2014 - kicking it off with 4th at Challenge Wanaka and exciting new sponsors

Firstly i would like to announce my new sponsors on board for 2014.  I am really excited to be working with these brands.  For my running hydration i will be using Nathan Performance Gear.  They offer such a wide variety of vests and run belts for both training and racing.  I have already tested out some of their products and find them excellent. Comfort being a huge factor. There is nothing worse than running along with a bottle or bladder bouncing up and down on your back.  Nathan Performance Gear is nice and snug on the body and you barely feel it is even there.
My other new sponsor is Under Armour for running shoes and apparel in conjunction with Shoe Clinic Dunedin.  I already wear Under Armour clothing and find their causal and sporting range to be super comfortable and colorful.  There are so many options.  I will start running in their shoes next month and can not wait.  They have spent a lot of time perfecting their running shoe range and i will be in the Under Armour Speedform RC.
If you are interested in any of the products sold by these two brands feel free to contact me about them. Also pop in and have a chat to Sorrelle at Shoe Clinic Dunedin as she sells products from both of these fab brands.

After a year of highs and lows training and racing i really wanted to just enjoy the sport again heading into 2014.  Two weeks before Challenge Wanaka i was seriously doubting whether i would be racing or not.  I had been struggling off and on the past year with calf and knee problems and knew that even if the body felt injury free in time, the fitness would be miles behind with injuries getting in the way of training.  However that being said I'm not the worlds best spectator and if i wasn't up there racing i would have to still be there supporting my friends.  Something i would much rather do racing alongside them racing.  So with a good kick up the backside from coach Keegan believing i would get through it and some last minute work on my leg from Geoff Williamson while on holiday the decision was made.  I would race and give it my all!  Challenge Wanaka is my favorite race and missing it was not an option!

I knew my build up wasn't my best but having done the race 3 times before i knew the course and the great crowd support was going to get me through the day.

Waking up on race morning it was music to the ears not to hear the usual wind bashing things around outside.  Yay finally a beautiful still Wanaka race day.  Then walking outside i realised yes there was no wind but it was freezing! I mean FREEZING. 3degrees!  By swim start i think it had warmed up to about 6degrees air temp.  But with the water only being 14.1degrees it was going to be a pretty nippy day.

The swim was lonely, swimming by myself the whole way around stuck in no ones land.  On the second lap i feel like i mucked around a bit not being able to see through the sun in the last stretch to land.  I knew my swim time would not of been too flash.  I felt slow.  Must not push snooze on my alarm for swim training :)

(firstoffthebike.com)

On to the bike i definitely should of put more clothes on but was thinking the sun is bound to come out like it usually does, but I'm pretty sure i didn't warm up until the second half of the run.  On the bike i was alone until around 40km where Candice caught up.  Yay some company i thought, well that was only short lived as that girl was on fire and left me in her dust. Very inspiring watching her plough through the field that day to take the win.  Alone again until around 80km where i passed Carrie who looked to be having a tough day in chilly New Zealand.  Alone again for the rest of the bike.  Great ride mentally but think the mind wandered a bit and should of had the hammer down harder.

 (zimbio.com)

(firstoffthebike.com)

On to the run i wasn't wearing a watch.  Coaches orders but i can see the logic.  I was injured, not run fit and had previously had my best run without one anyway.  It would just be a distraction and i knew all it would be telling me is i was going slower than i wanted.  I was feeling ok running and knew that my buffer to super strong runner Simone was not big enough coming off the bike so i was just trying to enjoy the marathon as best i could.  Each time i got to a km marker i smiled and knew i was another step closer to the finish and away from the dreaded DNF memories of last year.  Simone passed me around 11km in to the marathon, we said a few words and then it was back to business.  With the others having pulled out i knew i just had to get to the finish line.  The last 10km was a struggle even at my slower pace due to not a lot of running but i made it.  My run was much slower than the pace i thought i was running but on this day it was irrelevant and didn't matter.  Yay another Challenge Wanaka done and dusted.

Have to say a huge congrats to the podium place getters Dylan, Richard, Dougal, Candice, Gina and Simone.   Looked to be an exciting race for them all.  Also well done to my partner Glen for getting another ironman finished after years of back pain injuries, Jase for sticking it out there even with frozen spew on his face and Sara for having the performance of her life and getting a well deserved entry to Challenge Roth.  You will absolutely love it.

Thank you to my coach Keegan for getting me to the start line of another Ironman.  Im sure im not his easiest athlete to deal with :)  Victoria and your crew, thanks again for always making me feel welcome in Wanaka.  I will definitely be back again next year.

Big welcome aboard to my new sponsors Nathan Performance Gear and Under Armour and thank you  to R and R Sport, PhysioPlus and Shoe Clinic Dunedin for their continued support in helping me achieve my goals.  Really looking forward to the year ahead and spending the winter in New Zealand getting tougher again.

Bye for now
Cheers Tams