Training and retiring

Training

With the unusual juxtaposition of an hour record  attempt, a 500m track race followed by a 3000km tour through Italy my training of late developed  has a somewhat bipolar  character.   In order to address all aspects (and guided by the Style Queen) my training is equally bipolar....I am riding to work 4 times a week incorporating under geared leg spinning down hills and over geared explosive efforts  when  riding away from traffic lights and then doing long rides at the weekend.

Last weekend I did 1x long ride, this weekend I'm doing 1x 2hr ride  today and the 120km MAD (Melbourne Autumn Daytour) ride tomorrow.  Next weekend, being the long Easter weekend, I will do 2 long and 2 moderate rides and will start targeting the long dragging hills I'll have to ride up in Italy rather than the up down up down up down riding that is so plentiful around where I live.

In the meantime, I've sent off my completed  health  form to the tour organisors, got my Italian SIM and a very simple phone to use while over there and am about to marry up my Garmin 705 with my SRM cranks.  I've got all my gear together and will no doubt have to leave half of it behind since I'm only allowed 20kg+7kg carry on luggage.  So, apart from getting my bike serviced during the week prior to departure, there's really not much else to arrange.

Retirement

The countdown to retirement has now become widely known at work and as a result every day I'm asked how many days left now, although  those I see regularly don't ask, they tell me!   Is there a message in that ?!  After working for 25 years in one location, the thought that I will  be fronting up for paid employment only 17 more times is difficult to comprehend.  

Yesterday I started clearing my desk and desktop.  Audits and projects I have instigated and proudly kept - into the bin,  updated treatments on various problem - chucked, emails I'd saved for some reason or other - deleted.  Chuck this, shred that, pass this on to someone else, delete,delete,delete...what a spring clean!  

There is a huge change happening in our department as 4 long stay Physio staff have either retired or will be by the end of April, resulting in a huge loss of "corporate knowledge".  I'd like to think the place will collapse without me, but know it wont!