The weekend with possum run

 Hi,

Big weekend - and it included Mike's birthday. I got in a gym session on Friday and cranked out my push ups. Phew!

Friday gym

We were packed and ready to go by 4pm. Bharat drove over to leave his car here - so we waited for him for a bit. Then headed into the traffic to collect Janine from her work. That was easy enough. She works our side of the town. But negotiating to pick up Paul was a bit harder - through town into the other side. And then up to his place to get some things he had left at home.

But not long before we were away - and the traffic out of town up SH1 was really good. So much better with these new bypass roads. The weather was pretty bad on the way up, and the wipers were smeary, but we made good time nonetheless.

Cats happy

Friday tea in Taihape

We stopped in Taihape at 7.20 or so for tea. Roast Cottage on the main road (left side heading north). My sister Karen would have loved it. I got roast veges with gravy. Others got roast meats. It was really rather delicious. Good call, Paul!

Some weird British sewing reality TV show

Into Ohakune with Mike safely driving us there about 9pm. Matt was there at Grads to settle us in. And Mike and I found a warm room and we were not too long out of bed.

Up early for Park Run in Ohakune. This was the first official park run. Mike had run it before - before it got official status. They did a wee dog leg to add the 200m needed to get to 5k.

I did the 5k in 36 mins or something. It was my first 5k run post covid so I was a little out of practise. Mike came in at 30 min and five seconds. Paul came something like 5th or 6th. And everyone else did well. The first 2.5k is slightly uphill - more than you think so it seems harder than you expect.

Post park run iced latte at Utopia Cafe in Ohakune

Loved our brekkie at Utopia cafe. And then we were off to Taupo. Found our accommodation - Camellia Court. Cheap and cheerful. $40 each for our 5 bed unit. 

Turangi

The team went to register and came back to get ready. Mike was so ready for it. And it was reasonably dry - no rain for a bit despite the outlook.

He's ready

They're ready

They are all ready

All eight of them at the start

The race started at 1700. I stayed in the unit and I noticed the rain start at about 1915. Some of them copped that. They got back at 2230 and I was fast asleep. But it seemed like it was a tough race. Hilly. Slippery. Rough. Long. Did I mention long? Way longer than 21k. Mike did 23.3k, in 3½ hours. Whew!

Mike said that the medical staff had a great night, with a heap of blown ankles to keep them occupied along with sending people to hospital with all sorts of interesting and novel injuries.

The start

During - it's dark!

The end - Janine gets her medal

Into bed quickly and up for Mike's birthday. He got a t shirt from Janine (he wore it for the race. "If I collapse, stop my watch". Hahah) and a Bluetooth meat thermometer from me.

Birthday morning

Replete birthday coffee

Driving home past Peach Teats!

A quick brekkie at Replete (that is my routine) and off home. Easy drive back to town. Rain off and on. And Bharat nicely took Paul home as it was (kinda) on his way.

We unpacked and started washing and had tea. And now the week starts!

Hope your week is a good one.

Happy unbirthday Mike.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with a race in Taupo for Mike and a day in lieu for me yesterday

 Hi,

Busy weekend for us. Friday was Mike's birthday and although he had a brand new running vest for his birthday - he'd already tested that out. But the red plaid shirt and horse's head was all new!

Yes - a horse head in the bed. 

Bwhahahah.

If you do not know, ask Mike about the bucket horse head drummer on You Tube. He loves it.

Moxley on Mike's birthday morning

Weird and wacky birthday presents

Mike worked for the morning (and I attended one meeting) but after he finished up and packed, we were off. Maybe 12.45pm, as we left.

Stunning day

Buried by cats

Eye healing

Lunch at Waikanae bakery

Called in at Waikanae for some late lunch. Got a mushroom pie - delicious as always. Grant had told us about the SpitFire fly by and as we neared Ohakea we actually saw them flying south. Apparently there was some mix up and the Spitfire did not fly over Wellington. It buzzed Lower Hutt though.

The spitfire flyby on its way to ... Lower Hutt

Ohakune nice and early. Went out for tea with Callan and Stacey as they were very close behind us. Mountain Rocks cafe - their business is for sale. As is a lot of business in the town. Uncertainty is taking a toll.

Bharat and Anna and Janine got in later - I was already in bed. But I did have a great sleep - which was nice after a restless week.

Up to tidy and leave. And Mountain Rocks for brekkie. Before heading to Kinloch to register for the race and then onto the Lake Breeze motel in Taupo.

Nice iced latte

We tuck into tea in Ohakune

Famous eclair from Ohakune Saturday morning

After a famous eclair from Ohakune, of course.

We got to Kinloch around 2pm and found the registration tent. Mike picked up the bibs for Bharat and Anna and Janine as they had gone via the east side of lake Taupo. Kinloch is on the west side. We turned left into Tokaanu - but they turned right into Turangi.

They were at the motel when we got there. Two big rooms. One with 3 single beds and a huge King double. So we all went in there. Callan and Stacey in the other room.

Odd decor in the unit

Callan admired the stag head in the stairwell. Very odd.

Kitchen in a cupboard

I watch rugby while they all race in Kinloch

As the race was in the middle of nowhere and it was cold and wet, I stayed in the motel while the punters took two cars to Kinloch.

I watched the SF for the Super Rugby - Brumbies versus Chiefs. Such a tight game. The punters all did the 21 km run from 3 - 3.5 hours. Well done. Stacey did her 14km run in a good time too.

They got home at 9pm and we ordered Thai and tucked into that before bed.

Next morning we tidied and left and enjoyed brekkie at Replete. Good as usual.

Replete iced latte

Hey Bharat

We left Taupo at 10.30am and we got to Southern Cross at 2.15pm for Laura and Ben's party for wee Flo. Also got to meet Jean - Laura's mum! Flo is such a good wee baby.

Mike meets Flo

Then home to unpack and wash and get ready for the week. Huge weekend. Well done to Mike. He is so strong.

Have a good week ahead.

Love,

Angela

The weekend with round Taupo 2019

Hi,

Friday dawned nice and bright and I was up at 5.30am to get ready for Iona's pick up at 6.30am.  Showered and gathered my bike gear in the garage.

She turned up nice and early and I piled my bike in on top of hers in the Subaru and fitted my gear in around the two bikes in gaps.  And we were off.

Got to Raumati turn off and Iona recommended a cafe there, so we headed to the beach.  And drove, and drove.  Until we got to Paraparaumu Beach and found the cafe she was after.  Closed.  Oh.

But - we went to this other one open not far away - and wow!  It was so good!  I had an iced coffee and a Mexican breakfast bowl.  Avocado, beans, corns, eggs and a wee tortilla.  So, so good!

Cafe at Paraparaumu - it was so good!

Iona's back was still sore, so we stopped in Taihape to stretch it out.  And go shopping at New World.  The drive was lovely - beautiful weather.

Stopped at the lakeside south of Taupo and I perched on a rock in the lake.  So stunning.

Taupo selfie

Taupo!

Did you get my feet in?

Hello Taupo

Continued on to the motel.  Acapulco - got a great corner unit.  8.  With a sliding door to the back garden.  We met Helen and Mandy as they were in the next unit.  Helen's brother Andrew was visiting from the UK with his girlfriend - but there was some complicated logistics involved with her flight home on Saturday from AKL and their plans in general.

Iona and I went to register and we picked up our bib numbers and starter pack.  Yay!  Got back to the room and sorted out the gear for tomorrow.

Got my bib number

Had tea with Mandy (Helen was already in bed as she was starting her Enduro at 1am) and ate dal and pumpkin soup.  Mmmm.  It was leftovers from Mandy and Helen's freezer.

We watched MasterChef Australia final.  It was interesting enough but we turned it off as it was taking ages!  I saw too much anti-vegetarian backlash there for my liking.  Those beets looked great!

Iona was up at 5am for her race start at 6am.  I got to lie around a bit longer listening to the people in the next unit talking- they had woken up at 4am but we were sure they were not up for the Taupo Challenge.

Anyway, I got up and showered and ate my way through 4 WeetBix. My starting wave was W1 at about 8.17am.   As I was setting off at 7.30am, I bumped into the people in the unit next door.  They were supposed to get picked up by a bus for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and they were outside at 5am waiting for an hour.  It didn't show.  How upsetting for them.  They were heading out to find something else to do for the day.

I got to the start line and met up with another woman in my group.  Debbie from Auckland.  She had done this many years ago and had done Trail Aotearoa recently.  Obviously mad.  Hahahah.  We headed off at about 8.19am (great organisers that run this event!) and I rode with Debbie for about 40 km before I dropped off the pace.

I tried to suck down the 2.5L of Tailwind in my camelbak often with lots of sips.  But by the time I got to the support station at 70 km (not even halfway), I was exhausted.  Tailwind or not.

Spoke to Mike on my phone.  Spoke to Iona on my phone.  Decided to push on to Turangi, one section at a time.  When a support vehicle passed by slowly and sent me a thumbs up question through the window, I was so tempted to throw my bike on the back. But no.  Kept going.

Tired legs halfway around

At the next support stop, I sat in the shade and drank water and ate a small bar and my One Square Meal (or half of it).  Got back on and made it to the Z station at Turangi and stood in the shade for 5 minutes.  Then off again.

Iced coffee with 40 km to go

Next stop was Licorice Cafe.  Had an iced coffee.  Set off again to meet Iona (who had already finished and said she would come get me in the car) at the lakeside picnic area where I stood on the rock the day before.

Should I finish?

Checked my map as I waited for her.  And I could see I was so close to finishing.  Only another 30 odd kms to go.  One hill.  How bad could it be?  Surely I could finish this.

Dead!

But the view looks lovely

Shady rest

Ok - that view is stunning.  Wish I could swim.

Iona got there and I couldn't eat anything.  But I had some water and then headed off.  She waited for me at the top of Hatepe hill.  I even passed two people going up.  They both got off and walked.  At least I slogged up.

Continued down into a brisk headwind (wasn't too bad).  Beat any rain they promised.  And made it over the finish line in 9 hours and 21 mins.

OMG.

I have never been out on a bike for that amount of time.

My brain never really worked well after about 70km.  Fried, I think.  Couldn't make proper sentences.  The support team at the last station at the top of Hatepe were so nice.  I ate a bar there and they cheered me on.  I had to really rack my brains to say:  Ka pai.  Seriously, nothing was coming out in any way articulate.

Iona had driven nice and close to the finish line, and helped me to the car.  Between her back and my poor form, we got the bike in the car and she drove me home.

Helen and Mandy were lovely too.  Very sympathetic.  We ended up eating leftovers again because I couldn't really face cooking.  And we had heaps of leftovers - so all good.  Except I didn't have a huge appetite.

Into bed nice and early and up around 6am (an hour before the alarm).  Iona and I packed up and head to Replete to secure a table.

Sunday brekkie

Mandy and Helen got there just as our coffees arrived.  They ordered and we ate.  I was starving as I had only managed to eat soup last night.  I ate mushrooms on toast with poached eggs and two hash browns.  Couldn't face iced coffee at all.

Headed off away for our road trip home.  Iona was reading the newspaper.  I was singing.  We filled the car at the BP on the road out of Taupo.

Guess where I am?

Stopped at Turangi to stretch and see the giant gumboot.  Got home around 3pm.  Mike and Toby had done a huge house clean and were sorting it out n the foyer.  Wow!  Amazing effort.

I took Iona to visit Sally and Andrew for a cup of tea.  Then back home and Mike fed us a beautiful dinner.  Then he took me to see Celia as we both had plans to go to see John Farnham in concert.

Ok - change of pace.  John Farnham!

Celia and I at the concert

Wow - he has changed so much from when I remember him in the 90s in Melbourne.  But yet - the same.

He gave a good concert.  Celia enjoyed herself as did the audience.  The band were awesome.  Yep - pleased I went.  Turns out I know quite a few songs.



Celia dropped me home and I collapsed into bed.  Another weekend Taupo challenge done and dusted.  Worst one ever.

But the kindness of people that support me is wonderful.  Mike and Toby.  Iona and Col.  Sally and Andrew.  And friends that send me best wishes.  Even my spin instructor.

Everyone makes it special.  And although I am disappointed at myself now - it will fade and the good things will remain in my mind.

So - thank you.

Love,
Angela

The weekend with Round Taupo

Hi,

Thursday was a day at work - I did get a coffee date in with Celia.  Woot!

Coffee with Celia

But it was all about Taupo by the end of the day.  Final packing on Thursday night.  Up early on Friday to see Mike off to work, and get all my stuff into the car.  Picked up Iona at 8am at her parents' place and then we were off on our road trip to Taupo.

Peach teats on Friday morning!

Soul Cafe for lunch - and an iced coffee.  I had a great pasta here too.  The iced coffee came with a jaffa positioned exactly on top.  It was good.  A solid 8.

We popped into the New World to pick up a few things for the weekend.

It's a jaffa!

Ok - I'm good with this

And it tastes pretty good.

Ngauruhoe looms over the Desert Road

Many road works along the way to contend with.  Iona drove from Taihape, giving me the best views to look at through the plateau region.  The weather was stunning.  From Turangi to Taupo, the lake was simply gorgeousness.

Bib 41

Into our room around 2pm and off to pick up our registration bag.  All seamless - thanks to the amazing volunteers.  Wandered through the gear expo.  Iona bought a floor pump.  Woot!

Back to the room and prep for the big day.  Bib on my bike cycle top.  Gear all laid out.  Realised I had left my bike jacket at home.  Went with my new aquamarine jacket.  Tyres checked.  Helen (Iona's friend) had made dinner so we tucked into dhal - it was very good.  Chatted with Mandy for a bit before Iona and I went to bed.

I reckon I was asleep around 9pm.  Iona was up at 5am to get ready for her 6am start.  The weather was overcast at that point - with rain forecast.

I got up at 6.30am and had a shower.  Made brekkie.  Porridge.  Couldn't eat much.  WeetBix - ate that - but only one.  Scrambled eggs.  Couldn't eat much.  And then I puked!  First time in years.  Sigh.

Took two Voltaren after that, hopped on my bike and headed to my start group.  8.20am I was in line.  The rain started not long after that.  We got away at 9am on the dot - just as it was scheduled.

The race itself was hard work.  The rain was at times pretty heavy - the sort that soaks through your helmet and dribbles down your face.  The only good part of that was my dribbly nose ended up just being a part of the pouring rain.  Hahahah.

The first 20 - 30 km I made good time.  But after 50 km through to 100km, it was hard work.  I nailed the downhills, which, okay, isn't hard.  But anything with an uphill, I got passed like I was standing still.  Sigh.

I got to Turangi in 5 hours exactly.  An hour behind my schedule.  I was cold by this time.  But my Tailwind was doing great - taking sips every 5 - 10 mins from my Camelbak.  I had 2 litres of it on my back, under my lovely new jacket.  It wasn't that I had run out of energy like last year.  Anyway, now I hit the headwind.  But I also did well between Turangi and Licorice cafe - sitting on 30km/h.  On my own.  Like the whole way around.  7.5 hours in total had me crossing the finish line.  And I was exhausted.  So happy to see Iona's smiling face as I crossed the line.  But, I was absolutely shattered.

And filthy.  And wet.  But not as sore as I have been - maybe the Voltaren kept the tense shoulders at bay.

My little black road cycling gloves (with the faintest of purple highlights) leaked dye all over my hands.  My hands are purple.  At one stage I looked down and saw my purple fingers poking out of the gloves and thought for a second I was turning blue with cold.  Reminder:  don't use those gloves in any scenario where it will get wet.  Two days later - my hands still look like I was practising with henna tattoos.  But wasn't very good at it.  Which, actually, would be true.  I would be hopeless.  Hahah.

After the wet ride

Iona had the car outside Replete, so I bundled my bike in (ok, she did) and folded myself into the car seat.  She took me to Acapulco and I had a shower.  A long, hot shower.

We ate dinner with Mandy and Helen - enjoyed the dhal again.  Slowly perked up.  But I was asleep by 8.30pm!  Hahah.  I woke at 4am, ready to face the day.  I may have annoyed Iona and made her chat to me.  But after a short chat, I fell asleep again.  I kinda hope she did too.  But she was up, boiling the jug and having a shower all while I was again comatose.  So I don't really know if I pestered her and interrupted her sleep a lot.

I got up and was packed and ready by 8am.  And we headed off to nab a table at Replete.  Helen and Mandy weren't far behind us.

Replete brekkie

Iced coffee

My tummy was still a bit weird, so I ate some mushrooms (yum) and didn't even finish my iced coffee.  OMG.  Weird, or what?

Went back to the motel to ensure we were booked for next year.  Yes, we all are!  And haded home.  Via Palmerston North to drop Iona off.  Then Tawa to drop her bike and gear off (except I kept her wet shoes!).

Home to get the best surprise ever.  Mike, Jase (and maybe Toby) had tidied like mad.  It was like a new house.  I was so happy.  Thank you.

Did some laundry.  Got paella from the new place in Wadestown.  Ok - that was scrumptious.  Let's eat there lots and keep them in business.

Had a great sleep.  Up for Spin this morning.  I will ease back into it this week.  Rain forecast here all week.  Oh dear.

And that was the weekend.  Next goal?  Kapiti Womens in late Feb.  Gonna nail that sucker!

Toby has an exam today - this afternoon.  Health.  His last one for the year.  Woot!  Can't wait for him to be done and relaxing.

Enjoy your week ahead.

Love,
Angela