“ Heading to an event is no longer simply a case of getting myself sorted , board on the roof , and off we go .” was about being in the mix and proving to myself that I could still perform even as a member of the elusive ‘ two under two ’ club ; for me , that was a WIN . A massive WIN .
I hadn ’ t anticipated being selected to represent England at the European Championships , ‘ EuroSUP 2022 ’, in Denmark . This wasn ’ t on the radar , but we threw caution to the wind and took the girls on their first road trip and what a fantastic experience we had . As for the racing , well , it certainly took me beyond my paddling comfort zone .
Heading to an event is no longer simply a case of getting myself sorted , board on the roof , and off we go . It now requires significant preparation and planning to ensure that Grace & Millie have their needs covered , so add to the mix feeding bottles , steriliser , nappy changing bags , snacks , wet wipes , spare clothes , toys , etc . In short , it becomes more akin to a small-scale military operation .
Then there ’ s the logistical conundrum of getting myself and my board to an early morning race briefing - this is very challenging with two little people to get ready . In such instances , it ’ s the kindness of others which has helped me get to the start and enabled me to race .
Train to gain
My recovery post-Millie was much easier as I thankfully didn ’ t have the trauma as I did with the arrival of Grace only 15.5 months earlier . This meant that I was able to get back on the board sooner . However , training intensity and duration were kept low as I focused on the long term .
Getting out for training takes coordination between my fiancé and me , and sessions tend to be shorter but having the time limitation gives me more purposeful and productive sessions . As Grace and Millie grow and I better handle my ‘ mummy guilt ’,
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