Getting Back on the Wagon

That's right, I am getting back on the wagon in terms of blogging and training.
Coach Poo has given me a bike program to start with so I now have a purpose to my biking.  I am managing my running and have got a good routine going during the week, the weekends are a bit flakey but it is coming together.
I am running a couple of times a week from work and so far have three different sets of trails to run on just a few hundred metres from work which is really quite amazing.  I have just been running out and back since I don't know my way around and most of the trails seem to be point to point but it is way better than running on the road though.  The going is pretty slow (I am a TERRIBLE off road runner) and I must admit that I do get a bit disheartened when my Garmin auto-pauses when I am running up and down hills/stairs...  I am even considering buying some off road shoes since my beautiful ASICS 2000's are getting a bit of a hammering and I would hate for them to get dirty.
I am in the process of getting the Tadpolemator ready to get a makeover and get a new paint job which is quite exciting.  I am not a huge fan of the paint scheme and still feel a bit weird about my bike so a new paint job will do the trick and a good time to do it which I am not riding it.  
Exciting race plans on the horizon - hello Samoa Half Ironman!  I know I made a proclamation awhile back about sticking to age group but I am a sucker for the perks associated with racing Pro... So I am making up the numbers in the Pro field, it doesn't look like it will be a very big field so hopefully I won't disgrace myself too much.  It is about 8 weeks before Kona and is a non-wetsuit swim so will be an ideal build up.  Jared Razzle will be joining me on the start of the Pro field as well as our shadow Kezzle who it seems can't do anything without us (even getting dressed - key evidence of this was his back to front tri top at the ITU AG Worlds last year...).  Still working on my swim skin situation, it is a bit difficult when you are the size of a replica human being to get things to fit sometimes.

I have just been through my camera phone and have no photos to add - opps! Sorry Nick! Better get snapping for the next installment...

Post Ironman Laziness

It's ok people (person?) - I am still alive.

My time since Ironman has been filled with Easter eggs and other bad food, a bit of wine, a new job, a little bit of training and an Olympic distance race.

Here is a pictorial report of the aftermath of Ironman:

Tramp Stamp

                                      

Tramp Stamp race belt chaffing combo

Nasty transponder lines

Pfefferminz.  All gone

Extra special hot chocs

 In terms of training I have basically just been pissing around for a month.  The two weeks post Ironman contained not much at all and the following weeks have contained a bit more but just whatever I have felt like, it has been quite liberating.
I decided a while ago I would quite like to do the age group race following the Auckland ITU race but thought I would pull up after IMNZ.  Since I didn't have any injuries post Ironman (yay!) I thought I would give it a crack just for fun.  I had only been for a handful of runs and figured I should at least do a 10km run the weekend before which seemed to go ok so the deal was sealed.
The race was actually pretty fun - the swim was a bit confusing but the bike was awesome riding through the city (if a little bit technical for a muppet like me...) and the run was good and the correct distance for once.  I rode my Zipps front and back so no power which didn't seem to have any adverse effects except for the momentary panic when I started riding and no power was showing on my Garmin - then I remembered no Powertap - whew.  I will be riding naked at Kona (without power...) so it was good to get a bit of practice in.

No photos of me racing as I was flying solo but this was before the race start

In other news I now have a proper job - wooo! I have regular work hours and get a salary!  Now I feel like a real person.  Only problem is the location but I have slunk my way around it and I am commuting by bike and ferry most days - way better than sitting in a car.  I am going to opposite way to the other commuters so usually have the ferry to myself which is a bit weird but good when I want to close my eyes and have a little nap.

View at the start of my ferry ride

That's all for now!

Mandatory black and white pussy cat photo