For the past 5 months, my focus has been to try and get motivated, gain some strength both physically and mentally, lose some weight and gain bike fitness and endurance for a long term goal of riding the 90km bike leg of the Challenge Wanaka Half Ironman.

On Tuesday 17^th January, the family and I headed to Wanaka to have a bit of a holiday and let me settle in before my event on the Saturday. During the drive, I started to feel unwell, but put it down to nerves.

Once we arrived, I went out for a ride along the first part of the course which is out towards Treble Cone Ski Field. I managed to get to 5km before I had no energy and felt that I couldn’t cope with yet another hill. I put this down to being tired from travelling and the heat as it was still 25deg, little did I know that this was the beginning of a stomach bug which lasted until Friday.

After dinner, we drove the road I was supposed to have ridden earlier so I that knew what I had in front of me on Saturday. The hills were so overwhelming, that by the end of the drive, I was a blubbering mess and all I wanted to do was throw my bike in Lake Wanaka and come home.

It wasn’t until Friday that I could eat properly and finally start fuelling myself for my ride.

Saturday dawned, and at 7.45am I watched my teammate Jane start her 1.9km swim. I headed into transition and waited by my bike for her to tag me. I headed out so afraid that I wouldn’t be able to complete the bike that I had tears running down my face.

The course followed the road to Treble Cone Ski field for 18kms then back again through Wanaka turning to Albert Town, up to Lake Hawea and across the Hawea Dam, then continued through Luggate and up the final big hill back to Wanaka.

4.5hrs later of hills and nor ‘west winds, I was again crying as I sped at 60km/hr down the final hill realising that I had beaten my previous doubts had accomplished my goal. I tagged Barb, our runner and she headed out on her 21.1km run.

When I got off my bike, I was totally knackered and after riding for so long, my back had gone into spasm which was making breathing really hard.

Once I had recovered a bit, I sat and reflected on what I had achieved. I had managed to beat my self-doubting attitude, and complete an awesome task. I learnt that day to believe in myself!

Our team FINISHED the “Challenge Wanaka Half Ironman 2012”

My next goal … a lovely short 37km bike race in Methven in 3 weeks with Hannah - as a mother and daughter team!

Every success starts with a plan of action - What is YOUR plan of action????