Karen and Kate's journey to Ironman and beyond

Woke up this morning at 5.45am to the alarm telling me it was time for a quick breakfast before getting on the road.  These long bike rides have to start early, or the whole day just disappears under the tyres.  Anyway, I must have dozed off, but fortunately the amount of noise being made over the road at the beach by a gaggle of hardy swimmers getting into their wetsuits dragged me out of bed.    On the road, the air could have been described as being ‘fresh’, or ‘invigorating’, you know…the sorts of words you use when it’s actually cold and you are trying to convince yourself you really wouldn’t rather have more clothes on, or alternatively be in bed where sensible people still are. But I soon warmed up, and it was beautiful being out there before the rest of the world (except the mad swimmers), woke up.  The only sounds were a few birds and the wind rushing through my helmet, the sea was mirror smooth, and the sun coming up behind the point at the end of Um...

Today I got up feeling very tired, no motivation, do I have to go out, cant I stay in bed? Well basically no, I had arranged to swim with Barbara and then bike. Planning exercise is always good for me as I cannot back out. The swim was in Waiuku at the open air pool. A little cool, but in I went and 1km later felt a lot better. Off for morning tea and coffee felt even better. The rain started, not just a drizzle but  torrential rain with wind and going sideways. I'm sure it will stop. And stop it did. Off riding we went. It was not long before the rain started, but it was not bad. So we decided to go to the mine entrance, its a nice ride with great views. When we got there we could not see the views as it was raining. On our way back the rain fell hard and the wind blow. I'm sure it was hailstones as it really hurt. The rain was coming in my sunglasses at an angle and one eye stopped  working so I was riding with one eye s...

Yesterday had a spin bike session according to the programme.  I got dressed in my version of 'spin clothes', (worn out cycle shorts and singlet) earlier in the evening so that I wouldn’t just sink into the sofa once the girls were in bed.  Ah, all quiet at last, water bottles lined up, spinning DVD in the player, remote in reach, towel, bike positioned to catch the evening breeze… and 80 minutes with nothing to do but pedal according to the instructions from the man in the TV.   1 trip each to the toilet by the two girls. Phonecall from people offering a cheap newspaper deal 1 x “Muuuum, I’m worried that stick insect I saw down on the trampoline is going to get me” 1 x “My room is full of mosquito’s and I can’t sleep” 1 more trip to the toilet each for the two girls. 1 x “Can I wear a dress to holiday club tomorrow, we aren’t doing sports…” 1 x “I’m just going to feed the cat” I did finish the DVD, during which I had plenty of time to reflect on the grinning instructor...

Ohhh…sleep is no escape from the IM spectre!   The alarm went this morning and I woke in a state of panic, I was dreaming that I was in the process of doing another bad job of the upcoming Ironman and I really, really wanted to finish the story.   In the dream, I had just cleared transition, but instead of going from a swim to the cycle, in some bizarre way it was office to cycle, and the brakes on the bike had fallen apart.  These broken brakes in no way resembled what is actually on my bike, but after briefly considering finishing the ride without brakes and discarding that idea, I dismantled and repaired them, then found that there was something wrong my helmet (could only find half of it?), and that I had left my shoes on the side of the road.  I was just back on the bike, ready to try to catch Kate, and beep beep beep went the alarm…NO, let me sleep, I promise I will hurry if I can just find out what happens next! My head is a bit overloaded at the mo...

I had been looking forward to camp for ages. The day had arrived, I drove to Taupo and arrived at the house full of people I did not know. It was scary. I unpacked the car and put my bike in the garage with all these amazing looking bikes. The little voice in my head started talking to me: Your'e not good enough, what you doing here! Go home. Big deep breath and unpacked my bags. I scored the single room, yep that was a good move. Or was it because I was the old lady! First day we just had a 30 minute run. Managed that, no problems. 5:30 the next day out of bed and off for breakfast before a swim. I was the only one eating, maybe this is a mistake. Down to the lake and into our wet suits. Lets swim down to the first float and back. In we went, and the waves rocked me. Not sure about this but a few more strokes, out of my dept, sun rising and I could not see. The group had gone, but Garrad my coach swam next to me and off we went getting to the Buoy and round we went. Lesson learn...

Just arrived home from Camp. I'm tired. What have you done today was the cry from the daughter... Got up at 5:30 for a swim in the lake, and a 14k walk I said and then 4 hours home. Not much! Will write more tomorrow.

Just home after 5 hours 40 and almost 130km on the bike, and a 20 minute run which felt surprisingly good, could have kept going but there were children I needed to say goodnight to, and visitors, at home. The ride was just plain long, and while I might complain about boredom (inevitable when choosing a route where the same 20km circuit from Clevedon to Takanini is done over and over and over again), I do wonder how all those people cope who live in places where there aren't easily accessible roads for distance riding.  How do city people train for example? Anyway, it is a long time today just pedaling and pedaling.   You take what entertainment you find, and I still think the Ardmore Airport is the best entertainment around on a long ride, provided you are a bit careful about avoiding lingering directly under where the planes fly in to land, unless you want to do some serious rocking and rolling on your bike.   I rode round and round that block for a while because th...

I am very excited. I'm off to camp this morning. 3 days all to myself and training in Taupo. My coach has arranged the camp and i think there are 9 of us going. We are going to be running, swimming biking, swimming, biking, swimming running. I have packed all my sports gear in different bags for different days. I have all my pills and potions. I have a change of clothes for the social events.  I am leaving behind the messy kitchen, that is having a new roof put on today and a grumpy teenager. Hurray for training.

2 hour ride tonight, experimented with Kate's protein drink beforehand hoping for a more convenient way of getting enough nutrients in, but nope, that one isn't for me.  It wasn't bad out there on the road, started off quite hot however quite quickly became overcast and rain threatened but fortunately didn't fall, just as well, I wasn't dressed for the wet. Poor bike is making some strange noises at the moment, but I only remember when I am actually cycling, not when I get home.  Something about pushing the thing up the long steep driveway sends all the smaller annoyances out of my head.   Must give it a clean and book it in for service next week. I'm feeling tired today, started running out of energy this afternoon, that happens sometimes, certainly not as often as it used to, but it's time for a rest.  Fortunately tomorrow is a planned day off exercise before a big ride on the weekend.   I feel like a food processing machine at the moment, all I do is ...

Swim 2.2km, and run 11km today, the run went well, so well that I happily pounded the road harder than usual and got a blister in a new place for me, on the ball of my foot.   Been feeling a bit (well a lot) fragile about swimming though, and the fact that I am at this advanced stage of training and not racing through the water with effortless ease worries me enough to keep looking for online material to say that this is...well...normal.  There was some helpful stuff in the Ironstruck website, reinforcing the fact that thousands of ordinary people do IM successfully every year, but many more are put off because of what they see as their lack of swimming ability, the difference is that those who become IM are more determined and just keep on working and working at it.  Ah, that's me, nothing if not determined...inept, but determined. Lots of interesting things in this website actually, one page I particularly liked talks about after the ironman .  You don...

Monday nights use to be a nice run with the pack and a pint in the Kentish. No more! I go to swim club. The pool is 50 meters long and at 25 degrees temp was very nice. But Jarrad made us work. I complained about a sore shoulder and he said its a pulled muscel get over it! swim harder and it will go away. Its good to have sympathetic people around you! 12 lengths warm up and then into sets of (100m x 4) x4. It was timed and I had to go faster. I could not breath , huffed and puffed wanted to give up, but Jarrad just kept on going. I will give you an extra break here he said, as I pulled my paddles off and goggles. Deep breath and off i went and faster I went. Its got to be good for me. I slept well. 

I just had a feed of newly caught NZ Snapper, freshly hot smoked with salt and brown sugar.  With I might add, hot, chunky cut chips out of the traditional, wonderfully grease soaked newspaper packet.  Not a vegetable to be seen.   Once I would have eaten such a meal with delight, demanded the other half of the fish straight out of the smoker, more chips and probably topped it off with cola.   This is the double penalty of not only working in health promotion, but also training for IM, instead of just enjoying such rare kiwi bounty, before I realised it I had calculated the amount of energy, protein, carbohydrate, speculated what sort of oil the chips were cooked in, and monitored my portion size!   When did I lose my capacity to just enjoy the occasional treat...that is SO sad!

I lov my new aero bars!  I went up this really long hill, with the wind blowing and got to the top and thought aero bars I can have a rest. Ha HA Ha.  I do not think they are meant for that but whatever!  I had to do a 1 hour ride yesterday so rode over to see Norma my Beautician. It took exactly an hour, very hilly, one of the hills is called Tram gully and you know you've done it. Anyway felt good about it and then had 2 hours of pampering. Feet done eye brows waxed, painful, and then a massage to help with the sore shoulder from swimming. Got a lift home afterwards, I mean you cannot smudge the red nail paint!  It is all about the look. I'm getting very excited! I'm off to Ironman camp on Friday in Taupo. 3 days of self indulgence and it will all be about me!

Food - generally been good with that, choices seem to be making themselves most of the time with a tendency towards the healthy option...all the bad C words...cake, cream, cookies, cola, croissants have disappeared except...of course...chocolate and cheese.  During exercise, the electrolyte drink seems to be working out reasonably well, it's the same sort which will be available on course during the IM so that is good, and it didn't seem to react with the solid gels and sandwiches which make up the rest of my exercise nutrition. Equipment - Bike needs a clean and another service, probably a new chain.  I'm also feeling overstretched, its possible when the bike was set up I was a bit fatter and I am now further away from the handlebars. The new mini-panniers hold plenty of food in a convenient place, but bash my knees if I stand up to pedal, need to also make a decision about whether to put on more bottle holders as two just aren't enough for training rides more than a...

Whew, at last had a good swim this morning!   The water started out flat and I struck out for the eastern end of the beach, about 850m, feeling optimistic. I had to cut across a stream of other swimmers coming in from further out in the harbour, they were braver than me, I hugged the shore.   There were people netting off the beach, I was pleased (for me) to see that there wasn't anything in their nets.  I turned round to come back and the wind came up, then there were stiff little waves washing straight into my face.   I could see people running to secure their tents and towels and beach paraphernalia in the wind.   It was a hard slog on the return, then as fast as it arrived, the wind went away and the sea was perfectly  flat again.  Back to the starting point, and turn around and up the beach one more time.  I tried different strokes, the more frequent breathing but more tiring stroke which got me through the Rotorua Tikitapu 1/2 IM lake swim w...

Well, I got on my bike and changed gear as I had been shown and it worked! Benny was right it was all my fault. I went out with my spin group and had a great ride. No problems. I also had new aero bars. My coach said get aero bars and even though I was anxous, I believe in my coach. After all I had knocked 56 minutes off my half iron man time. So I tried out these new handle bars. They seem ok. Today I had to do a 30 minute swim, 3 hour bike and 30 min run. It was very windy and wet, but you just have to do it. The swim was fine, morning tea at the cafe always helps. My friend Bret who swims with us is a very good bike rider and I asked him loads of questions about the aero bars. Yes I am ready to give them a go. Barbara was riding too so off we went. It was very windy. Down to the Otau flats we went and down onto the aero bars. I stayed on the bike and just have to be careful about my back and neck. Yes I think I'm going to like them. We were going up a steep hill the wind was co...

Just home from a 5hour+ bikeride in the wind, and it was very, very windy, I could really feel my legs working hard on some roads, and I just flew on others.  The ride was followed by a 25 minute run which went fine once my legs had decided they were going to go in the direction I was telling them to.   I am now home on the sofa, with legs up and icepacks on my knees alternately eating and typing and moving the icepacks about. Here is something really unusual to hear me complaining about.  I logged my eating today and I observe that firstly it was pretty healthy, following most of the rules (except for some lollies out of Jennies jar), and secondly that I ended up in a big negative energy balance for the day.   Apparently I burned off an estimated 3400 calories worth of energy with all that exercise (5 1/2 hours), add on my daily expected expenditure of about 1800 calories and my total daily energy out was theoretically about 5200.  I took in a whopping 3200 c...

I'm about to develop a bad case of tri-bar envy.   Kate has new tri-bars and it seems that every other cyclist I see on the road has their bike gloriously flaunting a set of the things too.  They all look like...triathletes! I actually have tri-bars myself, sitting on the desk at work.   They were once on my bike, I hated them.   I couldn't go in a straight line, and felt like I had to ride in the middle of the road so as not to wobble off the edge. I was a menace to myself and the rest of the travelling public, yes, even more than usual.   Then I gave up (I know, pathetic) and there is now a whole lot of essential other stuff on my handlebars...like the pink bell, another pair of brake levers (can never have too many of those), and the cycle computer...couldn't possibly give any of that up. So I may be the only person fronting up at the IM with a bike without tri-bars .  My bike will be ridiculed, other bikes will snigger at it, and it most definitely ...

I've been having a few problems with my gears. Had to have the front one replaced. So of course its not working and its the bikes fault! So back to Cycle City to see Benny. Nothing wrong with it he says! But, its not working. He had it on a stand and I was watching him change gear. A penny dropped, he held the gear lever over much longer than I do, so maybe that's the problem. 30 minutes later I have learnt a lot more about the bike. Benny kept the bike for the day and also put aero bars onto it for me. I arrived back that afternoon to have the bike fitted for me with the new aero bars. Its a bit scary but my coach Mr Smith says give it a go. As I have improved so much already I just believe him. The mind plays a lot of games with us and the main thing I know is about believing in what you are doing and knowing that you can do it!

First day back at work. I got up at 6:15 and went for a run. Not bad I thought. Leg feeling better. Monday evening went to swim at the big pool. Got there early to get a few lengths in before the others arrived. Jarrad planned a long swim. 3k!  we were to start off with 1500m free style and then 1500m with buoy, band and paddles. Both lengths to be timed the second lap to be faster. The first 1500m i did in 37 minutes. Not bad I thought. The second lap I felt as though I was drowning. At each end I missed my footing could not catch the edge with my hands as the paddles were in the way. I do believe that Jarrad would jump in and save me if he thought I was drowning, well as long as he was watching and not talking! Anyway I finished the last lap in 34 minutes. I could hardly stand, in all I swam 3300m. Not far off the 3800m for IM. But I was very tired , went home ate more food a glass of wine and slept soundly for 8 hours. Today the shoulder feels a little stiff. I will swim ag...

I have put 4kg in weight on in the last couple of months.   I don't know where the weight has stashed itself away because I still feel ok in my clothes, but I do worry that it puts extra strain on my joints.   It also means that I can now officially race in the Athena category, which is a 75kg plus grouping for woman triathletes (men are clydesdales) and as Kate is now lighter than me she is laughing her head off! But it is the absolute wrong time to try to lose weight 8 weeks out from IM, and given that I am running a large daily calorie deficit what with all the energy I am burning off, cutting calories, or exercising more isn't going to be the answer. So back to focusing on the training, back to trying to follow the programme, back to this sensible eating plan which asks that I eat more not less(!), and this week there are no excuses about not finding time as the girls are away on holiday. Speaking of which, they wont be in any hurry to come home, they are being serenad...

Saturday was pony club ribbon day it was also my day off. I worked really hard in the rain and luckily we raised a little bit of money and there were no accidents and the place all cleared up. Today I was supposed to go for a 4.5 hour Bike. But the wind was howling and the rain coming down in sheets. I got a txt from Terry, Spin, great I thought. Turned up for our usual 1 hour spin to find the boys had planed a 2 hour session called "beg for mercy". Sounds like I will be doing my long bike after all. It was a lot of intense short spurts and then long 5 minute endurance going up hills. We finished exhausted and off to a new cafe in Waiuku called Nicks. The best ever eggs Benedict for $12 and I could not eat it all. I'm now home contemplating a 30 minute run. I mean I'm hot and sweaty so why not? I do think I'm mad sometimes, but then it does help!

My longest swim ever, the beach was full of people when I got there, I wove between the bobbing heads, but by the time I finished most people had rolled up their rain wet belongings and abandoned the sand.  The swim was 2.6km, I did think it was longer (it FELT longer), but when I checked the map, ah well.   I especially practiced what I am now calling my 'panic stroke', so that if I get into trouble like I did at the half IM, I can swim inefficiently...more efficiently.   Have also figured out that I am better shutting my eyes while my face is in the water, turn head, open eyes, head down...shut them.  Be a bit rough if I am superfit, the body says 'GO', but the head says 'no can do' in the water so strategy is in order as well as getting fit. Looking forward to a rainy run tomorrow morning with the Te Puru runners.   I need 20km, so hope for my favorite bush run.  If I don't run it for a few weeks things can change hugely, the gorse blooms, then the flo...

107km bike ride, followed by a 5km run.  I was 3km short on the bikeride, but am sure that will be forgiven.   That was 5 hours on the road in total but I feel ok, it will probably be an early night tonight though, I'm yawning while typing. I feel like I know the roads around South/East Auckland intimately, but things (well, people actually) still surprise me, sometimes making me feel great, sometimes not so great.   Today was a not so great day, wherever I rode there was rubbish, I'm guessing that services just haven't caught up during the holiday.  Along one road behind Ardmore airport there were piles at regular intervals made up of household rubbish tied into blankets and old sheets, and along the whole route was a trail of bits of plastic toys.  I thought idly about assembling a barbie doll, but if I was collecting the bits I saw I would have 2 left legs (round the coast at Maraetai), and a head (Takanini).   A supermarket trolley in a drain, a pile ...

I am on holiday, so I should have plenty of time, but life is busy. We have a ribbon day for pony club tomorrow and I am supposed to be setting it up today, but there are cows in the field! so I have to change the order of my day.Swim in Waiuku at 11, then shopping and then I could run/walk over to Te toro to help set up. Yes I think that will work. Tomorrow is my day off. Ha Ha Ha, I have the Ribbon day, I will get a huge amount of exercise doing all the jobs. Especially if anyone falls off their horse. I'm first aid and have to run over to see a child crying and trying to work out if they are hurt or just in shock. At least I can run now. I have my big ride on Sunday so fingers crossed its not raining too much. 

The long bikeride of the week has to move from Saturday to Friday this week, that's how it goes sometimes (actually, often).   But finding over 4 hours for a ride, then another 1/2 hour or so for a run straight after, add plenty of extra minutes for preparation, changing and extra eating and a quick rest (she hopes) onto that and its quite a big ask of the whanau time-wise.   So tomorrow it is, the plan is to be up early, on the bike, and off charging around the countryside on two wheels as soon as it is light enough to see. To make sure it happens, tonight I have put the bike outside, done the checks, loaded the water bottles, laid out the cycle clothes, and I will have my marmite sandwiches ready packed to go.   That last will take some thought, my plastic zip bags aren't working that well, and I keep forgetting that the flash little box which sits on the bar behind the handlebars has velcro on the flap, this catches my gloves every time I stick my hand in, very annoy...

I am home from a 40 minute swim in the quite decent waves down at the local beach, which didn't go that well, I do struggle with the swim sometimes.   It was followed by an 80 minute run out to Duders park which went better.  Training can sometimes be tougher on the body than a much longer event, that's because you take events seriously, whereas training tends to be just clothes on and out the door.   I also got a few km down the road and remembered the instruction that I should take every opportunity to practice race nutrition.   Ok, not this time. I did however have the pleasure of filling in day three of this weeks training plan, and while the order is a  little mixed, and some of the back-to-back session proportions aren't quite right, I have actually followed most of it for a change!   That is 5 hours I have found to exercise in the 3 days, but I cant feel too pleased with myself, tomorrow is the day off, then there are 3 heavy days, Friday has a swi...

I had planned to meet my friend Jackie at 7 am to swim. This is dedication as I'm not a morning person. Pool was cold but we got off to a good start and did about 2k. We had to do an individual Medley. I can do butterfly but is very funny. I finished my length and looked up to see a group of teenage boys watching. They must have thought I was very funny. Any way finished off my set and home for a quick cup of tea before my bike ride. 1 hour ride, supposed to be doing something, but I could not understand what the coach wanted me to do so did a hilly ride. i'm now home thinking an afternoon kip is in order.

Today the programme said "50 minutes swim, 70 minute tempo run".   Um, yep, so I went for a bikeride instead. Why? I was lazy and the tide was too far out for enjoyable swimming by the time I crawled out of bed this morning.   I couldn't face committing to a swim and run  in the late afternoon, the main reason for this is that if I have the day at home with my holidaying girls I spend an awful lot of the day focusing on food, it gets complicated to not eat what and when they do and I don't like things complicated.  So I swapped tomorrows training with what I was meant to do today. I enjoyed my brisk 2 hour bike-ride, it's the first time I have been on two wheels since the half IM. Nothing fell off the bike, it was pleasantly overcast and the rain held off till I got home, there was no drama, just nice riding. Tomorrow I shall get up early enough to catch the tide though.  Ugh.  Cold feet.

Two weeks holiday and loads of fine weather is what I ordered. Instead its rained. Training has gone a little haywire. I was supposed to go for a long bike ride yesterday but spent most of the day at the airport seeing little bro off to the UK. It was too late to ride. Still I will do it tomorrow? Today I have been into Waiuku and swam with a group of friends, Jackie, Fiona and Sue. It was a little cold but still it was a good swim. Fiona filmed the Rotorua Half Ironman. So I went back to her place and had a cup of tea and watched the DVD. It was great footage. All I could see of myself was the large breasts bouncing up and down. Its a good job I have a good bra to hold them in place. Its interesting seeing people come running in exhausted. I never do, so I know I have more to give. I ran last night, first time in ages. Leg gave a few twinges but I am hoping that its all good. I will take it slowly over next few weeks. Mind you its only 8 weeks to go! 

I’m home, and didn’t feel like running with my dodgy knee, so squished into the wetsuit for a good swim up and down Maraetai beach (about 1.8km).   The swell was fairly stiff, and I could feel my right arm working harder than the left as it had to lift me up to miss the waves as they tried to break in my face with each breath, but it went ok until I was on the way back.   There weren’t as many people down the eastern end of the beach, and I had at last gotten into my stroke so wasn’t thinking of much at all…until my hand, the hand on the side away from the beach, hit something solid and glanced off.   I now know that you can scream underwater!   I floundered for the beach, thinking there was no way I was going to get back in the water again…but I did, however I was very relieved when I got further down the beach and there were more people around.  I probably spooked a few by swimming between them and the beach but I figured it was worth it fo...