Running events

by

Doing a hip hop on a half*

*Thanks for the title Graeme!

Date: 14 January 2017
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 3:23

Some members of the Manawatu Trail Runners FB group: Suzanne, Nikki, Amanda, Brett, Wouna, Gerry and Michael.
At the event base.
Des and Henriette.
Nervously happy to be out there.
With 540 participants all starting together, you better get yourself to the front if you hope to pose a good time. Luckily not something we had to worry about!
A gradual incline shortly after the start, helping to spread out the field before the first single-track section.
Any uphill was a good excuse for a walk-break.
Alternating sections of gravel road and single track meant that we didn’t have any problems with bottle-necks.
Jogging through a lush green section.
Had to do a few takes to get this pic with Mt Taranaki in the background.
Back into the forest.
Not sure why I thought that acting like a baboon would prove my steel.
So glad it wasn’t raining or wet going up and down these bare soil stretches.
Enjoying a beautiful morning out on the trails.
Heading back out into an open patch.
A downhill trot…
…followed by an uphill slog.
No getting lost with course markings in abundance.
Luckily we could side-step all the muddy patches.
A mix of sun and shade meant it was never too hot or too cold.
I guess the more competitive runners probably went straight through.
A very scenic stretch, with Lake Mangamahoe in the foreground and Mt Taranaki in the distance.
Running along the banks of Lake Mangamahoe.
Gerry on the first of the two swing bridges.
Still having fun.
The second swing bridge on the half marathon course.
Graeme having a blast on the swing bridge.
Some tree roots to negotiate.
A short stretch run in both directions. But this lot had done a few kilometres in-between and were well ahead of us.
A very curvy section where you really feel like you are going in circles.
A long incline after passing the event base the second time.
Gerry making his way through the young pine forest with Mt Taranaki up ahead.
Gerry photographing the photographer photograping me. 😛
Up and up we went. Just as well, as I had to walk lots anyway.
The Rocky Road stretch. Apart from roots, the only other semi-technical terrain.
Lots of steps, giving our heart and lungs a good workout.
These smiles must have been thanks to the fact that the end was just around the corner.
Very happy to have made it. And getting some medals to boot.
Running a doodle.

On all accounts, I should not have done this event. Apart from doing two half marathons, one in September and one in October, we haven’t been running for about five months, except for maybe the odd 3 or 4km slow trot-walk-run once every few weeks which is not even worth mentioning. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that you don’t go running races unprepared. Mind you, I’ve never “run a race”. Rather, I participate in events – there’s a huge difference. Continue reading →

by

New Plymouth half marathon

Date: 2 October 2016
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2:31.27
Previous: 2011

In sight of the finish – a good reason to smile! [Pic courtesy of NP Joggers & Walkers]
A drizzly morning to start off with.
Runners and walkers huddled up under the pavilion roof.
New Plymouth mates, Henriette and Des.
A fair amount of participants in the 21.1km event.
Lovely downhill in the first kilometre or two taking you to the lowest point on the course.
Gerry having a very relaxed morning out.
Dark clouds coming from the sea.
And event darker clouds from the mountain side.
Happy helpers at the first water point.
One of the biggies in the first half – the hill that goes straight up.
Halfway! Yay! Downhill from here, right?
Gerry catching up after the last water point.
Beautiful countryside.
Happy to find some of my favourite colour!
Glad to have made it one more time to the finish of a half marathon.

We have now officially exhausted the last bit of our running memory. No more long-runs without a bit of training first.

When friends invited us to join them for the half marathon, I thought to myself, yeah, why not. So we entered, knowing very well that I’m tempting fate (more accurately, tickling the lion’s testicles) and it’s only a matter of time before the wheels come off. As it rightfully did. Continue reading →

by

Running on memory

Date: 18 September 2016
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2:21
Previous: 2011, 2014, 2015

If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right. 😀 Photo by Caroline Williams.
Shortly before the start, with all the Hatuma Lime Half branded Ts.
Gerry even donned his T from last year.
The out-and-back section, before heading into the countryside.
We started off on an easy jog so before the end of the out-and-back section we were already right at the back of the pack.
An easy run, with Graeme keeping us company.
Gerry and Graeme enjoying the open road.
A glorious day to be out in the country for a run.
Water point with fruit chew toffees! What a nice treat.
The third water point, signalling the arrival of the last quarter of the race. Water points doubled as change-overs for the 4-person relay teams, so were spaced roughly 5km apart. Plus a bonus water point roughly two kilometres from the finish.

All photos by us, except where otherwise indicated.

The Hatuma Lime Half Marathon reminds me of a mini-Rotorua marathon: once you’ve done the first busy section through town (in this case, the short out-and-back stretch outside the race course), you head into the country where on a good weather day, you cannot ask for a better setting while you make your way around a lake (Lake Hatuma here). Great community support on country roads where you can just cruise along admiring the scenery, until you reach the final quarter of the event – the stretch from the airport (a small rural air strip in this instance) which takes you back through town, not as scenic and also the toughest part to the finish. Continue reading →

by

Tauhara Half Marathon

3 July 2016
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2:48.56

Beautiful Mt Ruapehu.
Icy roads causing accidents and a holdup on the way.
Mr Ngaurahue.
And away we go, just in time to catch the last participants crossing the narrow start chute.
The wide open area of the paddock helped to quickly spread out the field.
Up and up we went.
Until we came across this little congested bottleneck.
A beautiful sunny morning and crisp air.
This is one of the worst bits.
A nice and easy stretch on the edge of the forest.
The first water point with freezingly cold water.
Cold, cold, cold in the forest.
Finally a bit of sun again.
The start of the out-and-back stretch up a shingle/gravel road.
Gerry at the turning point and second water station.
Frosty conditions and very cold temperatures kept us going to try and keep warm.
What does this even mean?
It almost felt like we were running in a freezer.
The final, very chirpy waterpoint.
Frozen soil.
The long walk up a 1.5km hill, 3km before the finish.
Finally the finish area came into sight.
Back on the cattle tracks.
A long queue of participants waiting for a sausage sizzle and a beer.
Glad we did!

After four days on the road travelling to Auckland, back down to Wellington and back to Palmy the night before the Tauhara, I was a little reluctant to get up at 4am to travel to Taupo for this event. It was just all becoming a little too much. But, we were entered, and events usually cheer me up, so despite no running (and a lot of sitting!) for four days, we took to the road once again to see what this event was all about. Continue reading →

by

Wellington Shoe Clinic Half Marathon

Date: 26 June 2016
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2:12.48
Previous: 2014, 2015

I think my arms aren’t long enough for selfies.
Drizzly and cold weather conditions at the start.
Gerry, me, Rachael and Kathleen (who ended up doing 7 of the 8 Half Marathons to support Rachael).
The field of half marathoners.
Making our way down the ramp from Westpac Stadium.
Some drumming entertainment en route.
Rachael and Kathleen looking strong.
Lovely jazz along the way. Pity we couldn’t listen to them all the way.
An entertaining marshal at the 10km turn-around point.
Being an out-and-back course, you get to see everybody on the course.
Gerry rounding the halfway point.
🙂
Even if someone paid me, I would not have taken the dive.
With only a couple of kilometres left, I couldn’t wait to get to the finish.
Rachael and Kathleen crossing the finish line shortly after us.

Wellington is just one of those events – the ones you do because everybody does. And, well, FOMO (fear of missing out). And since the major spot prize usually entails free entry and a trip to a big international marathon (this year it was the Paris marathon), we decided to do the event and be in for the lucky draw. Why not? At the very least, it forces one to do your weekend long run, which might otherwise have fallen by the wayside. Continue reading →