LATEST REALITIES & SOME RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME.....

I will be pulling out of the Challenge Wanaka Ironman in Feb next year.  Unfortunately I haven't been anywhere near consistent enough with my training, diet or any form of prep.

I have put in little good training bursts here and there, a highlight being stoked to get my best 5k outdoor run time in years in an event this October been which was part of 'The Southland Festival Of Running'.  I crossed 5k in 26.41 and completed the event which my garmin says was 5.51k in 29.29.

I put in a couple of good months of pull up training, squats, push ups, ab curls, some tricep dips on the power tower, then sort of just stopped when progress was starting to happen.  I even sort of managed to do a couple of half by unassisted chin ups after jumping up for my first one!

Just need to prioritise things better if I am to achieve what I want and live in line with my values.

I do have a good vision for 2016 and beyond, but want to get a head start and get underway with a new training block as of tomorrow.  Details to come..............

RANDOM FACTS:
* Full name is Philippa, I only put that on really formal documents and get called that by older family members/relatives and older friends of my family whom have known me since little.
* My all time favourite colour is bright turquoise blue, although I love my current cherry/lipstick red car!
* I love the heat and a tropical type of climate and am not a fan of cold weather at all, (I know, I am crazy living right at the South of the South Island of NZ where the climate is cool/temperate)!
* I don't really get into any movies at all, - I much prefer documentaries or sport or news or even reality TV if I watch anything!  The same goes with fictional books, I just can't stay interested!
* I like lively upbeat music, but have a very limited sense of artists, names or songs or who sings what!  I listen to the beat/tune/rhythm rather than the words of a song!
* Favourite food is any seafood, fish or shellfish, either raw or steamed, fresh veg, fruit and tasty cheeses.  Favourite dessert other than fruit is icecream, most namely Patagonia Argentinian Caramel but luckily I can't have to too often as the closest store is over 2 hours drive away in Queenstown!  Anything caramel is infact pretty good!
* Love travel and holidays!
* I always feel better about myself if on track with my fitness goals, I need to do better at that at the moment, I like running, cycling, swimming, resistance training, infact basically anything to do with the great outdoors.
* Love trying to take photos and document experiences by my knowledge of technology is pretty basic although I keep trying!
* I always think of all the exciting things I could and would love to study, but never can make a full out decision/commitment.

Will talk more soon. :-)

29 June - 5 July Training Report

MONDAY: 5.75k completed on treadmill at home, 32 minutes, mostly incline 1, but pushed it up to 2 and 3 for last few minutes followed by a 5 min incline powerwalk.

TUESDAY: Gym. 5k run on treadmill there, level one setting where only 2.5 mins are on incline of 2, a bit over 28 mins to puff out!  Then 5 min cooldown, leg press 3 sets of 12-15 at 73kg,  Shoulder press, 3 sets 12 at 23kg, had to take a break after 8 on final set before could complete it.

WEDNESDAY: 1k freestyle time trial at Gore Pool, (40 laps of 25 metres).  26.14 was the time.  Then did 4 back stroke laps, 4 with the pull buoy between legs focussing on stroking, then 4 with the kickboard, focussing on kicking!

THURSDAY: Day off, buggered after work, (quite active some days!)

FRIDAY: Gymmed it again, did same 5k workout run as Tuesday but was able to go a bit faster, - yay, but went as hard as poss again! Managed to bring the (treadmill) 5k level 1 program home in a tad under 27 minutes!  More leg press, shoulders and abs!  Busy gym that evening!

SATURDAY: Outdoor 6.25k run in morning.  A bit buggered.  Had wine night before.  First 5k in just under 30 mins but slowed down for the remaining 1.25k home.

SUNDAY: Day off, had big night at a ball on Saturday night!

OK, not exactly half ironman training at all, but still not a bad effort at all from recent efforts!

On Sunday I visited my sister and young nephew, he is only 2 and has a cold/cough!  My sister made a nice platter of crackers, salmon, cut tomatoes, dips, cheese and young nephew likes to cough on them and make up crackers for me and I participated but felt a bit anxious!  Slightly tickly, dry sort of throat the last 2 days, I luckily haven't succumbed at all till now this year so hopefully this doesn't come to anything much at all!

Really cold here at the moment, infact snow lying about today!  Icy at nights!  Indoor training it is for sure!  No training to report this week but need to train 5 days straight, Wed-Sun unless throat thing comes to something more major!  Loving reading the inspirational training blogs, or listening to great podcasts from super athletes!

'BEGINNER' LEVEL TRAINING IS NOW IN PLACE

To be honest, 'properly' getting started again was a challenge last week.  I felt a bit fitter and more consistent a few months ago so after my performances dropped a bit, it has been hard to gather motivation to get started again.

Winter time, cold weather and short days don't help either!  Anyone who knows me, knows I love tropical type weather ideally, not something that often happens here lol!  We are past the shortest day so things are on the up daylight wise at least!

My job at the moment is relatively active, but also involves getting cold, wet, muddy and sometimes sweaty underneath so that would help a bit with base fitness.

I feel I need to work hard on all disciplines, but cycling ironman style in a group is the one which scares me the most!

When I lived in Perth I had a road bike for many years there and took weekend and occasional recreational rides of anything up to about 108km a time, often solo!  But always on cycle trails or quiet roads!  I always used sneakers or thongs or the like and flat pedals!  I put my foot down and stopped at intersections and if I felt like it or if too many people walking dogs were around!  I liked the sensation of braking, but not putting my feet down till the absolute last necessary second!  I put on little sprints and made sure I put in enough effort for it to feel like a workout! But I loved stopping off for coffees along the way, and also dunks in the beaches in summer!  Infact in Perth on a weekend about 40 degree day one of my all time favourite things was to fill a camel-bak with ice and water, go for a long ride along the beach with a few stops for a swim in the ocean! Coffees, beers, icecreams, juices or smoothies may have featured too! I did a few super short triathlons in Perth.

Enter clipless pedals and cleats for the Wanaka Half Ironman, - and new bike!!!

The new bike thing started when I realised I could ride my boyfriend's new Avanti Montari trail/mountain bike around the 15.6k block 3 mins 20 secs than my absolute best on my road bike.  I then did a sprint on each bike down to the end of the road and back, (1.5k) and was still 20 secs faster on his!  My boyfriend told me it was because of the 29 inch rims, and told me I could do the half ironman on his bike!  I then decided it was time for a new road bike and purchased a sexy Merida Scultura 5000 March this year!  Pictures to come later!  And to get further discounts I added in a turbo trainer, cleats, pedals, bike shoes, spare tube at purchase tiem.  Luckily I managed to shave another 3 minutes off my time with new bike and clipless system, managing the 15.6k block in 32:20 best attempt so far!

I am still not comfortable with feeling clipped in and have to constantly concentrate not to come to a stop without unclipping!  I have come close to stacking it, but haven't yet!  I do keep wondering whether I should persist with the clipless system or go back to sneakers and flats!  At the Busselton Half Ironman WA I noticed some of the competitors had flats and sneakers, (were happy to do their best with that), but at Wanaka, everyone seemed to be clipless!  I have the gear so better keep persisting! :-)

I enjoyed some bike rides more in the warmer months of March and April.  But then got slack.  Thursday I remedied it, about 5 mins of clipping/unclipping/short intervals on turbo, then a 3k ride up and down road practicing clipping and unclipping, then doing a 5k timed best effort run, (28.39) before a 1.2k powerwalk home.

Yesterday morning I decided if it wasn't icy, windy, or raining I was doing 15.6k block on bike no matter what.  Weather co-operated, however it was only 5 degrees!  I hated it, the whole ride, was so uncomfortably cold, need better wind proof gloves and to gain confidence in cold on clipless so will sort that!  But did it untimed.  And followed it up with a 3.4k run with jelly legs.  Was stoked with 10.47 for first 2k, but pace dropped a bit thereafter but I sucked it in and put on a sort of sprint for last 200m home.

So we are underway, lots more to be done obviously, but consistency with 5 days training a week is what I'm after this next week, and to get in at least a swim in.

Till next time :-)

Pip

HELLO AND WELCOME!

Wow!  It's great to be back!  As a few will be aware of, I used to blog regularly a few years ago. 
This is a new blog, the first main purpose this time is to document my progress toward my first ever half ironman, www.challengewanaka.co.nz  on 20 Feb 2016!  Yikes, basically only 8 months away now!  I signed up for it 3 months ago, watched the event this year, plus several other ironman events in WA and thought.....one day!!!!, several times over, feeling extremely inspired on each occasion!

I have dabbled with a few short sort of fun super sprint triathlons, 5 half marathons, many shorter runs and duathlons of various types over the years.  I wouldn't say I have any real sporting talents, but do to push myself and enjoy seeing progress from doing so!  Like lots of people, I've struggled with consistency, you know being 'in the zone', or 'not'!  I do like the challenge of pushing myself physically, and love the feeling of success in doing so!  I also love the great outdoors!

But the half ironman will be the biggest event I've ever attempted!  I've read books, have browsed online training plans and ideas.  I can't afford a coach right now but have some training buddies, and a couple of friends entering it next year as well!  I realise it isn't something I can just 'rock up and do'!  It takes much preparation in balancing appropriate training, diet, fluids, sleep with lifestyle!  My main goal will be for completion, but I've decided to be super stoked if I can crack 7 hours or under so I guess that is the target I'm shooting for!  I stress though, that how I apply myself from now is more important than what happens on the day!  If I apply myself with what I consider satisfactory effort in balance with my lifestyle but have a shocker on the day, I can't be too angry!

This is enough for my first post!  Next up will talk of my perceived strengths and weaknesses and my first up efforts tackling some training
Pip