Five from my iPod that are made for Ironman

If you read my last blog post you might be wondering about my musical taste.

At the end of this one, well, I have to be honest, you might still be. But if you're new to my ramblings here you might also get an insight into what goes through my head with this whole Ironman thing. Maybe.

We're at least getting warmer, with today's post being about five songs that will always bring me back to Ironman.

Four surprising songs from my iPod

I've spent the last two Saturdays on the home trainer getting through the Spinervals Hardcore 100.

I've done this training session a number of times so these days I can get through it without listening to Coach Troy's blow by blow description. If you play the DVD there are clear visuals, and you can also download a PDF from the Spinervals website for extra clarification.

So instead of listening to endless Coach Troy-ims I get the tunes going. But what comes up in 5.5 hours with my iPod on shuffle surprises even me.

Photo a day - Ironman Cairns (part one)

I haven't quite lived up to "a photo a day" but two out of three ain't bad.

A Wild(horse) run

Surprise...  I did my first trail running event this weekend.

I got to the Wild Horse Criterium in plenty of time to register and was delighted to receive race number 226 - the number of kms you complete in an Ironman triathlon. I thought immediately that it must be a good omen, not only for my ever approaching eighth iron-distance at Ironman Cairns, but for my ambitious plan to become an ultramarathon runner.

As I attached number 226 to my race belt, I had no way of knowing that the day would unfold in a most unexpected manner. But as wild as the ride was yesterday, it isn't all bad.

My secret weapon in the pool?

I've been lucky enough to have a lane to myself every time I've swum lately.

I thought my luck had run out on Friday, but I hadn't even swum 50 metres before the female swimmer whose land I'd joined moved over a lane or two to join someone else instead.

This is perplexing but I've wondered whether I've got a secret weapon.

Off road and out of the comfort zone

So I plotted out this 24k trail run around Mt Coot-tha Forest reserve a few weeks ago. I'm not going to lie. The very thought of it frightened the crap out of me.

Yesterday though, I packed up my Camelbak (otherwise known as my running handbag) and did it.

The first Boundary run

Since deciding I want to be an ultramarathon runner, KKB has set me the challenge to run up South Boundary Road to Mt Nebo.

I'm still a little way off running all the way to the top - that's a 42k round trip - but I recently pulled off an out and back long run that I'm pretty proud of for my first effort.