Post Rotorua

Did I do justice to the training I’ve put in? I’ve rephrased my statement from the last entry into this question and my answer is, ultimately, yes!

This was the first marathon I feel I raced from start to finish.  Taking just over 4 minutes off my previous best time justifies the work gone in. It’s also great to get under the 2 hour and 30 minute mark. Deep down there’s still a large part of me which burns to go over the final 10kms again but I cannot do that so I’m looking forward to the next challenge. It’s a big learning experience running any type of event, whether you’re out to finish well or just finish, at the end you always walk away better for the experience. From Saturday I have done so!

For my first time Rotorua experience I was really taken aback by the history of the race which was shown in a brilliant display in the foyer of the expo. Large posters giving detailed information about each running of the event since its original in 1965. Hours worth of inspiring images, statistics and stories!

What to put on those drink tables?

Rotorun Marathon Expo

Spottie!

Race day is a later than usual start, 9.30am. A real treat, especially as most of the races I’ve completed this year have had me up around 4 in the morning. We were staying on the shores of Lake Tarawera, so a leisurely breakfast with views calmed all nerves and built the excitement levels nicely. 

Not long now

The start to the race was quite relaxed as we settled into a group of 4 at a pace that wasn’t setting the world on fire.  Kms clicked over and over and I felt relaxed and really enjoying the moment. I’m not sure how far into the race it was, maybe 15km??? Before I go on let me explain that in front of us there were a couple of mountain bikers, around 50 or 60 metres ahead and their job was to keep the walkers to the right and generally warn people and cars that we were on our way past. Anyway suddenly this red truck, well a ute, pulls across the lane and in front of one of the lead cyclists giving him what looks to be an earful. No idea why. I could only imagine he objected in some way to being told what to do? Nonetheless, he had finished this by the time the 4 of us went by and decided to pull out carelessly, nearly taking Dale Warrender with him in the process. Don’t know what it is about some of us ‘ kiwi nutters’ when we have this worldwide reputation of being ‘relaxed’ and ‘laid back’ many seem to forget this on the roads? Sweeping generalisation I know, but not far from the truth.

This aside we zipped along together until around the 23 km mark where Nick Portas slipped back off the pace leaving myself with Phil Costley and Dale Warrender. Trying not to feel out of place, I was happy to keep being pushed along and make some of the pace myself.  Not long after this Dale slipped off the back and seemed to be in some discomfort. Later we got word that he had pulled out with a heel injury similar to that which struck him in the Auckland Marathon, albeit at a much later stage of the race. Sometimes there isn’t much justice in running and for him to be pulled by an injury, especially in a good position gunning for a 6^th title is quite sad. However I’m sure he’ll be back, which is great for the sport. 

So it was Phil and I left. Now we headed around the back end of the course. The top of the lake section was great. Around the back was slightly different. A strong head wind and heavy traffic flows made you work slightly harder. I always find that the marathon goes really quickly and Saturday was no exception. The last ten kms was exhausting but bloody great! Surges and counter surges - I haven’t experienced anything like it in my short running career. I wish every race could be like it! It’s why I get up at silly times in the morning to get my mileage up and put on a head torch on in winter to light the trails below. But with many things there is a winner and this time it was not me! Congratulations Phil, a great run! But I’ll take the second, hopefully just for now! Cheers Rotorua, great times!

Shot c/o Sarah Biss

Shot c/o Lake City Athhletics Club

Few other things and people I want to mention. Steve Day on his first 42 coming home in 4^th with a time of 2.38! Easy!

Some ‘STC’ runners, Brad Henderson, currently in Melbourne, smashing it out in 2.52 and Mark Toplis in 2.58. I went to school with these guys and I’m not sure how much running we did then but I think it’s fair to say that we’re going ok! Keep it up lads!

Shaun (my bro) chalks up another 42, could be his 20^th depending what he’s counting! Made it look pretty easy up the home straight. Congrats to Clifford for his first time, wicked blisters tagged the occasion. Great work to Shand and Candice for finishing the half in excellent times!

Thanks I must also say to Rose, Claire and Ollie for all of the encouraging/cheering/supporting. Always makes a massive difference!

Really want to thank Adidas NZ for their support and making life just that little bit easier. I am very fortunate!

Upcoming stuff for the week and weekend! Firstly if you are in Christchurch get on down to North Hagley Park on Sunday and support the 100km National Champs. This is going to be great watching, especially in the park. Picnic/chairs bring it all down and support these amazing athletes. Here are the details:

http://ultrarunning.co.nz/content/self-transcendence-ultra-trio-100km-50km-50-mile-and-100km-teams-event

Starts at 7am and will be going on into the afternoon. There is also a 50km and 50 mile racing option. The 100km has the National Champs tag! SO that’s this Sunday, the 6^th of May North Hagley Park.

Wednesday:

Leeston Wednesday Night Road Runners, Leeston, Canterbury.
http://www.ellesmereroadrunners.co.nz/index.php?page=wednesday-handicap

Saturday:

Iconic Canterbury day trip ½ marathon at Hanmer. This is a great off road ½ that is challenging but very rewarding.

http://www.hanmerevents.co.nz/Annual-Events/four-squares-half-marathon-a-10k-run.html

Sunday:

New Balance 15km Road Race

http://www.15krace.co.nz/

Always a good hit out but for all people too. They have a variety of entering options to suits all of your running needs.

Enjoy your running, I know I’ll be!

Ultra 168 Adidas Adios Review

Check out the link for a solid review of the Adidas Adios

http://ultra168.com/2012/04/26/shoe-review-adidas-adizero-adios-2/

Pre Rotorua Marathon

I’ve nearly finished Peter Snell’s book, No Bugles No Drums. I’m just past the point in which he wins the 800m and 1500m double at Tokyo. This has to be, if not the best,  one of the best sporting moments in NZ’s history. In predicting the story, I’m interested to see how his running evolves or adapts over the next few months, post Olympics. I’m sure we’ve all had the ‘post event blues’ and wondered how we would ever get back into the routine of training. This is also a major goal of mine for the year and with Rotorua only a couple of sleeps away this time next week my goal should be fully into action. Peter Snell said in his book that after the Olympics he felt shattered. He ran 6 races in 8 days, which in any competition would blow most out of the water, let alone in the Olympics. But we all know that success breeds enthusiasm and determination to achieve more. You run a solid race and it keeps the energy levels and confidence going for another month or so. However when the scale of something is as big as an Olympics and we’re talking about 4 years of work then the hill must be much steeper to climb back up.

My scale is very small in comparison but to combat the ‘blues’ I’ve looked far ahead and mapped out the running year through to the middle of August. It felt good, bloody good! Being a teacher I suppose I am partial to some planning from time to time as ‘winging’ it in front of the chalk face is not really my style.

So for Saturday I really want to do justice to the work I’ve put into my training. I find with marathons the controllable factors are many and when you hit the start line well aware of the mileage you have completed and the work you’ve done then it’s a case of controlling your splits, being relaxed, focused and really enjoying the moment.  The 42 clicks roll over very quickly so staying in that moment I find critical to your overall success, whatever it may be!

Anyway, can’t wait for Saturday, even a couple of brews in the evening!

Good luck to everyone competing around the country this weekend, especially in Rotorua whatever the distance and the folks down south churning up the Routeburn Classic. Check out The Backcountry Runner http://backcountryrunner.wordpress.com/ for a great race preview, field looks to be out of this world!!!

Touch base post Rotorua and no blues!  

Mountain Running Champs

So last Saturday was the turn of Mt Campbell to host the NZ Mountain Running Champs. This being my first attempt I was pretty excited and not there just to make up the numbers! I travelled up on Friday in beautiful weather that seemed destined to continue into the weekend. I popped into Lake Rotoroa on the journey for an hour to ease my mind and escape the roads. The previous day I had an uncomfortable pain in my lower calf, this may well have been from over doing the speed work. The run around the lake was bliss and my calf felt brilliant. 

Saturday was ace with clear blue skies and typically warm Tasman sunshine. The race didn’t begin until midday so I began a relaxing morning with a light run, some paper reading and coffee. This was followed with a short drive to the start line for a warm up and few chats with other guys there.

This race can be spilt into two halves. The first is quite flat and fast with a gradual climb. The second contrasts with steep climbs making you pay for a quicker first part. Being my first Championship race I was a mix of nerves and enthusiasm at the start line. As Eric, the RD, counted down from 30 seconds Grant Guise settled my nerves by mentioning he had a DVD for me in the car that I needed to remind him to grab at the end of the race, always working that bloke! With 10 seconds to go I was relaxed, smiling and ready to get to that BBQ up the top!  

Now I had heard that the time to the top is similar to your half marathon time so I’d worked out a couple of estimations but ultimately knew that this could all change while on the road. I was in the lead group with 5 others, Phil Costley, Dougan Bulter (2011 champ), Glenn Hughes and Steve Day. Around 4 km Phil stretched away and the remaining 4 began to fracture. Dougan and I went in other directions, him forward and I backwards, as I battled to keep up with the group. Glenn and Steve chased hard after Dougan while I was left holding onto 5^th. This was how it stayed for the remainder of the race, with Phil triumphing to take the title, making it National title number 31. Class! Up top there was a BBQ, hot drinks, biscuits and a really social atmosphere. Unfortunately the summit had clouded over so the view could not be seen through the cloud cover, I’ll have to get up there again to see the view for myself one day.

From here it was mission home and on a plane to Queenstown for the back end of a roadie. Shoes packed, and not much else, for some trail goodness around Lake Pukaki and Mt Cook.

Gravel roads never look so good

Looking towards Mt Sefton

Looking back down the valley towards the village

Lucky view

Closer

Post run breakfast

Breakfast view

Post breakfast enjoyment

Looking down the track, Rotorua Marathon is tomorrow (Saturday) week. In between this I’m lining up for University in the Hagley relays. Really looking forward to this as I’ve never taken part before and this relay kicks off the winter club season around Christchurch. 

Stats: Avg Distance:12.50 km

Avg Time:55:55 h:m:s

Count:10 Activities

Distance:125.71 km

Time:9:31:04 h:m:s

Elevation Gain:2,366 m

Avg HR:139 bpm

Calories:6,932 C

Max HR:184 bpm

Avg Elevation Gain:235 m

Max Time:1:16:50 h:m:s

This weekend, very late notice and the following week and weekends

Saturday:

Hagley Relays at North Hagley. Beginning around noon.

Apline Lodge Loop the Lake. 25km trail run around Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes

http://www.nelsonevents.co.nz/content/alpine-lodge-loop-the-lake

Backcountry Runner race coverage will be via its Facebook page so check it out, starts around 8.30am (tomorrow the 21^st)

Mt Edward 23km mountain run plus 5km, 10km and 15km forest run options. Lake Tekapo.

http://www.mtbpursuits.com/MTBeventAirSafarisMountainRun.htm

This looks pretty sweet, I was down there on Wednesday so expect dry, hard and warm conditions!

Wednesday

Leeston Wednesday Night Road Runners, Leeston, Canterbury.
http://www.ellesmereroadrunners.co.nz/index.php?page=wednesday-handicap

These guys are still going strong!

Saturday (28^th)

Routeburn Classic

http://www.goodtimesevents.net/

Few more entries available on the website

Rotorua Marathon

http://www.rotoruamarathon.co.nz/

Short taunts

There is an on-going theme/joke/discussion among some of my friends based around the length of running shorts. Some like them long, others short and others swing between both. Fair enough really as the sport isn’t a fashion statement and ultimately it should come down to comfort and practicality. When thinking back about this I looked at where I began. Long. Now I’ve evolved, adapted, whatever you could call it. Much shorter is my general approach now. Recently I’ve copped a little abuse, not from friends, from passengers in cars. Well only two incidents. The first was shorts related and the second, this evening, was a previously unheard ‘ginger’ taunt. This I’ll put down as not shorts related. The driver of this Subaru station wagon yelled ‘gingers have no soul’. Odd thing to yell when driving? Now I’ve been dealt a couple of ginger taunts, it comes with the territory. They are used as talking points with some of the lads on a long run or cycle. But this new ‘soul’ or ‘apparent lack of it’ taunt is fresh. As normally people associate it (being ginger) with anger, quick to charge or fired up. Similar characteristics of the mountain biker on the Port Hills recently, however he didn’t seem to be ginger. Strange???

Off running, not that I’ve been on it, and to cycling….just for a minute. Paris Roubaix. I need to be careful with my words here as to not give any disrespect to the cycling community and other races I may not know of but what a day in the saddle this is. Tom Boonen simply floated over the cobbles and made the rest of the peloton look like a bunch of juniors. Such a great example of picking the moment and just having the confidence in your own ability and strength to smash the job out! Watching this was a real treat.

Here are some highlights that I found pretty sweet, sorry about the language!

This weekend I’m up around Motueka for the Mountain Running Champs. Really excited about this and glad I decided to enter. It’s one of those things that down the line I would have really regretted not being part of it. No start list has been released so going in blind is even more exciting. I will report back next week about the race. After this I’m off to Queenstown for a quick turn around, and into tour guide for some friends. Taking my running shoes for sure but will have to keep the hand break on as Rotorua follows in less than 2 weeks!

Stats:

Avg Distance:14.08 km

Avg Time:1:01:55 h:m:s

Count:12 Activities

Distance:168.99 km

Time:12:58:58 h:m:s

Elevation Gain:2,245 m

Avg HR:139 bpm

Calories:8,191 C

Max HR:187 bpm

Avg Elevation Gain:187 m

Max Time:2:10:53 h:m:s   

And in the region this week:

Wednesday

Leeston Wednesday Night Road Runners, Leeston, Canterbury
http://www.ellesmereroadrunners.co.nz/index.php?page=wednesday-handicap

It’s great seeing plenty of people out on the trails and tracks at the moment. I was around Hagley Park Monday morning and it’s as busy as ever and around the hills too. Hope it’s everyone getting the early base mileage in for the Christchurch Marathon!

Enjoy

April....

 

Writing this at 6.50pm in near darkness, tell-tale sign that winter is drawing closer by the day. Last week I had to take the head torch out in the hills for my early morning runs. This is always sweet though as I love running in the dark but not really the cold. Although my lack of function in the cold has improved which I can largely put down to appropriate clothing and training through last winter’s snow.

I’ve still got the Ultra bug rolling over from the Northburn and have spent plenty of time on various websites exploring future possibilities, more to follow later. I’ve also managed to start Peter Snell’s book ‘No Bugles No Drums’…amazing. The book is decades old but like many of the books from athletes of that era or coached by Lydiard, the principles can be affectively applied today. That’s one thing I absolutely love about running which transcends many other sports. Yes, people have become faster as time has progressed but that will continue to happen through each generation. But those training principles staying relatively similar are fantastic. It’s just great to read about Murray Halberg and Barry McGee, who both feature quite frequently, iconic times for New Zealand.

Peter Snell mentions one of the ‘Lydiard’ principles of 4 months of base building per year. So during this time a runner should, 4 times a week, run for at least over one and a half hours, hopefully two. This will supply your base for the season. Not having this makes speed very difficult to achieve. Thinking about this this afternoon on a run I loved it! I really enjoy the longer and quite often dread, well perhaps not dread, more like put off, tinker and procrastinate the shorter speed sessions. But 3 hours in the hills, I’m all over it.

Black singlet gold

This week I’ve been looking into planning for post Rotorua. I have found the ‘post big race blues’ really hard to shake off at times. Therefore my goal for post Rotorua is to plan ahead and get back into training as quickly as possible. So entering the Christchurch Marathon is a very good way of doing this. Then beyond this I also have a couple of ideas in the pipeline.

Without competing any races this weekend that’s about all from me, if you’re struggling for the motivation to get out after work in the evenings try the mornings. The mornings have been amazing the past few weeks, there’s something about being above this city when it lays dormant. Not to mention the sun rises are very solid at the minute.

And please keep checking out The Backcountry Runner http://backcountryrunner.wordpress.com/

I’ll leave you with a thought for ‘Caballo Blanco’ who featured in the book ‘Born to Run’. Sadly Blanco’s body was found over the weekend after he did not return from one of his runs. Funny how someone you never met can has such an influence.

Great read...seriously

Stats:

Avg Distance:12.76 km

Avg Time:1:02:26 h:m:s

Count:12 Activities

Distance:153.11 km

Time:12:29:18 h:m:s

Elevation Gain:3,514 m

Avg HR:137 bpm

Calories:7,319 C

Max HR:191 bpm

Avg Elevation Gain:293 m

Max Time:1:57:03 h:m:s

And in the region this week:

Wednesday:

Leeston Wednesday Night Road Runners, Leeston, Canterbury
http://www.ellesmereroadrunners.co.nz/index.php?page=wednesday-handicap

Thursday:
The Rock Race in Rolleston, Canterbury
Meet at the community centre 6.15pm to register for a 6.30pm start (no web)

Not much else going on so I suggest stay clear of the bunny and get into some tempo or time trial work!

Enjoy