Sale...of the century

I scored a compression top, a new Aussie-made training swimsuit (“togs” to us Kiwis) and a new run singlet today, all at less than half price.  I *heart* sales, and I am the bargain shopper from hell so I always end up finding something great.  I have been coveting a new compression top for ages, as my first one is miles too big in the shoulders and arms now.  It does not compress anything anymore!  I put it through the drier but that made very little difference.  Therefore, it was high time for a new one. 

It must be time for some more good news, surely.  My bike only required $145 thrown at it after the crash last weekend.  I get it back tomorrow, and I think I will whack it straight on the wind trainer and go for a virtual ride around the Mornington Peninsula.  I cannot ride on the road at present because the shock from bumps and volcanic chip roads will go straight up my arms and into my traps, which are still like lumps of lead around my neck.

I had an interesting conversation today with a person who swears that compression tops make no difference to him.  He claims to have like 15 of them and apparently only trains in them.  I use mine for recovery, not for training – I would not have survived seven triathlons in four months without my compression tights and socks, but this person scoffed at that and told me I was wasting my money (really? I only bought one top, one pair of tights and a pair of socks…not 15 tops!).  I wear my compression tights to bed after a hard workout or a tri, and they really do make a difference.  I have less stiffness the next day, and definitely less muscle fatigue. 

Alas, the poor fool I was talking to only does weight training and no cardio – but he also takes more “supplements” than the average drug cheat too.  I have lost count of the number of individual items of overpriced and scientifically unproven junk he shoves down his throat every day – mass gainers, anabolic this, metabolic that, catabolic this, creatine that, super boosting this, post workout metabolising that, etc.  He is trying to bulk up big time and his body type is scrawny, so short of taking lots of artificial hormones and steroids, realistically it is just not going to happen for him. 

Anyway, back to me.  I have now entered the 10km at the Rotorua marathon next weekend.  I get to Rotorua (or Rotovegas as we Kiwis like to call it) about lunchtime next Friday, just in time for food.  I will dump my bags at my accommodation, eat lunch, register for the race, go check out the sports expo and have a nice walk around town before hitting the supermarket for supplies, soaking at the hot pools, having dinner and chilling out.  My home base for the weekend has a gym and a movie theatre, so that is very cool. 

Saturday is race day so after a good breakfast I will go for a nice 10km tour of Rotorua at a cracking pace and while taking photos.  Then I will eat, drink, stretch and take more photos.  After that, I will have a soak at the hot pools, have lunch, and have a nap.  After that, it will be getting close to dinnertime so I will go find something to eat, attend prizegiving, and have a nice relaxing evening, maybe with a trip to the movies involved.

Sunday morning is the post-marathon breakfast at the events centre.  I have pre-paid for it, so that is one less meal to worry about.  I do not want a repeat of Taupo, where I could not find many options that were under $30 or 3,000kj per meal.  I want to go see some thermal stuff so I will walk over to Kuirau Park and check it out.

Monday, I want to go to hells gate and maybe Whakarewarewa.  Then it is hometime around 4pm.

This time I will be organised – I will take Powerbars, protein, electrolytes, gels and a bag or two of those nice GU chomps.   I will take my race belt, my drymax socks, my run cap, my fuel belt and my bodyglide just in case.  I will take extra bandaids and blister plasters.  I will take antiflamme and my mini heat pack.  I will take bathers for the hot pools, my heart rate monitor chest strap, and my travel pillow.  I will take proper run gear, layers and warm stuff.  I will take my merino skullcap. 

I will take non-perishable food with me (cereal, some bread, protein powder, and buy fresh stuff there (like milk, yogurt and fruit).  It may mean taking a bigger suitcase on the trip, but if it means less mucking about then I am all for it.  I do not need to be walking for miles around town and for hours on end the day before a 10km race. 

What are my plans for the actual 10km race?  Well, I cannot run that nonstop yet, so I will walk about 6-7km and run the rest in intervals once I am past the halfway mark.  I need to pace myself so I do not blow up my legs.  On the 10km I will take GU chomps, caffeine gels in a gel bottle (half right before the start and the rest just before halfway), water, replace and a banana.  I will have a choccie milk and a banana waiting for me at the finish, somehow!

I have not done 10km for about six weeks (except on a bike), but it is all good.  I am certainly not lacking in fitness and with no bike leg involved it should be straightforward – I will not be going into the run half exhausted from a swim and bike immediately beforehand. 

Must away, I have things to do, and all that jazz.