The weekend that had the KWT

Hi,

Just how much can you jam into a weekend?  What a crazy weekend of absolute fun.  Caught up with a bunch of people for lunch and found an iced coffee.  But I was underwhelmed.

Friday lunch time - iced coffee was a bit average though

Back home and we watched an episode of X Files before bed.  Saturday was busy.  In the morning I went to the induction meeting at the archery club and then grabbed some lunch with Ange.  I got so cold in the wind that I couldn't even have an iced coffee.

Grabbed my helmet and gloves and jacket from work and Ange dropped me home.  I got my bike ready and headed to register at Raumati for the race the next day.  Mike and Toby went to Jaana and Stephen's place for lunch and to play.  Toby loved being with Luca and wee Finn.

At Raumati I collected our team pack and then jumped on my bike to ride the course.  It was a fierce head wind but I did ok.  Glad to get on the road bike for the first time in a year.

Toby plays with Luca

Then I got to Jaana's house and collected the boys after a wee play myself.  Gorgeous kids.  And we grabbed Nanados on the way home.  Mmmm.

Off to bed early and Philippa arrived just after midnight so it made it easier the next morning.

We're branded with our team number

Mike drove us up there.  We left home at 6.55am and we were at Raumati in good time.  Easily got a car park close by.  Found space in our rack.  Relaxed before the race kicked off.

The briefing was at 8.30 but Philippa wasn't in the water until 9.45am.   We had to wait for the Sprint race to get well underway and that delayed things.

And wave F is the final wave.  I'm not getting any younger (they start in order of age groups) so Philippa was in the last wave to start the swim.  She had some trouble with swallowing sea water which put her off her swimming game for a few minutes.  But as her Nepal trip showed, she reached deep and continued and nailed it.  Ran out of the water and up the beach and tagged me.  I was off on my cycle leg.

The sky over Kapiti looks impressive

I fuel up as Philippa gets ready to start her swim

Waiting for Philippa to tag me

Coming back from my ride - I think I look happy but it might just be a grimace as I suck in breaths!

In the cycle leg, I overtook loads and no one overtook me.  It might have helped that I was in wave F and most of the gun cyclists were ahead of me.  But I was chuffed to overtake a car on the way back.  Hahah.  Not sure if that is frowned upon or not, but I overtook on the right, so I figure it was fine.  The car driver was obviously unsure about passing cyclists on their left and they were going quite slow.  Slower than me, anyway!

Changing over to the run leg was tough work and I found running the 4 km really hard.  Especially as I find the cycle leg so easy in comparison.  But Mike and Philippa seem to think I did it in under an hour.

Whatever it was, I had a ball.  I love this race.  I hope Philippa did too.  It's an excuse to get out and have some goal.  And the people are so friendly.  Ari and Emma chatted to me as we waited for our swimmers to arrive.  They made my morning a lot more fun.

We drove back into town once I had recovered enough and went around to Chocolate Fish for a well deserved iced coffee and lunch.

Sprawled on a bean bag after the race at Chocolate Fish

Amazing view - and the harbour also looks ok.

I spent the afternoon relaxing.  Grocery shopping and ironing (that wasn't the relaxing part, by the way).  And slept really well.

One more weekend of craziness coming.  Dragon boat final this Saturday.  Oohhhhh.  Then summer madness quietens down.

But what a hoot.  And Vivienne looks like she had a great time on the Tongariro Crossing.  Awesome weekend all round.

Have a great week ahead.

Love,
Angela