Karen and Kate's journey to Ironman and beyond

I have my new bike.  It has quick release wheel thingys, it took me ages to get the wheel off and wedge it in the car so I'm not sure why they are called quick release, there doesn't seem to be much quick about them but I am assured they are more secure. This is the bike I would never have considered buying, it wasn't remotely in the family budget and besides I loved my old bike. Why would I buy a new one when I was perfectly content to complain and grizzle about my old girl, she always got me home after all, and the thing about having something a bit worn and scruffy, you don't have to be obsessive about looking after it. But now I have this brand new bike, luckily I got it really cheaply as it is a model from a previous year but it gives me pause for thought when I think about the replacement value. I understand why some think cycling is an expensive thing if the option is to just go out and buy such an item at full price, it seems like such a lot of money for somet

I cried today.  It was over something that some would consider silly, but I still cried. It wasn't a death in the family or anything really, really important in the scheme of things, but today my old Scott bike was declared unfit for use, so I cried.  My reaction was not too surprising really, I struggle to get rid of an old pair of running shoes or favourite shorts, how could I not grieve for my faithful two wheeled companion of some years and many miles. Rewind to this morning.  I packed the Scott into the back of the small car, I was getting better at whipping the front wheel off and then putting it back on without looking like I was trying to wrestle a metallic monster into submission.  Got to the Avanti shop, wheel back on, she trundled perkily into the workshop, and I left for work wondering what the cost was going to be. Likely a new chain because I hadn't had one of those for ages, possibly some bearings to be greased and tightened, possibly something else as the mech

Saturday, out of bed early, off to Clevedon for the annual Tour de Hunua bike-ride.  No nerves this time, I knew what to expect having done this event last year. I did however look rather wistfully at the Tri-Maori triathlon being setup at Umupuia as I drove by, the sea looked gorgeous and an event involving a dip in that seemed a much more appealing prospect than a long, hot, and hilly ride. Driving onto the dusty paddock at Clevedon, lots of cars, lots of bikes, no Kate, she had her own training plans for the weekend and unlike me she is sticking to her plan.  I parked, got the bike out of the back of the wee car and reassembled it with much re-checking of the levers and nuts, I have this paranoia that I wont do the front wheel up and it will fall off going down a hill.  Hang around, talk to the man next door, hang around, visit the toilet.  Now every race has it's disadvantages and advantages.  This event is SO heavy on male competitors that the queues for the portaloos and th

I had a pretty good week last week, my long ride was over 130km, it felt slow but good. The long run was a bit of a struggle so I cut it short, but coming straight after the long ride I wasn't too disappointed and while I'm still under on the swim distance when compared to where I was last year, I'm not too far off.  Overall I managed well over 15 hours of training which is really unusual for me. My sore neck has gone away with just occasional twinges to remind me to do more stretching, and I got new running shoes. I had been thinking about changing these from the super-padded Asics Kayano which I have worn since they first came out...decades ago... to a lighter and less padded model one step down. I came home with a pink and black pair of GT2000's which the man in the shop convinced me were the best bet.  I'm reserving judgement on these at the moment, getting used to less padding in the forefoot (I can feel every stone on the trail) and a slightly lower heel is ta

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

In encouraging Kate to do the Orca half Ironman I admit to having what could be construed as selfish reasons, but truth be told she didn't need much encouragement anyway...the discussion went along the lines of "why dont you..." and "yep I've signed up".  The fact is that she was depressing me by doing more training, without a planned event, than I am doing with Ironman just around the corner. An important reason for me celebrating her signing up is that endurance training is lonely without someone to share goals, challenges, screw-ups and successes with. Now that Kate is safely committed I also have a good excuse to inveigle her into some long rides and swims which will inevitably make my own training journey easier. Of course its especially convenient that her event is to be held in my home area so she needs lots of training time on the actual course to ensure the best outcome! While it would be insane for me to think about doing this event myself I wil

Well Christmas and New year are over with and I have been very slack in my exercise. A few swims and 1 run, no biking. Well all of that has got to stop. The Boss :) made me sign up to do another half Ironman. Actually its just what I need, it does not take me long to make a decision. I need something to work towards otherwise I cannot be bothered. I've now booked to do the Auckland Half out of Maraetai. Don't need accommodation and no long drive. Should be fun but there are some very big hills! Tonight I start training Yippee:)

It got pointed out to me that the blog has been very quiet in the last few weeks. Considering Ironman is in eight weeks time there has actually been some work going on, I just haven't been collected enough to think about writing about it. After the Rotorua half Ironman I spent a week doing very little, just a spin class and a fairly short run, my version of recovery. I was in truth feeling pretty disillusioned, I'd had such a bad day at Rotorua, my confidence was down, and it was taking me an unusual amount of time to get back my enthusiasm back.  I was hopeful that I would feel more inspired over Christmas when it was time to go up north with the whanau and I could have a play in my favourite mountains.  I've written about how I love to escape to the Whangarei Heads whenever I can, but especially over that festive season when trips up Mt Manaia become my daily ritual. Then once I am up for more of a challenge I do the 4 hour hike from Bream Head to Urquharts bay followed b