Great weekend

It started off with a eeling trip - kids in the Morrinsville Fish and Game club were having an eeling competition on our friends farm. I have never been eeling before - yes I know, a country girl and never been eeling (shame). What a cool family fun experience. We fished until dark, made friends with baby pukeko, and Ella caught an eel! We came back, lit a camp fire (well with the dry weather made it in a cast iron thingy), had a BBQ dinner, toasted marshmellows, and went to bed in our tents. The kids had great fun playing in the dark, and making new friends.

We woke up today, I was feeling particularly stiff, after a run in the afternoon, and a not so comfy sleep. The kids all got a prize each, and we packed up and headed home.

I then caught up with Alison and Tammy, who are in the adventure race with me. We got on our mountain bikes and headed up to another friends farm. It was pretty steep - we even had to walk DOWN the hills! But a really good training - we got to know each other better, and I realised I need to do more hill work!

I got a photo, I was meant to be in it. I'll have to practice photo taking with the timing device thingy too! The photo looks out to the Firth of Thames - and overlooks our farm (not that you'd see it from the photo!)

By the way for you Tauranga folk who come through to Auckland, you will pass our farm after you go through Ngatea. I'll post a photo one day - then you can see if you can spot the intersection we're on.

Cheers from a tired, sore but happy Juls

The challenge!

After much soul searching, this is what I have come up with. My biggest weakness's are: lollies, in particular licorice allsorts, and icecream!

I will ban them from my diet until after the Rotorua Half Ironman. Sugar really is the underlying weakness I guess, so not ony will I be helping my weight, but also my poor old teeth.

I am severely hacked off that I have put weight on. I know why - today I have really monitored when I feel like eating, and what I feel like. What a shock! I have been mindlessly picking, snacking and tasting my way through a lot of food!

The Rotorua Date!

Hooksie has just updated the website www.half.co.nz. The Rotorua Half IM is December 13th!!!

I'm more valuable now!

A sign of my increasing age - I had a tooth capped today with a GOLD filling - I'm worth more money now!

It's an expensive month!

I just had a great blast on my bike. Dropped my car off for a new windscreen (failed WoF), instead of running (like last week) I biked. A tail wind most of the way home - averaged 29.9 km/hr for 9 and a half km. Short distance I know, but felt good!

The Huntly Half!

This is the map of the Huntly Half Marathon. I tried to work out the distances using map my run, but came up with 39 km, so did something wrong. The event is on the 18th of May, so I think I'll be fit enough to do it by then.

Stop Press

Yes - I've entered this event!

I'll be right with navigation - I'll just follow the crowd!

New sub title

I should be doing other things, but had to add this sub title which I plagiarised from a newspaper article. About sums up what I'm about - I seem to aim higher than I think I can obtain, have too much to do in not enough time, and am competitive (against myself) in everything I do.
Well back to what I should be doing.

Madness!

I had a great idea - take my car in to get it's WOF, run home, then bike back in! 10 km each way. 10km - no problems I thought!
Well it was hot but I struggled on the run! Took 1 hour 9 minutes. The first 5 km was fine, as I've been doing that distance weekly, but after about 7 km I had to start walking! A really good wake up call for me - number one get more running in and number 2 weigh myself, as I must have put some kg's on!
The bike ride into town was cool. The legs felt funny initially, but I blitzed it - a nice tailwind for over half of it!
When I got back into town the car was not ready GRRR, and I had to go to Thames to pick up Ella! Ended up stuck in traffic at the Kopu bridge for about 20 minutes. I didn't get the WOF either - need to replace the windscreen! Yah for insurance though - it's covered!
I'll be so pleased once Easter is over - I might go like SUB6 and ban chocolate from my diet. I'll have to add icecream as well!

Retail therapy!

I bought a mountain bike today - I'm doing the autumn challenge in Taupo www.autumnchallenge.co.nz with a couple of my friends.
I have hired them in the past, but thought I might as well get one.
It's a entry level bike (cheapest).
I blatted around the farm tracks today, helped move the calves etc. I had great fun. It was extra hard going over the paddocks - certainly gave me a good workout! It was good to have a workout when it didn't feel like one - ie had fun!

Biking Fun

Wow, just got back on my road bike - 33 km - it's a great autumn morning, and the ride was great!
I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed being out on the roads, and riding. Although I must admit - I was puffing a bit more than I thought I should be! And my bottom hurts a little bit!
Yesterday Celine, Ella and I went for about 5km. Celine on her new bike, and Ella and I on my 'town' bike - it has a baby seat on the back. Celine's bike is a little too big for her, so I wanted to make sure she was OK.
I've got the Autumn Challenge adventure race coming up at the end of April, it is a white water rafting, mountain biking and trekking challenge, which involves navigation as well. It's in Taupo.
I haven't got a mountain bike, so have been checking out a couple at my local bike shop. I feel a bit embarrassed - if I get this mountain bike I'll have a road bike, town bike and mountain bike!
When we did the Spring Challenge in Hamner Springs we hired bikes, but I can get a cheaper bike which will soon be paid for - compared to hiring one. Ahhh the way we like to justify buying things!!!
A solo bike ride helps me think - and of course I was thinking about the IM 09 challenge. I can think of more reasons not to do it than to do it but as the late Sir Edmund Hillary said - "it's there so I might as well climb it! " Well not quite those words, but you know what I mean.

Another week goes by!

Wow, time is going by quickly!
Had a weekend away in Hawkes Bay, my friend from University - Wayne Taylor - finally got married. It ended up a bit of a reunion - a horrifying 20 years since we graduated!
It was great to catch up with old friends - some have travelled the world, got married and have children, but essentially have not changed - well perhaps we don't quite drink as much, and when we do it tastes better - ie no more Reineck , homebrew, or cardboard box wines!
They were all keen to hear about the half ironman, and I said how I'm keen to do Ironman - talking about it is getting easier!
I've got a few short runs in, which has been good. I'm keen to get back on my bike. House work (neglected in past 4 months) has taken priority.
I'm taking on a part time job for a couple of months - my old job actually. I left the Consulting Officer Service 10 years ago, and will join it again temporarily! A Consulting Officer is an extension person - helping to disseminate information from Agriculture Research to the farming community. It will be good catching up with farmers again, walking around farms, jumping drains, climbing the odd hill - all good for fitness! Part of my area will be the Coromandel Peninsula - cool!

Swimming setback

I've been putting up with a "niggle" in my shoulder since the Tauranga Half Ironman, and finally went to the doctor about it today. I have damaged my tendon in some way. He has injected it with a steroid, and suggested no swimming and pump - which I managed to negotiate to 'no shoulder exercise in pump'. YAH I hate doing the shoulder exercises in pump anyway!!!!
He was rapt with my fitness - my blood pressure was 110/74 today - I've never had it so low!
I'll keep running and cycling and see how I am in 6 weeks time.
I am going to decide whether to do Ironman in 6 months time. Prior to this I will lose more weight, and build up my running, cycling and core strength.

Ironman Experience

What a great weekend - I planned to watch the Ironman and do some shopping. All I did was watch Ironman, and meet lots of other supporters - including Mr and Mrs Brown Snr!!!! So somehow I've got to find an outfit to wear to a friend's wedding next week!
The weekend started with dropping the girls off at my sister-in-laws, at Morrinsville, and heading down to Taupo. I had managed to get a motel for the Friday night, but not Saturday - when I got there they up-graded my room - 1st time I've ever had that!!
I went down and had a look at all the bikes and the set up for Ironman - the pro's bikes were right by the fence, so I could see all the very flash bikes!! I forgot my digital camera - I picked up a throw away one, but annoyed me, as I could have posted them straight away!!
I got down to the venue at around 5.45 am, and watched everyone set up. Had a chat to Gina Fergusson's partner - unfortunately had told him my accomplishments before I realised who he was there with!!! Well I guess they'd not be able to race if it wasn't for the other finishers - the likes of marathons, half IM etc must be so expensive to run!!
I wandered down to the lake, and saw the Maori waka and ceremony, saw Sarah Ulmer, who was supporting her partner. Got a hell of a fright at the start (army set off a cannon!!!)
Watched the leaders get out of the water after 44 minutes!!!!
I caught up with an old friend who used to farm at Waitakaruru. He said the ironman competitors have named him didymo Dave, as he was responsible for the education around dipping the wetsuits - to ensure didymo doesn't infect our lakes and rivers in the North Island.
I went back and watched T1. I think I saw Kathy at this stage, just after she ran up the steps. She still had her wetsuit on - it was quite a long distance between the lake and the bikes.
One of the funniest things was a lady from America - it was her birthday too - she had pink everything, bike helmet, clothing etc - yes you'd think a real lady - well her arms were laiden with tattoos!
At this stage I was getting hungry, so headed to a cafe - along with 5000 other people - met a nice family and had breakfast with them. They had twin 6 year olds and an 8 year old with them. The friend they were supporting was hoping to finish within 10 hours - still it would have been a long day with littlies!
Went out on to the main road and saw the leaders come through the first lap - they were flying, especially with a tail wind! Saw Kathy come through, then Tineka and Alison. Yelled out for son's of ladies on sidelines too! Saw Peter (showpony) fly through too! By then it was lunch time, so grabbed a bite to eat.
I didn't realise the bike to run transition was in a different place - so found that and watched the runners. Met up with a lot of other people - it's a great atmosphere!
Got some great photos of Cameron Brown, Kieran Doe and Jo Lawn runnng past - I thought Jo was going to lose, she looked tired, man she must have a super tough mental and physical strength! I missed the men's finish, but got down in time to see the womans finish. The camera man's motorbike rider crashed into a barrier near the end - quite funny!
I met Mr and Mrs Brown - they were about to leave. They were very happy - in the past Cameron has left it to the last minute to win - harrowing for parents! This year it was obvious from 21 km into the run that barring any major problem he had it in the bag. I remarked that they were lucky - lots of other parents had to wait a lot longer for their sons and daughters to finish!
Cheered in the first couple of hundred finishers - including Peter - he was looking good. A great time too!
I went out and caught up with Tineka - who spotted I had safety pins on my top - which she needed - glad to be of help!! Knew I must have left them there for a good reason!
Saw Kathy come through and she had energy for a high 5. She was in good shape, and looked like a sure finisher!
Alison came through - walking, but pleased to see she finished too.
I decided at this point to go home. It was 7.30 I was tired and had just under 3 hours to drive home. So sorry to miss your finish everyone!
Didn't catch up with Sub6, he obviously caught up with Kathy's support crew - great tee-shirts! I didn't see them at all! Might see you on the start line at Rotorua?
By the way - the jury is still out on whether I do the 25th NZ Ironman next year - or not!