3/28/2014-3/30/2014

We left port Douglas at 3:20am and headed to the airport in Cairns. Stopping for gas we got there just in time to catch our flight to Sydney. We got to Sydney a bit before we were able to check into our apartment so we dropped off our baggage and went out to breakfast. Sydney is currently doing a wildlife and art exhibit like Melbourne did last year. This one has 120 Rhino statues in the greater Sydney area. They come complete with an app. I started collecting them. We had a nice wonder around the city, settled into our hotel and then did the Sydney bridge climb at 6pm. It was really cool to climb at night. I wasn't going to climb the bridge but my friends were nervous and forced me to do it with them. It was a nice experience but really I think I'm done. After the bridge climb my friends headed back to the apartment while I went out in search of food. I went to the Glenmore which overlooks the opera house. It was amazing.

Saturday we took the Ferry to Manly beach and had a relaxing day of looking at the water and sleeping on the sand. Bruce had wanted to go to a footy game while he was here so we had planned to go to the Sydney-Collingwood game tonight at Sydney's olympic stadium. Bruce changed his mind and stayed in Manly but I went to the game and it was brilliant. I stopped for Korean on the way which was amazing. Then, I sat right between the two sides and made some new friends. It was great fun.

Sunday we had to be out of the apartment by noon so I went out for coffee and then wandered the area a bit.  I took my friends to the botanical gardens and then lost them while I was looking for Rhinos. By the time we left Sydney I had found 15.  I met back up with them at 5:30 to get chocolate and Messina gelato. Messina is some of the most amazing gelato I've seen. Mmmmm. Then we collected our baggage and headed to the airport. In a surprise turn of events we got on an earlier flight so that we were back to my place by 10pm. I actually got some work done and cleaned a bit. I have so much to catch up on but I'm not motivated to do any of it.

3/27/2014

Last day in Queensland. I wanted to see the Daintree rainforest so I left the house just before 7 and headed up to mossman gorge. I walked the circuit it was boardwalked for about half of it and very pretty. After I finished I went back to pick up Bruce and Rebecca. They had no interest in the rainforest so they took me to the Daintree fairy and went to the cable car in Cairns instead. I walked 11km in to the national park and then did a 2.7km trail. It was lovely. I saw bush turkeys and mangroves. I love mangroves! I made it another few kilometers in to the ice cream factory. I ate chocolate soma AND mango coconut because I was really hungry. By then I was at the half way point so I headed back. I got there a bit earlier than my ride so I took a nap. This evening we went to dinner at flames of the forest. It is dinner and a show by aboriginal performers. They picked us up at 7pm and it lasted till 11. 

3/25/2014-3/26/2014

Today we started our after ironman adventures by flying up to Queensland. We are staying in Port Douglas which is an hour drive along the coastal highway north of Cairns. It is beautiful. After a day of travel we took it easy. We walked along 4 mile beach and went to dinner at Salsa where I had a Kangaroo steak. 

Day 2 in Port Douglas we went diving. Well I went diving. Becki was feeling sick and didn't dive and Bruce started arguing with the guy about how he had childhood asthma and thought that diving was fine so the dive instructor didn't want him to dive. They got to snorkel instead which was still pretty cool. I was thrilled to dive. I saw sea turtles, sharks, and the rest of the cast of finding Nemo. I did two boat dives and 1 drift dive. They were all pretty great. Plus the food on the boat was great. This evening we were just lazy and ordered pizza and salad in. 

3/21/2014-3/24/2014

I have been super busy  getting ready and then running the Melbourne Ironman and then of course recovering. Friday(3/21) I took Becki to Healesville Sanctuary to see some wild life. It was great and I got to see my first platypus in Australia. We went out to dinner on Lygon street and I spent the rest of the day getting ready for the race.

Saturday was bike drop which always takes some time. I think my friends were annoyed by needing to take the train but I think it makes things so much easier. I don't have to worry about my bike being on the outside of a car plus I can get some work done while I'm on the train. I swam at the start line, biked along the run and ran back home. I almost skipped the run but it made my stomach feel so much better. I was happy that I did it. For dinner we grilled all the food we could find.

Sunday was race day. We had a bit of a rough start with taxi problems but they all worked out. We got to the start at 6am and I had more trouble when I realised that I had forgotten my gels. It was a small problem but I worked it out. Here is the race play by play: 

My swim was strong. I felt good. My biggest issue was that I kept losing my line of sight but my training kept me swimming strong all 3.8km. 

I got out of the water and saw the clock read 1:45. I got nervous, raced through transition and got on my bike where I pushed hard and passed people. I started out doing the first stretch of the course at 36kph pace. On the way back I was in the wind and slowed to 30kph. On my way out again I was back up to 34kph and did spectacularly through the tunnel and up the hill. On the way back the wind picked up and I struggled to hold 20kph pace. I was pushing hard and would pick up speed every time I caught a break from the wind. Overall I had an average of 28kph or an hour faster than my bike last year.

I got off the bike and started running. I was having a nice run. I felt really good, like I could keep going forever. Then at 20km I needed a toilet stop and when I stopped my legs cramped up. I struggled for the next 15km as my legs didn't want to move. At one point I came across my pacing buddy who ran with me and he told me I was spot on our 4:20 pace which lifted my spirits. I kept it strong and ran through the pain and my legs felt better for the last 7km. I began to push again and had a really good finish. 

I finished the race in 12:16 which is 20 minutes faster than I was last year. This year the swim was twice the distance, I was an hour faster on the bike and I didn't lose any time on the run. All around I was pretty happy.
My race pictures all turned out really funny. I like all of them. Some I look like I'm 3 feet and about to collapse and in others I look like I'm just out for a day at the beach.

See the rest here

For next time I need to have a better nutrition plan and a better bathroom plan to keep me going. I don't know about Ironman Melbourne next year. Maybe I'll do another one instead. 

Monday was recovery day. I felt quite terrible until we went to pick up our  bikes.  I rode the 20km home and I've felt great since then. Aside from my stomach still being confused. 

3/20/2014

The ironman excitement started today! I am Athlete number 284 and you can track me here on Sunday.

I went to class today we talked about elbow problems and decided that I definitely have one. I have lateral laxity, possible ligament damage and very tight scar tissue around my lateral epicondyle. My classmates and instructor agree with my assessment that I should get through the Ironman and then get it looked at.  There is no gross problem and it shouldn't impact my performance for the weekend but I don't want to let it go forever. 

After class I went down to pick up my bike from Hampton. It is very shinny and fast. It feels amazing. I rode my bike up to the expo and checked in and bought some gels. I bought 1 cool mint and 3 coffee. I don't like cool mint but I figured that I might need a change of flavour mid race. After buying the gels I opened my bag to find that I got 2 free cool mint gels. Fail!

Becki and I went out for lunch and drinks while Bruce got a massage. Then I sent them home by tram and beat them by 20minutes biking. 

We had plans to grill things for dinner but were foiled when we realised that Kat still has the hose that connects the gas to the grill. We made do, fairly well I must say, using the oven instead. 

Then I started organising my stuff for the race. I am so excited that this year's bags are nicer than last year's bags so that I can use them after the race. 

People have been asking me if I'm nervous. I am not. I am going to spend all day Sunday doing 3 sports that I love and I'm gonna look mighty good doing it. What else do I need?

3/19/2013

I almost skipped tonight but didn't. I had a pharmacology exam at 9am. It was pretty easy. I think I did well. Then I took my bike to get serviced. Went to prac class where we learned cervical rotations. Then I took my friends to the night market. It's actually the first time I've ever been. It's pretty sweet. There are the usual things plus extra food stands, live music and drinks. I did silent disco which I thought was awesome and my friends laughed at. We were home early and I meant to do work, with no luck :( procrastination hit really hard. Doing absolutely nothing.

3/18/2013

My friends are here from the US!!! How exciting. I'm super pumped to be hosting. It was a busy day of running around doing my things and getting them stuff. I got a nice run in with Bruce and we all went out for dinner. It was great. I have acquainted them with the city, tram system, and clock in Melbourne Central. More tomorrow.