Life, Fall Fast Now

So let’s just say that today was a day of firsts. I went to breakfast this morning and had my first experience with Vegemite. Two people from my college were like “Oh Steph, you have to try it…” So this guy I know prepared it extra special, telling me that it’s all about the right consistency of butter and Vegemite. Americans often think of Vegemite as the Australian equivalent to peanut butter, but it is actually only a very thin layer that gets spread on buttered toast. As they all anxiously watched me take my first bite, I felt like I was in a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie, circa Our Lips Are Sealed. And it was actually good! It kind of just tasted like buttered toast with salt sprinkled on it and was a pretty good way to start my morning.

Because tomorrow is a public holiday here in Toowoomba (the Toowoomba Show is apparently the fair that comes to Toowoomba every year) my lab class was cancelled, leaving my afternoon free. When I returned from class, there was a note on my door from this girl I know asking me if I wanted to go on a “fun bike riding challenge.” I was intrigued so I grabbed my bike and got ready. When I went to go meet her, she told me how excited she was to have me on their team for the inter-college Triathlon. At this point, I’m thinking, “What? This is NOT what I signed up for.” But I got suited in blue and white (Steele Rudd colors) complete with blue war paint to go compete in this triathlon. Everyone comes out to support those competing from their colleges and it’s a pretty big deal because the 3 colleges here compete with each other to win a big trophy at the end of the year. Basically, the triathlon involves riding a stationary bike for 500 meters, throwing 3 balls into a bin and then running around the quad twice. No big deal. So I thought.
I was in the third leg for the girl’s race, and although they had told me before how your legs would feel like jelly after getting off the bike, I didn’t think it would be a big deal. After medaling about 200 meters, I was feeling it in my legs. But it was funny because everyone was cheering “Go America! Yea Team America!” which I thought was cute. After biking, it took me FOREVER to get the tennis balls into the bin (because of my amazing hand-eye coordination skills) so I was relieved to start running.

Until my legs went out beneath me and I ate the pavement.

Like, full out skid, my chin hitting the sidewalk. I heard the collective groan of everyone around me and I wanted to just sink into the pavement beneath me. But instead I got up, finishing my 2 laps. After the race, I felt like my lungs were going to die and that I was going to throw up. But I held it together and watched the rest of the races. Everyone kept coming up to me asking me if I was OK which I thought was odd until I realized that I had this gash on my chin that won’t stop bleeding and that my knee and hand were scraped up pretty bad. AWESOME. I’ve cleaned it up a bit, but I’ve still got a pretty nice battle wound on my face. All because I was game for a “fun bike riding challenge.” Despite the injuries I sustained, it was fun and I got to meet a lot of people that I live with which was nice.

Tonight at uni club is Beach Party night which should be fun and I’m working tomorrow all day (I know, on a public holiday, what an outrage…) But all the work will be good because I need some way to finance my NZ trip!