Don't be too alarmed people, but I am back on the line. I think I have been inspired by the Olympics to update my blog, due to my lengthy absence may be best to do a month by month summary (hopefully I can remember that far back...)
FEBRUARY
The main thing I remember doing in February was the Kinloch Tri. It was the second time I had done it and while I wasn't near as fit as 2015 when it was part of my IMNZ build up, it still went pretty well, swim and bike times were pretty similar just a bit slower on the run. I had a niggly hamstring issue which I was very bad at looking after and it was particularly bad after this race and I vowed I would get on top of it.
MARCH
Ironman spectating was probably the triathlon highlight of March, I had a touch of FOMO but am quite over the IMNZ course but it got me all enthused to look at other races. For about half an hour I had convinced myself that I should do Ironman Cairns in June until I realised the logistics of it all wouldn't work. The reason for that was the other highlight of March - I got a new job! So taking a new job and asking for time off less than 3 months into it to do an Ironman - probably not the best idea.
With my new job I spent the first week in Brisbane which was very new and exciting for running. I was staying in the CBD so ran along the river most mornings and also used an awesome outdoor 50m pool which was about 1km from my hotel. Australian's are awesome how into fitness and exercise they are - there were so many people out and about at 6am every morning, it was great. Also helps that it is light and warm at that hour too.
What I discovered on that trip was that my hamstring got better the more that I ran. I was still pretty uncommitted to doing my exercises but was running more since I didn't have my bike and it started to hurt less with each run - [insert thumbs up emoji].
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| Running in Brisbane |
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| Swimming in Brisbane |
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| Just hanging out |
APRIL
In April was the last triathlon of the season with the People's Tri in Mission Bay. I had a new suit (after being hassled about my apparently retro K-Swiss outfit that I wore at Kinloch) so of course I needed to find a race to do. It was actually quite a terrifying experience out on the bike, with a few hundred other triathletes of varying ability, and I was just relieved to make it off in one piece. With about a hundred different races going on at one time, it is almost impossible to know who is doing what but I got a better idea once on to the run. Approaching the turn around and I realised that I hadn't seen any girls yet and OMG am I leading this race?! Closer to the turn around and I saw there was one girl in front of me and another close behind who passed me at about 3.5km. After the race I realised that the NZ Secondary Schools Champs had been on during the week which explained where all the fast kiddies were that would usually beat me.
In April there was also a work trip to Sydney where I got to run over the Harbour Bridge and another trip to Brisbane so more running there and not much cycling in general.
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| Running over Sydney Harbour Bridge |
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| Marvin helping me learn about orthopedic implants |
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| Running in Brisbane again |
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| Romantic walk in Surfer's Paradise |
MAY
I can't think of anything that happened in May so let's skip it.
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| That's right, I fell over |
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| Hoover-Puss |
JUNE
In June we had an awesome long weekend away in Kinloch with some great trail running in very chilly temperatures and I even rode my bike in the ridiculously cold conditions.
The following weekend I had a nasty bike crash on our Saturday ride when I hit an invisible rock and lost control of my front wheel. I almost took Jared out as well but his superior bike skills shone through and his hanger snapped and rear wheel locked up but he didn't come off. I was left with a deep graze on my knee and a few other ouchies and surprisingly just a few scuff marks on my bike. That put a halt on training for at least a week and it took at least 4 weeks for my knee to heal. It was a very uncomfortable couple of weeks. I also got sick around this time, so all in all was pretty miserable.
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| Perfect day in Kinloch |
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| Frosty |
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| OUCH |
JULY
The most exciting news for July was that we got a spa - yay! After many months of indecision we finally pulled the trigger and it is amazing. Spas after training and before bed are amazing.
I also got some sexy new running shoes and made the decision that from now on ASICS DS Trainers are the only shoe for me.
I went on a work trip to Queenstown so more running in fun new(ish) places.
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| My life is complete |
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| Getting the post windtraining leg lick/bite treatment |
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| My Queenstown pool and spa |
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| Running over the Shotover Bridge - note to runners: not very pedestrian friendly |
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| The Remarkables looking quite remarkable |
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| Running next to the Lake |
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| DS Trainers are the only shoe for me |
AUGUST
So now here we are in August, all caught up. We did Taupo Half Marathon last weekend in the most ridiculous weather conditions - about 1 degree and raining/sleeting the entire way. Warm up consisted of Jared and I sitting in the car with the heater on and heated seats on. I still achieved all my goals though and felt I ran as best I could given the conditions. I came in as 3rd girl (despite some rouge results which initially put me in 5th which have since been fixed up luckily) which I was pretty happy with and thankful for a weak field. Now I am sick again (twice in one winter - WTF?!) but on the mend and looking forward to starting running again.
End of next week we are heading off on a South East Asia adventure to Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand and maybe will start to think about riding my bike a bit more when we return from that.
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| Not what you really want to see on the way to a running race |
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| Keeping dry in the spa |
