Wow - people are amazing

By Virginia Winder
When you're a kid, you have no idea about the road rules.
So the poor boy racing around the corner towards me on his scooter had no idea why a crazy lady on a red bike was screaming: "Go left, go left."
I was committed, you see and knew I'd hit him if he didn't move.
He didn't, so I slammed on my brakes and fell. Again.
I didn't hit him - the mother in me just couldn't do that.
Luckily, this part of the walkway has just been resealed so I fell on smooth concrete. No grazes, just bruises this time.
Why didn't I go right? Because it was a tight turn by the Fitzroy camp ground and while I could see Scooterboy in the mirror that has been so artfully placed to show oncoming traffic, the truth is I panicked. These clip-in bike shoes have got me a bit spooked. OK, I'm terrified.
"You can't keep saying that," my husband Warren says.
So, about three minutes before, I'd been biking along yell-singing out: "I'm brave, I'm fearless."
Don't worry, nobody else was around.
It was bravado of course and then bang, Scooterboy loomed.
He endured a gentle lecture about keeping left, but just stood there looking a bit baffled, probably wondering why the silly lady had fallen anyway. 
After he scooted off, my tough, mean husband made me get back on my bike and keep going.
I was all for going home.
But I got back on my undamaged (yes, pouting again) and oh what a glorious ride it was too!
There were so many people out on the coastal walkway on Tuesday morning - parents and kids on bikes, on tandem bikes, people of all ages wandering, power-walking, running, some with dogs and others pushing mountain buggies. My favourite was a guy on a skateboard with surfboard under his arm.
Last night I went for a fast walk home from The Most (100.4FM) after doing my radio show, Waxing Lyrical, and felt great. Even did a circuitous route via the walkway, energised by my latest favourite exercising song - Lonely Boy by The Black Keys.
The good news is my foot problem has improved greatly and I can walk without pain.
The bad news is that when I went to physio this morning, I immediately switched to shoulder treatment. My first fall before New Year appears to have strained my left rotator cuff because that's the side I fell on.
Annoyingly, that means swimming is out for a wee while, but I'm certain I'll recover incredibly quickly.
I love my swimming, especially with my niece Rebekah!
So that means I just have to focus on my biking and my walking.
That's the beauty of triathlon training; there are options.
Tonight, I walk/ran to Fitzroy Beach along the walkway. I didn't plan to run, but went with Camille, my French daughter, and she has such a fast stride I had to keep running to catch up and then of course I kept running to pass her. Then she'd run to pass me, so then I'd have to catch her up.
"Restraint," I could hear Coach Clint yelling in my head, even louder than The Black Keys, so I let her go in the end. Oh, OK, she cleaned me up!
Now, many of you will know there have been a couple of stories about KCL Property owner Bryce Barnett and myself in the Taranaki Daily News this week. The front page story is about our joint quest to fight obesity in Taranaki by leading from the front.
Since publishing on Tuesday, the response from people has been overwhelmingly supportive.
I have had phonecalls, emails, texts, Facebook messages and posts, comments on this blog and been stopped on the beach and in street.
People are amazing.
Wow.
As this journey progresses, I will do my best to research the answers to all your questions, go to the experts and find out even more information.
So feel free to contact me, ask more questions, tell me about your own journeys and share ideas about people who are doing amazing things.
Then I'll write about as many as I can.
Because, while my personal mission is to become a fit, healthy, athlete, I am firstly a writer, so that will be my gift to you all - my words.

Yesterday, I:
Biked about 15km
Walked about 6.5km
Drank 2 cups of coffee
Drank heaps of water
Worked for 1 hour
Ate 3 nutritious meals
Went for 2 swims in the sea (but didn't put any pressure on shoulder!)
Spent time with good friends
Slept, badly, for about 7 hours

Today, I:

Walked for about 30 minutes
Drank 1 cup of coffee
Drank some water (not enough!)
Worked for 3 hours
Ate 3 healthy meals
Went for 1 swim in the sea
Slept well for 8 hours

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

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

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

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

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

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

Running for the All Blacks and other mind games

By Virginia Winder
Over-working is appallingly bad for my health.
On Friday, I worked for 18 hours. That was 3am to 9pm, without a lunch break and no dinner.
Blame the migraine, which put me back terribly when I still had deadlines to meet.
Not only was my brain fizzing with over-use, but I had no time for exercise, my family, friends, the dog, eating properly or writing this blog.
Even had stress chest pains again.
I did walk home from town though, which sort of counts as activity, but not training.
When I went to bed I couldn't sleep properly because my mind wouldn't shut up and I was terribly restless.
Saturday was another rush day and I missed exercising because I was too tired to get up early, then had a radio slot to do (love it) and an early wedding (beautiful and wouldn't have missed it for the world).
Won't beat myself up though because nothing good will come from it.
I did start to feel down though and thinking "I'm a failure" thoughts, but decided it's better to be kind to myself and simply start over again.
There's this wonderful song by Michael Franti called Never Too Late, which always reminds me that at any moment of any day, you can start over again.
So am back into it.
Went for a 1 hour 15-minute fast walk today and even ran some of it. To make certain that my Achilles wasn't injured, I only ran downhill.
Well mostly. I was on the lee breakwater and my aim was to fast-walk past this couple in front of me before they reached a particular puddle. If I got there first the All Blacks would win, but these people were getting too close so I had to break into a run. Whew, I made it.
Ridiculous, I know, but we play these little mind games don't we? A mate of mine called Mark Belcher plays mind soccer while out running. If he passes someone he gets one point and if he gets passed, the opposition gets a point.
I got some big ticks for eating today and yesterday. Made an extreme effort to choose healthy food and feel better for it.
People are always giving me great tips and research information, like this one about monkeys and protein (click on link - after you've finished reading!).
In other news, I did a cardiac exercise stress test this week. It was a followup to my wee trip to hospital with chest pains several weeks ago. My resting pulse was 55 and it took ages to get my heart rate up to the required level for the test and, afterwards, I was down to under 100 in less than three minutes. Apparently all of these things were great news.
I've also lost more weight!
Slowly, surely it's happening, even though I do get damn impatient.
Meanwhile, my quest to be better continues...
This week I'm having a session with a personal trainer from the gym to get my triathlon schedule on track and have an appointment with one of Taranaki's best swimmers for some style tips.
Have definitely increased my water intake, which one friend suggested may have been the reason for my migraine.
Another woman talked about how she has lost heaps of weight simply by running and healthy eating - not dieting - and how it's completely changed her outlook on life.
"I feel like I have woken up from a very long sleep," she told me.
Inspirational stuff!

Today, I:
Walked/ran for 1 hour 15 minutes (and the All Blacks!)
Slept for 10 hours
Ate fantastically well
Drank heaps of water
Had three cups of coffee

Great lengths to teach 'eyes' not 'I' lesson

By Virginia Winder
Spent this morning teaching about feature writing and realised what I find so weird about writing this blog.
It's written in the first person and is spattered with the "I" word.
"We are the 'eyes' not the 'I'," I always tell young journalists.
So, just for fun, I'm going to tell today's story in the third person.
This morning, Virginia literally creaked out of bed, feeling twinges in weird places - her right groin/hip, her left inner elbow, buttocks, and right shoulder blade.
It was an early morning for her because of a garden deadline and so she tapped away in her office watching the dawn slowly drench the day with colour.
Then it was a rush-here, meet-there, call-someone-then kinda day that left her feeling slightly frustrated at not being able to settle down and write, write, write.
But she still made connections, gave writing advice to a mate and landed a dream writing project.
"Gosh I love life and the amazing things that can happen in a day," she says.
On top of this, Virginia went swimming and clocked up 40 lengths of the indoor pool at the New Plymouth Aquatic Centre.
As she swam up and down, up and down, she brushed past a kindred spirit; a bloke she always sees bodysurfing at Fitzroy Beach during summer.
Catching waves is her greatest joy of all. "This coming season I'll be much fitter than ever before, so I'll be better at riding waves than I have been in years. Hopefully."
Virginia is now heading off to bed so she get can up at a ridiculously early hour to knock off a whole line-up of stories that have been niggling at her like unpaid bills.
She'll return to herself tomorrow because the 48-year-old now finds it even weirder to write about herself in the third person. "It sounds so pretentious," Virginia says, screwing up her face and shaking her head.
"So, in the words of Arnie... I'll be back!"

Today, she:
Swam 40 lengths of a 25-metre pool
Ate three healthy meals (but found it damn hard not to scoff down more enchillada!)
Drank 4 cups of coffee (2 too many)
Drank 2 cups of hot chocolate with low-fat milk (2 in a week would be more acceptable)
Drank more water!
Worked for 8.5 hours
Slept for 6 hours

Daughter joins triathlon challenge

When I'm swimming lengths it's so easy to get submerged in my own thoughts of, well, nothing.
It's just me and the strokes and the background mantra of counting.
My mum used to count her lengths by naming the states of America or rivers of the world, alphabetically of course.
"What are you up to Mum?"
"Kansas," would come the reply.
Or on other days: "The Nile."
Her ABC of world geography was amazing and, in comparison, my swimming brain is blank.
That's probably a good thing, because it means my mind actually shuts up. Yeah, it's possible.
Tonight I swam 34 lengths of a 25-metre pool and it's definitely getting easier.
Also signed up for the gym today with my daughter, Clementine. She's going to register for the triathlon on January 29 too and is out to beat me. Game on, I say.
She's only 31 years younger than me!
My motivation just went up a notch, if that's possible.

Today, I:
Swam 34 lengths
Worked 7 hours
Slept 8.5 hours
Joined a gym

Taking the plunge

By Virginia Winder
Finally took the plunge tonight, but was oh so slow.
It's been months since I swam lengths' freestyle and oh, did those first 10 lengths hurt.
Kept going though and made it to 22 lengths of the 25-metre indoor pool at the New Plymouth Aquatic Centre. It was a start.
The swim for a half ironman is 2km, so need to nearly quadruple my number of lengths. Will start slowly and build up.
It's been nearly two weeks since I started my quest for a healthy lifestyle and it's like a switch has turned on. Can't imagine not exercising, but have had a few cravings for chocolate!
Haven't eaten any, mainly because there's none in the house.
But if there was, I'd definitely have a couple of squares and not feel guilty. I know that my new mindset simply won't allow me to binge.
The determination inside me is exactly the same as when Warren, Nelson and I swam in the sea every day in 2009. When we finally stopped (me because I had a double ear infection), I felt empty, like there was something missing from my life.
There was of course - daily dips in the energy-boosting sea. Wow, that was a wonderful year. We lived by the tides and were so tuned into nature.
This time I'm getting in tune with my body and mind. Incredibly, I'm even starting to relax big time.
A friend looked into my face today and said: "Virginia, you are looking so peaceful!"
Hey, but it's only been two days since I was furious at myself for missing the rugby because of work, so this is no instant fix.
But am finding this exercise lark totally brilliant!

Today, I:
Swam 22 lengths of a 25m pool
Ate three extremely healthy meals
Slept for 8.5 hours
Worked for 8.5 hours

The Goodness of People - Day 2

This is a day of thanks.
Today I feel buoyed by the wonderful people who have shown their support for my quest to be healthy. Friends have offered to go swimming, biking and walking with me. What amazing people out there!
Arohanui (great love) to you all.
I've also had some wise words from a friend who lives on an island on the other side of the world to New Plymouth, New Zealand, where I live.
She took the time to write an email filled with sound advice about losing weight, getting fit and taking control of one's life.
Here are 20 of her helpful tips:

1. Take baby steps on this journey.
   
2. Changing very small things can make a big difference.
   
3. The ONLY way to lose weight (non-surgical way, that is) is to use up more calories than you take in. BUT that doesn't mean ripping into a whole lot more exercise or eating a diet that's so restrictive you give up at the end of the first week.
   
4. Eat more protein - protein triggers the production of a hormone which tells you you're full. Sports nutritionists advise eating a MINIMUM of 20g of protein at breakfast and to eat protein at every meal.
   
5. Don't skip meals. Ever! In fact, instead of having just three meals a day, try five or six smaller ones - this will help you stave off hunger pangs.
   
6. Use a slightly smaller dinner plate - even when you know it's smaller, you'll eat less.
   
7. Choose low-calorie versions of your favourite foods BUT avoid anything with sweeteners in - you might think you've satisfied a craving for something sweet but your body will know you haven't had real sugar and the next chance it gets, it'll urge you to eat something high in sugar. [It's OK my friend, I can't bear artificial sweetners - they hurt my throat.]
   
8. Switch to virtually fat-free milk and yoghurt.
   
9. Buy canned fish packed in water rather than oil.
   
10. Avoid highly processed food and ANYTHING with hydrogenated fats in. It was a bit of a shock to me to find that nutritionists now all agree that butter is better for you than margarine. You can recognise a hydrogenated fat because it's something that is normally liquid at room temperature but which has been altered to be solid (eg, the canola oil in margarine, olive oil in butter alternatives, palm oil in anything).
    
11. See if you can stick to eating only foods which were around 500 years ago.
    
12. DON'T avoid fats. Some of the essential vitamins that you need are fat-soluble. You need around 25g of fat per day in order to get enough of these and about 35% of your daily calories should come from fat. Mix up the types of fat - saturated, poly- and mono-unsaturated.
    
13. You can increase your metabolic rate by increasing the amount of muscle you have - muscle uses up more calories. You're at an age where resistance training is important anyway. Even if you get a couple of half-kilo weights and do some arm exercises for ten minutes (while you watch the news or whatever) each day.
    
14. Soup! A well-blended soup will keep you feeling fuller for longer than if you'd eaten the same ingredients as a meal with a glass of water.
    
15. The wider the choice, the more you eat, so stay away from buffets.
    
16. Small amounts of exercise count. If you're doing something around the house, put on some music that's loud and with a beat and dance your way through it. If you're having a conversation on the phone (rather than taking notes), stand up and walk on the spot. Every little tiny bit of exercise will make a difference.
    
17. Make sure you don't get dehydrated. It's a myth that you should drink eight glasses of water a day - the water contained in your food and in cups of tea etc also counts. But if you're trying to lose weight then increasing your fluids will help.
    
18. GET ENOUGH SLEEP. It is a proven fact that people who don't get enough sleep put on weight. Read about it here:
    http://thyroid.about.com/od/loseweightsuccessfully/a/sleepdiet.htm
    
19. Consider following the rules set out in Paul McKenna's "I
    Can Make You Thin" self-hypnosis programme. Those rules are: When you are hungry, eat. Eat what you WANT, not what you think you should have. Eat consciously and enjoy every mouthful (ie, sitting at a table with no distractions). When you think you are full, stop eating.
    He makes the point that most of us have forgotten how to listen to our bodies and we really don't consciously recognise feelings of hunger or fullness.
    
20. Don't expect miracles - set realistic targets. Aim to lose 500g. Then aim to lose another 500g.

Thanks my friend.

Today I have:
Worked 9.5 hours
Walked for 20 minutes with the dog
Eaten two good meals
Worked through lunch and ate a piece of apple cake instead (not a good move, but the cake was made for me!).
Given up a wonderful job at Puke Ariki to try and cut back on my hours (all my jobs are fantastic)
Slept for 8 hours!
Watched Clementine play basketball.