Tuesday, February 26, 2008

It's like Connecticut only Warmer...

That's the impression I got from my first taste of the bike course. Chip seal, down hill, windy, driver's not giving you any room but the shoulder, It felt like I was doing the Pat Griskus Olympic Route *tear* *sniff* The ride through Taupo during training was trecherous, especially at one point were they were doing road work. I had gotten dropped off the back by our riding group and suddenly found myself on the run course, after meeting up with 2 guys from our group doing their pre race inspection of the run course, I tacked on an extra 10k of riding and got on to the bike Course. It was about this time Blair, our Kiwi cycling God, caught up with me. He started pointing out turn spots and trouble areas, including on lovely 25mph well I took it at 25 he was going about 35 descent that drops to a nice little left hand turn. When we started hitting the back half I panicked braked on a couple of hills that looked like they were going to be steep edge of the world looking Down descents, but once I started going down it I wanted to kick myself for being a coward. Anyway the ride out to the turnaround is a hammer fest! One small little hill that I took easily in the saddle, but other than that it was kick it in the big ring and pray nothing gets in your way. ( Angry good first Iron for you....well at least the first half of the bike...we have to go all the way back up into town.) I have decided that the aero drink will be getting used due to the fact I was nearly dehydrated yesterday because I couldn't fight winds, traffic, and grab water bottles at the same time. I have been adopted by the local Paper, The Taupo Times as their Ironman, so on Thursday they're running a full spread on me, so that's pretty cool, ( Simon, Marian, Catherine) You guys rock! ( Also Jude and the girls in the office you also rock!) ok covered my bases.
Lake Taupo is beautiful, crystal clear blue water, and 67 degrees making it optimal for wetsuits.
So All in all it looks like it's going to be a good day in Taupo on Saturday, as long as traffic's controlled and it doesn't rain until after I get off the bike, the weather's been warm and dry so far so I'm hoping it stays dry for a couple more days.

The Sun Soaking Triathlete
R.D.

Ps. Pictures will be posted but I need to up load them to my lap top and then my usb disk so I can put them on the net.

5 comments:

rocketpants said...

Sweet to hear that you are getting media spread!! That is awesome. Kiwi's are cool...sounds like you will have a good cheering section.

In response to your comment...Vegemite mixed with peanut butter?? Are we talking about the same stuff? If you really think that it goes best with peanut butter all I have to say is...ewww and I've never seen anyone do that.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

Angry Runner said...

You have gained notoriety already and you've only been there for 2 days? My advice to you:

PLAY IT FOR ALL IT IS WORTH. SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL!

It's your time in the spotlight. Play the game as you see fit.

melissd17 said...

Hey!! I'm glad you're loving New Zealand... I was hoping you had made it but opted not to text the cell phone since mom would kill me for sending a text to new zealand... if you brought your phone at all... lol i did send you an email so maybe you'll check that? but anywhooo i just wanted to say hi

Mr. Satan A. Chilles said...

THANK YOU for checking out the course, or at least part of it. Not that you wouldn't, but those of us back home sitting on our couches, eating potato chips and typing-typing-typing think about such things. We are all living vicariously through your experience somehow (do not construe that as pressure) and it's a load off everybody's mind when you do the right thing.

And as Angry put it, SELL SELL SELL. Be the Tri Whore you can be.

Speed Racer said...

Sorry I've been missing your posts. Work has kidnapped me. Way to go on getting famous in your first couple of days in New Zealand. I hope you get a copy of that spread and scan it for all of us to read. Congratulations again, Bobby boy, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(PS You sure didn't make an effort to give me an easy IM time to beat in my "beat Bob at something someday" goal!)