Leap of Faith

Leap of Faith? I guess I could be talking about my training?!

So its been pretty hectic the last couple of weeks. For me, Dec 1st marked the start of training officially and its been pretty simple..... Swim before work, run at lunchtime, and get on the bike after work. A few weeks of that steadily and I'll be back in shape to train properly.

Meanwhile Nic's collarbone is pretty much healed up, and shes punching out some quality training on the MTB ready to smash some people come National Champs.

We didn't race the Eastern Express on the weekend, instead cramming together a fairly hectic social/training/adventure weekend. Try this schedule

Friday arvo: 80m bungy (Sport Manawatu Xmas function)

Friday evening: Xmas drinks in Ohakune (Nics workmates)

Sat 6:30am: 2km Swim in Taupo 1/2 ironman

Sat 8am: 3hr MTB around Craters (Taupo)

Sat arvo: lots of coffee, hanging out, drive to Auckland

Sat Night: Xmas in the Park (Auckland)

Sun am: 'Rugged as' Trail run in Waitakeres

Sun arvo: Physion Rehab Group Xmas party/Tennis Tournament

Mon am: Fly home, and straight to work

Glad to be home for a rest and to recover from the weekend! For the record, I won 3 out of 3 matches at the work xmas tennis tournament (I'm not competitive at all!?!)

Role modelling?

I can't help posting this. I work for a Sports Trust. Promoters of all things active and healthy. We should be role models. No? Check out the below pic of food in our staffroom this morning. 30mins ago the basket was full of chocolates.

Grapes, Rice Crackers, dried fruit still there now, barely touched....

Do as I say, not as I do.... ring a bell anyone?

So I guess we're training again. After a mint 3hr+ ride on Saturday with a group of 15-16yr olds I coach, Nic thought It'd be a nice idea to ride up nearby Wharite Peak. She'd never been up it, and it was over 2yrs ago I last was there. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Can I now say that my new 2 x 9 set up on the 29er hurts sometimes when you are trying to ride easy?!

Wharite Peak..... 12km & 1000m up

20 min into the climb. Still no where near the bushline....

35min in and the windmills are starting to look pretty small

Nearing the summit....about 60min in

At the top. 60min up..... and just 14min to get back down! It was loose! Even better, we found a tramping track off the top from this trig. Reckon its a pretty gnarly 8km or so rugged 'single track' down. Should make for a pretty epic loop. Can't wait to explore it.

Get excited!

Triplecross!!!!! The dates been set, and I'm excited. Note the date down now: March 21st 2009

MTB 25km, Trail run 12km, and XC Motorcycling leg of 80km. Hands down the funnest 'multisport event' on the calendar. Theres already lots of talk about who'll front up this time. It's gonna be big, so make sure you're a part of it. This time..... I'll sort out that gas mileage

The imposter

Couldn't help laughing at myself and posting this photo. Poor confused school kids.....

As Sport Manawatu guy I've spent the last few days organising school visits around the region for our Olympic heroes Kris Gemmell and Jesse Sergent (Track Cycling medallist). Cramming them into as many schools as we can to help inspire our youth. Its been fun, and its been educational.

Poor kids today I think were a bit confused as I ended up spending 1hr solid signing autographs! Ok, so I'm a decent athlete but they didn't know who I was (Actually a few had seen me on TV3 news after XTERRA NZ so I must be famous!).Wait till they realise, or their parents ask who it was who scribbled on their hats. Damn imposter!

Orion Wins!!!!

Orion Health just won the Adventure Racing World Championship! Awesome. I'd be clutching at straws to claim any part of it.... but its awesome to be able to say I raced as part of the team in China, the year they became World Champs.

Magnificent effort, and I'll look forward to the invite to the ice-cream eating challenge with Orion when it happens

Go Orion

Whilst I sit on my arse at home and do very little.... Team Orion Health (http://www.orionadventure.com) are getting very little rest as they continue to lead the ecomotion in Brazil. Also know as the World Adventure racing championship 2008.

3 days in and NZ'ers dominate the leader board. But its these guys, the team I made a guest appearance for at the Wulong Mtn Quest, who continue to lead the way. Fingers crossed they can hold on.

And I can assure you I they'd be going considerably slower 3 days in if I was there!