Karen writes: Adding Taupo 70.3 Ironman to the completed list

Just a quick blog post because I have just arrived home, bundled tired, grumpy children into bed, sorted out what the cats have brought into the house in our absence and put the first of several loads of washing on from the weekend away.

We did get our Half Ironman today (they call it a 70.3, it's a 'half').   I was slower than the last one I did at Rotorua, (7 hours 14 min), Kate took more off her Rotorua event time in spite of injury problems, and it was a big day for a variety of reasons, not least of which was the emotional roller coaster of the few days before and the bitterly cold start.

Anyway, coming home with the medal, towel and finishers t-shirt is bittersweet, we are entitled to them as that was the official 2012 Ironman event for NZ, but I suspect these things will be tucked quietly away in my cupboard to only be fully appreciated when the real thing has been achieved.  Yes, you heard that right, on the day the entries open for Ironman 2013, I may possibly be poised with finger waiting for the ‘enter’ button to become active, but only if Kate is able to be on board too. I say 'may', as ever, a million things in a busy life can intervene, and we have already put a WHOLE year into preparation for the IM that wasn’t, another year is another big commitment not just for us but for those around us, but there is no doubt that when you have a dream and it doesn’t come off, you can either give it up, in which case it wasn’t much of a dream, or you can do what you can to give it another go.

Had a heap of messages of support, those from when we found out IM had been cancelled and we were in a bit of a state then, then encouragement to “go for it” with the offered alternative, and now messages with congratulations.   Thanks so much!