Time Out

My husband invited me to join him on an overnight trip down the coast while he conducted some private MTB coaching.

He took one look at my grey-ghost complexion this morning and thought the fresh sea and mountain air would do me the world of good.

He was right.

I am taking time out to recharge and re-invigorate myself.

• First stop: Geelong foreshore to film today's Wednesday Weigh-In (done - though still waiting for it to upload to YouTube)
  
  
• Second Stop (depart in 5 minutes): You Yangs National Park (near Lara) to pick up Patrick, his client and their bikes
  
  
• Third Stop: Scotchman's Hill Winery (don't worry, I have a former life in the wine industry and spitting is the order of the day)
  
  
• Forth Stop: Forrest overnight (near Apollo Bay) via the Great Ocean Road
  

Until tomorrow, remember to give yourself permission for time out whenever necessary.

Grace xx

Never too old

Have you ever uttered the words "I'm too old for that"...?

Well here is an antidote.

Please allow me to introduce you to my husband's grandmother, Lil Ruffle (pictured far right). This photo was taken in India just two weeks before Gran's 86th birthday.

We were cycling from from east to west coast in January 2010 when Gran had an unfortunate accident, breaking her thumb and cracking her pelvis.

We aborted our Indian trip and flew to Singapore so Gran could recover enough to make the rest of her journey back home to Adelaide. Gran visited us last month and I'm happy to report she's back on the bike again.

I know of people decades younger than Gran who have said, "I'm too old to travel" and other's declare "I'm too old to cycle". Gran proves to us that we're only as old as we think we are, and that a healthy youthful attitude gives us a healthy youthful mind and body.

Here are a few remarkable feats that this super great, great gran has achieved:

• Cycled 100,000km (62,137mi) in seven consecutive years during her 'prime time' - her 60's
  
  
• In October 2004, she rode the 'Bay in a Day', cycling 210km (130mi) in 10-hours, just ten weeks before her 81st birthday
  
  
• Cycled an official stage route of the Tour Downunder, a very hilly 134km (83mi) in the 2008 'Challenge Tour' two weeks after turning 84 years young
  
  
• In November 2009, two months before turning 86, she cycled Adelaide's challenging 100km (62mi) Amy Gillett ride, which included climbing non-stop up the unforgiving Willunga Hill

So the next time you think you're too old to do something or learn something new (Gran was 68 when she learned to snow ski and 76 when she first rode a mountain bike), cast your mind back to this post.

Until tomorrow, may you continue to drink from the fountain of youth

Grace xx

ps. Gran also suffered from a rare life threatening autoimmune disease called Wegener's Granulomatosis (WG) in her late 60's to early 70's. It robbed her of her hearing and eyesight, paralysed her for several weeks, caused ulceration throughout her body and reduced her to less than 25kg (55lb). Gran insists that anyone who writes about her also mentions this illness to raise awareness. If WG remains undiagnosed, and therefore untreated, it can be fatal.