All went really well and I’m back home in Dunedin where I will be doing my re-hab for the next 6-8 weeks. I am allowed back on the bike pretty soon with just very light pedalling to begin with but building up over the next few weeks. Lots of pool work and also pilates etc. Nice to be on the other side of surgery and into rehab mode.
As many of you may have read in the media over the past few weeks Bike NZ have reduced the funding for the Womens Team Pursuit this season meaning we won't be competing at any World Cups this coming season and subsequently won't be eligible for the World Championships. This means domestic camps are on the agenda for the remainder of the year with Oceania and National Champs and the main focus building up to Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next July with the Individual Pursuit on the program there (no Team Pursuit at Commonwealth Games). A real positive is that its been the perfect season to get my hip fixed.
I've been really busy off the bike with a variety of activities that you can see in the picture gallery below.
Some of the most recent include:
• NZOC School visits - www.olympic.org.nz/education/nz-olympic-ambassador-programme
• Shooting the Powerade web-videos of "Training Secrets" - www.powerade.co.nz/
• Promoting the Auckland Ride to Conquer Cancer - Event November 16-17th - www.conquercancer.org.nz
• Good Health Magazine Cover - July Issue out now https://www.facebook.com/ali.shanks?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Good-Health-NZ/144394545576658
• Fronting the promotional video for the Avantidrome to secure final funding. If you want to help "Back the Track" by purchasing your own piece of board visit www.homeofcycling.org.nz/
Ive also recently become an ambassador with ShelterBox New Zealand. A fantastic proactive disaster relief charity. We recently had the annual board meeting in Queenstown where we were treated to some great hospitality from Sir Eion Edgar (Patron of ShelterBox NZ). Check it out www.shelterbox.org.nz/ and help spread the word about this fantastic proactive charity.
In personal news Craig and I are looking forward to our big move to the Waikato later in the year with the new Avantidrome getting built and ready to open in January its going to be an exciting new chapter for BikeNZ
Craig has just left to join the mens track team in Belgium for six weeks and I'm home in Dunedin piling on more layers by the day as I endure my first winter in 7 years. Its time to get the crock pot out for the 'Lamb Shanks' and wait for the snow to fall! Thank goodness my new Volkswagen Tiguan is 4WD, and with heated seats!
Hope everyone is well and preparing to crank into some winter erg sessions.
For one of my “secret erg sessions” check out the video on www.powerade.co.nz/ and take the challenge.
Follow me on www.facebook.com/ali.shanks for regular updates
Happy pedalling
Ali
