Right - the first full week of training was successfully achieved - so onwards and upwards (I hope!).

Surprisingly my legs felt pretty good from the Half Marathon last Sunday, and actually did another long run on Thursday (1:45), so was pretty pleased with that.

Today the weather mostly behaved, and we got in a 4 hour ride from Parnell to Clevedon and back. It did try to rain at times, but held off with just being overcast, and not too windy. The forecast was pretty nasty, so we were expecting it to pack it in anytime, but thankfully it didn't.

Swimming is going ok with a 3.5km session achieved during the week. This week though, I start at Parnell pool in my wetsuit. A little scary, but I am hoping that the wetsuit will help me in the deep water and longer pool (both of which I am not comfortable with). But considering I couldn't swim at the beginning of the year, I suppose I have come a long way - just have a long way to go yet!! Baby steps though ...

I am crossing my fingers that my new bike arrives this week. I think it will give me a big boost and I will want to hit the road more ... well here's hoping!

Well, that is about all - nothing of great interest happened this week, other than I am back into my programme fully again ... yay!

I must apologise for the slackening off in my blogs - I just don't know where time goes! So to all my readers - I will try to get back to weekly blurbs on my training escapades.

Today, I lined up with an awful lot of people in Devonport for the Auckland Half Marathon. I had been in the past week or two, considering not doing it, and letting someone else use my entry due to my lack of running training, thanks to the long lingering virus. But, then I decided I will do it, but take it easy, and see how I go.

The past week I have not been able to run continuously for more than 10-15 minutes, before having to do 2-3 minutes of walking - then another 10+ minutes running etc. So expectations were very low - my goal was to just survive.

Well, survive I did. I decided to start jogging slowly, and just keep going until my body decided it could take no more. My heart rate was relaxed as I put no prior pressure on myself - this helped immensely I think.

I kept running along, and along and felt quite good (remarkable I thought). Then the bridge came up, and I took a short stint of walking on the uphill section - but then got back to running and kept going until the end. Noone was more amazed than me that I was able to keep up the running! It has done wonders for my headspace - as this journey is such a mental one.

The time was really slow - 2:17 on my watch - but hey, when I was contemplating walking most of it before the race started, I am very pleased with this. Now I can get back into my running training seriously again! Yay! I'm a happy little bunny again.

The rest of the training regime is going well. I have purchased a second hand wetsuit to use for training, so am looking forward to getting into the Parnell openair 60m salt water pool when it opens (believe it can't be far away). I have never swam in a wetsuit before, so want to get used to it. I plan on getting a new wetsuit in due course - but don't want to have all the worry of a lovely new wetsuit while learning how to get in and out - and not getting my fingernails through it!.

The other exciting thing on the horizon is my new bike. I have ordered it and hopefully arrives early November. It is a 2008 Specialised S-Works Ruby (women's specific). I can't wait for it to arrive and get a really good ride on it. Hopefully I can get used to it in time for the Taupo Cycle Challenge (160km) on 24 November. Stay tuned, as no doubt there will more on this in future blogs (I hope I won't brag too much about my new toy - but it doesn't matter how old you are, a new bike is always exciting!).

Well that is about all from me this week - looking forward to a lovely soak in the bath tonight to rest my weary body before next week's training begins.

I thought that it was going to be the start of getting back into full training, but it seems that I have not shaken off this virus yet.

Swimming has been ok with doing a couple of 2.5km sessions without too much trouble, but the running has been very hard. The body just doesn't have enough energy to pound the pavement much yet.

I was feeling rather down a couple of days ago, as I am eating very well and trying to do everything right, but this virus is having the last say. However, today I logged onto Ironmanlive.com to watch the Ironman World Champs in Kona, Hawaii. The spirits have lifted, and I have regained the enthusiasm to fight this virus and continue the journey. It is certainly inspiration watching Ironman events.

A friend of mine was competing in Kona, so I took great interest following his progress and he had a fantastic day. Bevan McKinnon completed it in 9:50:14 which is a fantastic effort - well done Bevan!

As I mentioned on the last blog, I went along to the running course at the Millenium. It was very scary as the others "looked" like real runners, and they turned out to be as well! We learnt about lactic threshold running intervals which is something I am keen to do more of when I get the running back on track. I wasn't able to participate fully but it was still great to learn and get other peoples experience and ideas onboard. This Monday is on Tempo runs ... it involves 1 hour of running at race pace - oh dear, somehow I don't think I'll be doing all of this one either unfortunately. Very frustrating when I was doing 2 hour runs relatively easily not too many weeks ago.

So here's to trying to get 100% healthy again, and building the training back up.

Well, I must apologise for the lack of anything for the past couple of weeks.

It has been a frustrating time to say the least. The week after being in hospital, I had a great week of training, then it all came to a complete holt for 2 weeks. I seem to have come down with a "virus" (what it is called when the doctors don't know what is wrong!) that sapped every bit of energy from me. I slept an awful lot, and found it difficult getting the energy together to get out of bed and have a shower! You can imagine how frustrating that is, and what it does to your head when you are trying to train for Ironman ....

So, Friday I managed an OK swim - which probably did more for my head space than my swimming. I was pleased that I didn't crash in the afternoon and felt relatively OK. So Saturday decided to join Tony O'Hagan's group training - but did an easy session instead of their time trial cycle and run session. It was nice to get back on the bike, and actually manage 15 mins of very light jogging - something that I just couldn't do a few days earlier.

So this morning, a couple of friends and I went for a very easy jaunt along the waterfront as I knew that I would "bonk" if we headed off for a long ride - and on the way back the rugby was blearing from a bar in Mission Bay .... it made us stop, order coffee and settle in to watch the last 20 minutes of the 1st half. Pleased that it was 13-3 at half time we set off again. About 10 minutes later I got a flat (first one in absolute ages, so can't complain) then as we got to Beaumont Street - we got distracted again, and stopped at HQ for more coffee and breakfast. The bar/cafe was quiet ... it was 13-13!!

So, we sat down, ordered our food and watched the end of the second half. Well, you can imagine what the outcome was. Complete and utter shock with the AB's losing 20-18 - we still can't believe it. I think the omen of England beating Aussie was against us .... Bugger!

Kate, my step daughter was in a bar in Earl's Court, London watching (and texting me) and was gutted as well (major understatement). I think it would have been awful being in London, with the English gloating of their victory, then giving us absolute sh** for losing. Mmmm isn't sport great.

But, well done to the French (I can't believe I wrote that). It all sums up the horror rugby for me lately - last weekend we lost the Shield (yes I am a Cantabrian - NOT an Aucklander).

But - back to training. I am feeling almost normal again, and really really looking forward to getting back on track with my program.

I am attending a running course (Improving Your Triathlon Running Performance") at the Millenium Institute tomorrow night - goes for 6 weeks every Monday night, so looking forward to that, although not sure if they will be able to make me run faster! Gotta try though. May have to take it really easy though tomorrow, but keen to learn tips that I can practice over the coming weeks since I won't be watching much more rugby!!!

Last week was about getting back into the swing of things after my head cold - but swimming and running were challenges as I had to ensure I had a store of tissues with me as I was just so full of thick stuff ... but did feel better afterwards by clearing out the sinuses!

Friday and Saturday were off days, due to a hospital visit on Friday. I won't bore you with the details, but I think all is now ok and we are back on track with training. Being in hospital twice in the last 6 months is more than enough !!

Anyway - the Spring weather has arrived and it is such a wonderful feeling running out there in the warm sunshine and only wearing summer running gear. Sunshine certainly makes it more inviting to head out the door and want to train. Goodbye Winter (I hope).

Well, yet another week down. The last week was a bit of a non event, as Wednesday afternoon (just after my long run) I immediately came down with a raging head cold which saw me very sorry for myself, and a very early night.

I don't usually get colds or flus, so this was rather surprising and annoying. But with my head feeling like a stuffed pumpkin, my throat on fire, and my nose dripping constantly, I reached for all known remedies and saw it out.

So a fairly hard week turned instead, to a week of being sick. I did think of trying to sweat it out, but my energy levels were so low from the bugs I think I would have made myself really sick if I did.

Anyway - things are now on the mend, and today tried a short 40 minute easy run, which was not easy, as my heartrate is 15-20 beats above what it normally is - obviously still trying to fight the bugs in my body. The bugs have headed south to my chest, so breathing is not the greatest yet .... but at least I am recovering.

Sunday afternoon was a bit of a treat. Our sponsor Alpe Gear got us all together for a meet and greet, and a photo session. It was a little strange meeting everyone else, as it feels like we already know each other from the blogs and email correspondence between us. Thank you Steve and Simone for your support and encouragement. Rumour is that our photo will be in the next Endurance magazine .... eeks!

Yet another week down and we are into September. I don't know where the past few months have gone, as it feels like yesterday when I started on this Ironman journey but it has been at least 6 months! It makes me realise that the remaining time is going to fly by without me knowing it so I can't skimp on the training.

The last week was an easy week - YAY!! I am getting to really love my easy weeks which come around every 4 weeks. The next 3 weeks are building up to some pretty heavy mileage for me, so am a little concerned on how the body will cope - but we can only wait and see.

My right hamstring had a little niggle last week causing me to miss a run session, but it was well timed as it was not a key session. I ended up going out for an hours walk to try and get it freed up, which seemed to help enormously.

So, not too much to grumble about (yet) and overall am enjoying the challenge.