It’s six o’clock in the morning on the first day of 2020.
I’ve managed a lie in this morning. Well, for me it was; it’s usually been four a.m.! Although, it’s possibly because we were woken up at midnight by a million fireworks, that I’ve been able to stay in bed a bit longer! Recently I’ve not been waking up thinking about everything rowing, I’ve just been waking up and not being able to get back to sleep, I think i its the recent lack of exercise and my lovely Parkinson’s that make for a lovely 5/6 hour sleep, then complete insomnia !
Anyway, I’m sitting here with one full day left to enjoy in the UK, as we leave for Lanzarote tomorrow morning! How it has got to this point I’ve no idea; one minute I’m talking about rowing the Atlantic in six months and now I’m talking of three days! I wanted to write this before I go to thank everyone that has been involved in this journey, because its not just been my journey, its been theirs as well…a journey of which I couldn’t have made if it wasn’t for them.
- First and foremost Lee, you all know how I feel about Lee….
- My Mum, who has risen to the occasion
- Jill from Fitness for All, who has become one of my very closest friends, I love her for worrying about me all the time
- Kevin, my personal trainer and very trusted friend, who yet again you’ve all heard about on numerous occasions
- Ian and everyone from Coast, who have put up with me flitting up and down the country, my continuous conversations about ”rowing the Atlantic”, and just generally being annoying, and for keeping me grounded and part of the real world!
- Leigh my physio, who latterly has been invaluable and has made sure my body is match fit. And don’t be fooled by his name, its spelled like a girl, but he’s a boy!
To all of the people above , I seriously couldn’t have made this journey and got to this point in the best physical condition, which means I feel in the best mental position to start this massive adventure.
I think there hasn’t been much in the way of nerves and drama beforehand because I have no what ‘ifs’ or ‘if onlys’ at this stage in the journey; I’ve done everything I could have done to get through this as best I can.
And as to the Parkinson’s disease…..I thank that as well. Without being diagnosed five and a half years ago, I would not be sitting here typing this blog at this time in the morning, or be part of this amazing journey.
So back to the here and now, I’m leaving the country tomorrow lunchtime, I’m dropping my dogs off at their doggy hotel in the morning and then its off to the airport. My Mum, Sister Jane, two nieces Laura and Olivia, my lovely Lee, Kevin, and family friend and fellow gym bunny Gill Dottie and her husband are all coming to Lanzarote with me to wave us off.
I’m so grateful to have been able to be part of this adventure so far, but now I am looking forward to being part of the next chapter…the big part; rowing the Atlantic ocean! I’m going to try and take in and remember all the different parts of the row, the ups the downs, as I’m sure there’ll be many.
Thank you for everyone’s support back home, all the customers in Coast, the members in the gym, everyone at St. Peter’s church and all the friends I haven’t mentioned
I’m off and I’ll see you on the other side in Antigua!
