BTT - Mountain biking

We must have passed at least 50 people cycling in the hills today. People of all ages. But, as always, NOT ONE of those people were women. We, two women in their mid-forties (devem ser das tais says my friend laughing at the way we are looked at by fellow-cyclists) representing our species in the Serra de Arrabida.

Grandes mulheres that we are, are now thinking of entering the next Olympics. And we’re only half joking. If we can do the Estrada de São Paulo, Terras de Alcube and the road back via Viso (23 kilometers) in 1 hour 30 minutes. Or the circuit through Arrabida we did today (35 kms) – leisurely – in 2 hours and 30 minutes – we could surely be a match for Gunn-Rita Dahle of Norway who won the gold medal in the Olympics.

Maybe it’s the TV image but the track in Athens looked certainly didn’t look any more challenging than what we do. And it took her just under 2 hours to do 32 kilometers. I didn’t see anyone competing for Portugal– so who knows, maybe next year. Perhaps I might join the ranks of Francis Obikwelu as a Portuguese estrangeira who gets the first gold in mountain biking for Portugal. Maybe that's wishful thinking. I've got a doctorate to finish.