Spring Challenge 2008

The Spring Challenge this year was held in Kaikoura, on the East Coast of the South Island. Kaikoura is famous for whale watching, and Koura or Crayfish Kaikoura means to eat crayfish.
We left at 5 am on Friday morning, we were flying out of Auckland, direct to Christchurch. We only just made it on the plane, as we were detoured following a major car vs truck crash.
We had three bikes, all our gear, and lots of nervousness!

We arrived in Christchurch at 8.30, collected our bikes and found Tony, with our rental vehicle. We needed a four-wheel drive, with bike racks.
Our support person, Andria, has a sister in Christchurch, her brother-in-law collected our bikes and helped to put them back together. We grabbed some breakfast and headed north.

What an awesome day - the sun was out, and the scenery was amazing!

We arrived at registration. As we were warned, the course had been changed. Lots of hot weather (26 degrees C) had meant the snow was melting, and some of the rivers we were meant to cross were too dangerous.


We booked into our accomodation.

We had a quick look around Kaikoura, grabbed a bite to eat, then sorted out our gear. We had compulsory gear we needed to take, after such a hot day it seemed weird packing thermals, survival blankets and sleeping bags (little did we know!)

The teams starting at 6 am, left the place we were staying at 4.30 am. I slept well, and didn't hear them.

We were up around 5.30, got sorted and left for the start at 7.30. It was quite a drive to the Clarence river, where we started. As we got closer, we saw the leading 6 hour team - they were going for it along SH1 - they ended up winning with a margin of an hour!

We got into our wetsuits, and lined up at the start. Everyone else had purple number bibs, ours were pink. I had to explain ALL day why we were pink, no we didn't sleep in - this was our third event, and I'd asked the organiser whether we could keep our original number 11. I think it was his revenge to give it to us!

The event started with a 2.5 km run to the raft. I had a camelpack with water, good shoes and bike helmet on.

Once we got to the raft it was bibs off, lifejackets on, bibs back on, grab another team of three, and go! Only this time, we only had 5 paddles - the earlier teams must have lost some!

The river was reasonably high, and dirty from the snow melt. Our guide, Simon was great, we told him we weren't super competitive, but we wanted to finish somewhere in the middle. The other team had no rafting experience, so didn't have gloves or anything GRR!

Tammy is our strongest paddler, so we put her up front. I ended up having to tell her to slow down, as the others couldn't keep up with her!

The rapids were great - not as tame as Hanmer or Taupo. The raft went through one set of rapids, I must have closed my eyes, cause it ended up full of water, and Simon told us we almost flipped! We managed to stay clear of rocks, other rafts ended up stuck on them.

After about an hour - 11 km, we clambered out, over stones, up a steep bank to TA1. We were soaked. Tammy's only thermal top was saturated. I changed completely (no room for modesty).

It was quite a long TA, as Tammy was really cold, so we got warmed up and set off for what was meant to be a 48 km bike ride - my odo said 55 by the time we finished!

28 km was on SH1, along the georgous Kaikoura coast. Lots of seals and supporters, but no time for photos. One of my team members (informed me later) had never ridden on the road, I stayed at the back to make sure everyone was OK.

We had to wait for ages to cross the road to go through farmland. This ended up being an exercise of carrying bikes across streams, and pushing them up hills.

We arrived at a supportless TA, Em fromEm's powerbars gave us free samples - boy I needed that power cookie! We then got some questions we had to answer along the way. (We were still on our bikes)

We arrived at TA3 at about 1.30, absolutely starving. We stocked up on food and water, and took our bikes a further 2 km to the start of the Mt Fyffe walk.

I'm so pleased I'd invested in a good pair of hiking shoes. Mt Fyffe was STEEEEEEP. On map my run, it goes for 3 km, and gains 1000 m in altitude. I'm sure it was even steeper than that. The only way I made it was tell myself to walk to that tree/boulder/tussock, have a quick rest, then make another target.

To make matter worse, it started sleeting, I told my other team mates to go ahead to the hut, they were faster than me, and getting cold. I met up with Rachey and Fetish of sportzhub, and climbed with them for a while.

It was freezing at the hut. Tammy was in a bad way, but not as bad as another lady who was hyperthermic! I quickly got changed into warmer clothes, and charged down the mountain. I forgot to mention - I have never had problems with my knees, but had to take neurofen half way up as they were aching! We all needed it. Tammy and Janie's knees feared worse downhill. I think adrenaline kicked in for me, I loved going downhill! I lost my good biking glasses in the hut, I'd imagine they got smashed, it was so crowded up there.

It started snowing, which was actually warmer than the sleet! It was still snowing at 500m. The locals told us later it was the coldest afternoon they'd had all year! It had gone from sun to snow in a very short time!

We got down and back on our bikes. After 2 kms, Tammy stopped, and told us she couldn't go any further, the jarring of the gravel road was hurting her knees. We tried walking for another 2kms, then all got really cold. It was time to pull the plug. Janie and I would have loved to carry on, but it was 'all of us or none of us'.

We were only about 9 km from the finish, and it was all downhill!!!

We rang Nathan to say we were finished, and Andria to pick us up. We wrapped Tammy in a sleeping bag (part of the compulsory gear) and headed back for a hot shower.

Tammy took ages to warm up. I felt quite good, but tired.

We went out for dinner, had a few laughs, and too much wine, and went to bed.

The next morning we went for the lunch, but left before prizegiving. We wanted to get back to Christchurch and have a rest. I hope our number didn't get pulled out for any spot prizes, because there were heaps of them!

We flew back to Auckland on Monday afternoon. I was reluctant to sit down, as standing back up was not easy.

My muscles are feeling back to normal now, so back into training!!!

The next Spring Challenge is in Queenstown - I've already entered the Autumn Challenge - There's unfinished business!

We'd been going for 9 and a half hours by the time we pulled out. The winning time for our division was close to 8 hours.

EXCITED

Wow, I am so excited. Tomorrow at 5 am we leave for Auckland airport. We arrive at Christchurch, pick up our rental vehicle, assemble our bikes and head for Kaikoura.

The adventure race course may need to change. Due to hot sunny weather, the snow's melting. So the rivers are high, and too dangerous to cross. The poor organisers are having resort to a plan B, which they had a contingency for - they are well organised!!

They are disappointed as obviously Plan A was going to be a really great course (river crossings!!!!!)

Still, with high river levels the white water rafting will be fun!!!

I'm back Monday night, we'll hopefully have time to take some photos, so I'll post lots.

My bike is safely packed away in it's new travel bag, I got a real bargin on torpedo7.com.

The girls are safe at Nana's and Popa's and a friend's place, so it's all tickety boo!!

OH NO! Bloody Virus's

I've just come back from the doctor, I developed a sore throat on Saturday, and tried to brush it off with a good bike and run session. Sunday it was back with vengeance, so tried to sleep it off. Today it's just as bad, so went to the doctor. As I suspected a 'virus', and 'sorry' nothing we can do. Although she gave me a script for antibiotics just in case it turns bacterial - which I hope it doesn't, but saves me finding a doctor if I'm in Kaikoura at the time.

So a forced taper for the Kaikoura Adventure race. I'll go for some short walks but had planned to swim, so that won't happen!

Still, if I'm healthy by Friday, I'll be pleased, I'm feeling fit enough to do the adventure race.

In the meantime - where's that Echinacea?

Time for an update

Well, to say I've been busy would be an understatement! August is a busy time on a dairy farm, and this year has been no exception.

To add to the normal issues of calving cows, it has been extremely wet. Brian also did damage to his pelvis whilst trying to do the splits after falling off the motorbike. This put him in severe pain, and I had to step up to help out. To add insult to injury, he didn't make the olympic gymnastics team!

We bought a new farm in June, this is the one that flooded. Somehow, I have found myself managing it! Next week I will be milking a few cows there too! I must admit, I have really enjoyed the challenge. I decided not to renew a contract from DairyNZ to be a Consulting Officer, which was fortunate, as I would not have been able to do it!

This photo is at our runoff. These calves are hereford cross, and are being looked after by a 'nurse' cow.

Training took a back seat while all this was happening. Although, I think my endurance and strength as been improved as a result.

My training is back on track, suprisingly I have been able to put in some solid efforts, although a hill climb last week almost killed me!

Next weekend, I'm off to Christchurch then up to Kaikoura for the Spring Challenge. Can't wait!

This photo is of a 12 m pole being driven down into our cowshed site. We have had to preload

the site, and will need to drive around 700 poles in order to stabilse the site to build a 70 bale rotary.

Open Water Swim

The water rose within an hour, and Brian had to rescue our yearlings. This sort of flooding occurs on average once every 10 years, but it's the worst I've seen it in 15 years of living on the Hauraki Plains. We took over this property on June 3rd. We knew it was going to be wet, but now it's really wet! Our home farm is wet too, with some surface flooding.

And so it begins....................

I'm officially back in training mode for triathlons. This of course means that I have to start swimming again. I don't particularly enjoy swimming, mainly because I'm slow. The only way to get faster is to practice, and get a bit of coaching. I'm off to Thames shortly to do a few lengths and see how I go.

I've put on a fair bit of weight. I've just been really hungry! We've got a busy time on the farm coming up with calving, so if I can keep outside, and busy, I should be able to drop some weight.

I've been busy with family things, Dad was in hospital, my friend has been diagnosed with Lymphoma, and we've had numerous other 'issues'

I've got 101 things to catch up on, including finding Celine's dental plate. Which Ella has 'hidden'. GRRRR.

I've also got lots of emails to reply to, bills to pay and training to do. Ahh life goes on (thank goodness!)

Cheers,
Juls

Quick Update

I'm back from Melbourne, I had limited internet use, so only quickly updated buckeyeoutdoors, and the Rotorua HIM crew.

Melbourne was great - we got to see filming of Nicolas Cage's latest film, the museum - Phar Lap the great New Zealand bred horse was on display. Caught up with my sister and her husband.

I managed to complete the half marathon, this was despite doing no training for a week, and feeling lethargic and very overweight! I read on that there was a medal for all participants, so that geared me up!! The medal is REALLY cool, the nicest one in my collection I think!

The run was very well organised. The half marathoners started at 7.15, the 10 km runners started at around 9, and the 5 km at about 9.30, so the fastest of the shorter distance runners were running down the finishing chute with me - they were SOOO fast! Brian was standing on an overbridge taking photos as I finished - so many of the runners behind me in the last 200 m were finished in front of me - and I thought I was running pretty quickly (had just passed a girl, who had earlier passed me, and she wasn't going to bet me!)

Actually, my pacing was good - I passed heaps of people in the final lap, something I have never done before - I usually get passed.

Will add photos and more to the post tomorrow.

My friend is coping well, first lot of chemo last week, still a long way to go though!

Just found out my Dad's in hospital too! Will catch up with him and Mum tomorrow.

Motivation!

I'm back into motivation mode. I've got a half marathon to do in 7 sleeps time, and two half ironmans to do in 6 months time. Not to mention the adventure race in three months time! Throw in a bit of normal life and running a dairy farming business into it, and wahoo busy busy!
Just the way I like it!

I've taken a giant step today, and phoned a friend who is a nutritionist. I'm sure she's going to get me back on track, and give me someone to answer to regarding my diet and weight. The first appointment is locked and loaded, so looking forward to a slender and faster me. (Talked to a man today who lost 20 kg, and 40minutes of his half marathon time!!!) - so there's a challenge!

...and then - Reality Check!

Just when I'm feeling lowish - fatter, slower, older, sorer, etc, reality hits, and you realise that things aren't too bad afterall.

My dear friend has just been diagnosed with lymphoma, from what I can read, a nasty blood cancer. She lives in Warnambool, about 4 hours south-east of Melbourne in Australia. We had planned a trip to see her and her husband next week, so I'm pleased to be getting over to see her, and give her and her family some support. She's a very competitive person, so I'm sure she'll give getting on top of this top priority!

So no more complaining from me for now - I'll just keep my goals and abilities in perspective and get on with doing the best that I can!

We're going on a Turkey shoot!

Warning - Content may offend some people!!!

On June 3rd, we took over a new farm, it's fantastic, has lots of native bush and birds. The next door farm was also sold, it has hills with great views over the Hauraki Plains and Firth of Thames.

Both farms have LOTS or should I say had lots of turkeys. These were living on the farm nesting in trees and making quite a mess. Brian asked the neighbours if they'd like some 'culled', so yesterday the crew went out and had some fun!

In the photo are good friends John and Steven, and children - Steven, Ryan, Blake (friend of Ryan) and Celine.