Karen writes: Cooking Dinner as an Ironman

-
It's Sunday evening, I'm home, peeling potatoes.  I am an Ironman, so is Kate.

7am yesterday morning we stood in the beautiful lake Taupo as the sun woke up alongside 1500 or so other athletes, 15 hours 41 minutes later I was finished. The Voice of Ironman called my name out and told me I was an "IRONMAN", Kate had the same nearly 40 minutes earlier.
Me just over the finish line, Kate has already been in for over half an hour
We were both awake in the early hours of this morning, couldn't sleep, the first breakfast was at about 5am.  A little run proved that my legs worked and I had a look at the remnants of the day long celebration down by the lake, then sat on a chair to survey the start line and think for a bit. I've eaten more mini-meals today than I can count and not much of it would make it past the nutritionists.  The car trip home was a bit tough, I'm glad I wasn't driving because I kept drifting into puddles of tiredness which I came out of after a little while but it made the day a long, inefficient, blurry muddle.  I predict several more meals, and a good sleep tonight, and maybe 2 v energy drinks to get me through Monday at work.

So too muddled to write more, full reports from both Kate and me over the next few days and pics.  Thanks so much for all the wonderful messages with good wishes and encouraging thoughts, the amount of support has been awe-inspiring.

Now we know the two year journey to Ironman has been awfully long but we haven't forgotten our key reason which was to fundraise for Diabetes care in Christchurch.  Some people have already kindly made donations but we would still really appreciate some more support, no matter how small...the link is right here...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Still...swim, cycle, run...walk

-
Image
We've got some new staff at the organisation, which is now called " Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa ".  Sitting at the lunch table answering questions on the topic of endurance training and eventing, it reminds me of how long we've been doing the longer exercise efforts now, and that we take for granted how much we've learned over the years.   bike training isn't training without icecream Someone asked about nutrition in a long event and  I spouted off a bunch of words about the exact makeup of the breakfast that I've spent so many years messing around with, said something about a gel here and a banana there and a bumper bar somewhere else and a salt tablet when whatever and the importance of recovery nutrition...and then realised it sounded very much like I actually had it sorted.  I have to admit I don't really.  I'm not sure if anyone can ever say they have everything 100% nutrition or hydration wise for all conditions and circumstances,
Read more

Karen writes: Swimming pool blues

-
Image
I loathe the swimming pool.  With my severely cut down swim training I've been putting my effort into a few slow wetsuit swims in the sea, gently putting my dodgy shoulder under pressure to see how it copes with greater time in the water, not worrying about harder work just aiming to achieve the distance with a minimum of stress.  This week I just couldn't see how I could swim in the sea, the tide is way out in the mornings and evenings all week and it wont be possible to swim on the weekend. So I had to go to the Otara pool before work today.  Older daughter is off to school camp, tenting, so it was a bit muddly getting last minute items packed for her, is there enough sunscreen because its shaping up to be hot outside and what's the plan for the expected torrential rain?  Yep, good old Auckland smorgasbord weather, just pack everything.  Anyway, finally she was ready to go and I was too.  I had my togs under my clothes, wearing jandals, bag with undies/ towel/ toiletrie
Read more

Karen writes: Obstacles

-
Image
I went for a ride, of course that was not what the training plan said I should be doing, but it fitted.  Older daughter looked at my trademark pink legwarmers before I left, "are they new?" she says. "Nope".  "They're clean" she observed. I looked, they did look clean.  Why?  They were inside out. These poor things had been getting very grubby, more chain oil than clear space, but aha, here was a way to now double their reasonable lifespan. Anyway, with the old-new inside out pink legwarmers on, I took the easy route, headed off towards Clevedon and wandered round a bit there feeling uninspired. The most significant thing about this ride was something you only see when your training is mostly on country roads.  I came scooting around a corner on Monument Road and there was a significant obstacle.  Cows all over the road.  Ok I thought, they are just crossing I will wait for a car to push through and follow it. Well it turned out that from my low vant
Read more