Well, I am. And Belgium is not hugely conducive to training. The beer, the chocolate, the frites...not to mention the kamakaze cyclists trying to kill me, the swans and themselves, and the nastiest street cobbles yet (I really should wear sturdier shoes, my feet are so sore!).
But rest easy, Icelandic Volcanoes permitting, I will be making my home on the weekend, hanging out to get home and back into proper training.
Until then,
love
Ironmaiden
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Strasbourg, Switzerland and knees...
Hello!
Sorry, it has been a wee while, but I've been exploring the world in which I live. And enjoying the spring sunshine but lets not go on and on about that. Too much more. But it is just so nice...
Anyway, I did my 10k race in Strasbourg - I say race, I mean wheezy shuffle, successfully. I was not (quite) last, and I enjoyed the experience. Lots of French people lined the street calling out encouraging things in French that I couldn't understand (I suppose some of them may have been saying "You look like your are going to collapse, you should stop!", but I couldn't tell the difference). It was very amusing to hear the very excitable French commentator call my name as I galloped (shuffled) towards the finish line. Strasbourg is a very beautiful city and well worth visiting.
I have to say recovery for my old bones was fairly slow, I've just spent the last three days in Switzerland with Juliane who looked after me magnificently. Training took a back seat while I soaked up Swiss ( and French) sunshine, cheese and chocolate. I promise I still got lots of incidental exercise as I wandered the streets of cosmopolitan Geneva and its more picturesque medieval neighbours.
I went for a run this morning though, and feel terrific for it.
Enough for now! I'll post a photo when I figure out how.
A bientot
Bisous
Fer Mademoiselle
Sorry, it has been a wee while, but I've been exploring the world in which I live. And enjoying the spring sunshine but lets not go on and on about that. Too much more. But it is just so nice...
Anyway, I did my 10k race in Strasbourg - I say race, I mean wheezy shuffle, successfully. I was not (quite) last, and I enjoyed the experience. Lots of French people lined the street calling out encouraging things in French that I couldn't understand (I suppose some of them may have been saying "You look like your are going to collapse, you should stop!", but I couldn't tell the difference). It was very amusing to hear the very excitable French commentator call my name as I galloped (shuffled) towards the finish line. Strasbourg is a very beautiful city and well worth visiting.
I have to say recovery for my old bones was fairly slow, I've just spent the last three days in Switzerland with Juliane who looked after me magnificently. Training took a back seat while I soaked up Swiss ( and French) sunshine, cheese and chocolate. I promise I still got lots of incidental exercise as I wandered the streets of cosmopolitan Geneva and its more picturesque medieval neighbours.
I went for a run this morning though, and feel terrific for it.
Enough for now! I'll post a photo when I figure out how.
A bientot
Bisous
Fer Mademoiselle
Thursday, May 12, 2011
La Piscine Olympique
Bon jour à tous
France is treating me very well indeed - perhaps a little too well? Either gravity exerts a stronger force here or I have been a little too eager in my patronage of the local fromagerie et boulangerie.
My hosts, Sarah and Matt, have landed themselves in a fabulous part of the country, and turned on some superb spring weather for me (including a dramatic thunderstorm early this morning that I diligently slept through).
My coach has emailed me to "remind me" of my goals for March, so cheese, pastries and bread cannot completely dominate my attention. I've been for a couple of runs, no easy task on ruggedly cobbled streets (dodging the traffic that insists on coming from the wrong direction), and this morning I ventured to the other side of town for a swim in Dijon's very new, very impressive olympic swimming pool. I was so impressed I left them my watch to remember me by. Opps. Don't worry, I have a spare. My arms had the jetlag so it as like trying to swim with two pieces of over cooked spaghetti dangling off my shoulders, but the beauty of an olympic pool is that you do seem to clock up the ks quite easily.
So there you are - my training perhaps isn't as focussed as it was, but it does continue.
Sarah and I are off to Strasbourg in the morning, we have a 10km race there, then she has convinced, me we should enter another here in Dijon the following weekend. So it will be good to have a couple of events under my belt.
A bientot,
bisousFer madamoiselle
France is treating me very well indeed - perhaps a little too well? Either gravity exerts a stronger force here or I have been a little too eager in my patronage of the local fromagerie et boulangerie.
My hosts, Sarah and Matt, have landed themselves in a fabulous part of the country, and turned on some superb spring weather for me (including a dramatic thunderstorm early this morning that I diligently slept through).
My coach has emailed me to "remind me" of my goals for March, so cheese, pastries and bread cannot completely dominate my attention. I've been for a couple of runs, no easy task on ruggedly cobbled streets (dodging the traffic that insists on coming from the wrong direction), and this morning I ventured to the other side of town for a swim in Dijon's very new, very impressive olympic swimming pool. I was so impressed I left them my watch to remember me by. Opps. Don't worry, I have a spare. My arms had the jetlag so it as like trying to swim with two pieces of over cooked spaghetti dangling off my shoulders, but the beauty of an olympic pool is that you do seem to clock up the ks quite easily.
So there you are - my training perhaps isn't as focussed as it was, but it does continue.
Sarah and I are off to Strasbourg in the morning, we have a 10km race there, then she has convinced, me we should enter another here in Dijon the following weekend. So it will be good to have a couple of events under my belt.
A bientot,
bisousFer madamoiselle
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Au revoir!
My last blog from these fair shores for a few weeks! But don't worry, I'll be back!
I'm off to visit friends in the Old World for a little holiday. The weather forecast is looking good and to be honest I am excited about a little bit of time off.
My training is continuing, I am resting my sore calf muscle but it is feeling really good now, so I am looking forward to doing some running again.
My first event of the Ironmaiden Campaign will be a 10k "foot race" in Strasbourg, France. Or somewhere near there. I just really hope the course is easy to follow, I am not so good at understanding directions in French!
I'll let you know how I get on, there might even be photos! Hopefully I will also be able to find a swimming pool to train in from time to time as well.
Stay cool till after school!
love
Ironmaiden
I'm off to visit friends in the Old World for a little holiday. The weather forecast is looking good and to be honest I am excited about a little bit of time off.
My training is continuing, I am resting my sore calf muscle but it is feeling really good now, so I am looking forward to doing some running again.
My first event of the Ironmaiden Campaign will be a 10k "foot race" in Strasbourg, France. Or somewhere near there. I just really hope the course is easy to follow, I am not so good at understanding directions in French!
I'll let you know how I get on, there might even be photos! Hopefully I will also be able to find a swimming pool to train in from time to time as well.
Stay cool till after school!
love
Ironmaiden
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The spirit is willing but the flesh is treacherous....
Well I've been enjoying training lately, my swimming is coming together, i am not really any faster but I seem to more efficient, I swam two kilometres on Monday and felt good at the end, so that is helping my confidence a lot.
Unfortunately tonight I was enjoying a very pleasant wheezy shuffle in the twilight, taking in the gorgeous autumn colours, stunning sunset and vista of lake and mountains when I felt a sharp pain in my calf muscle. I had been chased by a dog earlier, so I suppose I should be glad it was just an old calf injury flaring up rather than a savage attack by some part-pitbull part-tasmanian devil mongrel getting ahold of my delicate person.
This calf muscle is a bit of a problem but I have managed it successfully before, so I will be able to cope this time. I've got my first event coming up in a little over two weeks - a 10k run in Strasbourg, France! I only hope the course is clearly marked and Idon't have to stop and ask directions of the marshalls. The only thing I can ask is "Where is the toilet?" and "Can I have some chocolate ice cream with my green beans please?"; neither of which will be particularly useful for navigating my way around a running course!
Till next time,
Au revoir!
Ironmaiden
Unfortunately tonight I was enjoying a very pleasant wheezy shuffle in the twilight, taking in the gorgeous autumn colours, stunning sunset and vista of lake and mountains when I felt a sharp pain in my calf muscle. I had been chased by a dog earlier, so I suppose I should be glad it was just an old calf injury flaring up rather than a savage attack by some part-pitbull part-tasmanian devil mongrel getting ahold of my delicate person.
This calf muscle is a bit of a problem but I have managed it successfully before, so I will be able to cope this time. I've got my first event coming up in a little over two weeks - a 10k run in Strasbourg, France! I only hope the course is clearly marked and Idon't have to stop and ask directions of the marshalls. The only thing I can ask is "Where is the toilet?" and "Can I have some chocolate ice cream with my green beans please?"; neither of which will be particularly useful for navigating my way around a running course!
Till next time,
Au revoir!
Ironmaiden
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Flat like a flounder!
Hello!
Today I have to admit I felt about bleurgh! I went for my prescribed bike ride, but I have to admit the quantity of easter chocolate I have consumed perhaps wasn't the best preparatory food.
I wheezed my way up the Aratiatia hill though, so its all good. I can at least report that training continues.
I have just spent a few days in Wellington, my training programme required me to go running, but with no big hills. Seriously? Has my coach ever been to Wellington? All the hills there are big and you can't avoid them!
Until next time,
love
Ironmaiden
Today I have to admit I felt about bleurgh! I went for my prescribed bike ride, but I have to admit the quantity of easter chocolate I have consumed perhaps wasn't the best preparatory food.
I wheezed my way up the Aratiatia hill though, so its all good. I can at least report that training continues.
I have just spent a few days in Wellington, my training programme required me to go running, but with no big hills. Seriously? Has my coach ever been to Wellington? All the hills there are big and you can't avoid them!
Until next time,
love
Ironmaiden
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Water in my ears (and everywhere else)
So I am truckin through my first week of coaching. It is awesome having a personalised programme, and a coach who is very patient with my many (and often inane) questions.
It has been tipping it down with rain all day, so I was glad I was scheduled for a swim today, because a run or a ride would have felt like a swim anyway! I feel like I am getting the hang of this swimming business, which is terrific. I feel much more confident about the prospect of 3.8km. And after all, I've still got a few months to train! But for now, I've got the fire lit and I am hunkering down.
Catch up soon,
love
Ironmaiden
It has been tipping it down with rain all day, so I was glad I was scheduled for a swim today, because a run or a ride would have felt like a swim anyway! I feel like I am getting the hang of this swimming business, which is terrific. I feel much more confident about the prospect of 3.8km. And after all, I've still got a few months to train! But for now, I've got the fire lit and I am hunkering down.
Catch up soon,
love
Ironmaiden
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