Road running

by

New Plymouth Joggers and Walkers Club Half Marathon

The old Taranaki Daily News half marathon

Date: 7 October 2018
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2:23.44
Previous: 2011, 2014

There were other runners, even though it doesn’t look that way on any of the other pics!
Two years to go to the 40th anniversary of this event.
The event offered water only at the aid stations, so we had to take our own stash of jelly sweets along.
Lonely morning out, so we had to entertain ourselves out on the course.
More on-course entertainment. 🙂
One third down.
Running along country roads just out of town.
Back in suburbia.

We’ve done this event a couple times before, and for some unknown reason we’re usually on a downward spiral during our training cycle. Not that we have a formal “training cycle” in any form or shape, but somehow we’re always either injured or just plain unfit this time of year. But doing the event is always a good excuse to see friends who live in New Plymouth. They unfortunately have gone through some hardship recently, having lost a brother (and brother-in-law) to point-blank murder, so it was under very sad circumstances that we caught up with them. (Not to go into the details, but it was a good reminder of some of the reasons why we emigrated to New Zealand eight years ago.) Continue reading →

by

Red Walk & Red Nose Family Fun Day

Date: 30 September 2018
Distance: 10km
Time: 57:18

Gerry, me and Rob.
At the start of the 10km event.
Jane and Jackie making the most of it.
On the way to the halfway point.
Catching up with the 5km participants on the way back.

Gerry and I participated in the Palmerston North edition of the event, which aims to “raise money and awareness for the amazing work Cure Kids does to help fund valuable research into a variety of child-related illnesses and conditions in New Zealand”.

What we thought would be a low-key fundraising walk turned out to be a decent size event – well organised and very enthusiastically supported by the local running and walking community. An enjoyable and festive 10k out-and-back run/walk along the river (there was also a 5k option) was augmented by loads of spot prizes, yummy food and great coffee at the finish, jumping castles for the kids, and more. Nor sure how many turned out but it was certainly a good crowd.

A good event for a great cause – must do again in 2019!

 

by

Queens Domain parkrun – Hobart (Tasmania)

Date: 24 February 2018
Distance: 5km
Time: 29:06

A field of 150 participants on a rainy day.
The first short out-and-back stretch to make up the 5km course.
Hard to imagine you’re in the middle of a city.
A lovely course that should be great on a good day.
Gerry on the 600 metre stretch of trail.
Wet, wet, wet.
The turn-around point at the carpark, near the start.
A new track surface being tested by runners.
By the end, the camera was all wet and frosty too.

Who would have thought that Hobart houses one of the most impressive art galleries I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. The Mona (Museum of old and new art) – originally (and officially still) called Monanism, is a antique, modern and contemporary art museum, founded by David Walsh, a Tasmanian millionaire. From the outside the building seems to be on a single level, but once inside, a spiral staircase leads down three large levels that are built underground into the Berriedale peninsula in a labyrinthine style. In contrast to the Guggenheim Museum in New York where visitors work their way down with a spiral, at Mona visitors start at the bottom level and work their way up. Entry is free for locals, whereas overseas visitors pay $28pp. Continue reading →

by

Lower Hutt parkrun

Date: 23 December 2017
Distance: 5km
Time: 29.14
Previous: Hamilton #1, Palmy #1, #2, #3, Kapiti Coast #1, Porirua #1

Another beautiful morning for a run.
The bride and best men, posing for a pic.
The merger.
Lots of participants for this event.
Running along the Hutt River walkway.
Some of the best men already on their way back.
High-fiving the groom.
The turn-around point.
The bride not dilly-dallying either!
A nice spot for a parkrun.
Heading back towards the end of what felt like a very long 5kms.
The line at the finish for the bar codes to be scanned.

Meeting up with friends who were visiting New Zealand for a few weeks, we happened to be in the Hutt Valley during the weekend and decided to fit in a quick run.

Too much eating out, way too much wine (and beer, and whiskey) and not a whole lot of running since the Twelve days of Christmas challenge, is a bad combination for attempting a “comeback”, so to speak. Full of pickled confidence she said, “let’s run to the event and back”. Including the parkrun, that would give us a solid 27km long-run. Great idea. Perfect idea! But… Continue reading →

by

Palmy Christmas parkrun

Date: 16 December 2017
Distance: 5km
Time: 38.08
Previous: Hamilton #1, Palmy #1, Kapiti Coast #1, Palmy #2, Porirua #1

Another change in our work schedule meant we could fit in another backyard parkrun. The organisers decided to make it a Christmas themed event, so we all (okay, some of us) dressed up for the occasion. Continue reading →