Cycling in Sydney - Centennial Park

For the cyclist in Sydney there are precious few areas where you can safely ride without feeling as though it's you against the rest of the traffic. There is, however, a gem of a spot perfect for cycling almost in the heart of the city.

Centennial Park is located just a couple of kilometres from the CBD and provides a safe 3.8km circuit for cyclists, runners, rollerbladers, cars and horses.  It achieves this by providing 5 concentric circles around the park - a one way road is marked into two, the outside lane being designated for bikes and rollerbladers, the inner lane for cars.  Inside that is space for parking and then within that is a footpath for walking/running and inside that a track cross country running and then the innermost track for horses.

The route is relatively flat (for Sydney!) with a total climb of 26m around the circuit.

If you head there early in the morning, say before 8.00am, you will be inundated with bunches of cyclists training, more generally the hard core road cyclists and triathletes.  They tend to ride with broken speedos on their bikes, or no speedos at all - there is a 30km/hr speed limit in the park which few of the more serious cyclists seem to adhere to.  Later on in the morning the area will be frequented more by the recreational cyclists and beginners, travelling at a more sedate (and legal!) pace.

Early morning in Centennial Park

A number of triathlon clubs do brick sessions there as it's a perfect spot to do a few laps on the bike followed up by a run.

The only downer is the fact that the course is so short.  It's difficult to imagine doing your 6 hour long flat ride for ironman as laps around Centennial Park - the person who first told me about the ride claimed that he was using it for his flat training in preparation for IM Western Australia.  I personally think I'd be ready to chew my arm off with boredom after about an hour and, in fact, that's about the longest I've managed before getting so bored I had to ride out of the park and go explore some hills in the area!

However for rides of up to an hour it's an ideal spot.

Flat Training Rides in Sydney - Kurnell Loops

Training for an ironman event such as Ironman NZ or Western Australia, which have relatively flat courses, can be a bit of a challenge in Sydney.  The terrain is generally hilly and finding a stretch of road that is relatively safe from traffic and not littered with traffic lights is nigh on impossible.

The answer to this is a circuit out towards Cronulla called Kurnell loops.  If you are reliant on public transport like I am then, no worries, it is easily accessed by train.  Just jump on the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line to Cronulla and get off at Caringbah, two stops before Cronulla.  It takes 50 minutes from Town Hall station.

Go up the lift from the platform (or carry your bike up the stairs) and start riding, heading left away from the station.  Veer left at the first lights and you will start heading down a hill.  At the next lights turn left and you will go under a bridge, through another set of lights and then soon after reach a roundabout at Captain Cook Drive.

Turn right at the roundabout onto Captain Cook Drive and you are at the start of your first lap.  The road takes you out to Kurnell, a suburb of Sydney on the edge of Botany Bay and right under the flight path for Sydney International Airport.  Heaven for a plane buff, but reminds me of the opening scene of The Castle!

At Kurnell you will arrive at another roundabout where you can go right or left and do a small loop around the suburb, ending back at Captain Cook Drive at which point you head back out to the start.

The road is relatively flat, with the exception of a couple of small rises, and about 90% of the route has a decent sized bike lane alongside allowing for decent stretches of time trial riding without having to worry too much about the traffic whizzing by.

The full loop is around 20km and there is generally enough two-wheeled company around for any cars to have to take notice of your presence.  After you complete however many laps you need to do it is a relatively easy ride back up the hill to the railway station.

A Year in Review - A Move to Sydney

Wow, what a year.

It's hard to believe I've dropped the reins for so long, as it's been almost 5 months since I last posted an entry here.  But what a 5 months it's been.

I sit typing this in our apartment in Sydney and, as the year draws to a close, I have the opportunity to reflect on the curve ball that got thrown our way in 2011 and the changes it forced upon us.

The February earthquake in Christchurch proved to be a game changer.  By the time I wrote my last blog in August my job was about to be disestablished but, on the upside, I had secured a new role in Sydney, Australia.  So St Pete and I were on the move - belongings packed, car sold and house rented out.  At the beginning of September we were on a flight to Sydney and the start of a new chapter in our lives.

It was a tough decision to leave our home town.  Friends and family were all there, training routines and training partners established and there was a real sense of not wanting to abandon a city that we loved dearly and which was going through a really tough time in the post-earthquake era.  However bills had to be paid and it was as good a time as any to take advantage of the new opportunities presented.  With no children to uproot from schools and friends and a home that was able to be rented out in our absence, we were in the relatively lucky position of being mobile and able to make the move.

While moving to a new country is challenging enough, maintaining ironman training takes on a whole new dimension when you are in a new city.  For instance getting to grips with a new job, finding somewhere to live and a myriad of other issues to deal with.  What follows is a snapshot of the changes we have been dealing with since the move.

Transport

North Sydney Olympic Pool

We knew we would have no immediate form of transport so had to work out how to be close to training venues (most importantly a swimming pool).  Public transport in Sydney works really well and so we have committed to not buying a car and using the public transport system as our primary source of transport for the first 12 months.

What this means is that sometimes I need to take the bike on the train in order to get to the start of a training ride.  When looking for apartments to rent, proximity to a swimming pool became a priority - so we are now living in Milsons Point, just 450m away from the North Sydney Olympic Swimming Pool, located in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge.

We have a great little apartment that is close to the city, opposite the train station and just one train stop across the harbour bridge to the CBD.

Terrain
As far as terrain goes, Sydney is about as different from Christchurch as you can get.  Think hills, hills and more hills.  And what's my achilles heel? Hills!

In Christchurch I was happiest riding on the flat and had an almost pathological hatred of hills.  My loathing had decreased during the time I had been on the ironman journey, however I still wouldn't voluntarily go for a hill ride and nothing had prepared me for the terrain I am now living in.

While I had to go out of my way to find some hill rides in Christchurch, in Sydney I now have to go out of my way to find a flat ride! To do so now involves a one hour train ride south to Caringbah (two stops before Cronulla) and then a series of 20km loops as required out to Kurnell and back.  Alternatively, a semi-flat ride can be found by riding over the harbour bridge, negotiating my way through the traffic in the CBD and riding up to Centennial Park where I can join the hundreds of other cyclists completing various numbers of 4km laps around the park.  It's a great spot to cycle but more undulating rather than flat.

I've written separate blog posts about Kurnell laps and Centennial Park.

Running is the same.  Our immediate surrounds has virtually no flat terrain whatsoever, apart from a one kilometre stretch around the waterfront from Blues Point to Kirribilli.  Any other destination either requires a climb up to North Sydney and further to Crows Nest, or else a climb over the harbour bridge where we can access a longer flat run around the waterfront from Darling Harbour to the Botanic Gardens.  Our regular running route, then, includes heading over the harbour bridge and then various options around Hyde Park, the Opera House and waterfront areas.

Clubs/Training Partners
Ironman training tends to be a very solitary venture.  The non-drafting aspect of the bike means that last summer I found myself doing the bulk of my long rides solo and getting used to the time trial nature of the ride.  The specific nature of the training program also means that unless there is someone else training for the same event as you, it can be difficult to align training sufficiently to regularly head out with someone else.  The exception to that is St Pete, who does most of my run training with me - thank goodness!

However when you move to a new city the best way to make new friends and find training routes is by joining a club.  I've therefore joined the Balmoral Triathlon Club and, while my training has prevented me from getting involved as much as I'd like, the people I have hooked up with have been a great bunch.

My first contact in the club was Bel (aka the Fonginator!), an absolute dynamo and nutcase who welcomed me onto the girls' early Tuesday morning hill rides.  These rides include multiple hill repeats around Taronga Zoo, Bradley Head and Chowder Bay, all while enjoying the sunrise and each other's company.

Through Bel I made contact with Anne who was getting ready to attempt the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge and who, with Mel and Fleur, took me on an epic 4 hour hill ride around Berowa and up to Mt White.  While it was a relatively short 89km, it involved four monster hills with a total of 950m climbing.



Thanks to Bel I also found what appears to be the only reasonable stretch of flat riding suitable for time trial training.  She put me on to Rhona who lives out by Cronulla and who recommended to me the Kurnell loop course.  The joy of being a Sydneysider means that the hour long train journey required to get there is simply accepted and accommodated.

Swimming
One of the great things about Sydney is the abundance of pools.  With no car, being within walking distance of a pool became a necessity when we were searching for apartments to rent.  Luckily we found a great spot in Milsons Point and are just 450m away from the North Sydney Olympic Pool.  The saltwater pool is an icon in Sydney, opening in 1936 and retaining most of its original art deco features.  It's most glorious feature, though, is the experience of swimming outdoors in the shadow of the harbour bridge - it really enhances the swimming experience.

Best spot in the world

More difficult, however, is open water swimming.  While Sydney is built around a harbour and has a multitude of beaches, I haven't managed to convince myself to get out into the ocean yet...  And the reason for that is the ever-present thought of sharks.  While being fully aware that they're not actually interested in humans, I have no desire to be mistaken for a large fish and having my leg or other bodily part accidentally munched on!  Most of Sydney's swimming beaches have shark nets around them, however most locals will readily tell you how the nets aren't in any way foolproof.

Apparently the best way to avoid the sharks is to avoid swimming early morning or at dusk, as this is when they are most active and this is apparently why Balmoral tri club schedules its open water swims mid afternoon.  However that thought does nothing to appease me and so I have been content to remain within the confines of the pool for the time being.

Training
So with all this upheaval in our lives, how has my training been going?

Good question.

Coach Dave asked me that question a few weeks ago and after a few seconds of careful consideration I really couldn't tell him.  I say that as, until a couple of weeks ago, I had nothing to benchmark against from last year, as I've gone from flat training to sessions dominated by hills.

Sessions have been harder (because of the hills) and it seems to be a real challenge getting enough sleep for recovery.  Because we are walking much more than we did in Christchurch, we are generally being more active, the heat and humidity of Sydney's climate has also taken a bit of getting used to and of course there's been the psychological tiredness that comes from the stress of moving and getting settled into a new job.

Despite the adversity, the hill work does seem to be improving my strength and my running speed has picked up - I have gone from tortoise to old lazy labrador.  My 4 hour flat ride last weekend gave me the first benchmark and I do seem to be riding faster.  However because I hadn't done a long flat ride for several months it was pretty tough!  So it's all a balancing act and as I stare down the barrel of Taupo (in 66 days time!), the next few weeks will be crucial.

In April I set myself the goal of shaving 2 hours off my inaugural ironman time.  It was an ambitious goal but one that Coach Dave and I thought was achievable.  In the meantime life has thrown us a curveball which could have easily thrown that goal completely off the rails.  Given the year we've had, then, who knows if that goal is achievable.  I'm still going to give it my all in Taupo and do everything I can to hit the 13 hour mark.  Getting across the finish line, however, will still be an achievement I will be equally pleased with.

Enjoying a Hill Ride

Sunday morning, as regular as a church outing, we are out riding.  Coach Dave decided it was that time of the year when we should be getting back into the hills, but post-earthquake our options have become quite limited.  Half of the Summit Rd above Christchurch is closed due to rockfalls.  Evans Pass, the road between Lyttelton and Sumner is also closed, and is apparently so munted it possibly won't reopen.

So we took the only other real option: up Hackthorne and Dyers Pass Roads to the Sign of the Kiwi, turn right onto the part of the Summit Road that is open, head all the way along until we hit Gebbies Pass, turn right and head down Gebbies, right onto the main Akaroa-Christchurch highway and back home via the compulsory coffee stop at Tai Tapu.

It was a gorgeous day, not too cold, no wind and beautiful views across to the snow-capped southern alps as we headed along the Summit Road.

It was also a day when I had the opportunity to reflect yet again on the progress I've made in the last 12 months.  This time last year I would have been freaking out about biking up Hackthorne, especially in a group.  However today I chugged my way up, led the way down and when we stopped at Tai Tapu for coffee made Coach Dave do a double-take with my comment:

"I really enjoyed that".

Who would have thought...

Doing a Duathlon - Just for Fun

Came across my debrief notes for Coach Dave after the JD Duathlon in June.  Even though it's a couple of months old I thought I'd post it here as it provides a really good reminder about how sometimes we need to get outside our comfort zone and do something different.  No matter what the experience, there's always something to learn and gain from.  So, this is my email to the coach:

Yesterday was pretty awesome - exceeded my expectations :)

I guess my main goal was to not come last (because that was my biggest fear) ... which I achieved, so that was all good!  I remembered what you said about staying within myself and did that, but tried pushing my pace as well.  The aim was to stay strong and steady.  I intentionally started out at the back and it was a good mental boost to be able to chug my way past a couple of women.  And then at the end of the run I found myself caught up to the last male and so gave it a burst to get past him as well and that also felt good (nope, not competitive at all!).

Looked at my time at that 1km mark on the run and it was 5:45 so that was good.  Didn't have my Nike band on so don't know what my pace was for the rest of it, but it felt much the same.

The bike was a blast.  I went hard and passed pretty much everyone that came into my sights.  Got passed by some of the blokes and 3 of the girls but that was about it.  Had an average cadence of 90, av speed of 32.2km/hr, max speed of 37.0km/hr and max cadence of 102; wasn't wearing heart rate monitor.  Pete took a quick video of me going down the main straight on one lap  ... woohoo!

One of the best things about the bike leg is that I nailed the art of taking out my drink bottle and drinking while pedalling AND staying on the aero bars.    Haven't managed to do that before, so was really happy. Because I was riding so aggressively I took a swig from the drink bottle a couple of times on each lap - really wanted to make sure I could maintain my pace and not die from lack of energy.

I got back into the second run and my hard ride was telling on the legs but I knew I only had to do 2.4km so pushed it again and tried to maintain a reasonable pace (for me).

I did feel strong to the end but also completely stuffed by the time I crossed the finish line.  And while I was a bit tired last night I've recovered well again and had no aches or pains today.  We did an intense wind trainer session at Andi's this morning (Time Trial Power session on DVD) and my legs did remind me that they had raced yesterday so I flagged a little bit midway, but overall I've felt pretty good.  After our bike this morning I also did an easy 30min aquajog session with Pete - a bit of active recovery.

So, despite my scepticism and complaining, I'm glad you convinced me to do it.  And I can see I should be doing several more of them ... for training purposes :) A race definitely keeps the pressure on, that isn't there in a training session, and that's got to be good for me - right?

Plenty to Reflect On

OK, so my blogging has been horribly sparse over the last couple of months.  I have no real excuse except for the fact that life gets in the way sometimes and other priorities take over.  It's not been from lack of enthusiasm, or from lack of training and, in fact, there have been at least four draft blogs that I started writing but which are now so out of date that it seems pointless publishing them.

As I said, though, training hasn't stopped and, if anything, it's been an interesting time for reflecting on the progress I've made in the last 12 months.  What a difference a year makes, so to speak.

So, some edited highlights -

Wellington Half Marathon:
St Pete and I went up to Wellington and I had high hopes of nudging a PB out of it.  Coach Dave, however, suggested a not so lofty goal which as usual was entirely sensible given it would be the first race of the season, or race in the off-season, and first race trying out the new running style.  So rather than a PB he suggested I focus instead on a good technique run.  So I did that, but still secretly really wanted to nudge my PB (yep, just a touch of stubbornness there!).

On the day the weather had other ideas.  It howled with wind and threw in a bucketload of rain as only Wellington can.  I did, however, put in a solid performance which included flashes of brilliance when I wasn't leaning into the gale force northerlies.  Eight kilometre splits (of 21) were at sub 6 minute pace, compared to last year when I only managed one kilometre split at sub 6 minute pace.  My overall placings (overall, age group, gender) were on average 12% improved on last year, so I came away very satisfied.

JD Duathlon:
Coach Dave suggested I do this event "for fun".  I was less enthusiastic.  A 2.6km run, 15.5km bike, 2.6km run is way too short (and fast) to be my idea of fun but, hey, who am I to argue with the coach?  So St Pete put up with my grumbling on the morning of the event and I did my best not to embarrass myself at the back of the field.  In the end the positives far outweighed the negatives - I maintained good form on the run (check out that photo!) and had a blast on the bike.  Being held on a motor racing track meant there was no traffic to contend with and a fantastic smooth surface so it was head down, aero position, going for it....hehe.

Swimming:
The last couple of months have been good for reflecting on my swim.  It's amazing how the mindset can change as soon as you've knocked off a 3.8km ironman swim.  That leg holds absolutely no fear for me now and I am totally in tune with the idea of finding another 15 minutes off my swim time next year.  I've found rhythm and power in my stroke and have gotten used to the feeling of exerting more power from my shoulders and arms while swimming.  Coach Dave suddenly hasn't got much to tell me when we have our group sessions and I'm enjoying the workouts much more. 

Biking:
My strongest and favourite discipline hasn't changed much.  I'm still happiest on the bike and noticing an improvement in my climbing.  A ride out to Sefton a couple of months ago had me shouting for joy as I crested a hill in the middle of pack.  It wasn't a big hill but last year I didn't have a hope of keeping up with the group as we climbed.  More recently we headed out to Kaituna Valley where the turnaround point is at the head of a reasonably steady climb.  And while I was not trying to be at all competitive, it was a very happy irongirl who made it to the end of the road (and top of the climb) in second to last place in the group (rather than last place!!!).  It's the small things that delight...

Running:
After a couple of hard months getting used to my new running style my perseverance is starting to pay off and I am feeling less and less like a penguin and more like a runner.  Others have noticed my improved form - more bouncy, less ploddy (!) and my speed has definitely picked up.  I am now managing to maintain around a 6.00 minute pace on my 10-14km runs whereas last year I was about half a minute slower per kilometre.  That half marathon PB is in my sights!

Weight:
Always a bone of contention, last year I resisted the idea of consciously trying to drop any weight before ironman.  It's been such a lifelong battle for me and I felt that my real focus had to be getting to the finish line no matter what my weight was.  Fuelling my body adequately in order to properly prepare it was more important than shaving off a couple of kilos.  In the end I lost about 5kg leading up to Taupo, which I certainly didn't complain about.  This time around, with a 2 hour improvement to focus on, I found myself mentally prepared to make a slight adjustment to my diet and see how much I could drop over the winter months before training ramps up again.

So St Pete and I downloaded an app onto our iPads called Tap and Track.  It's a comprehensive calorie counter which records all the food you eat and the exercise you do.  You program in initial data and what sort of weight goal you have, ie goal weight and how much you want to lose a week.  From that it gives you a daily calorie allowance and therefore provides you with the tools you need to make sensible decisions about what you eat.  Diets don't work and so I am not on a diet.  I've simply made a slight modification to my routine with the aim of dropping no more than half a kilo a week.  With the app I can, and do, still have my favourite chocolate.  I can still have McDonalds for lunch.  The only difference is I now know when I've done enough exercise to be able to enjoy those treats without feeling guilty or wondering if it's blowing my calorie intake for the day.   So my McDonalds Angus Burger, fries and hot apple pie is truly savoured guilt-free after a minimum 3 hour bike ride (for example).

So far it's working really well - I've lost 5kg since ironman and I don't feel like I've been on a diet, so there's no sense of undue restriction.  It's just a way of life, just like training is now a way of life.

Post Earthquake Swimming

One of the big challenges with the earthquake is that your routine is completely thrown out the window. For several weeks after the 22 February earthquake all of Christchurch's swimming pools were closed and the damage to the city's sewerage system meant that the only safe open water swimming option was the lake at Pegasus.

Cycling has also been a little complicated with cordons, damaged roads and more concentrated traffic on those streets that are in working order.

The timing of the earthquake in relation to ironman couldn't have been much better. The lack of facilities during March and April wasn't really missed as I was on a programme of rest and recovery. Structured training was off the menu and it was a case of doing some fun stuff and making the most of the down time.

This lack of activity can last only so long, though, before you move past the rest and recovery phase and into the fat and lazy stage. Add to that the need to get back into a normal routine in order to aid the emotional recovery of the earthquake and you can imagine that reopening of Jellie Park was very welcome.

When I say "reopening" I guess I should clarify that as a partial reopening. You see Christchurch has one other 50m pool and that is at QEII Stadium, venue of the 1974 Commonwealth Games. Problem is, as mayor Bob Parker would say, it's munted. So that means that Jellie Park is the city's only 50m pool, and it's an outdoor one. And usually it would close for winter by Easter each year.

However we are now heading towards the end of June and Christchurch is still chronically short of swim space - and it's a problem that's likely to be around for a while.  The city council operates four indoor swimming complexes: QEII, Centennial, Jellie Park and Pioneer.  Of these QEII is closed indefinitely and Centennial is also closed pending a structural assessment.  Jellie Park and Pioneer are operating and doing their best to accomodate the demand from the closed facilities.  In addition we have two private pools, Wharenui and Aquagym.  Wharenui has just reopened and Aquagym is hoping to reopen in August.

Jellie Park has therefore been keeping the outdoor pool open and this has been well supported by swimmers, which has been great.  Every time I go in it seems the closing date has been extended further and the current expectation is that it will close mid July.  After that we will be limited to the 2 x 25m pools at Jellie, 1 x 25m pool at Pioneer and 1 x 25m pool at Wharenui.

Fun times!

Learning How to Run Again - from Boxer to Penguin

A couple of weeks before ironman Coach Dave saw me run for the first time.  It wasn't a pretty sight.  Well, it probably wasn't such a bad sight, but like all aspects of ironman, there's always room for improvement.  And in my case, a lot of room.

"Did you know", he said, "you run with really tight shoulders?"

Look how high those hands are!

"Yep", I replied.  "I run like a boxer."  High shoulders, arms tight and swinging in front of me, my hands actually rub against my front as I run.  It's been my strange way of trying to conserve energy for those long runs and I've done it that way for my entire running career.  I'd been aware that I should probably try to relax my arms and drop them down a bit but somehow I had never been able to manage it and, truth be told, the incentive was never there to do anything about it.  I had managed before, have 11 half marathons and 2 marathons behind me and so why change?

Things are now different, though.  Now I want to run better so I can achieve this goal of taking 45 minutes off my marathon time in 2012.

So it was off to the park with Coach Dave and St Pete for some running drills, video analysis, and a complete rejig of my running style. 

The focus is now on keeping my elbows bent at 90 degrees and perpendicular to my body so they swing parallel to my legs rather than swinging across my body. My hands, instead of brushing my chest, need to be brushing my hips.  To start running I hold my elbows behind me, rise onto the balls of my feet and fall forward, starting a process of bouncing on the balls of my feet rather than a step initiated by a heel strike.  The stride length is shorter but the running cadence is faster and you lift your knees more.

The first time I tried it, we ran about 50m across the park and Coach Dave asked me how it felt.  My first reaction was that it was like I was running with a plum in my mouth.  I felt very stiff, and prim and proper!  However Dave was like a kid at Christmas, he was so excited.  He took an "after" video and played it to me, talking about how my chest was much more open (allowing me to breathe easier) and my overall technique looked much more relaxed.

Tell me, how can something that feels so stiff look so relaxed?!!

However I am persevering, and have been at it for a couple of weeks.  And it's been hard.  Really hard.

The level of concentration required is huge.  And concentrating so hard on your technique is exhausting.  The first time out I'd be stopping and restarting every kilometre or so just to reset my positioning and get back into the right mindset.  I found that my left arm was more stubborn than my right arm in trying to swing in front of my body.  And I figured out that it was wanting to do that because it was overcompensating for my left leg which wasn't doing as much work as the right leg.  So changing my arm swing exposed the natural dominance of my right over the left. 

Things are slowly improving though.  Overall I have graduated from running with a plum in my mouth to running like a penguin.With this new technique I am running slightly faster and on Saturday I did my longest "new-style" run at 10km.

 Old habits die hard, but I've got plenty of time to knock this one on the head.

The Holiday is Over

Image by pierre pouliquin via Flickr

So I've had about 7 weeks off serious training and have spent that time being pretty much a complete sloth.  There's been the odd swim session, an occasional run, an infrequent bike ride and a couple of aquajogging sessions.  When I look at my log it averages around 2 hours per week of exercise - basically nothing!

I did confirm a very important characteristic about myself, though.  If the coach doesn't prescribe it, it doesn't get done.  It seems that I need to have an actual program, with tasks I can schedule in my diary and tick off.  If it's not important enough to schedule then it obviously doesn't matter if it doesn't get done - well that seems to be how my brain works...

Coach Dave had been really relaxed about my training over this recovery period, but he probably wasn't anticipating I'd be quite as relaxed as I was!  However I did suggest that it was time he gave me an actual programme to follow again, as I did recognise that I was starting to go slightly stir-crazy - and he has.

I've also had about 7 weeks without stepping on the scales, so the start of training also meant the dreaded weigh-in.  Thankfully it wasn't as dire as I had expected.  A couple of kilos have found their way back to me but I'm confident they won't be around for too long, and I expect with my more aggressive training schedule this year there will be a few more kilos being kicked into touch, which can't be a bad thing if I'm going to succeed in slicing 2 hours off my 2011 debut IM time.

Another signal to indicate the "start" of the season is the reappearance of the wind trainer in the lounge.  The road bike is back upstairs (in its own bedroom!), only venturing out now for Sunday group rides (on fine days) and the wind trainer is set up in front of the TV ready for week night and wet Sunday sessions.

310 days to Ironman New Zealand 2012 - here I come!

Avoiding Complacency

One of the biggest dangers about repeating an event, I've found, is complacency.  The first time you do something you train really hard for it.  You have a goal to achieve (to finish) and you want to make sure you're well prepared.  That was certainly true for ironman.  Everything I did the previous year leading up to it was all about getting me to the finish line and the fear of failure provided part of that motivation.  Training was rarely missed and Dave's programmes were followed almost to the letter.

This time around, though, I don't have that fear of the unknown to deal with and train for.  I know I can do it.  I've done it before.  And that's where complacency sets in and before you know it you're going slower at your next event, not faster.

So to get around that, to avoid complacency, I've set new goals with Coach Dave.  And while Dave believes they are realistic goals, they're ambitious enough that they should keep the pressure on and keep the big C out of the picture.

My goal for 2012 then?  To take 2 hours off my 2011 time.
Yep, that's right ... 2 hours.

And the plan is to achieve it by doing the following:

Swim - 15 minutes
- stronger pull action
- increase stroke rate (faster swim stroke)

Bike - 1 hour
- more hill work
- continue focusing on high cadence
- St Pete buys me new time trial bike (!)

Run - 45 minutes
- increase fuel intake on the bike to avoid bonking on the run (Based on what I recall taking in on the bike Dave thinks I simply bonked on the run - because I hadn't eaten enough during the bike leg)
- focus more on maintaining pace rather than timed workouts 


It's going to require more aggressive training but I'm up for it.  Should be an interesting year!

Paying it Forward

Today was a very satisfying day.

No, I didn't bike 100km.  I didn't swim 4km.  I didn't run a half marathon. 

I did bike about 20km ... which took about an hour.  And I did run about 2.5km ... which took about 20 minutes.

So it was a slack day training-wise, but it didn't matter.  And it didn't matter because I was asked to help out at the Christchurch running of the Contact TriWoman Series, out at Pegasus.  What a fantastic opportunity, and Pete and I were delighted to be involved.

The series holds a special place in my heart.  Back in 2003 it was called the Special K Womens' Triathlon and comprised a 300m swim, 10km bike and 3km run or walk, held out at Sumner Beach in Christchurch.  It was the first triathlon I tried and it started me out on my running career and, more importantly, my journey to ironman.  The event was designed to give women an opportunity to try triathlon and to encourage participation in being active and having fun at the same time.  It was hugely encouraging and tailored specifically for the first timers, no matter their age, size or ability.

I had entered as a way of getting into running.  Over the previous few years I had got on top of my weight, losing 30kg through a combination of Weight Watchers and power walking.  However I recognised that power walking wasn't going to cut the mustard for much longer.  I needed a new challenge so I started looking at running and the Special K event.

It seemed pretty achievable - I had a mountain bike and loved cycling.  I could probably fluff my way through a 300m swim.  The challenge for me would be the run.  And so I entered and my goal for the event was to simply get through the run leg without walking.  That was all I wanted to achieve.  It therefore gave me a reason to start running and I did the event and had a ball.  And didn't walk the run leg!

Since then I've gone on to do more Special K Tri's, plus the Contours Triathlon series and then half marathons, long bike events, marathons, half ironman and finally ironman this year.  My turning point, then, in terms of embracing exercise as part of my lifestyle can be pinpointed to the Special K Triathlon. 

So, back to today, and it was great to be able to go out to Pegasus and support the ladies taking on the challenge of a swim/bike/run (or run/bike/run).  Pete got involved with guiding people around the transition area and then helping with the marshalling at the start and finish of the bike leg.  Meanwhile I did duty on the bike, leading the ladies out on the duathlon and then following the last person back into transition before heading out as tail end charlie on the bike course.  Once everyone had finished their bike leg Pete and I then did an impromptu jog around the run course making sure everyone was safely across the finish line.

The weather played ball and provided a perfect day and I hope all the ladies had a great experience and are inspired to achieve all that they want to.

The Opening of a New Chapter

Those you who follow this blog will have noticed a couple changes to the template design. The obvious and the not so obvious.

I've made the change to signify the start of a new chapter in my ironman journey. So I have

• a new picture in the header - taken from Ironman NZ 2011; 
• a new introduction sentence - that moves past the original 2011 goal;
• a new colour scheme - that goes with the new picture; 
• a new countdown has started - for Ironman NZ 2012; and 
• a new training log.

One thing that hasn't changed is my name.  It was suggested that I should move on from Irongirl101 and become Irongirl201. However I've elected to keep Irongirl101 as the 101 designation was chosen to reflect first year (i.e. beginner) university courses. And so even though I have completed an ironman, and I am an ironman, I realise that there is still a lot to learn.

I understood that idea even more when I spoke to a woman in the changing rooms at DeBrett's Thermal Hot Pools, the day after Ironman.  She had just completed the event for the 5th time and when I commented that she must enjoy it she responded "You get better at the little things".  After 5 years she was still learning, still refining.

And I want to learn more. And to do that I've entered Ironman New Zealand 2012.  The day entries opened I was sitting online, waiting, like purchasing tickets to a Pink concert.  Entries didn't fill up quite as quickly as tickets to a Pink concert, but within 2 days all 1500 spots had been taken.

And I was one of them.

The countdown timer has been reset for the next date, 3 March 2012. Woohoo!

Related articles

• IMNZ The Race - Chilled to the Bone (lynndenberg.wordpress.com)
• Ironjack - IMNZ 2011 Race Reports 
• Nick's Ironman Journey - 2011 IMNZ

Ironman New Zealand 2011 - My Results

A very simple blog entry - a summary of my results for 2011:

Toni HODGE 2011 Results Race Rank 1152 Race No 1038 Age Group Female 45-49 Age Group Rank 31 Sex Rank 229 Country New Zealand Swim Swim Time 01:37:08 Swim Rank 1201 Age Group Rank 37 Averages Average Swim Time 01:10:04 Average Age Group Swim Time 01:18:42 Average Female Swim Time 01:13:57 Speed Km/hr 2.3 100m Average 0:02:33 750m Average 0:19:08 1500m Average 0:38:17 Swim-Bike Tran Swim-Bike Tran Time 0:10:49 Swim-Bike Tran Rank 1018 Averages Average Swim-Bike Tran Time 00:07:56 Average Age Group Swim-Bike Tran Time 00:09:10 Average Female Swim-Bike Tran Time 00:08:34 Bike Bike Time 6:47:22 Bike Rank 1005 Age Group Rank 19 Averages Average Bike Time 06:07:26 Average Age Group Bike Time 06:46:37 Average Female Bike Time 06:37:49 Speed Km/hr 26.5 45km Time - 27.8Km/hr 1:37:43 90km Time - 28.7Km/hr (+ 3%) 3:08:38 135km Time - 26.0Km/hr (- 9%) 5:11:13 180km Time - 26.5Km/hr (+ 2%) 6:47:22 Bike-Run Tran Bike-Run Tran 0:08:33 Bike-Run Tran Rank 1061 Averages Average Bike-Run Tran Time 00:05:03 Average Age Group Bike-Run Tran Time 00:05:58 Average Female Bike-Run Tran Time 00:05:40 Run Run 6:25:05 Run Rank 1191 Age Group Rank 36 Averages Average Run Time 04:35:44 Average Age Group Run Time 05:14:33 Average Female Run Time 04:53:45 Speed Km/hr 6.54 Minutes/Km 9.09 12km Time - 8.57Km/hr 1:24:47 32km Time - 6.95Km/hr (-19%) 4:36:40 42km Time - 6.54Km/hr (- 6%) 6:25:05 Total Time : 15:08:54 Averages Average Total Time 12:08:19 Average Age Group Total Time 13:41:26 Average Female Total Time 13:02:31 Total Time Where You Finished Overall A T H L E T E S 7 31 93 118 128 155 144 122 93 71 70 56 43 You 48 27 28 17 T I M E 8 to 8.5 Hrs 8.5 to 9 Hrs 9 to 9.5 Hrs 9.5 to 10 Hrs 10 to 10.5 Hrs 10.5 to 11 Hrs 11 to 11.5 Hrs 11.5 to 12 Hrs 12 to 12.5 Hrs 12.5 to 13 Hrs 13 to 13.5 Hrs 13.5 to 14 Hrs 14 to 14.5 Hrs 14.5 to 15 Hrs 15 to 15.5 Hrs 15.5 to 16 Hrs 16 to 16.5 Hrs 16.5 to 17 Hrs Where You Finished In Your Age Group A T H L E T E S 1 2 4 3 7 1 4 4 2 You 5 3 1 2 T I M E 8 to 8.5 Hrs 8.5 to 9 Hrs 9 to 9.5 Hrs 9.5 to 10 Hrs 10 to 10.5 Hrs 10.5 to 11 Hrs 11 to 11.5 Hrs 11.5 to 12 Hrs 12 to 12.5 Hrs 12.5 to 13 Hrs 13 to 13.5 Hrs 13.5 to 14 Hrs 14 to 14.5 Hrs 14.5 to 15 Hrs 15 to 15.5 Hrs 15.5 to 16 Hrs 16 to 16.5 Hrs 16.5 to 17 Hrs Where You Finished In The Females A T H L E T E S 1 8 13 10 35 22 21 35 25 20 19 13 You 18 12 11 10 T I M E 8 to 8.5 Hrs 8.5 to 9 Hrs 9 to 9.5 Hrs 9.5 to 10 Hrs 10 to 10.5 Hrs 10.5 to 11 Hrs 11 to 11.5 Hrs 11.5 to 12 Hrs 12 to 12.5 Hrs 12.5 to 13 Hrs 13 to 13.5 Hrs 13.5 to 14 Hrs 14 to 14.5 Hrs 14.5 to 15 Hrs 15 to 15.5 Hrs 15.5 to 16 Hrs 16 to 16.5 Hrs 16.5 to 17 Hrs Swim Where You Finished Overall A T H L E T E S 17 82 140 203 240 202 127 90 56 29 You 29 14 11 5 1 1 1 1 T I M E 40 to 45 45 to 50 50 to 55 55 to 1.0 1.0 to 1.05 1.05 to 1.10 1.10 to 1.15 1.15 to 1.20 1.20 to 1.25 1.25 to 1.30 1.30 to 1.35 1.35 to 1.40 1.40 to 1.45 1.45 to 1.50 1.50 to 1.55 1.55 to 2.0 2.0 to 2.05 2.05 to 2.10 2.10 to 2.15 2.15 to 2.20 Where You Finished In Your Age Group A T H L E T E S 1 2 8 5 5 7 5 2 You 2 1 1 T I M E 40 to 45 45 to 50 50 to 55 55 to 1.0 1.0 to 1.05 1.05 to 1.10 1.10 to 1.15 1.15 to 1.20 1.20 to 1.25 1.25 to 1.30 1.30 to 1.35 1.35 to 1.40 1.40 to 1.45 1.45 to 1.50 1.50 to 1.55 1.55 to 2.0 2.0 to 2.05 2.05 to 2.10 2.10 to 2.15 2.15 to 2.20 Where You Finished In The Females A T H L E T E S 1 11 16 31 47 53 29 32 24 12 You 9 2 3 2 1 T I M E 40 to 45 45 to 50 50 to 55 55 to 1.0 1.0 to 1.05 1.05 to 1.10 1.10 to 1.15 1.15 to 1.20 1.20 to 1.25 1.25 to 1.30 1.30 to 1.35 1.35 to 1.40 1.40 to 1.45 1.45 to 1.50 1.50 to 1.55 1.55 to 2.0 2.0 to 2.05 2.05 to 2.10 2.10 to 2.15 2.15 to 2.20 Bike Where You Finished Overall A T H L E T E S 2 22 99 164 184 151 142 121 104 You 82 62 45 22 21 16 7 4 T I M E 4.0 to 4.15 Hrs 4.15 to 4.30 Hrs 4.30 to 4.45 Hrs 4.45 to 5.0 Hrs 5.0 to 5.15 Hrs 5.15 to 5.30 Hrs 5.30 to 5.45 Hrs 5.45 to 6.0 Hrs 6.0 to 6.15 Hrs 6.15 to 6.30 Hrs 6.30 to 6.45 Hrs 6.45 to 7.0 Hrs 7.0 to 7.15 Hrs 7.15 to 7.30 Hrs 7.30 to 7.45 Hrs 7.45 to 8.0 Hrs 8.0 to 8.15 Hrs 8.15 to 8.30 Hrs 8.30 to 8.45 Hrs 8.45 to 9.0 Hrs Where You Finished In Your Age Group A T H L E T E S 4 1 4 4 4 You 5 8 4 2 1 1 T I M E 4.0 to 4.15 Hrs 4.15 to 4.30 Hrs 4.30 to 4.45 Hrs 4.45 to 5.0 Hrs 5.0 to 5.15 Hrs 5.15 to 5.30 Hrs 5.30 to 5.45 Hrs 5.45 to 6.0 Hrs 6.0 to 6.15 Hrs 6.15 to 6.30 Hrs 6.30 to 6.45 Hrs 6.45 to 7.0 Hrs 7.0 to 7.15 Hrs 7.15 to 7.30 Hrs 7.30 to 7.45 Hrs 7.45 to 8.0 Hrs 8.0 to 8.15 Hrs 8.15 to 8.30 Hrs 8.30 to 8.45 Hrs 8.45 to 9.0 Hrs Where You Finished In The Females A T H L E T E S 2 13 25 20 32 36 33 You 26 30 17 12 8 9 5 4 T I M E 4.0 to 4.15 Hrs 4.15 to 4.30 Hrs 4.30 to 4.45 Hrs 4.45 to 5.0 Hrs 5.0 to 5.15 Hrs 5.15 to 5.30 Hrs 5.30 to 5.45 Hrs 5.45 to 6.0 Hrs 6.0 to 6.15 Hrs 6.15 to 6.30 Hrs 6.30 to 6.45 Hrs 6.45 to 7.0 Hrs 7.0 to 7.15 Hrs 7.15 to 7.30 Hrs 7.30 to 7.45 Hrs 7.45 to 8.0 Hrs 8.0 to 8.15 Hrs 8.15 to 8.30 Hrs 8.30 to 8.45 Hrs 8.45 to 9.0 Hrs Run Where You Finished Overall A T H L E T E S 4 31 64 137 155 133 134 120 99 82 72 50 45 You 124 T I M E 2.30 to 2.45 Hrs 2.45 to 3.0 Hrs 3.0 to 3.15 Hrs 3.15 to 3.30 Hrs 3.30 to 3.45 Hrs 3.45 to 4.0 Hrs 4.0 to 4.15 Hrs 4.15 to 4.30 Hrs 4.30 to 4.45 Hrs 4.45 to 5.0 Hrs 5.0 to 5.15 Hrs 5.15 to 5.30 Hrs 5.30 to 5.45 Hrs 5.45 to 6.0 Hrs 6.0 to 8.30 Hrs Where You Finished In Your Age Group A T H L E T E S 1 2 5 5 3 6 4 3 You 9 T I M E 2.30 to 2.45 Hrs 2.45 to 3.0 Hrs 3.0 to 3.15 Hrs 3.15 to 3.30 Hrs 3.30 to 3.45 Hrs 3.45 to 4.0 Hrs 4.0 to 4.15 Hrs 4.15 to 4.30 Hrs 4.30 to 4.45 Hrs 4.45 to 5.0 Hrs 5.0 to 5.15 Hrs 5.15 to 5.30 Hrs 5.30 to 5.45 Hrs 5.45 to 6.0 Hrs 6.0 to 8.30 Hrs Where You Finished In The Females A T H L E T E S 2 10 11 25 26 23 37 21 26 21 12 15 You 43 T I M E 2.30 to 2.45 Hrs 2.45 to 3.0 Hrs 3.0 to 3.15 Hrs 3.15 to 3.30 Hrs 3.30 to 3.45 Hrs 3.45 to 4.0 Hrs 4.0 to 4.15 Hrs 4.15 to 4.30 Hrs 4.30 to 4.45 Hrs 4.45 to 5.0 Hrs 5.0 to 5.15 Hrs 5.15 to 5.30 Hrs 5.30 to 5.45 Hrs 5.45 to 6.0 Hrs 6.0 to 8.30 Hrs