Back in Business

I bet you didn't expect to hear from me so soon did you.
Well I have managed to string together some decent weeks of training so thought I would report back.

SWIMMING

I have surrendered to the beeping in my swimcap (my tempo timer) and have dropped down a lane to see if keeping my strokes low actually makes me go faster, so far I am not convinced.  I feel too comfortable in that lane and feel like I will be faster if I have people to chase - kind of like sitting in a bunch of cyclists your own ability versus riding with better riders and trying to hang on.  But coach Haydn keeps going on and on at me about stroke counts so thought I would make a concerted effort.  We will see...

BIKING

I did my own little Auckland Half Ironman course reccie last weekend and it is as nasty as I remember.  My number one goal for the race is to finish the bike not feeling like I want to hang myself, if I can get through feeling happy that's the main thing.  I might need to revisit "The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training" before the weekend.  It took me 3hrs15 to bike 90km mostly at what I considered to be half Ironman power so maybe I am not quite as fit as I want to be...
I had a funny little moment during my reccie ride where I was obviously a bit tired and perhaps under nourished (note to self: carry more than one bottle and one bar on race day) and I somehow managed to ride off the road and into some gravel.  I realized I was in trouble once I discovered I was off the road so I tried to slow down before the big pit of gravel in front of me, I had almost made it and had one foot unclipped (or decleated as Kezzle would say) when the gravel gave me the death wobbles and I ended up in the ditch still attached to my bike.  I didn't have far to fall and didn't hurt myself or my bike luckily but I think it highlighted the importance of paying attention even on a seemingly straight piece of road.  It was a shame I didn't have anyone to share it with because I did feel a bit silly extracting myself from my bike all alone on the ground.

I do heart bikes even when my bike throws me into the ditch

RUNNIES

I did something very exciting last week - I ran home from work.  6km from work to the ferry, a 15 minute ferry ride then 10km home - 16km run on a Monday, unheard of! I wasn't sure how the leggies would be after sitting around on the ferry but they seemed to be all good.  So now I am finding a way to make this part of regular training.  It is doable just take s a bit of uber organising which I am uber good at anyway.
Running finally seems to be feeling a bit better like I have got a bit of fitness so hopefully I won't be suffering too much next weekend.

I run through the sea

PC's making it hard to get up from my nap to run

PC'S

In PC news they are growing bigger by the day and we have introduced them to the catdoor with mixed success.  No-one has peed on the bed (our bed) in about a month now so we are doing well.

Spooning kitties

Meatloafing kitties