AFTER a two-year break from cycling, dual Commonwealth Games gold medallist Megan Dunn is back on her bike and preparing for a return to racing.
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As a 19-year-old Dunn shot to national fame when she won the points race and scratch race at the Delhi Commonwealth Games and it appeared as though she had the world at her feet.
But injuries suffered in training falls in 2011 forced her away from the sport she had loved since an early age.
Dunn moved to Cobar and worked in the mines before returning to Dubbo a few months ago.
Now 21, she has been slowly but surely ramping up her work on the bike and late last week she signed a contract to ride with a road team through the Australian summer.
One of the events she will participate in is the Bay Classic, which she won as a 16-year-old back in 2008.
"I've been pretty quiet with the comeback because it's still in the early stages," she said.
“For about five months I’ve been training and to be honest when I first started it felt like I forgot how to ride.
“But I’m really excited. I’m not sure what standard I can get to and I haven’t set any major goals but I’m just happy to be back riding and one thing I know is I haven’t lost my competitive streak.
“There’s no better feeling than being on top of the world and I definitely have that desire but I’m realistic and know that a lot can change in two years so I’m almost starting over again.”
Dunn credits her stable employment with Western NSW Medicare Local as one of the driving forces behind her return to the bike.
And she is also looking forward to resuming with her long-time coach ‘Gus’ Dawson.
“When I moved back to Dubbo and started working that was the start of it really because I could finish work at the same time every day and have time to go for a ride and train after work,” she said.
“My first race with my new team starts on November 2 so I’ve got no doubt ‘Gus’ will be working me hard for the next couple of months to get me ready for it.
“It’s almost like I’m a kid again having him coaching me and my mum and dad involved as well. Training out here there is no cheating and no shortcuts you can take.
“If I ride 50km out of town the only way to get home again is to ride another 50km and I think that kind of training really suits me.
“One thing about ‘Gus’ is he has always known how to get me trained up and peaking at the right time so I know he will be tough on me but I also know that it’s going to be exactly what I need.”