Another week down - they do sure fly by. Had a pretty good week overall, so can't complain.

I am so over the Winter weather - the wind and rain in Auckland this Winter has been awful. However, today it is a stunner - clear blue sky and no wind - just wish it would stay around a bit more as it really makes you want to go out and enjoy it.

Well, my body feels a lot better than it did after the Taupo Half Marathon. On the day, my hamstrings were very sore and causing me grief, especially my right one. After the run and several times on the drive back to Auckland, I stretched them to try and relieve some of the pain. When I got home, I ran a lovely hot bath and put in some D'Lux Bath Recovery that my massage therapist put me onto, and it was lovely to have a soak. I then followed this by more stretching.

So, Monday morning I was not prepared for my quads to be on fire and totally cease up! My hamstrings were great (amazingly) but now my quads were very unhappy and painful. It took about 5 minutes to be able to straighten my legs when I tried to get out of bed, so I could walk to the bathroom - just as well I wasn't too desperate to get there.

After doing regular stretching during Monday, I had a massage booked for Tuesday afternoon. My regular massage therapist is away, so tried a new one. And it was just what I needed. My quads were still painful to touch, but nowhere near as delicate as Monday, so it was great to get them massaged - I must say I do like the pain of deep massages.

So, attention this week has been on swimming, and I have had a pretty good week (for me). I feel that I am getting somewhere with this frustrating sport. Longest session to date: 3.3km, so slowly getting the distance up. Then I had a lesson with my swim coach, and she introduced me to paddles.

Tip: put your goggles on before putting your paddles on.

So after a few lengths of total uncoordination as they felt weird and had minds of their own - I started to get the hang of them. I have always had fairly good upper body strength, due to my earlier years I spent in the gym and pilates, so am looking forward to using these to develop my technique and strength.

The long ride on Sunday was aborted again this week, due to the wicked weather that went through Sunday morning. Why is it that Sundays seem to attract a storm in Auckland? So got on the trainer again.

The next 3 weeks are going to be hard. They are building up to a very big week - I feel tired reading the programme. Thanks Tony! Let's hope the body and mind are willing.

Well, yesterday was the Taupo Half Marathon. Unfortunately I had an awful run so trying to forget about it quickly!

It was great to meet Kathy on Friday night (one of the chosen 5) and hear how she is going. I have just read her blog - and like she mentions, it is as if we know each other, due to our blogs and Alpe d'Huez's sponsorship. Well done Kathy on your PB.

After having weeks of really great runs, and being on course to run around 2 hours, about 8 km into the run, my old problem with my right leg emerged, and caused me grief. So from there it was a limp/hobble home as best I could. Never mind ... will just have to work harder and ensure this doesn't happen again.

Thanks to Wendy from Catelli's Motel for cheering for me - and my friends in Auckland for their txts.

Easy week was great, but somehow I had crap training sessions. I hear that that can happen, although I wasn't expecting it. My runs seemed to be a chore, swimming awful, and cycling seemed a struggle - and they were all easy, short sessions! Maybe the body just needed time to regain strength again.

Well, this week has started off OK although nothing too strenguous, as I have the Taupo Half Marathon on Sunday. Have 3 swims, 3 cycles and 2 runs, plus the half marathon - all low intensity, so should have plenty of energy on Sunday. I'm not sure what the weather forecast is, but as a 'soft' Aucklander, it is bound to be very cold - just hope it is not really windy making it even colder. I think I will pack every thermal I own just in case!

I am aiming to do around 2 hours. My previous half marathons were done with extreme back and sciatica pain - but have none of that now, so looking at possibly a minute or 2 better - but aim is to enjoy it and pace myself.

Will let you know how I get on next week. Happy training everyone.

The last week was 'hard' and left me exhausted - so much so that I skipped my Saturday group training as couldn't drag my body out of bed. Sleep seemed very important. Not wanting to have a few disastrous sessions to "do my head in", I opted to stay in bed and get some sleep.

Sunday bunch ride was cancelled due to awful weather - so went for a run instead. For some reason, I just couldn't face a long windtrainer session. I don't usually mind doing time on the windtrainer, as I am used to it - but last weekend I did for some reason. Never mind - had a great run instead!

So got about 95% of last week's schedule completed .... with this week being an easy week - YAY! Easy weeks are becoming an exciting thing to me (now that is getting sad, isn't it?).

Now, I do have to brag about a success I had last week. My long swim was the best yet. I had to do 3km, (the 2nd one to date) and wasn't really looking forward to it. But, I just seemed to get into a rhythm that has been lacking to date, and did it in 15 minutes less than my first 3km attempt. Now it wasn't fast, but for me I was rapt. It took me 1:15, so each km took 25 minutes. After weeks and weeks of doing no better than 30 minutes per km, I couldn't believe it. It was a great boost to my morale, as you know I am a beginner swimmer and am finding it a huge challenge. Trouble is, I have to keep this up now, or I'll get depressed!! You just can't win, can you.

Running still going well, and looking forward to the Taupo Half Marathon. No doubt it will be very cold, so will pack lots of thermals.

The Tour de France coverage is great - very inspiring. They make it look easy climbing up those mountains at great speed - just incredible. I can't believe the average time per stage for the mountain stages ... makes my average speed seem miserable!

A big thanks to The Port of Tauranga for supporting me in the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman in January. So I am now committed to this Half Ironman as my first Half Ironman as an individual, as I have been in teams for the past 2 years. Oh boy .... The Port of Tauranga sponsors Shipping Company teams and it is great to see "OOCL" entering a team (with just a little encouragement from me...). Go Hamish, Peter and ?? Wendy maybe? Just because I have abandoned the post doesn't mean you can slacken off!!!

Righty-O,
Last week was a bit of a disaster due to getting a viral headache from hell which lasted from Friday to Wednesday, so lost a good 5 days and then took it slowly for the next couple of days.

But did manage to get 2 runs, 3 bikes and 1 swim in this week so not totally lost.

This week is a harder week with 3 swims, 5 bikes and 4 runs planned, along with pilates, stretches etc. The amount of hours this week will be approx. 4 hours of swimming, 4 hour long road ride, plus 5 hours on windtrainer, and around 4 hours running.

I feel quite refreshed after the forced rest, so looking forward to getting back to normal.

After the last blog, I went off to do my 3km swim session, and got there (just). I didn't do 1 metre more, as my arms were pretty tired. There is another one scheduled in this week, so hope that one goes better.

Today a few of us (8) started a new bunch ride with girls in mind, but boys are welcome, as long as they don't want to go at race pace, and are prepared to wait for the slower riders ... something that the boys are not well known for! It is good to find a bunch of like minded riders who want to get together and do a long ride on a weekly basis. Thanks Liz for being the leader.

Running seems to be improving ... since my spinal fusion my speed has decreased, and I suffer some nerve damage in my right leg. But the perseverence is paying off with the leg getting much stronger, and I am running probably better than I was in 2003. I have been trying to do plenty of hills and undulating runs, which is really paying off. Some routes which have brought me to walking at various points due to the hills, I am now running up and not stopping at all. Although still slow, this is a great joy to me, as I did not think I would see this amount of improvement in my right leg - it almost feels 'normal' now - which I am so excited about. This is also helping me in my cycling, as it is not tiring anywhere like it used to.

Next event is the Taupo Half Marathon .... hope it isn't too cold this year (5th August).

All these small victories are important to boost up one's spirit and belief in the achieving the goal in mind.

Oh yes, yesterday I did something very brave .... I submitted my entry for the NZ Ironman 2008 which has been accepted. The butterflies were swarming and flying in circles, I can tell you! But it is done, so one more step towards getting to the start line on 1st March.

I still don't really believe that I will be competing - it just seems too surreal. Isn't it something that really fast, fit athletes do? Well yes, I suppose so, but a lot of ordinary, everyday 'athletes' do it too - and SO AM I!

A couple of friends have suggested that I expand in more depth my background and specific challenges that I have to tackle. So here we go with some probably boring story of my journey to this spot.

I was fairly sporty back in my teens and early twenties - then took up being a couch potato which I perfected pretty well. Then in my thirties I moved to Auckland and met Mike (who I married) and he was the opposite of a couch potato. He was the most energetic, lively, on the go person I have ever met.

Well, in 2001, after Mike had completed his first NZ Ironman in 12 hrs 30 mins, we went back to the finish chute at 11pm to cheer in the remaining competitors. When the last person crossed the line, and being in tears with the hugh emotions that Ironman has, I turned to Mike and said the following without thinking of the consequences - "If they can do Ironman, I can do something." Before the last word spurted from my mouth, Mike found energy to jump up in the air and say "Yes, you can do the Taupo Half Marathon in August!" I knew I was doomed and to remember to think carefully before ever making any such statements in the future!!!

So when we got back to Auckland, Mike had me at Shoe Science for running shoes, and wrote me up my running programme to get me to my first Half Marathon. I won't bore you with the details of my training then - but there was a lot of swearing and cursing, complaining about sore bits that had never been sore before, but I did get to the finish line.

So since I had started on the running phase, I soon got a little bored, and blurted out that I might like to take up cycling as well - again Mike didn't waste time for me to change my mind, so off we went to buy my bike.

Things progressed well on both fronts, until early 2004 when I ruptured my disc between L5/S1 - which resulted in me having a spinal fusion in December 2004.

In February 2005, I was advised by my surgeon and physio that swimming would be a good thing to do. So, despite my fear of deep water and not being able to swim found a coach to teach me. I persevered for several months not making much progress - then went back to work and never got back in the pool again. I slowly got back into cycling, then running again instead.

Then, after Mike died in January 2006, and while taking time out in Europe I kept thinking about Ironman and the journey of getting there. For the 7 weeks I was away, it was a daily thought and I just knew that it was something that I wanted to do - if my body would hold up.

So upon getting back to Auckland, I told people of my intentions - which started the commitment - then put the plan into action.

Now I had to tackle the biggest problem of swimming. I only managed to struggle to do 100m freestyle when I gave up swimming in 2005 and here I was planning on doing a 3.8km swim in an Ironman event. Just a bit of a gap I think.

With the encouragement of my coach Tony O'Hagan, and my swim coach Liz Goer they took me on and were confident they could get me to the start line.

So putting my 'fear' of swimming out of my mind, and getting into the pool I am determined to get there.

In January I started on my swimming again and I could only do 1 length of the 25m pool and had to rest for 1-2 minutes before attempting another one. I tried not to "think" too much about the Ironman distance, and instead just focussed on what Liz + Tony had put in my programme for that session. It is easier to visualise and achieve small steps. The end goal is a little daunting at the beginning (and still is!). For the first month, I was lucky to get through 500-700 metres in a session.

Things have progressed, and to date my longest session has been 2.85km but this is due to be overtaken as have a 3km target for this week and next in my longest swim sessions.

Now, you are probably thinking that I have this sussed - but there are a few details that you do not know about. I have a huge fear of deep water. The minute I go into deep water above my head, I panic and can't swim. I am slowly working on this by swimming at the Tepid Baths which only has a short distance in deep water. My next step is to move to Newmarket pool which is a 50m pool, of which 25m of it is DEEP! Stay tuned on that one.

Then of course, I have to venture out into the sea - oh boy - I am trying not to think about that just yet. More fears - deep water, tidal currents, salt water, waves, things in the water ... the list could go on forever. But, once I get there in early Summer, I will be much more confident with my swimming, and a wetsuit will make a huge difference. So the power of positive thinking will get me through (and the help from lots of friends who know of my fears).

Now you know what the challenges of the swimming section of Ironman are for me. If I can do this at the age of 45, then so can you. I am completely outside my comfort zone, trying to overcome life-long fears, but the power of the mind is incredible and if you set your mind to it you can achieve whatever you want. Dream it, visualise it, then act on it.

On that note, I have a swimming session to do shortly - yes my 3km swim.