*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 →