and the Bling is in..

As promised... here are the photos of Stella's new bling.. and all the goodies I got from my beautiful Mummy. I love that you are so supportive of my dreams.. I love ya Ma!

 Stella with Tri-Bars on the rack Aaron put up for me to save her from the car doors.

 Tri-Bars... WoooHoooo!

 All the other goodies that were purchased with my lovely gift voucher from the bestest ever mummy...xxxxx

Speedo after getting home today.. I did 100km in one ride.. Can't quite believe it just yet.. but I did it! Now for some food and a sleep.. sxxxxxxxzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Stella is out getting some Bling!

I miss having her in the house... can't wait to pick her up... will take some pics this afternoon.. ooohhh so pretty!xxxx

who knew you could get blisters there!

So the thing I have learnt this week is you need to look after blisters.. I have listened to everyone's advice, both professional and old wives tales... and I am doing it ALL.. Walking in the salt water at the beach, fixamol tape, blister pads, fancy schmancy socks that take the sweat away from my feet and in general trying to be nice to my feet.

I have had a very big week training wise.. with both running and biking long distances.. bike no probs.. very kind to feet.. Running, used to be no prob when 6km was the long distance.. however now that I am at 15kms.. Blisters on my arches, blisters on nearly every toe (looking into fancy schmancy toe socks this week) blister on my butt is now healing thanks to Aaron having to tape up my butt.. hehehe! So Romantic! and today I have noticed a very sore blister from my bra smack bang in the middle of my chest, just looking and feeling gross... Must find out who makes fixamol and get me some shares cause man I am using loads of the stuff.

Ran 15kms with Mum on Monday morning very early, birds were not even up yet. Poor Mum, I don't think she woke up until we had been out for about 20mins...hehehehe!  Mum being the support crew on Courts bike.. measuring the distance, passing water and fuel where needed.. Yapping away so I didn't feel the pain.. I am feeling really positive about my running because I thought running into town was way past my ability... but it turns out it is not..

Tuesday was my usual tuesday girls ride... and it was so nice... no wind being the bonus.. Loved just being out with some lovely ladies, riding with no worries.

Wednesday - I got up early and went for a 10km run with my new fancy schmancy toe socks..(very sexy), my camelsomthing fuel belt that holds a fullsize water bottle and pockets for gels, keys and the kitchen sink. If it can happen on a run I am going to be ready for it.

Today is rest day.. boy oh boy do my blisters need the rest. Not sure I can wear my boots to work today... Tomorrow is Friday morning hills ride, Saturday is 70km Natural Temp ride, Sunday is 100km bike ride with some people training for Ironman NZ, I fear its going to hurt. Monday will be little nanny nap day.

Speaking of Nanny... I seriously have the worlds greatest Mum... I couldn't do half of what I do without her. Stella is booked in the bikeshop on Saturday Afternoon to have some new stuff added thanks to my amazing mum... I will take some photos and post them so you can all see. Love ya Ma... more than you think! xxxx

and I thought my blisters were big last week!

Left foot Blisters

Right foot blister

These are my impressive blisters that I discovered after my 15km run this morning. Yes you read correctly... Rachelle the original couch potato has been for a 15km run.. completed in 1hr 58mins... now whilst for the elite sports people that are reading my blog I know this is very slow... however for me, girl who was 30kgs heavier and did no exercise... I am very very happy with this effort.. I also have a very cranky blister on my butt... however felt no one needs to see that.

WOOOOOHHHHHOOOOO! Does this make me a runner now?

and Madam Lash wins to fight another day!

Today was my fun ride day... I meet a group of fun people in town for a group ride.. On windy days we tend to head to the hills to get some protection from the wind... Good thing I like the hills now apparently. One of the gents that rides with us calls me Madam Lash... because I won't let him slack off even if he complains about being nearly 70... Like that is some sort of excuse... Today he was really struggling with the wind.. and he kept falling off the back of the bunch.. I certainly earned the title today.. Yelling at him to catch me.. hehehehe.. but it did help him stay with the group and use us for protection. Defineately a hard ride today... and I feel like I earned my coffee and cake.

I have finished the day with 72km on the speedo av speed of 25km per hour.. and I can say I am totally stuffed. Is it totally uncool to want nothing more that a cup of tea and a little rest on the couch.?

Hills are my friends... apparently!

Friday morning cycle group with Gail and the gang... is hills day.. When I first joined up with this group I found myself hating the ride before I started because I knew it was all hills.. and thus not enjoying the ride at all. I had to have a talk with myself.. It went something like this....  "
ME - "Self...You need to stop being so negative!
Self - "I hear you but the hills and headwinds hurt!"
ME - "They are good for you, you are going to do them anyway... so we need to just do it...cause then its done and we can move onto other things!"
Self - "Righto... lets get out there and ride them there hills....xxxx"

I have learnt two things... 1. Self is very agreeable!   2. I can do anything I put my mind too.
The hills are getting easier every time I do them.. I used to have a rest day before hitting them and this week, I did a 10km run yesterday and backed it up with a 30km hills ride (ave speed 30lm p/hr) today.. and tomorrow is my 70km Saturday Group ride which is just the best fun.

Little tired now so am resting until tomorrow... possibly taking on some more vitimins today..

The hills are your friends! Apparently! xoxoxoxoxox

Oh the Blisters...

Right so my 10km run before work last week was not a fluke.. I have again run 10km before work today. However it did take me 1.5hours and I am putting that down to the fact that I ran around our neighbour this morning and it is not lovely and flat like the inlet. Some rather large hills.. and for the record we don't like them.

I still enjoyed the time. I think I may even be in danger of starting to enjoy running.. Heaven help me. I do have some serious blisters on my feet from my shoes... Not sure why... I haven't ever got them before.. perhaps it was the socks.. I have a good size blister on my butt from my running shorts.. thats never happened before either.. So I hurt when I walk from the blisters on my feet.. I hurt when I sit down from the blister on my butt... I can only see one way out of this mess... I clearly have to lie down for a little nap..

I was running...

I have discovered that many things can be classed as strength training.. Gardening all day in 97% humitiy 38 degrees definately strength training.  Moving heavy furniture all by oneself definately strength training. Cleaning windows (inside & out) with a new fancy schmancy window cloth, cleaning the flyscreens and trying to match the clean screens with the clean windows... definately strength training... Tuckshop lady arms should soon be a thing of the past if I keep this up.

I had a fight with Coach Crealy in my head this morning.. She wanted me to get up and go for a run... I wanted to roll over and go back to sleep... Coach Crealy won !... I got up and went for a short, quick 6km run.. Managed a PB too and did it in 40mins... God I hate it when she is right.. Once you do it.. its done and in the bank!   Once apon a time 6km would have been a long walk... now its a short run... Makes me smile.

Home in time in time to wake up the girls, get ready and then we sat outside together and had a lesuirely breaky chatting excitedly about the first day back at school. Courts very excited to see all her friends again.. Gem so not ready to be a grown up year 7..

14 weeks until Busson Half Ironman.. yyyeeeeeccccccckkkkk!