Karen and Kate's journey to Ironman and beyond

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,

Anyone else find that they think in song lyrics?  When I read the title above, it brings to mind a particular vintage song, something of an earworm.  It's the same out on the bike or running, I see something that reminds me of a song, or worse, hear one, and it's hours at the particular tempo of whatever bit of music. Anyway, taper has just started for Ironman number (engine...engine...number ...) nine, and I'm quite pleased with this year's progress.  I've got a complicated spreadsheet which tells me that I've done more running in the last 9 weeks, more swimming, and almost as much cycling as my best training effort in the past.  Knowing that should make me less anxious that I'm ready, however I'm also aware that I'm heavier than ever, older than ever, and taper-mania has nothing to do with being rational or reasonable, I'm surely going to catch something horrible, injure something unfixably, or just generally find some creative way to sabotag