Hawaii 70.3- a race in Heaven

This was my second time at the Hawaii 70.3 on Kona (better known as the Honu Half). I had such a great time at this race last year that I was definitely not going to miss out on the same experience this year. This is one of those 'destination, must-do' races that is for sure.

We arrived on Kona the week before and settled in at our wonderful home stay family- Linda and Bill Greentree's place. We have stayed with them quite a few times now and they are just two of the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. It doesn't take us long to get into the swing of Kona-life- this is my 13th visit to the island and I almost feel like a local- almost :) On the thursday afternoon we made the journey out to the beautiful Fairmont Orchid resort where the race is held. It is a wonderful resort and the perfect finish for a race.

Race day was on saturday morning which is great as then you get to relax and enjoy all that the resort has to offer on saturday night and laze around the pool on sunday.

The start of the race is a few miles up the road at Harpuna beach. We all caught the shuttle bus up to the start and I must admit there were a lot of worried faces on board (including mine) as our bus was being blown all over the Queen K by the wind and it was only 5.30 in the morning!! One thing was certain- it was going to be a windy ride....but hey it is Kona and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Race start was at 7am so as we all made our way down to the beach you could see the flags being blown sideways and plastic chairs were being blown from one end of the transition to the other. I tried to focus solely on the swim and kept saying to myself 'deal with the wind once you are on the bike'. The swim was one giant loop and it was a mass start of 1300 athletes. I was actually quite surprised how calm and civilised the start was but I am sure it was a frenzy for some. The swim was extremely choppy and I really struggled with the waves and the current- mmmm I think a few more open-water swims are in order. This was my first race in three months so I knew I was going to be a little rusty.

I exited the swim having absolutely no idea if I had swum well or where the other pro women were. Usually I know exactly whose feet I am on and where I am but today I was all over the shop. I made my way up to transition and it is a really steep climb up to the bikes. I knew once I was on my bike I could start taking charge of the race. I was happy to see local girl Bree Wee still in transition. Bree is a great swimmer and I really wanted to be as close to her out the water as possible.

I took off on my bike and made the decision there and then to go as hard as I could go for as long as I could and worry about the run later. I had done a huge block of run training before I got here so I knew my run was not going to falter. But I really wanted to see where my time trialling was at. It had been a while since I had been down on my bars for that long.

I was pleasantly surprised with how good I felt on the bike and I think the windy conditions worked to my advantage. I came in to T2 with a solid lead and then worked my into the run.

I knew after last year that this was not a run to push too hard too early. It is possibly the hardest 1/2 IM run course that I have ever done. Most of it is on the golfing greens and if you are not trying to run over the grass, you are making your way up and over the winding golf paths- some sections remind me of an F1 driving circuit complete with chicanes. It is almost impossible to get into any sort of a rhythm and the heat and humidity is intense (although I do remember it being a lot worse last year).....my sunburn later on would prove me wrong here. There is one out and back section on a fire road and it is the only time you get to run on the same terrain for an extended period of time. The problem with that is that you still have 2 miles of running left to go on the golf course after this section. Fortunately I had kept a good, solid pace throughout most of the run and had a substantial lead so I was able to relax a bit once I hit this last section for home.

It was a great feeling crossing the finish tape for 1st place for the second year running. The finish line is amazing- right on the ocean at the Fairmont and loads of spectators around to cheer you on. It is just such a fabulous atmosphere. Even though I did not improve on my overall time from last year, I did improve my run time by just on 4 minutes which is a very satisfying feeling. It is not a fast run course by any stretch of the imagination but I was very happy with the improvement.

I was also really happy to see local IM gal Bree Wee have a really strong day to finish right behind me in 2nd place. She was definitely keeping me honest out there on the run.

I am now back in town and back into it again. I really do love training here outside of IM time- you have the entire island to yourself and the local athletes are just so friendly and so much fun to train with. It is such a wonderful little island and the riding is amazing once you get off the beaten track, or in this case, the Queen K. Best of all....there is no lining up at Lava Java :)

My new boots!

Well I love to shop- it is no secret that any chance I get I will find an excuse to purchase some form of clothing. I will manage to convince Justin that I desperately need a new top or new jeans- even though I have 14 pairs (yes I counted them yesterday)......and I love shoes. You can never have too many pairs of shoes. However, the latest edition to my 'shoe collection' is a pair of boots. Now boots are not really a popular item up here on the Sunshine Coast, simply as it is just way too warm to wear them. There is probably a small window of opportunity of about a month where you could actually find a need for them up this way. But I have been wearing my new boots every day now for the past week, sometimes even two to three times a day! Have I got you all intrigued?

Well my new boots are my NormaTec MVP boots and I love them!! Ok so maybe they're not the most fashionable boots on the market and I don't think I will be wearing them out for dinner any time soon but they are the most amazing boots I have ever worn.

I had been looking for ways to improve my recovery time between sessions and the new training program that Justin has me on often requires me to back up high intensity sessions again and again. After a really hard session I come home, make a shake and jump into my boots for 30-45mins. It is amazing the difference they have made since I started using them. Yesterday I was able to pull off a really tough 20km treadmill session in the am and then back it up in the afternoon with another really tough run session on the road. I was expecting the second run to be a disaster but I felt amazing. It was almost as if the morning session hadn't happened at all.

Jo lawn had told me about the boots back when I was in Kona last year and I must admit it has taken me this long to actually do some research and manage to get myself a pair. But I am so glad I did. I am going to be turning 40 at the end of the year and I have had problems with my external iliac arteries in both of my legs and I truly believe these boots and what is known as 'pumping' has done my body the world of good. I am actually now also using them pre-sessions as a way of improving my warming up.

For me now it is all about recovery. Yes of course I still train hard....I love to train but I also need to be smart and find ways of improving the quality of each session. By improving my recovery I find I can give more at each individual session.

Happy training all around :)

Family Road Trip to Ironman Australia

On the way down to Port Macquarie in the car...... 8hrs= lots of good work done and no that is not facebook on my computer!!

Catching up with my sis- hadn't seen her for such a long time- loved getting to spend time with her.

Being inducted into the Australian Ironman Hall of Fame- what an honour.

Yes I was actually speechless.......for about 5 seconds but then the 'megamouth' took over.

DAY 1 -

Well it has been quite a while since our last true family road trip. We all decided that Ironman Australia in Port Macquarie would be the perfect excuse to get the entire family together again. So my parents, Justin and I started the 8hour journey down the coast to Port, while my sister and her boyfriend made the 5 hour journey up the coast to join us. It was going to be a fun-filled, albeit, loud weekend.

For an athlete, being hauled up in the backseat of a car for 8 hours is almost on par with pulling your toenails out. For me personally, being on the hyperactive side, it is just about as bad as it can get. But my parents and Justin are keeping me thoroughly entertained and it also has given me the opportunity to update my blog and get up to speed with all of the latest 'goings-on' in the world of triathlon and facebook of course.

I am actually really looking forward to the weekend. I cannot remember the last time I was at Ironman Australia as a spectator and not as a participant- it could have been as far back as 1998! I am excited about the women's race and I love the fact that I am going to be able to socialise and mingle at the expo for as long as I want without being worried about wearing out my legs, although there is a very good chance that I will be wearing out my mouth.

I am heading to the carbo dinner tonight and then the expo tent tomorrow- I am going to be at the TP Therapy booth at 11.30 and then the Powerbar booth after lunch- if you are at the expo then swing by and say hello- you know I will be up for a good chat. Race day I will be on the microphone for at least a couple of hours- I love to commentate (shock, horror) and it is something I am really keen on exploring post-racing.

Well the carbo night was a huge surprise- during the night I was called up on stage as I was inducted into the 'Ironman Hall of Fame'. What an enormous honour it was. I never, ever dreamt that I would be included in this very elite club of amazing athletes and contributors to the sport of Ironman. The most unbelievable thing was that my dad actually had tears on his cheeks when I returned to the table after giving a 'short' speech. It was such a wonderful and unforgettable night and I was just so happy to have been able to share it with my family and friends. We continued to celebrate well into the night- yes quite a few red wines were consumed.

DAY 2-

We got up quite early as a group of us wanted to get a ride in before we hit the expo tent . We rode on the race course- good to see a lot of cyclists out and about getting their last little ride in before race day. The course here at Port Mac is definitely not flat. It is a solid, demanding course and has everything from hills to bumpy roads and wind. It really has a bit of everything. It is a three loop course so you get to know it quite well by the time you are finished with it.

After the ride we all went for breakfast at a cafe called 'Crema'. It is a bit of a favourite amongst the athletes and I can understand why- great coffee and good healthy food. After brekky it was time to hit the expo. I loved catching up with sponsors and friends- some I had not seen for quite a few years. I stopped by Powerbar and TP Therapy for quite a while and chatted with athletes. I was getting so excited for them all. For sure there was a part of me that wished I was also racing along side them. By the time I left the expo tent most athletes had racked their bikes- the transition was packed solid with bikes of all sizes. It is such an amazing sight- so many cool bikes- loads sporting disc wheels- lets hope the wind does not rear it's ugly head tomorrow.

Saturday night we had a bbq at out apartment. It was supposed to be a fairly quiet night as we knew we had to be up early the next morning for the race start at 6.45am. Well lets just say it was an extremely fun night and we will leave it at that. I blame my sister for bringing up too many great bottles of red wine (she works in the industry).

DAY 3- RACE DAY!

I awoke nice and early and I admit I was not feeling so chirpy, but I was up and at it and out the door by 6.30am. I was meeting some friends for a run as soon as the starting cannon went off at 6.45. We ran along the foreshore so that we could see the swimmers and then out along the first part of the run course and it was so still and so eerily quiet- we knew this was all going to change once the athletes hit the run course later in the day. We then ran back into town to watch the athletes riding out of town. It was so exciting to watch them exit the water and jump on their bikes- it is such a different perspective watching rather than racing. I was getting so hyperactive watching everyone. The swim times were super fast and the pro girls were right up there. I couldn't wait to see how the race was going to pan out for them.

After the run we all went for a quick bite to eat and then Luke McKenzie and I had some commentating to do. We wanted to be to in the tower when the athletes were dismounting their bikes in T2. I was actually able to go into the T2 tent and give the spectators a 'birds-eye view' so to speak of the pro girls and how they looked heading out for the run. The girls looked great and it really did look like it was going to be a close and hard-fought race. One thing I did notice though was that most of the professional athletes that left T2 looking great, did not finish looking so good. The athletes that started the run a little more conservatively ended up being the athletes that held it together and came home strong. It really showed me the importance of being patient during the marathon- taking it out at a steady and controlled pace rather than going crazy and not being dictated by other athletes around them or in front of them. Being able to view the results now and looking back at the way athletes left T2 you could have picked the athletes that were going out way too hard. I learnt a valuable lesson that is for sure.

At the end of the day both winners were deserving- they had controlled, strong races and never really looked like faulting. They stuck to their race plans and it paid off. Carrie made a decisive move on the bike and then was able to control the run- with such a huge lead off the bike it enabled her to just run her own pace on the marathon and the girls never really got close enough to have her concerned enough to change her pace. What an amazing effort for her very first ironman.

Well we are on our way back up to Noosa now after an awesome weekend. I loved every second of it. I really wanted to stay for the Awards night but I knew I needed to get back home as my own training needs to hit top gear again. I have taken a good break after IM Malaysia and China 70.3. It is now time to get moving and prepared for the next round of races. First up of course is defending my title at Hawaii 70.3 in June.

China 70.3

Well I have been back home in Noosa now for almost a week after spending the past four weeks racing and training in Asia. I really enjoyed my time in Asia and and of course I love to race but nothing beats being home. Justin and I brought ourselves a new house just before Christmas last year and we have done quite a bit to it since then so it is always nice to come home and appreciate what we have done.

After IM Malaysia we flew to Singapore. We decided that this would be the best place for us to base ourselves between races. We had 10 days in Singapore with the priority being recovery. Obviously we didn't need to go too crazy with the training as both of us had just finished the Ironman. It was more about active recovery and getting the body moving again and ready to fire for China 70.3.

We were lucky enough to stay in a wonderful penthouse apartment over-looking the ocean (thanks to Michelle and Steve and Nicole and Evan). The complex had its own 50m pool and gym equipped with treadmills- perfect! I really love Singapore- it has just about everything you need- great food, good coffee, massage, shopping.....did I mention how good the shopping was....... I had to keep reminding myself that I was not on holidays but rather, that I was preparing for another race. Before we knew it our 10 days were up and we were on our way to Hainan Island, China.

I had not been back to Hainan Island since winning the inaugural IM China in 2008. That was, without a doubt, one of the hardest and most gruelling Ironman races I have ever done. I was only doing the 70.3 this time around but Justin was backing up and doing the 'double'- two IM races two week's apart. I thought he was crazy. I knew it was going to be tough enough getting through the half. The conditions at this race had been horrendous both years so I had no doubt that this year would be no different.

Race day came quickly as we did not fly in to China until late thursday afternoon. My race did not start until 9am so I got to have a bit of a sleep-in while the poor Ironman athletes had an early start at 7am. By the time I got to the transition area the IM athletes were well into their four lap swim and it was actually kind of cool to watch them exit the swim and jump onto their bikes. I got to cheer on Luke McKenzie and Justin which was a lot of fun.

Before I knew it, it was my time to jump into the murky waters and do my thing. I had no idea how I was going to feel as I had not done any high intensity training since Malaysia. I have to admit the swim did not feel so great- I felt uncoordinated and weak in the water- a complete contrast to the way I felt swimming in Malaysia. Amazing what a week can do to one's swimming. But I survived the swim and was actually looking forward to the bike as then I got to see what the IM athletes were up to. I was surprised at just how windy it was on the bike course. I knew within the first few kilometres that it was going to be an extremely tough day on the bike.

Even though I didn't feel too bad riding, I certainly had to push hard to keep any sort of speed up- you really did have to work for every km. The wind was brutal. I didn't find the heat so much of a problem but the wind was making it very hard indeed. I entered T2 with my slowest bike split ever for a half ironman race- I was just so glad I didn't have to turn around and head out in it for another lap.

I started the run straight into the head wind but I knew I only had to endure it for 5kms and then I got to turn and for the rest of the run I would have the wind behind me. I saw the pro men running back towards me and they all looked happy- I couldn't wait to have the wind at my back! The only problem with having a tailwind is that it often results in over-heating. But because I had raced IM Malaysia two week's before I did not find this a problem.

It is amazing how quickly 21kms goes when your last race was 42.2kms- before I knew it I was celebrating another win at the finish line. Funny thing is that all I was thinking about was how the guys in the IM were doing and I wanted to turn around and start running back out onto the course so that I could cheer the boys on. Unfortunately the drug testers had other ideas and they bundled me up and took me away for drug testing.

Fortunately I got back to the finish in time to see my good friend and training partner Luke McKenzie smash the field and cross for the 4th IM win of his career- he is such an amazing athlete and a wonderful person. I was so happy for him and his fiance Amanda. I then waited patiently for Justin to arrive. I knew it was going to be a long day for him- he was not going to be breaking any records today but it was a goal of his to do two IM races two week's apart, so I knew he would make it to that finish line any way he could. He managed to put in a solid run in the tough conditions after struggling big time on the bike and crossed the line in 7th place- not too bad at all after finishing 4th in IM Malaysia. Of course he was out of the 8% cut-off for prize money but he was not upset by it. He was just happy that he could tick the 'double' of his list of 'things to do'.

After the race we headed back to Singapore for a day of shopping. I loved it- I had made a pact with Justin that if I won both of my races then I could do some guilt-free shopping post-race. We had 6 hours in Singapore before our flight back to Brisbane- a small window of opportunity but one that I treated with the same enthusiasm and intensity and precision that I would a race. Honestly I truly believe that if there was a 'World Championship' for the Best Shopper', I would definitely be in the running for the crown. I would be like the 'Chrissie Wellington' of Ironman- unstoppable.

But back to reality now- back home and back into training. I am taking this next week fairly steady. I have a big block of training coming up as my next race will not be until the Rohto Ironman 70.3 Hawaii on the 5th of June. I am looking forward to spending the next few months here in Noosa and getting myself strong and fit before I head to a training camp in Kona for the month of June. The most exciting thing about this camp is that Hillary and Maik are also joining Justin and I for the month= HAPPY TRAINING!!!

Next up I will be making the trip down to Port Mac this weekend to watch Ironman Australia- I have not been down for quite a few years now so I am actually really looking forward to it.

Hope to see some of you down there.

x

IM Malaysia- three from three

IM Malaysia 2010

Well this was my 4th trip to Langkawi and IM Malaysia. I first raced there in 2003 and finished 2nd in what was the hardest race I had ever entered at that stage of my career. Move forward seven years and it is definitely still one of the hardest races on my calendar. It is not the course that makes it difficult, it is purely the conditions- the heat and humidity are like no other- not even the big one in Kona compares with this race. But funnily enough, it is the reason I continue to return to this beautiful island- the tougher the better for me.

I really wanted to win the race this year as it would be my first 'hat trick'. I had never won three IM races back to back. I have won three IM Koreas but not consecutively. I also wanted to notch up my 12th IM Distance win of my career. Well I am happy to report that I was able to win and I am very happy with the way the day panned out for me.

Justin and I arrived on Langkawi on the Monday before the race- I like to get to this race a little early just so I am settled and 'semi-acclimatised' to the conditions if that is at all possible. I am from Noosa in Queensland so the weather isn't dissimilar but I am not sure if anything really gets you used to the extreme weather. I also get to stay at the Westin hotel and they look after me like no other place in the world.

The week leading into the race went really quickly. I was so happy to see my good friend and fellow K-Swiss athlete- Hillary Biscay. I got to do some great little training sessions with her and of course got up to speed with everything that had been going on in her world. We used to train together every day, but now I only get to see her every few months so that first ride together turns into a hypoxic session as we barely take a breath between sentences.

Race day came and I woke up feeling calm and ready to race hard all day…..and I say all day because we don't start until 7.30- a late start as far as Ironman goes but it is too dark to start any earlier. My last IM race was Kona and it was nothing short of a disaster so I was eager to get out there and make amends. In fact the whole of my 2009 season was a roller-coaster ride. I would have one great race followed by one horror race. After my surgery back in March last year I just could not find the consistency that I am renown for so I was eager to start my 2010 campaign on the right foot .

I had a great swim. I knew things were looking good when Hillary and Justin swam past me at around the 200m mark. I jumped on their feet and thought to myself 'now you just have to stay here'. Well I did manage to stay there but I was red-lining it for most of the swim. I exited the water right behind them and quickly made my way through transition. I jumped on my bike and remembered thinking to myself 'ok now it is time to go hard'. I love my Ceepo Katana- it really is the perfect bike for me- so small and compact and it had been decked out with a brand new SRAM Red group-set. It was my first race using SRAM and it was just perfect. I am just so comfortable on this bike and it loves going fast. I was controlled for the first 20kms and then I decided to start picking things up a bit. After about 45mins I really started to feel good and concentrated on putting as much time as I could between myself and the other girls.

It is a four loop bike course with some fairly challenging hills thrown in there on every loop. They feel fine for the first couple of loops but by loop four they feel like mountains from the Swiss Alps. I definitely felt them on my last loop and suffered through the last 40kms but entered T2 with a good lead- around 17 minutes, and it really is a nice way to start the marathon. By no means did I think that I 'had it in the bag'- I still had to get through the entire marathon and in this heat it is easier said than done. I have seen athletes literally melt in this heat and it is not a pretty sight.

The marathon is a 5 loop course- it almost does your head in but it also makes it very easy to keep pace and to see where your competition is. I took the first lap out nice and steady and concentrated on getting in a much liquid as I could. The aid stations are great and the water is icy cold- it makes such a difference. I was pouring water over my head from the get go . The most important thing is to try and keep your body temperature down as much as you can. Honestly I expected my shoes to fill with water and feel like cement bricks but I was wearing the new KOna C's and they are by far the best IM shoe I have ever worn- not one blister and they were as light as a feather as they have this amazing drainage system that gets ride of the water as quickly as you pour it on. I wasn't feeling great but then I didn't expect to have 'that fresh out of the shower' feeling happening-it is Malaysia and it is the middle of the day= crazy hot!

By lap two I was feeling better and started to get a great rhythm going. Edith, who was in 2nd place was not making up much time on me and I was actually happy to see that we were crossing in the same position. That spurred me on and lap 3 was also solid. By the 4th lap I was definitely staring to feel the effects of the heat and humidity. You know this feeling is only just around the corner but you just try and hold it off for as long as possible. I think by the time I turned to complete lap 4 I had really started to slow. But this marathon is not about running super fast times, it is all about maintaining a good rhythm throughout and trying to stay cool and hydrated for as long as you can. I knew the last lap was going to hurt but I also knew it was only 8kms- I could do that in my sleep so I set out on the last loop and just concentrated on making it to each aid station. It is amazing just how good cold water feels on your head and shoulders and how it can bring you back to life even if it is only for a couple of kms. I continued to do this all the way to the last turn-a-round and then I knew that I was on my way home to the finish.

I started to relax and soak up the atmosphere with about 3kms to go. I still felt in control and I knew that I could take some time and really enjoy this finish. I ran back past the host hotel and there were so many people there and the music was pumping- it was a really satisfying feeling. I had a about 1km to go until the finish and I couldn't wait to get there. I wanted to put the horror of Hawaii 09 behind me and move forward. Winning this race was like a new beginning and hopefully the start of a successful 2010.

Whit Raymond was there at the finish calling me in- just like he was back in 2003 when I first did this race. He has called me across the finish line of so many IM races now. He gives off so much positive energy.

I crossed the finish line in 9hrs23 and was just so happy and relieved to have made it and couldn't wait to see Justin as I knew he had had a fantastic race as well and I was eager to see where he had finished. He was there waiting for me and when he told me he had placed 4th, it made my win even better still- it was a great day out for both of us.

Next up is China 70.3 this weekend. I am looking forward to the shorter distance that is for sure. Lets hope I can make it two from two.

Thanks to all of my wonderful sponsors, friends and supporters- 2010 is going to be a good year.

Overcoming obstacles- IM Canada

Ironman Canada 2009 was my 33rd Ironman-distance race and my third time to the beautiful town of Penticton. This time I would be sharing the town with my parents which made it even more special. This was their first time to Canada and they were not disappointed- they loved it!

I arrived on the thursday and my parents arrived on the friday. I had organised a wonderful homestay for them out at OK Falls (the run turnaround)- I don't think they quite new how wonderful it was going to be. Doug and Di Corbishley have the most amazing house right on Skaha Lake and it is to die for. My parents were in heaven.

I stayed right in town on Lakeshore Drive with the same homestay I have had the past two times here- Wilma is an absolute darling and I love staying with her. Sometimes you are lucky enough to meet a really beautiful person inside and out and Wilma certainly fits this description. We have become great friends over the past few years. This is the great thing about homestay. It always spins me out when athletes shy away from homestay and prefer to stay in a hotel. They honestly do not know what they are missing out on. I have the most amazing homestay families- my German family in Roth and my Canadian family- I wouldn't trade them for a 6-star penthouse.
Well arriving on the thursday meant there was not much time for sight-seeing or socialising pre-race. I like doing it this way as there is less chance of me 'stuffing' things up. I am a creature of habit so it is best to keep me in my normal routine as long as possible. Before I knew it race day was upon us and it was exciting to get up nice and early on sunday morning ready for a long day of racing. Of course I had high expectations- as athletes we are all high-achievers and we expect only the best from ourselves- no excuses! I wanted to win the IMC title for a third time. I wanted to join amazing athletes like Lisa Bentley and Lori Bowden in winning three from three. I was happy with the way I had been training in Boulder- I had really enjoyed all of my training sessions and most of them had been going to plan. However, I had not had the smooth year I had hoped for. My surgery in March took the wind out of me and just when I thought I was getting back on track, I got hit by a car while training in Germany. But at the end of the day I have been racing as a professional for 10 years now and really have not had any major hiccups so I was just going to have to suck it up and move forward. My motto has always been that when you toe the start line of a race you give it all that you have got on that particular day- no excuses, no regrets. It was Ironman Canada and I love this race so I was going to give it all I had.
The swim was great- the lake is just beautiful- clean, crisp and one huge loop so not a lot of pushing and shoving going on, although I still managed to cop it in both eyes and have two nice scratch marks underneath both eyes to show for it. I exited only two minutes back on Tereza Marcel. I was very happy as she is a great swimmer and I expected her to have a lot more time on me. Onto the bike and for the first 15 kms I was slowly cutting snippets of time on Tereza. Everything was going to plan and I just assumed it would only be a matter of time before we were riding together. This was the scenario that had played out in my head pre-race (note to all athletes- have several different race day scenarios planned out). At around the 30km mark I was given another split of 3minutes. I automatically thought they had it wrong- I was making up time not losing time. Unfortunately Tereza had stepped it up a notch and I was not riding as strongly as I had hoped. I spent the next 100km getting splits of 5mins, 7 mins, 12mins, 15mins........ then I was like 'ok, no more splits. You need to start concentrating on you and you only'. It is really difficult when you have set yourself a goal and all of a sudden it is totally unachievable. You are out there going as hard as you can and then you have to try and change your mind set and your goals- not an easy or fun thing to do. But this is why we race- the thrill of overcoming all of the obstacles thrown at us on the day is a great feeling. Rarely do things go exactly as you have imagined or dreamed. We can prepare perfectly but race day is never perfect- not even for the eventual winners.

Into T2 I was 14 minute back. It had been a very tough bike ride- hot, dry, windy and smokey from fires that had started close by. How was I going to approach this? Last year I was Tereza, I was the girl with the insurmountable lead. Now I was the girl chasing, chasing the leader who was kilometers up the road.

I got to see my parents right at the beginning of the run- this made my day. I knew from then on that no matter what the end result, they were going to be proud. So I soldiered on and ran as best I could. I concentrated on looking after myself- hydrating, refueling and staying positive. I really did struggle with the smoke on the run. I had picked up a mild sinus infection during the week which normally would not bother me but it was giving me grief on the day.

It was a good feeling getting to the the turn around at 21km. I knew that getting to the finish was never going to be a problem for me. It was wonderful to see Lisa Bentley out on the course- she could see that I was doing it tough and her words of encouragement really helped pick my spirits up.

Once back in town, running down Main Street is always a treat. I don't think it would matter how bad I was feeling, you cannot help but smile from ear to ear. The crowd support is awesome- it is almost addictive- you kind of want to turn around and run through there again (don't worry I didn't do it). I got to then see my parents and my homestay, Wilma again and I gave them a smile and just shrugged my shoulders to my dad- he understood. He knows me inside out. He knew that even though I was so happy to finish, it wasn't a great day of racing for me. But I crossed the finish line with a smile and it was genuine. I love to race no matter what the outcome. I know how lucky I am to live the life of an elite athlete. I gave Tez a big hug- she had an amazing race and thoroughly deserved the win.

At he end of the day I achieved two of my three pre-race goals- I got my spot to Kona and I finished with a smile on my face.
Now it is back to Boulder and preparations will soon begin for the big day in Kona. It will be my 8th time there and I am looking forward to it as if it were my first.

Antwerp 70.3

After driving back to Roth, Germany, we barely had to time to settle before we were packing our bikes again and heading to Belgium for Antwerp 70.3.

This was my second time to this race. I did it last year and was fortunate enough to walk away as the champion. I honestly had no idea how I would go this year or what to expect from my body. I was still recovering not only from Quelle Challenge Roth three weeks before but also from my crash. My right leg was still not right from my bingle with the car but there was no way I was missing this race. I had so much fun in Antwerp last year thanks to Marc Herremans that I was determined to give it a good go.

We arrived on the friday morning and Marc was there at the airport to pick us both up. He is such an amazing person, not only because of what he has been able to achieve since his accident but also because he is such a genuine and wonderful person- his enthusiasm is infectious.

We awoke on saturday to perfect weather- the sun was shining and it was about 26 deg. Last year race day was terrible- it poured rain for the entire bike ride. I was hoping for a day like today. Well it was not to be as we awoke on sunday morning to an overcast sky and wet roads. Oh well, at least I knew how to cope with this weather after last year.

From the time we left our hotel to the time we hit the water at 11am, it rained. Once on the bike, it did ease up- a bit. I had a fairly ordinary swim. I knew that I was not in great swimming shape- I had done the bare minimum in Verbier but I was still a little disappointed. But I was determined to make up for it on the bike and I felt great from the start- I feel so good on my Ceepo now and have my position dialed perfectly. Antwerp is dead flat so I knew it was going to be a fast day in the saddle. I rode as hard as I could and had caught all of the girls by the 23km mark. I was happy with how I was feeling and all of the work in the mountains was paying off. I felt strong and controlled.

I dismounted the bike with Belgian- Sophie Goos, and we had a lead of about 1 min on the next girl. I was a little slow in transition and left T2 in second spot. I started the run feeling quite good- much better than I felt in Roth three weeks before. The longer the run went on, the better I felt and by about the halfway mark my legs were ready to go. The gap had blown out to about 1min 10 by this stage but I was able to claw my way back into the race and by the 19km mark, Sophie's lead was down to 30secs. I gave it everything for the last two kms but fell short of catching her. The gap at the finish was a mere 18secs- for once in my life I wished the run was a couple of kms longer- who would ever have thought that day would come! But after everything I had been through this year with my surgery and then being hit by a car, I was more than happy with my result. The most important thing for me was that I had the fire back in my belly- it had been missing in my last few races. But it was back in full force for this race. I wanted to push as hard as I could, I wanted to hurt and I wanted to win- I love that feeling.

I cannot wait to return next year and try and win back the title. It is fantastic race and there is nothing better than finishing right in the centre of town. We had such a great time and the race is so well-run. If you ever get the chance- this is a must-do race- fast, fun and loads to do after the race is over.

Roth, Verbier and boys in lycra

Verbier was simply buzzing before the Tour came through- the streets were packed all day and night.

I grabbed myself the perfect 'viewing' position to see the boys coming up the mountain.

Hi there

Well it has been quite a few weeks since my last post and I have been to so many different places and have so many things to tell you all.

Of course the biggest and best thing was that I got through 'Quelle Challenge Roth'- after getting hit by a car on the tuesday before the race I was little unsure if I was going to be able to make it through the entire marathon but with the help of the amazing crowds on race day, it was obvious that I would make it to the finish no matter how much pain I was in. This race is special to me in so many ways- it was my sixth finish and by far my most rewarding. To see the town of Roth rally for me to make it to the start was amazing. They were so genuinely concerned for me after my accident- the hospital took such good care of me and the physiotherapists there (Andy was my saviour) were excellent and got my body back in working order for race day. Even though 5th place is my lowest finish at Roth, I will never forget it.

After the race we spent a couple of days chilling out at our homestay family's house- getting spoilt as usual, then we headed to Verbier in Switzerland. Justin and I have been coming to Europe for six years now and we have never seen the Tour de France live so we thought we would take this opportunity to see a mountain-top finish and train in one of the prettiest and most spectacular places in the world.

We arrived in Verbier very late in the afternoon but it was absolutely spectacular- the sun was shining, it was about 30 degrees and the sight of the snow-capped mountains took my breath away. We made the 9km climb up what was to be 'our' mountain and found our little apartment right in the centre of town-perfect! This was to be our little home for the next two weeks.

We settled in quickly and couldn't wait to get up the next day and start exploring. Of course we have trained in Switzerland for a few years now but we had never trained on these mountains so it was all very exciting. Justin had his maps out and was already plotting out new rides and runs and you could just see the enthusiasm radiating from him as he explained them to me.

We started the first morning with a ride down in the valley so we actually descended down 'our' mountain first before heading towards Martigny. It was just perfect- we stopped for a quick coffee in town and then headed back towards Verbier- of course we couldn't wait to climb back up as we knew this was exactly what the guys in the Tour would be doing on the coming sunday. Even though the climb is only just shy of 9kms, it is tough. Climbs in Europe are different to Boulder, Colorado as the gradient is so much more extreme. The climbs we had been doing in Boulder were much longer but not nearly as steep. This climb had so many switchbacks and the worst thing you could do was to look up as this just showed you how many more you had left to go. But it was well and truly worth the pain and effort and I knew I needed to 'like' this climb as I would be doing it practically every day for the next two weeks.

I decided it would be a great idea to run up the mountain before the Tour made its way up there- it was a lot of fun.

On sunday (Tour day) we caught the chairlift down to the bottom of the mountain and ran up the mountain- the road up had been closed to cars since early in the am so it was just perfect for running. You would not believe the amount of people, tents and RV's parked all the way up the climb- it was insane and I have never seen anything like it- there was not one spare piece of ground from bottom to top. The atmosphere was already electric and the boys were not due until much later on in the day. It was such good fun running up- people were cheering us on, others were riding up. There were bbq's on the go and the smell of sausages and bacon wafted all the way up the mountain. People were returning form the local bakeries with loaves of baguettes under each arm, beers in the other- great combination for 'Tour day'.

Once at the top we went and checked out the finish line and presentation stage. It was so cool to finally see it all live and not from the TV. We then went back to our little apartment to prepare for a day of watching- yes I had become the full cycling-groupie :)

At around 3.30pm we headed out to find the 'perfect' spot for watching. We found a great viewing platform at about the '800m to go' banner- it was up high so we could look straight down on them coming up the mountain. The parade of cars and floats that come through before the cyclists is amazing- I knew it would be big however I had no idea just how big and how much fun it would be- it was like carnivale time- music blaring, people singing and cheering, goodies being thrown out to the crowds- I loved it!

Then we could 'hear' the first rider coming up the mountain- I say hear because you knew someone was coming as the screaming and cheering was out of control. Then we could see him- one lone rider and we had a pretty good idea it was Contador. He was floating up the mountain- all alone with no other rider in sight. Then we started our stop watches to see just how much time he had- it was amazing. He pretty much won the Tour that day. We continued to watch the boys make their way up- some looking so strong and others just making it to the top any way they could, others content with 'cruising up' in the dining cart, chatting away like they were on a sunday bunch ride. The craziest thing was watching the riders who had already finished turn around almost immediately and start making their way back down the mountain to their accommodation for the next two nights(most of the teams were staying down in Martigny). There were still loads of riders making their way up the mountain and it must have been so demoralising for them to see the boys cruising back down.

The best thing about this stage was the fact that the next day they had a 'rest day' and four of the teams were staying up high in Verbier- Saxobank, Lampre, Milram and Columbia HTC were all staying in our town for the night and next day. I showed no restraint whatsoever and was the biggest cycling geek on the planet- taking photos of the buses, the bikes, the riders, the cars- you name it, I had a picture of it. A friend of mine is actually the media liason for Columbia HTC so I caught up with her for dinner and drinks and picked her brain- asking her so many questions about the riders and the Tour- she couldn't stop laughing and couldn't believe I was such a 'groupie'.

Justin and I decided we would ride down to Martigny for the day and check out all of the other teams who were staying down low for the rest day. The town was buzzing and all of the riders were out cruising and spinning their legs. It was unreal to be riding alongside the greatest cyclists in the world- they would all wave or say hello. Honestly I was giggling like a school girl. The best part was when we were leaving to ride home I turned to see Christoph Moreau right there in front of me- he said straight away 'bonjour' and I was like 'oh, shit, um bonjour Christoph'. He laughed and I laughed- it was unreal. Poor Justin had to put up with me talking about it and how he has always been my 'favourite rider' for the next 20kms.

It was quite sad when they all left the next day- the stage started down in the valley so we rode down early to watch them all go past on their way up the Grand St Bernard. I remember screaming at them when they went past and I swear I had eye contact with Lance- Justin reckons I was dreaming but I know what I saw! Well maybe I been in the sun a little too long but it didn't matter- it had been an amazing three days.

Life quickly returned to normal and our little town settled down and fell back into routine. We got some great training in and I even went and spent a couple of days with my old squad in Leysin- it was fun seeing them all again and catching up with Brett. We rode with them all to Chamonoix when they were on their way to Alpes du' Huez for the triathlon. It was beautiful ride but I don't think I have climbed so much in one ride ever. We were in the saddle for 8hrs that day.

The two weeks went by so quickly. I didn't want to leave. The training in Verbier was amazing- the riding and the running. There is one run that we did many times where you actually drive up to 2100m and can run on these great trails that are actually flat! We did all of our 'speed work' up there- it was killer! We cannot wait to return again next year as there are still so many rides and runs yet to be discovered. We packed up the car and made our way back to Germany.

Next up- Antwerp70.3 in Belgium!

Beks, Catriona and I hanging out at the Awards party for Quelle Challenge Roth.

OK before I hear the gasps of shock that I have finally gotten around to writing another blog, I must apologise for being what can only be described as "a serious slacker'. I have so many great photos from my time in Boulder and I had very good intentions of posting them here with some great blogs but somehow the time just flew by and before I knew it I was boarding a plane bound for Roth, Germany. But fear not because I am back and I will be posting all of my pics and some new ones from my time here in Europe.

After spending about a month in Boulder training and loving every single second of it, I have now flown to Germany. I will be spending the next month here in Europe- I have 'Challenge Roth' this weekend, followed by two weeks in Verbier in Switzerland- stage 19 of the Tour de France finishes in Verbier and the next day is a rest day- gotta love that!!! I then head to Antwerp for the 70.3 at the beginning of August and then it is back to Boulder to train up for IM Canada- busy- yes, but wouldn't have it any other way. 

But for now I am trying to get myself mentally prepared for Challenge Roth- this will be my sixth time racing here and I have to say- it is probably my favourite race in the world. I have had the same homestay family all of this time and they are just like real family to me now. 

Unfortunately it has not been a great start- we arrived here on monday afternoon and on tuesday morning I went out for a ride. I must have only been ten minutes into it when my world came crashing down around me- a car decided to turn left right in front of me and the end result was me in a muddled mess on the ground. I was sore everywhere and honestly I think I was in complete shock- I just couldn't believe it had happened to me here in Roth. The driver was obviously in shock too as he got out of his car, looked at me on the ground and then turned around, got back in his car and drove off with not so much as a word. I could not believe it- how could someone, another human being, leave someone lying in the middle of the road like that??

When it finally clicked in my head that he was not coming back, I scrapped myself off the ground, took a look at the parts that hurt the most, cringed when I saw the state of my left hand, winced when I felt the lump on my left leg and then swore black and blue when I discovered that my brand new Fi'zi:k cycling kit was completely destroyed. Of course I checked out my bike from front to back- amazingly not a scratch on the frame itself- well that was because I took the brunt of the collision. But I pulled it together and managed to make my way back home. I was then driven straight to the emergency room at the hospital by race director and good friend- Felix and my husband Justin. They were so great and managed to somehow keep me calm- no easy feat under normal circumstances let me tell you. 

Once at the hospital I had a great team working on me- after x-rays and ultrasound it was determined that there were no broken bones or torn muscles- just loads of bruising and road rash. My fingers were badly sprained and I think the most painful thing was the removal of my wedding rings (I would not let them cut them off) so they had to be pulled off over all of the swelling- they looked like pigs trotters by the time I got to the hospital so I could not even watch them attempt to pull the rings over all of the swollen skin. 

After what seemed like an eternity at the hospital I was finally allowed home. I must admit I was not coping with the incident well- I felt sorry for myself and couldn't understand why it had to happen to me. Justin let me sit in misery for about an hour and then he decided it was time to snap out of it and just accept what had happened and move on. It was not the end of the world, nothing was broken, I was OK and life would go on. He was right- this was nothing compared to what others have had to endure. I gave myself a good kick up the bum and went about trying to limit the damage done and look towards what could be done from here on in so that I could make the start line on sunday.

Well it is now three days since the crash and each day I am feeling a little bit better. I had an allergic reaction to one of the pain killers so had to return to hospital the next day for a couple of hours, but after a shot of cortisone I was almost back to normal. Today I was able to mange a 30min run, 3kms in the pool and 45mins on the turbo- a long way from an Ironman but a start. At least I now know I will be on the start line and the next goal is to make it to the finish line. 

I will keep you updated on my progress but things are looking a lot better for sunday.

Tomorrow is another new day and lets hope I wake up tomorrow with a little less swelling, and a bigger smile on my face :)

When things do not go quite as planned

OK- well it has taken me a while to get my 'Rev 3' race report up- and there are a few valid reasons for this. Firstly, I have done so much travelling since I left Kona that I hardly know what time zone I am in let alone what day it is. I do not think I gave it quite enough credit just how big the United States of America is, how many hours of flying it would take to get from Kona to Hartford, Connecticut, the 6hr time difference between the two States and then my final two flights and another time change to get to my final destination- Boulder, Colorado- I get tired just thinking about it
Secondly, nobody wants to write a race report when the actual race wasn't, well lets just say, wasn't exactly what I had hoped for. Now lets get it straight from the start- the race itself was nothing short of amazing- Heather Gollnick, her husband Todd, Charlie and everyone who was involved in getting the inaugural Rev 3 race up and running should be commended- it was simply an awesome event. The actual course was back to 'grass-roots' triathlon- one loop swim, one loop bike and an out and back run course that was one of the toughest I have done in a while ( it was definitely on par with the run course in Honu minus the heat). It was such a tough and honest course. My race, on the otherhand, was nothing short of abismal. I am not going to make excuses- not my style, but I just felt flat all day and just didn't have the strength needed to do well on the course. It was, however, unbelievably exciting to watch some of the best gals in the sport go head to head in a thrilling race. Watching Rinny, Natasha and others pushing themselves to their limits was all inspiring and has really motivated me here in Boulder to pick it up a few notches.

My homestay family in Woodbury (nextdoor to Hartford) were just wonderful and did everything in their power to ensure I had a great day of racing. Unfortunately I could not repay them with a great result but I have promised them that I will come back next year and try again :)

Well- lessons were certainly learned- no race is a complete disaster. There is always something that you can take from the race and use at a later date to your advantage. Yes- it is hard to see this immediately after the race (all you want to do is crawl away and hide) but give yourself a few days, a couple of easy sessions on the bike where you let your mind wonder and it is amazing how one can put it all into perspective.
Time to move onwards and upwards. It has been exactly 12 weeks since my surgery and I am starting to feel the strength and fitness come back. I have completely changed my scenery from the vast and endless views of the blue waters of Kona to the equally spectacular views of the mountains in Boulder, Colorado (I think my pics show the contrast quite well). I thoroughly enjoyed my time training on Kona but I am just as excited to be here in Lyons just outside of Boulder. I have always loved training in the mountains- I spent the last three years training in the Swiss Alpes. This season I opted for the Rockies. I haven't been to Boulder since 1996- that is 13 years ago!!!! Justin and I came here so that he could prepare for his first attempt at Hawaii. I came along for the ride. Honestly, back then, I thought Ironman was for crazy people (by the way I have not changed my mind about this, I have just joined the crazies).

Coming back here now brings back so many great memories. When we were here in 1996, I got to train with Greg and Sian Welch, Mark Allen and Julie Moss, Chris Legh and Christian Bustos (who we nick-named 'Chilli-dog'). It was so much fun and really set the ground-work for my passage into Ironman- I just didn't know it yet.
We have been lucky enough to stay at Chris and Sarah Legh's house out in Lyons- it is such a great little town- it is at the base of all the great climbs and the town itself looks like it has not undergone a facelift for at least 50 years. But that is just how I like it- no distractions, just good, hard training. The view from the house is amazing, as you can see from my pictures. There is just something so tranquil and fulfilling about waking up and looking out over the snow-capped mountains- you just want to get out there and ride up every single one of them.

I have been here now since Monday and have already managed to make my way to the top of a few of them- typical me-cannot wait, must do it all at once.
Tomorrow Justin and I are heading up into the clouds to do a 15 mile trail running race- it starts at 9000ft and continues to go up. Justin is going to race it, I am going to 'run' it- and I use the term 'run' very loosly. I am looking forward to the challenge and the view- I am sure it is going to be nothing short of spectacular.
After the run we are heading over to Greg and Laura Bennett's house- they have just moved into their new pad and it is so cool- I will have to take some pics. It is BBQ time and I can't wait.

Will let you all know how the run went- I will have lungs the size of Pharlap by the time I finish.

Honu 70.3

Alright- finally I have a bit of time to get my race report done- I must apologise for getting this to you all so late but I have been a little busy flying over to the mainland and then all the way across to the other side of the country- I honestly had no idea just how big this country actually was! But I am now settled in Woodbury, Connecticut- I have replaced the heat and humidity with the cool and dry air and the mongoose with the squirrel and am trying to get my head around the fact that I am going to be out there racing again on Sunday. My good friend Hillary does 'the double' like it is nothing, and by the double I mean double ironman. I, however, am about to attempt my own version of 'the double'- the double half-ironman. I am definitely expecting to hurt but I am going to enjoy the challenge that is for sure. I think I am just so happy to be back racing again and happy that my surgery is finally behind me and I am well on my way back to full fitness.

OK- now for Honu- I have to start by saying that I honestly had the BEST time training in Kona. It is such an amazing island and the training is as close to perfect as you can get. I really believe it helped me on race day as even though it was definitely hot on the run, I never felt like it was getting on top of me. I would be lying if I told you I was confident going into this race- I was as nervous as if it was my first time racing. I really wasn't sure exactly how my form was- yeah I was fit but was I race fit? My surgery was on March 10 and even though I knew I was fully recovered from the procedure, I was unsure if I was actually 'race-ready'. Honu was the perfect race for me to test this. I had a great swim, not such a great start but after about 400m I started to get into my groove and exited the water with Sam. Once we got to T1 I could see local favourite Bree wee leaving- she had a great swim but it was good for me to have someone to chase. I caught Bree early on in the bike ride ( I later found out that she had been sick before the race and had to eventually pull out but I know she will be back just as strong as ever). I felt good on my new Ceepo- I had only done a dozen or so rides on it but it felt perfect. I did notice that I was definitely lacking a little strength on some of the inclines and during the later stages of the climb into Hawi (we had a shocker of a head wind up there), but other than that, I felt pretty good. I have not been able to do much strength work since my surgery so I did expect to suffer a bit but I will be based in Boulder from next week so plenty of time for some serious strength training.
I dismounted the bike in first place and wanted a lead of about 5 minutes- that is what I predicted I needed to hold off Sam. Unfortunately I did not have the cushion I wanted. As I left T2 I could hear them calling Sam in off the bike- she was only about two odd minutes back. I won't tell you what I muttered under my breath but it wasn't pretty- nobody wants the likes of Sam McGlone that close behind them and even though she is still on the comeback after injury, I would never discount her- she is a World Champion, an amazing athlete and above all, a really great chick!

So, if I wanted this title I was going to have to fight for it on the run- not something I usually like to do or something that I am particularly good at, but I have been doing a heap of training with Luke McKenzie and he has really helped me to not only improve my fitness on the run but also my confidence. Justin has also been getting me to do a lot of running time-trials over different distances and this has definitely improved my running. At every turn I could see that Sam was making up small amounts of time on me and each time I would try and run a little bit faster. It was honestly one of the toughest run courses I have ever done. Most of it was around the golf course so not only was it incredibly hot as there was no shade, but it was also unbelievably humid as they had watered the greens that morning (just to make it that little bit harder for us all). You just could not get into a good rhythm- up and down, over grass, onto paths, back onto grass, loads of turns, through a couple of dark tunnels, we even had a switch-back to contend with but I think this actually worked to my advantage in the end as the run was more about strength, stamina and survival rather than pure running speed.
I was actually able to open my lead up by about the 10th mile. I now had about a 4 minute lead so was able to enjoy the last few miles- I always love being able to relax a bit towards the end (not that it happens all that often) and really take in the atmosphere and the crowds- it was so much fun. It felt great to cross the finish line in first place and to have the fastest run split of the day- now that never happens. It was a great race and one that I definitely want to return to again next year but only if I can snare the same homestay as this year- they were awesome and made my stay in Kona unforgettable.

My new Ironman Hawaii ride- Part I

OK- so on Thursday we decided to go on a bit of a biking adventure. I wanted to do something completely different to the usual. I wanted to go exploring. When I am here for the Ironman in October I am totally focused on the race and rarely do I venture off the actual race course. But this was my time to play and I wanted to see what the island of Kona had to offer- I can tell you now that I was not disappointed.
We decided to begin when Lava Java opened its doors- it was going to be a long day in the saddle so we wanted to make sure we were properly hydrated for a day in the sun-(make mine a triple shot please).
We then made our way out along the Queen K and basically followed the Ironman race course all the way to Hawi- we were happy to discover that the winds were not blowing on our way from Kawaihae to Hawi, in fact it was close to perfect conditions.

Before we knew it we had made it Hawi and this is where the fun would begin. I had to take this pic of 'Luke's Place'- seeing as Luke was with us- he has promised to shout us dinner here before we leave.

I have really only ridden along the Queen K and so I have no idea what type of riding is actually out there. Justin, on the other hand, has done plenty of riding and has discovered some amazing roads and has gone on some great adventures. Luke has also done loads of training on Kona and has ventured off the beaten track many times- he was aptly given the title of 'ride captain' for the day.

When we left Hawi we took a right turn up the Kohala Mountain Rd. Luke had warned me not to go too hard too early as it was a long way up to the summit- he was not kidding!!!

We just kept going up and up and up some more. But the view all the way up was worth all of the pain my legs were encountering and then some.

This was my first really long ride on my new bike- the Ceepo Venom. It felt great and I honestly could not have been happier with the way it was feeling or handling (except I was hoping it would climb just a little faster so that Luke and Justin were not able to drop me up Kohala Mt. Rd). But not to worry as it descended beautifully and I was back on their behinds before they even realised they had dropped me :)

My new Ironman Hawaii ride- part II

We made our way up and over Kohala Mountain Rd. from Hawi- this is an awesome climb and peaks at 1086 metres! Now that would certainly sort out the little drafting problem we seem to be having at the World Champs these days :) The views from here have to be seen to be believed- truly amazing. I do not normally like to stop mid-ride- training is training right, but I just could not resist these views.

How fantastic is this! You could see for miles- the Queen K seemed to be so far away- I could not believe how far we had climbed. You could see actually see the Queen K snake all the way back to Kailua.

We descended down to Waimea and had our second and last stop for the day before heading back to Kailua. We took the Mamalahoa Highway all the way from Waimea back to Kailua. This highway was the original road used to access the north end of the island before they built the Queen K. It has been resurfaced and is a great alternative to the Queen K. It basically runs parallel to the Queen K but inland, however, it is a lot more undulating (translated= a whole lot tougher).

We took this road all the way back to the very top of Palani Road (now I mean the very top- not just the little hill we run up in the Ironman). How much fun was it descending down Palani!! A great way to finish an epic ride. Total ride was 183kms- just perfect!

Luke, Justin and myself then rode back to where we were staying and I made everyone the obligatory protein shake- extra thick and extra cold- then we just lay back and took in a good morning's work. Now I cannot wait to do it all over again -ahhhh life is good.