The final leg...

In between the Wanaka and Timaru triathlons I had 9 precious days to recover and prepare for the longer distance Timaru race. After a week of hard training and little else (the result of living with your coach 24/7!) we were able to check out and do the run and bike sections of the course, as well as eating huge quantities of my coach's Mother's great baking! We mostly trained as a pair and I learnt heaps from my very experienced friend. We also joined up with a swim team comprised of 16-18 year-old human eels! I did my best to keep up with them, but I'm not used to doing over 6km per session so made use of the spa pool at about that point as they all carried on windmilling!

The East coast is not the most inspiring part of the country, but it is reasonably similar to the Cotswold's with rolling hills and great surf beaches... the second part is sadly not true of the Cotswold's, but I didn't have the energy to make the most of them here.



The race went well for me. It was cool and cloudy for most of the week which is not normal summer weather here, but ideal for training and racing. I made a fast start, running into the water like a girl:

(Third from right) Sadly this picture made it into the main Christchurch paper the following day!

The swim was horrible - not only did I forget my handbag, but huge rafts of kelp impeded us frequently on the 1.5km swim. The 40km bike was hilly which I enjoy - flat roads become quite boring when you cycle 8-10 hours a week - including one monster zig-zag hill which made the legs explode! The run was the best part for me, I did the 10km in 41 mins and finished second in my age group again which scores me heaps more points in the national series.

Unfortunately I didn't win the huge BBQ or any other spot prizes, but I drove empty handed up to our friend's in Christchurch and drank red wine in their spa pool as the sun went down!

The following morning I wearily drove back to sunny Nelson and the real summer weather I had been missing. We're both back at school now which is really nice - we work with so many great people, and there are heaps of experiences to share and plan for the near future.

I'm still training like mad, there are heaps of separate running, cycling and swim races around Nelson so I use lots of these for my training sessions to get my speed up. I did a 2.8km sea swim around Hualashore island (below) this morning which is a rather nice way to spend a Sunday morning!

Bernie has taken her baking to new heights, making bread from scratch in the oven (not whilst physically in the oven herself of course!) and the usual quiches, cakes and salads... we eat well!

Bern's has also been the main force in making our new home even more comfortable and well organised. We have a posh new table and chair set (bought from people moving over seas) on our balcony which is nestled half way up a group of oak trees which plays home to monarch butterflies, birds and cicadas which sing all day.

We were so fortunate in having so many guests visiting this summer and wait in keen anticipation for our special friends Phil and Margaret who arrive in April - so much so that I've been asking around for inside knowledge on suitable hedge-diving hedges which are sadly a scarce entity in this country!

I'm sat sipping a lovely Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to keep me cool on this fine evening. Its 6:30pm and finally its cooling towards the low 20's... what I'd do for a pint of Murphy's and pie 'n mash before going to Upton Park for a game then a curry on Brick lane before throwing down some shapes in a few clubs before going to sleep in my old bed... maybe this September....

Love to all,

C&B x x

The long and winding road...

Wanaka put on a great weekend. I had a few beers with several friends from Nelson, nobody was up for hedge-diving unfortunately...

I have been cooking a lot of my own food - stir fry's with rare rump steak for dinner, but the odd Subway thrown in at lunch - only a foot-long touches the sides - and its meatballs every time for me!

Wanaka is a great place to visit, nice and chilled out...

And the water is lovely... but cold!

The birds dont mind...


This is where I stayed for 3 nights with friends - a short walk from town and the lake:

And everything manages to fit into the car for the onward journey... destination unknown...

I drove East across the South Island, looking for somewhere nice to stay, where I could run, bike and swim in preparation for the next race... I drove and dorve, and the road turned to gravel...

And ended up driving across a pass which was very remote. I passed one car, and chased a hare (it ran up a 20 foot cliff to escape unfortunately so no hare stew for dinner!) and eventually returned to civilisation... but had to drive for a long time in the clouds:

I eneded up at Kakanui, just south of Oamaru on the East coast. Its a fantastic surf beach and I watched from my bike or as I ran as people braved bigger waves than these:

I've also watched 150 + pengiuns surf in and waddle up to their nests at dusk. I've also joined up with my coach and friend from Nelson and done heaps of training in preparation for Sundays race, and eaten heaps of food the both his mother and his mother-in-law have cooked us as we travel between their houses on the East coast!

Gotta dash, love to all,

Chris

Wicked Wanaka!

Yesterday was race day for me in the first of four national races I'll be competing in. Two of them are sprint races (including Wanaka) with a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run. Two are Olympic distance races - 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run.

I woke up to a cloudy day which is perfect for me - nice and cool, but had the unusual prospect of wasting time until 5pm as the race was a rare evening event - after the shops had closed in central Wanaka. Wanaka is a beautiful town in the Southern Alps and is unspoilt in comparison with its big brother, Queenstown. See Wanaka below:


And we get spoilt to great sunsets like this:



The race went really well - the lake was 14 degrees which is rather fresh, but it was lovely and calm - a rare treat as we usually swim in the sea. The whole race went as well as I could have hoped although you always want to be faster. After the race we watched the elites race but had to wait until this morning for the results. I was really chuffed to find that I was second in my age group which gives me lots of points in the national series. I was then disappointed to see that the guy who overtook me during the run, pipped me for first place by 21 seconds... I simply couldn't have ran any faster so I'm happy enough.

I am currently enjoying the cool environment of an Internet cafe, as hundreds of sweaty people make their way around the half and full Ironman course outside. It is a hot day today, but I would like to give this monster event a go some day in the future. Several of my Nelson friends are here competing and we all got a nice mention in the Nelson rag here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/sport/the-fitness-zone/3232892/Triathlon-weekend-draws-strong-field

I woke up wishing I was racing in the half Ironman race this morning - the swim and bike would be OK, but the run would cripple me... my body has been seizing up over the past hour though so I'd better take a walk!

I'm going to hang around here for a couple of days before heading to the East coast to join my coach and explore the area by foot, bike and wetsuit! My second race (Olympic distance) is 8 days away so hopefully I can collect some more valuable points and memories!

Love to you all from sunny Wanaka,

Chris

On the Road!

I left Nelson on Wednesday morning. These moody skies encouraged me to head south to warmer climes to race people who also love running around in Lycra!

I travelled through the mountains, braving trains and vans with one brake light!

And was soon treated to the kind of countryside I love:

Before getting to Gillespies beach, 499.9km down the road! This was to be my home for the night (along with a few dozen fur seals!)

As I cooked my fine steak with roasted vegetables (cheers Berns!) the clouds lifted over the Fox glacier inland:

And then a fantastic sunset before going to bed with Michael Phelps.... his book!

Not bad eh?!

The next morning I walked along the beach to find the seals, but got a bit distracted by the scenery:

And bush, so never made it to the seals... I've seen heaps of seals but its been a while since I hacked around in the bush!

With awesome plants like these!

I then got on the road again and made my way through even more gorgeous bush!

And had to keep stopping to take pictures of it!

As well as the odd bumblebee which was getting battered in the wind.... it took a few attempts to get this!

There are heaps of lakes in the Southern Alps. I kept reading Mum's book which details where scenes from Lord of the Rings was filmed - not hard to imagine the movie is it?!

This was taken just before I got to Wanaka... more pics to follow...

I race this evening which is unusual, hence me wasting time in an internet cafe. The elites race straight after us and the race is entirely in the town, which is good for spectating. I have a few mates in the Ironman and half Ironman races tomorrow... An Ironman involves a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and a marathon - 42.2km!! I am very tempted to do it, but respect my wife too much to sacrifice so much time training!!

I hope 2010 has started well for one and all, despite the immense cold most of you have experienced!

Summer Lovin'!

We have been busy since last posting. We moved into our new house (pictures in previous posting) with the help of my Mum and Dad (who has since been diagnosed with sciatica - sorry Dad!) We have celebrated Xmas with my parents, enjoying many BBQ's on the balcony and some very fine wine from the region! Bernie still managed to make enough time to produce some excellent jams, including Boysenberry jam - the fruit (below) are like monster blackberries and are twice as sweet and juicy... my Sister is desperate for some, but postage is steep!
Bernie's brother Paul, Sister-in-law Shirley and Nephew Bradley arrived on Boxing day and we spent a memorable week, getting to know our newest family member better... Until my sister Emma gave birth to a little monster they called Ben! He was born on 29th Dec and we were fortunate enough to see him on Skype soon after. Mum and baby are doing well - long may that continue!

We took Paul and Shirley to one of our favourite winery's - Woollaston, which is a short drive or medium bike ride away from home. We had a nice tasting session at the bar, before settling on a lovely Rose Shiraz which we enjoyed in the garden with the view pictured below:

Despite the guests and moving home, Bernie has continued to cook more cakes, biscuits, jams, muesli, etc than ever in her life - her way of relaxing apparently! Needless to say, all she produces tastes wholesome and amazing - she is an organic cook with a knack for perfection! I have taken regular time-out over the past few months on my bike, running or in the pool (I have a speedo tan-line to prove it - no pictures you'll be glad to hear!). I have had to upgrade to factor 70 sun-tan lotion, as factor 50 is not strong enough in our mostly sun-drenched climate.

I headed inland this morning to complete a triathlon which is a warm-up to 4 I'll be doing over the summer as part of a national series. Bernie has taken up a kitchen regime instead of training so will not be racing this summer - it was a long winter of training...

My race this morning was in lake Rotoiti (below) which is a stunning landscape to race in:

Bernie's parents are now with us and have picked up from where my parents finished - plenty of help with DIY jobs and getting our new house ship-shape! In a few days, Bernie and her folks head up to the North Island to stay with Bradley et al, I will head south for two of my triathlons with landscapes like the ones below to race in...

Wanaka:

We both hope that you all had a memorable Xmas with loved ones and lots of laughs. We have been incredibly fortunate to have so many people we love come to visit us this summer - hopefully we will see more of you in the next few months and years!

Best wishes to one and all,

C&B! x x

Our House - at the end of our street!

We have been looking in the property papers and windows since landing in Nelson 16 months ago. As migrants, finance is harder to come by and we have been put off looking around properties. Recently, the lenders began relaxing so we decided to have a look at what we might be able to pick up with 10,000GBP as a deposit.



The two properties we purchased previously were the very first places we visited each time we began searching - not that we rushed in, we looked at others afterwards but preferred the first option each time. Inevitably, this happened once again (9 days ago) and we are already heading towards a completion date of Dec 21st - less than a month after first viewing it!!


Of course we're both really stoked by this and hope that my parents feel similarly, as they had already boarded the plane for NZ when we were haggling the price down!


It is our first actual house (after 2 small London flats) and is in Nelson itself - a short walk to pubs, shops and restaurants rather than the $40 taxi ride we are faced with at present. It has a good section (garden) of 733m and 3 bedrooms excluding the granny flat on the ground floor.

It is located at the end of a cul-de-sac above a valley and has lovely views and afternoon / evening sun. There are two double doors which open out to a veranda on 3 sides which will be great for BBQ's, wine and relaxing with a book after training!



The kitchen and bathroom were refitted recently and to a good spec too. The downstairs granny flat needs a complete over-haul, but we don't plan to renovate upstairs further than some painting and touching-up. There are enough little jobs for us to do to stamp our personal touch on the place over the next couple of years.

The building has a nice open plan with good flow out to the veranda and between rooms. There is a log-burning fire in the centre of the property so we will no longer freeze in the winter! The polished wood floors look great too...

We will no longer battle with the ancient oven at our rental place, and Bernie is trying to negotiate to keep the silver fridge freezer as it matches the oven!

House prices have dropped here, but are picking up. Our British Pounds are very weak at present, but we wanted to get onto the property ladder ASAP. Friends here have paid off their mortgages in under 10 years - mortgages are quite flexible over here!

The large garden is landscaped but needs some clearing. Fruit trees will be put in as well as plenty of veges. Our lovely chooks will also benefit from a larger coop to play in!

Once again, we have lots of room for visitors so please keep NZ in your holiday plans!

This will be our room (minus the chez long unfortunately!)

We will be paying (subject to finance - fingers crossed!) around 100,000GBP for this place. Few properties are available in good areas for this price - we will have no garage or off-street parking, but we can put up with this for a saving of $40,000! There is no through traffic (as it is a cul-de-sac) and there are plenty of spaces on the road so a cover for the mini should keep it going!

As mentioned, we should be in on the 21st - any one available to help us move?! My parents will be!

Love to one and all. Hoping you're all fit, healthy and happy!

Chris and Berns x x

Spring-ing into action!

Many thanks to all the wonderful people who made such an effort to make our trip to the UK so fun! We still feel bad for not being able to see everybody, we'll just have to save up and come back again soon!

Since returning to the land of the long white cloud we have been spoilt by some great weather, enabling us to get out adventuring again. We had both thought that we were returning to school (12 hours after getting home!) to a quiet last term before the summer holiday, but we have both been run ragged for the past month. Bernie is seemingly organising the various prize giving ceremonies single-handed, and I have been chasing and hassling students endlessly for coursework deadlines and revision papers.

We were fortunate enough to have a long weekend and headed to the remote Marlborough Sounds for kayaking, camping and fishing in the wilderness. It was a great trip as always, we saw only two other kayakers in the 4 days we were out on the water (Friday afternoon until Mon evening).

Every time we head to the Sounds, I get thoughts of retiring there with a tinny (fishing boat) and enough land to play around with... not that I'm wishing my life away yet!

Back in Moncao (below), I caught heaps of Kahawai - nice fish that like a fight! I made Kahawai cakes and a fish curry which kept us fed for a week!

We have also been back into training. Berns is suffering from a real bugger of an ear infection - a result of swimming in pools for months sadly - I'm really enjoying my morning pool sessions though. 5:30am starts are much easier now it is light in the morning.

We have both been cycling a lot as we have a 160km (100 mile) bike race on Saturday - neither of us has been over 100km in a day but it should be a fab race - through a gorge from source to sea... running is not a hot point, but will be a priority for me after this week's bike race. We have some local triathlons beginning in a couple of weeks and then there are a few national races that I hope to compete in after new year's - the World Champs was an expensive experience, but I'd love to do it again...

Apart from that, we are enjoying our house and garden, the chooks are still laying well and I'm off kayaking for 3 days at a time over the next 3 weeks with school - being paid to go kayaking with seals, dolphins and golden beaches is something I'm getting used to!

Love to one and all,

C&B!