nearly there

the time has nearly come to board that big bird in the sky, smile sweetly to the airline staff (to get my bike on board) and go to the north island for the race. Its been a long time coming this bloody race...after cancelling my half ironman last year due to old lady lower back pain i have worked hard to get it right and to be ready to race!!

After reading endless blogs, the amount people race in the US of A is unbelievable. So much. We over here seem to pick one race for the season (as our summer is about as long as my attention span) and then fill it up with other little races. I am talking about people doing 3 ironmans and 5 halfs over a season. Holy moly....

anyhoo im ready to go race and after an endless beauty of sunshiny days here in the south it seems that Tauranga is being hit by some shittingly awful rain....im not getting into the obsession of constantly checking the weather (well maybe once or twice an hour) but it will be what it will be.

We are supposed to be rewarded after the hours and hours we all put into this lovely sport by THE RACE and race i will. But i'll also be smiling from ear to ear to know i CAN race, i CAN swim bike run and I WILL be doing this for a long time (or until the old lady back screams for me to stop).

Give it hell ladies and gentleman i know i will :)

I am so sick of these......

But love getting presents like these :)

southland summer tri (sprint distance)

My friend and I travelled to Gore (2 hr drive) to participate in the sprint (me) and duathlon for her. Quite a small field but as there were points available for the nationals there were some big guns. There were many distances including a 1/3 ironman, sprint, 10k, duathlon.
It was stinking hot on the drive down so we knew it would be hot day _suncream at the ready!
I was feeling good and rested so wanted to see how i was feeling with 4 weeks to the half ironman.

Swim
750m in a pond, and i mean pond. There was mud and grasses touching your hands as you swam. As 750 is not my distance i got left behind by the fast swimmers and thus had no feet to hang onto! No time recorded (and the gun went off before i could set my watch!)

short run up to transition and onto the bike

bike
20k of two laps with quite a large hill (with false top) and then a speedy down hill and slight headwind- felt great, tried to stay in big ring and aero as much as i could but the legs felt good and heart wasn't pounding (apart from getting on after the swim)

run
one lap along the road into a farmers field, starting with a big hill. I tried to keep the cadence high and keep moving the whole way. The sun was high and hot now so everyone was panting. I felt awesome on the run and managed a 25 minute run. (which is what i get for a run only 5k race so i was pleased!)

I beat my sprint time (ok on a different course) by 8 mins ending with a 1.23 pb for me and a smiley face at the end.

I loved it and managed to get some speed in the legs on the run and feel good. I could have probably gone harder on the run but am still slightly scared of blowing up!
A great day out! :)

spread the scary!

I have a new concept- not to anyone else just to me...spread the scary! This season i am doing everything that scares me- rgroup rides, long swims, ocean swims, runs etc etc.

The first was a scary womens road bike race- freezing, fast and i survived

2) scary road group tuesday nights- fast and scary and with lots of blokes- i went i hurt i survived

3) entered 3.8k swim for challenge wanaka team- im swimming lots lets see if i survive January 21st

4) Tauranga half ironman- can do the distance but can i do it in the ocean with sea water lapping my face and a course i dont know? Scary yes? will i survive- yes!!

5) entering as many races as possible that scare the hell out me......TBC

Do as many things scary as you can this season- go on i dare you!! Spread the scary! :))