Karen writes: Feels like Ironman training

All these double sessions, and now a long ride followed by an 'off-the-bike' run today, I'm tired, but I'm feeling at last like I am getting into proper Ironman training.  This morning I headed out early on the bike to ride 110km, unlike last year this included just one loop of those boring and grubby roads around Takanini, most of the time was in much nicer places like on my new route out to Kawakawa bay.  I also revisited a place with some good memories, hey Kate, you remember that Whitford loop...about 6km long?  We rather mistakenly thought that by doing this particular loop three times we were trained enough for our first 160km Taupo cycle challenge, that was back in the days when we had our first cleated shoes and stopping more often than not involved lining up a convenient post or powerpole to hang onto.  There was one bright spot in Takanini though, I queued up on a narrow road with the cars at a police checkpoint, and had to laugh when the earnest young policeman declined to breath test me.  I mean, why should I miss out, quite apart from being bleary eyed, windblown, and unco-ordinated, my fashion sense alone should have been enough of a red-flag (lots of fluoro, pink shoes, blue buff scarf).

So after over 5 hours of cycling on an increasingly windy day, I came to the conclusion I was slow, slower than I needed to be for the IM ride, but I let myself off that as the ride was much hillier. I dawdled home telling myself that I didn't need to go for the planned run because the ride was more than tough enough, but when I got home I convinced myself that even 5 minutes of running would be better than nothing, so got my shoes on and after a lot of mental game playing ("I will just run to the next powerpole...run to the point...the public toilet") and I ended up doing nearly the required half hour.  Can't underestimate the value of those mind games.

The bike needs to go to the shop, the rear gears are slipping rather badly and the horrible noise when that happens makes me worried that damage is being done to my new cogs.  And there is that unresolved matter of the tri-bars, wonder where I put them?  I need maintenance too, everything hurts!