A photo and text tour of endurance sport in NZ and abroad, and snippets of my training and racing as a New Zealand representative triathlete and MeoGP rider. Proudly sponsored by Ricoh and Armstrong Sport. Heart, Legs and Lungs.
Nutrigrain Ironman New Zealand next weekend. This quote from the Slowtwitch Forums really captures the spirit of IM training in NZ. Absolute gold. “Back in 1998 I think it was, I was training for IMNZ. I did a 2 hour run in the morning before work, had breakfast and worked. Got back late from a meeting so missed lunch and headed out for a 40 min tempo run on VERY tired legs. Another meeting. Damn! Got home and dinner wasn’t ready so headed out for my planned 2 hour hill ride (out into the country). On the way home, I bonked badly. I had trouble staying on my bike. I ran out of water (stinkin’ hot evening) I was eyeing grass on the side of the road thinking. It’s really just salad. Not much, but better than nothing. If I eat the stuff furthest from the road, it won’t have too much oil and crud on it, and if I eat it more than 2m from the fence, then cows won’t have pee’d on it, so it’s probably fine. That thought was closely followed by. That puddle looks awfully oily on top, but I could probably brush that aside and drink the clean stuff underneath. Not my best day. About 3km from home, wobbling my bike along the road, 1/2 hoping to get killed by a passing car, I heard the distinctive rattle of a $1 coin in my spares pouch. I was just passing a corner convenience store (dairy here) and bought one of the oldest, wrinkliest, most dried out meat pies you have ever seen. It had been sitting in the warming oven for at least 7 hours and was probably a bout of food poisoning waiting to happen. I bought it and wolfed it down in seconds. It was the most glorious food I think I have ever eaten. Truly disgusting at any other time, but just then, it was the most life-affirming food I could imagine. When I got home, I had a peanut butter and honey sandwich and a large glass of milk and went to bed, still all sweaty and crunchy. Wife was NOT impressed, but let me sleep anyway. I changed the sheets and showered the next morning. That next day was a rest day. Not planned, but had to be.”

Feb 24 -

Nutrigrain Ironman New Zealand next weekend.

This quote from the Slowtwitch Forums really captures the spirit of IM training in NZ. Absolute gold.

“Back in 1998 I think it was, I was training for IMNZ. I did a 2 hour run in the morning before work, had breakfast and worked. Got back late from a meeting so missed lunch and headed out for a 40 min tempo run on VERY tired legs. Another meeting. Damn!

Got home and dinner wasn’t ready so headed out for my planned 2 hour hill ride (out into the country). On the way home, I bonked badly. I had trouble staying on my bike. I ran out of water (stinkin’ hot evening) I was eyeing grass on the side of the road thinking. It’s really just salad. Not much, but better than nothing. If I eat the stuff furthest from the road, it won’t have too much oil and crud on it, and if I eat it more than 2m from the fence, then cows won’t have pee’d on it, so it’s probably fine. That thought was closely followed by. That puddle looks awfully oily on top, but I could probably brush that aside and drink the clean stuff underneath. Not my best day.

About 3km from home, wobbling my bike along the road, 1/2 hoping to get killed by a passing car, I heard the distinctive rattle of a $1 coin in my spares pouch. I was just passing a corner convenience store (dairy here) and bought one of the oldest, wrinkliest, most dried out meat pies you have ever seen. It had been sitting in the warming oven for at least 7 hours and was probably a bout of food poisoning waiting to happen. I bought it and wolfed it down in seconds. It was the most glorious food I think I have ever eaten. Truly disgusting at any other time, but just then, it was the most life-affirming food I could imagine. When I got home, I had a peanut butter and honey sandwich and a large glass of milk and went to bed, still all sweaty and crunchy. Wife was NOT impressed, but let me sleep anyway. I changed the sheets and showered the next morning. That next day was a rest day. Not planned, but had to be.”

Meta: