Iron Jack

Last night I took some of my own advice.

Two weeks ago I was honoured to be asked to speak to Rotorua’s Activator Series. (http://www.getactivestayactive.co.nz/) This a group of super-inspirational women. Some haven’t been active for a while for a number of different reasons, and some never have been. The series started several years ago, and I actually registered for the series back then. But I bailed after the first two sessions. I was too far out of my comfort zone and wasn’t committed to fight for my time. I finally got there, and Ironjack is proof of that.

This year the series had room for 50 places and they filled all those spots and even had a waiting list with nearly as many again. All women, all desperate to get out there and give it a go, and to get the support they need to get out there and give it a go.

My slot on the programme was meant to be about time management. Unfortunately it wasn’t a week to use as a good example of time management. I raced in the door to the pool from work with as much decorum as a floundering elephant. I had meant to do a cool, snazzy presentation describing my journey, my goals, my challenges, my success stories and how our manic lives manage to come together to allow me to do this. But I hadn’t had time to do that, and I’d barely had time to scrawl myself some notes about what I wanted to say.

So I decided to just speak from the heart, to talk about how life used to be for the sedentary Jacky. About my first small triathlon on January 4, and how that grew to be taking on an Ironman in 2011. I talked about what life looks like for me - two jobs, two kids, training and a husband! I talked about how we manage to juggle everything and make it work. I talked about how I prioritise and fight for my training time because it is so important to my health and state of mind. I talked about how I now have energy to run around with the boys.

I think I covered a lifetime in five minutes flat. I felt like it was a disorganised mess, but it was certainly real.

And they enjoyed it, and asked questions - lots of them. And I even knew the answers. Who would have thought that I would be able to advise someone to ensure they have some form of protein within 30 minutes of exercising in order to encourage recovery and to be ready for the next session the next day. Who have thought? Certainly not me.

One of the questions was about what to do if you’re just feeling shattered and you just can’t get out there for a run, swim or bike.

I feel like this all the time. I have these constant debates in my head about how tired I am, and how I might be able to compromise by doing a double session the next day. But of course I never do.

If you’re feeling truely tired and exhausted you can do one of two things.

Whenever I’m feeling knackered my coach says get out there and start. If you’re still feeling rotten after 15 minutes, then you can go home and go to bed. But more often than not, you actually feel fine once you get going and before long, your training session is done.

Or, rather than do a training session that you absolutely hate, and potentially making it even more difficult to go again in the future…don’t go. And don’t beat yourself up about it. But make a plan to ensure you get back out there the next day. Phone a friend, make a plan to meet up for a walk or a swim; arrange to walk or bike to work. By all means have a day off, but make sure you have a plan to get going again the next day.

I’ve employed both these strategies. And last night I used the first one. I was so tired when I got home I was practically falling asleep at the table . I had that internal debate with myself for about an hour. I finally decided to get dressed and go. The dog was so excited when he saw the running shoes come out he started doing loops of the house.

I headed out the driveway and it was hard going. I knew it was going to be hard going - you can’t have nearly two weeks off and expect it to be easy. But sure enough, by the time I got to 15 minutes I was actually going pretty well. Sure, the second half was pure hell, but I still ran the 5.6km in my personal best time of 45 minutes so it can’t have been that bad.

And I was stoked to have got the training session out of the way.

So, last night was a case of actually doing as I say. Who would have thought?

And just to make me feel really great, here’s some feedback from the Activator series:

Wow what an awsome night Tuesday night.  I personally felt the speaker was fantastic and very real!!!  Very inspirational. 

I really enjoyed the last session with Jacky talking about her goal to do ironman in 2011.  It was so great to hear how she manages to juggle everything and still be realistic and confident about how it all works out.

Thanks again for another great night on Tuesday, Jacky was great, very inspiring.

It was a cold, crisp evening as about ten of us lined up our bikes and wind trainers facing Rotorua’s Blue Lake. It had been a stunning day, warm in town, and I’d been looking forward to the season’s new brick training session all day.

RATs, our local Tri club, has spent winter Wednesday nights spinning in a local gym. Its usually packed with up to 40 plus people lined up with bikes, wind trainers and extremely loud music doing super-efficient spinning sessions with Lawrence. With the onset of daylight savings, and the 2009/10 tri season, winter Wednesdays have made way for outdoor brick sessions instead.

You couldn’t ask for a more picturesque setting. Rotorua’s Blue and Green lakes are located about 10 minutes drive from town, and are renowned as one of the must-see tourist spots in New Zealand. When you stand at the lookout in between, one lake - the Blue or Tikitapu - looks electric blue to the eye; turn around and you take in the Green lake or Rotokakahi, which looks a sea-green.

In summer we use the lake for open water swim training, we run around the lake on a 5.5km forestry trail, we bike on road and in forest across the area. Its an amazing outdoor wonderland and its right on our back doorstep. Lucky? You bet.

So anyway, we line up on the lakefront on our stationery bikes. Yes I am the first to admit that we must have looked like a bunch of idiots. A cold bunch of idiots at that. My day-long daydream about how we would be sitting in the sun, in front of a still, crystal lake was rapidly blown as soon as I arrived. It was blowing hard and straight into shore. So we’re sitting on our stationery bikes, with five layers on, and blue fingers and lips.

And we’re off. A very intense spin session (approximately 10 minutes), designed to mimic a hard road ride. A loud shout from Lawrence and we’re jumping off the bikes, into our running shoes, and taking off up the hill on the first of two laps. I thought I was going to be sick. I reached the top of the hill, rounded the cone and honestly thought I was about to keel over - this is, of course, on the back of a serious tummy bug where I had lost five kilos in four days. But I made it back around the bikes, and around again for the second lap.

Back on the bike for the next spin session. Long and hard. And off again for another two laps. And then the next spin session and off for a three lap run. And a final burst and then cool-down.

It was the hardest training session I’ve ever done. I hurt everywhere. And I LOVED it! I was on the biggest buzz and am still buzzing today, over 24 hours later. Of course I can’t walk properly because I hurt so much, but I’m already counting the sleeps until the next one.

I’ve been for a training run with my Dad. I’ve been for a training run with my sister. And now, finally, I’m proud to say that I have been for a run with my husband!

It’s been many many years since I attempted to run with Mike. He’s quite fit and fast and “springy” when it comes to running. When we used to run in Auckland, well before children, it never used to work. I couldn’t run fast enough to keep up with him, and if he tried to run slower with me, he would either end up walking, or over-heating and with a migraine. So we’ve pretty much just run our own separate ways every since. Until now.

My new job means training has to fit around work - rather than work fitting around training as it has been for the past six months. It also means we have to take every opportunity we can to actually see each other! Hence, a joint running session that would achieve both. With the boys in daycare, it was an opportunity not to be missed.

So on Monday we met on the corner halfway between our offices and drove to the pool. From there we headed out running. The aim was to do 30 minutes easy.

“Woah, this is hard going today,” I managed to gasp.

“That’s probably because you’re going much faster,” says Mike.

Turns out that he was only going a little bit slower than he normally would - not a whole lot slower like he used to.

“Cool,” I gasped back.

So with him just going a little bit slower, and with me actually going quite a bit faster, we got through our 30 minutes and then carried on a bit further. We ended up with a 40 minute run and a 5.2km distance completed. About five minutes faster than usual for me. Fantastic. And it was a good run too. I actually managed to have a conversation most of the way around as well.

We grabbed a quick shower at the pools and then headed back to work. A good run done well. Nice.

I had an outstanding 60 minute run in the Whakarewarewa Forest yesterday - a massive improvement on my 60 minute run in Auckland City last week!

It was a gorgeous day, clear blue skies. Absolutely freezing, but warmish in the sun. I hadn’t been running in the forest for a while. I’ve had quite a lot of work on so have been trying to be efficient with my time and just running around the streets of Ngongotaha. 

But what a difference. I felt like I was skipping off into the forest. The air was fresh and my feet felt light. And my ear phones stayed in - also a major improvement on last week.

I find it difficult to run without my MP3 player. I don’t have any problem riding without it - and I feel safer not having anything blocking up my ears while I’m riding on the road. And obviously I don’t wear it in the pool! But I do need my music for running - and the louder and harder rock the better. Much to Mike’s disgust!

Without any fore-planning, the music that came on randomly yesterday couldn’t have been better. A variety of different Live songs (my favourite band), U2, Pink, Daughtry, Stone Temple Pilots, a bit of REM, and then some odd Simon and Garfunkel and Nina Simone for good measure. It seemed that every time I hit a hill, the beat would pick up and I would sail up the hill. And just when I needed some slow relief as I went down a hill, I’d get what I needed. Perfect.

I don’t expect that everyone can run to a mix of hard rock and jazz, but it seems to work for me!

Who knew that a run around the designer footpaths of Ponsonby would be nearly as dangerous as running in my beloved Whaka* Forest?

Tree roots, rubbish, holes in the footpath, pot smoke in the air, it was more like a commando obstacle course than central city Auckland. I had to keep my eyes on my feet for practically the whole run. But it did keep me amused. In fact, I found all sorts of things very amusing on my run around Auckland city earlier in the week.

I arrived in Auckland on Monday around lunchtime for a meeting with my business coach to help get my life sorted. Its about to be one full-time job, one consultancy job, one family with children and dog, and one Ironman training plan.

Enter Russ the wondercoach stage left.

After an excellent planning session I left his place feeling a lot more confident that I’m going to be able to fit everything in. Of course it is going to require some sensational planning skills (which is what Russ is for), good organisation on the home front (which is what Mike is for) and some early nights for me.

Anyway, I checked into Sky City Hotel, got suited up and headed back out the door.

I was scheduled to do a 60 minute run - my first ever full hour run. I have done “run 7 min and walk 3 min” sessions for an hour, but never running for the full 60 minutes. I had decided to head around Westhaven Marina - mainly to get my plodding, oversized running style away from the busy city footpaths. Of course I had forgotten that I had quite a few streets and people to get through first before I got to the waterfront. So naturally I headed off at a fast pace so I looked like (despite my size) I was meant to be heading out for a run! Fortunately it was mainly downhill.

I got to the waterfront and just about fell over. I had completely over-exerted myself in an effort to make myself look good. Lesson learnt. I absolutely plodded the rest of the way around. But I got there and that is the main thing.

As I was running along Ponsonby Rd**, I couldn’t help but think back on some words from Lee-Anne when she was kicking my butt into gear at one point…

“Do you know what I think when I see people out giving it a try and going for a run?”

“Oh look at that poor old soul, at least she’s out there trying?” I suggested hopefully.

“No! I think bloody good on them. I could never do that.

“And that is what nearly everyone else out there is thinking as well. They’re thinking, I could never do that. But you are, and that’s what’s inspiring everyone around you.”

And when I was running along Ponsonby Rd, past the designer shops, past the beautiful people in their designer black, carrying designer coffees and designer handbags, that’s exactly what I thought.

“Good on me. I am out here doing this. It might not look pretty, but I am bloody doing it.”

I did crack myself up a number of times as I came across the absolute stereotypical Aucklander (there is no place like home), but mainly I just enjoyed the fact that I was out there doing it - and getting myself closer back to the hotel with every step.

I cruised into Franklin Rd and here’s where the obstacle course comes in. Franklin Rd is one of the nicest streets in Auckland. Its very steep (I was going down) and is filled with beautiful old villas and lined with lovely old trees. At Christmas time all the houses have Christmas lights and you have to queue to get down there to have a look.

I had purposely chosen my route to end going down Franklin Rd because I thought it would be a nice finish. Wrong! Steep downhill is not easy, its actually very hard - and the footpath was an absolute mess! The trees are very nice to look at, but the roots are completely cracking up the footpath and I had to tread extremely carefully to ensure I didn’t end up expecting them in front of my nose. It felt like an age to get down that street. Again, very amusing.

I got back to the hotel and was asked by the concierge if I’d had a good run…

“Actually, not too bad,” I replied.

*(for international readers, Wh is pronounced (faka) - and yes, when pronounced properly it really does sound like that!)

**posh shopping/cafe area in Auckland

By popular request, here’s a quick, short post on my AMAZING run today.

I spent the morning working with Irene from RATs (tri club) putting together the awards and photos for our annual awards dinner this Saturday night. Remarkably we managed to get the job done, despite my 18 month old running around and literally trashing the joint - sick, yeah right!

Anyway, after two days at home with Toby, Mike arrived home at lunchtime to relieve me so I could head out for today’s 5km run. I had last week off training under strict orders from Lee-Anne, and have been itching to get back into it this week. I re-jigged this week’s programme to use my 60 minute brisk walk yesterday with Toby in the buggy, but I couldn’t afford to muck around with it anymore this week.

So I literally booted Irene out the door (sorry Irene), frantically got dressed into my running gear, threw my ear pieces into my ears, grabbed the dog and headed out the driveway. Quite fast.

“This is interesting,” I thought. “I wonder how long I can keep this pace up.”

For over five kilometres it turns out!

It was definately hard going, and I was really feeling it, but I still had enough left to really put the pace on for the last 500 metres - I was actually dragging the dog, which is completely unheard of!

5.5 kilometres in 42 minutes. An absolute record for me and a good one to have under my belt. It’s nice to know I can push it a little bit and still get around the course. I couldn’t have gone much further, but I got there today.

I am completely shattered now though. I hurt everywhere and have to push myself out of my chair. But it’s a good tired and a good hurt.

Bring on spinning class tomorrow!

PS: update on yesterday’s blog post, the Reeboks rock! First decent run under their soles, and they are awesome. Very very pleased.

This is a post I’ve been trying to write for a few weeks. I’ve been planning it out in my head for a while, but it’s been difficult to put pen to paper - or fingers to keyboard as it were.

It’s about a pair of shoes. But it’s also about more than a pair of shoes.

It will probably come as no surprise to many of my friends that I’m writing about a pair of shoes. I’ve been eating, drinking, sleeping and dreaming about shoes for most of my life. Usually red ones. With a lovely heel. And straps.

But I digress.

These shoes are not heels. They are not red leather. They do not match my work suit. They are running shoes. My new Reebok Women’s Premier Road Plus KFS VI Running Shoes in sky and silver to be exact. They were ordered specially for me by the lovely Michael at Reebok. Or “that cool dude Michael” if you are my four year old son. Anyway, they are very cool. They fit great and they feel great, but they also look great. They even manage to make my very large feet look almost petite and refined.

I’ve been testdriving them for the past few weeks - well test-walking actually. They’ve probably got a good 50 kilometres under their soles by now. And they are great. I actually like them better than another brand that I bought earlier this year - under significant testing and podiatrist recommendation - before Ironjack was born. The Reeboks are seriously comfortable and my new orthotics fit into them perfectly. Better than the aforementioned shoes actually - I can now run and walk without squeaking my way down the road! They also have this fantastic, almost stretchy webbing across the shoe, kind of along the hinge that your toes make during the walking/running motion. The theory is that they stretch as you foot changes shape as you run - and also as your foot swells during running. Regardless of the theory, they actually work, I think that’s what makes them so comfortable. In fact they are so comfortable, I’m wearing them all the time! They don’t quite match my best client suit, but I’m sure I can find a way.

Anyway, you’re probably wondering why that was so hard to write. That part wasn’t. It’s the next bit I’m worried about.

One of the best things about these shoes is not the fit, the colour or the look. It’s the fact that these shoes help raise awareness of breast cancer. And that’s important to me right now.

A very close friend of ours was diagnosed with breast cancer around mid-April.

She’s around the same age as me, fit, healthy, generous, kind and gorgeous. She had some of her breast removed in May. The operation went very well and the surgeon is confident he got it. Originally, our friend was just going to have some basic radiotherapy and theoretically that was going to be the end of her cancer tale. However, further testing revealed that the cancer was a very aggressive form and was going to require a much more aggressive treatment. She has now started a six month course of chemo, which is taking a toll. She has already been hospitalised with a severe throat infection as the chemo has completely destroyed her immune system. The chemo will be followed by radiotherapy. So she literally has the next nine months mapped out in terms of spending days and nights in hospital. She also runs her own business and has a beautiful daughter, two fantastic step-children and an amazing husband.

This shouldn’t be happening to her. But it is.

I was devastated when her husband rang to tell me she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a number of big deadlines and lots of work to do, but I was a write-off. I couldn’t focus. I was so angry that this should be happening to them.

I drove to the pool, jumped into the 50 metre pool and swam two kilometres. The first time I had ever swum two kilometres freestyle. A week later I swam the King of the Bays, 2.8 kilometres in appalling conditions. I fought a lot of demons on those swims, but mainly I just focused on my friend.

My breast cancer story gets even more personal. My Nana found a lump in her breast just before Easter probably nearly 20 years ago. She had both her breasts removed within a few days. She’s still going strong. But it transpired that her mother died of beast cancer. Until then we had never known.

I have them all with me every day or every training run. Nothing I’m going through can even begin to match what my friend is living through every day. If she can fight this - and she is and she will - I can bloody well do Ironman.

That’s the story of the shoes. They’re going for their first run tomorrow.

I’ve just had an amazing run in the forest - and I really mean run. Probably for the first time ever I truely ran. Not jogged. Not cruised. Really, truely ran.

I really pushed it today and it felt completely different. My knees were coming up higher and my stride was longer. And I didn’t feel like I was doing the Charleston and kicking out to the side so much - hopefully an improvement thanks to Lawrence!

It was hard going, but it was actually more enjoyable. I could feel myself working harder - I even generated a wind whistle past my ears. Today I felt a little less like a pretender and a little more like Sam Warriner. And, even more importantly, I knocked two minutes off my time around that course. Stoked!

I feel as if I have reached a bit of a mental turning point. More and more, every time I train, I can visualise myself getting through Ironman and getting across the finish line. Again, I have absolutely no doubt that I have a long, hard road ahead, but once you get your mind switched on and can visualise a successful outcome, it becomes so much easier.

I am going to make this happen.

And then, to top it all off, Live’s Lightning Crashes came on my MP3 player as I was stretching by the car. The perfect end to a great run!

It always surprises me when I jog past shop windows and I don’t look like Sam Warriner.

Sam is the 2008 ITU World Champion, a kiwi, a redhead and, by all accounts, a down-to-earth, allround great person. You can check her stuff out at www.samwarriner.co.nz

In my mind, I look like her. When I’m running I feel 6 feet tall, slim, strong and powering down the road. It’s always such a shock when I catch sight of myself in a window and I’m the complete opposite!

The shop window incidents came yesterday while I was “Lapping the Lake” - at least that is what running around Takapuna’s Lake Pupuke was called when I was 10! That was about the last time I ran around that lake - and even then I never ran, it was more a jog/hobble/walk and drag - the drag situation on the part of my mum as we participated in a local fun run. My dad got to run on ahead, while she juggled me, my younger brother and sister and a buggy. We even got our picture in the paper - clearly I was destined for a career in the media from then. My brother went on to achieve great success on the international yachting stage, while my sister has collected three degrees and has just entered the ballot for the 2010 London Marathon. So obviously Mum did the right thing getting us out on that fun run.

So yesterday’s effort was a bit like tracing our family history - or as one of my Twitter friends so eloquently put it “a great run around memory lake!” Thanks IronmanLongRunr (http://www.twitter.com/IronmanLongRunr).

It started off well enough - until I hit the throngs of high school students heading out their school gates - I had completely forgotten it was (a) hometime, and (b) that there were four high schools within a stones throw of each other. Hopefully they were inspired by my panting elephantine efforts rather than horrified.

My sister doesn’t like Lapping the Lake. She thinks it’s boring and goes on forever. It’s certainly hillier than I remembered, but because I grew up around this lake, I felt like I knew every step. I actually enjoyed it. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard going. At nearly 6km it’s the longest and furthest I have run to date, but it wasn’t an unpleasant experience. And it was certainly very satisfying.

Until I hit the shop windows on the home stretch.

So, Sam Warriner I am not, but maybe one day, after Ironman 2011, I might be a lot closer.