Things that I have learned:

1.  Heart rate monitors chafe.

2. If you deconstruct your swimming too much it makes it hard to put it all back together again.

3.  Arms chafe.

4.  Huntly has a swimming pool.

5.  Legs chafe.

6.  Just because Huntly says it's swimming pool will be open until 7pm, you shouldn't assume it won't be closed at 5.24pm.

7. Running shoes chafe.

8.  I have pristine teeth.

9.  Sports bras chafe.

10.  Chafe is spelt C...H..A..F..E.  Chaff is something quite different but equally uncomfortable.

Until next time, don't spare the chamois cream!
love

Ironmaiden

Something old,something new, something borrowed, and sparkly blue toenails!

Hi Everyone

I have some bling to tell you about.  Firstly, Kristina shouted me a pedicure which I had done last Friday - now I have sparkly blue toenails which mostly look black unless the sun is shining, and then they look blue and sparkly, but sunshine has been a fairly rare occurrence lately so they look mostly black.

Eykolina has lent me her aerobars, so I am looking forward at getting them on my bike and trying to get used to the tri position.   I am hoping using Eyk's gear will help me channel some of her cycling talent.

I have new cycling shoes and new pedals to go with them!  For now these will be going on the old, which is my same old Giant OCR II bike that I have had and loved since I lived in Otago.  May be I will upgrade, may be I won't, we'll see. Mind you, the old faithful needs to up its game and start going a bit faster,  sometimes I feel like I am doing all the work!




New stuff!

 Not long now until the Taupo Halfmarathon - 21.1 ks of wheezy shuffling along the lakefront for me.  Running or walking for others.  I am looking forward to having a lash and relieved to be running (wheezing) along in semi-normal style now that my ankle is behaving itself again.  I went for my first proper run (wheezy shuffle) in the dark tonight since THAT night in Wellington.  I didn't faceplant, stumble, trip or tumble so I really have to chalk that one up as a win.

Ok, well until next time, don't stare at swimmers who sound like they are gasping their last breath, they might just be wheezers....

love
Ironmaiden

Yup, it's still fun...

Hi Everyone
I reckon I've had a pretty hardcore week!  Well, I am feeling staunch anyway.  Katie and I took on the pouring rain and howling winds on Saturday for a lash on our bikes, which we survived and enjoyed.  Katie had to keep turning round to come back and find me - I was still there...just a tad off the pace!  She is Australian so she is probably genetically engineered anyway.

I followed with a swim which I really enjoyed, my Saturday swims have become a real happy place for me.

On Sunday I joined Aunty Mary to do the Offroad 10km walk - sounds easy?  Not with Aunty - she is very competitive and doesn't let up - my poor little heart was charging!  We made it up the hills though and placed 12 and 13th overall - not bad!  I also found the energy to get out on my bike again, conditions were definitely a bit more friendly on Sunday.

I am not great at proof reading but I am sure this bloggy thing keeps deleting random words when I publish, it is quite interesting to revisit my posts from time to time and see what I really wrote as opposed to what I think I write...no wonder I get strange comments....

Until next time, watch out for cyclists
love
Ironmaiden

It's fun again!

Good news everybody!  Everyone is having new babies all over the place, which is exciting, I can play with them and give them back which is cool.  My good news does not involve babies, but the assurance from my most excellent physio that I do indeed still have a lateral ligament on my left ankle.  It is a little longer than the one on my right foot, but it is there, so if it is there it can heal.  Hard to heal a ligament that goneburgers.

I just did a pretty solid week's training, I am not doing much running, but did plenty of swimming and cycling, and some (yawn) aquajogging which was actually ver uhmmm ah ....   oh, sorry, I actually fell asleep while I was trying to think of something exciting about aquajogging....

I also went for my first group ride yesterday.  It was not as scary as I thought, they were nice to me and didn't growl if I got confused.  At one stage I heard two of the men behind me commenting about how good it was drafting behind me - now this is clearly a direct reference to the size of my posterior asset, but for some reason they were so charmingly honest and unapologetic about it that I actually wasn't offended, but rather found it nice being appreciated for something!  What on earth is the world coming to?

Anyway,  until next time, be safe and be seen and please don't run me over if I fall down in front of you.

love
Ironmaiden