My new home

Hi!
I have safely made it to my new home and training paradise! I am now a (very proud) -Victorian-!
I am so happy about my new situation here. And I knew it at the moment I got off the place and suddenly started feeling strange to be carrying my big white, furry, winter coat around. In Victoria, it felt like summer. And it seemed like it was giving everyone something to smile about.
Waiting for Curtis (remember, my homestay) to pick me up, I was now standing in the sun in a t-shirt and knew I was home.
Almost all of Lifesport has gone to Hawaii, it would have been great to see them again!
But I got such a warm welcome anyways. It started with Curtis picking me up (and later admitting he had missed school just for that!!), then reuniting with the homestay family, going for a visit to Hillerie and John s ....and then there was also what happened the next morning at my first, back to Vic, swim workout with Team mate Brent McMahon!
We had planned to meet at 9a.m, right after the national team training session, and go for that 40x100 killer set. When I first got to the pool, not only did I see Brent, but Lifesport athlete Samantha Mazer was also there with her usual smile and great energy and so was...Simon Whitfield and the national team athletes. As I said, they had just finished their swim.
Simon greeted me to Victoria in his own, very original way. When I mentioned that I was staying for good, he pulled out a card board box he had with him, grabbed my swim paddle and started forcing that box open. He then handed me a -house warming present-....a beautiful vase...well, not only a beautiful vase. A particularly memorable one, the trophy of the Hyvee triathlon!
He didn t have to insist much for me to except this kind offering and KEEP IT for my house on the ocean. I was taking it home for sure!

The first swim I did that morning (on Tuesday), was BRUTAL. Oh, now I remembered the feeling, the -all you can sweat fest- had begun!!! And coach was not even there yet! Yikes, imagine what it will be like when he takes out that whip!
It was so good to hear a familiar voice give me encouragements during the set, to do the warm up side by side with Sam and to use a bit of Brent s draft before seeing him disappear in the distance at each of the 40 of the 100ms we did. Ha! I am definitely getting my share of motivation now! Just at the right moment too!!! I need to step it up and get those swim times down too!
This place will be perfect to train before Clearwater!
That great new feeling has not left me. Training, so far, I have gone on a crazy 3 hours bike ride today, where I rediscovered the beautiful, hilly trails all over again (I did not see time go by!). I then went for a fast hour run off that bike around the lake trails. Happiness is definitely an amazing training fuel!
And then there is the rest of the fun stuff! I got into my beach house, and had quite an adventure getting the mattress there on the top of the car with Curtis. I still need to go shopping for some more furniture and Pierre arrives tomorrow with my car and the rest of my things. I have not slept at my new home yet (I was staying with my homestay until things were set up) but I think tonight will be the night!
But first, to the pool! (yes, it is getting late but it seems that here, pool time is unlimited! )
Tonight is an easy swim so I am walking to the pool with homestay mom Denise, she will be joining me on that one! Sure that will be a great way to end the day!
Then, my first sleep at my new place.
Cheers everyone! I will do a special effort to keep you posted on my new adventure!
Cheers!
Magali.