After a nice restful weekend in Hanmer Springs, I was feeling set for week 1 of the training programme which started on Monday. This is the foundation phase of the training. The first few weeks are about laying down the ground work for whats to come in the next few months. I’m currently scheduled to do three runs per week. The running side of things have been nothing out of the ordinary and I’m delighted to squeeze in two of my three sessions with CP, particularly with the cold days motivation can easily slump.

A big part of the programme is getting into the gym and doing some strength work. Simon has me doing lots of erg work. I thought I had officially retired from the erg after finishing up my rowing ‘career’ in 2011, however it seems Simon is having me make a comeback. I’m finding the gym stuff manageable but getting a few aches and pains as I’ve neglected this stuff for a while. I’m looking forward to two or three weeks down the track when I start to feel stronger and more able for multiple minutes of planking and squatting.

Until next time..

Firstly I will apologise in advance for this blog being mostly about my coaching with Richard – for those of you who read this and have never had a running coaching session before – do it! Not only has it made me re think how I run it has also shown me that I can improve even at my age!

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to having a run coaching session with Richard.  Initially he filmed me running and then on the replay asked me what I thought was going on with my ‘style’. My first reaction was, ‘Jeepers I make running look like hard work!’ We discussed what was working and what wasn’t and from there moved onto some run specific exercises. After an hour I could already see changes in my stance, stride and could actually feel the difference when I ran. The impact had gone out of my calves and achilles and I could actually feel my glutes working. Since then I have been doing shorter runs and trying to put into practice what I learnt.

Even though the session was awesome, I am now in that frustrating place between trying to emulate what I have learnt, and trying not to slip back into old inefficient habits. I know eventually it will get easier but for now I am unlearning my previous style while trying to implement new habits that will hopefully help me to remain injury free. When I get the technique right I run faster with less effort. Am looking forward to the day when that happens consistently!

Richard suggested doing 5-6 shorter runs implementing what he shown me and to cut out my long run at the weekend. When he said that in my head I was like, ‘Gasp, no you’re joking right? No long run? Seriously…” Needless to say I did not heed that advice and have still taken to the hills for my Sunday long run/stroll. Sorry Richard!

This made me realise how much my attitude and motivation towards exercise and running has changed – a year ago I would have been, “Sweet! Good excuse not to have to push myself or get out of bed early on a Sunday…! It was also a bit of a lightbulb moment – I have had training programmes for running events before but never coaching. Knowledge is power and any advice that can help keep my body moving and in one piece is all good.

I am also currently doing the Catch Fitness 20 week Challenge and one of my goals has been to decrease my 5km time. Since starting ten weeks ago I have been steadily decreasing my time and over this past month I have decreased my 5km time by a minute. I believe this has been due to strength training with my amazing PT, Rachel Palmer, as well as the coaching I have received from Richard.

As you can tell my coaching session has been the highlight of my training programme for the past few weeks! Hopefully progress will be evident at my next coaching session…!

Hi fellow team CP members! I’m Isobel Stout and I’ve joined the CP team to help me help others by participating in the event 2UPTT, a team of two, time trialling up Coronet Peak in March next year.  Take a look www.2uptt.co.nz<http://www.2uptt.co.nz>

There’s big money for the winning pros but I am just an ‘everyday hero’.

I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer last year, that means it has already spread into my lymph nodes. The surgery was followed by 6 months of chemo (yup lost every hair and taste bud) and then 5 weeks of daily radiotherapy. That ended nearly 3 months ago now and along came this event.

I want to get my fitness and strength back, chemo is rough, the surgery has left with me with some tightness and lymphoedema. The Trust has helped me get a start on rehab through the Next Steps program, see http://www.pincandsteel.com/programs/our-programs/next-steps/ CP and Apollo Power Yoga will be taking over so the funds I raise will help more women and men get back into exercise after cancer treatment.

Follow me on my page 2uptt.everydayhero.com/nz/isobel and I’ll be keeping you updated here too.

The PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Trust is a registered charitable trust working to improve the quality of life of women and men affected by cancer. Our mission is to inspire and allow anyone in New Zealand with cancer the opportunity to rehabilitate and regain their strength and confidence and incorporate exercise into their lifestyle forever. Our goal is to actively support 3000 New Zealanders fighting cancer this year

Jennifer McBride

Hi my name is Jennifer McBride and I am recently new to the world of running. I am a mum to a 7 year old boy and a full time step mum to two boys aged 11 and 13. I work part-time, study and am currently doing the catch fitness 20 week challenge. I understand what it is like to juggle a busy lifestyle but believe I am beginning to get the work/life/running balance sorted!

I initially started running in my late twenties (I am now 43…) because I had a boyfriend who was into it. Until this point I detested running and I literally used to throw up before any school running event as it was so far out of my comfort zone and what I thought my body could do. The boyfriend didn’t last long and the interest in running, even less. In 2006 some friends decided to bike the Motatapu and asked me if I would like to join. I found it easier to run up the hills, rather than cycle so decided to run it.  I ran the Queenstown half marathon not long after this and then that was pretty much it for the next five years! I have always been a bit of a one hit wonder – train for something, do the event usually with minimal preparation and then think ‘job done’, and not do anything else for a few years.

At the beginning of 2013 my lovely mum was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer. I travelled to Timaru at the weekends to care for her and found that a consistent exercise regime was hard to maintain. After she passed away in June last year I decided it was time to do something for myself.

The way I figured it I had two options – sit at home, eat potato chips and feel sorry for myself or find a positive focus. I saw an event posted by the inspiring Valerie Henderson (Running Skirts NZ) which was to go from running 0-50km in 5 months. The idea that, after following a training programme designed by Richard at TeamCP, one would be able to finish the Bedrock50 ultramarathon. Very appealing I thought and a good goal to focus on. Family and friends were a bit like “really?” as I had literally not run for years. In my head it was totally achievable providing that my body held together. Unfortunately I ended up with a few niggly injuries which culminated in a torn calf muscle two weeks before the event. However, I rested, grieved for what could have been and decided I would become smarter with my training and nutrition, get stronger and aim to do it again in 2016.

So here I am eight months out from my BHAG (big hairy audacious goal). This blog will be snippets about my training and my journey towards the Bedrock50 2016 and beyond. Why write a blog? Well for me it’s about accountability and getting out there and doing what I have planned to do. I also hope that others on a similar journey will find some of my experiences (both the bits that work and the bits that didn’t!) useful on the way to achieving their personal goals.

Bryan Prestidge

Tour Aotearoa -my next adventure.

Before I start on the event, a little about myself. I am Bryan Prestidge aged 57. I work as a Quantity Surveyor in Timaru. Married to Paula, with 3 grown up kids. I met Paula in 1988, whilst we were both doing Coast to Coast. I did 2 day individual 3 times, teams once and 1 day (1989). Paula did teams and 2 day solo. We had a wee break from sport while we had our kids, then got back into cycling (road and MTB) about 13 years ago.

In 2012 I had a shoulder operation to help overcome a frozen shoulder and started swimming to help free shoulder up. I built up to about 1000m and on December 20th (after 4 beers) decided that, now I could swim, I might as well tick an Iron Distance Tri off the bucket list – I walked the 8km home that night to start my training (did I mention I had calf problems that wouldn’t let me run?).

Once the insanity of the initial decision wore off, commonsense took over and I contacted Richard Greer for some help. Challenge Wanaka is now in the bucket and I’ve gone from non-swimmer, to enjoying open water swimming. Running is getting better, but is still a problem area.

SO – Tour Aotearoa – what is it…
It is a 3000km Brevet, a fully self-supported mtb ride from Cape Reinga to Bluff, using cycle trails and shingle roads wherever possible. There are 2 start groups of 100 riders each (no seeding, based on first-in, first served) on February 21st and 23rd, 2016. I’m in the 2nd start. We aren’t allowed to finish under 10 days or over 30 (100km per day). We have to be stopped for a minimum 6hr period in any 24 hrs and we aren’t allowed any outside assistance, unless it is commercially available to all other competitors. There is no entry fee (we did have to donate to a charity), no prizegiving, no finishers certificate.

SO – WHY?? – I read about and just knew it had to be done. I had thought about some bike touring in the past but there always seemed to be a race in the way. What better way to see our great country.

How prepared was I when I entered? – weeelll, I knew a couple of guys who had done some brevets, I could ride a bike and I was still pretty fit.
Once I knew I had made the cut (about mid-April) I started the planning. I talked to my friends, googled Blogs on gear lists for Brevet riders etc and started learning a new language – spot trackers, dynamo hubs, Brooks seats, Revelate gear bags, Rohloff geared hubs etc etc etc.
I was still in the post-Iron distance “hangover”, nursing a couple of slightly swollen knees and generally being lazy and getting fat, so I had plenty of time to google all about brevets.

I started by making a list of the gear I would need and started buying what I didn’t already have (i’ll put up a full gear list next time) and then Paula and I started doing some overnight trips. We are aiming for motels at night at the moment as we aren’t quite fully equipped for a winter over-nighter. So far, we’ve had a 200km weekend, from Albury to Twizel, via the Mackenzie Pass and Tekapo river and back via Alps2Ocean, Tekapo and Fairlie (both 7hrs with 5hrs riding) and a 3 day weekend doing a double pass of the Otago Rail Trail (day 2 was 9.5hrs away and 147km).

Over the next 7 weeks, I’ll be accumulating gear (a Specialised Epic Carbon mtb has just appeared!) getting some regular riding (probably mostly indoor watching TdF) and swimming in , planning some multi-day trips and just getting ready for lots of summer riding to prep the body and test the gear.
That’s it for now, more next month on gear and preparation.

If anyone is interested in trying brevets, there are some shorter ones coming up (2 and 3 days). Get in touch and i’ll give you details

I don’t like running. I never thought I would run 10k let alone a marathon, but here I am training for my second marathon in two years. Even reading back that last sentence sounds like a lie but it’s all true. So what happened? Well it all started about eight years ago when my husband started running. I was not supportive of his new hobby. I saw it as a selfish sport that was taking him away from the family and using up too much of our time. Running had become his Mistress. To his credit he didn’t let my negative attitude stop him and he kept running. When he entered his first Christchurch Half Marathon the kids and I were dragged out of bed and lined the streets of Christchurch in negative degrees waiting for a glimpse of him has he ran past.

I guess that is when it all started for me. While we waited for Mike to finish we got to witness some inspirational people cross the line. The overweight women who are giving it their all as they near the finish line is really an impressive sight and the thought that went through my head was “if they can do it so can I”. The sight of little kids with their Dad’s holding up signs saying “Go Mum” still inspires me and brings a tear to my eye. I wanted a piece of this!

So at the age of 40 I started to run. My first run was down to the bottom of the farm and back. Of course I had driven the track first to see how many k’s it was – 3km. Great! This will be easy. I made a couple of my kids come with me and when we got to the bottom of the farm I stopped and threw up. My kids thought it was hilarious. I was ashamed. I had always thought I was one of those naturally fit people. What a reality check! I walked most of the way home.

So roll on 6 years and I have completed 14 half marathons, a few 10 and 5k’s, and last year I ran and finished the Queenstown Marathon!! As I said I don’t like running but I love finishing!

On 18 October 2015 I will be lining up with thousands of others at the start line of the Melbourne Marathon. Scary! But with Richard’s no fail coaching regime I know we can do it and as I said to him last time, “I will do everything you ask of me and if I don’t finish, it will be your fault”. A great coach needs a challenge too!!

Rachel Baker

Hi my name is Rachel and I am a keen adventure racer and multisporter. Over the last four years I have competed in several events, including the Genesis Energy Hillary Challenge, Crazy Man, 3D Rotorua 50km multisport race, Motatapu (mountain bike) and Spring Challenge. My next challenge is competing in the two day Coast to Coast next year. I come from Wellington and have moved to Christchurch to study a degree in Sustainability and Outdoor Education at CPIT.

Over the next 9 months I will detail my build up to this awesome event a race that I have been looking forward to competing in for a few years now.