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
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