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)