Awards and Rewards

Spring has finally sprung!

It seems to have been a long time coming this year, but finally the clocks have changed - BST has been welcomed with open arms and the lighter evenings are already being enjoyed. The shorts have yet to make an appearance in the UK but there is plenty of time yet!

In between training hard over the winter months - mostly on the direct drive trainer in the garage - we've been to a few cycling events. Paul and I were flattered to be invited as Guests of honour to the Kidsgrove Wheeler's Annual Dinner and Prize Presentation evening at the end of January. We were given a very warm welcome by the club and after a lovely dinner at The Borough Arms (Newcastle under Lyme) I got to present some truly unique trophies. If you are of a creative disposition and have the odd chain, cassette, in fact an entire rear mech at your disposal then what are you waiting for...?! Many thanks to Paul Bragg MBE for not only the kind invitation but for convincing me that I could actually think of something interesting to say after dinner... Or at least I hope I did?!

Trophies & medals aplenty for the Kidsgrove Wheelers

Fast-forward to the end of February and the annual Stafford Sports Awards evening. I had received a letter at the end of last year to say that I had been shortlisted in the category of 'Female Sports Performer of the Year' and as one of the finalists had been invited to the dinner and presentation evening at Stafford County Showground. I was truly blown away by this and I certainly wasn't prepared for the sense of occasion or the sheer volume of people present on the evening. It was really well organised by SPORT Stafford with support from StaffordshireNewsletter and Stafford Borough Council. Thank you so much to everyone who was kind enough to nominate me, its much appreciated.

It is easy to get consumed by your own sport, and ultimately given the majority of us are just amateurs, training is squeezed around working full time and life in general. I was quite surprised by the depth of sporting talent in the area - Joe Clarke, a local canoeist who is on the GB squad and will be travelling to Rio for his first Olympics, Sarah Norbury; a GB sailor who is on the Olympic Podium Potential Programme for 2020/2024, Ian Marsden; a master of not one but four sports (former GB power lifter before his spinal injury, hand cycling, rifle shooting and more recently Para canoeing) - who is also on the cusp of a place in the GB squad for Rio. Not forgetting the coaches who give up endless free time, in fact a lifetime in the cases of Andrew Neave (Canoe slalom) and George Singh (football & distance running) who were both honoured with sharing the 'Special Contribution to Sport Award'. It was humbling to hear just how much two people had given to their chosen sports. Sarah Norbury was the deserved winner of the female category and it was a lovely evening shared with both sets of parents.

 It would appear that great things happen in threes as after the Sports Awards I flew out to Western Australia, landing with the bike in 28 degrees evening autumn sunshine. That, however, is for another post...!