Hey Wannabe, thinkpink

Wannabe, Sallys Ride is a charity ride started by Sally Fletcher a couple of years ago to raise awareness and funds for Youth Suicide prevention. Sally rides around Tasmania and has many sponsors now who support her. With each leg this year she wanted to invite members of the community to ride along. The first leg on Saturday was 114km from Launceston to Bridport.

There was a group of around 40 of us to start. It was just hilarious. I lost the group about 5km out of town as of course, i was the only one on a mountain bike. The support motor bike came back and said How far are you going? Well! So I said "all the way" I am not giving up. Oh, they said. do you need a support vehicle? Hmmph. well I spose not. So off they go. I am all alone with not even an Ipod to keep me company, but I decide, that doubters are my greatest motivation and I totally enjoy my ride - Not far down the road, another support vehicle comes past "Do you want a lift back?" "No" I say. More determination. I get out to Gravelly beach, (about 40km) and get a phonecall that the group are not that far in front so I eat my coffee bar and head to the Batman Bridge. It is such a beautiful day 27degrees, and the Tamar River is sparkling, how could I not enjoy it? My right knee is hurting a bit but OK.

I am heading along the Deviot rd (46km) and I notice a support vehicle behind me. Aha! They believe me now. I decided with someone looking at my bum and having my own personal support vehicle, that I better push a bit harder. I think the coffee bar kicked in too. From then on, I had the most amazing support. Every time I arrived at a spot they would cheer me on, or as they passed me, give encouragement. I arrived at the Batman Bridge (50km) to a beautiful lunch (lunch,drinks and BBQ were supplied for the $50 registration) but decided to cut it short as I wanted to get a head start. They had already been there about 15mins. After a stretch, feed and water top up, off I go, heading toward George Town.

Hills, hills, and hills. The first part of the ride was really enjoyable and easy (and maybe as i had only ridden about 40km before, within my comfort zone). The traffic was much faster and nastier (pulp mill territory) and the hills were long. The group caught me in about 10km and gave me lots of encouragement, I even got a push up a couple of hills! That was so appreciated. We got to the Bridport Turn off and somehow I imagined it was pretty flat across there. It is amazing how when you are in car your perception is so wrong. At the turn off my friend turned up with my youngest son and her children and they were jumping up and down and cheering us on. That really inspired me and gave me the strength to get to the next stop as I was really, really hurting by the time I got there.

As it was heating up I needed more water and I signalled the motor bike if they had more water. They stopped and as they went to pass me the water, I forgot to take my foot out of the toe clip and fell on them!! Oh, ha ha. It was so lucky they were there or i would have injured myself. They took my water bottle and filled it with cold water and then passed it to me as they went past. They were my best friends after that. The Pipers River stop (81km) was a godsend. The legs were so like jelly but I was greeted again by cheers and encouragement and best of all a lemonade icy pole, a cold bottle of water and my son. I stretched really well at every stop and I am sure this made the biggest difference to my recovery.

The last 33km was pretty tough. Still lots of hills but well hydrated and on the home run. More people drove past encouraging us and a few people jumped on bikes to ride the last few km's. My eldest son rang and told me how proud he was, that spurred me on again. At one point I was singing "I will survive" to try and keep my head together. I think I was getting a bit delerious! Neck, shoulders and back were very sore, knees hurt but I knew I was going to make it. The last 3km took forever, I was just so slow but kept moving, there just wasnt a last burst left. I could smell the BBQ . . . I could see the beer YAY! I made it. Everyone cheered which was just so good, I managed to get off my bike and put it down and sit for a while, then stretch. There was one bloke behind me who joined us at the Batman Bridge and we lost quite a few along the way. It was a brilliant sense of achievement and a worthy cause to support. I am hoping to join the last leg at Cambelltown next saturday and celebrate Sally's determination and drive to organise this fantastic event. I hope it will grow in the future.

The Huffster lives - but I think I might see If i can borrow a road bike for the Cambelltown leg . . .

Hey SUPER well done! That was a great report.
You are going to fly when you get on a better bike.

What a fantastic story! Well done!

Well done. That was a huge jump from 40k. How are the legs feeling?
I think my hip probs coming from bike. OK when I was running last week, then went for 40k ride thurs. Sat went for run and hip ached all the way. Have not run since, will have massage thur and see if I can do short runs next week with no probs. Any probs at all and I will be out for few weeks, still time to train for GC half after that.
If the bike has been prob I will stop for a while and then start slowly building up 10% at time to try stop futher probs. Hopefully I will join you next year riding with sally!!

I am so not worthy!

You are a legend.

I still haven't ridden any further than 8km on my Huffy. It's just so darn hilly around here and being that I was unfit when I started this, I'm still gaining fitness. I have slacked right off this week. This afternoon I kick myself in the arse and will head to the pool for my pool session, it's so much easier than the riding and running.

Did anyone do a news article on you? That would have made a wonderful story.

I'm getting my Hubster to read this when he gets home, after seeing how I go on my bike, he will be in awe of you too!

Well done, I can't say it enough how awesome you are.

Wannabe

I'm afraid that having to learn to run and ride my Huffy was too much.

Being that I only have one strong leg in the tri and that's the short swim leg, and that I'm hoping I can actually stay running for the 3km. I really didn't need the added complication of riding a bike that weighs a tonne.

Soooooo.........

I got a new to me bike. An Apollo Performance circa 1995 (if the ebay seller remembers right). Cost me $156.

So now, while she's light as a feather compared to Orange Zest (my huffy), I have to get used to the idea of riding with my arse above my head, skinny wheels and that bar! Oh, the bike came with cleats and shoes, yeh, I don't think so! Maybe in two years time. I'm going to be the only person heading into a bike shop to buy regular pedals for my road bike, hehehe.

Did I mention this bike is Hot Pink? She's real purty, a few scars, but I have scars too.

So with three weeks to go, I have to learn to ride a different type of bike, but here's hoping it will make me faster.

C2SVirgin, my hat is off to you, I could not continue with the Huffy. You must be one fit lady!

Wannabe

Great report C2Svirgin-very inspiring and well done!
Mice pick up there wannabe-apollo make a nice bike.

well bought wannabe, hope the bike gives you the edge. Are you enjoying the running or is it the chore I find when swimming? I'm still hoping that swimming will become something I look forward to.

Where are you C2SVirgin? did you pull up to do last leg of sallys ride? Will you do tri on 9/03? I will come and watch being that I am gently mobilising the hip!!! I keep looking at the bike sitting waiting for me but I need to get back on it slowly and probably not until running back at base level (40k weekly). Love that bike but running means more to me.

I had a week off running. Just got slack. Back to it yesterday and actually went faster, but faded pretty bad at the end and was nauseous. I can't say I "love" running, it's a bit of a chore to get through it. But man, afterwards, I love that euphoric feeling, it's amazing. I posted about my run yesterday in beginnin running under my 3k post and it was suggested I run slower, my pace yesterday was 9.4km/hr up from 9.2. I was obviously going faster and then slowed at the end.

It was spitting slightly this morning so I resorted to exercise bike, yuk! Still haven't taken my pink bike out other than to just go half way down a hill. I'm scared of it! I now have pedals with the shoe holders (love my jargon). I'd prefer just pedals, but Hubster says use those. Will report on first ride.

Thankfully for me I have swimming in a tri. My saving grace. I have a friend who is doing the tri too, she is younger so we'll be in seperate waves. She is 4 mins slower than me in the swim and I"m 4 mins slower in the run, so it will come down to the bike for us! The good thing? I can kick my Hubsters butt in swimming. We timed ourselves at the pool for a couple of 300m and I beat him both times 28 seconds one time and 19 seconds the next. It's just good to beat him at something, because he just jumps on the bike and runs like it ain't no thang. He hasnt' been training his swim though, which is what he should be doing. His background is AFL and cycling. Mind you he swims a mean 25m freestyle to win the parents race every Friday night at the kids swimming club, I come in 3 seconds in behind him.

Swimming is boring, there's no doubt about that up and down the black line thing. But it's low impact. I did so much swimming between 11 & 14 that it's just ingrained in my brain. 2.5 km is nothing in the pool to me, but it's all I have time for. I could do more. But running is so hard for me that 3km about near kills me. I just find with swimming a rythmn is the best way to go. Get into a pace you can maintain and then just keep it there and go. I also find that I think while swimming and then sometimes I realise I have a snippet of a song repeating over and over in my head, like the music clip that plays on the menu of a DVD that just repeats constantly. Have you had stroke correction? I think half the battle is swimming correctly. I read somewhere that people who swim more efficiently actually burn less calories, because it's not as hard a work out. So bummer there for me. But having a good stroke helps you glide through the water.

Hope your hip is getting better! and 40k a week! Wow, you're amazing. I'm happy with just over 9k a week.

Good luck to both of you!

My first tri is in 3 weeks! Any tips?

Wannabe

hey wannabe
practice the transition thats where I picked up some time on my friend, he was out of water first but Iwas on bike and gone picking up significant amount of time. He did catch meon bike but it still felt good to be ahead, even if it was only because he can,t put his shoeson quickly enough.

Hi there everyone who has made such positive comments, thanks so much , If I am ever feeling down I will come to this site. You are so terrific.

Wannabe, hang in there! If only 2.5km was nothing to me in the swim . . . I have been avoiding it I think. I had a slack week last week, had a friend visiting but I did try and make up for it later in the week taking the huffster out for burn, just a short one though. Went for a few good runs. It took me so long to enjoy running, I am not a natural at all coming from a team sports background but i did find when I did it four times a week I improved my fitness to a point where I enjoyed it! so there is hope!

Thinkpink, How are the injuries? I ran with Jan's group on sunday and I am thinking with the colder weather my tri season may be over as I have decided to committ to the GCMarathon. Oh, did I say that?? I am a wuss about getting in the water when it is colder. Will still cross train over winter and work on my swim in the heated pool of course. I didnt get to Sally's ride on saturday, children's sport and music committments took precedence of course!

Keep training wannabe, just aim to complete for your first one, it is just such a great achievement to enter. I think my only advice is stretch, stretch, stretch. I am sure that is what has kept me so injury free over the years and that is my aim, to stay that way!

Thanks Think Pink and C2S,

I'm going to get some elastic laces for sure! I'll be dunking my feet in the bath and just practising putting my shoes and socks on.

I am excited about doing the Tri, I've always wanted to do one.

I am going to go and do week 6 of c25k and see what that does for my endurance. Might make me pace myself a bit more and help me get over this 3km hurdle. At least I know I can run 3km, hopefully I'll be able to do the whole thing running in the tri. We'll see.

I would like to be a 5km runner 3 times a week. See how I go on that.

I have a nice bike too. I just need to get out and ride her, I'm a little scared. It rained here the other day when I went to take her out.

There is an ocean swim on the gold coast somewhere, in April? I can't remember. It's 1.5km. I think I might have a go at that.

Kyls

Forgot to say That you ladies are a great inspiration to me.

I'm definitely working on just finishing the Tri, gettng the best out of myself.

Kyls