MINDBODY LOGIN
So
a little bit about me. My name is Millie and I unfortunately have been diagnosed with terminal Kidney cancer. The Coast to Coast is on my bucket list and with the help of the Kathmandu Coast to Coast and Richard I will get to the finish line. I have been completing a blog, and Richard suggested I start one here. So here is my latest post.
This blog is going to have to be summary of everything that has happened in the last 6 weeks or so. Training has definitely picked up and its getting really exciting.
The biggest thing is that we have officially signed up for the two-day individual Coast to Coast!! Eek, there is absolutely no more excuses. So where do a start… (ok I needed to go back and read my last post..I really need to write more) The weekend after my last post Mike and I went for a first two big adventures. A 2 hour walk through the porthills and a bike ride for an icecream.
Lets start with the leisurely walk through the hills. Our mission – set by Richard of course was to get lost. Well that we did and somehow ended up in Governors Bay. Turns out walking down is a whole lot easier than walking up and unfortunately what goes down must go up… so once we got to Governors Bay we went hunting for a track back up. An hour and half later, many stops, swearwords, and sore legs we made it back up to the car. Sunday was going to be a first hill ride. What was with this weekend and hills. With an immense fear of going down hill and losing control we took off from Lyttelton with the glorious promise of an icecream in Diamond Harbour. So it turns out it wasnt the downhill I needed to be worried about, turns out thats a lot of fun. What isn’t as much fun…biking up hill! the first few were ok and we took it slow. By the end of it, its fair to say we had well and truly earned those icecream calories.
The next couple of weeks consisted of a lot of running in preparation for the Woodbourne Half and another big walk in the Porthills. I also had a great session with Richard on biking up hill. Some great tips by the way. Anyway I was tracking pretty well for the my next Half and was looking forward to running with Mike and my sister Francie (who was coming over from Sydney). In fact I was the only one running more than twice a week… and was quietly skiting that I was sitting at the top on the Nike App. But it wasn’t to be. The week before the Half Marathon I got a phone call from the hospital. “Mrs Smith are you free Tuesday. We have had a cancellation. Can you come in for your hernia repair” So thats what happened. Tuesday came, two hours of surgery and a hernia the size of tennis ball repaired. The rest of the week was an absolute write-off. I was surprised at how sore I was. I think in my head I downplayed the surgery (especially because the last 2 surgeries had been so big). I really thought I would be ok. Mike and Francie both completed the half in under 2 hours, and both with having only done 4 runs. A massive achievement by both. I was so proud of them and loved cheering them on.
So after 10 days of just walking, we have finally got back to training. We got cleats on our bikes last week and spent last weekend getting use to them. I haven’t fallen over (Mike has, completely forgetting he was attached..) and getting slowly faster at clicking in.
This week Ive walked everywhere and gone for a bike ride to Sumner and back. We have a kayaking adventure tomorrow and another bike ride. Sunday we are back into the porthills, getting lost and exploring everything Christchurch has to offer!
Ive got a special mention tonight as well, welcome to running Dad. Our next race, the Crater Rim, is going to quite a family affair, with Francie coming over again and Dad joining in.
So with our Coast to Coast entries now complete and training well on its way, its starting to feel more real and instead being scared I am really excited. Lets do this!!!!
