It was a fantastic feeling to be able to represent Abus Nutrixxion with a podium performance in my first race in the bright new attire. I am very much looking forward to a new year of opportunity with the German based outfit, a team international riders including fellow Aussies Belinda Goss and Emma Mackie.

I raced to the best of my ability physically and tactically and landed with a podium finish and the Bronze medal, extremely happy with the result. Congrats to Green Edge’s team racing especially Amanda Spratt on a great ride to take the title and Tiff Cromwell on Silver.

Read race report here…

I’d had a big few months of preparation leading into this race and was extremely focused and motivated training in Adelaide under Tim Decker, SASI, whom I have to thank for investing time, inspiration and passion into his coaching.

Huge thanks to my sponsors friends, family for your invaluable and ongoing belief and support.I am happy to start the year on the podium and looking forward to the 2012 season in Europe!

“Gratitude makes sense of our past… brings peace for today & creates vision for tomorrow “

Every moment, hour, day, week and year I get to spend following my dream – training, racing and pushing my body to its physical limits, physically maturing and mentally strengthening as an athlete… I am thankful.

Indeed 2011 was mildly tumultuous as my first season as a professional cyclist – an early season injury and sickness, limited race starts, an unfortunate rift in the team’s management and then a fractured pelvis putting me on a plane home to Australia.

However that’s not the way I want to remember 2011, those are merely rude punctuations!

The reality is that it was another wonderful year full of adventure, lessons, fruitful
relationships, hard work, and satisfying personal achievements…

I’m another year older and wiser as a cyclist and professional athlete and if I were to weigh all the feathers I’ve consciously taken to put in my cap from a multitude of experiences – I think I’d substantially tip the scales.

I am incredibly grateful to all those who have supported me throughout this year;

Team Diadora Pasta Zara and Directors Manel Lacambra and Diana Ziliute for the racing opportunity this year. I am fortunate to have worked with some world class women, Claudia
Haeusler, Shelley Olds and Amber Pierce, team mates to name a few, whom I will undoubtably miss in 2012.

Warren McDonald my faithful, inspiring and ever giving coach for sharing time and expertise throughout the European season.

Tim Decker and the South Australian Institute of Sport Cycling Program for the support in recent months. Kenneth Graham for all the sports science input – always willing to share the best physiology, travel and recovery advice. Tracey Gaudry great friend and mentor sharing many invaluable minutes of guidance and experience.

To all my sponsors;

SRM for the ever so satisfying look in the eye of truth during training! However not only for the equipment but for some enjoyable off the bike work and being part of my family in Europe.
Jurlique for the joy of a clean face after a long day on the bike!
2XU for clothing me and compressing my legs in times of fatigue
Endura Sports Nutrition for the replenishing goodness with great tasting training and recovery fuel
BikeExchange for the guidance, generosity and willing support
ATS Altitude for the ability to train (and suffer) in high places
Lezyne for making morning routine of pumping tyres a pleasure and puncture repairs bearable
Liza Emanuele elegantly frocking me up for spots of fun and life off the saddle
Brookfarm Macadamia Farm for the most amazing breakfasts and training snacks on the planet!
Complex Australia for the innovative recovery modality and getting my muscles firing and rapidly accelerating rehab
Berlei for the support in all the right places, dare I say more!
Aussie Butt Cream for a little essential and all natural protective love down under!
Fuji Bikes Australia for generously giving the me a bicycle to ride these past months after I sent the team edition back to Italia!

Finally but certainly not least of all my dearest friends, mentors and family.

Thank you all… don’t underestimate how far your assistance goes in making opportunities possible, dreams imaginable imaginable and goals a reality.

I am looking forward to a big, bright and brilliant 2012 and I hope to continue sharing it all with you…

Wade Wallace - Cycling Tips Has summed it up perfectly…

“For all of you riders who were too cool for school and didn’t think riding Amy’s Gran Fondo was PRO enough, you missed out in a big way. Seeing over 2500 keen cyclists line up along the beautiful seaside town of Lorne was a phenomenal sight. Riding along the twists and turns of the Great Ocean road without a single vehicle was magic. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Yesterday I was one of 2600 cyclists that had the privilege of a unique occasion – racing on an iconic Australian road, fully closed. It was indeed  special not only for that reason but signaling the first Gran Fondo staged in Australia… affirming that cycling is not only giving rise to Aussie bums on the Pro Tour podium, but indeed changing for the people… matching world class mass participation events for our ripely growing population of cyclists.

Driven by the passion of delivering cycling safety and achieving zero cycling fatalities the Any Gillett Foundation pulled this event off like it may have been their tenth year in succession… it was seamless, a real pleasure to be involved in such a classy event and gain excellent racing benefits. I was extremely flattered and honestly surprised to receive prizes for being victorious in my categories.

I’d like to personally thank the sponsors, Vic police, volunteers, the Lorne locals all the cyclists and the exceptional dedication from the Amy Gillett Fdn team to achieve a remarkable successful revolutionary milestone in Aussie cycling history.

Cycling News Article from today called it a resounding-success

Since it was the first time my incredibly unique and very ‘un-camouflaged’ team edition bike had been out among the Aussie public it received a warm reception and I was asked a lot of questions… hence I thought it was fitting to write a little piece on the hot little purple, yellow, black, white and silver trimmed machine.

The stand out features for me are it’s super light frame, stiffness and ultimately combined with being women’s specific geometry makes for brilliant handling – competitive yet versatile performance capabilities.  “Really versatile,” “racy,” “enthusiastic,” “friendly, fun handling” – latest review via BikeRadar

Fuji Supreme Team Edition Specifications

I received an email from a very influential person in my life… I don’t normally get into the email ‘FW’ quoting business but today I absolutely could not let this one go… further to that I thought this quote was pretty wonderfiul and well worth sharing with everyone…

“May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.”

I became hooked on Brookfarm through my regular Cibo cafe visits in Adelaide and now am proud to have partnered with this warm and welcoming fast growing Aussie gourmet organic food co from Byron Bay.

As an elite athlete I treasure my body… what I put into essentially nourishes hard working muscles and ultimately leads to improved performance. Fuel for performance and sustenance for recovery are two key elements of nutrition that make a Pivotal impact on being able to prepare the fittest and strongest body for competition.

Zero trans fats, high protein and no artificial sugar are all the shiny beacons i look for in my daily nutrition and Brookfarm commendably ticks all those boxes.

I have confidence that food being produced on a sustainable property and ingredients organically farmed are far more optimal for our bodes in a world where were exposed to so much that simply does not come straight from the soil!

Aside from all that technical health and environmental talk the taste is simply unreal…

I am proud to support Brookfarm, a hard working company with a similar hard working ethos to mine, improtantly… “you get what you put in… both on and off the bike”

]]> http://www.rachelneylan.com/blog/a-new-partner-full-of-goodness/feed/ 0 http://www.rachelneylan.com/blog/rehab-no-more/ http://www.rachelneylan.com/blog/rehab-no-more/#comments Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:37:47 +0000 rachel http://www.rachelneylan.com/?p=1389 Five weeks today since my crash and I can happily say that I’ve been thriving with a good little routine here in Sydneytown happily knuckling down and re building strength and maintaining endurance while the fracture healing takes place.

I am walking limp free, riding, squatting, leg pressing etc and the x-ray looks great…

I want to say a big thanks to all the wonderful support from ATS Altitude, Smith & Nephew EXOGEN bone healing system, COMPEX, Endura for the important nutrition supplements and NSWIS for the training facilities.

Now its decision time… how to play out the rest of my season!

I know (from a previous life on the other side of the fence) it’s both an art and a science to be able to have lower limb fracture and come out the other side with the minimum possible impact on muscle strength, endurance and ultimately power loss on the pedals.

You may have guessed I enjoy keeping up with the latest and greatest in sports medicine.. to keep one or two fingers on the pulse is not a bad thing… usually in hope that I don’t need to self apply the concepts… however

During the past week in the phase of bone healing, off bike and gradually increasing weight bearing post fracture, I have been working with two new products which can make the ultimate difference in returning to full performance in reduced time and in better shape!

Exogen Ultrasound Bone Healing System and Compex Muscle Stimulator

Exogen Ultrasound Bone Healing System by Smith & Nephew is the only bone healing device approved to accelerate fracture healing of indicated fresh fractures & non unions. The EXOGEN system emits low-intensity, pulsed ultrasound waves which has been shown in laboratory tests to stimulate the bone’s natural healing process. These waves move through your skin and soft tissue to penetrate the bone at the fracture site.

It can heal indicated fresh fractures 38% faster & 86% of non-unions (see below papers)Is effective in just 20 minutes a dayIs the only bone stimulation device to use ultrasound.

References

Compex Neuromuscular Stimulator is a device that is a complement or replacement of voluntary physical activity. It is now a widely known training technique, used for physical preparation, muscular recovery, injury prevention and pain treatment.

It works by the principle of electrostimulation (EMS), stimulating the peripheral nervous fibres with small electrical impulses transmitted by surface electrodes. Using the electric impulses generated by Compex stimulators, we can stimulate motor nerves – those that impose a mechanical muscular response.

Voluntary training is capable of leading to an improvement in the maximum strength of a muscle. However, for this progress to be significant, you have to train intensively, such as for example with heavy weights for voluntary muscle building exercises. The Compex “strength” programs impose extremely powerful contractions involving the quick muscle fibers and entail a significant improvement in maximum strength.

Electrostimulation can also speed up the muscle recovery process after an intense workout by using several recognized effects of this technique :

• Significant increase in blood flow enabling muscular toxins to be drained.
• Reduction in muscular pain by increasing the production of endorphins and enkephalins (natural substances with analgesic properties)
• Reduction in muscular tension through a relaxing effect on the muscle fibers.

References

]]> http://www.rachelneylan.com/blog/a-little-box-of-rehab-tricks/feed/ 0 http://www.rachelneylan.com/blog/hitting-rock-bottom/ http://www.rachelneylan.com/blog/hitting-rock-bottom/#comments Sat, 16 Jul 2011 10:08:37 +0000 rachel http://www.rachelneylan.com/?p=1364 that’s what it felt like.. physically and mentally

I hit the deck in the final stage of 10 at the GiroDonne and knew i had done damage with the impact that I had endured direct onto my right side. When I was unable to get up from the ground and had immediate pain in my hip and pelvis I was not confident in how positive the events would be to follow. The immediate x-rays in the local Italian hospital immediately showed a longitudinal non displaced fracture in the right Ilium (Pelivs). I was and am devastated.

The Italian economy showed its true colours with a hospital ill equipped – no towels, no shower, no phone and even no bottled water! I was determined to work ‘full gas’ to get myself out of there. Thankfully with my persistence and ‘anything is possible’ attitude I was on a plane to Aus 24h later (equipped with wheelchair transfers and a business class seat!)

Efficiency being the name of the game when it comes to rehab.. I arranged an appointment en route from the airport to see some of the best Docs and surgeons in the business here in Sydney advanced efficiency saw an MRI happen within the same consult to rule out any further damage.

So.. I left comfortable with the instructions to begin partially weight bearing, with half a smile and with all the answers and with a plan for the next two weeks until a repeat x-ray. Too early to know the complete ‘back to race’ prognosis. Of course wishing I was still in Europe racing and continuing my rise in form but I’m not.. I am playing the cards I’ve been dealt which are a hell of a lot better than many other people in the cycling world this year.

Among all the rehab protocol, dos and donts there is one thing that will make the ultimate difference.. accepting the present moment, being with family and great friends and having the opportunity to reciprocate their love support and care. and embracing each opportunity to spend with those wonderful people in my life.

(sisterly love)