Posts

Showing posts from December, 2013

Kate writes: Rotorua and big hills

I was totally under trained but had a great day.  Swim was good but got caught behind some non swimmers with flippers on, thought I was going to drown but got over myself by the first marker. 49 mins good swim for me. Bike was great got all the food right, not enough to drink, need to work on that. Big Big hills, saw a friend   twice, I was no help to her at all, but gave a wave. Not sure why I was so slow... maybe down to lack of training. 4hrs 26 slow Run/walk was glorious lovely views and all off road, well almost. Had a huge argument with an official as he wanted to close the run 1k short down a long path, he should have known better than to argue with a nurse. I was prepared with water. He let me go through haha. 2 hrs 57mins, about right. Sunburned on areas that do not usually see the sun. Feel very sore today, but determined to do better next time 

Karen writes: Ideal leadup to a half ironman

Image
Number 4 Rotorua half Ironman finished.  Tick. The event this year, I have to say, is right up there among the hardest physical (mental?) challenges I have ever completed, and it showed up in the result of 8 hours 19. I really wanted to give up on more than one occasion, I was on that hot road for nearly a whole hour longer than last year and was a full 70 minutes slower than my best time a couple of years ago. What happened? After a good swim I bombed out on the ride, I felt unwell and most importantly gave up on eating properly fairly early on which probably contributed to the thigh and hamstring cramps threatening whenever my legs had to work harder. I tried to take my electrolyte capsules early in the ride but in wrenching the cap off the container with my teeth I spread the precious little things all over the road...oops. Sometimes cramps hit you with force and you don't have time to do anything, these were more insidious, they showed up as a deep groove across my thigh and wo

Karen writes: Goliath

Some situations are just plain surreal.  Straddling my bike at the side of the road at an intersection I waited for a break in the traffic so I could safely go. A massive truck and trailer unit with much noise and air movement wedged itself in beside me. I mean, this was shoe-horn finesse going on here.  I was in a something of a state of disbelief  as I stood next to this hulking great monster while it wheezed heat and fumes into my breathing space.  Wow it was big.  Oh, and I was small. What a mean thing to do, talk about intimidation! I looked quickly around, no-one watching, I reached over (it was THAT close) and drew a quick and tiny happy face on a dusty, mirrored, wheel center. Got you I thought rather madly, then I hopped my bike sideways into the gravel as far away from the beast as I could get. As soon as I could I continued on my way, take that Goliath!

Karen writes: Taupo cycle challenge - number 7

Image
Sunday evening, home tired and satisfied after yet another challenging Taupo experience. The Taupo round the lake cycle  weekend always starts with a rush to organise everything at home so I can have a couple of days away from the whanau, thank goodness for Grandma and Grandad who could step in to help out. Every item of cycle gear packed to cover (hopefully) every weather or condition eventuality, and of course FOOD.  Pick up Kate, onto the motorway south, play spot the other bikes on the trip, eat and eat all the way. We stayed in a cute little bach looking out over the water, had a nice dinner on Friday night at a Restaurant we visit most years where we watched the trees rock'n roll in the wind and the waves thrash the top of the lake. Saturday morning up, a bit of a breeze but not too bad, overcast, on with a mixture of clothes to cope with weather predicted to range from hot to cold/wet/windy then out the door with fingers crossed. On the road, I was planning on about 8 ho