HackPRO goes to Canberra

HackPRO, initially formed to coagulate a bunch of tossers and poseurs into a Team for the Audax Alpine Classic, is visiting the Nations capital in October. Yep. Canberra, here we come!

Oh and we might also do a bit of riding while we're there. How hard could it be?



I later discovered - thanks Russell - there is a 250km painfest planned by the organisers as well. Andres* was also keen to extend the fun. So upon realising this I promptly changed the Event from 207km to 250km! This didn't go down too well with one of the new members of HackPRO. What's an extra 43km between friends huh?

Ultimately, this is just a training run for Death Camp planned later in the year. Several days of mountainous hurt. It's what the fans want! Honest!

And besides, who doesn't want the sense of accomplishment you get on rolling over the line in one of these events?




* Who IS Andres anyway?

"Excuses don't get you up a hill." - Russell Noble (Psike)

I was totally hiding his name but realised, hey, what's the point? He's got twitter... the WHOLE world knows who he is. Anyway dropping the cloak and dagger conversation. I've got a major problem.

I need a whole lot of HTFU and positive thinking to get through the next two weeks (16 days, but, whose counting?) to make it to the Alpine Classics; actually start it and finish it. Normally for a little bit of motivation I would put my Britney Spears sound track and listen to Stronger (she sung that.. right?).

Today its going to take more than Britney to get me up those hills I'll be taking Lady GaGa though, thats for sure.

Motivation play is now in place, points to remember are.

• I've told everyone I will do it - Failure is not an option
• Its ONLY 200km
• I'll be doing the Murray to Moyne to raise funds for a medically based charity and this is good training

Shit that Russell said that actually makes sense...

• "It'll hurt and you're gonna love it." Russell Noble (Psike)

He's got a point, no matter how many times I say I'm gonna stop climbing mountains and work on the flat stuff, I keep climbing mountains, I do enjoy the pain of climbing, its not something I dislike.

We will be going past our hotel on the way back down Falls Creek as we head towards Tawonga Gap, so it is an opportunity to change anything that I'm not comfortable with and by then we'll have two climbs down with only two remaining (Tawonga Gap and Buffalo).

Goal setting is really important, but its even harder when the goal starts to scare you, what if I don't feel my best on the day, am I allowed to cry?

Russell did say that he was looking forward to a ride that wasn't going to be to fueled with testosterone, I'm happy about that and I owe it to Hannos, Psike, Cpical and Madgan to follow through. I pushed them into doing it, so to pull out now wouldn't be cool.

So I'm in, I'll cut all fat (as much as possible) in my diet for the next 9 days, I'll carb load in the final five days and taper in the final 5 days... this is going to be a sufferfest, but, we'll have some good times on the way.

I've been discussing with Champ all morning about my choices for this ride, he's said, don't do it. But I do sort of like doing things when he's told me not to, his reasons are...

• neck and shoulder aren't 100%
• its a REALLY long way

So in true Missy style, I'm going to ignore Champ and do what Russell has said to do, so to start with I'll be quitting with the negative jibber jabber and keeping it positive.

Hannos - The first sucker to join from NSW

Hannos and I know each other pretty well, we email each other almost daily, I complain and he listens diligently and tells me that my ideas are awesome, hence the reason for this cycling team... a good idea according to Hannos. I'm sure I have an email around here that backs up that last statement, I will provide it if required.

This is Hannos, to the right, he says and I quote, "I don't take very good self portraits."

I have to be honest, I bullied the man into signing up for the Alpine Classics, told him it would be great fun, a piece of cake, there is ONLY 4 climbs.

Hannos has never done 200km not even on the flat, so to add some mountains into it could be a whole different effect; Hannos also runs and swims so his overall fitness is going to be better than mine.

The big thing and big issue at the moment is that I got hit by a car before Christmas and wrote of a bike, I'm waiting on a replacement and some money from an insurance company, so until then I'm swimming and running and I'm trying to eat better.

Hannos has told me to HTFU (Harden The F*ck Up) and I'm going to HTFU, I don't want to let them down. It was my encouragement that got us all here and my encouragement that got people who I really don't know (face to face) to come to Bright and ride together as a team that would always wait at the top of every mountain; climb at your own pace.

Hannos is essential to this team and its the team that will get a few of us whose health and ability actually sucks at the moment.