Update on my Adventures!

Sorry I have been slack, I should have got this message to you sooner. No excuses, but I have been a little overwhelmed with the training, family time and all the media and sponsor commitments.

You are probably hanging out to know how we have been going. Well after sweaty Sanya we headed to Shanghai and Beijing for the 2 Grand Slam events and we really needed to pull some results as we were getting further and further behind with the last 2 finishes.

So we did some heavy soul searching and got down and dirty with our training and pulled out two 9th place finishes and played some great matches along the way. With Tamsin’s blocking and my defense we were starting to cause problems for teams.

Digging deep in Shanghai

The opportunity to spend quality training time together consistency and for us to work on our relationship shone through in our unity on the court.

Battling Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta Da Silva at the net in Beijing.

After our success, coach Steve said, “Thank you for winning those matches, that means we don’t have to go home.” I didn’t quite know what he meant. He later explained that if we didn’t manage to pull off those results it would not have been worth going on the next leg of events to Russia and Italy and we would have had to stay home and prepare for the Continental Cup in China. PHEW!

So this means we are still in the hunt to go for the first pathway (the quick boat for those that heard me on 97.3fm). We are predicting we need to finish in the top 5 in both Russia and Italy for that to happen. Finishing 5th means 1 more win than we have been having, so it if well within our reach! Bring it on!

Russia – 2 -11th June
Italy – 11 – 16th June

Now if we miss the fast boat, we will fly to Fuzhou, China (ever heard of it? No me neither) to play for a spot on the slow boat to London. This is a one week event and is a David Cup style event (so we will have to play with another Aussie team). I wont go into it in full detail but if you want to know more go to www.teamnat.com.au latest news in the archive to find the video I did explaining it.

China – June 16th – 24th

There is 1 more step after this should we need it, but I don’t think we will, so I don’t need to talk about it!

We are on the final stretch, the hard slog on the sand and in the gym is done, it is now time to focus on the precision and power of our skills and the ability to call up our performance on demand. This is where the gold medallists separate from the rest. The volume of training decreases yet the intensity of each session stays extremely high.

Coach Steve is trying to replicate at every training session the pressure that will be looming when we play for the gold medal. It is difficult reproduce the high levels of emotional stress at training, but that is what makes a good coach. And Steve (who I have had for 15 years) is the best.

So if there was any time to send good digging, setting and spiking vibes, it is over the coming 3 weeks.

Here’s a few more pics from life on the road…

4 Olympic Gold medallists… And there are only 6. – Kerri Walsh, Misty May (USA) and Jakie Silva (Brasil) – Kerri Pottharst and Sandra Pires missing

Julie (physio) and Tamsin’s favourite mode of transport in China!

How many Chinese men does it take to dig a hole to put the net up?

The road to London 2012!

Tamsin and I featured on the Today show last week!

My Biggest Loser episode went to air while we were in China. I was given the task of training Casey (the last remaining white ninja). The contestants are awesome and have not only a new body, but a new mind too! Check out the video!

The Biggest Loser contestants and me (4th from the right).

State of Origin – GO Queenslander! It is watching events like this that keeps the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I gather oodles of inspiration from seeing our boys win.

Thanks for your support to date, and in anticipation for your positive vibes!

Quote Of The Month

“Once chance is all you need” – Jesse Owens