So I am taking the plunge and defering my final year in college for a while to stay out here in New Zealand and live the life!

The last 6 weeks or so I have been going over and back on the decision. I always really wanted to stay but I had to consider more than what I just want. So I went over the pros cons and all that comes with that list and the outcome is that I am going to stay on here for a while and see what happens!

I sought advice from near and far, even had a chat with Gavin Noble about the whole idea and after much consideration I am delira with my stira that I am going to stay on! A big thanks to Gav as that ‘small’ mail he wrote back was a big help!

I am going to race worlds in October hopefully and see what happens there. Training out here is just awesome and so much fun and I like to groups, the people and the general set up I have going on. It makes sense to stay and see what I can do with myself in year.

I have part time work in place to help me stay alive which isnt ideal as not having to work would be sweet az but sadly I am not made of money nor have a won the lotto in recent attempts so for now – its 3 hours a day in a call centre in the evenings which isnt all that bad! The whole day to train and recover so I’m all good for now!

Getting a second year visa can be tricky sometimes but I have an employer who has agreed to sponsor me (thankfully) so once I get the forms filled out and get that process underway, hopefully, it will be passed and I will be 100% sorted to stay out here. As of now, I’m only good up until December, but even if the visa doesnt come through – training some where in Europe and racing over there might not be the worst plan B I’ve ever heard of!

I am excited for the year and a bit that lies ahead – so we’ll see what I can do with it! Rome wasnt built in a day but the foundations were sure as hell well laid down in a year! We’ll see how well my foundations are looking this time next year!

Aileen had a strong swim/bike – said she suffered on the run.

Lisa Norden…My idol.

And that was just the womens race…

James ELvery in the break on the bike – they stayed away and had over 1 min entering T2.

Our own man in Gavin!

2 time olympic medalist – Bevan Docherty…the list goes on!!

None other than MACCA – seriously …?!!! WOW!

And this was the day Kris Gemmell-local man here where I am in NZ-qualified for the Olympics 2012. Magical!

My facial muscles were more than sore after the morning I had – I couldnt stop smiling or keep my mouth closed from being star struck!! Im surprised I caught as many pics as I did, as the girls will tell you I couldnt quite multitask and take pics and watch everyone go by at the same time!!! I had many a picture of the sponsors signs and the roads!! wuhooopsies!!

I knew the race was of huge importance to the NZ hopefuls so I was majorly excited to get to experience it first hand. What I didnt know was how closely attached to it I was. Ive only been here for around 3 months but having swam with Kris Gemmell, Ryan Sissons and Anja Dittmer in the run up to the race, my head was more in the game than I knew! The deal was, cross the line first NZ athlete and in the top 8 and you have your place in London booked! When Kris crossed the line as stoked as he was, my eyes just filled with tears! That was something I most definetely wasnt expecting to happen at the race!

I met with Andrew after the race,( he’s my swim coach, Kris and Ryans also) and his face was lighting up with pure joy. He was so chuffed to have his own athlete London bound. His happiness some how ascended upon me and again, my face was stuck with a smile on it!

Ryan, crashed out on the first lap of the bike but he had done enough in the run up to be named as one of the 3 male atheltes from NZ to be London bound. The teams were annoucned yesterday and you would think I am Kiwi from the way I reacted!! I need to get a grip on this to be honest!!!

Anyway, Aileen and Gavin put in some good perfoemances on the day also! Aileen swam and biked really good but she said she suffered with stomach problems on the run so that wasnt good but she still ran well. Gavin also swam and biked well and put in a 32 min 10k off the bike which placed him 35th overall. Im sure our shouts from the side helped some what!!

What a day – what a race – what a way to finish the holiday!!

First up the 10km on the Saturday. A hilly route on a gravel track made for a tough race. We set off and I led the race up until my body decided it wanted to get sick 4 times on the second 5km of the route. I stopped, sat down, got sick some more and then decided after a few mins of stop starting that I just wanted to get to the end of this as soon as I could.

My running fitness is no where to be seen right now so going through the first 5km in 20 mins over hilly terrain might have just set the lactic acid rolling that bit too fast…! It was an asbsolute scorcher of a day also which made those hills that bit harder!! I love the sun but not when you are tackling hills! I even achieved a new max heart rate- apparently 242 is humanly possible… either that or the garmin is playing tricks on me … !!!!

Anyway, home I went and out on to the bike for a recovery spin I went. A sweet 1.5hours on the bike in the beautiful wind of Palmy and I was set for racing the next day!

Sunday saw the triathlon club champs take place in Linton Army Camp. My body was wrecked but I really wanted to race becasue the format of the race was a backwards triathlon!! Swim last!! Sure where else would I get to do that!! So I hopped on my bike and made my way out to the race. A nice wee warm up on the bike to get there and I was set to race – maybe not ready but I’d give it a go anyway!

The buzzer went off and the 5km run was up first – I split 21.23 for the 5km – my legs absolutely roaring at me and then my brain started because the time was so bad – I’m finding it hard to come to terms with splitting bad times all the time but you’ll have that with injury I know. The bike was next – on to the road bike I went and it was a 4 loop route. I am also finding it hard to come to terms with not racing on my TT. Anyway, the swim was last and it was ROASHTIN! Either that, or I was roasting and well, ya – you get the picture! I finished up 2nd overall.

So 2 races – two 2nd places and 1 tired az body and 1 good nights sleep!

So the week just gone was another big week where I JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE 3 SWIMS WITH RYAN SISSONS – just sayin…!!! It was just the 2 of us in the pool so I can now add him to the list of famous elite triathletes I have swam with!! Super exciting stuff really!!!

Next week, we head to Australia for a wee holiday – cos you can just do that over here – up and go to Oz!! haha – crazy stuff really!!! I will be there to see the World Cup series olympic qualifer in Sydney so needless to say I will be very excited to see that ( and all my friends that I have recently swam with!!! lol!!!! )

Until next time … happy training!!

That is all….

‘Aw yeah – thats a good idea, I’ll do that …’

So race began at 5am … up early in the dark hours of the morning to get lost on the way to registration and pass the masses of young people making their way home from their drunken antics the previous night! I tried to take a pic of my bike in transition but as you can see – it was too dark!!

I was shocked but strangely pleased to hear that wetsuits were now compulsory – 13.5 degree water temp!! haha – as if I was at home in Ireland like!! Anyway – swim got off to a good start – I had a strange experience – I got to swim in a group of 6 women for the 1500m swim – weird but cool experience. I was 4th out of the water and content enough.

Out on to the bike – on my road bike – I blistered past the field – couldnt beleieve how good I felt on the bike – and was keen to move on up into the lead. I did so with ease and kept the pressure on to gain a nice lead to lead me into the run.

Off on to the run I went and I posted a 37min 10km split off the bike to cross the line with 2 min win – hand up in the air – flashes from cameras left right and centre …. and then I trip and fall and wake up to the reality that this was all a dream the night before the race and I had actually yet to go through the entire race for real again!!

Here is where reality struck and bang bang bang – the cuts and blisters came!!!

Yera-it wasnt all that bad!! The swim did go as I dreamt – I was 4th out of the water with the eventual race winner. The water was a nice toasty temp and all was good there. I felt pretty ok so I guess its all good on the swim front.

After I couldnt figure out how to sit and race on my road bike with a bit of back pain setting in I decided to sit up and enjoy the unbelievable views that Wellington had to offer. The views were unreal and it was on the bike that I came up with the idea for this post! ”Aw yeah – thats a good idea, I’ll do that …”

I hopped off the bike after getting a wee draft fot the last 5 mins or so and I enjoyed the run and the sun that Welly had on offer! It was a nice race – great potential to post some pretty nice splits!

After the main race there was a new event on – the tri tag team relay. It had $4000 on offer for the firt place team across the line so I was roped into a team and I had so much fun!

This was our team and we ended up 6th overall I think!! There was a good bit of banter going between all the teams and it was great ol craic! It was a draft legal race – the first I have ever done and it was so much fun! It was a 250m swim , 5km bike and 1.6km run – an all out sprint all the time!! A lactic acid generation mash up! My feet and legs were already in bits but it was so much fun!

I got stung by something on the bike leg and it hurt like F**K but whatevs!! Now, the day after, my knee is filled with fluid  and its itchy as so thats not the best thing I would have wished for but I will see how it is tomorrow and judge it from there!

The tri tag team was the first of its kind to take place and I think its pretty cool that I got to be a part of that! We didnt win $4000 but sure…ah well!!!

The start was intense – count down from 3.5mins and it was so intense my legs were shaking like crazy!!! The hooter went and we were off!!! The rest is history…!!

Its so nice to cycle out here – it’s absolutely ridic! Why wouldn’t you want to cycle out here?? Sun , scenery and sweet as roads! Good combo if ya ask me!

Few sneaky ol drags about the place – but smooth as roads – no dodging pot holes or suffering from vibrations from uneven road surfaces!! Perfect!!

So its time for me to take to the New Zealand racing scene and what better way to do than to tackle their olympic distance national champs!! I could think of better and more sensible races to do but sure …. I am me and with me I bring challenges!! I am a challenge!

I passed this sign on my morning cycle yesterday and realised I’ve come from being the person who was thankful of signs like this to now being the person having to watch out for the old me …. the one on the horse, while I ride my bike. It’s sometimes weird to look  back on where you came from and compare it to where you are now – the bumps and mountains you’ve had to conquer to get you to where you are, are often the ones that although you hated them at the time, you are thankful of them now.

The race this weekend is going to be a challenge. I know I am not fit and I know I probably don’t have the mileage in the legs that I need to do well at the weekend but I am going to try my best to just enjoy the race. Go all out in the swim and see what I can muster up on my road bike over the 40km bike and then see where my legs take me on the 10km run!

It will only be my 2nd ever Olymic distance tri so I shall see how it goes! If I don’t die on Saturday it will be back to the beautiful roads of NZ to get the fitness back and kick ass next time around! Simples!

The race is on in Wellington – NZ’s capital city – with a massive Zoo – so after the race – it is to the Zoo we go!!! WUHOO!!!! This deserves a happy face!!

Until the race report…slán!

So, down the road there was a weeny triathlon being run – 300m swim, 10km bike and 3km run – short and sweet. I decided a nice low key triathlon that nobody would hear about would be a nice relaxing way for me to get back stuck into the thick of it – Turns out i knew 4 or 5 people doing the race and word gets back to work about how I did – not what I had intended for but sure anyway – you’d have that.I even made the local paper and the website!

The swim was hilarious – everyone hopped in one by one – approx 3-5 seconds after the person in front of them and we swam up lane 1, down lane 2, up lane 3 down lane 4 up lane 5 down lane 6…and out we hopped – get the picture??!!! We hopped in to the pool in the order of our race numbers but as I was at the back of the line – I had a whole pile of legs and arms to swim through , under , beside – again..you get the picture!!! It kinda made me realize the relaxed nature of the day though and I began to enjoy it!

The bike was a looped course – 3 loops to total 10km…I got on to the course on my road bike…another weird experience for me – I haven’t raced on a road bike in a tri in quite the while! Anyhow and ever, on I went passing the numbers and then I was joined by a girl who gave me a fright and made me realize the race was actually a race so I needed to pedal faster! With 2 cycles done since I arrived in NZ the realization that I needed to pedal faster frightened me cos I have no bike fitness at the mo so this was awful!!! I stuck in with this particular cyclist anyway and passed her to gain a we gap coming into T2 – onto the run – I was praying she couldn’t run cos I knew with no speed work done and so soon after my injury that I was nowhere near being running fit!

Turns out she couldn’t run but up ahead was the daughter of my supervisor here in work and although shes only young she is a talent to behold. She started closer to the top of the line in the swim with fewer bodies to swim through but she beat me by a minute in the end. Shes gonna be amazing when she is older!

Anyway – I hit the road early after the tri to go out on the bike – for my first real training session in 18months on the bike – with a new training partner I found at swim club! She showed me the ropes of Palmy for 3 hours on the bike and the baking hot sun just added to the unbelievable day!!!

My tan lines are getting there – slowly but surely. My fitness will get there soon too I’m sure! Its been a good start for me and I am just so happy that my back injury is behind me – I will be able to enjoy New Zealand and all it has to offer now with all my might!

First race since July 2011 is now over and done with – I enjoyed it a lot and I cant wait to actually put in some solid hours now in the coming weeks and get back fit again – wuhoo!!

Sweet as!

WELCOME TO MASSEY UNIVERSITY!

So we arrived in Palmerston North and we are well settled in! Training has got off to a good start as I started with the swim club last week – back to the early mornings and back to lovin what I love to do! New bike bought and new cycle group found! Loads of unbelievable trails and places to run – so I am pretty much sorted for life!! We’ve met loads of really cool people from our landlord to the hotel workers to the Aussie cyclists to the swimmers in the club to the people of Massey and the people of Taupo! It’s been quite a journey and we are not even 10 days into it yet! So much happened in the first week it has just been crazy!

The weather has been pretty sweet overall – a few scorchers and a few drops of drizzle but it is all the time solid roashtin! We’ve taken complete advantage of the good weather in our cute lil garden …

With the weekend just gone we headed North to Taupo where we went to the hot springs – we jet boated and we went white water rafting …it was amazing to say the least!

Thats me having a wee jump off a wee ledge type thing!

No matter how busy – always find the time to pull a stupid face!

SO much fun!

Our first few days in NZ have been absolutely ridiculously amazing – I hope the rest of our time follows suit! We played the lotto yesterday so all hopes are on Saturday nights numbers!! If I dont come back home … you will know we won a bit of $ on the lotto!

Sweet as!

It may have only been for 5 days but they were 5 days I loved every second of! Im going to miss Una even more now that Im in New Zealand and she is in Scotland but not to worry because I guess thats why we have skype!!

With a 2 day break in between journeys, I managed to squeeze my life into 2 bags, one weighing 29.9kg and the other 6.9kg – both under the baggage allowance by 100grams!! Now that was well done!!

We arrived in Palmy just yesterday, Satuday evening, after 3 days traveling and losing a day in the process. Our house in unbelievable and the reception they gave us was really really nice! We were greeted by the NZ classic cycling tour which meant I saw a famous face in the tri world in James Elvery! To say I was excited would have been an understatement. We were then brought on a tour by our landlord of all the places he knows we need to go like the Uni, the swimming pool, the 24 hour gym… I smiled! the supermarkets etc etc!

Now Im facing a bit of jetlag I think but I cant quite figure out if that is the case or not because if I woke up on a normal day at 5.20 am I would actuallybe late for swim training so … maybe Im ok!!