A royal pain in the derriere.

No, not a painting of my toosh, but a nice toosh nonetheless. Mine on the other hand as well as my hip are anything but. Seems I pushed harder than I thought on Sunday and now my glute and left ITB are screaming "Blue Murder" at me. Wish they would be quiet. I've kind of been there done that with them before and I am over it already.

I'm not quite sure what I am expecting though - after an AMAZING weekend I had also had my longest run to date on Tuesday. I managed to run a staggering 17.9km. And yes I am using the word staggering quite seriously, as this is HUGE for me. The whole run was perfect from beginning to end. I took off while it was still dark at 6:15am and under the direct instructions of my hubby I set out with my headlamp on. I thought it was going to be uncomfortable - but it surprisingly wasn't.

I wondered how visible I truly was, and it wasn't until later that I received a text message from a Alison who drove past me and said that I was light up well that I realised I made the right decision listening to my Stephen. Even he was happy that I listened for once.

As the run continued I found myself smiling - not a big goofy smile

But rather a smile of knowingness, that I had this run. I was going to own every ounce of it. And I did. I love this distance running business. I have so much time to think and hash things over in my mind, listen to cool music, smile at on coming traffic and chat to the workers near the truck stop as I run past. They totally crack me up. The last time one of them took to running with me in his work boots - dirt and all. He didn't last long but it did bring a smile to my face. Then yesterday the same young chap popped his head up from a trench like a Meerkat and smiled at me again - only when I questioned why he wasn't running this time - he said "no, not today, too busy".

As I finished the run I was slightly scared as to how my ITB would pull up. And well yesterday it felt ok, but this morning it is quite tender. Feels bruised, tight and painful to walk. So I went for a swim, physio and have since iced it more times than I would like to count. I missed out on track tonight not just because it stormed and the track was wet but also because I thought it wise to rest it as much as possible as I have a huge weekend in store in the training department which I don't intend on missing.

"Worry never accomplishes anything. When you have a problem, it is best to concentrate on the solution to that problem, not the problem itself."

~Thomas D. Willhite~

The end of an era.

It is time to bid a close companion farewell. Initially when I felt the first twinge of separation I was quite shocked, saddened, pained by what was happening as this had never happened before. You spend so much time together almost taking eachother for granted, that when the time comes to finally part ways - its almost as though you wished you had of paid more attention to them or atleast showered them with some lavish show of affection.

So as the colour drains from the once vivid friendship and is replaced with a dark reminder of what once was, and the pain dissipates to nothing more than a mere dull ache - I face the hard task of having to say my farewells much sooner than I had anticipated.

The future has yet to be determined, not sure when we will meet again. But I long for the reunion with bated breath. I hereby promise to pay closer attention to the rekindled friendship, shout them to a spa or massage and hope that they forgive my lack of attention.

To my dear toenail, I promise to take care of thee when ye returns.

TriShave Womens Sprint Tri 2011.

So I am finally awake and able to post my race report from yesterday. Boy was I smashed, headed to bed at 7:30pm yesterday and woke at 5:30am this morning. After all that nervous energy dissipated from my body - I was left feeling like a heavy wobbly lump on the couch.

The usual pre-race jitters are always there. I would love to say that I will try my hardest to get them under control but I know that's never going to happen - I have always been like that. As a child I would get that nervous before a race, that I would stand behind the blocks and then feel like I needed to pee. So for the next minute or so waiting to start my race would see me crossing my legs behind the blocks wishing I had of listened to my Mum's wise words of "go to the toilet" yet again. I don't do the cross legged thing anymore, but I still need to pee.

I headed off to the Regatta nice and early this morning with Elissa. She is such a great friend, always there to support me. Sadly she was not able to compete herself as she had hurt her groin but she still wanted to come and give myself and all the other PTC girls competing support. We are forever grateful Elissa.

When we arrived at registration I caught up with Larisa (CEO of TriShaveAustralia) whom was also not only organising this huge event but also competing in her first Triathlon too. If you remember a few posts ago I mentioned having had the pleasure of meeting her at the Homebush Aquatic Centre and how inspired I was by her amazing energy and vision. And might I add did absolutely fantastic on her first attempt. Her smile could be seen from miles away as she made her way to the finish line.

photo courtesy of TriShave photographers.

I also ended up catching up with Tracy, Kelly and Mel who were all competing in the Enticer event. You girls totally smashed it. We had the perfect day for it girls.

We had a few mishaps this morning I might add. Sarah got a flat tyre and in the process had a massive gash in the rear wheel. Lucky Elissa had loaned me her Zipp wheels for today so I loaned Sarah my rear wheel. Problem fixed. I forgot my race belt so out came the mobile to ring my dear hubby and he brought it to me - love you Stephen. Nikki did the same thing so I came up with the idea of using the elastic with the toggle from her bag to make that as her race belt - worked a treat I think. We all started laughing cause I said I could be the next Bear Grylls.

In amongst all of this I had the pleasure of meeting the President of TriNSW Steve Tudjman and World Champion Triathlete Nicole Hackett and her husband. What an awesome morning this was turning out to be.

Transition set up went smoothly, all us PTC chicks ended up racking our bikes in the same spot close to the bike entry and run exit. And then it was pretty much time to just try and chill and catch up with my family and friends before the race. Stephen, the kids, Mum, Elissa, Paul and Jennie and their gorgeous girls and each of the PTC girls - Sarah and her husband Mark and their 2 mini me's (so cute) and Nikki and Susan made for a very special morning. There was also another PTC member who I had met a couple of times before -Corinna taking part. Really nice catching up with her too.

So it was finally time for the race to begin. I could finally put all this nervous energy to use. I just wanted to get out there and see if I could atleast beat my time by 2mins.

I kept going over my plan in my head - not that it was a well thought out one, but nonetheless it was to hold my own in the swim, focus on technique on the bike and maintain good form and cadence on the run. And if all went well I should be able to knock off those 2 mins.

As we made our way into the water, even though I was all smiles, all I wanted to do was get a good posi and get this ball rolling. All this waiting makes me feel sick. In amongst all my nervousness I got to meet some great women in the water - all I'm sure with their own reasons why they have chosen to take part in today. Their smiles conveyed their feelings without a single word needing to be said.

As the countdown began we all wished eachother luck and then it was GAME ON. As the siren sounded I took off in my usual form but something just didn't feel right today in the water. I felt quite heavy and really tired in my arms. I was finding it hard to find my usual rhythm in the water and my usual stroke was becoming shorter and shorter. I found myself having to tag behind the second girl and then try to navigate through the previous wave when we finally approached them. Although my time wasn't crash hot I still managed to exit the water in a time of 8:17 for the 500m but actual chip time included the run to T1 so it was 8:56.

T1 went ok, it wasn't exceptionally fast nor too slow, it just went along smoothly and I was able to make my way to the bike exit without too much delay. I have to practice leaving my shoes on the bike so I can cut some time but it still feels so foreign, so will practice this for Port.

I felt so strong on my bike, such a total contrast to my last club race. I am so used to people totally smokin' me on the bike but yesterday was my day. I have never had 20km go by so fast without feeling too much distress either. I am sure the ZIPP wheels and my new fancy aero helmet and the fact that it was ideal conditions all contributed to this.

Here are my bike splits for each 5km lap:

• 8:29
• 8:07
• 8:15
• 9:03

I usually average above the 10 closer to the 11min mark for each - but not yesterday. It was nice to feel like those who I aspire to be like from my club.

Actual 20km bike time was 34:33 but with T1 and T2 included it was 37:20. Average pacing over the 20km was 34.8km/hr. Totally unheard of for me and I can not believe it. I do need to practice on my transition in making it faster and smoother.

As I racked my bike and tried to get my runners on, both calf muscles started to cramp. Everytime I tried to push down into my sneaker my calf would lock up so I just had to bite the bullet and get them on as quickly as I could. Then it was time to try and run on very very heavy legs.

I still, no matter how many times I run off the bike can get used to that odd sensation. It's like my legs belong to someone else and I have absolutely no control over them whatsoever. But it was time to try to focus on making sure this run was something I was going to be proud of. I really tried to hard to keep the beat in my head from last weeks track session. The beat of what I knew my cadence should be to maintain close to a 5min/km pacing. But that first 2.5km really hurt. Not just in my legs but in my lungs. I took a puff of my Ventolin and just hoped they would get accustomed to the heat out there - yesterday was planning on hitting a high of 32 degrees celsius in the west and I think it did. The sun was so strong and I could feel it burning my head.

Making my way out for that last 2.5kms for me was all about trying to catch the person in front of. Sometimes it worked, and other times it didn't. And even though the out and back x 2 for the run can be mentally challenging, it was good because I got to see all my friends out there going through and experiencing the same sort of emotions as I. We were High5'ing eachother and giving eachother words of encouragement the whole way through. PTC'ers rule. I managed to complete my 5km run portion in 25:26. Holding a 5:05 pacing. I couldn't be happier. All my training is finally starting pay off.

Running through that finishing chute I was none the wiser has to what I had just accomplished. So when I finally saw my friends and family members and they told me I had completed my Sprint Tri in 1hr 11min 43secs, to say that I was elated was an understatement. The 2min PB that I was hoping to achieve was squashed royally by a total of 7mins. I wanted to cry and laugh and jump around like a giddy child, and if my memory serves me well, I think I did.

I know that by training you are meant to do well, but I never in my wildest dreams expected to do this. The feeling is something I fail to find the right words for. All the PTC girls did great. Actually the 4 of us scored in the Top 9 for our age group. How cool is that.

I was so glad that one of my best friends was able to join me for the day and give me awesome words of encouragement throughout the run leg. Thankyou Susan.

How could yesterday get any better. I can't wait to do another one TriShave event. I am hooked, can you tell?

I came 6th in my age category. Last year I came 9th. I am so proud of me and all of my friends who competed.

Proud as Punch

Twas the night before his first Triathlon and Kurt was just chillin' in his room. I am sure he was feeling that dreaded anticipation that I often feel and just look for silence to help ease the nerves. We had already prepared everything and checked over it about a Gazillion times to make sure there was nothing missing.

As he headed to bed early after spending the afternoon celebrating my 37th Birthday with the family, I gave him a big kiss and told him that we will be up nice and early and we will be celebrating his first ever Triathlon accomplishment.

When my alarm went off and it was time to wake him up I half expected the usual teenage grunt and groan, but not this morning. He jumped out of bed and came out ready, but struggled to eat his breakfast. Nothing worse that that nauseatingly nervous feeling. But he managed to eat 2 pieces of toast with peanut butter and a banana. I was impressed, I think my first meal pre Enticer Tri was a few mouthfuls of Weetbix and a coffee. Before too long we were in the car and off to the Regatta Centre.

Transition setup went smoothly - Kurt really played a major part in setting his own area up and making sure that all his gear was in the correct order. I could really feel his nerves starting to increase and could see that the telltale dry mouth of nerves were getting to him. I just kept trying to reassure him and let him know that I was going to be there every step of the way with him. I was not going to leave his side.

This mornings time before the race went really quickly for me - but I think it may have dragged on for Kurt. I was so nervous for him and really was hoping that he would be ok and enjoy it. So as we made our way to the start I really kept trying to stay up beat for him.

The water was cooler than I had expected and it really affected Kurt's breathing right from the beginning. That has happened to me so many times. It was also very dark and murky - I think there must have been quite alot of rain the night before. As the starters gun went off - Kurt and I hugged the shore and took our time. Kurt struggled to get adjusted to the darkness within the water but wanted to forge ahead anyway. I asked him on numerous occasions if he wanted to stop and he said "No mum, I want to finish". So I stayed right next to him and kept talking to him the whole way.

One of the officials told us we didn't have to swim the complete course but rather make a B-line for the ramp - which we did. I know Kurt struggled with this as it is so different to swimming in a pool and placing your face in clear, clean water - but I am supremely impressed in my son's strength of character and fortitude to have finished. I had to try really hard to not cry tears of pride as he made his way out of the water. If he had of decided then and there that he did not want to do this anymore I would have still been proud of him.

But, my son kept going and once out on the bike he managed to settle his breathing and was able to enjoy the remainder of the race. It was really nice to watch him enjoy himself as we played cat and mouse for the next 10kms.

Coming out of T2 Kurt was focused on his run. He did get a stitch but we managed to get that under control at about the 1km mark and towards the end he had picked up the pace. Was he trying to race me? So I said, lets go and finish hard - which he did.

As we crossed the line everyone cheered him home. I could see they were all so proud of him for having overcome such a huge obstacle at the beginning and sticking it out to the end. I could not stop smiling the whole way - my boy is AWESOME. When we finished I asked him how he felt and although disappointed in his swim because he knew he could swim the distance but felt distressed by the open water situation, he was already looking forward to the next one so he can lay those demons to rest. I have promised him that we will make regular visits to the lakes and swim together with a spotter so he can become accustomed to the darkness and openness of the lake. By his next one - which we will do again together, I know for a fact that he will finish much happier within himself.

I love my son to bits, and know that he has overcome such a huge hurdle. I hope in the years to come that he can look back on this and know that anything is possible. He came across a mountain and hacked away at it till it became nothing more than a mole hill. Way to go Kurt.

You are my idol.

How cool was that.

Wow, is all I can say. If you have never been to a Velodrome I suggest you make your way to one ASAP. This was my first time at one and all I can say is "I want to have a go". It looks like so much fun - I think maybe my Grandad's genes have a little to do with my enthusiasm - you see he was a National Cycling Champion in his day in Uruguay.

Anyway, the reason I went was to support a friend Andrew Mclean aka Macca as he was competing in the State TT championships for his 1km. The kids and I went to Dunc Gray Velodrome and from the moment we walked in we were gobsmacked. I never realised how steep the sides of this velodrome were. I actually got a bit of vertigo as I looked down the face of that wall - huge.

Macca is such a nice guy, a real genuine soul. He never ceases to make me smile every time I walk into the bike shop - Panther Cycles. We could see his quiet/nervous disposition from the other side of the Velodrome as he was warming up on the rollers.

He spotted us and came over to say HI and thank us for coming to support him. State Titles in my books are a huge deal. I was so nervous for him but he seemed to take everything in his stride. I almost felt as though I was participating in this event and wouldn't have missed this massive event for anything in the world.

As he made his way back down to the centre of the Velodrome we all wished him goodluck but knew that he would totally nail it. I have never seen him ride but when you hear about his passion for indoor cycling it's not hard to tell that he was made for it. His face lights up.

Before we knew it, it was Macca's turn to get up on the start line (if thats what you call it in the cycling world). The kids and I were watching intently and the Velodrome became extremely quiet as the Countdown began - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. He was off.

I had been watching alot of the others start and their starts seemed a bit messy - almost like they couldn't quite time their exit from the start - but Macca's start was smooth. Nice and clean and powerful.

With each loop my nerves got bigger and bigger - not sure why, it's not like I was competing but I think I just wanted him to go really well. Not that he needed my help. Macca makes cycling look effortless - he has such a strong, powerful pedal stroke and a real easy look about how he holds himself on the bike. He is not all hunched over and gripping the bars tightly, but rather its like he and the bike are made for eachother - perfect fit.

When he finally crossed the finish line after a whopping 1km effort, this was his time :

1:10:30

That is so fast, I can't begin to tell you how fast he zoomed past us all - you can actually feel the floor beneath you rattle. That humming sound is just the best. This amazing time scored him a 2nd placing and a PB of .7 secs. How cool is that.

CONGRATS MACCA.

Awesome effort - we are all so proud of you. Look forward to watching you compete again and hopefully taking part in some indoor cycling myself.

FANTABULOUS

I can't even begin to explain how blessed I feel. Lucky that my life has panned out the way it has and that I have gone through everything I have gone through. Touched to know that I have so many wonderful friends and who despite my many crazy antics still love me to bits. Enriched with numerous possibilities to make the most of my life and great family and friends who stand by my side wanting only ever the best for me.

Yesterday at track was most possibly (along with every other great achievement for me that I have chronicled) the single most enlightening and fulfilling experience to date. How is it that things just seem to keep getting better. I never NeVeR NEVER, have felt such a greater sense of pride in my accomplishments and can't believe that I am doing any of it. I have never questioned my swimming ability, and the bike well - it is coming along nicely. However the run has been the one thing that has really tested everything. It has tested my faith in myself, my overall ability, my determination and most of all - grit.

But after yesterdays performance at track I really no longer have to question any of it at all. I have been told by my best friend Susan that I have to proclaim to the world that "I am a comfortable 5min/km pace runner". No longer am I allowed to hide behind my fear or intimidation, no longer am I allowed to doubt my abilities. I am to wear this badge of honour with pride and know that I have worked for every ounce of that title. But I have to say - that having one of my best friends there at track giving me support and a good idea on pacing made it that much easier.

So, last night the main set was 16 x 400's - coming in on 2mins and leaving on 2:15. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and felt sick to my stomach. Susan had to do 10 as she had to leave early but she kept me on track for those 10. Then after that it was all up to me. Up to me to time myself and feel the rhythm of how we had been running. Here were my splits as per my Garmin:

1. 1:54
2. 1:54
3. 1:56
4. 1:55
5. 1:54
6. 1:56
7. 1:53
8. 1:53
9. 1:55
10. 1:52
11. 1:53
12. 1:56
13. 1:55
14. 1:54
15. 1:56
16. 1:54

Then after all of this I had to do a 1km TT. Now I think the last time I did a 1km TT I did it in 4:50 - well hold onto your seats. I did 4:38 and, I still had energy at the end to come home really hard. I couldn't believe it. But I do have to own up to something about those 400's - I almost lost the plot at Number 10 and 14. I was so stuffed in my breathing that I almost felt as though I was having a panic attack - but in true Chris form - I was told to breathe deep and dig deep. Thankyou to Chris and Susan. Words cannot describe how appreciative I am of all your support and constant encouragement.

So needless to say I was on such a high when I got home, I could hardly sleep and it was close to midnight before my eyes succumbed to the droopy lid. Then today, to make things even better still, my article in the 220Triathlon Magazine Aus/NZ edition made it to the stands. Actually I think it made it earlier in the week but I just couldn't find it. When I finally got a copy in my hot little hands - a grin the size of the Cheshire cats grin overwhelmed my face. I am sure people were staring at me as I walked aimlessly with the magazine open and a huge grin but I didn't care. I was on cloud 9. now I am not sure how to attach this as a PDF but if you would like a copy to be able to read just email me and I can send you the PDF.

Everyone has been so happy for me and I have been inundated with text messages, emails, FB messages and DM messages. YOU are all totally awesome. Thankyou.

Now it is time for me to hit the sack as I have had an absolutely massive day and night. I went to see a friend at the Velodrome - stay tuned. His story to come.

DailyMile Blog.

I woke up this morning to a wonderful surprise - my first ever DailyMile Blog post had made it's debut.

“Both sides of the fence” is the second post in a series about the human side of dailymile:How We Succeed. As a part of this series, dailymilers write about their experiences as athletes struggling to overcome obstacles and solve problems with the help of their friends on dailymile. Being an athlete makes our bodies stronger, but having the support of a crowd of athletes makes our minds stronger. This series highlights the side of training that requires more than muscle power". Click here.

The response I have had to it has been truly overwhelming. Everyone has been so positive in their comments and feedback and all I have done all morning is SMILE. Never really realised how much of what I write affects people - for the better. It really is quite humbling.

I even got another surprise - 220Triathlon Mag has printed an article on me. I knew it was coming out on the stands but wasn't quite sure when. As soon as I can find myself a copy I will scan it and post it on here. This is just too cool. I feel really special and almost quite shy. This never happens to me - I am never shy nor speechless and it has happened to me quite alot today.

So in amongst the busy-ness of the morning I have also washed both bikes - my son and mine and taken his to Panther Cycles for a service. I am quite chuffed with my bike cleaning skills and really put into practice everything the guys taught me at our Maintenance night. I think they will be really proud of me. I even have the grease under the nails and in the creases of my hands to prove it. I really like getting all dirty - good thing with this is that you really get to know your bike and by maintaining it properly the aim is that you will have less things to repair. Well thats the aim.

I cant wait to get my hands on a copy of that 220Triathlon Magazine .