible that a woman being interested in sport is so unique. For state of origin my housemates and I organised a gathering of friends, and I was one of the ones up front yelling for most of the game. In comparison, I had female friends on facebook updating their status with notices that they were boycotting the game, and did any other girls want to join them?

Hell no!

In response I wrote this tweet, which was picked up pretty quickly by the people that follow me on twitter and re-tweeted numerous times:

I have played a lot of sport in my life, so I’m certainly no stranger to the thrill of a good game. I have felt passion for the industry on more than one occasion during important games – grand finals etc. As a spectator, it is still so easy for me to become so caught up in a game and really get excited about it. I lost my voice for three days after the Brisbane Roar grand final, and when I was 7 I bawled my eyes out thinking that the Maroons losing the state of origin series meant it was the end of the world!

I challenge you to watch that video of the last 5mins of the grand final and not get excited. Being at that game is something I will treasure for the rest of my life, it was magical! You can actually see me in the crowd at 4mins 08sec jumping up and down screaming after Erik’s goal that brought the Roar back even with Central Coast Mariners at 2-0 and forced it into a penalty shoot-out. If you listen to the sound of the crowd, you can also see why I lost my voice.

Going back to what was said about me being one of the boys, I think that’s one of the trait’s that I most like about myself (I’m only just coming to appreciate myself as a person). I’m not a girly girl by any means – I can think of a lot better things to do with my time than go and get a manicure/pedicure and talk about the latest happenings on some soap opera on tv (although no offense to those that do get enjoyment from that sort of thing). I don’t like dresses, and you’re more likely to find me in a sports stadium than a shopping centre, but hey? If it means that I can sit down and have a conversation with interesting people that I’ve only just met, then what could possibly be the downside in that?

I’m one of the boys, and I’m proud of it.

**Update**

I think I went entirely in the wrong direction with this post, and wasn’t very clear at all. I guess the points I wanted to make were:

  1. Why is it still surprising when women know something about sport?
  2. There are still a lot of people that just don’t see the magic of sport (and I know I’m being biased against them, but that’s because I love sports. I also incorrectly made this a gender issue, and I shouldn’t have)
  3. I’m a tomboy at heart :-)

Apologies for the original and confusing post!