Road running

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Linking two towns – Ashhurst to Esplanade

Date: 19 November 2017
Distance: 21.1km (we measured 21.5km)
Time: 3:25
Previous: 2014

[Photo by Rob Caven Photography] Mr & Mrs Charlie at your service.
The registration team hard at work.
The walkers lining up for their start.
An hour after the walkers, the runners were on their way.
[Photo by Rob Caven Photography] On a slow trot out of the Ashhurst Domain.
In the Higgens aggregates yard.
Some dark clouds and even a few spits of rain on a otherwise warm and humid day.
On Higgins’ property.
Phil and his traffic management team making sure everyone stayed safe.
The last participant, all the way from the Souht Island to do her first half marathon!

This year saw the fourth running of the Ashhurst to Esplanade walking and running event, which is a gem on the local calendar. Organised by the Manawatu Striders Running and Walking club it is a lovely walk linking two towns. Continue reading →

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Palmy parkrun #2

Date: 11 November 2017
Distance: 5km
Times: Gerry – 21.15 / Wouna – 26.37
Previous: Hamilton #1, Palmy #1, Kapiti Coast #1

A cold wind to keep things interesting. (Photo: Richard Berber/parkrun)
And off we go on the out-and-back course next to the river. (Photo: Richard Berber/parkrun)
Gerry at full throttle. (Photo: Richard Berber/parkrun)
Not far now! Without a watch I had no idea what my time was until the results were email later in the day. (Photo: Richard Berber/parkrun)

When we have a weekend at home, we are like puppies that caught a car. We don’t know what to do with it. It happens so rarely that we were totally off guard when the weekend rolled around. Continue reading →

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Roy Lamberton Memorial half marathon – Feilding

Date: 4 November 2017
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2:10.36
Previous: 2011

Gerry photobombing my start pic.
Chilling before the start.
Race briefing by Rob Dabb.
100?? runners and walkers in the half marathon.
And we’re off!
Was it not for this guy in the yellow Feilding Moas colours, we might have taken the wrong turn a couple of kilometres before the finish.
Making our way out of town next to a busy road.
Major road crossing, luckily with the STOP-GO in place.
Gerry, having an easy ride.
Little did I know my cap creeped up and was sitting on top of my head! I looked like an alien.
The second/third water point.
The half marathon winner, Edward Currie, speeding past on his way to victory.
Dave in the top 5.
A typical NZ country scene.
Halfway!
Missed an impressive jump by Kel with the slow phone camera.
Derrick going strong.
Viv going great shortly before the turnaround.
Cheryl and Cath having a ball!
Bill, all the way from Whanganui. What would a country event be without a tractor in it!
Paul looking relaxed.
John doing the half, while Margaret was taking the day off ahead of a 74km bike ride the next day.
Lovely to see Francis on the road again.
Compulsory selfie on the course.
Friendly girls at the second/third water point.
Gerry getting warm despite his easy pace.
The first/fourth water point, sponsored by Allan McNeill Chartered Accountants (I’m assuming looking at the banners at their aid station).
Nearly back among the houses at the edge of town.
Back at Timona Park with the finish in sight.
Finish-line selfie, with the Striders start/finish banner a familiar backdrop.
Small-towm prize-givings – always a festive affair.

The previous time we did this half marathon (in 2011), the event started at the swimming pool and ran out of town in more or less the opposite direction than the current event before you turned around and ran back the same way. It was, still is, a lovely, small town, out-in-the-country-type event on an out-and-back course. Continue reading →

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A 32km warm-up and 10km Sprint (yeah right) – the inaugural Tauranga International Marathon

Date: 7 October 2017
Distance: 42.2km
Time: 4:49:47

Thanks to the early bus to the start, we had a lovely laid-back morning, awaiting the start of the marathon.
Race briefing.
Looking a bit apprehensive at our start-line selfie.
An early ‘pinch’ in the road, as the race organiser called the little footpath near the start.
A short sharp uphill – not something we experienced too often on this very flat run.
Running along a pedestrian path between the road and the lagoon.
Having a laugh with Anita, with 40km to go!.
Following the trail of runners snaking along the edge of the lagoon.
The beautiful boardwalks of Tauranga.
Some scenic green stretches early on.
Look around too much and you risk falling into the wetland.
A tranquil park area in the middle of the city.
Crossing one of six railway lines. Just a few hundred metres after we crossed, a train came past.
Cheers to the 100 Marathon Club!
On the out-and-back stretch.
Little did I know that Ross was standing right behind me! He was supporting the 100 Marathon Club.
Nice to see Marian all smiles.
The turn-around point at the end of the out-and-back.
Some welcome sunshine at the water point on the out-and-back stretch.
Crossing the bridge on Chapel Road.
Mt Maunganui looming in the distance.
Crossing a little man-made ‘hill’.
Passing kilometre markers always gives you a bit of a boost.
Running through the industrial area.
Another ‘uphill’ towards the bridge
Tauranga Bridge.
Mt Maunganui didn’t seem to get any closer.
Loved this spot! Even sunblock and vaseline.
Heavy traffic reminding us that this is a city marathon after all..
Passing a weekend market along the way.
Finally at the start of the loop around Mt Maunagui.
Gerry speeding to catch up with me, after taking his sweet time at the water point just before the Mount loop.
A few wee uphills around the Mount.
Even a set of stairs that was built to cross over a massive slip recently.
The loop around the Mount certainly lifted my spirits.
And Gerry enjoyed it just as much.
The loop around Mt Maunganui was my favourite part of the course.
Distant beach views.
Still smiling. 🙂
No time for picnic, Sir! Got to keep moving.
Back on the tarmac.
Buggered and still a long way to go. But two thirds down!
A very friendly water point.
A road closure truck ensuring our lane was free of traffic.
Whoop!
This is the inaugural Tauranga International Marathon.
Not far to go!
Finally – the finish is in sight.
Happy (and relieved!).
Oh, the pain. So much pain.
Gerry having both our beers (they ran out of ciders).

3:47am. The alarm was set to go off at 3:45, but for some reason didn’t. Unfortunately, luckily, neither Gerry or I slept much, and when Gerry checked for a second time what the time was it started sinking in that the alarm didn’t go off and that we are supposed to be getting up. Continue reading →

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Hilder, honey and a half marathon

Date: 9 July 2017
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2:17.26
Previous: 2014, 2015

Catching up with some fellow club mates.
This is giving me deja vu.
After the cyclists were gone, the small field of slow runners and fast walkers lined up at the start.
Time for a selfie :-).
Walking up the steep hills.
Just follow the signs and you will not get lost.
I don’t think NZ can take any more rain. Everything is soaking wet, with mud everywhere. Huge slips have caused road closures, some of which might be permanent.
Gerry taking a trip to the Kowhai loo.
Oh deer.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Patterson. Cheers!
A long downhill in the valley.
This bridge is about at the halfway point.
Gerry doing a speed session to catch up with me again after his pee stop.
What looks like strong wind blowing me over, was actually an attempt by me to make a Killian Jornet jump. But, alas, my feet wouldn’t go where I wanted them to.
Some ruins in the countryside which I haven’t noticed before (or have forgotten about).
Only the final kilometre through town. A very long kilometre at that!
Prize-giving about to begin.
This is the team behind this lovely event – Sport Hawke’s Bay.

 

The first time we did the Norsewood to Takapau half marathon, it was with family, who at the time lived in New Zealand. I will never forget the box filled with pots of honey that was handed out as spot prizes. Two out of the four of us received a pot of honey. When prize-giving rolled around the following year, I was audibly disappointed for not getting honey again, at which point the Hilders gifted us theirs. Last year the event was first postponed and later cancelled altogether, because of inclement weather, so definitely no pots of honey to be had. Continue reading →