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

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.