The Visit
Well it was time to visit the course I will be challenged on next Sunday. And a challenge it appears to be.
The 1st stage is the 1.5km run. It is 750m up and then back. The road is full of ups and downs and a pedestrian bridge crossing is in the middle and a pile of shops that don’t look cheery. The streets are narrow and I could see this to be interesting trying to fit so many woman trying to achieve a goal.
The 2nd stage is the 10km bike. I looked at the course map online last night but it doesn’t appear to be complete and according to ‘Map my run’ is not 10km it is only just over 5km, this made me think we will do this circuit twice. Not that anything has said that.
The course it takes is once again the same stretch of road as the 1st stage run so has a narrow bridge to go over. The road out is also the direction to the Open Road heading to the farms and lifestyle blocks which means bigger vehicles may be passing us it is also en route to the National Park, so may have weekend visitors. The course appears to veer right to major suburbia so that too could be busy with comings and goings from the driveways.
Stage 3 is the 3km run/walk. This is very clear andthe streets are wider so more open. The hardest part is the round about as was busy while driving this route. The crazy thing is it appeared to be a big course this leg especially in comparison to the 3km run I do near home. In saying that mapping it last night and then driving it today it is actually 3.7km. I personally think 700m is a big difference to 3km. I will have to use mind over mater for that.
So I am a little clearer in my head as to what I need to do next week.
On Thursday I have a 30min run scheduled so I will head over the hill to Wainuiomata and run the 3.7km route to get a little familiar.
The exciting thing is that because I now know I can do this from my trial run today, I am keen to do another. I have looked up online and noticed SPARC have one on 05April. It is 3.5km run / 10km bike / 1.5km run. So I know I can do this. I would love to register but have to wait to look under the couch for the pennies.
I have even started thinking ahead as this is the same day my daughter will be having her 4th birthday party a Rainbow Pool Party. So I am thinking of ways to preorganise everything and what I can make before hand. I will be home around 11am and that will give me 3hours give or take to decorate her cake. My son had a pool party last year and I just made little food bags for each child with pre packaged food and drink so that makes it real easy and I did carrot and celery sticks and chips with dip for the parents and a homemade slice. I think it is all manageable to fit this in with a morning Duathlon.
Can’t believe I am looking ahead already. I am just so excited and pleased I can do this. A challenge I decided to take up only 5months ago. Next year may even be a triathlon who knows.