RPM

Each time I visit THQ (the Salvation Army's national office in Wellington) I am usually asked "how are you?" or "How's things?". It seems that since word is spreading of my intention to enter the C2C10 and the earlier event of the Moonride (in May) the question I have been asked on my previous two visits and no doubt the ones to come is this "have you been out for a ride?" or "how's the training going?"

I'm conscious that I really need to establish my base fitness before working on the technical aspect of mountain biking (and road biking for that matter). So I have decided that I will make use of the RPM class that Les Mills run. Having had a membership at Les Mills for a number of years now I've dabbled with RPM and always enjoyed it, but never made the most of it.

Today I went to the class, got there nice and early, attempted to follow the picture directions of how to set up my bike and look like I knew what I was doing. It was a great class but it didn't take long to realise I had set my bike up wrong. After the class I introduced myself to the instructor, Tony, and asked him to help me get bike sorted.

I thought some accountability would also be a good thing, so I told him my intention with the C2C10 & M/R. He asked me if I wanted to be pushed during the classes. I've told him to give me a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of RPM & adjusting the resistance etc and then go for it.

So whether I'm on my bike, or at RPM I should be able to answer in the affirmative whenever I visit THQ

no matter the weather

After last Sunday's kayaking 'adventure' I took a couple of days break from training. I tried to go out for a run on tuesday but even walking the dog was painful. Aussie is a wonderful motivating factor though to keep going out and training - he's much easier to have around if he's been out for a good run. I've managed to fit in a couple of swims this week working on my breathing and lung capacity under water. Friday the weather turned to custard and its been gross ever since, but since the weather on the day could be like that, or worse, I figure the more I train in it the better.

I've decided that I am going to do the RPM cycling class at the gym during the week as much as possible to really kickstart my cycling fitness. Its a great class and has a real mix of intensity levels and has great music to go with it.

I'm still working out how I can get myself a kayak. I think I would feel much more comfortable being able to have my own kayak to practice in regularly so I am really familiar with it by the time the race comes next feb.

I hope we still have a bit more summer to go before the weather packs in completely but we'll see

kayak lesson - my first.....almost my last!

Well what a day today has been. A beautiful afternoon for a swim and my first kayak lesson with Simon. We started off nice and simple, just me in the kayak and him tipping it over. After a few goes I was able to resist the urge just to pop straight out and could hold myself under, count to 10 and then come out. This is a big improvement on my last effort and 4th form camp where I came straight out of the canoe instead of tapping the tune on the bottom before surfacing.

Next step was putting the skirt on and tipping in that. Getting the skirt on is a mission in itself and Sue and I bonded as we had to do a team effort to get the thing positioned right. The first couple of goes were great. I could feel the little tag at the front of the skirt and once ready to get out, gave it a tug and out I came.

On the third go, Si flipped me backwards rather than the usual sideways. That was all good. What wasn't so good was when I realised that when putting the skirt on the kayak I had accidentally put the tag under the skirt so was unable to grab it to release myself.

This is where panic set in. If I had been able to remain calm I could have got out by other means; but all that was going through my head was....how do I let them know I'm in trouble so they can come and get me, and I can't miss the divisional welcome tonight I'll get in trouble.

So I thrashed around under the water trying to stick my arm out of the water to signal for help, or get my head out of the water enough to yell help or hope that someone surely would realise I was in trouble and come and get me.

I was able to grab a quick breath and eventually caught a glimpse that I was near the edge of the pool and started yelling for help each time my mouth came near the surface.

I can laugh about it now, but at the time I seriously wasn't sure if I was going to ever get right side up. It was a hideous feeling being trapped under water knowing that your friends are just above you.

I've learned a couple of valuable lessons from today - always check your skirt to make sure nothing is tucked where it shouldn't be (a valuable lesson for any girl I think)

Panicking does nothing to help the situation, staying calm does

I can hold my breath for a reasonable length of time


My challenge now is to get back in the boat - for a few minutes afterwards I seriously thought that my dream of the C2C individual race was over as I couldn't face getting back in the water....

But with the perspective of time I will not be beaten just yet.....and I'll make sure that Simon is paying closer attention to my hand gestures :)

The Coast to Coast - That Guy Style

Check out the link and watch "how not to do the Coast to Coast" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxzz-mMxgLY

My mate (and coach) AJ is currently competing in this years teams section of the C2C. Wish I could be there to experience it all and get a feel for it before competing next year.

I'm settling for checking the progress of the race via the net (http://www.coasttocoast.co.nz/ and follow the link)

A YEAR CAN PASS SO QUICKLY

Now I'm not even sure if anyone in the world actually even reads this blog, but on the off-chance that someone has been following the progress, they will know that my original intention was to compete in the C2C09. That race is on as I write. The 2 day competitors have completed day one and the longest day guys and gals are probably trying to get some sleep as they have a very early start in the morning.

There is a twinge of sadness in me that I am not competing this year...after all that was my original intention. But I really don't know how I would have been ready to earn the right to start the race. I'm conscious of how quickly the year can go by and am determined not to find myself in the same position next year.

I did get up and go for a casual jog with Aussie this morning but was feeling pretty hammered after the heat and lack of sleep over the last couple of nights, along with the swimming lesson yesterday.

Simon said he'd start to teach me to roll a kayak tomorrow. I'm not sure I'm ready for that so we will see.

I'm feeling pretty inspired right now after watching some of the DVD about Chris Eatough, the guy who was 6x world champ at 24hr solo mountain biking. The guy is a legend and despite coming second in his bid for the 7th straight title win, he still road one amazing race. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11oqeJFmeCg

The guts and determination that it takes to put your body and mind through something like that just leaves me speechless....and thinking, I might not be able to do that, but I reckon I might be able to do the 24 hr team race........so its off for a bike ride (after some sleep of course)

"Adult Improvement Classes"

I figure if I'm going to make myself Kayak down the Waimakariri river then the very first thing I need to do is be able to swim. Swimming and I have never got along too well....don't get me wrong - I love the water - I was just never too good at the floating part when I was a kid. I remember we used to have 'swim week' at my primary school. And while all my friends were swimming with each other and doing lengths and learning to dive, I was with the little kids learning to float!

I did swimming lessons for a while in intermediate school and they really helped, but like anything practice makes permanent and I have not practiced swimming for a very long time.

So tonight I had my first 'adult improvement class' where one instructor is trying to help 6 people all at varying levels of competency improve themselves. I did ok...I didn't swallow too much water and managed to almost swim a whole length.

I have much improving to do. I feel slightly embarrassed that at my age my swimming capabilities are so sucky, but then I think "at least I'm doing something about it". I think what will make next weeks lesson would be if I didn't eat two chit chats and a cheese and tomato sandwich on the way to the pool!!

Moonride

In the lead up to the C2C10 I am planning to do a few events. The first one coming up (at this stage) is the 24 hour moonride mountain biking race ( www.moonride.co.nz) I will be riding the 24 hour teams race with some friends. I am excited about this and the challenge of being able to 'master' the mountain bike and overcome the challenge of staying up fo such a long period of time with no sleep.

one step closer

Who needs an alarm clock when one has a dog! 5;15am Aussie (the decided name for new dog) came in and woke me up. I thought about sleeping again but then remembered that Sue was going for her first training run at 6am....and I didn't want to find myself in the position where Sue & Simon complete the coast to coast while I sit on a couch eating potato chips and think about what could have been, all because of my lack of discipline. So I got up and Aussie and I went for a run. We tried to time it so that we might meet Sue at her house but when we got there all lights were off. I was either too early or too late. So off we went. Using the harness was much better than just the collar and I found myself (and the dog) being able to run at a much more even pace today. This probably contributed to my ability today to run for much longer than yesterday and only had to stop occasionally when the dog halted suddenly in front of me, or a car was coming.

So I'm both one day closer and a few steps closer to the race. I'm not yet ready to start a daily countdown....but its coming.

training partners

I'm quite excited.....I have some training buddies. Firstly there are Sue & Simon Stevens. They have decided to compete in the C2C10 too which is great...especially since they live just down the road from me. I'm already feeling motivated by them.

My other new training buddie is currently between names. He is formally known as Pluto....I have yet to name him. We went out for our first run together this morning. By the state of his running technique no one can accuse him of being a regular runner! By the state of my running technique the same could probably be said of me.

We managed a circuit of about 6km but by the end of it he was pooped and my hangs were rather sore from his constant tugging on the lead. He's certainly a great resistance training method. I think my arms are going to be sorer than my legs tomorrow.

For me having others to train with is such a great motivating factor. It's got to be good for me. All I need now is a name for "dog".......