And it goes something like this.......

Dear whomever it may concern,

I registered for Ironman New Zealand 2011 earlier in the year and regrettably find myself having to ask for my entry to be withdrawn due to injury reasons. I suffered a DVT in my leg several weeks ago and unfortunately it has not gone away as yet and is preventing me from being able to train without pain. For this reason I am going to take the coming months to hopefully get over my injury situation and be raring to go after a season out of competition. Could you please advise on the withdrawal and refund policy at your earliest convenience? I hope that another competitor is able to take my entry; I am very disappointed to not be returning after such a fantastic time there this year.


Kind Regards

Faye

p.s. keep on training.....

Like a Brick to Water!

I feel like a swimming newbie. It's only 3 weeks since I've swum and I now seem to have that sinking feeling.

I'm not even going to try to suggest that a brick might float, but if you push it fast enough through water it gets some momentum before plummeting ungraciously to the bottom. My swimming feels very ungracious at the moment, BUT I must admit that despite that, it is nice to be back in the water and getting my body moving again.

Speaking of bricks, I seem to have some brick cement stuck in my leg at the moment. That pesky blood clot has decided that it will stay for the time being thank you very much. 7cm of blood that quite likes my lower leg. I have tried telling it that it would be better off moving on, but it hasn't seemed to work. The world of DVTs is a pretty confusing one I must admit. There is new treatment protocol for below knee clots (like brand new)that says after an initial 7-14 day anti-coagulant treatment period, you just leave it alone. And it might dissolve over the coming 6 or so months, or it might not. In the meantime, go to emergency if you get breathless - does that include when I start Ironman training?! ;-)

The media portrays DVTs as such potentially life threatening things that when you are told by your doctor that 'no that's it, we'll stop treatment here and see what happens'; it's a little perturbing. Indeed even my doctor treated it like an emergency when it was first found, but I guess that's to get treatment straight away and stop it progressing. But if protocol has changed then who am I to say otherwise? So the advise I have from the doctor:
Carry on with rehabilitation of the knee as per the physio's instructions
Go to emergency if you get breathless (Uh, right, OK, one I'll try to remember)
Avoid massage on that calf (what, like forever?!)
Wear compression socks when flying (OK I do that anyway)
Be prepared for swelling and pain when you increase exercise (oh great)

So Ironman NZ 2011 is still on the cards at the moment. Watch this space as I start my programme in 4 1/2 weeks time. I can guarantee I will have freak outs if my calf if hurting. It even hurts still now, it's like having a mild cramp permanently. But that will happen right? And it's normal?? So for the time being, try to ignore dodgily cemented left calf and concentrate on ITB and knee rehab. Bendability of my knee is getting better, weight bearing is getting better and I'm even allowed to do a 10 minute wind train session; it's not quite pain free, but it's good! DVT, what DVT? Oh yeah right that one that permanently hurts and has a remote chance of breaking up and causing a pulmonary embolism.....mmmmmmm. Not that it's on my mind the whole time.

Off to swim like a brick :-). Keep on training girls and boys, I'll join in soon!

F
x

Life in the fast lane...the finer points of walking with crutches!

Little did I know that what was initially day surgery on my ITB would turn into a week and a half off work. For this I feel very guilty. Having only been in my new job for a week and a half, I have now spent just as long on the couch at home!

So surgery came and went as I mentioned last blog, and I was getting ready for a week of getting used to the fine art of walking with crutches. I learnt a couple of things before the crutches were resigned to the corner of the room:

When walking, keep the crutches in time with the bad leg.....open to all kinds of trouble if you ignore this one, including appearing 'drunk in charge of crutches' to the passing public.
However this tactic can work in your favour as it makes you look like your a 'crutch newbie' and can get sympathy votes resulting in forcedly being pushed ahead in supermarket queues as fellow 'queuers' worry that you many actually fall over if left too long in the upright position!

Anyway, back to the story. I spent the weekend after surgery trying to do 'normal' things like go to movies and coffee with friends....all the while my leg was actually hurting a reasonable amount. Calf massages, lots of rest and a personal carer named Dave, still didn't help so come Monday morning I decided to take the day off work and phoned the surgeon to get a medical certificate sent to me. I just 'happened to mention' that I had a sore calf and was that normal after surgery? The rest of the day went as follows:
- Urgent GP appointment
- Urgent ultrasound that found a 7cm DVT.....mmm NOT part of the plan
- Call to the surgeon: immediate referral to the emergency ward
- Couple of hours of emergency centre treatment
- Home with instructions for 10 days of blood thinning injections

And what followed?
An impromptu week off work with my leg up: reading, watching daytime TV (I am now a renovation expert, but still couldn't bring myself to watch 'Days of their Lives'!), planning my garden, craving social interaction, and spending far too much time either on my butt or on my back (I wish it were for other reasons that what it was!) ;-)

So...I am counting this blip as a sub section of those 10 Steps of Ironman....otherwise I start getting perilously close to the 12 steps!

Now that my calf if feeling a lot better and my ITB is the only sore bit, I am still spending a bit too much time sitting on my butt but getting more 'crutch time' practice, and looking forward to being a little more independent. To not having to get everybody else to drive me places, showering without a plastic bag on my leg, being able to sleep in a position other than 'on my back with my leg on a pillow', at least going for the 'coffee' part of a coffee ride, going back to work, having a massage!!!!!! Ok, whilst some of those things will happen this week....some will have to wait (sorry Dave the taxi!), BUT I will now be heading in the right direction to hit my 20 week programme for New Zealand injury free (all body transplant offers seriously considered!!!) :-)

THANK YOU to everybody who has helped me and offered help this week! I am once again humbled.

Fxxxx

The 10 Steps of IM

Well I think I have entered stage 10 of Ironman NZ 2010......who'd have thought it was so complicated.....no one told me how many stages there were supposed to be.

Stage 1 - November 2009. Enter
Stage 2 - November 2009 - March 2010. Panic
Stage 3 - November 2009 - March 2010. Train your butt off with crazy friends
Stage 4 - Blissful taper week
Stage 5 - March 6th 2010. RACE DAY! ELATION! PARTY!
Stage 6 - Recover and..ooops stress fracture & the more troublesome ITB!
Stage 7 - May 2010. I must be crazy. Enter IM NZ 2011....!
Stage 8 - March - August 2010. Months of physio and losing fitness
This week stage 9 - surgery on my ITB!
Stage 10 - August 2010. 6 weeks of rehab



Just in time for......you guessed it....entering the 20 week NZ IM 2011 programme




I never knew there were 10 stages to a race; at least I haven't quite reached the fabled 12 steps. Not just quite yet anyway!

Let me recap the last 5 1/2 months of my life and what I've learnt that has hopefully prepared me better for my next IM NZ challenge in 2011.

- I've learnt that no one is infallible
- That whatever the best laid plan are, they can change - and that's ok (right?!)
- That going to the gym and doing weights is still boring, and always will be
- That I LOVE running and cycling and yes OK.....even swimming!
- I can just watch a race without blowing up, but I'd prefer to be doing it
- I can still participate in coffee rides, minus the riding
- I have a great boyfriend who humors my need to bake as therapy :-)
- I love my friends for the following reasons:

They keep telling me how awesome it is to smash out a 100km bike ride and 1 hour run; They tell me about how much quicker they're getting; They say they're jealous of my time off; They help me carb load by buying me chocolate; They remind me that actually this is my life!

These are a few of my inspiring friends who have a wonderful mix of loyalty, passion, reality and compassion. Love ya!

So what next. Well my limited exercise regime is now ramping up. I am entering stage 10 with a big bandage on my leg and set of crutches, and look forward to the next 8 weeks of doing what the Doctor says so that I am ready to take on any challenge any one of you may like to put down for me!!! And no, it will not progress to stage 11 or 12....I am not ready to be over my addiction!

Off to practice on my crutches.

F
x

Pressure Cooker...

Well I'll be blown, the extent of my incapacitation has reached the big cheeses at Statoil on a north sea oil rig.....“We still have an unstable pressure situation,” Gisle Johanson, a company spokesman, said by phone today".

I also am slightly worried by the wikipedia definition of instability:
'Instability in systems is generally characterized by some of the outputs or internal states growing without bounds.'
Good grief, they are describing what is happening to my mid drift....'growing without bounds' eek! There's also a worrying trend for my brain to suddenly feel like it's going explode...I am wandering if there is a pressure release valve anywhere that can be deployed in case of emergency by those that are my nearest and dearest - you know who you are so make sure you have some idea as to how to achieve the necessary calming effect that comes from releasing the pressure valve!

Let me explain.....21 weeks of no running, 6 weeks of no biking. Let me put it another way 'I NEED TO RUN AND EXPEND ENERGY!!!!!!!!!!'. If only I could bank it for the next Ironman training, if only it worked like that :-). What am I going on about you may think; enjoy the rest, take the time to 'discover' another interest...well I do enjoy other things, cooking, writing, reading, gardening, but let me share what it does for me when I can pull on the runners and escape out the door for an hour:

It's 5am, darkness is still all around, the Brisbane winter air has a bite to it that belies what will be the usual summer heat when only a small bite of freshness to the air is quickly wrapped up by the enveloping heat. I have rolled out of bed, a little sleepy, taking a few minutes to let my body adjust from warm bed to chilly air, for my brain to try to understand that it really is good to get up, that even in the dark there is a beauty of being out and about when everybody else is sleeping. The clothes are pulled on, already prepared the night before so that the grey matter doesn't have too much to contemplate this morning. The runners, so comfortable, so familiar, slip onto my feet. I have a swig of water, tie my hair back, put on a cap and head out the front door.

The legs start to ache as they pound on the pavement, slowly waking up from their slumber. The lungs inhale gulps of cold air burning that burns slightly on its way in. The face is stung by chilly air. The feet and hands are cold. 5 minutes in and the blood is pumping, the mind is alert, the body is starting to respond to the demands I am putting on it. My breathing settles to an easy rhythmn, my legs go onto metronome rhythmn, the hardness of the ground disappears, my mind starts to contemplate the issues of life...that is when I know it is a good run. And that's where the issues of life get sorted, or at least the pressure released. My pressure valve sits somewhere between not wanting to leave a warm bed and the metronomic running pattern 5-10 minutes later. The issues that seemed to be building up dissolve into my sweat. There is a lightness in my mind as I run past dog walkers, watching the sky lighten, hearing the birds wake up. I can get my fix from running alone or with people, it is still an individual thing that people get different things from. I can't imagine every being able to achieve the same feeling from anything else. I'd cope, but the pressure valve would have to develop a slow leak to keep me sane....I think it would take lots of other things put together to even do that.

Running, losing yourself over the course of an hour or so, physically worn but mentally refreshed, the world of Faye seeming easier. Perspective achieved.

Present situation: pressure building, a slow leak not really helping enough.

Lost: one pressure release valve.

Wanted: nearest and dearest please keep looking and let me know when you find an alternative.

Time to go slothing ;-)

F
x

Back on the Bike?

I have had trouble thinking of something to write for the past 4 weeks and 4 days....my blog is about training right, and I haven't really been doing any; or nothing to speak of. And no, I am not counting days...well OK maybe I am. I have lost count of non-running days so this count only takes into account non-riding days. BUT the counter has stopped today!

It was time to 'get back on the horse' so to speak, and test this knee of mine out. Having rested it completely for 4 weeks and 4 days MUST had been of benefit surely!

Well it wasn't the best return to riding I've ever had. Hang on; I haven't yet had a 'return to riding' as I've never had a lay off riding before. My knee / ITB / troublesome leg was, well a little troublesome. Injury, lack of use, just getting used to working again? Well it gets to the situation where I think, 'well what is going to work'? With several months of no running and over 4 weeks of absolutely no riding, no kicking when swimming, no long walks and no stress (on my leg at least!), what comes next?

I guess I just have to suck it and see. No race entries are being penned (OK only that small one I had to do a month or so ago for NZ Ironman 2011)until I am training pain free, and things will go slowly slowly.

So, where to from now? I had a little think, what could I have written about these past 4 weeks and 4 days? My life has always always involved some kind of high intensity sport - mostly running until the body started telling me it was time to diversify. My esteemed friends have had plenty of suggestions of alternative sports to get stuck into....wait for it.....
- Marbles (No point, I lost mine a while back)
- Lawn bowls (mmmmm let me think for a nano second...NO!)
- Crochet (is that really a sport!)
- Darts (too much opportunity for overuse injury..)

Mmmmm, I am not inspired by any of those. But surely neither 'full on training' nor 'being injured' are the only labels that define me as a person? I hope not. Maybe I should start collecting ideas from those who know me, and start thinking myself about what defines me. Trouble is, I like being someone who trains, who pushes themselves to achieve, who can run, cycle and swim (probably in that order of ability!) with friends, who can be competitive in a friendly way, who can feel smashed but content at the end of a 5 hour ride and 1 hour run, who can wander at the start of a race 'why the hell am I doing this', and feel at the end 'wow I am SO glad I did'. Maybe I need to realise that I am still that person, maybe the frustration I feel is part of what makes me who I am, maybe I need to understand that nothing lasts forever and life continually changes, maybe I need to learn to say 'wow I am SO glad that I am' 'that I have the opportunity to do', 'that I know those I do'.

But maybe just maybe I'm just not quite there yet! I'm sure I will have other things to write about, they may not be as exciting, but it all tells a story.....and hopefully the story that gets me back on the bike, back in my runners, and back enjoying a flat white and fruit toast with friends after smashing ourselves silly pursuing the draw of those feel good hormones....maybe that's why we do what we do. If anyone finds something else that fits the bill in the meantime, let me know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Faye
x

Knitting, Crochet.....or maybe sky diving?

16 weeks since Ironman. Three 5 minute runs resulting in a realisation of ITB issues......followed by weeks of no running to fully rest the ITB, stress fracture and body in general....rest, recuperate, and now I'm raring to go :-).

Well actually 'Can't get of the Bike' (which the last 16 weeks have been since I can't run), has become 'Don't get on the Bike'.
I am now on a 'no riding' period. You could be mistaken in thinking that I have taken up some new periodisation training directive that has moved into its next stage.....'Ok you've done the bike (novice crit race, Byron Triathlon bike, few hills, few strength wind train sessions), now we're onto running'. But no it is not. I have been banned by higher authorities.

No, no that's not right. I just got wrong which period of 'periodisation' that I am supposed to be entering. According to my physio I am now to enter the, 'take a month off and rest' period. He obviously has this canny plan of how to maintain the 'fittest I've ever been in my life' moment that I experienced 16 weeks ago. No running for 16 weeks, moving into no riding for another 4. Apparently a cortisone injection that doesn't make the problem better is not a good sign. So that little niggle at the side of my knee that should have gone away weeks ago is making the bigger picture seem more important than sweating the small stuff. And that bigger picture is Ironman New Zealand 2011, March 5th. And the small stuff....all those things that I thought would be on the radar this winter...Glass House Mountains trail runs - gone; Gold Coast Marathon - 2 weeks time, no chance; Tour of Toowoomba community ride - next week, no chance; Foster Long Course - September, unlikely; Gold Coast 1/2 Ironman - October 3rd, ???????

So during the next 4 weeks I shall be mostly.....

Doing sit ups
Doing press ups
Doing static rows
Swimming with a pull buoy (but no further than 2km cause it hurts my shoulder)
Doing butt strengthening exercises (thanks for telling me I need a sprinter's butt Leon!)
Baking cakes (and not eating them) - it is therapy
Going on a detox


So the new training plan is in action...at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon...with a glass of red wine and some cheese. Followed by roast chicken and probably a glass of white wine. I am looking to the benefits of 4 weeks devoid of almost all aerobic activity:

I get to appreciate the fact that I am actually alive
I learn that we are not infallible (although I'm sure I have learnt that one more than once now!)
I learn what hard work is about when I start training again
I don't take my ability and fitness for granted
I get to sleep in (though not too often otherwise getting up again is going to suck big time!)
I get to spend more time with people who I like :-)
I get to drink more wine (oops, forgot about the detox I'd promised!!!)

So with those things to think about, I might sign up for a sky dive....I'm not quite ready for knitting and after all I have to get the adrenaline rush from somewhere. I'm sure that such a tandem sky dive does not involve either running, cycling, or putting my legs under too much stress (take note Leon the physio, I am taking your advice) - cause someone else even deals with the landing! I'm off!

Yours in wine, sleep ins (and a little frustration and wall climbing)

F
x

One step forward.....what comes next?...certainly not what I thought!!!?!

So this week I let a complete stranger put an injection of cortisone in my ITB, right near the outside of my knee. In fact not just 1 but 3 needles...

Well OK he wasn't a complete stranger, I've already let Dr.Andrew Smith inject Traumeel into my calf muscle and that's what helped me get to New Zealand in a 'competable' state; but still...I wasn't really banking on letting him put another needle near to my leg anytime soon!

The first 2 days of my week was spent realising that I was going to have a week of not only not running, but not riding either! I needed to go crazy fitting stuff in right (yeah I know it is supposed to be for the better good!)?! Mmmm well after a Monday morning criterion session I got told off by my physio for pushing things a little too far...yeah OK Leon, I hear ya, but I didn't get to the start line in New Zealand by totally listening to everything you said... ;-)

So with the agreed approach being to finally bite the bullet and see if a cortisone injection would calm down my inflamed ITB, I headed off to do the deed Tuesday morning. Following it up with an afternoon of standing up and massaging probably wasn't the best idea, but I left the surgery pretty positive, being told that I could get back on the bike for an 'easy' ride Saturday if my leg was feeling OK.

Yippeeee!

Well it is now Sunday evening and I haven't been back on the bike. I have had one swim with a pull buoy, lots of aching leg syndrome, a little frustration, and 4..count them..4 migraine headaches! What the?! There is a little stress in my life at the moment, but not to the extent to cause that! I have missed 2 days at work, suffered tunnel vision, pounding eyes and head, nausea, and finally today my body decided to vomit too. So strange has it been that I've even Googled whether there is a correlation with the Cortisone....check this out: Cortisone

So what is the next bit?! I was hoping 'One step forward two back' wasn't a saying that was going to be applying to me right now, but that's what it feels like. I am tentatively heading out to play on the bike tomorrow morning...just for a short easy ride you understand, and dearly dearly hoping that a new day doesn't bring another migraine. The desired effect of the cortisone injection has temporarily been forgotten (albeit a nagging little ache still present in my knee!), but hopefully it'll be the thing to concentrate on again for the new week!

Wish me luck!

f
x

DNF....what the?!

Saturday May 8th. Byron Bay Triathlon. My first DNF race....Mmmmmmm!

It was a strange feeling for me, to plan to start a race knowing that I was going to be a DNF on the listings. Was it worth starting? Should I just walk the run? Should I make my entry a team? So many things to consider, and at the heart of it, a little flat feeling that I was not going to be able to finish a race. But that's OK right? I can just swim and bike and see how I go, and then enjoy watching everyone else. Is this a new era in my racing outlook?! I can do that, be sensible, look at the bigger picture, just treat it as a training session right? Mmmm who am I kidding?!!!
On purpose I didn't even take my runners with me, no chance to put them into transition, no chance to put them on! No chance to be tempted to run.

So my race went something like this:
- Leisurely wake up, register, rack the bike, chill out for a bit.
- Line up ready to start, wetsuit on, wandering what the hell I'm doing as nerves kick in (but I'm not racing right?!).
- Swim: the rip seemed to be all over the place and as everyone agreed afterwards..'was a bit of a nightmare'. My time wasn't quick but then nobody's was and in that respect I was glad to get through it middle of the pack (16 out of 45) and not get dragged wildly off course by the currents :-)
- Out of the swim and I was pretty tired from the effort, such that the run to transition didn't really let me get my heart rate much lower!
- Bike: After settling myself down in the first 5 km I enjoyed the battle that ensued. There were 8 or so girls who made it hard to sit in and ride, it made me push myself to get away from the group and the risk of a drafting penalty! A headwind all the way to Lennox was unrelenting but the corresponding tailwind back to Byron was awesome!! Thanks to the battle of the girls, an effort to get away from them, and my favourite hills to pull further ahead, I came off the bike in 62mins 18secs (4th fastest)...flying dismount, ran into transition and......stopped!

Mmmm, at that point I was feeling really good, pumped, and if my runners had been by my transition rack, I would have pulled them on and pottered out onto the course! Probably a good thing that they were not there!!

But it was such a let down, quite comical really, I went and handed my transponder chip in, found some fellow supporters, and cheered on the runners.....

It was a lesson in doing what I should, but that didn't make it any easier. Didn't stop me from checking my times, seeing where I ranked, tried to work out what time I would have run - where I would have come overall....!

But the reality is that I was a DNF but ultimately it was great to just enjoy the weekend. A long way from Ironman, but it's all important for various reason.. :-)

Time for core training with Drill Sergeant Pip!

Faye
x

Floating in the ether....

ether (ē′t̸hər)
noun
a substance hypothesized by the ancients as filling all space beyond the sphere of the moon, and making up the stars and planets.

It feels like I have been up there for a while. I've tried to ground myself and just get back to normal life...but other things have been happening.

So I finish Ironman, and it was a fantastic experience. Sure I had a few sore bits and had already resigned myself to a few weeks of very light training and enjoying some time out, but then things started to unravel. My first run back to test out the displaced cuboid bone I'd managed to acquire didn't go well....I had to stop after 10 minutes due to my knee reminding me that actually it had been hurting in the last 10km of the marathon. Oh yeah that's right! So now 9 weeks on from completing Ironman NZ, I am back at physio, injured, and not running.
I'd got so excited, planning the Glass House 30km run, the Gold Coast Marathon, Saturday Mount Cootha runs with the girls....and uh, I've had to re-consider my plans for the winter!

I must admit, the whole realisation that once again I was out of running action; combined with the massive change in training schedule after finishing Ironman, the sudden lack of goal etc...flattened the buoyancy of my mind and left me struggling to find a reason, a motivation, a happy place. And in comes the 'ether', where my mind has been residing recently....but I think it's coming back to earth...just maybe.

So I have had a talk with myself, with close friends and come to the realisation that I just have to be me. Things are how they are...I have an opportunity to do some other things...I am going to enter some open water swims, work on my bike, go to yoga, join a gym, do some more social stuff, relax and try not to feel like I'm missing out when friends go for a 2hour run.... People bounce back differently, and this is just how I'm bouncing - or rather crawling back!

But hey, I have 10 months right? I entered IM NZ 2011 yesterday....so there is bigger fish to fry than the odd run now. 10 months to get faster, stronger, get injury free, have a more holistic outlook, and try to enjoy myself til that date 20weeks out arrives again ;-)

Train happy!

fj
x

It all comes down to THIS!

Well, it is now 6 days since race day and boy what a race!!!! You wouldn't believe that 20 weeks of training all boils down to one day...and 6 days on it almost doesn't seem real!

Emma, Craig, Keith, Ness and me thought that a few pre-race drinks would be in order - or actually Keith decided and we joined in! And it was only one, promise; just to help us sleep you understand!






And race morning loomed. We were up at 330am to have breakfast, have tattoos applied, check final nerves and head to transition to get numbered and put food and drink on our bikes. Rookie error number one....I forgot to take my drink bottles and food for my bike! So, back to the apartment and back to transition again. Well at least it gave me less time to hang around!

The pro's race started 15 minutes before the meer mortals, and was heralded by a loud canon firing which sent everyone jumping about 3 feet in the air! Like we weren't jumpy enough already!

And then....we were off!!!!!

The melee of arms in the washing machine....I just put my head down and swam. I managed to find reasonably clear water near to the buoys and stuck with it. On occasion I was kicked in the face...bashed from the side....tickled on my toes...and squeezed like a sandwich between 2 bodies...but all in all the swim was wonderful. So clear I was counting golf balls on the bottom! And I managed to spot the buoys, not doing my usual zig zag swim from side to side. And really before I knew it, I was out and running to T1....my day was underway!

T1...I found myself on my own trying to get my wetsuit off until finally a helper pulled the last leg out and I was into bike mode. Socks, arm warmers, wind vest, shoes, gloves - check..run to bike, run to exit with bike....and we're off!

The 180km bike leg, 2 x out and back course started well. There was little wind and the first 90km flew by. In hindsight I should have pushed harder in this part because entering the 2nd 90km circuit was just like hell...the wind had steadily grown to become gale force and made the second half of the ride an exercise in survival..I even had to change my nutrition plan because there was no way I was sitting up with hands off the bars to refil my drink bottle with drink powder - I would have ended up off the bike in the gutter!

There was one section of the bike with about 10km to go, where the course turned into a downhill tailwind....OMG it was just bliss! In T2 I was happy to hand my bike over and not see it again for another few hours!! My overall race plan was to get onto the run by 8hours which would leave me with a 4 hours marathon to ensure I finished in 12 hours...so far so good. At the start of the run I was 15 minutes ahead of schedule :-)

In the course of the long long day, I presumed I'd need to get off the bike and pee...but no, I had to make myself go in T2 to ensure that I was flushing something through my body in the day!

And before I knew it, I was onto the run! Before race day the run was very much an unknown to me. 7 weeks of actual run training, 4 months of water running, and never having run a marathon...there was a little aprehension!

But the run...well I just started and carried on going. I got into my running rhythmn and maintained a level of 'comfortableness' that I thought I could keep up. I walked through every aid station to make sure I got some drink into me, and ate a gel every 5km. 10.6km out into the massive headwind, 10.6km back into town with a tailwind. You didn't know that a tailwind was good on the run did you...well let me tell you; after 10.6km odd of the uphill headwind we had...anything else was just great!!

It was only with about 10km to go that I realised how well I'd kept my pace. I was aiming for a 5minute km pace but wasn't sure I'd be able to maintain it. It all felt really good. My legs only really started feeling muscularly tired with 6km to go, and by then I knew I could make it. My quads hurt, my right foot had pain on the outside and I didn't want to see anymore gels or electrolyte drink for a very long time! But I was passing people and getting encouragement, and feeling ok, and only now had 5km to go, then 3, then I was at the 40km mark. The reality was hitting me, that I was almost finished...the 20 weeks of training, tiredness, lack of social life, nerves, anticipation...was all coming down to this one moment as I turned the corner and entered the finishing chute. It was still daylight, there were people lining the chute, Ness had seen me turn the corner and shouted out encouragement...my head was buzzing and my legs were ready to stop.



And I crossed the line in 11hours 17minutes with a 3hour 26minute marathon! 7th in my age group, 38th overall woman, fastest age group marathon, 4th fastest woman's marathon time. Yipeeeeeee!

Everybody was so inspiring, Sarah, Emm, Craig, Sophie, Bec, Jacq, Brad, Penny, Suz, Rod, Keith, Mike, Timmy F, Tim O, Gil....they were all out there and had amazing days.

A good day at the office by all :-)

Off to party!

Faye
x

Race Week

Well race day has been and gone.....really, did I miss something?! 20 weeks of training, eating, sleeping, needing to sleep more and missing out on a social life....and D-Day has been and gone! And now the de-brief of race week and all that went with it! So much in so few days - it'll have to be 2 blogs!

Emma, Craig and I flew to Auckland last Tuesday night...excess luggage paid (Emm and Craig packed the kitchen sink!), race week schedule prepared, nerves currently on hold, excitement starting to build. We were soo organised, even went for a swim Tuesday afternoon and a run on Wednesday morning in Auckland, before driving down to Taupo to get amongst the race frenzied athletes and face the reality of 3 days time lining up on that start line to compete in Ironman New Zealand!

Jobs to do:

- Unpack and reassemble bikes: check

Is Craig's bike actually in there?!!!






- Get bikes checked by technical officials so we could ride them, get helmets safety checked so we could use them: check
- Take bikes for a spin up Taupo hill: check
- Get wetsuits dipped so we could swim in the lake: check
- Swim in lake: uh.....not check. The wind was so strong that we decided that maybe this was an afternoon phenomenon and that really it wasn't going to be that windy at 7am race start so really we should put this off until Thursday morning. So sensible!


The rest of the week was blurry in a way, but very real in another. We did swim Thursday morning, but the wind was far worse than the previous afternoon and we bobbed and rolled everywhere among the white caps of Taupo lake! But by Friday morning the lake was pristine, calm, beautiful and a delight to swim in :-).
Registration loomed on Thursday morning and we were all weighed, issued with our race pack and officially 'in the system'. I caught up with Bec, Sophie, Jacque - all facing the reality hit of 'this really is it isn't it?!'

Carb loading, lake swims, trying to sleep well, getting transition bags ready, checking out the course...the time was rapidly galloping towards race day!
Some pics of the final preparations ;-)

I've made it to Taper!!!

Well it is 1 week today until THE RACE.....eek!

Last Sunday saw another milestone in my training - a 30km run, and it was ok :-). How exciting, maybe not running for 4 months and only having started back 'land running' 4 weeks previous just means that I haven't over trained and smashed my legs...fingers crossed! And then.....taper!

It has been strange this week, 2 full days off (no, I wasn't really at Tuesday morning track session...I wasn't really there - honest, it wasn't me!). Then just 'maintenance' sessions to keep the legs and arms ticking over. Although Saturday Emm, Jacque and I did our session together and it really didn't feel too much like taper - 4 hours on the bike with rain, head winds, and a large hole in my new $90 tyre...followed by a 30 minute run. We had the realisation as we were riding around today that we will be doing exactly the same at the same time next week.....why is this a point of note you ask...well cause it will be during the race!!!!! OMG it is almost here!

But it was a momentous session on Saturday, the last long ride / run of the whole IM campaign. I remember our rides 20 weeks ago. It all seemed so far off then, and now it's here. We went from starting in the dark, to the summer weeks of riding at 430am and it was light; and we've gone full circle, we're starting in the dark again. Emm loudly declared this morning; 'This is the last time I am riding in the dark...ever'. Sure Emm, I'll ask you in July when we're having our coffee ride and it is dark, and cold :-). So, a few pictures of our last saturday session:






Sunday saw mass participation in the Clem 7 Tunnel run. 5000 eager runners (somre more eager than others) ran 10.45 km under the Brisbane River and back again before cars get the chance to clog it up with fumes. I was quite looking forward to it, 60minute run was scheduled on my 'taper' schedule and so I planned on just a gentle cruise along. Well, it wasn't that enjoyable - it was stinking hot with no ventilation. Luckily I got through and back again before the aid stations ran out of water, and was pretty pleased with my 12th overall women across the line. Not bad for a Sunday morning stroll :-). If I'd known how hot it was going to be though, I would have thought again....!

And it's Monday again....week 2 of taper, day before flying to NZ, day of packing, day of massage, day of epsom salt bath, day of thinking.....'it's too late if I haven't done enough now'!!!!!! eeeek!

Off to pack!

Faye
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Gumby Week

I think the culminating effects of Ironman training are starting to show across the board.....

Myself - went for a swim on Thursday morning and forgot my towel...drip drying is not ideal and does not compare with the benefits of a large fluffy towel - especially when you know you've got another drip dry later in the day after a water run!!
BUT
I was glad to see that I am not alone in my gumbyness this week, there have been others who are succumbing to the Zzzzzz's that cloud a clear thought process, or actually stop the thought process working its way to conclusion when packing kit for training, or even whilst training:
Bec - forgot to pack her bra in her swimming bag, making work an interesting contemplation of sports top under business clothes.
Kieron - forgot the business socks....the choice; white socks under suit pants, or sockless....both not quite the slick image K ;-)and I'm sorry to say mate that there is no hope because you've got another 6 weeks and we've only got 3 - it can only get worse!!!
Emm - a lapse of concentration prior to actually starting a training ride, fell off in the driveway.
Bronnie - deserves a special mention since she forgot her knickers when going to a swim session and then onto work....Bron, you're not even doing IM, there's no excuse!!

I am very glad that taper starts in another week's time, rest, rest, rest. Or actually am I? Doesn't that mean race day is that much closer.....?!!!!!! 20 days and counting....

So this weekend was the last 'long' long weekend of training. 5 1/2 hrs on the bike plus a 30 minute run, plus 3 hours of back to back massaging....Zzzzzzzz was heard by about 8pm!! And today being Sunday was my long run - yipeeeee. And that's only a 'yipeeeee' cause I can run again, not because it felt good - after yesterday's efforts my legs felt like lead! And this is where I ran:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/au/mermaid%20waters%2c%20qld/228126611704742252

And now? Nana nap followed by a 'recovery' swim - the emphasis on recovery, float, float, thrash the arms about a little bit, and float a bit more :-)))))

Napping time is a wasting!

F
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Milestones and Nerves

This last weekend marked a milestone in my Ironman training, injury journey, and general all round personal development!!

Firstly, I swam 3.8km in a long sleeved wet suit - and almost melted as the outside temperature was about 32degrees!!!
Secondly, I ran for 2hrs - actually the longest I've ever ran, ever, and also having only started running after my calf injury 3 weeks ago, I was pretty pleased with that!

Now, rewind a little bit.

My last blog seems soo long ago - probably because it is. I have been meaning to write for the last 3 weeks, and then my training, eating, sleeping, needing to sleep some more, training again AND trying to have a bit of a social life.....just seems to get in the way!!

Well, as you may have gathered, I decided to continue my IM journey. At the time I'd only run once, for 20 minutes. And now I have done several runs, including my 2hrs yesterday - Yippee!! Or I think yippee, as that now means I am still doing IM and have to do that in less than 4 weeks time....! Agh!

Highlights of the past 3 weeksish? Well last weekend I entered the 'Hell of the West' long course triathlon with gun team member Nat Dellow.


Team 'Fat Jellow' ripped up the girls teams and won with over 8 minutes to spare :-). $150 prize money - thanks very much!





And on the way to 'Gundi' I acquired a supporter for my race in Taupo - thanks Nessie :-)))))) soo excited that I now have someone to shout for me and pick me up at the end!!



And have I introduced you to Triathl3te racers yet? Gerrard, Craig, Jeff, Nigel, Mike, Richard, Rusty, Emma and me! Well the kit is in! On the ride after melting in my wesuit on Saturday, Emma, Craig and myself went for a ride in our matching gear - check it out!!



And check out www.triathl3te.com.au

So what now? Well there are 3 weeks and 5 days to go until I swim ride and run around Taupo. I am having momentary 'freak out' moments wandering why on earth I decided to do this amazing but crazy race. What is it that drives us to train like mad, give up normal life for 4 months, and put ourselves through a day of gruelling exercise? Well I guess that's what makes us who we are in life :-).

Off to do core exercises....!

Faye
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It's a Garfish Week

Well back to reality after such a lovely Christmas break pretending to be a full time triathlete...emphasis on thee 'tri' I think!!!

So this week marks an important milestone in my journey to Ironman. Friday 15th January marks the date when I am either 'all stops out' or 'all stop'. I had a traumeel injection in my calf last Friday in hope that it might settle down the tightness and pain I am still getting. It is now 14 weeks since I've run, and with a little over 7 until my legs are supposed to belt out a marathon on top of everything else....

Last week was a 'recovery' week in the 20 week programme, the last in the race build up. It included an easy 3 hour ride on Sunday. Emm, Soph and I commented on the way round that it actually made us realise how far we'd come in our journey - the ride really was easy compared to the past few weeks. We cruised through over 90km, which at the start of this campaign would have been a 'long' ride!!! Your perpective changes a little when you become entrenched in Ironman training.

So after 'recovery' week (it still included about 16 hours of training) you'd think I'd be feeling fresh as a daisy..mmmmm well if yesterday was anything to go by then I didn't spend enough time recovering. After a really good strength wind train and water run session with Emm yesterday morning, I did some massages and then went to core strength. What I omitted in that was the 2....yes 2 sleeps I had. One quick 20 min on the massage table, and another 30 mins nap in the car before getting stuck into push ups, prone holds, squats, more push ups, arm weights, tricep dips, lunges, more prone holds, 50 varieties of crunches, and more push ups..(thanks Jacqui!!).

This week it is back to a full on training schedule. My friend suggested maybe I needed an easy week based on yesterday's napping marathon, 'but Nessy I had that last week and this is supposed to be a garfish one'. Have you every forgotton to check predictive text before you send it...well yes my 'garfish' week also represents my state of mind I think. Confusion is setting in, is my legs store because the injury is still bad, or because there's scar tissue that has tightened everything up, or a mixture of both? Or am I in that tired all the time mode and not thinking straight about anything anymore?

Well anyway, I decided that this morning I should really give my leg a run out before I made my decision whether I'm in or not. So I did the squad track session and am now sitting on ice for a while...and maybe I'll sneak a little nap in before work..it's all a bit too hardish!!

Faye
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My Life as a Fulltime Triathlete ;-)

Well it is back down to earth this week, after having a full week off work I am now back into the normality of daily routine!

For one week, I have been living up the coast, no work, lots of training, relaxation and just total time out. It made me think about the demographics of triathletes and the commitments and sacrifices each put in to pursuing personal goals.

The week of training, relaxing, eating, sleeping, (OK and a fair bit of drinking!) more training and not having to get up too early because there was no work to come after training - made me feel like I was living the life of a pro-athlete :-). But then I was reminded of the realities - unless you really are top of your game, then there's not much money to be made in racing for a living, and you still have the expense of it all (bar a bit of kit sponsorship) - supplements, good food, massage, physio, living in general - all without a regular income. The plus side is that you life becomes a training, recovery, training cycle; you can sleep when you need to and not worry about the fatigue from training 20+ hrs a week and holding down a full time job; oh, and that you have the best opportunity to fulfil your athletic potential!

Compare it with the life of a wanna be full time triathlete:
Up at anywhere between 4am and 5am for a training session of 1-3 hours, grab breakfast on the go or get to work and have breakfast at the desk. Work for 8hrs, feel like falling asleep mid morning, feel like falling asleep again at about 3pm, go to another training session of 1-2hrs, get home about 8pm, cook, eat, pack bags to repeat the day again tomorrow, sleep....
But, earn money, have great training buddies who also will have a drink now and again; still have to pay for kit, physio, massage, supplements etc....but have money to do it. The negatives; constant fatigue, prone to injury, always striving to reach potential but in reality unless you are some kind of physical freak (Scott, Natalie and Charlie spring to mind!)- you will never quite fulfil your athletic potential.

However, we'll all have a great time trying!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year! Happy racing, Happy socialising! And keep it all in perspective!

Faye
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