jogging

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On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me …

The Big Christmas Feast – A Greatest Virtual Run Challenge, raising money for kids on the spectrum

Date: 1-12 December 2017
Distance: 200km
Previous GVR: 2017

My middle name is procrastination. And Gerry’s first, middle and last names are procrastination. Maybe it is just a severe case of student syndrome? But, it only took us until well into the first of December, the day the challenge started, before finally entering. It might just be a classic case of an already out-of-hand hectic life, with work, this time of year, and all that jazz that the fun things in life tend to be ignored and end up falling by the wayside. Luckily we had two minutes of sanity to quickly enter. 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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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 →