One spill, two to go...

By Virginia Winder
Had my first spill off the bike today.
Coach Clint and Chris (need to come up with an exciting name for him) predicted I'd have three falls, so I can notch one off.
Just grazed an elbow and my left knee, so no major damage, mainly because I fell from a stationary position. The bike was completely unscratched.
It was my first outing wearing my clip-in shoes and was going up and down Gaine St practising stopping and starting. Stopped behind a car and was starting off again when I fell.
My pedals were in the wrong position, so I went to put my foot down but it had already clicked in. Bang, down I went. I lay there feeling pretty pathetic, twisting in vain to get my shoe off the pedal.
Husband Warren sped to my aid, undid my shoe and picked up bike and then me.
I limped to the pavement and asked: "Can we go home now?"
"No, you are getting back on your bike, now," he said. "You are going to do this."
Pouting slightly, I got back on my bike and kept practising.
I can now say I have mastered the click-in, click-out business and can easily stop at intersections.
And I only yelled at one car driver; a woman who opened her car door just as I was passing. Luckily, I second-guessed her move and went wide, but she got the message.
Oh dear, I could be a terror on the roads, but I will do my best to be polite, honest.
I have a new red helmet too, a Christmas gift (thanks Barbara and Graeme), so I now look like a red flame or a fiery chilli. I think the latter would be most appropriate in this household, since Warren has a large collection of chilli sauces from around the world.
Went for a great power walk on Tuesday evening and my foot felt good. Came home, did some routine stretches and iced my foot using a frozen water bottle.
Yesterday, I went swimming, but only did 20 lengths. The reason was another swimming outfit - a long halter top and short shorts. They didn't work. Won't go into specifics, but the top was not aerodynamic or supportive and was abrasive in sensitive places. Painful.
Earlier yesterday, I interviewed a master runner about gardening. He's a guy called Gerald Dravitzki, who's run 50 marathons.
Yes, we talked about blueberries, cranberries, feijoas and more, but our conversation also turned to running. "The big thing is that it takes time," he said. "If you've got that will and determination, anybody can do it."
To make the transition from walking to running, he recommends starting off by running from one power pole to another then walking between the next two, then running to the next one, then walking again...
After our long garden tour, we finished on the run.
Gerald had me jogging down up and down his driveway, checking out my style and arm movement.
On the phone today he told me: "You've got a good forward momentum. In six months' time you'll be running as fast as a robber's dog."
High praise indeed... but then I went for that bike ride.
What's that old saying about pride and falls?

Today, I:
Went for shoe click-in, click-out bike training session
Worked for 5 hours
Slept for 7 hours
Ate three healthy meals
Pigged out on blueberries (courtesy of Gerald)
Drank 3 cups of coffee
Drank little water

Yesterday, I:
Swam 20 lengths (1km)
Worked for 4 hours
Swam in the sea
Slept for 8 hours
Ate two healthy meals (ran out of time for breakfast and felt lethargic)
Drank lots of water
Drank 1 cup of coffee

A Father Christmas called Bryce

First outing: KCL Properties bought Virginia this new bike,
which she rides home along New Plymouth's coastal walkway.

By Virginia Winder
This year my Father Christmas didn't have a white beard or a red suit.
He didn't have a belly either.
But he was definitely jolly and incredibly generous.
His name is Bryce Barnett and he gave me a new bike for Christmas. A beautiful red Specialised road bike from Mitchell's Cycles and I love it.
Bryce is the owner of KCL Property and his company is my sponsor. Our full story will be told in the Taranaki Daily News next Tuesday (January 3), but I'll tell you a little bit about it here, right now.
A while back, I went to interview Bryce about an unrelated story and took one look at the trim man before me and declared: "Bryce, you look amazing, what have you done?"
He'd not long had a stomach stapling operation and told me about it.
My reply was: "Well that's amazing, because my doctor just recommended I do that but have chosen not to. I'd rather go to Paris."
I was talking about the money I'd spend on the operation, but Bryce was adamant it was the best money anybody would ever spend and I should add to the mortgage on my house to do so.
But then I explained I had thought about it, seriously, but had decided to try to lose weight through good nutrition (not dieting), education and best of all, to become an athlete again. I told him about my goal to do the half-ironman at Tauranga in 2013 and how I was even writing a blog about my journey to wellness.
For a couple of seconds Bryce paused, looked at his wife Delwyn and then said: "I'll sponsor you. Yes, KCL Properties will sponsor you. We'll buy you a bike and pay your entry into the race."
I was gobsmacked.
For a second I paused, which is not like me, and then I replied with profound words: "Wow. That's amazing. Really?"
Since then everything has gone full speed ahead and I have been embraced by the KCL Property juggernaut and Barnett family.
Every day since, I have woken up and grinned at the wonder at it all.
You see, with the sponsorships has come Coach Clint (Sullivan), the KCL general manager, Swim Coach (Chris Rudd), the KCL finance and investment manager, and Bryce's son-in-law Mick McBeth, an osteopath, who is working with the Olympic triathlon team and... me.
For those who might have missed an earlier blog, Clint is an age group triathlete, who has captained the New Zealand team for a couple of age group World Triathlon Champs.
Chris is a Fitzroy clubbie and has a long pedigree as a top surf lifesaver and competitive swimmer.
Mick has a Bachelor degree in Science and Human Biology and a Masters in Osteopathy. His thesis was on managing cycling discomfort.
As you can see, I am truly blessed.
Now I just have to do the work, which for me is the greatest joy of all.
But yesterday, I almost passed out in the swimming pool.
Don't worry or feel sorry for me. Shake your head and roll your eyes (I know Clint and Chris will).
I had a coffee meeting with them last week and they set me a swimming programme that dumped the paddles and the pull boys (too much pressure on the shoulders at this stage) and introduced ladders and something exciting call hypoxic breathing.
The latter is to increase my lung capacity and is akin to altitude training.
The idea is that you do 10 lengths without stopping but alternate the number of times you breathe. You do:
1) 1 length breathing every third stroke
2) 1 length breathing every fifth stroke
3) 1 length breathing every seventh stroke
4) 1 length breathing every third stroke
5) 1 length breathing every fifth stroke
6) 1 length breathing every seventh stroke
7) 1 length breathing every third stroke
8) 1 length breathing every fifth stroke
9) 1 length breathing every seventh stroke
10) 1 length breathing every third stroke

The first two were easy. But the breathe-every-seventh-stroke option... well you try it in a 50-metre pool.
Clint said I might not be able to do it first up.
"Well that was like a red rag to a bull," said my husband when I later explained why I started getting spots in front of my eyes while training.
OK, so when someone says I might not be able to do something I do become a wee bit determined. Alright, teeth-gritting, lung-burning, red-mist determined, which is how I started this quest in the beginning.
But I do admit that when I was half-way through my second go (I succeeded at the first but got the spots, remember), self-preservation did take over and a wee voice piped up: "Virginia, don't be so bloody stupid, breathe! You can build up to this."
So I did.
See, once a lifeguard, always a lifeguard. I saved myself.
Now, the bike.
Oh it's beautiful to ride. I glide along, but I do need to get the claw thingies put into my shoes so they fit into pedals so I don't slip off. Not good when you're hitting a hill.
There will be daily biking reports from now on.
Walking... well that's going a bit slower.
My foot injury is still niggling a bit, but am still able to get out there, but now powering it the same as before (yet!).
As for food, I have learnt a lot about myself in the past few days.
The main thing is I can't bear over-eating.
On Christmas Eve and Day, I allowed myself to eat anything, no holding back. So I ate blue cheese, croissants, turkey, foie gras, home-made pizza, pastries, pate, potatoes, chocolate, ham, lamb, bruschetta, salmon, prawns... you get the picture. Even so, I had small helpings of most things.
Well, I felt hideous.
I had reflux, was bloated, lethargic and felt blah.
On Boxing Day my stomach felt so terrible I couldn't eat at all until dinner time, although I did have a protein shake half an hour before swimming.
Even now, my stomach is protesting.
Wow, what a revelation!
I've got a gut feeling I'm on the right track.
And with the generosity of Bryce and the KCL crew behind me, a flash red bike to speed along on and a troupe of loving supporters (that's you guys!), I reckon the future is looking as bright as my shocking-pink swimming cap.
Happy Days to you all! xxxx

Yesterday, I:
Swam 50 lengths of a 50m pool
Ate little, but well
Drank lots of water
Worked for six hours
Drank 1 cup of coffee

Spongebob says it best

By Virginia Winder

As Spongebob sings: "It's the best day ever."

Yep, today was a good one.

The sun was out, we put the tent up in the backyard, went for a swim at Back Beach and, afterwards, Camille and I headed to the aquatic centre to do some lengths.

I powered through 40 without stopping at all and then did another 10 doing drag and using my paddles.

Afterwards, we had Mexican food for dinner out on the deck and then Warren and I went off to The Most to do our radio shows.
My show, called Waxing Lyrical, was a bit eclectic tonight, to say the least. I started off with Monty Python's Always Look on The Bright Side, threw in songs by Alabama 3, Fred Dagg, Helen Reddy, Gorillaz, Manic Street Preachers and that rock star, Spongebob Squarepants.
Yes, I destroyed my street cred by playing Spongebob on the show and then completely ruined my cool persona by finishing off with a deep and meaningful yuletide song about the insanity of war.
Yes, you've guessed it ... I played Snoopy's Christmas.
At lunchtime I was stood up by a bunch of blokes.
Still, one did turn up although he had no idea I was going to.
Poor fella.
It turns out that Vaughan, from my college days, was the perfect lunch partner. You see he's an ironman and had heaps of valuable advice to pass on about nutrition and listening to your body's needs.
Also went to the physio today and she fitted my shoes with supportive insoles instead of taping me up. Annoyingly, I'm terribly allergic to the tape and the skin on my foot has peeled off. Forgot to get the moonboot for sleeping, so will pop over tomorrow (the physio is across the road from home).
I know that for some time I have been hinting at big news on the horizon, well the news will be released in the new year.
When it is, please know these things about me:
A. I am constantly humbled by the goodness of people.
B. I reckon I'm one of the most fortunate people on the planet.
C. I'm absolutely terrified to put myself out there, but am doing it for a cause greater than myself.
D. It still feels weird to write about myself and I constantly ask myself, if I'm doing the right thing.
E. I still find other people's stories way more interesting and inspiring than my own.

Today, I:
Swam 50 lengths of a 50m pool
Went for a swim in the sea
Worked for 30 minutes
Slept for 9 hours
Drank some water (still not enough!)
Had 2 cups of coffee
Ate fantastically well all day
Hung out with family
Went to physio to get treatment for my plantar fasciitis

Taking the high jump for fun

By Virginia Winder
Sometimes it's OK to dive into a bit of fun.
This windy and, at times, wet weekend my exercise has been all about swimming.
Clocked up 30 lengths yesterday and would have done more but ran out of time and was distracted by my teenagers and French daughter. They were playing about in the diving pool and then a bloke swimming next to me headed over to perform a double backwards flip off the top board.
He made it look easy, so I thought I'd jump right in. Then I got out there, teetered on the end of the board, and was overcome with fear.
I walked back to safety.
Standing on the landing, I watched the backflipper do another spectacular display, so this time I walked straight out there, with out thinking and jumped. How easy was that!
Then I executed a few graceful(ish) dives from the low board and got back into the main pool for training.
See how easily distracted I am!
But it was so much fun.
Today, I bought new swimming togs (a one-piece bathing suit) and it was size 18! That's much smaller than the size 24 togs I was wearing and I'm sure I swam much faster today because I was more streamlined. The old togs are baggy and getting holes in them, but a good back up.
Did 42 lengths freestyle today and did walked two more to slowly stretch my calves.
I have been doing a lot more stretching and it feels great, almost like quenching a thirst in my muscles.
My sore foot seems to be getting better, but I'm not pushing it. The night splint isn't working though because I wake up in the morning and it's off. Will have to ask for a moonboot and might ask for a double to help my left achilles at the same time.
May as well make the most of rest time, though I am craving to go for a fast walk with my headphones on.
But as Coach Clint says - restraint, restraint, restraint.
Yeah, and a little patience.
Sigh.

This weekend, I:
Swam 72 lengths (of a 50m pool)
Worked for a few hours only
Had an afternoon nap today
Drank a lot of water
Drank five coffees
Drank two glasses of pinot gris
Ate wonderful, healthy seasonal food - cherries, strawberries, salads, steamed artichoke, asparagus, tomatoes, peaches, blueberries...mmm.
Spent time with friends and family
Decorated the Christmas tree

Love, health and rock 'n' roll

By Virginia Winder


French daughter: Camille is back in the fold and has already
started swimming training - of her own accord.

A week is a long time in the life of a wannabe triathlete.

Too long - so apologies for no posts, especially to my naggy niece in Perth, who sent me these words: Blog, blog, blog, blog!

The truth is I have been end-of-year tired, had a dozen stories to write and been away to see The Foofighters in Auckland.
It's here that I feel the need to slump and slip into the teen venacular: "Dave Grohl is the shit."
Apologies, but he is a rock star. Totally.
So is Jack Black, the lead singer of Tenacious D, the supporting act on a drizzly night at Western Springs.
Don't ever let bad weather put you off from attending a concert; just wear coats or plastic ponchos and go for it. Two of my top three concerts - REM at the Bowl of Brooklands and now the Foofighters - were in the rain. The other brilliant show was Green Day at Vector Arena last year, but that was under cover.
There is a tentative link between concerts and my triathlon-training regime - even when it's grotty out there, you just need to cover up and get going.
There's nothing like going for a run or walk in the rain by a wild west coast sea, salt spray mingling with rain. It's exhilarating.
Swimming in the rain is also joyous.
Once, my whanau, sister Felicity and I, were bodysurfing at Fitzroy Beach when a massive rainstorm hit. I used to think the smell of a summer downpour came from drops hitting hot tarmac, but that day the sweet almost-chemical smell came from out at sea.
When the huge drops hit, many people fled the water, but we stayed and frolicked in the waves, our heads bent back, mouths open to drink from the sky. It was glorious and I remember being drenched in an eerie yellow light and feeling of great joy.
In Auckland, we also picked up our French daughter, Camille, who was our exchange student in 2006. It's so wonderful having her back in the fold. It feels so right, so normal, like our family is complete. However, it would be even better if our Swiss daughter Jeannie, was here too.
Anyway, on Thursday evening, Camille and I went swimming in the rain at the aquatic centre. At one stage all the lanes in the outside pool were full. "What a hardy bunch we are," I said to a grinning swimmer beside me, obviously feeling just as happy.
So, don't be put off by wet weather - just make sure your towel is under cover and enjoy the pock pock on bare arms as they roll over for another stroke.
I'm not so keen on getting out on the bike in wind or on slippery roads, but there's always the gym for those days.
Now, I have two pieces of good news.
The first is my foot is getting better. It's strapped up and, because of wise words from my rugby coach brother, Mark, I am sleeping with a foot splint on.
When you're in bed, your foot relaxes and heals in that position. The next morning, you wake up, take a step and bang, you're back to square one.
But if you sleep with your foot in the standing position, you won't be re-straining your foot every time you take that first step. The same goes for Achillies tendon injuries.
Luckily, my open-minded physio was most impressed at the moonboot or night-splint idea and readily gave me one to use.
Because of this, and the recuperation regime he emailed through to me, I am exceptionally hopeful of being able to at least walk the 2.5km of the triathlon taster here in New Plymouth on January 29.
Yay!!!
The other great news is that I'm now in double figures. Yes, my weight is now down to 99kg, which means I have lost 21kg. Must say, I am pretty rapt about this, because I'm feeling healthier, fitter, don't puff walking up stairs and have got rid of all the horrible health issues I was struggling with.
The worst was terrible reflux, which I know, from past episodes and tests, is caused by a hiatus hernia. I'm lucky because when my weight is down the hernia disappears.
With it goes the reflux, which is extremely painful and mimics heart pains. It also goes into my back and I don't know what to do with  myself. It's this pain that was part of the catalyst for this quest I'm now on.
If you remember, my wake-up call was sparked by a day spent in the emergency department of the hospital being treated for a possible heart attack. Thankfully it was reflux.
Then came the stern talk from my doctor and my decision not to have a stomach operation, but to change my eating habits and exercise, exercise and exercise.
So, hernia gone, reflux disappeared and any chances of developing diabetes are also heading for the hills.
As well has becoming healthy, I'm morphing into a sportswoman again.
But the best thing of all is the love of people.
My beautiful family and true friends are supporting me 100% and I'm meeting wonderful new people on the way.
Yep, life is good.

This week, I:

Swam 4 times

Went to the gym once

Went to the physio once

Went to the Foofighters concert (and fast-walked a long way to Western Springs and back to car, which hurt my foot, but gosh did I feel fit!)

Worked 25 hours nearly straight through (had a 2.5 hour sleep in-between - bad, bad, bad time management!)

Had two nights of little sleep (7 hours in total)

Discovered I am down to 99kg

Time to refocus on swimming, biking

By Virginia Winder
Sometimes life is a pain in the foot.
Yesterday, the physio diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis, which is inflammation of the tissue underneath my food and arch.
I told her about the sudden pain while doing a step-up at the gym, how it's got worse in the past week and keeps going into spasm. She pushed, poked and prodded, then gave me the PF news.
"You've definitely strained it," she said. "It's quite inflamed."
Tentatively, I asked that dreaded question - how long will it take to mend?
"About 12 weeks," she replied.
"Oh no," I said, thinking of the Tri-Women triathlon I've signed up for in New Plymouth on January 29.
She thinks I could possibly walk it, but didn't sound too hopeful.
The good news is I can swim to my heart's content, without flippers, and I can bike, but at this stage only on the flat, so I might need someone to do the run for me.
As life would have it, the physio has done the swimming section of the Tauranga half-ironman (my 2013 goal), so we talked all about it and she gave me training tips.
When I told her about how I had just started to run, she gave me a website to look up. It's a programme of how to get off the couch and up to running 5kms in nine weeks, hence the name of the site: c25k.
I'm not going to dwell on what I can't do now, but instead focus on what I can - swim, bike and bodysurf.
Summer is here and a sore foot isn't going to hold me back.
The Tasman Sea is calling...

Today, I:
Worked for 8 hours
Slept for 8 hours
Ate three healthy meals
Drank 3 coffees
Drank 2 glasses of pinot gris
Drank some water (got to get over this camel-like hump!)
Did no exercise (food strapped, so am giving it a bit of rest - back into swimming tomorrow)

Help, there's an alien in my instep

By Virginia Winder
The weight's still falling off, but my training has hit a hurdle.
Have injured the instep of my right foot and it hurts to walk. I did it doing step-ups at the gym and it's been getting worse and worse.
It's quite painful most of the time and feels like my foot is constantly cramping. When I put it up, you can see it going into spasms like an alien creature is growing in my instep.
Luckily, it's fine when I'm swimming, but I do get cramp in my feet and my calves when I'm doing lengths.
Have been doing a bit of research (hallelujah for Google) and have found out that cramp in the far-flung bits of my body could be caused by three things:
1. Dehydration. Yes, drinking water has been an ongoing challenge for me. I think I'll need to write notes around the house, saying, "Drink water", "Water is good for me", "Go with the flow - get hydrated", "Time to go for H2O". Sounds like a scene out of Alice in Wonderland - drink me...
2. Lack of vitamins. Apparently, I could have depleted levels of phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium. Will find out what's unbalanced about my diet and how I could be missing some of those vitamins. More Alice - eat me...
3. Overdoing it. It's possible I might not be getting enough rest and recovery. "Restraint," says Coach Clint. I need to nap like Alice and go off for adventures while I'm sleeping... can you get fit dreaming?
Sigh. I'm sitting here with a glum face and pouty lips. I am too impatient for setbacks!
So, I've been forced to slow down, but will focus on my swimming and maybe my biking (will see how I feel), until I'm better.
Yes, and I will make an appointment with the physio - just paused to write the note.
It's late now and I need my rest.
Time to head down the rabbit hole...

Today, I:
Worked for 6 hours (all interviews)
Hosted two radio shows (3 hours)
Slept for 8 hours (fitfully)
Ate moderately well (Warren's away... say no more)
Did no exercise (glum face)
Drank 3 glasses of water (terrible!!!)
Drank 1 cup of coffee (what was I thinking?!)

Bubbles of mirth and aching bones

By Virginia Winder
Life has got in the way of my blogging.
Blame training, end-of-year-celebrations and being way too laidback. Add tiredness, a series of annoying headaches and a few computer malfunctions into the mix and well, you've got all the "dog ate my homework" excuses. We can't blame Xena though - she is an angel.
So big apologies for being slack.
Let's go back to Wednesday, when I went for a ride on the Pink Beast. Went to the port and back, which is a few kilometres, but not many.
I enjoy biking, but am a bit useless with the gears. Clunk, clunk, clunk they go. I never seem to get the right pedal speed - it's either too easy or too hard. This is obviously an IQ test; one I'm failing.
Got up a sweat though and felt some burn in my thighs, so all is good.
On Thursday I went swimming and realised I am way too social.
Although I meet interesting people like Cathy the doctor, Maureen the ocean swimmer and Slope the former lifeguard who has a hankering to write, my chats slow me down.
And being one who loves to find out everything about people and what drives them, my chinwags last too long.
Or sometimes I am misunderstood.
There is this woman I've met who has been doing fartlek swimming training. Fartlek is Swedish for "speedplay" and includes aerobic swimming for endurance interspersed with faster lengths.
"How's your fartlek swimming going?" I asked a young woman who joined my lane.
She looked at me aghast.
"You are the woman doing fartlek aren't you?" I ventured.
"I don't know what you're talking about - I hardly ever come swimming," she said.
I apologised for getting the wrong person, explaining that when people have swimming caps and goggles on, they all kind of look similar. Don't they?
I took off for a couple of lengths and when I returned to the western end, she had disappeared. Then I got to thinking, perhaps she thought I was accusing her of farting in the pool.
Then I started to giggle. Swimming and laughing - not a good combination - but the mirth just bubbled from me.
On Friday, I got hit by a blinding headache in the middle of the day, so headed home for a quick kip before a bunch of journalism students turned up for an end-of-year barbecue. The first arrived around 4.30pm and the last left about 1am. We sat outside for most of it, with the stereo on the outdoor speakers and the chimenea fired up.
Yesterday, I flagged training because I had another headache and ached all over. Now, I'm sure you may think that was because I had been drinking, but I had little alcohol - only four glasses over eight hours and lots of water.
As yesterday progressed, so did my aching and, wisely, I headed for bed.
Still aching today, but will go for a wee walk to see how I feel. I may add a swim in too, but only if I'm feeling OK. It's incredibly important to listen to your body.
For those concerned that I'm not drinking enough water, I have been downing heaps.
But when you've gone from doing no exercise to heaps, plus eating much less and losing weight, it must take a toll on your body. Will research this and get back to you.

This past week, I:
Swam twice
Walked twice
Biked once
Did one gym workout
Slept badly most nights (racing thoughts!)
Worked 38 hours
Drank heaps of water
Had 4 alcoholic drinks
Drank about a dozen coffees
Mostly ate wonderfully well - low carbos, lots of low-fat protein and fresh fruit and vegetables

Time to be the tortoise

By Virginia Winder
Restraint and endurance are my new key words.
These come from Coach Clint, who is doing his best to contain my over-zealous enthusiasm for aerobic training.
Both words are aimed at preventing me from injuring myself, plus endurance will help me build up stamina and muscle condition.
In other words I have to be the tortoise, not the hare, which is a major personality switch for me. 
I did practise restraint today.
My left Achilles tendon is niggling a little, so I refrained from running this evening and instead did a power walk. Or should a say a power dance.
When I have those earphones in, pumping arms and legs like a maniac, I get lost in my own world. I imagine finish lines and passing people, and often, like tonight, I replay concerts.
Tonight I relived last year's Green Day gig in Auckland by walk-dancing to Holiday. Then I pounded the pavement to Resistance by Muse (BDO last year) and got a little bit of rhythm via Michael Franti and Spearhead (Power Station 2009).
Earlier, I swam 40 lengths with my niece, Rebekah.
I felt slow in the pool tonight, but I kept going, pulling through the water saying "endurance" to myself over and over.
Did some tough arm-weight exercises at the gym last night, but don't think I'm ready for those yet.
Coach Clint wants me to stop doing weights until July, when I move on to strength.
Because I've committed to the gym for a year, we've come to an agreement. I need to strengthen my core and do more stretching, so the gym's combined Pilates-yoga class will be ideal for this. I'm also sure I'll head to the gym on bike-training days when it's too windy to be safe outside.
Let me tell you why Clint is worth listening to.
He's been doing triathlons since 1993 and has represented and also captained New Zealand at a couple of World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Lausanne (Switzerland) and Hawaii. His first degree was in physiology and he has lectured PE students.
He's positive and practical, insightful and inspiring, and best of all he understands why trying to be a career woman and dedicated mother didn't leave much time for exercising. Add my ridiculous drive into the mix and you have a recipe for poor physical and mental health, leading to burnout. Hi, I'm Virginia and I'm a workaholic... you know the story.
Anyway, after chatting with Clint today, I feel confident that I will be able to conquer this half-ironwoman race in 13 months' time.
But I have to repeat my new mantra - endurance and restraint, endurance and restraint...

Today, I:
Swam 40 lengths of a 25m pool
Ran four lengths of the pool
Walked 3.6km in 38 minutes (I now have Map My Run ap)
Drank 2 cups of coffee
Had a good breakfast, didn't do so well at a morning tea shout, had a good lunch and healthy dinner.
Worked for 5 hours (see, I am getting balance!!!)
Drank some water, but not enough

On the run again - yahoo!

It's happened.
Yesterday I ran and oh, how good it felt.
We were on the Te Henui walkway and heading back down a gentle slope, when I felt the urge to stride out a little.
"I'll run to that seat," I said out loud to Warren, my husband.
But it was so easy I kept going.
And going.
I ran for about five minutes, which may not seem a lot, but it's just the start.
In fact, that's how everything starts - just one step, one stride, one rotation, one stroke at a time.
If I do five minutes of running during each long walk this week, I can up it to 10 next week, then 15, 20, 25, 30... you get the idea.
However, I won't be pounding the walkway because that's concrete, so it'll be streets and Pukekura Park. Even writing this, I feel the desire to get out there again.
When I was younger, running and skateboarding were the two activities that made me feel like I was flying.
For years now I have had vivid dreams of skateboarding and flying.
I also had these nightmares about not being able to run away from something or someone chasing me. My legs simply wouldn't work.
Other times I'd have horrible dreams about being in a race on sand and not being able to lift my feet.
It's only five minutes, I know, but my living nightmare is over.
A few hours later I went for a swim, but only managed 30 lengths. Not because I was tired, but because I ran out of time!
Several years ago a dear friend died of breast cancer and this weekend would have been her 50th birthday. We had dinner with her parents and friends, lit 50 candles all over the garden and remembered this beautiful woman with love and tears.
She's one of the reasons why I've got a fundraising page for breast cancer research as part of my misison to complete the Tri-Woman race on January 29.
I always wanted to be running that race and now I think I will be. My aim was to be down to 100kg by the end of November and I'm on target. I also wanted to be running by then and I am - just.
As this journey has continued I have realised that more and more, my aim is to be an athlete again.
Another friend of mine says she's having a midlife crisis, so has returned to her love of speed - the fast pace not the drug.
When I was young, sport was everything.
So yes, triathlon training is the result of my own midlife crisis.
One that also aims for balance in work and life.
On Friday and Saturday I was totally out of balance.
After a lovely lunch with a friend (a healthy salad), I felt out of kilter and realised it was my ears.
When I got home, I put my head down and the world tilted - confirmation that swimming without earplugs for a week, days of walking in strong winds and nights of being plugged into audio books had affected my inner ear. I've had it before you see.
That's why Friday and Saturday ended up as rest days - hence no blogs.
My big aim this week is to get on my bike!

Yesterday, I:
Walked for 1 hour 40
Ran for 5 minutes
Swam 30 lengths of 50m pool
This wasn't a wonderful food day - I grazed, mostly wisely, and then ate home-made sponge with cream at a potluck dinner. Mmm it was good though.
Drank lots of water
Drank 3 cups of coffee
Drank 1 cup of tea

Water opens creative floodgates

By Virginia Winder

Water is the answer to many woes - especially writer's block.

For the past week I've been struggling with a piece of work, but tonight, on length No 7, an idea swam into my head. Then another and another until creative thoughts began to stream through my brain as the water flowed past me.
For the next 10 lengths or more, I submerged myself in creative thoughts. It was like a flood gate opened and let my Muse in.
When writing is your craft and career, suffering from severe writer's block is a curse.
It doesn't happen often and any minor blocks can usually be cured with a long shower. That trick hasn't worked all week though.
But in that pool, with the methodical plunge and pull, plunge and pull, breathe, my mind relaxed into a meditative state, all worries disappeared and now, I'm brimming with ideas and ready to write.
Don't ask me why, but water is my conduit. Perhaps that's why I also need a cup of coffee or tea at my elbow when I'm drafting ideas.
Even now I'm sipping on spicy chai in between tapping out these words.
You'll also be pleased to know that I talked to "grumpy man" about his verbal attack on overweight people.
After my written rave, I had a think and realised his mood was out of character.
So I visited him and, as he was about to apologise, I stopped him.
"You upset me the other day," I said, "but then I realised I wasn't a good friend to you. You were obviously upset about something and I didn't take time to listen. I'm sorry about that. Now what was wrong?"
As life would have it, my friend's grumpy mood had nothing to do with me - or the obesity issue. He shared his concerns with me, I listened and then he apologised profusely for his anti-big-people comments.
You see he got to thinking too and realised he had been unfair and unkind.
I forgave him.
We hugged.
All is good with the world.

So often when someone lashes out with thoughtless and angry words, they are only revealing how they feel inside. If your thoughts are poison, that's what flows from you.

I'm not perfect; I get angry too, but I do my best to be kind to everyone in my life.

On my phone, I've written the words: "Speak with a kind heart."

So I do.

Today, I:

Worked for 6 hours

Slept for 8.5 hours

Swam 40 lengths (2km)

Ran 2 lengths in the pool

Ate amazingly nutritious meals

Drank more than 1.5 litres of water

Drank 2 coffees

Drank 1 chai

Yesterday, I:

Tried to work for 8 hours (read major writer's block)

Slept for 7 hours

Went for a 45-minute walk (OK, I was meant to bike but it was windy, wet and getting too dark)

Ate perfectly - no more skipping meals!

Drank 3 coffees

Drank 1 green tea

Drank about 1 litre of water

Getting heated over weighty issues

By Virginia Winder
Every day there's a new challenge and today's came during a conversation with a grumpy bloke.
"I am sick of hearing all this stuff about obesity," he said. "It's simple, just don't eat so much and do some exercise."
When I countered that perhaps it's not as easy as all that and how a great deal of people struggle with losing weight, he shook his head with a look of disdain on his face.
Then he suggested that we're all getting too touchy feely and the real issue is that fat people (meaning me, my mother and millions of people worldwide) are just lazy and not particularly intelligent.
By this time, I could feel the anger welling up in me. I was indignant for all the people who have struggled with their size, who have been on diet after diet only to put it all back on again (and more), or who have a genetic predisposition to putting on weight.
"That's just an excuse," he said of the latter.
At this point I realised the discussion needed to end, before I said something I might regret.
You see, even though I'm now on the road to fitness and better health, I've spent about 17 years overweight.
But nobody could ever say I was lazy.
In fact, that was my problem - I was so busy working there was no time in my life to focus on exercise. I've always loved food (still do) but I was eating many of the wrong things as a quick fix to get me through each day. I was doing the best I could, but didn't have much energy left over to make other decisions.
I will, therefore, defend anybody who's overweight, because it's a tough place to be.
On my quest, I'm learning what foods will fuel me best, how important it is to have goals, rediscovering the joy of exercising and the wonder of being fit.
But it was my time to change. I had my ultimatum - the knife or my life (see my first blog).
It's important though to accept yourself, no matter what size you are and feel good inside. The truth is, I've rarely felt hideous or unattractive, although I know I'm no supermodel. My decision to change was purely for my health and then came the decision to become an athlete again.
Other people will have their own tipping points and reasons for making changes.
Whether you do, or don't do, I'll never judge you, won't purposely do anything to make you feel guilty and will accept you all, as you are - with an open heart and open mind.

Today, I:
Worked for 7 hours
Slept for 8 hours
Swam 40 lengths of a 50m pool
Walked for 50 minutes
Ate two fantastically nutritious meals, but missed dinner (not a good idea)
Drank two cups of coffee
Drank 1.5 litres of water

Coach Clint calls the shots

By Virginia Winder
Coach Clint has me in his sights.
He's no cowboy gunslinger, but this former triathlete is laying down the law for my training on the wild west coast of New Zealand.
This 30-something man of business is the general manager of a generous company, which has decided to back me in Mission Half-Ironwoman (note the gender change).
However, it's Clint's boss, the owner of the business, who has decided I'm worth a wager.
Sorry, I still can't do the major revelation - you have no idea how hard it is not to tell all - but it's all about timing and rights to the story. Haha, just joking, but it sounds good, eh, Virginia on the front page of NZ Woman's Weekly, dressed in a suit of iron.
You're right, not a pretty picture and not happening. But the details are all about timing.
That brings us back to Coach Clint... I had a one-on-one session with him last week and he plotted my future on a whiteboard. I now have clearer SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) goals, a training schedule and even have homework.
I need to find a social running/walking group, a cycling group, learn about cycling etiquette (I'll be like Liza Doolittle for sure), find out my maxium heart rate, record how far and how long I'm walking, stretch after each exercise session and find out the swim, cycle and run times for my age group in this year's Port of Tauranga Half-Ironman (done!). Researching the latter, I found that Taranaki woman Sonia O'Connell was the fastest female swimmer in the race. She's a former surf lifesaving clubmate of mine, so she'll have some great training advice for sure.
Anyway, Clint quizzed me about a whole bunch of things, including my realistic weight goal - we reckon around 65kg would be good and I should be able to reach that by the end of May next year.
Clint has also armed me with a new training schedule, which began today. OK, so I had rest day. He's revised things, because from now on I'll be doing long training sessions at the weekends and Monday is my most intense time for deadlines, so will need a break.
Had a couple of quiet days before storming ahead with a big week of training.
Yesterday, Warren and I walked through the Ratapihipihi Reserve and I wore my new tramping boots. They saved me, about three times actually, from twisting my bendy ankles.
Walked up that seemingly, never-ending hill and had visions of my mother swearing and puffing her way up and up and up those steps. I wasn't there for that cuss-and-climb outing; my sister Felicity was, but it's part of our family folkore so it feels like my memory too.
Our darling mother was delightfully naughty and terribly feisty.
Clint wants me to cut down on going to the gym. I might, a little, but the rebel in me just could slip two shortened weight-training session in somewhere to help with my swimming.
I like the plan, which we've worked out together, but have tweaked it just a bit so I can go swimming with my niece, Rebekah.
We're meeting up tomorrow, but if the forecast storm hits, we could be heading indoors to the shorter pool for our workout.
See, there's more than training on the horizon...

Today, I:
Worked for 15 hours (yes, fail on that one - glum face)
Drank heaps of fluids (coffee, chai, water, green tea)
Slept for 6 hours
Trained for zero hours (Monday is new rest day)
Ate pretty well, but did find myself grazing in the pantry for nuts and a couple of crackers
Had family time because I worked at home all day

Walk on the wild side with chocolate

By Virginia Winder
I'm writing this blog with chocolate melting in my mouth.
Dark chocolate, high in antioxidants, delicious and slightly forbidden. It's also giving me an instant endorphin kick. Mmm.
You see, it's OK to indulge every so often, to take a walk on the wild side without guilt.
I talked to a bloke today and he quizzed me about food, concerned I may get obsessive about eating or develop a disorder.
Fat chance - not when there's chocolate in the world.
Or chicken mole. That's a Mexican dish of chicken and chocolate sauce.
It's fine to enjoy food, eat every mouthful slowly and savour the flavour. I've talked about this before, but every time I eat it's about making choices.
Wise choices that will help fuel my mind and body. I've cut down on carbohydrates, given cheese and butter the flick and added more blueberries (I crave them!), walnuts, salmon and protein to my diet.
Fresh, unprocessed and home-made, that's the way to go.
And be mindful. Sometimes I take a bite of something, hold it in my mouth and imagine where it came from. Who grew the cocoa beans in this chocolate? Where is that farm? What does it look like and who picked these beans - a machine or human hands.
I love doing that. Sometimes I do it with other things too, like a book. I hold one in my hands and flick through it, knowing that a person wrote every word, a tree grew tall and was cut down by a person using a human-made tool to make paper for the pages, that someone mixed the ink... you can see how far you can think about a seemingly simple thing.
The reshaping of a body, a life, is the same.
It's a process that begins with a decision, then a short walk, a few lengths, a bike ride or a gym workout.
And then more and more and more.
With each training session there are changes, like the ease of breathing, a lightness of step, a gentle hill that felt like a hard slog is a breeze on the bike.
Then clothes feel big.
Others items fit.
This is a slow metamorphosis, which won't be obvious to others at first and then a friend will exclaim how your face has changed or you look glowing. Then you realise that these supportive people are your mirrors, reflecting you back to you.
But most important of all is how you feel.
After allowing a freight train of words to flow through my head, there are three that stand out: Motivation, determination and revelation. The first two are self-explanatory, the third is about finding out that I still enjoy exercise and, in fact, love it, with a passion.
Along with that joy of getting out there and doing it, is the growing pleasure of writing about it.
This blog is no slog.
Tomorrow I'll tell you about a man called Clint, a short-term and long-term training programme, remind us about SMART goals and then I'll tell you a true story about generosity.
It's an amazing one.
But for now, I'll leave you with a story about Ben Davis.
Watch this video and enjoy the soundtrack.

Yesterday, I:
Walked for 50 minutes
Ate like an angel
Slept for 9 hours
Worked for 5 hours
Drank 3 cups of coffee
Drank more water than ever (about 1.5 litres)

Today, I:
Slept for 6 hours
Did no exercise
Had a triathlon-training planning session
Worked for 9 hours
Ate pretty well (walked away from pizza and beer, but indulged in dark chocolate)
Had 3 cups of coffee
Drank about 1 litre of water

Getting a kick out of swimming knowledge

By Virginia Winder
Last night I was too exhausted to write, so went straight to bed as early as a chicken.
This week I discovered they retreat to the roost at first sign of darkening skies and so that's what I did.
Have been out of kilter with work-life balance and did a 2.30am start yesterday, which is plain stupid. But after feeling under the weather on Monday, I had no choice because meeting deadlines is an absolute must.
So is getting out there and exercising, which helps with everything - body, mind and spirit.
Went swimming with my niece, Rebekah, yesterday and she's not powering away as fast as before. She hasn't slowed down; I've sped up!
But one thing we did discover is that our kicking isn't great. We tried using flutter boards and kicking, but barely moved. We normally put on flippers for this, which gets our leg muscles working incredibly hard.
But au naturale we were useless.
Feeling despondent, I've just looked up a website called Swimsmooth and it's made me feel better.
It says: "Elite freestyle swimmers with world-class kicks only get a small fraction of their propulsion from their legs (about 10-15%). Most triathletes and amateur swimmers get next to no propulsion from their kick."
It goes on to say that we still need to kick a little to help with body position, but we only need to do a minimum to reserve energy. It's also important to kick with a straight leg from the hip because a bent knee causes drag.
That makes me want to get back in the pool right now to try it out.
I've also been doing Spike's schedule and that's working fine. Once again, I think I'll need to mix it up a bit more and to keep me challenged.
Also chatted to one of my brother's old friends, a bloke who, back in his rugby days, we called Tank.
He's done quite a few triathlons and says your fitness levels soar and the weight drops fast when you start doing two training sessions a day.
Had a few double-dose days, but they wipe me - so do 2.30am starts.
Tonight I'm going to go for a short bike ride and a long walk, to ease into those triathlon transitions.
See ya on the streets.

Yesterday, I:
Worked 13 hours
Slept for 3.5 hours
Swam 40 lengths of a 50m pool
Ran 14 lengths (so total 54)
Ate smaller meals and had more healthy snacks
Still failed on the water!
Drank two cups of coffee

Beating that dreaded plateau

By Virginia Winder
Hills aren't the problem in this fitness mission - it's those plateaus that are hard to get over.
Some sports nutritionists say that our bodies do their best to stay in balance and don't actually like losing weight.
So we have to keep surprising them with different foods, new exercises and prevent them from slipping into that comfort zone.
Talked with a friend today and she's lost about the same amount of weight as me - 16kg - but feels she too has reached that levelling out place.
Her aim is to look great at her daughter's wedding, mine is to become an athlete again and I know others who simply want to be avoid all those health issues that come with ageing and being overweight.
Tonight I forced myself, despite feeling under the weather all day, to go to the gym. I had an appointment with Courtney from Contours and she was extremely helpful.
"It's 80% what you eat," she says about affective weight loss.
Then she quizzed me about my snacks.
The truth is I don't exactly have any, not really.
It seems that I'm doing it all wrong.
If I'm exercising so much I need to fuel myself by eating something every three hours, like fruit and nuts, or yoghurt and nuts, or canned tuna or salmon, or have a protein shake.
It's also important to have a small snack about half and hour before exercise and half an hour after, she says. All these snacks should include protein.
So smaller meals more often is the ticket, which I'm going to try for the next two weeks.
And, I'm going to keep a food diary for two weeks, just to see if I am on track.
The other big thing is water.
My new aim is to drink 1.5 litres before lunch and 1.5 litres before tea. So that's 3 litres a day, which is a good idea because of how much I'm sweating during workouts.
There is debate about how much water we should be drinking, with some doubters definitely against large amounts of water intake, but I'm going to see if it makes a difference to me.
According to the gym scales I've lost 2kg, but the tape measure shows only a couple of centimetres have disappeared from my body - from my left leg and around my stomach. Perhaps the rest of weight loss was from my brain, because it certainly feels like it.
Anyway, for the next two weeks, I'm going to refocus on what I'm eating, but still without dieting. I kind of like the idea of having to eat more often to keep my metabolism powered up. Who would have thought it, eh?
Found some great advice from writer Paige Waehner on about.com, so check out her plateau-beating tips.
Off to get some more water now...

Today, I:
Slept 5.5 hours (at night) and 3 hours this afternoon (yep, definitely feeling fatigued)
Worked 12 hours
Went to the gym and walked home, with a fast hill climb in there for good measure
Have upped my water intake (aim to drink 3 litres a day)
Had three nutritious meals, but only one tiny snack of nuts
Started a food diary (to do for 2 weeks)

Beating boys, past lives and Walter Mitty dreams

By Virginia Winder
When I was a teenager I remember writing a poem about being an athletic robot.
I wrote it one summer when was I working and staying at the surf lifesaving club at Oakura.
Every day I trained and trained and trained, but wasn't using my brain.
When I went to university after that summer I used to go running with the boys in my hostel and they would all be out to beat me.
We'd do this loop that included the hill going up through the Auckland Domain and I ran at a slowish pace.
When we got to the flat going past Auckland Hospital and heading across Grafton Bridge I'd play cat and mouse with those young men.
I'd sprint for 50 metres and they'd all go with me; then I'd slow down and the boys did too. Then I'd sprint again and half would race me; I'd slow again and so would they.
Inwardly grinning, I'd sprint again and only one guy would go with me - a fellow from New Plymouth called Edgar Brooker.
Then I'd slow and then take off for one more sprint and I'd always be the first home.
It was so much fun using my fitness and tactics to beat those young men.
All they needed to do was make me go fast on the long run and they would've beaten me every time, but because I was the one to beat, they ran at my pace, leaving me to do sprint training at the end.
Unfortunately, I damaged my achilles tendon while playing squash a few months later, so couldn't continue those training runs.
That summer, aged 18, I was the fittest I've ever been and my aim is to feel that way again.
For too long, I've considered those days "another life".
Today I racing a bloke in the pool.
I got to the end a few times first, but mostly he beat me.
It's always fun to have spontaneous races with people. It prevents boredom and makes you push yourself faster, harder.
Am also a big fan of changing routines, which is why triathlon training is so good for me.
I have an extremely low boredom threshold, so will mix things up in training and life.
Actually, I rarely get bored and that's because of my over-active imagination.
If you've ever seen that Danny Kaye movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, you'll get close to what goes on in my head.
My father and I loved that film, and it also reminds me of a book Dad had about this sporting superstar called Wilson, who won everything.
I was brought up with such tales, plus the real-life stories of Jack Lovelock, Peter Snell, Randolph Rose, Murray Halberg and Yvette Williams. I read the lot.
Yes, I dreamed of being an Olympic runner.
Don't worry, I haven't suddenly gone mad and think I could make the grade in my late 40s.
But, I would like to do OK in triathlons, especially in my age group.
To help me get inspired, I'm reading Get Carter, the story of Hamish Carter and it's great. Click this link to read how he's making a comeback.
Another uplifting story from Triathlon NZ is about a bloke called Liam Friary, who has completely reshaped himself and his life through doing triathlons.
He's my new hero!
Oh by the way, I've got new scales and I'm now 104kg!
It's dropping slowly, but steadily.
I will definitely celebrate when I'm no longer in three figures!

Today, I:
Swam 40 lengths of a 50m pool
Ran 2 lengths
Slept for 9 hours
Worked for 4 hours
Drank lots of water
Had 2 coffees
Ate extremely healthy food

Mr Moon walks upon the water

By Virginia Winder
Went to the gym tonight and sweated through 20 minutes of Michael Franti, Split Enz, Pink and a song from the Bend It Like Beckham soundtrack.
Those minutes were spent on the exercycle and I pushed it, especially when Baddest Ruffest by Backyard Dog came on. That song from Bend It, is my favourite speed track of all time and if you see me absolutely powering it uphill, on the coastal walkway or pedalling like crazy at the gym, chances are that's what I'm listening to.
After the bike, I did weights and other exercises, then walked home.
We sat outside and enjoyed a BBQ dinner of lamb steak, Greek salad and bruschetta, then I picked flowers in the fading light.
Today was a good day and a productive one.
Worked and exercised hard, ate well and enjoyed the sunshine.
Had a whole bunch of interviews and then had a gorgeous Mexican lunch from Tesoro Fresh Mex. My meal was spicy, by choice, because I do so love those endorphins.
It's lovely because Clementine is home studying, so this afternoon she hit the books and I wrote.
Normally, today I'd be telling you how much weight I've lost (or not), but I have no idea because our scales are broken. Think moisture probably got into them in the bathroom.
I'm feeling good, but would like to know the truth - is this regime working or not?
Think I may have been eating meals that are too large, so cutting down might be on the cards.
Yesterday was meant to be a rest day, but went for a dusk walk by the sea with Warren (husband) and Xena (our dog) and watched the moon rise.
Warren sang: "Mr Moon you walk upon the water." That's a line from a song by the Headless Chickens and even his wailing didn't spoil the moment.
Those simple, beautiful moments make exercising a great joy.

Today, I:
Slept for 7.5 hours
Worked for 8 hours
Did a workout at the gym (walked there and back too)
Ate nutritious, healthy food, but maybe my portions were too big
Drank a good amount of water
Drank 2 cups of coffee
Drank 2 glasses of wine (pinot gris)

Spike turns up with toys

By Virginia Winder
When I went swimming with an old friend this morning, she brought along a bag of aids.
"You've got to have toys," she says, placing paddles and fins on the side of the pool and grabbing a dumbbell flotation device for drag.
It was great fun and I learnt a whole lot of new things because Spike's a swimmer from way back. She's been on a website called swimplan.com and got a schedule for 1500 metres. We kicked, dragged, did one arm training, push glides, used the paddles (and made seal noises - well I did) and worked on style.
Not only are toys great for training, they also add variety.
In the end we both did 40 lengths and then ran for four lengths, pretending we were slow-motion superheroes.
You see it appears I'm not the only one who lives in an athletic fantasy world.
Afterwards we talked about the delusions and disillusions of maturity.
Spike's way older than me (alright, just by 15 months) and says she's struggled getting back into swimming because she immediately expected to perform like she did as a teenager and 20-something-year-old.
That's like me with my transition from walking to running.
We both agreed, over salads from Tank, that we will get there, one step or stroke at a time.
Or one spin class.
Yes, I did a double dose today - swimming in the morning and indoor cycling at the gym tonight.
Annoyingly, I'm having a bit of difficult with my right foot.
Years ago, when backpacking around Greece, I went over in a pothole when leaving the island of Kos.
My ankle was excruciatingly painful, but thought it was just a bad sprain.
My dear fiance (now husband) was a bit grumpy with me for holding us back from sight-seeing. I had to lie in our hotel room in Athens while he explored the city by himself.
Not to be a drag, I hobbled around on it for days, including limping to the top of the Acropolis.
It's never been 100%.
Earlier this year I twisted that same ankle at Womad and was sent for an x-ray.
"You've broken this one before," the technician told me, looking at the film.
That was news to me, but it did explain some things.
Like why I was in so much pain after doing it, why it took so long to mend and why I can't sit cross legged.
I'm sure stretching, proper positioning in the bike foot straps and good walking shoes are helping.
Or perhaps there's a new toy I need that will help me.
Because, as Cindy Lauper says: "Girls just wanna have fun!"

Today, I:
Swam 40 lengths of a 50-metre pool
Ran 4 lengths
Did a spin class
Drank a good amount of water
Ate three nutritious meals
Have continued to cut down on carbohydrates
Worked for 1.5 hours
Slept for 9 hours (blissful and much needed!)

Parallel universes and winding roads

By Virginia Winder
Met my dreamgirl at the aquatic centre tonight.
"I should be saying that, not you," my husband, Warren, says.
He gets the "in your dreams" look and I explain that in the lane next to me was a woman training for the Tauranga half-ironman this coming January.
My dream is that this time next year I'll be like her - sleek, fast and incredibly fit.
As I did my lengths (42 swimming and 10 running), the 32-year-old cruised past me effortlessly and I began to imagine she was me, but in a parallel universe. You see when you're swimming up and down, up and down, it's extremely meditative and your mind expands, probably because of the endolphins.
So there I was pondering quantum physics and possible futures, a bit of time travel thrown in for good measure, when it struck me that all I had to do was clock up day after day after day of training and, in this universe, an overweight, nearly-50-year-old can achieve that elusive dream - a half ironman.
Just to remind you (and me), a half-ironman entails a 2km swim, 90km bike ride and 21.1km run. I can do the swim - I'm there, but terribly slow. So speed is the essence.
The bike ride is a long way off, but there is news on this front, which I'll tell you soon and you're certain to be as blown away as I am.
As for the run, my walking is going well, so I'm hoping I'll be running by the end of the month (toes crossed).
Also, I have to confess I had a bad weekend; one filled with sadness for the loss of a man I greatly admired and my own bleak thoughts. My eating was patchy and I lacked energy and enthusiasm.
Life is not a straight road. It's more like State Highway 45 between Oakura and Okato; up and down and winding.
We all have such times, but on this journey to fitness and health (physical and mental), it's all about starting again and being kind to ourselves and others.
And knowing, always knowing, that no matter how bad things are, they will get better.
If you're feeling awful, please reach out and ask for help.
Someone will always be there to listen and love you.
Please, please choose life.
Today I met a man who has overcome his fear of water and learnt to swim.
That might not sound a big thing if you're a swimmer, but what's your inner nemesis? Just for a second think of the thing you are most scared of facing or doing - it could be spiders, roller coasters or bungy jumping.
Now, I want you to imagine conquering that frightening thing, again and again.
That's mountain-high huge.
There are people all around us doing great things, like a man scared of heights who crossed a swing bridge for the first time. Such bravery.
I pay tribute to the courageous. I honour the gutsy.
And I say: "Good on ya dreamgirl - I'm gonna be you. "

Today, I
Swam 42 lengths of a 50-metre pool
Ran 10 lengths of the pool
Drank not enough water
Drank 3 coffees
Ate extremely healthy food
Worked for 8 hours

For the love of endorphins

When I was out walking tonight I realised four things.
1. Even though I might train and train at swimming, it is unlikely to be my best discipline. However, I need to work harder at it, because I don't want to be useless out there in the sea. I think, from now on, I'm going to have to swim every second day.
2. To perform well in a triathlon, I need to play to my strengths - both of them. Yes, I'm talking about my legs. Despite initially having some trepidation about biking, I have realised that it could well be my strongest discipline in these triathlons.
3. I need to get running. To do this, I need to lose another 10kg and I'm keen to do this as quickly as possible, but still without dieting. I'd like to be jogging by the end of November. I have started by running downhill, in a relaxed and slow manner, plus I'm doing my Bionic Woman slow-motion running the pool.
4. Help, I need new music! I love my playlist, but it's getting a bit too familiar. I need some surprises in there, so if anybody has any suggestions for uplifting music with a fast beat, I want to hear from you. I like rock, alternative everything, some hip-hop and even pop. I love great lyrics too, but most important of all is a fast beat.
Had my day off yesterday and gosh I needed it. I was so tired, probably because of those double-dose sessions. Am still going to do more of them, because exercise is so good for me.
When I'm going to the gym, walking or cycling, those wonderful endorphins make me feel happy.
Swimming is a different story. That's when a get a big boost of endolphins.
Don't start grabbing for your dictionary - my friend Callie coined that word and I think it's cute and clever.
But what are endorphins (or endolphins)?
A quick internet search reveals they are neurotransmitters that interact with the opiate receptors in the brain to reduce our perception of pain and make us feel good. Endorphins act in a similar way to drugs like morphine and codeine and are believed to be responsible for the runner's high. Exercise, sex, chocolate, acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation and hot chillies all trigger the release of endorphins.
That explains why chilli and chocolate is my favourite food combination.
Gotta love that natural high.

Today, I:
Worked for 3 hours
Slept for 8 hours (badly)
Had 3 nutritious meals
Went for a 6.1km power walk
Drank lots of water
Drank 2 cups of coffee

Dog tired after double-dose days

By Virginia Winder
It's possible I overdid things a little today.
Went for a 3.5km walk with the dog, but it wasn't a fast outing because it's hard to pump my arms and hold a leash.
Think I'll take Xena for pleasure strolls instead of the power walks.
Still, we boht enjoyed sniffing the fresh, salt-laden air and walking beside a messy teal sea.
This evening I went to spin class at the gym and it was great. Found it much more manageable than last time, although I did get cramp in my feet.
One of my classmates said that to stop this happening I need to push down on the pedals with my heels, rather than my toes.
The women also assured me my nether regions would "harden up" as I get used to the bike seat, so am feeling positive about cycling.
When I got home I went for a quick walk around the block to start teaching my body about transitions.
Must admit that I'm a bit shattered now, so this is just a short blog because bed beckons.
Tomorrow is Thursday, so I just may have a rest day, but still take the dog for a gentle trot.
A friend sent me a wonderful email tonight and reminded me how far I've come.
That first day of exercise I only managed a 20-minute walk - now I'm fit enought to exercise twice a day.
Still, I have a long way to go to do a half-ironman, but it's all just one step, one stroke, one pedal push at a time...

Today, I:
Worked for 3 hours
Walked 3.5km
Completed a spin class at the gym
Did a short transition walk at speed
Drank heaps of water
Drank 2 cups of coffee
Slept for 8 hours
Ate 2 healthy meals and then indulged in a delicious curry dinner, but didn't eat too much rice
Went to the movies with my friend Glenys and my teenagers

Running in slow motion

By Virginia Winder
Exercising begins with the mind.
I'm not talking about sudoku or crosswords, but deciding to get into action.
This morning I sat in the car outside the aquatic centre feeling tired and a little blue.
Wheedle Voice wanted to head home to bed and Inner Athlete was keen to to go swimming.
"Go home, you've got a great book, imagine snuggling down and letting go," WV coaxed.
"You're here now, you've got your togs on, the outdoor pool's open, come on!" IA ordered.
I listened to the latter and went swimming.
A friend says good things happen when you head out exercising - yes, Irena Brooks, you are right!
Before I got in, I noticed a tanned, incredibly fit older woman get out of the water and start jogging around the pool, pulling her wetsuit down as she went (she had togs underneath).
"Ah, a triathlete in training, I thought," and I was right.
She was practising her swimming-to-biking transition and explained how important it is to train the body to switch from one set of muscles to another.
"It's like learning your ABC," she said.
I told her my half-ironman goal and she boosted me with a hearty: "Good on ya sister, that's the way."
She did an ironman this year, so that was even more inspiring.
I started swimming and found the woman in the lane next to me was a dear friend, so that was another bonus.
Also watched what the women's squad was doing and had a go at keeping up.
I could when we were all doing flipper work, because my legs are powerful.
But fin-free was a different story.
This new style has slowed me down big time, but I know it's the best thing to do and, as I get stronger, I will get faster. I will, I will!
Swimming star Ayla Dunlop-Barrett was there training the women and she asked if I'd tried running in the pool, so I had a go.
I felt like the Bionic Woman in one of those slow-motion running sequences when you know the heroine is actually going super-fast.
In my head I was sprinting, powering through the water like a superhero. In reality, I was just slow.
Tonight I went to the gym for a session with my personal trainer, Courtney, aged 22.
The gym scales show I've lost another 2kg and she measured me and I've lost 10cm all over.
What I discovered tonight is that I enjoy the weights, love the aerobic parts of the workout, but hate the stomach exercises.
As life would have it, that's what I need to work on most.
But I knew that - it was a gut feeling.

Yesterday, I:
Worked for 13 hours
Ate two good meals and had nibbles for the third, but chose well
Drank heaps of water
Had 1 cup of coffee
Did no exercise - didn't have a spare moment because of work and family
Slept for 5 hours

Today, I:
Worked for 30 minutes!
Ate three nutritious meals
Drank heaps of water
Drank 3 cups of coffee
Swam 32 lengths of a 50m pool and ran for another 8 lengths
Did a gym workout
Slept for 8 hours
Had coffee and lunch with friends

Fitness freak in disguise

By Virginia Winder
Lots of people have begun saying that I look different.
Some haven't even recognised me because my hair is longer and I'm getting smaller.
I'm sure it has nothing to do with my sunglasses. But are they Batgirl or Catwoman glasses?
It was interesting wearing them out walking yesterday because people's reactions were so different.
Some adults just wouldn't look at me, like I was a madwoman, kids grinned at me and teenagers gave me that OMG look, thankful I wasn't their mother.
The truth is they were the only sunglasses I could put my hands on in a hurry. But I quite like them, simply because they are so ridiculous and one should never take oneself too seriously.
My kids bought them for me at the Big Day Out this year, so they've got to be good, don't they?
Walked 7.8km yesterday. I've got this great gadget - my Sony Walkman (no they are not sponsoring me) - which tells me how far I have walked, how many steps I've taken, how many calories I've burned and, of course, it plays my fantastic walking tracks to inspire me.
As I walked along yesterday, I grinned at the world with Monty Python's Bright Side of Life playing in my ears. The weather was lovely and I saw one of my friends on the walkway near Ngamotu Beach.
"I nearly didn't recognise you," Irena Brooks yelled from her bike.
"I suppose it was the glasses," I replied crossing the road.
"No, they helped me realise it was you," she said.
Damn, cover blown.
Perhaps a cape next time?
"You look different - fitter, healthier," she said.
We chatted about fitness and what a great day it was. I told her about my stair sprints and she admitted she didn't know I was a sprinter when I was younger.
Everybody always assumes that because I was a surf lifesaver I was a great swimmer. I'm not bad, but my reason for joining was to race along the hot black sand. If you're reading this from afar and never been to Taranaki, you may not know we have black ironsand on our coast.
On sunny days it burns your feet, so you have to run over it. I've always reckoned that's why our region has always had so many top beach sprinters.
You have no idea how much I would love to sprint again.
I have sprinting dreams, kind of like flying dreams. I also have skateboard-riding dreams, but that's another story, completely.
The closest I get are those hills, which I power up in my walking version of fartlek training, similar to what I did in my running days.
Anyway - that was yesterday.
I'm sitting here finishing this off in my togs!
Just walked to Fitzroy along the walk way (including underneath Kawaroa) and went for a swim in the sea with Warren, who went for a run.
It was gorgeous.
I wanted to go for a bike ride today, but didn't fancy pedalling home and getting hot again. Guess I will get used to that though, because I'll be doing it lots this summer.
There are things I'm looking forward to as I get fitter and slimmer:
Getting a new pair of togs (when I get under 100kg).
Wearing a T-shirt with those short, short sleeves (when my arms are firmer).
No longer having to only shop in the larger women's section.
Having a waist again.
But most of all, being able to run again.
Hmm, I wonder if I could skateboard again too - or at 48, perhaps I should leave it to the next generation.
Second thoughts... a long board for my 50th birthday? I reckon!

This weekend, I:
Worked for 6 hours (Sunday)
Have eaten only delicious, healthy meals
Walked for 7.8km (Saturday)
Walked for 4.9km (Sunday)
Slept for 7 disturbed hours (Friday night)
Slept for 10 blissful hours (Saturday night)
Drank lots of water
Drank 4 cups of coffee (2 each day)
Started reading a book (I haven't read one for months)

Importance of a good night's sleep

By Virginia Winder

Have a new swimming goal - to beat my niece in a one-length sprint.
Tonight Rebekah's cheeky face popped up at the end of the outdoor pool and so I joined her lane. Rebekah is a machine in the water. She lapped me a few times, but when we did a 50-metre sprint, I wasn't too far behind her.
She swam 70 lengths tonight and I swam 30, which is equivalent of 60 inside.
Gosh it's great to be outdoors - so fresh and clean. Way less cramped too.
Am still focusing on my new style, which means I'm not yet as fast as I used to be. Elbows, elbows, elbows!
Next week is looking great for lots of training and I feel excited about having a few days of double doses.
The good news is I've lost more weight and am now down to 106.3kg.
So, my training is going well, eating is good, work hours are slowing down, but my big challenge is getting enough sleep.
Feel like I've had days of broken sleep, mainly because I have. This is for a whole variety of reasons, 99% of which have been out of my control.
Lack of sleep or disturbed sleep is no good for training, working and health - both mental and physical.
The Harvard Women’s Health Watch suggests six reasons to get enough sleep:

1. Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.
2. Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
3. Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
4. Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
5. Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
6. Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

Now you know why my big focus is to get enough shut eye.
Am getting tired just writing this!
So, hi-ho, hi-ho, off to bed I go...

Today, I:
Missed breakfast (not ideal) and had fresh Mexican food for lunch and dinner (mmm)
Drank 3 cups of coffee
Two few glasses of water (again)
Swam 30 lengths of a 50-metre pool
Worked for 8 hours
Slept for about 7 hours, but it was broken sleep so probably managed about 3 hours straight

Uphill battles of life and legs

By Virginia Winder
When I was young, I loved hill sprints.
Standing at the bottom of Calvert Rd, a steep hill round the corner from home, I'd psyche myself up and then go for it; pumping my legs and arms as fast as they'd go.
Sometimes I'd put on my spikes and sprint the grassy hills in the school behind our house.
As I powered uphill, I'd hear my Dad's words in my head.
"Go, go, go," he'd yell at the end of our jogs through Pukekura Park and I'd fly around the terraces of the cricket ground.
It was such a joy to push myself so hard, to sweat and feel the energy flowing through my body.
A few decades on, I still love those steep slopes and the feeling of speed.
Tonight I walked up the Morley St hill and it wasn't too hard at all.
Then I did stair sprints.
There's this great set by the old Barrett St hospital, so with Michael Franti singing in my ears, I went up those steps lickety split.
What's so good about doing stair sprints is they don't hurt my Achilles tendon, which is still a bit niggly. Raced up three times, which is a good start, and then headed around and up Churchill Heights.
What's amazing to me is that a few weeks ago, hills took my breath away, but not now.
Workwise, I've had a quiet day, mainly because I had other things planned.
However, didn't even do those because am still feeling down and it's taking its toll a bit.
Don't really want to talk too much about the ups and downs of my life here, but just know there are times when I struggle. Now is one of those times.
Thank goodness for those wonderful exercise endorphins and my wonderful, crazy, funny whanau.

Today, I:
Worked for 1.5 hours
Barely slept (someone was intermittently letting off fireworks - even at 4am!)
Drank 2 cups of coffee
Drank 1 chai latte
Ate 3 great meals - muesli with blueberries, grated apple and Bio-farm yoghurt, a chicken salad and spaghetti bolognaise (small portion) and lots of green salad
Upped my water intake - thanks Irena!

Turtle comes out of shell in search of air

By Virginia Winder
Finally got on my bike.
But it wasn't a fun ride with views of the sea; it was an inner-city outing looking for a petrol station with free air to pump up bike tyres.
Not my pink beast, but my husband's purple bike. For some reason he thought it was OK to head out with flat tyres, believing the nearest servo would do the trick. But no, BP and Shell both failed - their air machines had crosses over wee pictures of bicycles.
So they both get the thumbs down for their lack of support for human-powered transport.
Caltex, however, get the big tick for cycles.
Out on my today bike, I learnt a couple of things.
1. I need wing mirrors to see behind me. You can get that grin off your face - I know you're doing it because my husband gave me the same look. The truth is I can't turn my neck to see what's coming up behind me. I'm sure this is some sort of karmic payback for teasing my Dad about how he couldn't turn his neck properly while driving. He always looked like an awkward turtle. Now I'm the turtle.
2. I'm more bike fit than I thought, but it could just be a comparison thing. When you do normal, out-in-the-open-air pedalling, it's a doddle compared with spin class. I could pedal up the hill past the Taranaki Daily News with relative ease and that surprised me. For those not from New Plymouth, it's a bit of a climb, but not too strenuous.
3. Intersections scare me, especially when faced with a standing start.
4. When you're in the bike lanes, cars whizz past and they feel incredibly close.
5. The biggest surprise was that I enjoyed biking. When I was a teenager I biked everywhere and raced the boys home from high school. They were on 10-speeds and I was on a bike with no gears and I often used to beat them. My body is starting to remember that.
So there you have it - I'm back in the saddle for real and it feels damn good.

Today, I:
Biked for 20 minutes (a start!)
Worked for 12.5 hours
Slept for 6 hours
Drank not enough water
Drank 3 cups of coffee
Drank 2 glasses of pinot gris
Ate two healthy meals and one that was a bit rich, but delicious (went out for dinner with the witches - you'll meet them soon enough)

We Are The Champions - a perfect soundtrack

By Virginia Winder
Saw a special sight when I was striding along the coastal walkway this morning.
A bloke was on the beach wearing an All Black shirt and cap, but the best accessory was his dog. It looked like a golden labrador and was trotting along with a wee All Black flag tucked into its collar.
I was wearing one of my husband's long-sleeved All Black supporter T-shirts and so I called out to this kindred spirit, who was so proud to honour the new rugby world champions, and we gave each other the thumbs up.
In my ears at that time, I was listening to Queen singing We Are The Champions, so that little exchange had the perfect soundtrack.
Last night, was the most tense I've ever been watching a match. But I know I wasn't alone; it appears the whole of New Zealand felt like that.
Weirdly, the more stressed I got, the calmer I became.
The only other time I've felt that was at Movie World on the Gold Coast when I took the Lethal Weapon ride about six times straight. At the end of those rides I wasn't a nervous wreck, but in a zen-like place of utter calmness.
That's how I felt during the last 10 minutes of the game.
But when that final whistle went, oh the joy, the relief and the swelling of pride and the feeling of rightness. Woohoo!
So there it is, the Rugby World Cup over for another four years - and it's ours. I use the collective "ours" because it did feel like the entire country was behind our boys last night.
My sister sent me a text from Australia that used words I can't repeat here, but it gist was of relief and happiness. I had sent a few texts to my brother, a rugby coach, in Perth, but he didn't answer. Concerned, I asked if his heart was alright - and how was he? His answer came in one word: Tears.
Just before midnight our French daughter, Camille (who had been an exchange student with us), contacted us on Skype and we learnt she was one of the 10,000 who gathered outside the town hall in Paris to watch the game on a big screen.
She was sad her team didn't win, but happy for the All Blacks. She has a soft spot for Dan Carter, you see.
So my exercise today was a 6km fast walk to powerful music thinking about triumphs and personal goals. My playlist included Queen, Eminem, Michael Franti, Muse, MC Hammer, Kasabian, Pink, the Black-eyed Peas, Proclaimers and Violent Femmes.
Now I'm off to plan my week, which is what a good friend of mine recommends doing to help de-stress herself and stay on top of things. She plans exercise and her work week, so everything can be fitted in.
Am feeling a bit better, than Thursday and Friday, but still a little fragile.
What I do know is that giving to others helps, which I have done this weekend. But I've got this policy not to talk about any kind things I do, unless it's to help promote someone else's cause. That's because my mum taught me not to talk about your good deeds.
But from a healthy mind viewpoint, doing things for others does stop you focusing inward.
This week will definitely be outward.
It's not about me... it's about those victorious Men In Black.
Good on ya Richie and the boys.
You made me and my whanau cry with pride.


Today, I:
Walked for 6km
Had a protein smoothie for breakfast and salad for lunch and dinner
Drank a moderate amount of water
Had no cups of coffee (ah, that's why I've got a headache!)
Had 1 chai latte
Worked for 2 hours
Slept deeply for 8 hours

Exercise, friendship and hugs chase blues away

By Virginia Winder
Swimming didn't hurt my left shoulder tonight.
Did my 60 lengths, slowly, but concentrated on the style points that Ayla Dunlop-Barrett gave me and it wasn't painful.
She says that when you swim with a straight arm you put a lot of pressure on your rotator cuff, which is group of muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder.
I've got friends with stuffed cuffs, but it's possible she's saved mine in time.
Also, the exercises I do at the gym for my lower arms now make sense. "This is good for swimming," the instructor told me.
Now that I bend my arms after reaching out in front, I can feel those muscles working. Goodness knows what I was doing before.
Exercise is a great tonic if you're feeling down.
On Thursday and yesterday, I felt those niggles of depression start to worm their way into my gut and mind.
To be honest, yesterday was a terrible day. Faced some shorter deadlines because of Labour Weekend, slept badly, had stress chest pains again, and had to sleep for 30 minutes between writing stories.
Never got out of my PJs all day, just wrote, slept, wrote slept and felt myself spiralling down. Still felt yucky today, but after getting random hugs from my beautiful husband and talking to an understanding workmate and then a dear friend, I felt better.
Then I had the energy to knock off another story, spend time in the artroom, care for my son who's been feeling sick and then go for a swim.
After my session in the pool the endorphins kicked in and I feel great now.
This has made me rethink the rest day idea. Perhaps, for my own sanity, I need to do something physical, but it could be something a bit more low-key, like a stroll with my husband or a friend (and the dog of course!).
When I was a teenager and feeling a bit blue, my mother would send me off for a run and I'd always come back my bright, chirpy self.
Mum was wise, wasn't she?

Yesterday, I:
Worked for 12 hours
Did no exercise
Slept off and on during the day
Drank 3 cups of coffee
Drank hardly any water
Ate extremely well thanks to my attentive husband

Today, I:
Worked for 6 hours
Swam 60 lengths of a 25-metre pool
Slept deeply for 10 hours
Dranks 3 cups of coffee
Drank some water
Ate fantastically well, including lots of salmon and seasonal veggies