Strangely disconnected

It’s January 2016: RACE YEAR! 

“Oh-my-god-where-is-my-life-going-aaaaah-just-12-weeks-to-go-there’s-so-much-to-do!”

Yes, I’d say I’m in a bit of a transitional phase at the moment. Strangely disconnected.

As I suspected, November & December went by in an absolute blur. Suddenly it’s race year and I’m probably at my most detached point from the boat & race so far.

Visit Seattle have been sailing the oceans for the best part of 5 months now and so it all feels quite distant. After the frenzy that was summer, life has returned to normal (more or less) but every so often, I’ll get a little reminder of what’s to come. Today for example: an early start for a rowing race reminded me of the brutal 4 hour awakenings to come.. The red glow of the setting sun reminded me of the red lights used below decks when it’s dark outside.

With my memories of training with the crew last year fading fast, it’s strange to now start gearing up for the big event itself. Meetings are going in the diary that I have to reject: “Mia on sabbatical” yet the race feels less real than ever.

That being said, I really should crack on as it’s just 12 weeks until I leave. So, stuff to do: lots. Vaccines, clothing, flights, insurance, visa… *insert other things I’ve forgotten here*. Throw in a holiday and the weekend count is looking pretty low to organise things.

On the upside, slowly but surely a few more crewmates have appeared after their various legs, so I anticipate meet ups will now become a mix of forward-looking excitement and stories from legs 1-4. I’ve also begun some extra training to make sure my core is ready for Clipper although rowing is receiving the benefit at the moment.

Core verdict so far: definitely not ready for Clipper. Just like the rest of me.