Emma Hunter NZIronman2008

Ironman photos

2008-03-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

THANKS!!!

2008-03-05T19:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all my supporting crew in my build up to Ironman.

Thanks to:

Bede
Mum and Dad
Kate, Neil and Marg
Laura, Chris and Paris
My coach John Newsom
Steve Guy and the crew from Alpe Gear, Kethy, Kieran, Raewyn and Graeme the other Alpe Athletes
Steve and the crew from Planet Cycles
Future Dreams swim squads
Walter Thorburn at Go2Max running squads
Bruce Baxter at SportsMed

You've all contributed in some way to making my dream a reality.

Now, what's next!

Ironman New Zealand Race Report - 11.11...

2008-03-03T18:39:00.000-08:00

Here is an abridged version - full report will be in our book!

This date is known as Remembrance Day in the UK. And funnily enough 11.11 was my Ironman time. Similarly it will be a day I will always remember....

I will try to describe for you the race in its entirety, but next to my wedding day, it was the most emotional day of my life. It’s now midnight, and my head is so full of emotions I can’t sleep, so I thought what better a time than now, to get my feelings down on paper (or a screen so to speak!)

My day started at 4.45am when I woke. I’d been tossing and turning all night, worried that I wouldn’t wake up. I had breakfast- white toast with peanut butter and marmite and a banana and half a powerbar, electrolyte, and a coffee.

Bede gave me a pep talk and drew me a diagram- see attachment to get me to use my head. It’s basically a matrix called the head, hands and heart model. The hands part being the skills, technique and training, the heart being motivation and desire and the head is how you put the two together and control your own pace, and race. It was exactly what I needed and showed me that Bede understood exactly what I was going through and why I wanted to do so well.

Bede took me down to the swim start and registration for 6am. I was bodynumbered – FB “F***in Brilliant” we decided for my age group and my race number 282- a great number seeming as I was born on the 28th.

I headed down to the lake, vas and oiled up and got into my suit. You could just feel the anticipation rising. Then the waka arrived and the powhiri commences. It was beautiful against the backdrop of a glass lake – I couldn’t have been happier. I’ve seen footage of 2 years ago when they canned the swim and I was horrified. I’d never had the lake so to my liking. All my other (I say all- three!) were pretty choppy affairs, which left me very demoralised.

The swim
So I found myself a position in the swim, about 20-30m back off the start line, so I could get some clear water. As I looked at the shores of Lake Taupo, I was overwhelmed. It was amazing just how many people had come to watch- wow. Taupo really puts on a great show.

The three light/three minute countdown started and bang, we were off! I found myself holding a good line against the buoys and following the line of the kayaks. I didn’t panic and settled into a nice smooth pattern. There was none of the usual thrashing washing machine like effort normally associated with a half or Olympic distance. I felt really comfortable and concentrated on technique and not worrying about the time. Despite a few zig-zags I reached the far end of the swim in just over 31 mins. The return leg was cruisey and for once I was enjoying a swim! When I came into shore and saw 1hr 6 mins I was flabbergasted! I had expected between 1hr 10 and 15 and piking a bit on the swim as in the last few weeks of training, I’ve slackened off on the squad training and missed a few swims! But hey, I’ll take my official time of 1hr07mins. Conclusion - have faith in yourself, relax in the swim, take a good dose of Rescue Remedy and you’ll swim better than ever.

I jogged steadily through the long transition and into the changing tent. I love this idea of having a personal tri-assistant! I dumped everything on the floor, they helped me dress and whisked everything else away! As I got to my bike, I couldn’t help but notice the amount of bikes in my age group which had already gone. Ok, so I’m still an average swimmer, but hey I had an awesome swim I was buzzing!

The bike
On to my bike and I took it really easy for the first 20 mins up the Napier-Taupo hill and Kiddle Drive. The aim of this is to get your heart rate back in the steady zone as coming out of the swim it’s normally reasonably high. I only took water on board and once my stomach had calmed down a bit I started on powerbars cut into thirds alternating with gels, Enervit and water.

My race plan was to hold back on the bike- the whole way, but especially on the first lap. This meant keeping my heart rate in the steady zone – 135 to 145 bpm. I only let it creep up to 155 on the climbs. This required a lot of discipline as it does mean people pass you. But it’s not a problem - just watch how many crash and burn on the run. Out to Reporoa, especially on the last stretch it was windy, cross and head winds. I made the turn around in 1hr 35 mins. The return leg to town was sweet - tailwind all the way. Deceptive though, as it would have been fairly easy to smash yourself on that leg if you didn’t play it safe. I made it back into town just on 3hrs. The rain was starting to settle in, making the roads hazardous, but the crowd were like nothing I have ever seen or heard. Everyone calling your name, gave you that little boost of energy to go into the second lap on the lonely road to Reporoa. The second leg did a funny loop off the main road, which I hadn’t done in training, so that was interesting, but it wasn’t much more than a steady climb.

The wind and rain were worse on the second lap, and I soon realised that I wouldn’t be looking at a negative split. The second lap is harder and longer apparently as well. So going out was similar to the first lap. I managed to pick up the pace, whilst still keeping a good 85rpm cadence in the big chain ring, and staying on the aerobars throughout.

The tailwind home was again a blessing. About 40km from home, I did however have a momentary lapse in concentration, and found myself rolling into a sand verge! I was a bit shaken up, scratched and (now the wounds have settled, quite bruised!), but I was far more concerned about whether my bike would still run. Luckily there was nothing wrong and my minor heart attack never eventuated. I picked myself up and continued on to finish strongly in 6hrs 5 mins. I was hoping for 6hrs 15 mins to 6hrs 30 so in the conditions, I was pretty pleased that my race plan of holding back came off.

The run
Heading into the run, another girl in my age group was hot on my heels, so I probably set off a wee bit too quickly. I got caught up in the crowds and the “I feel wonderful!” moment that I momentarily forgot that I had a four hour run ahead of me….
Hence coming to 5km, I had an annoying stitch! So I took on some water, did the hands over the head, breathe out slowly and lower arms technique but it took until about the 8km mark to come right. I was averaging 5min-5.15 ish kms, for the first quarter, but after a loo stop I kind of got confused with the timings….so I said to myself, right, I feel quite good, I’ve got a good strong cadence, people are commenting on how strong I look. I can do this! So I said right, you’re going to finish before 6.15pm. Sub 11hrs was not on the cards, and I wasn’t going to come close, so sub 11.15 would be a dream. Well I hung on in there and kept a really steady pace and finished the marathon in 3hrs 50mins. My race tactics paid off and I caught a dozen or so girls on the run. Thank goodness, it came off so sweetly! I finished in 11.11.34. And best of all I was 4th fastest in my age group on the run. Playing to your strengths is a great tactic.

Overall, I was 33rd female. Taking out the 13 pros, I was 20th age grouper. Out of approximately 265 female finishers, that’s pretty good I reckon. If I could swim faster I know I would be more competitive. I think I was something like 16th fastest in my age group in the swim, 9th on the bike and 4th on the run. I am the Hunter, I do practise the softly softly catchy monkey mantra. But it feels good to play catch up, rather than being the hunted. No girls passed me on the run, and I caught most of the girls who passed me on the bike on the first lap, on the second lap.

I was chatting to a Taupo resident later in the evening and she asked me, what was the hardest bit. I struggled to pinpoint any single point in the race. I was lucky, or maybe I used my head. I had confidence in my training, I followed and executed a good race plan, and my pace remained constant. Softly, softly, catchy monkey. So what was the hardest point? I know now. It’s overcoming your self-doubts when you push yourself beyond your longest training time. For me this came at about the 8hr mark, and an hour into the run. After most long rides, I always say, God I could never run a marathon now! Ironman is so different. You just do it, it feels so natural. Like Paula Newby-Fraser said (as we were told at the Pasta Party), doing an Ironman is like doing a really long training session with 1500 of your best mates - all with the same vision, to become an Ironman and to be the best you can be.

Well as for the marathon, I was running well, in fact better than I thought I would. All along I knew I wanted to run a good marathon time (4hrs), but you can’t help but think, can I keep this up? When will I hit the wall? You just don’t know. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is why the Ironman experience is so special and for me, utterly emotional. It’s something I can’t describe as I’ve never been there before, so I have no past knowledge, experience or words to justify how it feels. I was so close to tears at the 40km mark, a spectator told me not to cry! But that was how I felt.

Coming down the finishing shoot, I waited for the volunteers to put the ribbon up again, too right I wanted my moment of glory! I did it, Emma Hunter you are an Ironman! Yey!!!!

Once in the recovery tent I was really disorientated, massage, food, drink, duh..I didn’t want any of it, I just ran outside (literally I know stupid..) and gave Bede the biggest hug and kiss ever. I just wanted to let him share my experience and I burst uncontrollably into tears…

After all I have been through, following France, being sick, and coming through a real malaise, moving house, and finding a job, I have done it. I am an Ironman, those four words just sound so great.

I wanted to make my family proud of me, and show them that I could do something great. I hope they are now. I also wanted to do something for myself and I am proud of myself.

Would I do it again? Most definitely. Next year? No. Right now, it would be too stressful on my work and relationships to go through it again, not to forget the expense, and Bede is well overdue some weekends with me! I might now have to take up golf that’s all….

I found out on Sunday after the race that the two Kona slots were taken. Too right, so they should be taken up! I was still hanging out for a big roll down though. Not to worry, I wouldn’t really want to do Kona in my first Ironman year -far too much pressure. So I can set my focus on Perth, and Ironman may have to wait a few more years for me to return. I will be back next year I hope as a supporter for sure. It will be harder watching, knowing I would love to be out there doing it though!

The Awards dinner was really the icing on the cake. After presentations from the race directors and team, the age group placings were awarded and the pros got on stage. I was amazing to see the top ten of the Ironman world right there. Jo and Cameron gave excellent speeches and they were both really touched. Jo was pushed harder than she has ever been pushed before and it showed. She spoke about toughness taking over and I think she’s so right. 96% of starters finished- we are real tough cookies in NZ!

Seeing coverage of the event on television on Monday morning, they described the age groupers as the toughest athletes in New Zealand. For me, the age groupers are the backbone of the sport, especially the ones out there on the course in the horrific rain and dark nearing the cut off. I saw one lady finish after the cut off at 14 minutes past midnight, but she still did it, it was amazing.

Ironman is no triathlon. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a swim, bike, run, but it’s unlike any triathlon I have ever done before. The distance is one thing, but the amount, quality and level of training required to get there is crucial, the pacing, self-belief, and toughness are areas you will never delve as deep into in any other triathlon. I am proud to join the Ironman family. I am an Ironman!

The final countdown

2008-03-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

My last weekend of training

I arrived back from fours days in Sydney on Friday afternoon. Training in Sydney was short, but fun all the same. I did three runs along the waterfront and around the Botanical Gardens. Sydney is very busy! I ran one evening and realised it was probably a bad idea to run at commuter home time. Plus everyone in all the restaurants made me fell hungry and envious of the waterfront lifestyle of wining and dining! I also ran one morning, much better although hot. I swam in the 25m pool at the hotel- a 2km time trial in just under 35 mins. It was good to have a change of scenery, but I didn’t like being on my own.

So Saturday morning I had a 30 min swim, 60 min bike and 30 min run planned, all at IM pace (steady). Well the weather had other plans. A weather bomb hit Auckland and the sea was horrendous, the worst weather I had seen in my few months in Auckland. So I canned the open water swim, and did a wind trainer session, followed by a 30 min run in the rain. I only saw one other guy out running. It was very blustery, but I was spurred on by the thought that I wouldn’t let the weather gods spoil all my training fun, and at least one discipline would be done outside today whatever!

Bede and I then caught a plan to Napier for Bede’s Aunty’s 75th Birthday party. We had a beautiful meal at The Church at Meeanee. Although it was short and sweet, we enjoyed the break and it was good to catch up with Bede's family.

Back to Auckland, and I ventured out on a 2hr ride around the back of Howick and Bucklands Beach and the waterfront. The rain and wind had almost all cleared up and it was good to get my last long ride under my belt (although 2hrs seems like a breeze now!)

Monday

Back at work, and I had heaps to sort out, so I was kept busy. I kind of wished people would stop asking how the training was going, am I nervous etc., but it’s great to know people are interested and care.

It is funny how Ironman begins to “define” you. Once your friends or work colleagues know you are doing Ironman, they all want to know how you are doing, and always ask. There’s more to me than my training! Anyhow, I take it as a positive comment. Admiration, respect, I don’t know but something motivates them to ask. As it takes up most of your time outside work hours, you do actually struggle to find other subjects to talk about.

I went for a 45 min run at lunch which included 4 x 2 min mod-hard. This is intended to “sharpen” you up, and top up your peak fitness, not to get used to the speed you will go on race day! I had a good run around the waterfront out to Westhaven Marina, Herne Bay and Ponsonby.

After work I had a 30 min swim at the Parnell baths. My last swim on my swim card, great timing! I did 2km, including 5 x 240m strong.

Monday night I had a think about my race plan and started putting the pieces together. I had concerns about going too hard on the bike. My coach advised me to hang back on the bike, and use the run to catch up. This was going to require a lot of discipline!

I had faith in my bike endurance- K2 was a great achievement for me and a highlight of my Ironman training. I think though that I went too hard on some of the long rides, as I often didn’t have enough in the tank for a run. Proper pacing and nutrition though would hopefully sort this one out.

Tuesday

Today was bike pimping day! Race wheels on and a tune up. I took the beast for a 60 min session on the flat which included some IM pace pick ups. I felt ready. The bike felt really fast over the smooth tarseal of Tamaki Drive- Taupo’s roads are chip seal- a really horrible bumpy bone shaking experience which can stuff your legs if you’re not careful.

I made a list of the uncontrollables/concerns for my race plan, for the swim, bike and run, and how I would counter each situation with a positive move. You can see these on my race plan, which I have included to give you an idea of the thought processes you can go through to prepare for (almost!) every eventuality.

Wednesday

Tuesday night I had a minor crisis, as I couldn’t find my spare tubes and gas gun attachment. I was sure I had put them in my race wheels bag, but they weren’t there. I checked all over the house to no avail. So I rang the bike shop on Wednesday morning and guess what, they were all sitting on the counter!!!! I was relieved but peeved as I’d spent time stressing unnecessarily.

I had a 40 min run scheduled, which I got out of the way early. I felt good and the legs fresh.

I headed down to Taupo with a work colleague of Bede’s. It was good to have a good chat, although with someone I had just met, about tri-geeky stuff and our preparations for the big day.

One of my major concerns was the swim, being my weakest of all three. I had a bad swim last time in Taupo, so I wanted to get down early to get in a decent swim. This time I swam from the far end of the lake, 20 mins towards the Yacht Club and 20 mins back. All the buoys were out and it was such a relief to see how easy it would be to navigate around the course. Phew! I was much calmer and confident after a really good solid swim.

In the evening we settled into our apartment and I finalised my race plan.

Thursday

Today was my TOTAL rest day! I normally have my rest day on the penultimate day before a race. I used the day to register and get my race pack, then spent some time reading over everything and sorting through the goodies! A great rucksack, Bonita banana t-shirt and a few other items.

I had a snooze whilst Bede and my Dad played golf and Mum went shopping. I woke up 2 and a half hours later! I think I needed it. I met up with the Alpe crew later. It was great to see them and see how they were going. Sure we were all nervous, but excited too.

We then headed off to the Carbo loading party. After filling our plates with some delicious pasta, potato and salad (I was happy it all looked so healthy), we sat down and all enjoyed a nice meal, and chatted about the big day to come. We were then entertained by a maori cultural group, which was really great. Then a number of speakers talked about the event and Mike Reilly the “You are an Ironman!” commentator spoke. If there was one thing I took away from his speech and the video clip of Ironman was that you must enjoy it, have fun and most of all be the best you can be.

Just looking at all the footage, listening to the pros made my heart race. I was getting really excited now! It was heartwarming to hear Cameron Brown say how he still gets nervous, and if you didn’t well, why are you doing it! And also to treat the race as a two lap swim, 4 sections on the bike and a two lap run. Simple, yeah right!

I had a good think about the race when I got home. I know that I have come a long way since France, and have completed numerous great, and not so great, training sessions to get to Taupo. It’s all about remembering the good ones, and pushing through the sessions where you feel less than your best. I’ve realised over the last year that you can’t always perform to your maximum. Learning to make the easy sessions easy and the hard sessions hard is one of the many keys to success.

Friday

I woke at 6.30 and headed to the lake, across the road from our apartment for a 20 min swim. It was a cool, but still morning, and there were heaps of other athletes out there doing the same thing. I then headed back, jumped on my bike and headed off for a 30 min bike along the lake front and up the Napier-Taupo hill, Kiddle Drive and back to town. I then ran for 20 mins, 10 mins along the waterfront and 10 mins back. Overall it felt good, and got me in the mood for Saturday.

Following my quick “warm-up” tri, we had the compulsory briefing at 9am. This is where it all gets so “real”. It all seems like a lot of rules, but all well organised and in the spirit of good sportsmanship all along. This is where the nerves do start to tingle and the butterflies start fluttering.

Following the briefing, I rechecked over my gear bags and headed off to registration to hand them in and go through final checks for the big day.

Following lunch and a quick nap, I checked my emails then we headed to the mini-golf for a round to take my mind off over analysing the race! I had a terrible round (58, compared to Bede’s 39…) but I did have two holes in one! It was great fun.

In the evening, we relaxed at the apartment, and I had steak and pasta for tea. I went over my race plan and visualised the day ahead. I’m as ready as I can be, just a good night’s sleep and we’re off.

I was really looking forward to the race and the off time afterwards. I found out today that the next Long Distance Worlds for 2009 would be in Perth. Excellent, a half- Ironman goal for me to set my sights on.

It's all about the experience..Peak week, start of taper and time for reflection

2008-02-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

I started my “sharpening’ training this week. My taper usually last 10 days, and before that the number of sessions remains the same, with an increase in intensity, but not to the point that I am smoking myself.

Monday- Swim- main set: 6x400 descend 1-3 (pull + pads), 4-6 (swim) 25RI
PM- 1hr run focusing on running downhill, undulating and quite an intense run, although not beyond mod-hard

Tuesday- Bike 2hrs including 4 x descend 10 mins, 3 mins RI, rest of ride undulating plus some small hills

Wednesday- Lunchtime run (about 14km 1hr 10 mins) including 4 x 8min mod-hard, 3 mins RI , Squad swim 4 x 840m descending pace, last full out with paddles

Thursday- 1 hr WLT AM, PM- 2hr negative split undulating run (about 22km)

Fri- Technique swim and massage!

Sat- SBR session 30 min sea swim, 2hr bike with hills steady, 1 hr run with middle 30 mins at mod/hard pace

Sun- Long Ride 4-4.5hrs incl 50mins @ IM pace -- 2x20mins @ HIM pace (10mins RI)-- 4x10mins just above HIM pace (3-4mins RI)

So I think it’s all starting to come together. I’m trying to get more sleep and keeping myself healthy. There’s time for reflection to calm those nerves and anxiety, so I’m looking back at how far I’ve come so far.

After France, I fell into a bit of a black hole. I was goal less and quite disinterested in training and got sick. I knew I wanted to do Ironman, but I knew I needed to take some time off to reflect, recuperate and give my body a break from triathlon. I came back too quickly I know realise, and things got on top of me- work, relationships, and a whole lot of unhappiness.

Mid 2007, Bede found out he had been promoted and we would be moving up to Auckland. It was the break we needed to get us to move on from Christchurch- we had done all we could do there and needed to do something to make some more progress in our lives! We had outstayed our welcome in Christchurch I think! So at the end of August 2007, I got myself back on the saddle so to speak, and started a bike focus for K2 in my lead up to Ironman.

I finished my job in October, moved up to Auckland and had lots of time to train and look for a job. K@ was one of the most amazing experiences. I did it, knowing I could just use it as a training ride, with no expectations. With that focus in mind I think I enjoyed it immensely, similarly with Taupo Half Ironman. When it came to prizegiving and I aw that I was 4th overall female I was over the moon. Then I looked more closely- I had missed a podium spot by a few seconds. My heart dropped out of my mouth and so immediately did my mood, from elation to despair- it happened in France, getting pipped on the line!

Now, over two months on I must remember that come why may on race day, it’s about the experience. It’s not about positions and times. I had no idea where I was in Taupo –top ten perhaps, but I didn’t let it bother me. Why it bothered me so much after the event was where I really let myself down. I got really pissed off in front of my biggest fans (my parents and Bede!) – those who support me all the way and never judge my performances by positions and give me unconditional love throughout it all. No matter where I come they still think it’s an amazing achievement just in the doing of it. So why can’t I think like that?!

So when I step into the lake on 1 March, when I jump on my bike, when I put on my running shoes, it’s all about being in the moment- the result will take care of itself. If I stop obsessing about the outcome and concentrate on the here and now I can get there, not I think I can, I KNOW I CAN, I KNOW I WILL! By that stage it’s not a choice, in the words of Starsky and Hutch, just doooo it! (oh and a well-known sports brand…) I will see the Wizard, hopefully not just once. And the magic lies at the end once I’m over the finish line.

Last Longest...

2008-02-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

This week saw me do my last longest run, bike and swims (well, potentially!)

Monday
I swapped things around a bit and swam at lunch. I forgot my normal googles and had a bit of a mare with water getting in the pair I’d brought, and I snapped them in the changing room even before I got anyway near the water! Anyhow, a 1hr swim included some 500m sets. In the evening I had a beaut 2.5hr ride out to Bucklands Beach, Howick, Whitford, Sandstone, Pakuranga, Mt Wellington home.

Tuesday
My third stroke and stride- this time a 750m swim and a 4km run at St Heliers. Another mosh pit fight in the swim, and I got smacked in the eye, but I tried to just keep focussing on my own swimming, not looking behind me to see how far down the pack I was, and RELAXING! I blasted the run again, passing about 7 or 8 girls this time, but eased it back a bit coming into the finish, knowing I had a long run the next day and didn’t want to smash myself too hard. I finished 3rd in my age group, my best yet – 10th, 5th, 3rd. This will be my last race of the series as I’m in Sydney for the next one.

Wednesday
On Waitangi Day I headed out to Titirangi Golf Course and ran (most of) The Legend course from there, with a detour off Scenic Drive and down Slip track, pipeline and exhibition drive and a little bit extra to make the time on my feet 3hrs- about 30-32km. It was a great run- a variety of off and on road, undulations, hills, bush and sun. I started the run at a leisurely 2pm to simulate the kind of time I would be running at IM. I took water, Enervit and gels with me, and a caffeine tablet. Overall a good effort, and I recovered well…with a meal at Lone Star! Now, normally I can never finish their portions, but I opted for the fish special- with scallops and prawns, potato and feta salad and coleslaw and finished it all!

Thursday
I swam at lunch again today and had a better session, with the right goggles this time. I did a mix of intervals today. Later I had a WLT session (55 mins) and a 55 min run off bike undulating.

Friday
A nice recovery and technique swim, with a dip in the hot pool…

Saturday
I decided to do the 100km route x 2 from the Auckland Cycle Challenge 2007. Now, I would have put the course elevation map up, but over the weekend, they have updated the website, and there’s a different route for 2008!!!! Anyhow, it takes in lots of hills round the back of Albany, taking in Riverhead Forest, Helensville, Kumeu. It was a toughie…205km in the end- 7.5hrs. I had to do 2 x 50min at IM pace (steady) and 4 x 10min mod-hard with 4 min RI to finish. It was a good ride, tougher than the IM course for sure, but it was good mental training to do two laps, simulating IM. I had plenty of fluids- water, Enervit, coke and PowerBar gels and bars. The weather was great though and it was great to see some new countryside.

I was really pooped, how I could ever do a marathon after that….I recovered well at home-legs up the wall, protein drinks, and then we treated ourselves- I had a New Orleans fish burger from The Fishmonger in St Heliers- it’s the healthiest option I reckon- grilled fish, corn salsa, heaps of salad, a bun (ok it was white!) and just a few chips- I never eat chips, but I had to make an exception- I have this craving for salty potato anything after a long ride!

Sunday
Well it was a windy and rainy night and I dreamt that people were surfing big waves in St Helier’s….and when I got down there at 8am, it was so choppy and windy, too bad in fat, that my planned 3.5km swim to Tamaki Yacht club was canned. I wanted to do the swim as it would be supported by lifeguards, IRBs etc. and a great way to knock out a good sea swim, with renewed confidence from the support crew. Alas, it was not meant to be…So 4km in the pool instead. It took me about 1hr 9mins, which was good considering a few stops to get past people, and a few water stops- the pool was over chlorinated- some problem with the mix, which made me so thirsty. Then I did a 75 min ride along the waterfront in mod-hard range, battling the sidewinds and waves spilling over the road, and a 75 min steady run up through the Domain, up Mnt Eden and back to the waterfront. It was so humid, I was battling my thirst all the way.

This week has been a good training week, although the self-doubt and “am I ready?” gremlins are lingering. Getting enough rest and sleep is difficult, when it’s so hot, and trying not to pick up any bugs/infections is a challenge working in an air-conditioned office.

Three more weeks of training to go- one more peak week and a two-week gradual taper.

It's getting closer and closer....

2008-02-03T11:25:00.000-08:00

Easier week and BT workout

The past week has been a recovery week as per my earlier post. It was great to go down to Wellington and meet all the staff from our Wellington office. The Sevens created a mad atmosphere, and in the truly amazing weather, you can’t beat Wellyboots on a good day. I stayed with my parents in Roseneath and had 5 star accommodation and food! Thanks Mum ;o) I got a waterfront and hills run in, and a swim at Freyburg. I love swimming there, as you can watch all the speedy Capital swimmers and pick up some tips on technique, and wonder in awe if you could ever swim like that….well I should have started years ago.

Saturday came and I woke up feeling groggy, so I had a lie-in. I had no nutrition so I headed over to Cyco to get some powerbars and a coffee….I can’t function without it, and had no milk in the fridge…I was reading that for your breakthrough or BT workouts, it’s ok to do them in the afternoon, when you’re more psyched up and have more energy. I am carp though when it comes to these “testing sessions”. I put pressure on myself to do well, even in training. So I normally burst into tears before any such training session, and I did today (not that anyone was around to see it!) The drawing near of Ironman is scary. I am really anxious that I won’t be able to get through it. I know I can do the distances, but I want to run well, running being my strength, so I know I have to ease back on the bike. I have time goals in the back of my mind, and these are getting pushed out further and further each week, as my confidence dwindles.

I headed to Parnell to do my swim for my half IM simulation as I wanted to make sure I did an accurate distance. When I open water swim I swim for 45 mins and have no clue as to how far I’ve been, and then I get anxious about sharks, drowning etc etc, and with no one watching it’s not a good idea! I decided to split my swim into manageable sections to count. I had to do 66 lengths to get to 4km so I split it into 12 (there and back) x 3 and stopped for literally 10 secs to swig some water in between- saltwater makes me feel sick as a dog, so it was necessary. My swim was nice and steady and I focussed on breathing and relaxing, focussing on the moment and not rushing to get onto my bike. It seemed to work. My time was 1hr 11 mins. I jumped out and scooted off to get changed into my bike gear, then back to my car to sort out the bike for my 100km ride. Not the ideal “simulation”, but as quick I was could handle.

I decided to do 2 x 50km laps around the city, following the 50km route. The reason fro this was that Ironman is two loops, and training your mind to repeat routes is good mental training, getting used to the boredom factor etc. The route is flat and undulating in parts, so similar to Ironman. I had a good 100km, with the wind only picking up later in the day, and completed the bike in 3hrs 34mins. I seemed to eat heaps- 2.5 powerbars and a banana. In total I ate three powerbars on Saturday and spent the rest of Sunday beating myself up over it that I had eaten too much…When in reality I probably had the right amount of carbs, it just horrifies me eating false food!

I then had a 2hr run. My goal is to complete each lap of IM in 2hrs or thereabouts, so a 2hr run off the bike would be about 20-22km. I headed up Tamaki Drive, Orakei Road, Greenlane to One Tree Hill and back via Mnt Eden and the Domain to Parnell. I had an Enervit cola gel half way (they are great, and taste like cola bottles, yum!) and heaps of water and replace it was so hot. My run felt great, but whether I can do another 20km on top of that, we shall have to see….

It was a relief to get through that session, and I felt much better than before, with renewed confidence that I CAN do it! I stopped at New World on my way home to get food (yes, a bad thing to do just after training, my eyes roamed the muffin cabinet, but I resisted temptation!). Recovery snack- blueberry, banana smoothie, recovery meal lasagne and salad (thanks Mum for the red cross parcel;o)), legs up the wall, stretch and Sevens final and off to bed.

Sunday was complete recovery, had to do some work in the office, then brunch with my sister in law, Kate at Meola Kitchen (it rocks!), a wee nap, picked Bede up from the airport, dinner, walk and Casino Royale (mmm Daniel Craig as James Bond….)

This week builds up again to my last longest run (3rs in the hills on Waitangi Day) and my last longest ride 180km on Saturday. I have Stroke n Stride on Tuesday and a couple of swims, bike/run sessions on top of that. I’m then going to do the 3.5km ocean swim from St Helier’s to Tamaki Yacht Club on Sunday, followed by a 1.5hr mod-hard ride and 75 min steady run. Then begins my gradual 2 week taper. As Kathy says I must TRUST THE TAPER. I am looking forward to the day, and I think I’ll peak at the right time, here’s hoping.

Belated piccies

2008-02-03T10:46:00.001-08:00

This is me doing the Mac's Westcoaster run....say cheese!

Taupo training weekend

2008-01-30T22:11:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was like a personal training camp for one ;o( How very sad...But I like it! I don't really train with groups, apart from swimming and some run/core training, so I had plenty of time to focus on...focussing over the weekend!

Saturday

Today's session was a S/B/R brick. I started with a 3km swim in the lake. I felt pretty average to be honest. Swimming east I was a bit battered by some head on swell and kept swallowing a ton of water! I took it easy though and tried to relax. My mind keeps telling me what a crap swimmer I am, so my body follows it. How frustrating...! Anyhow, onto the bike, I did 2.5hrs up to Broadfields and back and got a slow puncture in my rear wheel, and with the nasty side and headwinds it was tough on the way back! Following which I did an hour ten steady run. Overall I felt like I was just going through the motions. I wasn't particularly focussed at all. I was thinking that Imustn't push too hard, have 180km tomorrow on the same course! Still, I did it at IM pace, which makes me feel like I'm plodding, but to do it for 12 hours will truly leave me stuffed.

We stayed at the Waireki resort so Bede could play some golf. So wemet up afterwards, had a spa, had dinner there and met up with a work colleague for coffee, which was great fun.

Sunday

The biggie....the whole course 180km...I woke up with serious toilet trouble....nothing immodium didn't fix, but with me this is normally a sign of dehydration and too much sun from the day before, so I made sureI drank heaps of water and Enervit all day.

The first lap I took it nice and easy....the wind was better today, and I whizzed out to Reperoa, the return lag was hard work against the wind though. A few guys passed me drafting, nice race simulation eh...I can battle Mr Blowhard on my own thanks! Fisrt lap took me about 3hrs 10 mins.

The second lap I picked up the pace to steady IM pace for 50 mins, easy 10 x 3. After dosing up on caffeine tablets, coke and my current faves Cookies and Cream Powerbars I really enjoyed the second lap, with my focussed sections. Talking to the cows I passed though did start to get me slightly concerned....well there ain't much else there!

I ran off the bike for 20 mins, but felt like I could just keep on going. It felt great!

Nonetheless, I was pretty pooped. Spa shower, food, mini golf and more food followed! Fell asleep watching the Ozzie Open, damn it I wanted Tsonga to win!

Monday

I wanted to do one whole lap of the run course, and in 2hrs so that there are"no surprises" come race day. I like the course, I like undulations, I imagined everyone out there cheering us on. But coming into the lastcouple of kms, my lack of breakfast and nutrition ( I only had water and replace on the run) started to take its toll, plus it was really hot. However when I finished I had goose bumps and was cold. I had a migraine coming on, so enough was enough. My body's way of telling me it's your easier week now, enjoy it! Your last ease up before the big one....

I was tired, hungry, and morning long runs on an empty stomach and me don't mix!

So my easier week kind of tapers towards a BT half IM simulation number 2 on Saturday, so I'll treat this week like a race week!

Tuesday- Bike 2hrs including 5 x increasing intensity 10 mins
Wednesday - 40 min open water swim
Thursday- 75 min easy-steady run
Friday - Swim 75 mins, technique
Saturday- Half IM simulation - 3-4 km swim, 100km bike, 20km run (IM pace)
Sunday OFF!!!! Zilch, nada, nothing!

I'm in Wellington at the moment for work, so I can't bike, which is great for resting. What beautiful weather Wellington has put on. Gorgeous run this morning! Chance to catch up with my family, which I love.

Wednesday

A couple of shorties -Mission Bay People's Tri, Stroke n Stride

2008-01-30T22:07:00.000-08:00

This week was a further endurance maintenance week, culminating with a triathlon race, The Panasonic People’s triathlon at Mission Bay, Auckland. The week’s training looked as follows:

Monday – 1hr technique swim with Parnell squad
Tuesday – AM - 75min steady run PM – 2.5hr bike including 4 x 10 min descending (working from steady to mod/hard) rest of ride steady with some hills, about 70km
Wednesday – AM – swim squad main set 40 x 120m (man that was tough, I think I only managed about 35, but it was an hour and a half session! PM – St Helier’s Go2Max running squad and 40min tempo run
Thursday – LSD run 2hrs 40 mins first half hills, 2nd flat with 4 x 1 min tempo intervals
Friday – Swim Squad – test speed set 1hr 15 mins
Saturday - 150km Orakei-Botany-Sandstone Hill-Whitford-Maraetai-Clevedon-Whitford-Sandstone Hill-Bucklands Beach-Mission Bay- Parnell-Orakei including 3 x 50min on IM pace (steady), 10 min easy
Sunday – Mission Bay Olympic distance race (1500m, 40km, 10km)

With the race on Sunday, following my long ride, this week tested my endurance and ability to focus on tempo/pacing and “flirting” with my anaerobic capacities! So I went into the race with no taper. Being an Olympic distance race, it wasn’t really necessary, but I rarely follow a long ride with a hard session the next day. I had no preconceptions or race plan going into the race, as I only considered it as a focussed training day and a “C” race. In a way I was looking forward to having my Sunday training finished by 10am!

Whilst setting up my gear in transition, I found out it was a drafting race! Having never been able to draft in a race before, I was looking forward to it, and also to the fact I wouldn’t have to push so hard on the bike, so I could recover quicker afterwards. The conditions were pretty calm, considering that the forecast was for wind and showers. Luckily the wind stayed away until later in the day.

The swim was typically testing for me, and got quite choppy out around the far buoys, but I tried to remain focussed on technique and being calm. My time was about 27-28 mins. I took it steadily through transition, so that my heart rate didn’t rocket. I got onto the bike and managed to get with a small bunch of guys. We worked ok throughout the race and caught a larger bunch ahead of us, which included a group of girls so I was pleased we passed them. Some of the guys did a bit of surging but only because they were all trying to beat one another- lots of testosterone flying around!

Unfortunately I left the speedometer sensor on my training wheels, so I had no idea how fast we were going, so I just focussed on keeping my cadence between 85 and 90 rpm. Having said that, I reckon the bike time was roughly 1hr 7 or 8 mins.

Going into the run, I felt strong and ran off the bike well. On the first lap I realised that if I held back a bit on the first lap and negative split the second, I would be looking at a time of 2hrs 20 mins. With so many different races going on, I wasn’t sure who was in my race, but no girls passed me on the run and I passed a couple. On my second lap, I picked up the pace and did the 10km in about 42 mins, and crossed the line in 2hrs 20 mins. At prizegiving, I found out I placed 2nd in my age group (25-29), and I got a plaque (!) and third female overall. I was pleased with my race considering I had a long ride the day before, and it showed me that my body is adapting to increased training loads, endurance and variations of pace and intensity.

Following the race, my coach advised me to take it easy for a few days to ensure I recovered properly. But in triathlon-speak, taking it easy does not mean doing nothing and putting my feet up too much! On the following Monday I swam with the squad in the morning. We focussed on backstroke for the main set. I absolutely suck at backstroke! I end up on the other side of the lane and have no catch whatsoever. All the same, it was a good recovery session and a bit of variety never hurt anyone! In the evening I had a 75 min steady undulating run. It was windy so I ran along the waterfront with the tailwind from the east, and even managed to get taken out by a freak wave over the wall on Tamaki Drive. It was refreshing, if not hilarious to watch…

On Tuesday, I had the morning off as I had Stroke n Stride in the evening. It was the windiest night and I woke up thinking that it was going to be a repeat of December’s race with the choppy surf! Throughout the day, a bit of fatigue started to set in from the weekend, and apprehension about the evening’s race. So I decided I would drive out to Mission Bay and see what the sea was offering…Well the weather gods had done their job and the sea was somewhat calmer than the morning indeed.

The swim was 1km and the run 3km. I found the swim quite hard, as there was a strong current pulling along the beach and I kept losing sight of the finishing buoys. I swam steadily, knowing I wanted to run well. The idea of doing these races was to build on my experience of swimming with large groups and to improve my confidence in the open water, and not necessarily to smash myself!

I ran well and managed to pass about ten girls. My race time was 32 mins, so I knew I could put in a good 12-13 minute 3km run without damaging my training too much. I finished 5th in my age group and beat my December time by over 2 minutes, so that was great. I warmed down with a 20 min steady run. It was a fun evening session, and as per usual, I felt frustrated with my swimming. On the flipside, my confidence is growing in open water (luckily no sharks have been spotted in Mission Bay!) and my times are improving.

Wednesday morning swim squad. I should have stayed in bed…I pulled out of the squad session and did my own main set, working on 120m for 40 mins with 15 secs rest. Somedays, it pays to knock it on the head. I wasn’t keeping pace and wasn’t there mentally.

On Thursday evening I was feeling tired, but managed my 2hr 40 min run. It was a hot evening, but it’s important to run in all sorts of conditions to train yourself to cope for whatever may come your way in Ironman. So, in order to keep my focus, I tried a different route around Herne Bay, Westmere, Western Springs Park and the Waterfront. When you really feel unmotivated to run long, especially if you have to run after a day at work, changing your route is one way of keeping the focus. For the first hour I also incorporated some hills, and in the second half I focussed on 1 min tempo every 10 mins, and on technique, especially cadence and running tall and strong. It was a long slog that night, but I felt good that I had stuck to my plan. I biked home for 20 mins, which was good recovery for my legs.

Following long runs, I don’t feel like eating a proper meal, normally because it’s quite late in the evening. When I feel like this I have a smoothie, normally containing Xtra milk, plain low fat sugar free natural yogurt, blueberries and banana. I’ll also have a bowl oats and fruit. In this way, I get my recovery carbs and protein into me quickly, with little effort in preparation and in eating. If I could eat breakfast three times I day, I would!

I was supposed to swim Friday morning, but I realised that I needed some rest. At this stage in my training listening to my body and recovery is as just as important as my training .So I skipped the session. If in doubt, leave it out....

I felt bad, so I have to justify it, here goes! I have always found swim squads challenging. Being naturally competitive in nature, I don’t like being held up, so I tend to push myself and put myself in the faster lane. I normally end up being the slowest, but sometimes I push myself too much just to keep up that I go too hard. My coach suggested that squads are fine so long as you have energy for your key bike/run workouts. Well, my swimming needs work, I know that. So does my sleep! Missing out on an hour’s sleep doesn’t out me in the best frame of mind for swimming. I used to swim at lunch in Christchurch, but it’s not really possible with my new job. I had a big Taupo training weekend coming up so I pulled back and had a day off.

If you want a laugh...

2008-01-03T14:48:00.001-08:00

Click on this...me post Taupo Half...lovely.....

http://www.smileclick.co.nz/gallery/index.cfm?obj_id=609996&dir=/content/gallery/Triathlons/Taupo%20Half%20Dec%2007&keyword=Hunter&all=1&item=6

Christmas/New Year Training

2008-01-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve I biked down to Hamilton via Whitford, Clevedon, Kawakawa Bay and the East Coast Bays (lonely!) route then towards Morrinsville, Gordonton and Hamilton. It ended up being 190km, and very warm. A good ride on terrain similar to the Ironman course with a few steeper hills.

Christmas morning I went for a run, but as we went to Midnight Mass I didn't get to bed until 1.30pm then up at 8 it was a bit of a mistake as the legs were still recovering!

Christmas was great, with a cool new digital camera I promise to make this site far more interesting! Plus I got two pairs of Mizuno Wave Nirvanas for the price of one pair in the sale at Smiths Shoes, so that was great. And the pavlova worked wonderfully...

Boxing Day saw me return to Auckland via the Hamilton to Auckland Express route to Pukekohe to Drury then back via the Great South Road. Apart from ending up on a gravel road with the song "We're on the Road to Nowhere" suspiciously appearing on the radio around Pukepuke it was a great 150km.

An easier day followed, then a swim bike run session then fast forwarding to the following Saturday a 3hr run and 1 hr bike needing LOTS of fluid it was so hot.

I'm just coming to the end of an easier week, but have still been running, a few 2hr rides, hill reps of One Tree Hill (the sheep think I'm nuts I'm sure!) and 75 min swims. Tomorrow sees my first Half IM simulation at IM pace which I'm heading out to Maretai for. Then a day off!!! Um...sorry what's that!

It's been hard over Christmas trying not to do too much and stick to my programme. I think a lot of people fall into the trap of going too hard in this silly season and ending up washed out at the end of Jan. The heat has also made training harder at times, but encourages you to drink more water which is always a good thing. My folks came up for New Year which was great fun. We went out to Long Bay on New Year's Day for a lovely picnic, and had some great meals at Soul and NSP. I took my Mum swimming at Parnell baths and felt guilty that I was in a wetsuit and she was braving the cold, so i took off my wetsuit and realised it wasn't that cold after all! Wimp that I am!

Tomorrow is the Tauranga Half IM and part of me really wishes I could do it again and challenge myself to beat last year's time. But this year Ironman is my goal and I need to keep my training at that nice steady pace, so smoking myself would not be good at this stage.

My programme has come through from my coach this week and I quote:

"Obviously training over the next few months is going to be more challenging with work starting. You need to use your common sense with recovery and life will need to become pretty simple for 2mths - there won’t be much time for anything other than training, eating working, recovery and that’s about it...."

So be warned...it's timeto really knuckle down!

My New Year's resolutions are to stretch more and look after myself more/recover properly/better, and a few up my sleeve which only I need to tell myself!

I start work on Monday which I am really looking forward to, so the next two months will be challenging.

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-23T12:41:00.001-08:00

Have an excellent Christmas everyone! After a 5hr ride to Piha and round the Waitakeres yesterday I am biking to Hamilton the long way so about 150km today round the East Caost Bays, SH2 and SH27 to Morrinsville to Hamilton and back on Boxing Day an even longer way- 180km! Christmas Day I'll go for a run. I'll be spending Christmas with Bede's family, Margaret, Neil and Kate in Hamilton and the pressure's on me to make my pav! Lets' hope it doesn't sink!

Keep safe out there and enjoy the holidays spending time with loved ones. The countdown is on now as March 1 looms ever closer....

Mac's Spring Tide Westcoaster Run

2007-12-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I did the 18km out and back Mac's Westcoaster run on the Te Henga walkway from Muriwai to Bethells Beach and back.

I "downgraded" from the 28km when I realised that it would take me about 3hrs to do the 18km alone, and the 28km well about 5hrs..I needed to do a 2hr15min run so I figured that 18km was plenty!

What a beautiful setting and the weather Gods shone...I certainly have bruises, scrapes, rashes and cuts to prove it. The run was on a really narrow path, bush bashing was the order of the day, and I fell over so many times I lost count! Some parts of the track are literally crevasses, and some parts are just too steep to run. I have never walked in a run race before- well there's a first time for everything. Everyone was walking, so I thought, why waste my energy, if you can't beat them, join them! It was hard to pass anyone too on a track the width of my foot! The outward leg took me 1hr 16, and I was about 1hr 19 on the way back (which was harder) to finish in 2hr 35mins and I was 5tjh female overall.

A slow 18km but if you saw the course you'd realise why!! First time I ran with my new Nathan fuel belt- it was fantastic- I drank heaps, and had gels too as the course is really exposed, it was hot and breezy which made me so thirsty.

A great atmosphere put on by the guys from Total Sport and Mac's. Free beer from the lovely people at Lion ;o), free barbie, heaps of mini moros (my fridge is now full of them!) and the most beautiful setting.

My quads though were bu**ered afterwards. I managed my 4hr ride yesterday in the Waitaks and today I may just have to drop my run as my quads are screaming. So I'll head for the pool for some RnR.....

Taupo Half Ironman...if only I could swim...

2007-12-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I did the Taupo Half IM.

When we arrived in Taupo on Friday it was cold and there was white water on the lake...not fun...but woke up Saturday to a calm but cloudy day, almost perfect conditions...

Starting off at 6.30am in the cold of Lake Taupo, my legs felt heavy in the swim and I really felt like I couldn't really be bothered racing, something didn't feel quite right. I hadn't tapered for very long for this race, and felt sluggish and tired. I stuck in there though and despite swimming way off course (as per usual), I came out in 35 mins, which will do me.

On to the bike....it was a good course, a bit lonely and a few bunches forming which were hard to stay out of, and a really bumpy road- it really takes it out of your legs, but I held a bit back for the return leg, which felt faster.

The annoying thing was you had no idea where you were as there were teams as well, so you were chasing blind. In Tauranga they number your legs with age groups- great idea to know who you need to make an effort to pass and those for whom you can conserve your energy! I paced the race well and it was a good race to try out the ironman course. It's an undulating course and heaps harder than Tauranga.

I pulled back a bit on the first lap of the run and only really pushed myself in the last 5km. My run time was quicker than stated as the times included transitions- I made it around 1.36. Great conditions, only a little cross wind on the bike, and it got sunny as I was finishing- wouldn't have wanted to be out there much longer! I didn't eat nearly enough as my stomach shut down and I had cramps on the bike. Then in the run I had pins and needles in my hands- a lack of electrolytes I presume, so I know I have work to do on the nutrition front.

I came 4th overall in the women in 5hrs 6mins. I would have had to really push myself too hard to break 5hrs that day. It was not my end goal of the year so I didn't go all out (even though I look completely buggered in the photos- they are awful!)

I'm relatively pleased with the result, and it was a good test of my fitness, and I didn't push myself to the limit, fearing injury on the run as my ITB band has been wickedly nasty to me recently.

So this week has been based around recovery and looked something like this:

Sunday: 1hr easy spin around Taupo
Monday: 45 min swim and 45 min run
Tuesday: 1.5hr bike all small chain ring
Wednesday: Running session and bike there and back, core and strnght work and intervals
Thursday: 2hr bike, 45 min run off bike
Friday: 45 min swim

My Mum's been up this week, so we have done heaps of Christmas shopping and catching up, putting the tree up and resting.

I have an off road a run race at Muriwai at the weekend- the Mac's Westcoaster run. I got a free entry so it will do as my long run for the week. It will be a toughie, at 28km, but it's just for fun. Sunday I have a 4hr ride, then back into training next week.

Good luck to all the Alpe Athletes doing Rotorua- go hard and look forward to hearing how you all get on.

And I've got a job!

2007-12-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

Well the contract will arrive today, I have verbally accepted at least! I'm going to be Events Manager for Thomson Brookers Legal & Regulatory. I will be organising legal events, seminars and conferences on new developments in the law for the legal community. It's a really challenging role, in a great company, who are really going places and there's a huge scope to develop the business. I start in the new year, so will continue my life as a pro athlete until then LOL!!!! Will be great to start earning some money to pay for the Ironman adventure!

K2 - it's not about the hills...

2007-12-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

First of all, I know it's been an age since I posted anything on this site, but trust me a lot has been happening, and my blog disappeared on me so I've had to fix that too!.

The start of Ocotber saw me and Bede upping sticks and moving to Auckland from Christchurch. I finished my job in Christchurch and stayed around to supervise the move, and literally at the last hour, we sold the house!

Training has been easy to fit in, not having to work and I fitted in a ride to Akaroa and back from Christchurch, about 150km. I trained in Wellington on the way up to Auckland as well. To be honest it’s hard to stop yourself from overtraining when you aren’t working, but I've had plenty to do finding a job and a place to live.

Once I arrived in Auckland I found my way around by exploring a different suburb on each ride, round the Bays and through the Waitakeres. It has been quite nerve racking getting used to more traffic and coping with a multitude of punctures, to the point I think I have developed puncture paranoia!

The main focus of Ocotber was the K2. This is a 200km ride from Thames around the Coromandel Peninsula via Whitianga and Coromandel and back to Thames. Therefore my training programme for the last eight weeks building up to the race was based around long rides and hills, as the K2 is reckoned to be the hardest one day race in the Southern Hemisphere. I wanted to do a race which really tested my endurance on the bike as that is where I need to make big gains for Ironman. I have never really felt as though there was literally nothing left in the tank after a race, and the K2 should satisfy that I thought!

In the week leading up to the race, I did my last big ride on the Sunday, which was a bit of a mission. I biked to Raglan from Hamilton on the windiest day I have seen for ages, and I got a flat after just 15 mins which set me back a bit. It took forever to get there, at one point the wind was literally pushing me backwards. It was a real test in mental endurance, even though it was only 50km there! There was a lot of self talk (and expletives!) for sure. I treated myself to a moccachino in Raglan (caffeine and chocolate to keep me sane) and the return leg was 40 mins faster with the tailwind and the caffeine boost!

I didn’t taper for the race, as it was just a C race (A being Ironman, B being Taupo Half etc), and I planned to have a solid training day at a pace I could maintain for Ironman, test myself over the distance and try out a nutrition strategy similar to Ironman. The two days before ended up being totally off training though as I had a bad migraine, and my sister was in town, so I did plenty of power walking (well "shopping walking"/retail therapy perhaps!) and I felt mentally tired, and anxious in anticipation of the race. All I missed off my programme was a 1hr spin so I didn’t feel too bad.

The day before the race, I increased my hydration and decreased my fibre intake, by cutting back on veggies, salad, fruit (apart from bananas) and grainy bread. I heard that one Ironman pro calls this “going white”. To be honest it makes me feel mighty unhealthy, but I have to avoid the call of nature at all costs on the day!

I had a big bowl of spaghetti bolognaise on the Friday night and early to bed.

An early start and over to Thames on Saturday morning for the 7.30 a.m. registration and the 8 a.m. race start. I was a little nervous as this was my first bike race, but I consoled myself that I didn’t have to swim first at least!

I started steadily and got in a good bunch on the flat out to the Kopu-Hikuai hill- the first of the big seven climbs after 15km. It was a great long steady hill and I reached 85km/h on the way down!

After the next hill I found myself on my own when we reached the flat, and pegged it at the 35km mark to reach the tail end of the bunch ahead of me, which was hard work, but allowed me to test my interval power. As I approached Whitianga I realised how the time was flying. Just out of Whitianga I reached the 100km mark at exactly 3.5hrs, which I was surprised at as I was contemplating an 8hr finish time.

The main hill of the next 100km was just before Coromandel. It was described as “hors categorie” meaning it was beyond the 1-5 hill grading used for the ride! I loved it, a fantastic challenge. After whizzing down the next hill, I unfortunately got a flat at about 160km…but luckily enough a support motorbike man stopped and basically changed my tyre for me, and used a stand pump, so I was back on my bike after about 5-6 mins, but three or four girls did pass me during my unplanned stop. I was gutted, and the last 30km was a bit demoralising and I felt myself hitting the wall a bit. Fortunately a girl doing the K1 let me draft off her and carried me through- she said she had done the K2 the same way 2 years ago and understood what I was going through! I kept eating and drinking and soon came right. I was elated when we got into Thames and picked up the pace to finish strongly across the line. Funny that, whenever I see the finish line I seem to find my overdrive gear and finish at a sprint!

Nutrition wise, I used One Square Meal bars, bananas, jet planes, leppins, water, enervit and my new find- Apricot Naked Protein Bars. Seven hours is a long time and I ate at least every 30 mins. My stomach seemed to handle it all well, whether a marathon after would soon put an end to that I’m not sure!

My computer showed my time as 6.55. Officially it was 7.01 due to the flat but 7 hours was a good day’s ride. I was 8th in my category as well and got a spot prize too, which more than enough covered the entry fee.

It was a fantastic ride, beautiful scenery and I loved the hills. I felt that my hill work in training paid off, as did my big long rides. I pushed myself over the 150km limit previous to the race and sorted out a wee black spot after my flat to finish happy. I kept my pace to Ironman heart rates- steady expect for the climbs and tried to keep sat down most of the way and not to draft too much as you can’t in Ironman. You certainly have a lot of time to think abour things and to focus on the job at hand, and to keep your eyes on the prize which is of course March 1.

November - back to base training, the Harbour swim and building up for Taupo half IM.

Man it's getting close! K2 over, the focus for this month is getting back to base training over all three disciplines, and working towards Taupo Half Ironman in early December. My aim for Taupo half is to test myself to see where I'm at right now. I know I SHOULD race at IM pace, but I know I'll get sucked into "racing" and really want to go hard with the hope of doing a reasonable time. Afterwards my Mum's coming up for a few days Christmas shopping so I have a really easy week planned- the last respite before the hammer goes down for IM.

Looking forward to Christmas, and the rest of the summer I'll head down to Taupo a few more times to ride the bike course as I have at least 3 180km rides to do before 1 March and swim in the lake as recovery! The weather in Auckland was fabulous this month, and whilst job hunting I have had plenty of opportunities to enjoy the sun whilst training. Maintenance of aerobic endurance was paramount this month, building my long runs to 2-2.5hrs with a recovery bike ride of an hour afterwards, and my long rides to 5.5hrs. I haven't as yet joined a swim squad, expense being the main reason as I'm not working, and have been focussing on my own technique sessions and getting used to swimming in my new Blue Seventy Helix wetsuit at Parnell saltwater baths and in the sea. Swimming in a wetsuit is a lot different as it affects your bouyancy and body roll, so it's good to swim all the time in a suit, plus no more sniffles and colds from chlorinated pools! I have rotator cuff sopreness in my shoulder so I have dropped the paddles for a while and I'm compensating my using fins.

I did the Harbour Swim this month from Devonport to the Viaduct. I much prefer lake swims, but this swim was designed to take me out of my comfort zone and overcome my fear of open water....there are no sharks in the Harbour I kept telling myself! My time was 53 mins, which I found a little disappointing for 2.8km, but then with open water swims I for one never swim in a straight line and most of the time there was no one to my left so I reckon I swam at least 3km, and as heading home to Mission Bay at one point...but then I hate being in the mosh pit washing machine in the middle, so there's go to be a bit of give and take there. If I have to swim a bit further to avoid getting frustrated I will do, I really don't want to drown!

Right now I'm feeling pretty confident about my biking, having focussed on biking for the K2 and my running's feeling strong. I've been to a few sessions with Walter Thorburn and his "No Regrets" squad, which focusses on core strength exercises and interval training, much like a circuits class. One week I was very sore after the walking lunges, so it's working! I've also purchased a new Giant Trinity Alliance tri bike with some Grammo race wheels from Planet Cycles in Mount Eden so it will be put through it's paces at Taupo Half. They are a great bike shop, really helpful and I'm now sporting one of their jerseys, and I certainly get some envious looks on my new steed. The idea behind it is to get more speed on the flat, being more aero and leaving me fresher for the run, so I can execute my softly softly catchy monkey race plan.

So at the moment my training's looking like this through to the end of the year:

Mon - Distance swim 60-75 mins, 75 min undulating run, steady pace
Tues - 2hr hill repeats on bike, 20 min steady run, 10 min drills and 20 min core
Wed - Swim- intervals, Running squad/Stroke and Stride
Thurs - LSD run building to 3hrs, with 1hr easy spin on bike straight after
Fri- Technique swim
Sat - S/B/R brick, open water swim 45-60 mins, 2.5hr bike, 1 hr run
Sun - Long bike building to 180km/6.5-7hrs

I did my first Stroke and Stride last night in awful blustery conditions- a 1km swim and 3km run. Swim was manic mosh pit and the waves were pretty testing, then it was horrible on the run, but I love running in the rain! I went at a good pace, but didn't smash it completely as I have Taupo half IM this weekend. I think I finished in under 35 mins, which given the horrific swim, is not too bad. Like Lance Armstrong says wind and rain are your friends, if you can train and race in those conditions you can do anything. But fingers crossed Taupo is a bit friendlier on Saturday!

So day off today, a quick S/B/R run through tomorrow and I'll be on the start line in Taupo at 6.30 am! The first real test of the season....watch this space...

Akaroa beckons....

2007-09-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

Another great week of training down. The house got passed in, but apparently there are a few interested parties in the wings, but nothing yet...

Anyhow, this week was my thrid repetition of the previous two weeks, with a mix of core work, tempo running, lots of hills and long distance and technique swims. The week ended with a bike ride to Akaroa and back, well almost. Bec, Ginni and I rode to Little River, accompanied by lots of freeloading lake flies- disgusting and worse than magpies. Then I headed on up Hill Top, down to Barrys Bay and up the sting in the tail hills to Akaroa. A quick coffee and refeul then back to Little River, where I was supposed to be meeting Bede. Well he got held up coming back from a work do on the coast (read lots of hungover people needing breakfast, so left late..) and so I had a quick pit stop and continued on. The hills were indeed testing, but great fun even with temperatures in the 20s and a strong headwind all the way home. Nevertheless I got a flat 2km out from Motukarara, then another....and another....having so proudly changed the tubes I later found the bastard piece of glass sneakily tucked in the outside of the tyre- couldn't for the life of me find it the first two times. But anyway, with no more tubes, I called Bede for an SOS from Tai Tapu- I was only 20km from home damn it! Still a great 150km ride, with big hills- about 6.5hrs riding and having eaten lots I felt I had done enough....

I watched a great film on Saturday night- On a Clear Day about a guy who gets made redundant having worked all his life in the docks building ships, and sets out to swim the English Channel. There a more touching plot about his relationship with his wife and son, but an amazing accomplishment, and based on a true story. Made me feel that whenever I am swimming and finding it tough, 3.8km, is NOT the Channel, just suck it up! You are not that bad a swimmer after all!

Another 3hr flat ride and a 30 min run yesterday (having gone and bought some new tubes!) , a yummy chicken roast and then I farewelled Bede up to Auckland to start his new job on Monday.

Over 20hrs of training this week, I know a bit on the heavy side already, but a ride to Akaroa and back was on my wish list for a long time! I biked the Le Race route last Feb, and got a bus home, this time there was no way I was going to do that! But I have discovered I CAN do longer rides, and I can almost...fix a flat....I did two for practice on Sunday morning a lot faster than usual, with no help. Yey!

Recovery week this week, and in Auckland for the weekend, so will just run and swim. Finish work on Friday, I will be sooooo happy!

2007-09-22T23:39:00.001-07:00

This week (Mon-Thurs) has been very similar to last week. I tend to do three weeks of the same training, building the long rides each week, then back off for a week as recovery. This way my body can take on board the training from the last three weeks and absorb it all, before building into the next phase.

This week I have concentrating a lot on technique in all three disciplines, and I have had to switch things round a little as we had a big weekend ahead of us! So, on Thursday I did my Friday technique swim, and then on the weekend we (Nadia, Tanya and I) headed up to Hanmer. This would be quite a testing weekend for me, having had time off for my sinus infection and migraines, which still bothers me from time to time.

Approx 140km of undulating hills and a gradual climb from Christchurch. We started off at about 8am in foggy dull conditions, had a pit stop at Amberley and once we go to Waipara it was blue skies and sun, beautiful! We stopped for lunch at Culverden for about 45 mins and reached Hanmer at 2pm. It was a great ride, good to get some good miles in and nice to ride with others for a change, great to have company on those long flats, especially safer in numbers when the magpies decide to swoop! Longer rides (this one was about 5 hours) also give you the chance to try out nutrition- I had two bobby bananas and one OSM bar cut up into pieces, 2 bottles of water, 1 can diluted fresh up apple and 1 bottle Enervit (1 scoop).

Rebecca, Kalina and Paula joined us in the evening in Hanmer and we had a nice relaxing supper and good triathlon and girlie chat!

We were up at a good hour the next morning had breakfast and headed out towards Lewis Pass, into a persistent headwind, but a mild and sunny day.

Heading towards the pass are some testing climbs, but definitely do-able- we all worked really well in two small bunches for 30km and headed back after that. We flew with the tailwind, it was great! Back in 50 mins! It was good to see the girls all improving at their biking in the pursuit of their goals for the next season. It was great to find out that my climbing is improving and I felt comfortable on the hills, keeping a moderate/low hard heart rate and keeping sat down. Back into Hanmer I went on a hour's run in the forest after downing a leppin, was really hot so the shady forest was a blessing.

After lunch we headed to the hot pools and had a relaxing time combined with whizzing down the waterslides.

Sunday we headed back to Christchurch. The ride to Waipara was testing in parts, we rode well to Culverden then we felt the southerly coming in up some long but gentle climbs. We met the girls for a coffee at the Brew Moon in Amberley which offered some awaited respite! The weather set in after that and a blustery, drizzly southerly accompanied us back home. We were a wee bit slower on the way back with the conditions, but as we reminded ourselves, we are not icing sugar, we will not melt!

Poor Nadia had a crash about 1km from home on a slippy painted median strip, I hope she gets some well deserved r n' r tonight and feels better in the morning. It's really the shock of falling in the wet which sucks.

I felt really hungry on this ride, as I had salad the night before and didn't eat my usual oaty breakfast, just crumpets. So on the menu was 1 OSM bar, 2 small bobby bananas, 1 powerbar and 1/2 gel, with a trim FW, Enervit and Water to drink. I was wet and cold when I got home, but not too tired. A hot shower, good stretch and food sorted that out, and a relaxing afternoon. I decided that my regular Sunday pump class would be pushing it!

It was a fantastic weekend, where I felt I could really relax amongst girls with the same interests and love for training. It was my biggest biking weekend ever, so that's an accomplishment in itself. I loved it and think I have made a breakthrough in my bike base endurance to carry me to the next build of my bike focus to the K2, and hills, hills, hills ;o)

This week I repeat the last two weeks again, and plan to bike over to Akaroa and back as far as I can on Sunday, hopefully with some company if I can convince the girls I'm not nuts.

Our house goes to auction on Thursday so fingers crossed it goes and we can concentrate on the move up north. QEII running session tonight, which I will focus on core work mostly as my legs may feel a bit shot. Monday night sessions are always a test after the weekend, but I love the group training feel, so I will head over after work.

I'm up to reading about Pain in my mental training guide, and apparently if you feel pain, smile ;o) It releases endorphins to your body which help ease it away....so there's my thought for the week, keep smiling ;o)

First week of official IM training down...lots more to go!

2007-09-16T00:26:00.000-07:00

This week has been the start of my official "journey" to IM. Ok, now that will be the first and last time I use that overused word...(just watch pop idol and count how many times you hear it!)....I'm starting with a real bike focus leading up to K2- I entered this week!- so working on overall bike endurance and muscular endurance with the hills- lots of them!

On Monday I had a great running session at QEII which is run by the New Zealand Multisports and Triathlon Centre- John Newsom my coach and Glen. After lots of core work- about half an hour, consisting of sets of running split up with triman holds, press ups, side planks, dead ant cycling, crab crawling up grassy banks, squats etc- we did a series of intervals- 10 x 400m using our 10km race pace time and adding less seconds to our 400m pace time each couple until race pace/just under on last lap. Well I went conservatively at 45mins and ran all laps too fast! I think my 10km pace, despite my rest time is still 43-44 mins, even though my heart rate was rocketing over 175...then we did a series of stadium step intervals- singles, doubles, accelerations, bunny hops then another 4 x 400m as before, then some warm down laps and a long stretch...I love this session, despite it being tough sometimes, as it's the one session of the week which I do with a group, and most of them are multisporters- a different breed I swear, and such a good laugh, and we can all share our stories from our weekend training! I'll really miss these sessions when I move.

Tuesday - swim solo with long sets/technique and Short Bays-just snuck it in as it turned dark about 30mins from home. For those not from Christchurch, this is a ride which takes in Hackthorne Road- a hill up to Sign of the Kiwi, down to Governor's Bay along the coast (undulating) to Lyttelton and up to Evans Pass (second largish hill) and back to Sumner, back to my house is just under 2hrs- about 50km. It's a decent ride, and what you cut your teeth on as a cyclist in Christchurch, and I've done it more times than I can count, but I still love it, the beautifyl scenery and, doing it "on the way home from work" with not another cyclist in sight.....bliss

Wednesday AM off- read chores, anyone could come round the house (it's on the market) so have to prep the show home each morning....PM Wind trainer session and 1hr run off bike. This session mid week is really to focus on a bit more up tempo, plus technique work. I use Gordo Byrn's sets- today it was 2 min alternating 90rpm, 6rpm and some single leg work to get those glutes working. Run felt good off bike, but couldn't keep heart rate in steady zone- more like moderate, could have been the track "Running" by Evermore I had on repeat on my new ipod ;o) It's such a motivational song to run to, you end up going a bit nuts.....

Thursday swim solo then Bike hill reps- up Hackthorne to Sign of Takehe x 3 then I continued up to Sign of Kiwi and whizzed back down home- about 1.5hrs. Home- 20 mins core work and 20 mins stretch.

Fri- technique swim and pump class.

Sat- Coopers Knob ride 2.5 hrs in the clouds and Guns n Roses on iPod- nice...30 min run off bike. Hills are great in clouds- you can't see the top!

Sun- 4.5hr ride to Hill Top and back overlooking Akaroa- flat out to Cooptown then one rather large hill- sat on all the way, concentrating on building muscular endurance, and keeping feet horizontal and pulling up from glutes. Just done another pump class too.

This weekend I had lots of headwinds and I loved it! Instead of letting them beat me I charged through them. Hilltop felt really easy. I felt comfortable on my aerobars for once. And I managed to include Bede in my Sunday ride with lunch at Blue Duck, (yummy veggie frittata and the obligatory coffee) then I continued on home.

Weather has been stunning, so sunny (great for selling the house, fingers crossed) and our beautiful fucshia magnolia has come out right on cue for the open homes.

I've been reading a mental training guide to tri this week (thanks to Kathy!) and Going Long...What I've learnt is I need to focus on my limiters (note we do not call them weaknesses!) - for me number one is bike endurance, My run is good, but will only be as good as how efficiently I can get my legs through the bike. Number two is the swim, but I'm not letting this worry me- I know I can make greater gains in the bike. Having to cut down my runs sucks- but this is precisely what you shouldn't do, i.e. train the most on the discipline you enjoy the most. Focus on the limiters and the positives will take care of themselves. Hence me entering the K2....

I've also learnt to set myself realistic goals....and not confusing ambition with ability! Although I do have a "secret" goal for IM, which only I know...And patience...I do not need (or want) to do IM tomorrow and I need to have a focus for each training session- be in the moment, and not focus my attention on the end result....I don't want to burn out by Jan...but I am itching to do those 6hr rides every weekend!

And lastly balance...that's actually my worst limiter (and I do not mean standing on one leg with my eyes closed with a book on my head)...Being so single minded and determined to get to my goals, I need to keep my eyes and ears open to everything else going on in my life (which right now is quite a lot!) Oh. and getting the bed earlier....I do try honest!

I also got an article published in Femme magazine on Lorient this week and I heard back from BlueSeventy confirming my prodeal sponsorship, yey!! Things are looking up ;o)...at last!

So, no job in Auckland yet, no where to live, but Bede and I are making plans and it looks like a wee road trip to Wellington then to Auckland will be on the cards once I finish at work, cool...

Tonight there's some IM coverage on Sky, so that's booked. Morning off tomorrow. I hated Monday morning training for France, so I'm not for IM, that's all! But it does mean no rest day on Friday as I have a swim, but I think it works better. I am a moose on a Friday, I hate Fridays, I'm so tired, but I am worse if I don't train....but I love the weekend. So beware if I don't get enough sleep Friday nights..

Looking forward to next week. There's a bit of chop and change as I'm heading to Hanmer with some girls for the weekend, biking there and back (about 260km in all).

Right signing off, venison for dinner, and some of my lovely (low fat and exceedingly healthy, honest- you'll believe it if you saw the recipe) Carrot Cake, my favourite....

Train safe, live in the moment and aim higher x

Spring has Sprung!!!

2007-09-10T01:42:00.000-07:00

After having what I could only call a bleurgh August, I have begun September with a spring in my step, a determination to update my blog each week, and to get to bed by 10pm each night! Ok, so the last one will be a struggle with the forthcoming Rugby World Cup! I don't know how people get to bed much before then. By the time I've finished my training, had dinner, done the chores it's at least 9pm. And I do need some TV time each day.

This week I've been for a couple of 3-4hr rides which have been really good fun, a wind trainer session, some gym work- circuits and weights, three swims, lots of technique drills and a few runs. I had a great ride on the grading ride yesterday (it's a race which is used as preparation for the Five Passes- but I would never "race it"! and then I ran 6km to the gym, did a pump class and ran home, it felt really good, running at dusk with a beautiful sunset disappearing over the hills with a tail wind home.

My IM build up programme starts (officially) today, with a coached running session- core work and interval training at QEII stadium in Christchurch. Then Tues swim and Short Bays (about a 2hr ride-hills), Wed 1hr wind trainer session and 1hr run off bike, Thurs swim and 1.5hr hill reps, Fri technique/drills swim, Sat- tri club training (Bike/Run) then Sun medium bike (3-3 1/2 hrs) and short run off bike. Plus we have a tri club quiz night on Friday….and that is the extent of my social life this week ;o)

This is the start of my big bike base phase which includes the K2- I think I must be going crazy. I have never felt really really stuffed at the end of a race, and if this doesn't do it, well IM certainly will. I need to improve my bike so this provides a fantastic opportunity (and also to use my flash new race wheels!) I have never done a bike race before, and I need to do something that I am just doing for fun, taking away all that competitive go hard, go nuts from my race plan and just go steady - let's face it, it is 7 hours (plus?!, minus?!!) of biking hills! Most of my rides are hilly to build well needed strength, the hills are my friends….But I've yet to officially enter, I entered Taupo half IM this week, so will wait a while before another splurge.

This weekend I flew up to Auckland for the afternoon to meet Steve and Simone (the company owners) and the other sponsored Alpe d'Huez IMers in training, Graeme, Kathy, Kieran and Raewyn. It was great to meet them all and talk IM, tri and our aspirations and fears for the next six months.

Kathy, one of the other Alpe gear athletes has lent me a triathlete's guide to mental training - I read the Ironman chapter on the flight home. The advice and stories were right on the nail- now to read the rest of the book and put the suggestions and mental training into practice! The main thing I have learnt is to throw away all time conceptions I may have. I'm even thinking I may cover my bike computer, so it doesn't plague me and just enjoy the ride and the laps. I'm in it to finish it, it's my first Ironman, softly, softly catchy monkey!

This week will also see me hunting for a job in Auckland. I'm looking for a complete change and I've applied for all sorts of jobs, but anything with a sports bent is catching my eye. No bites as yet, but I'm not panicking yet. We need to sell the house and get settled first. Nevertheless if anyone out there has any suggestions or connections in this area, please let me know. I may be a qualified lawyer, but I have many talents, and skills in other areas which are transferable. Most importantly I need to be active!

2007-09-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

Winter Blues

2007-09-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

Winter Blues...

I arrived back in France at the end of July, having had an amazing experience at Worlds in France. On the spur of the moment I told Blue Seventy wetsuits about my success and I secured a Pro deal sponsorship discount for the upcoming season, so hopefully I can get my hands on the Helix! I tried this wetsuit out in France as Gina Ferguson had a spare one (mine was lost with my bike…) and I loved it.

August was set down for some R n R and getting away from triathlon. I started training again- just one session a day, sometimes two of whatever took my fancy, some gym sessions and whatever the weather had in store. I got back out biking as my main focus for the next base period will be to up my bike mileage somewhat, and I scheduled in a few long runs in the hills.

But, I started to feel lacking in motivation, coming off the high from my trip abroad. Training with no short term goals and no programme sorting out what you have to do each day was difficult to getting used to. And to top it all I got sick.

One weekend I went for a 2hr15 min run and the next day a 5.5hr ride. On the ride I felt really lousy. I didn't take enough water or food and I got really cold. I was on my own on the Gorges ride in Canterbury and I hit the wall big style. I even cried, I was really distraught. To add insult to injury I got attacked by a magpie in the Waimak Gorge. But on no account was I calling Bede, my husband, for an S.O.S pick up. Besides, he was at home building a fence. It wasn't until when I got back to the outskirts of Christchurch I got my hands on some coke and a liquorice log to perk me up for the rest of the hour's ride home. Afterwards I had a bath to get warm, but I didn't eat enough in my recovery time to compensate for my dehydration and lack of food.

I learned the hard way and ended up with a temperature, on antibiotics and off work for a week and a half. Following doctor's orders I was off training as well. A lesson learned in listening to your body. I tried to push through the on set of my sinus infection and it just got worse. It has been the most frustrating time, but some days I had such a bad migraine I was in so much pain and couldn't get out of bed. I'm rarely sick and have difficulty with my rest days as it is, so you can imagine I was crawling up the walls at times, and getting obsessed about all the weight I was putting on not training.

So come 3 September I'll be back into it. My body (and mind) needed the break, the sleep ins, the weekends with more time with Bede and my family. I'll be starting more structured training, more bike miles for sure and keeping the running and swimming ticking over. I'm going to see a nutritionist as I need a proper plan for IM, which will give me bags of energy. I eat a very healthy diet, but I’m sure it could be tweaked to provide me with more energy and get me off the coffee addiction! I love coffee, but I need to stick to two decent ones a day, not the four it’s been creeping up to lately. I rely on it for a pick up, but I need to tackle the tiredness first through a better balanced diet, and not rely so much on caffeine.

I need some short term goals, so the Auckland half marathon will be my next event, then Taupo Half IM. Indeed, we are in the process of selling our house and moving to Auckland as Bede has got a promotion and relocation up there. Which means I need to find a new job, and a new place to live. This, added to the stress of being sick has meant any training I have been doing hasn't been that effective and I've really been at an all time low in terms of training, motivation, happiness and enthusiasm for triathlon. We shall have a very busy few months ahead of us. I'm half contemplating working part time so I can really devote as much time as I'd love to my Ironman dream. I would love to pursue a career in triathlon. I’ve had enough of being stuck behind a desk in a windowless office 5 days a week.

One thing my coach said to me once was the happier you are, the happier, and consequently the better you train, and more importantly, race. I want to give IM my all and be happy doing it. The last two weeks have been acknowledging I've been sick, perhaps even on the verge of burnout and sorting my head out, to train happier. I have really felt the Winter Blues this month then, but Spring has sprung, the lambs are out, and when you see the blossoms appearing and leaves on the trees you've got to smile - it was even 19 degrees in Christchurch today!

My Alpe d’Huez kit arrived in the last week of August. I tried out the leg warmers, boot covers, cycle shorts and top on a 3.5hr ride. The leg warmers, although a bit long (I have very short legs!) are toasty warm and the shorts are very comfortable

I'm also contemplating purchasing a time trial bike. I've been looking at the Giant Trinity Elite- good bang for your buck, the trusty Cervelo and the Scott Contessa Plasma. It all depends on getting a good price for the house ;o) Then I can spend some money on a run around car and more money on a bike!

The move to Auckland is exciting, all those new places to train, new running trails, new bike shops ;o) I'll also be able to catch up with the other Alpe D’Huez sponsored athletes and the other Kiwi Age-Groupers I met in France.

I’m looking forward to getting stuck into training, and getting my miles up. The thought of Ironman at the moment seems daunting, but then I look at what I have achieved in the last year and how far I’ve come I know I can do it. I love a challenge, having goals and doing my best. The next few months will be a test of time management, prioritizing and not getting obsessed with training, and letting it take over my life. Looking after myself and family is just, if not more important.

I’m having to remind myself that completing Ironman is my goal, despite being as competitive as I am, my goal is not to win, not even to place, just enjoy it and see how it goes. I put a lot of pressure on myself to always finish top ten, and beat certain girls. I must learn more self control, softly, softly, catchy monkey in Ironman and not to go off guns blazing in all my workouts and stuff myself.

My mantra for the next 6 months will be harder , better, faster, stronger…….

Lorient World Long Distance Champs 2007

2007-07-18T02:33:00.000-07:00

OK so the drama of the week started when my bike didn't arrive on Paris after a day's travelling from Christchurch to Auckland to LA to London and then to Paris...and neither did seven others!

So we got to Lorient on Tuesday. As I had no wetsuit either I went for a swim in the local pool and a short run round the lake where the triathlon was to be held, just eager to have a dip- but I have a real aversion to swimming without a wetsuit in open water so I passed! The next few days were spent exploring Lorient, swimming in the pool and a couple of short runs to get my bearings...and chasing the bikes...and some great team meals- lots of good tri chat, kiwi chat, using my somewhat rusty French and eating great French food (however I really don't ever want to see a white baguette or a croissant for a long time!)

Come Friday we were getting worried...no sign of the bike at all. So we headed down to the lake on a gorgeously hot day to watch the French tri national competition- Andrea Hewitt, Nicky Samuels, Taryn McLeod and Jenny Cooper were all competing for their French clubs. Andrea won and looked so strong, it was great to see all the kiwi girls out there. So...I sheepishly introduced myself to her after the race and asked if it was ok if I could borrow her bike on Sunday for the race( we being a similar height...I say similarheight not size as she is soooo tiny!) So I was all set for a speedy Cervelo...until my bike arrived at 1.30 am on Saturday morning!

Thank goodness it did though- I was so scared of crashing Andrea's bike, and elt much more comfortable on my own.. We fixed it up with some great Race X lite Bontrager race wheels and I was ready to go!

So to race day...

The swim (in what I found out later to be a lake infested with snakes...!)

I have never ever been so nervous...ever! Kristin and I shed a nervous tear and a wee hug before the swim as all us kiwi girls headed to the Pontoon and sandwiched our way into our start. And we're off...all the women together in one wave, it was madness arms and legs flying everywhere. I tried so hard to think about technique and not panicking about others, and just swim my own race. The first time I would ever swim 3km. First lap was a breeze, really steady and even passed some blokes in the wave ahead. Up the ramp over the pontoon and dived in for the second lap. Again I took it steady head down knowing a long hot windy day lay ahead. I was actually enjoying it! Thinking to myself yep I can do Ironman- 3.8km no problem. Up and out of the water to start the 800m-1km transition. Put bike shoes on as the start was straight up a hill and ran out...

Bike

Having only biked 15 mins one way and driven the rest in a car, I knew I'd be winging it...It was windy from the on shore breezes and hot, with false flats and a steady climb to the turnaround. Focus was to keep legs spinning, take on fuel, water and not get pinged for drafting...of which there was a plenty. To be honest it was more like the tour de France peleton...Drafting rule was 10m, 30 secs to pass and a 6 min penalty....well I didn't see them ping anyone, depsite a rather hilarious demonstration of what they would pull up at the race briefing, and a strict zero tolerance enforcement policy- allegedly.... Well anyhow....Fiona and I pushed each other the whole way- we're so evenly matched it was good for the kiwis to be right up there. So the bike felt strong, and going into the run I was looking forward to it- I knew it would be a toughie- some testing hills- not as flat as originally planned.

Run

I felt strong on the run but knew it was really hot and it would be so easy to blow up- lots of people were walking, being sick, one girl was on oxygen! I felt a bit dehydrated on the last lap, and couldn't stomach any more gels, but I left every last bit out there and snuck in under 1hr 30 mins. So I was running faster than my half marathon pace on the flat, even after the swim and bike- I was stoked!

I finished 6th in my age group in 4hr 46 mins. Us 4 kiwi girls all finished within 2 mins of one another.

It was an amazing experience. I now go forward to Ironman having learnt so much after the last six months. There's still a long way to go. I know my strength is running, but my biking has come on leaps and bounds as has my swimming. There's much room for improvement in all areas. Pacing and nutrition and tweaking my bike will all be considered in the next six months.

Now I'm looking forward to a well deserved rest and catching up with my family and school friends in the UK. I am proud to be a kiwi, my adopted nation! We were a great team. A great family team spirit was evident everywhere in our team hotel, team meals and on the course. For a small nation, we did ourselves proud.

I'm itching to get back out there training though but know I need the rest to be reenergised to take on Taupo! Bring it on!!!!!

2007-06-25T21:52:00.001-07:00

Always the Hunter...

2007-06-25T21:42:00.001-07:00

Let me introduce myself…I'm 27 from the UK originally, now living in NZ with my kiwi hubby Bede. My folks live in Wellington and my sister Laura, her husband Chris and my niece Paris live in the Hayward Hills north of Wellington.

I was always sporty at school, and did gymnastics, lacrosse and athletics as my main sports, plus dance outside of school, as a child I just could not sit still.

At uni I played Lacrosse for Birmingham, U21 England and when I came to NZ I got into the NZ team. I've had to give it a miss this season for IM training, but I'll be back! The two just can't be married together, IM requires endurance, and Lacrosse requires a lot more speed, which I just can't concentrate on along with the IM.

A friend of mine did the London triathlon in 2003. At the time I had come back from a year out in NZ and whilst enjoying the time immensely I had gained a few Speights pounds and thought enough was enough. So I started back at the gym with a vengeance and quickly shifted the OE baggage. Then I decided to enter the Sprint distance in 2004. I've always loved running, so that was the easiest to get back into. I got a mountain bike at first and borrowed my Dad's Raleigh Racer-no joke. Bike fit? What's that? The gear levers were on the frame and all that, but I got the bug, and started loving the training. Bede came over for a year in February 2004. I had just started back swimming then. I could only do about 5 lengths free style without stopping.The first time I went swimming with him it was a 9pm session at my local pool in Harpenden and it was snowing outside, he thought I was nuts and lasted about half an hour and read a book whilst I continued my spluttering and splattering intermingled with much breast stroke for the remainder of the hour…that was my first lesson in dedication.

So London Triathlon 2004, antique bike and swimming in the docks with about 400 other women, not the best start, but quite a baptism of fire. I was 20th in my race and clocked not a bad time I thought!

Moving on…I was living in London so did little biking, mainly spin classes and the gym and running. We had a tiny pool at the gym-it was stainless steel and only about 15m long in the basement, but it was only 8 quid a month- and was in Mayfair dahling!!! (OK so it was subsidised work gym at Holmes Place, but I loved it!)

Fast forward to NZ, Feb 2005….Bede and I were married in Hawkes Bay in the March and we moved to Nelson. I was looking for a job so had heaps of time on my hands to explore the hills on my Mountain Bike, keep the running and swimming ticking over and enjoy the Summer.
We moved to ChCh in August 2005 and I didn't really get into the tri thing properly until Bede's cousin Pip sold me her bike as she was going on her OE. I promised to do the Taupo half IM as she unfortunately had to pull out of doing it on the trusty Trek 1000 steed the year before due to illness.

So I get the help of a bike coach about this time last year to set me on my way and joined the Canterbury Tri Club. I started swimming at aquagym and going to John Newsom's swimming and running classes. Soon enough I was hooked into the tri scene.

My first race was the short course in Ashburton 2006 as a warm up for Tauranga half IM. I came a surprising third and won my age group. The race felt fast, I had a crap swim and kept getting caught in weeds, but a good bike and caught people up on the bike and run.
But I felt short changed. I saw the competitors in the half IM and knew I should be out with them. The longer distance was definitely for me.

So next was Tauranga…it was supposed to be Taupo, but I pulled out of Taupo when it was canned due to Council politics….

Race Report

In the couple of days leading up to the event I did the Ocean swim on the Thursday night which gave me a chance to try out the course with similar conditions/tides to what was predicted for the Saturday morning, I had an good swim time was about 35mins with no in and out, just two laps so it was a bit different to Saturday. On the Friday morning I went for a 20 min swim, biked the run to the turnaround (about 20mins) and ran once round the Mount (20 mins).
I then took it easy during the day, cleaned my bike, got all my kit together and hung around our apartment. I had an early tea (pasta with tuna and pesto and toast) then attended the briefing at 6pm and then went back to the apartment and went to bed at normal time- 10.30pm.I woke at 5am and had my pre-race breakfast- white toast with marmite and peanut butter and banana and Enervit sports drink. I arrived at transition at 6am and set up my kit. I was still in the queue for the loo with 5 mins to go so had to put my wetsuit on really quickly and I forgot to have my carboshotz. But this proved out to be good as I didn’t feel as sick as I can do on the swim.

The swim went well, I didn’t push it too much, but did get caught in a few boat tow ropes. The second lap was shorter (1st 1200m, 2nd 800m) and I came out feeling pretty good. My time was 38 mins, I was hoping for under 40mins so that was good.
Quickly onto my bike I got through T1 well and put socks on and took my banana and three carboshotz with me.

The bike started on the long 55km lap and this was good to split up the field, although there was definitely some drafting going on. I felt good on the way out with a tailwind and there was a head/cross at times wind on the return leg. I passed a considerable number of people and was looking out for girls in the same age group which I used as targets to set my sights on. I had some carboshotz taped to my bike but when trying to get them off I split them on my bike so it got sticky, esp. on the handlebars which was gross. I had my banana at the turn into the second lap and had some jet planes. I took on board fluid every 15 – 20 mins, but I really needed to pee so I felt like I couldn’t drink. I kept a good pace- about 32-35km/h at times, and came into T2 preparing myself for the run. My time was about 2hr48, under 3hrs which I had planned for. I had to stop for the loo, as I couldn’t go on the bike…which cost me a couple of mins in T2. Will have to learn how to do this for sure!

I really enjoyed the run as the crowds were great spurring you on. I was conscious that I was dehydrated, as it was hot, but also windy so I made sure I took water on board and I also had some pepsi at the stations. I had two gels on the run, with water at the stations. I held back in the first lap as I knew I wanted to negative split and finish strongly. I upped my pace for the second half especially the final lap from the turnaround and round the Mount base track. I aimed to keep my running style efficient with quick turnover and keeping my posture good and I felt very strong coming into the final straight.

My time was bang on 1hr45 mins which was what I had aimed for, but I think I could go faster.
Overall time 5hrs 16 mins, under the 5hr 30mins I had hoped for. For my first long distance event I felt I did really well and all my preparation paid off. I was running off the buzz of the event for days. I did go for a 30min run round the Mount base track the day after and then had a day off then I think I went for an hour and a half bike the day after that. When I got back to Wellington the weekend after I went out on my bike for a couple of rides and a few runs as I felt good.

Two weeks later in Timaru, I did the Olympic distance Placemakers race. I was physically there, but mentally I was still pretty tired I think and had come down off the high since Tauranga. I threw up on the swim and felt crap, but the bike was great fun, some challenging climbs and I enjoyed the run along the cliffs, but I knew I had too much time to catch up. I ended up 5th.
A little while after this race I found out I had been selected from Tauranga for the Age Groups team to go to the World Champs in Lorient. I was really pleased, but scared at the prospect of the 3km longer swim! I would never have even contemplated such a feat a few years ago when I could hardly keep my head under water!

I had one last good race at the Canterbury Tri Champs (Oly distance)- a top five result and third in my age group over a real toughie of a course over in Corsair Bay.
So I contacted John Newsom from the local NZ Multi Sports and Triathlon Centre and he agreed to coach me for the Champs.

I started swimming with Roly Crichton at QEII, having done little squad work before. This has helped my competitive edge and confidence enormously. Technique sessions were the order of the day as I will never be a super fast swimmer. I just need to be able to make the distance without having a panic attack! So the early mornings do take their toll, especially when studying part time, working full time and keeping the other half (relatively!) happy…and the housework….well let's not go there!

Biking wise, my endurance has increased as the longer rides got longer, far longer than in my training for Tauranga and far more hill work to build my strength as I'm only a wee thing. My running's been steadily improving, helped by speed/interval sessions at the NZMTC and core work.

I coming up towards my final few weeks before Lorient. I leave on 8 July. I'm feeling fit, and trying to ward off those nasty bugs going around. Doesn't help every time I swim I get so blocked up in my sinuses. Winter has really set in throughout June, making training hard at times, but I'm getting through it. It's been cold, but the sun seems to shine most of the time. And we've had little rain. The tiredness is starting to set in, so I shall be looking forward to the taper.
During my build up I have also secured sponsorship for Ironman with Alpe D' Huez, to whom I owe my deepest gratitude. I'm really looking forward to March 1 on the shores of Taupo!
Firstly onwards and upwards through the hemispheres to the shores of Brittany, then a good rest and holiday in the UK catching up with friends and family.

Will catch up soon before I head off to France. Wish me Bonne Chance!

Train hard, train safe x