Karen writes: Home again, did last week happen?
We ran a marathon in Queensland Australia a week ago. Sounds strange to say that, because life feels exactly the same as it was beforehand except for a little piece of the mind still trying to argue "but it was a marathon". There is no evidence we ran that overheated 42km apart from a few pictures, some memories, and a bit more wear on the latest pair of shoes. I look at those relatively new shoes and rather wistfully think that I will probably go through another two pairs before Ironman.
So I rested from training all last week apart from walking, I walked up and down Surfers Paradise beaches and to and from the ADS/ADEA diabetes conference. I must have been still sufficiently endorphined-up and the Thursday presentation came and went without too much stress. The crowd of Australian health professionals got a taste of kiwi-style community gardening as a suggested way of helping prevent some of the lifestyle factors associated with type 2 diabetes, they seemed to cope with that ok and I fielded some interest in the idea afterwards.
Then it was all over and we flew home to Auckland, I arrived safely back in Maraetai in the early hours of Saturday morning and gave myself that day off to just be mum (translated as early wake-up to hand over eagerly awaited presents and do washing). Sunday morning I left the whanau for an early run, was a little tired to start off but ended up running an enjoyable 13km without thinking too much about it. This seems crazy, but I have just signed up for a half marathon in 2 weeks in Whangarei, it's part of the Sport Northland run/walk series and looks like a nice little course and a chance to explore parts of the area I don't normally see when I just drive through to visit my parents. There is actually method in the madness, I figure if I commit to this there is less chance of me doing something really insane like signing up for another full marathon in the near future (I was worryingly tempted by an Auckland marathon ticket someone wanted to on-sell).
That then will be the official start of my Ironman programme as far as I am concerned. I can enjoy running until the 16th of September, then cycling will be the priority as the Taupo cycle challenge is looming at the end of November. Kate thrashed me last year, and because she hasn't actually stopped cycling and spinning since Ironman she is likely to do the same thing again. My aim will be to improve my last year's time a little, she can head off into the distance and do her own thing...but I will do some work, I don't want to be left too far behind!
So I rested from training all last week apart from walking, I walked up and down Surfers Paradise beaches and to and from the ADS/ADEA diabetes conference. I must have been still sufficiently endorphined-up and the Thursday presentation came and went without too much stress. The crowd of Australian health professionals got a taste of kiwi-style community gardening as a suggested way of helping prevent some of the lifestyle factors associated with type 2 diabetes, they seemed to cope with that ok and I fielded some interest in the idea afterwards. Then it was all over and we flew home to Auckland, I arrived safely back in Maraetai in the early hours of Saturday morning and gave myself that day off to just be mum (translated as early wake-up to hand over eagerly awaited presents and do washing). Sunday morning I left the whanau for an early run, was a little tired to start off but ended up running an enjoyable 13km without thinking too much about it. This seems crazy, but I have just signed up for a half marathon in 2 weeks in Whangarei, it's part of the Sport Northland run/walk series and looks like a nice little course and a chance to explore parts of the area I don't normally see when I just drive through to visit my parents. There is actually method in the madness, I figure if I commit to this there is less chance of me doing something really insane like signing up for another full marathon in the near future (I was worryingly tempted by an Auckland marathon ticket someone wanted to on-sell).
That then will be the official start of my Ironman programme as far as I am concerned. I can enjoy running until the 16th of September, then cycling will be the priority as the Taupo cycle challenge is looming at the end of November. Kate thrashed me last year, and because she hasn't actually stopped cycling and spinning since Ironman she is likely to do the same thing again. My aim will be to improve my last year's time a little, she can head off into the distance and do her own thing...but I will do some work, I don't want to be left too far behind!
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