Palmerston North

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Super Seven Series – race 4

For this week's run we were treated to a glorious, sunny day, so the complementary sunblock was a welcome sight.

For this week’s run we were treated to a glorious, sunny day, so the complementary sunblock was a welcome sight.

With every step I take, I feel my lungs burn, I hear myself breath hard and fast and there’s a knot in my stomach that just won’t go away.

The reason? I’m going all out, trying to see how fast I can finish the 7 kilometre course of the Manawatu Striders Super Seven Series.

It’s week 4 of the series. Wouna and I unfortunately missed week 2, but for the first and third runs we kept to a fairly casual trot. Being far from racing fit, this seemed like a good approach, allowing us to enjoy our runs while still finishing fresh.

This week, however, being the halfway mark of the series, we decided to not run together like we always do, but each rather going at our own pace, to try and push it a little to see where our fitness levels are. Continue reading →

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Super Seven Series – Race 3

A relaxed crowd shortly before the start in front of the YMCA.
1795 registered for this event. Not far to go to reach the 2000 participant mark!
Beautiful blue skies for the third event.
Passing underneath the Manawatu River Bridge just before the turn-off for the 3km course.
The clearly marked and manned route. No getting lost.
One of two similar “hills” on the course – about 1.5m climb to get over the river bank.
Some welcome refreshment at the halfway mark.

Things were going well for the back-of-the-packers. We did our daily jog. Fitted in the long-runs on weekends. Entered for the Rotorua marathon which is happening on 2 May. And then life got in the way. Funny how this always happens the moment you commit to something big. Continue reading →

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Super Seven Series 2014 – Race 1

We arrived early before the registration area gets too busy.
Wouna doing a lazy pre-run stretch. Or maybe she’s praying :-).
Announcements before the run.
Lots of eager legs ready for the start.
The masses at the starting line.
Running along the Bridle Track next to the Manawatu River.
Runners getting moral support from atop the Manawatu bridge.
The return leg, through the leafy suburb of Hokowhitu.
Thumbs up for another great event.
The sausage sizzle is a post-run highlight.
Gerry with post-run banana and sausage sizzle – another happy Manawatu Striders customer.

It’s summer in the Manawatu, and the Super Seven Series is under way. As reported in the local newspaper, the Manawatu Standard, “You know it is summer when the Striders Super Sevens starts up again.”

Tuesday evening we participated in the first of the 2014 series of runs (seven races of seven kilometres each) taking place on consecutive Tuesdays through January/February. And what an evening it turned out to be, with the rather foul weather of the previous few days making way for a lovely, balmy evening in Palmy. Which may in part explain why a whopping 1 659 people turned up. Continue reading →

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It’s time for the Super Seven Series!

It’s January, and if you’re a runner in the Manawatu, that means one thing – it’s time for the Super Seven Series!

Starting a week from today, the Super Sevens consist of 7 weekly runs of 7kms each, run every Tuesday afternoon from 14 January to 25 February. By far the biggest race series in the region, between 1400 and 1500 people from Palmerston North and its neighbouring towns turn out every Tuesday for a run along the Manawatu river. While I’m sure there’s some serious racing going on at the front of the field, for the most part it’s a laid back, social event, with participants of every shape and size joining in on the fun.

Hundreds of people next to the Manawatu River on their way back to the finish.

Hundreds of people next to the Manawatu River on their way back to the finish.

Continue reading →

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Manawatu Striders Super Seven Series #3 (1 February 2011)

Thousands of people on their way back to the finish next to the Manawatu River. A tiny part of the wind farm can be seen in the back on the hill.
The start at the YMCA with 1500+ entrants.
Congestion on the walkway.
Water table just after 3km.
The keys table. You leave your car keys on a table while you run.

After our little stint through the Manawatu Gorge on Sunday, my muscles were (as expected) extremely tender. So much so, that I battled to go down stairs or anything that required using my quads. In fact, just plain walking required a whole amount of courage and clenching my teeth to try and overcome the overwhelmingly sore leg muscles. And having rested altogether for a day didn’t seem to help any!

But, crazy as only “runners” can be, we found ourselves at the start of the third SSS event. Again a huge field of over 1500 participants showed up. Anybody and everybody that moves in Palmy seems to be pitching up for these 7km run/walks. Continue reading →