half marathon

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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 →

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Three bridges and three ditches

Date: 9 December 2017
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2:12.20
Previous: 2010, 2014

Still going strong despite ramping up my kilometres significantly this week. [Pic by Jonesy’s Photography.]
Registration.
Still had my fleece top on. Briefly considered running with it!
Bill doing race briefing.
Crossing the first bridge (Dublin St Bridge) going upstream.
Some cloud at the start with little bits of blue/sunny sky peeking through.
It’s going to happen, and Gerry can’t come with. 😦
One of the three cheeky ditches.
Participants lazing around after the event.
Trying to get the stupid phone app to keep going. It asked a million questions and then paused!
Passing over Cobham Bridge, looking out to the sea.
What looked like a boat with two fisherman, turned out to be a little sand bank in the low-tide river.
Pack n Save as the main sponsor for the marathon.
Kowhai Park next to the Whanganui River.
Gerry came over for support and a photo after my first lap.
Prize-giving.
Another one of the ditches. They are far steeper than it looks on the photo.

The Whanganui 3-bridges event was only the third event we’d done in NZ (in 2010) and I still have fond memories of the day. We only did the 10km back then, but having done the Mountain to Surf marathon in 2008 during a visit and tour of the country, and the Kahuterawa Classic 7km also in 2010, we were starting to get a feel for NZ events. Continue reading →

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Proprioception on a flatline

Footprints in the Sand – Foxton Beach inaugural half marathon

Date: 25 November 2017
Distance: 21.1km (we measured 21.8km)
Time: 2:29:52
Previous: 2014

“The way to do is to be.” (Lao Tzu)
Participants making their way to the start on the beach.
Race briefing.
“There are only two mistakes one can make on the road to truth: not going all the way, and not starting.” (Buddha)
The turn-around on the first short out-and-back, with Kapiti Island in the back.
Margaret and John going strong.
“You only lose what you cling to.” (Buddha)
Water point #1 (and 7).
With only 17 participants in the half marathon, it is easy to have the whole beach to yourself.
“We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.” (Zen proverb)
The jolly water point at the turn-around point at Himatangi Beach.
“Energy flows where my attention and intention goes.” (Gabrielle Bernstein)
“Obstacles do not block the path, they are the path.” (Zen proverb)
“Life is a series of thousands of tiny miracles. Notice them.” (Fight for life)
Approaching the finish line.
The sponsors.

When we entered for this event on the morning before the start, little did we know that it was an inaugural. Whoop! Another one in the bag. To be fair, it can hardly count as an inaugural since this event is already in its fourth year. But, previous runnings were only twenty kilometres and 2017 marked the first year that it is an official half marathon. So, technically it IS an inaugural and mind you, I only realised now that the very first one we did back in 2014, was also an inaugural. 🙂 Continue reading →

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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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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 →