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Showing posts from November, 2011

Kate writes: life after Taupo!

We spend so much time getting ready for an event, it seems like such a big thing and then its over. I feel almost depressed. One friend said "wish I was as fit as you". I do not feel fit, I feel tired, but also elated. Yes I completed Taupo cycle challenge, but now the half ironman is only in 2 weeks. Back into training. Back into planning the next event. What am I going to wear, how wet and cold is it going to be? Have I got enough time to get all my training done? The training is a mind game you need to be onto it the whole time , I know I can do this, I just need to believe.

Karen writes: Blogging

The journey to Ironman is interesting, but so too it turns out is the whole ‘blog thing’.   For example I love watching the different countries show up on the little map indicating where traffic comes from, some countries I have never heard of apparently have a citizen or two who has stumbled across our ramblings from the bottom of the world.  A surge of interest from Russia did have me stumped though…till I read about the blog spamming phenomenon which originates from this country and others.  So as much as I enjoyed the idea that there were hundreds of Russian people following our every move with avid interest…in a peculiarly co-ordinated way…my research put paid to that idea, these are computer generated hits with nefarious intent.  Makes the numbers of readers look good though.   Anyway, about the blog, regardless of whether anyone else ever reads the stuff, it is a terrific way of remembering and reviewing our endurance journey and I would thoroughly recommend the act of 'bl

Kate Writes: Taupo and the wind

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We were all ready for the big trip to Taupo. I had checked the weather out, westerlies it said. That's fine can manage that, no rain. We woke during the night with a gale blowing. Would they cancel? That's all I could think. We rode down to the start line and got to the lake. The wind was so strong I thought I would be blown off my bike. The usual queue of bikes was not there. We were ushered up to the front and waited with the bike riders that were hoping to do it in 6.30 hours. I was very anxious and considered pulling out. One girl near me was crying. But I'm training to be an Ironman, I do not give up, and the wind had stopped around the corner. We started early and that was good, off up the hill we went. I have done a couple of training runs with my multi sports club and they encouraged me to draft and ride in bunches. So into a large bunch I went. Karen was behind but I knew she was OK. Later she caught up and we decided to ride our own ride if we found a good group t

Karen writes: Taupo cycle challenge, what worked and what didn't

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You always look back at what you do for any event, but especially the more challenging ones.  Now this is what I did on the day, Kate did something different, and so would every other rider out there on the course, you listen to other people then figure out what works for you.   Beforehand we talked lots (obviously) about whether we should even go because of the strong winds, and decided on the strategy of forgetting our time goal, putting finishing and safety first.  We committed to not giving up until at least 100km if it was just ‘hard’, because after all, we needed a long ride this weekend, if we missed this one we would just have to go home and do it anyway.  We would have stopped if we thought it was too dangerous however.  Kate had been told that in the wind it is a good idea to keep peddling to improve stability, that seemed to help, as did tucking in with other riders. I ended up wearing: whitecaps on the lake! Light singlet made out of one of those moisture wicking

Karen writes: 2 training events down, one to go

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Home safe after a busy weekend.   The trip to Taupo for the annual cycle challenge starts the excitement, there is something about spotting that first car with bikes on the back or inside or as is the case quite often these days, stuck on the roof.  You feel like you are part of some sort of exodus from the city, on a mission. No problems with the trip itself and we were happy with the accommodation which was a backpackers called Berkenhoff's .  It was clean, friendly, and I don’t know what it’s normally like, but filled with cyclists it was a quiet place to be, especially considering it had it's own bar with plenty of character.   I had to laugh, some people do the backpacker thing as part of miss-spending their youth, I feel like I am taking the opportunity to miss-spend my middleage (not really, I think I have forgotten how to). The ride.  Hmmm... we woke up at about 1am with the doors and windows banging, the trees whipping and the wind howling round the building.  At da

Karen writes: Trip to Taupo

I have just done a whirlwind rush through the house, the children have clothes for the weekend, the dishwasher is on, the pantry has food in it, and I have several bags in a state of being half packed.  I have fiddled with the bike, debated lithium spray versus ordinary crc for the clattery derailer, and done an emergency wash of my favorite riding gloves.   Camera is charging.  Where did I put my helmet? The next question is the weather...the forecast for Taupo says 'showers', but that is what it said for today in Auckland, it was more like heavy rain and the sort of wind only the mad would cycle in.  Better take the base layers, the merino skullcap, the light rain jacket, the heavy rain jacket, the winterweight arm and leg warmers, the shoe covers, the...yes, I am packing half the house here. But it gets worse, not sure what the facilities are where we are staying, will there be towels, cutlery for vital sandwich making, somewhere to store milk for the essential weetbix.

Kate Writes: Swimming

As my coach keeps saying to me its time to get out into the open water! So Karen and myself checked the tides and booked the swim . We squeezed into our wetsuits and ran down to the beach, well in my case hobbled, into this perfect calm water, it was cold. I pulled the wet suit up around my neck and let all the water in. Rude words were said. Off we went, it takes a little time to get into the swim and I lose my breath and huff and puff. We swam under the Pier and headed for a rock, then off to the end of the beach.We turned to come back and the wind had picked up and the waves were bigger. Still a good swim back and we were finished. As we came out of the water there was a lady called Shirley just entering with an ironman wetsuit on. Talking with her she had just done the Sprint tri in Auckland with the big boys and was training for the Ironman. I asked if I could touch her and get good luck off her. She had only just come back into training after breaking her pelvis 2 years ago. S

Karen writes: Looking back at 2010 Taupo Cycle Challenge

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Got such a full-on week this week.   Lots of work lined up, couple of evening meetings, and plenty to do to get things ready at home so as to leave the whanau to their own devices for a few days.  I really look forward to Taupo, it’s the annual girls weekend away, and a very brief intermission from family responsibilities…well…you never really leave responsibility, that’s what phones are for.   Anyway, every year is different, every year is great, however last year stands out in my mind.  It was great to have an excellent ride, knocking yet another half hour off our time, I also caught up with long unseen relatives and friends who were there for the event too. Last year however was significant because of where we stayed. We had left our accommodation to the last minute, Kate managed to make a booking and in the car on the way down she said she “hoped it would be ok”, there was good reason for concern, it was suspiciously cheap!  We got there, and drove down a road which ended with cru

Karen writes: No brain

Glad to hear I am not alone in suffering from a concentration malfunction.   Obviously especially important not to fall under trucks (PLEASE don't do that Kate!), but I seem to be slipping in other slightly less consequential areas right now.  For example, on the weekend ride I got a few km up the road and couldn't find my favourite handkerchief tucked up my right sleeve where it usually is, oh no, 4 more hours on the road sniffing, yuck.  I did a quick personal audit, did I have anything else I could use like ear warmers, scarf, old tissue in a pocket, money for the shop to stop and buy something?  Sadly no.   A bit further along the road I looked at my left sleeve for some reason, what do you know, handkerchief.   This morning though was a classic, I found I've been washing my hair with a bottle of conditioner instead of shampoo all week, picked it up because it said it would provide extra protection to hair exposed to the elements.  It sure did that. Here's hoping

Kate writes: concentration

Having been away for a week end I thought a quick bike ride was a good idea. I have taken Monday off work to support the daughter who has 2 more exams this week, but she was up out of bed and studying. So no excuse. The problem is my brain was working overtime. The right side was talking to left side, do this, no don't do that. Most of the time its OK, but when you are going up a steep hill and forget to change gear and come to a grinding stop  it becomes a problem. The ground starts coming up very fast towards you and you know you are in trouble. Luckily my left foot was out of the pedal and I managed to get it to the ground before I fell. This happened 3 times, missed a truck once  and had to re do several hills. Moral of the story, concentrate more on what you are doing.

Kate Writes: Queenstown

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In the middle of my training I went to Queenstown to a work conference. It was a great week end. I had a few hours off and went walking up hills and along the lake. I was being very fit and very active. I was going to go mountain biking but the meeting I was in went for too long and all I could do that night was put my feet up. But the place is amazing and fitness is the word. I wish I could have done more activities but that's the way it is and work gets in the way. Anyway, it is a place to revisit and get more active in. One person said it was a place that there was something going on all the time. She had been on a 10k race that morning. Another person was very surprised at my activity levels and very encouraging about my Ironman. One of the talks at the conference was about how Christchurch was coping since the earth quake. It was a good reminder that they are still struggling and how grateful they are for people helping out. So if you are thinking of donating to the appeal, pl

Karen writes: Pests

I got out of the house for my last long ride before Taupo as soon as it was light enough to see.   I nearly didnt go, my body was sore after yesterdays deep tissue massage, usually I would allow at least 24-36 hours before exercising after something like that.   But I wasn't going to get my ride if I didn't go Saturday morning, so off I headed for the planned 100km. Got to the bottom of the driveway, left was the flat route, right 'there be hills'.   I went left, but a km along the road I told myself off and turned back the other way. A little way along the road past Beachlands I saw something grey scoot across the road, it was a large rat.  Now the roads around there have big drains alongside them, this rat was going so fast it leapt the drain but miscalculated and crashed head-first into the the clay bank and rolled inelegantly down.   I just caught a glimpse of the bedraggled rodent having a bit of a wobble and then sprinting off into the scrub as I passed, and t

Karen writes: Korma

We have discovered a wonderful Indian takeaway over at the Otara Town Centre, Maharajas kitchen.  I've been retrieving the coins from the ashtray and under the mats in the car, and raiding the emergency stash in the mug on the bookshelf in my office.  I am planning on working my way through the entire menu, the trouble is, too many favorites...I dither between ...something new....this favorite...try something new...or that favorite?    Yes, I know curry is probably not on the list of sensible choices for endurance nutrition, even making the assumption that there is sure to be some protein in there...and with rice being a carbohydrate! I have to say too...there is a small downside.  I've just been for a run. Six hours after lunch I have just korma burped myself around Maraetai, not something I want to repeat in a hurry.

Kate Writes: riding home from the airport

I've had a bit of a quiet week with friends from England staying. So how was I going to fit in my long bike ride? I had a cunning plan... lets drop them off at the airport and ride home. Well anyone who knows where I live will know that is madness. But so what! Off I went on my bike. The computer did not work so I had no idea what I was doing. Then it started to rain and I was only in Manurewa, a long way from home. I did think of ringing the husband up and getting him to pick me up but then Taupo is only next week! The rain stopped and I felt better. 2 hours into the ride I was miserable, I hated riding, what did I think I was doing? 3 hours into the ride the sun was out, I was dry and warm and realised I could ride all the way home. I knew I was mad but hey why not. 90km home and off for a drink with some friends. From my house, which is on the Manukau Harbour I can see the airport, its a long way to ride, but now that I have done it maybe I can ride to work or home from work...

Karen writes: Grumpy customer

The Taupo cycle challenge is next week so it is time for the pre-race sort out of muscles and ligaments and things, try to knock off a few of the aches which accumulate as the training mileage goes up...so I booked (I thought) online for a sports massage.  Now I have been going to these people for a while and love what they do, I don't love their booking service, it seems looking back that almost every appointment I have ever made with them has been messed up by messages being wrongly recorded, something not transferred across from a scrap of paper to the computer, there's been a double-up and I have even managed to make an online booking with a therapist on a day they didn't even work.   I got annoyed (privately) this time, huff...running out of time...grump... thought I had organised my life...whinge....I'd rearranged the training schedule to have time off...grizzle...picking the girls up late...blah blah...and the upshot of it is I need some body maintenance done an

Karen writes: We have donations!

Fundraiseonline  has safely deposited donations received up to now in the DPT bank account, monies we are collecting for the workers taking care of people with diabetes in earthquake recovering  Christchurch .  Thankyou so much to those who have made a donation!  I thought it was pretty brave of Kate to say to her friends and family “please donate in lieu of a birthday present” too, I’m just selfishly glad my birthday doesn’t fall in the timezone so I don’t have to make that decision...with young children I'd end up making donations to myself! When doing something like this, there are two big fears, one is failing, and we have set ourselves multiple tasks we can potentially fail at right up to the big one on March 3 next year (not that we are going to of course!).  But also we had the fear that we may end up raising a grand total of $12.50 for our colleagues in Christchurch , which was just too awful to think about.  Anyway, I am pleased to say that we have well exceeded $12.50 al

Kate Writes: wet suit

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The time had arrived and the wet suit came out! Had it shrunk, would it still fit? I have lost weight so I was very concerned. It started raining so I put off the swim, then the sun came out , so I just had to go out for a swim. The wet suit fitted perfectly. Got in the water and forgot how to swim! My friend Rachel arrived with the rescue boat, and 2 helpers. I'm sure that there are sharks and sting ray, but with a little help from my friends I had a good swim. Now I have to do more of it.

Karen writes: Whanau Sunday

I took my 8yo daughter for a short run tonight, when she gets a bit fitter she will leave me for dust, right now she is speedy, I'm wily.  One trouble I find with having a heavy training commitment is that it takes extra effort to motivate and encourage the girls, I feel quite guilty about how often I don’t have the energy or time.   Today I was wiped out after yesterday’s big ride so I didn’t get out for my long run this morning, that meant the bonus of having enough energy to take Rose for a short run before dinner… I always enjoy sharing something like that with her, I always promise myself we should do it more regularly.   So we came home, my girl bright red and huffing and holding her chest after 10 minutes of ducking and diving, big feet, small feet flying through the bush, but she was claiming to want to do it again, I was feeling like a proud mum.   Then it was a feed of scallops and crayfish caught this morning.   I ate the scallops, I listened to the crayfish being crick

Kate Writes: training in Rotoura

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Well the title sounds good. Sounds like I was at the lake. No I was on holiday with friends. I decided to try and swim in the pool. 10 strokes and I reached the other end. Still I carried on and 100 lengths later I felt I had done something. I also soaked in the hot mineral pools. They must be good for the ankle.

Karen writes: Longest ride before Taupo

128km on the bike this morning, that's the longest ride on the programme before the Taupo challenge which is now 2 weeks away.   Early start, beautiful day.   I took an olfactory tour of the backroads of south-east Auckland .   Funny, I have limited sense of smell, but on the bike I get everything.   Pungent but inoffensive rural aromas...hot tractor, privet flowers, gorse, mown grass, turned dirt.  Past the airport there was avgas, warming tarmac, the fresh smell of light rain.  Closer to Takanini though the deep drains on the side of the road wafted stagnant fumes, with suspicious hints of corruption, I followed the exhaust of too many vehicles, rode through smoke and inhaled unidentified chemical smells.     Home feeling fine, but the legs might not be up to the usual Sunday run.  Just been up the road to pick up the 5yo from a party.  I talked to some other mums, my conversation is very boring, it usually ends up something to do with the days/weeks exercise efforts or what nex

Karen writes: The morning after...

When will I learn?  I need to sneak up on fitness with patience, not leap on it and wrestle it into submission like I did with yesterday’s energetic swim.   I’m seriously stiff this morning, there are muscles protesting which I didn’t even realise I had in my arms and shoulders, and even my stomach and sides hurt!     But I am pretty happy.  I have no worries now about the swim part of the half Ironman in 5 (!) weeks time.

Karen writes: Think I'm hooked

Oh no, swimming could be my new favourite exercise, I did 2km in the Otara pool this afternoon which was an excellent antidote to a seriously brain draining workday.  In the first 20 minutes I worked with the hand paddles and no kicking, then flippers with no arm use, but then I started on some freestyle, planning on completing a further 10 lengths. Next thing I was powering through the water feeling great for a further 40 lengths.  I didn’t want to get out of the water,  probably would have kept going to see how far I could manage if the girls hadn’t been waiting to be picked up from after-school care…funny that.  Now given my complaint has always been that "swimming is so boring", that is one BIG change for me!  Tomorrow is another challenging day for work but it is an essential rest day from exercise.  On Saturday I have the dreaded 130km bikeride programmed, and if I can manage, a run on Sunday.    The weekend weather forecast says ‘partly cloudy’, so I can’t look for an

Kate Writes:last day at school

Yesterday was the last day at school for my beautiful 17 year old daughter. A little tear was in my eye when she was on the stage singing the school song with all her Heart. This I will not see again.It seems strange how fast time goes by and not that long ago she was a new born. This reminds me of how far I have come. 6 years ago, I think, I started with a special K triathlon, could not swim 300m as it was too shallow and people walked faster than I could swim.I could not run 3 km. Now I say its only 2k swim and its only a half marathon. How life has changed. I  wish all students and their families well over the next few weeks and exam time. May the future hold wonderful exciting things for them all.

Karen writes: I feel like I am at last swimming!

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Its not often I say this, but I had an enjoyable pool session this morning.  1500 metres, mostly freestyle (or using flippers/no arms or paddles/no legs).   I had been a bit worried and thinking I would have to do the entire 2km of the half Ironman with my inefficient mishmash of alternating strokes, but I think the 'aha' moment has at last arrived.   Kate…well…she would appear to be part-fish…slicing through that water and leaving me waaay behind. Now it is unfortunately time to swim self pity as we admit defeat.  Diabetes Projects Trust has lost the coveted Golden Croc with the Mangere Eye clinic people having outdone us on the Feetbea t challenge. We have had to officially hand the trophy over.  Unfortunately Kate and myself have had a bit of a detrimental effect on the team totals, we spend all our long training hours swimming and running and cycling, but not walking which is what counts for Feetbeat.  Next year we will just have to win it back, well done Mangere Eye cl

Karen writes: Problem solving for upset stomach

After a poor start, last week has turned out a success.   On Friday afternoon I had my longest training ride ever, 113km, and followed it up with a pretty good19km run on Sunday morning.  Most importantly, I think I have now figured out what has been upsetting my stomach in recent months, my GP has been testing for everything from Guardia to much more sinister options…but I have done some experimenting this weekend and think I have sorted things. Anyway, the previous weekend after the 101km ride and 20km run things weren't good, my insides felt dreadful, and I took a few days to recover.  I have felt like this before, but usually only after a big event, like the half ironman last year.   Looking back on the weekend, I had done a few things which were out of the ordinary in order to meet what I had guessed were the needs of the extended training distances.  I had taken a bottle of undiluted sports drink on the bike, and used two different types of energy supplements (bars and gels)

Kate Writes: clothing

It is obviously the right topic to talk about equipment. I went to the bike shop, Cycle city in Manukau, to get my bike serviced. We had a good talk about the gears and yes they are the right ones, I already have the go faster ones on! I had a new chain and all cleaned up, ready to go. I spoke to Jess and she helped me out with some new shorts. In the changing room getting loads of different pairs shown to me. All very expensive. One pair came in and I looked at the size. A size 8  !  No they would not fit, but she said try them on. They fitted and I just had to have them. When I started this journey I was a large size 16, I'm not really an 8, more of a 12, but its great fun showing off. I bought 2 new pairs of shorts and was given a good discount. Then we moved on to nutrition and bought a couple of bars and will try some whey drink product. Its about trying new things and seeing if they work. I went out that night with my new shorts on. They were very shiny and need to be worn i

Karen writes: Being tough on equipment

I couldn’t find my favourite running watch for several days.  I found it yesterday morning when I went to hang the washing out, who knows how it ended up in the washing machine, thank goodness it seems to have lived up to the manufacturers claims of ‘toughness’.   Just had to empty the handy little lipdip thingy out, shows that the stuff is waterproof anyway.   I quickly checked that the girls didn’t see that bit of carelessness, I would be cross with them if they did the same thing! Looking back at this blog and seeing frequent references to how this or that hasn’t worked, something has been busted, worn-out, or misplaced, it would appear that equipment has a hard life around me.  Of course there was that big failure, the spin bike, then expensive bits needing replacement on the road bike recently, not much I could have done about those.    But on a smaller scale, the everyday cycle clothing ends up with grease on it, running tops get ‘pilled’ from the camel-pac which is also looking

Kate Writes: Ride out

I was very concerned about a ride out with my spin group. What if they ride too fast for me, what if I look foolish, what if I get left behind. Its all in my mind, I need to believe in myself. It was a glorious evening, sun shining and off we went. 12 riders. I've never ridden in a pack like this before. Up and down rolling country side we went. I was at the back but it did not matter. I was so excited it was so much fun.  We rode down to the Otaua flats and started drafting. Each of us taking it in turn. Clive was very encouraging, shouting at me get on the back of the wheel KATE. After the first 5 minutes I was thoroughly enjoying myself. It was like a cat and mouse game, changing position all the time going so fast. We clocked up 40km. I checked my computer and I had done 24.5km an hour. I was bouncing up and down, I have never ridden that fast before. I'm sitting here in the early morning writing this up. I should be going out for a 5 hour ride today, but the legs feel heav

Karen writes: How we started triathlon - Special K

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A very long time ago, someone suggested that the Diabetes Projects Trust put a team in for the 2005 Special K women's entry level triathlon held in Auckland .  This was touted as being the biggest event of it's kind in the Southern Hemisphere.   The Special K brand disappeared from the triathlon scene shortly afterwards (there have been other incarnations), but it is I am sure an amazing memory for many women in New Zealand.  I still see the t’shirt around occasionally, obviously being worn for sentimental reasons by people who would appear to have come a long way on their personal endurance journeys from that original event. For me, it was the first organised event I had participated in in more than 20 years, and certainly my first ever triathlon effort.  I think it was around a 300m swim, a 10km bikeride, and a 3km run along the  Auckland city waterfront.    I was overweight, desperately unfit, and as the working mother of an 18 month old daughter I was struggling to keep u

Kate Writes: lung busters

I swim with a great group on Friday mornings. Last session we were doing lung busters. If you do not know what they are, its when you swim a length of the pool under water. We do it with flippers and can do free style or butterfly legs. I'm a bit of a woos and can only do just over half a length. But Jarrad our coach says to me its all in you head, get you head around it. Believe in your self. Well I waited whilst I watched everyone else do it. Greg, who's also doing Ironman, did 2 and a half lengths... I was just getting ready, deep breath before I pushed off and Greg shouted go iron women! well that was enough of an encouragement, I swam hard out and got to the other end, panting, but no one was watching my great achievement as one of the other girls went further than Greg. I must remember its not all about ME!   

Kate Writes: what a difference a day makes

Saturday it rained and I went home after 1hour and a half. Sunday I got up to sunshine and off I went for my 4 hour ride. I carefully put sunblock on and up the hill I went. Then down a hill and then what seemed like hill after hill. It was a great day out. Lost the plot after a couple of hours changed direction and started riding with the view of the Manukau harbour. Wow that looked good. Was not concentrating enough and did my 4 hours but not much mileage. At least it was time in the seat. When I got to work the next day everyone commented on the sun burned ankles and the little strip of skin the peeked out from my sleeve. I must be more careful. Roll on next week 5 hours ride...