Xterra Trail Run Orongorongo’s

My first ever running race (as an adult) … knees knocking, feeling a little tired in the legs from a five hour hill ride the day before.

I drove up to the Rimutuka Forest Park over the back of Wainuiamata and parked up.  While registering I had a good look around and felt like a huge lad arse for all the skinny tall runners lurking around.  It was very disconcerting having everyone eye you up and down.

I later learnt the skinny runners eye up the multi sporters in the same way – those strong rugged multi sporters.  I laughed.

The differences are like night and day.  Multi sporters wear practical clothing including long socks so dirt and crap doesn’t go in your shoes, wear merino and other warm clothing and carry back packs whereas runners wear tights, tight tops, short socks and don’t carry anything and they are half the size, muscular wise.

Swoosh we were off and straight up a hill, single file, walking all the way as there were too many people to run.  The roots were fantastic to run and jump over – I loved it!

Majority of people were doing the short course so once I went past the first 10km’s I was pretty much on my own.

Learning’s from that race – probably started a little too fast, could have held back ,maybe?  Or more so do not bike five hours the day before!  Also that I needed more fuel than I first thought I would.  And potentially solid fuel. I had a chocolate fish after 90mins and it felt good but I now know I should only have simple sugars in the last 20-30minutes.

I drank more fluid than I thought I would and my throat was quite dry and hoarse (from puffing I guess), I sucked back a bit of juiced up water.  Was also verging on cramping up in the hamstrings.  May need to look at electrolyte tablets.

Anyway I ran downhill to the finish line and got told I looked too fresh – My legs didn’t feel it!  2:09hrs for 16km’s – not bad for my first race.

Then straight home to the bath with food and water, emerging two hours later.

More races coming up over the next three months.

Rangatikei River Kayak

With the Coast to Coast mid February I have had to put in a fair bit of training in a kayak.

I’ve recently joined Mana Kayak Club to up skill.  The coaches are brilliant and we get to wobble our way around the Porirua Harbour in TK1’s (training K1 boats).

Four of us went for a paddle down the Rangatikei River – a brilliant day out. It is supposed to be the North Islands equivalent to the Waimakareri.

I was very nervous when we started out as I thought it was going to be scary stuff.  My first two rapids I was as stiff as a board and very wobbly but I soon loosened up and realised this was going to be fun.

The boys took off and I had to paddle hard to keep up with them and soon realised I was going to have to pick my own lines.

In the end I won a few ‘line of the rapid’ runs which made me feel better.

I didn’t have any swims but I did get cast on a rock in the middle of a rapid due a bad call by the boys below.  But in itself that was a good thing to have happen as I am now aware of what to do and how it felt to be stranded shallow and having to get back in to the fast flow of a channel again.

The scenery itself was just magic!  It is an amazing piece of country in the middle of the North Island, beautiful gorge, clean water, no algae. (Apparently there is in summer when the water flow is less.)  The surrounding snow covered ranges made a picturesque backdrop.

Well worth the trip training wise and I cannot wait to get back up there again.