FITNESS OR FASHION?

I am fed-up!

Recently I've had quite a few people telling me I've lost weight - which for some women might be a great complement, but for me it's not, as they are usually implying I am too thin. In the last six months I've dropped from 56kg to about 53kg. I wasn't fat to begin with, but now I have even less fat but more muscle. It's starting to get a little annoying. I'm having trouble finding pants to fit me as I'm too small. And people keep telling me I need to fatten up to look better. Finally, the guy at my local bike shop told me I was too skinny as I was asking him about hiring an exercise bike for those winter months when it's too cold and too dark in Tassie to get outside to ride before or after work, which I enjoy on our fabulously long summer days. So - I thought - what's more important - fitness or fashion? Should I fatten up to look good and risk losing my fitness? I feel good being this light and fit. I am fitter than I have ever been in my 47 years. And it is all thanks to faith and downhill mountain biking!

Fitness or fashion? - the answer is easy - FITNESS!! It's much more fun and combined with faith, helps me go faster!

MY FRIENDS - THE FLYING FLATMATES

My friends, Leigh and Emma, from Hobart came 1st and 2nd in the fifth and final round of the Australian National Downhill Mountainbike series on Sunday first March!!! And first and third in the series over all. YAY!! PTL! Well done girls.

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/03/02/58771_sport-news.html

These girls are such an inspiration for me. They are always supportive and encouraging me to ride and race. I love them! And they deserve the success they'd had this season.

ANOTHER FORTYISH FEMALE FLYER!

So nice to know I'm no the only over forty female having a 'mid-life' crisis, confronting fear to enter the crazy world of downhilling. Check out this cool blog post:

http://minxcompendium.blogspot.com/2009/02/end-of-hibernation-start-of-my-mid-life.html

FIRST! at the Australian National Mountain Bike Championships

Woohoo! I'm a national champion! OK - I'll admit I had no competition in my Masters Women class at the Australian National Championships on the Australia Day long weekend at Mt Stromlo in Canberra, but I well and truly earned my title! I have the bruises to prove it - lots and lots of them! My time was quite respectable considering I had a big crash and couldn't find my bike for a few seconds as it had catapulted up a bank on the side of the track about 5 metres away from where I landed. Lots of Tassie friends were there riding too and it was great to hang out with them, and with Emmaline Ragot - a top pro rider from France who won the Elite Womens race. I have a nice shiny gold medal to take home as a holiday souvineer! Hallelujah!

FUN!!! AT MT BULLER

Soooo much FUN!!! 2 full days of flying down the Abom track was fun, fun, fun!!















Had a few goes at riding the International track too, but that has some real hard sections - have to find some more faith to ride all of that one! I held back while riding it as I didn't want to fall and fracture anything right at the start of our mountain biking holiday. After all, what would be the point of a mountain biking holiday if I can't mountain bike for all of it, ay?

Looking forward to 3 days of riding Thredbo starting tomorrow. Can't wait!!Yippee!!

FLOATING

Floating across Bass Strait on the way to Melbourne tomorrow night!! - on the way to 3 weeks of fast fun on downhill mountain tracks on the mainland - yay!! Hope I don't fry as it is going to be hot hot in Melbourne, but hopefully will be cooler in the early mornings and up in the highlands when we ride there. Looking forward to meeting up with friends in Canberra and Mt Buller. Should be fun fun fun!! Have to remember to use my faith to keep the fear away on the frightening tracks and just go fast, be safe and have fun!!
FAITH - FAST - FUN!!

Females only!

www.marthahucker.com

Here's a cool new fun website for female bike riders only! Feel free to explore and sign up to the forum, but only it you're female!