I did it! Triwoman *ticks off the bucket list*

Well I'm on my come down after an epic day. Way back in October I registered for the Point Chevalier II 2011 Triwoman. I just figured I'd iron out the details of learning to swim, ride and run later...I left the older two in the capable hands of Grandma and hubby took the day off work to come support me. Even while we were excitedly driving down to Auckland (2 hours), at the back of my mind I had the what ifs about it somehow not happening.

I woke up feeling a bit worse for wear. The baby had had a crappy sleep not used to rooming in with us. I lost count how often he woke last night. Hubby ended up sleeping away on the couch. My stomach was a bit crook, and I generally felt bloated, tired and "heavy". We headed to Starbucks for a caffeine pick me up and headed across Auckland arriving nice and early. We found a found a nice close carpark, unloaded and headed for the "Transition" area. Hubby advised having a spot close to the cycle exit. I eyed a spot. It was next to a 40something lady. She had two large boxes lined up which looked like a large space to be taking up. I mounted my bike and she goes "Not too close". The realization hit me then...we are in a race and some of these ladies mean business. I sheepishly dumped my little bare minimum bag and left her guarding her spot!

We anxiously waited until the race safety briefing. Jeremy Corbett was the race MC, he made funny jokes as we participated in the warm up exercises. Then we walked down the walk way to the beach. I was in wave "B" one of the first groups to start. I was relieved to find when they meant "waist deep water" it really was. I was able to stand and catch my breath if I needed to.
Into the bike leg I found my self being passed by lots of people. In the safety briefing they had warned that the road was not closed and it was extra busy at a soccer ground we had to pass around. The parked cars, the busy road and passing cyclist made it all a bit crazy for me. Being new to road biking anyway I decided the aim and goal for the ride was to take my time and stay on top of my bike.
I made it into the second transition mounted my bike and headed off for the run. Doh! I needed to pee. So I spent the entire 3ks thinking about how full my bladder felt every time I ran and how I shouldn't have had a large Mochacinno for breakfast! I ran/walked as fast as I could all the way to the finish line. Jeremy Corbett called my name as I ran through the big pink finish line. I looked for my support team..My hubby and my brother and sister in law, as I came through the finish. It was so awesome having familiar faces amongst the many strangers. I was given my towel and participant medal. Then I headed straight for the loo!
Overall I think it went well.My only goals were to do it in under an hour and not be last. I was not prepared for so many people! But...I will definitely do it again. I have to. I need to beat my time (Addicted much!). I'm looking forward to next season, but I might check out the events a little closer to home. Who's with me?! Trust me, if this cake- eating- couch- potato can, anyone can :)

The results are in already...
229 Jackie Boucher Swim time- 7:34 Bike time- 25:49 Run time- 25:23 Overall time- 58:46 Placing 189/231.

Almost the big day...

I can't believe its nearly here...I've been looking forward to doing this event for the last 5 and half months. I paid my registration fee way back October 2010...and decided to figure out the logistics out along the way. I had a 5month old breast feeding baby, no bike, could barely swim one length let alone 15, couldn't run, had a big fear of riding on the road and of the deep end in the pool.
Over the last 5 months, I have changed. My attitude has changed. My fears have been conquered. My body shape has changed a little...not a whole lot...me and my body fat are still on that journey... but I'll get there!

I was starting to secretly pray for a massive storm to hit, so that the event would be canceled and I would have a nice excuse not to do it. But the weather forecast is for brilliant sunshine, and I'm happy that it is.
So this Saturday...even though I don't feel quite ready, I'm going to do my darnedest to finish this flippin thing that has been hanging on the my mind the last 5 1/2 months and just get it done!
Baby Zak-zak has picked a strange week to stop breast feeding. So I'm hoping my boobs are going to be empty enough for the run.
Thanks so much for the encouragement and the support...it means so much. When Ive felt like quitting (or praying for a storm!) hubby has gently reminded me that I will be letting my bloggy friends down as well as myself, so thanks for being there!
Hubby is going to be my official photographer so I hope to have a post race blog post.
And....Im super excited about hitting the "Big Smoke". I think a bit of post race shopping or eating might be in order.
So if you anywhere near Pt Chevalier at 10am Saturday 9th..Ill be the one in Pink riding or running past ya.

xx

The Iron NUN

Yes I know what you are thinking...another triathlon biography. And you are right...this would be my third triathlon book Ive read. I guess its just where I'm at the moment...needing inspiration to train for the Triwoman event which insidently is this Saturday.

But this amazing lady is a flippin legend! Even though I'm a Christian, the only thing I know about Catholicism is what Ive seen on Father Ted ( not a great example!). So I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Sister Madonna.

She was born in to quite a nice middle class family, with opportunities to marry and having attended university, she sacrificed it all to be "married to the Lord", dedicating her life to her faith and service to others. It wasn't until she was in her forties that she put on a second hand pair of tennis shoes and enjoyed her first run. A decade of marrathons later she was up for a new challenge and she attempted her first triathlon...in her 50's. She then went on the try her first Ironman (3.8k swim, 180k ride, 42k run) in her sixties making records as the oldest competitor let alone a female one. Others in her Catholic circles wondered weather this was nun behavior...donning the swim suits and tights in all and she writes this...

Often she completed races in pain, after many broken bones from bike accidents and other injuries. She would be asked by event organisers to bless the events and pray with other people before events etc. But the major thing I took away after reading this book was that age is no barrier. Yes, now that she is getting older it takes her longer to complete a race, but she still wants to remain active as long as she can. This really inspires me. In my line of work as a nurse I work with a lot of elderly folk, and I only get to see the sick ones. So reading about someone who is still competing at 80 is just amazing. When I'm struggling my 3k run (ridiculous in comparison!) I think if Sister Madonna can...I can!
Heres a video

If you are keen for an inspiring read give this one ago.
I'm into biographies at the moment. Do you recommend any that I should read?

My first book review.

A book review. I know! Me doing a book review! You may or may not know, reading books is not one of my favourite pass times. I'm more of a news paper, magazine, how to, blog, internet material, text book kinda reader. Escaping into a land far away in the form of a novel is just not me at the moment. I like reality. I want to read about; how did something work for them or how did they get over that challenge. That's probably why I enjoy reading peoples blogs. The last two books I have read have been biographies and I wanted to tell you about the latter one. "Going the Distance" by Tracey Richardson.


I remember hearing about her story on TV a few years ago so I knew who she was when Hubster brought us the book from the library. She is a NZ woman whose eldest two children have Cystic Fibrosis, an incurable chronic disease, which takes their little lives usually before the age of thirty. The story is about how she goes from depressed mother of four and overweight to two time iron woman in two years! An Ironman is the longest endurance sport in the world, a 3.8KM swim, a 180km bike ride and a marathon run (42.2km). Even elite athletes find it hard to finish this grueling event. All the while raising awareness and funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

This book is a no holds barred story about how she got to the Hawaii Ironman. At times her honesty astounds me. She certainly doesn't hold back what she thought of her ex-husband...I wonder if he was offended? She gives her account of what it was like spending a brief time in a Psychiatric facility, an experience she was very ashamed of. I also learned so much about CF and what that means to the kids who have it and their families who live with it too.

Does this story inspire me to do an ironman? Heck no! I better finish my triwoman event first! But it did inspire me to think no matter what the circumstances of your life, you can push yourself to the limits by as she puts it " one rung at a time on the ladder to success". A super inspiring story that is sure to encourage you to do all that you can with the life that you have.

...Pales in comparison

I'm sure most of you NZ bloggers out there are feeling a lot like me. You know, where the stuff we write about seems to pale in comparison to what is happening in Christchurch. Trivial almost. Life has been turned upside down, completely unbelievable. Things like this don't happen in little old NZ.
I thought it was so cool how one of the UK search and rescue team stated that he had been to several crisis around the world including the Haiti Earthquake, and thought that the crisis management team in Christchurch were the best he has ever seen in his work. So big ups to the Mayor Parker and the civil defense for the calm, cool collected leadership.
The way our little country knows how to generously give to those in need in their hour of need is truly amazing. Seriously, is there anywhere else in the world as generous and as giving as New Zealanders?

Like you I have been glued to my TV all week. But today we got out and did something a bit normal. Well not really normal for us. Hubby Lesmond J went out and did his first sprint triathlon for a Whangarei tri club event. He started training about the same time as I announced I would like to do my Triwoman. But Mr competitive has completely blitzed me in the training front and today his hard work payed off as he came first in his group. He was so stoked! We cheered him on from the side lines.

High five for Dadda as he gets out of his swim first!

Watching him do this has however completely freaked me out. I'm pretty sure I am going to be dead by the end of mine...unless I up my training this month. I have been practicing my swim a bit more. When I first started I could barely do two lengths, and had a small fear of the deep end. A friend of mine has been coming down to the pools with me and swimming laps which makes me work a bit harder. She is also very good at keeping count. We go to a cold pool at 7pm. BBRRRHHH alright.

So that's a little bit of trivial stuff that's going on in our life at the mo.

Operation Triathalon...progress report.

It's been a while since my last post about Operation Triathlon. See here for the background story.

Big new is... I bought a new bike for Christmas. Skeptical hubby rather reluctantly let me buy one after I assured him repeatedly..."I will totally use it more than once!". I have been getting out on the ROAD (!) at least once a week. I'm slowly building my fitness and distance. And of course getting more confident riding on the city roads.

She's so pretty! A real girly bike. All I need now is a pink helmet!

For the running leg I found this really fun free pod cast from here. A fellow blogging friend had steered me into the direction of a "couch to 5K" programme which works by interval training, walking 90 seconds..running 60 seconds etc. I thought to myself, who's going to be looking at their watch every few seconds. Then I came across the MP3 version of it. It has music playing then has a little hooter that alerts you its time to walk..or jog. Very cool! Great way to start running.

The swim leg training however has been sadly lacking over the last few weeks. The (free) swimming pool I want to train at has been closed, so I'll have to bite the bullet and go the other one.

On a another positive note...Hubby started doing training too and is a little inspired to try a sprint triathlon at some stage too. So its a bit tricky trying to fit it all in...work...three kids...other parts of life...but I'm positive we will get there in the end!

How are you "getting fit and healthy" for the new year?

Operation Triathlon: the bike leg

The last time I owned a bike was 20 years ago and I looked like this...

I was rockin my BMX panther!

This week we dusted off hubby's old bike and took it in for a service and new wheel. I tried it out this morning and it was a far cry from the fun riding a bike used to feel like! The bike is a men's bike, and way to tall for my very short legs...and man was my butt sore after a ride around the block! I think I need a new bike for Christmas!

On a positive note 6:30am was a really nice time of day to ride. I have a real fear about riding on the city roads. Hubby has been hit by a car whilst riding a bike and I have caused a rider injury by accidentally opening the door without looking and having the poor rider plow into it. Not Good! So I think my fears are a little justified, so going for a ride when there is very little traffic and no parked cars is a good idea I think! It's also a great time to get out for a jog..when no one is watching. I'm really surprising myself (and hubby), I am NOT a morning person, but there has been something really invigorating about getting up a little earlier and getting some fresh air. I give Bubba (5months) a breastfeed and then head out. The weather has been fine and its fairly warm so it has been a bit easier.

I also picked up this book from the library. Did you know Hamish Carter is the youngest of five and completely bombed (26th) at the 2000 Olympics even though he was favourite to win. There's no way I want to be an elite athlete but its kinda cool to be inspired by other peoples failures and successes!


Hope your day is going smashing xx

Operation Triathlon: T (Time) minus 5 months 3 weeks....EEK!

So what do you do if you have no idea how to do a triathlon? You head down to the local library and you find a book along the lines of "The complete idiots guide to... triathlons!" Who knew there was such a book!


Training progress- Well not much to report here. I have been to my work gym a couple of times. Walk/Ran around the block a couple of times...but are yet to hit the water. Hopefully tomorrow. I would like to make myself a daily schedule because I'm an all or nothing kinda gal...lately its been the nothing the kind ;) Onwards and upwards. I think I can, I think I can. Maybe these books I found will shed some light on a good training programme. I'll keep you posted!
Back story here >

I've gone and done it now....

What have I done!!!
As mentioned here I said I was keen to do a Triwoman Triathlon...sometime. I've been contemplating it for a couple of years, and while I was reading the latest Next magazine (At my favourite cafe, drinking a mocha and eating cake!) I decided it was time. I was hoping to do the one in Bream Bay...the one closest to where I live, but they are not running it there this season. My first thoughts were "ah well there goes that idea...never mind...more cake?" But I read on. The next closest location is in Pt Chevalier, Auckland. This is two hours away from where I live. After a week of "umming and ahhing" I've decided...I'M GONNA DO IT! So who's with me???

This is such a huge undertaking for me: I'm so unfit, its not funny. I can barely swim to save myself. I'm still breast feeding so I'll have to figure out how to work that in there. I don't have a bike. And trying to fit in around family and soon-to-be paid work, its going to be tricky. But plenty of other women have had the same stresses and done it anyway? So can I? huh?

Ive already paid for the registration ($62- ouch!) to keep me motivated. And this will also keep my lovely frugal ("but you've paid the money...get out there and train!") husband on my back to also keep me motivated.

So its 6 months away. April 9th 2011. 2 days before my 30th birthday...A great motivation in itself!

Six months to learn to swim 300 meters, cycle 12kms and run 5km....piece of cake really? AAAAHHHH!!!!

WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!!See here for more info http://www.tri.co.nz/