Month: January 2015

Reflections on the High Five-0 Challenge experience

Come 6am on Saturday 7 February I’ll be lining up at Rotorua’s Redwoods Visitor Centre with hundreds of other people hoping to complete the seventh annual Tarawera Ultra Marathon (TUM).

http://www.taraweraultra.co.nz/

The TUM is part of the Ultra-Trail World Tour which is a coup for TUM Founder Paul Charteris and his team, great publicity for the TUM and New Zealand trail running. Some of us will run 60, some 85km and barring fire, floods and tropical cyclones forcing a shortening of the course, some particularly hardy individuals will manage 100km. Some of us will not finish. About 30 of us will run with Mal Law up Rangitoto Peak along the way as part of Day 1 of the High Five-O Challenge. If you are part of the Tarawera phenomenon on 7 February you will see us running in our red shirts. Continue reading “Reflections on the High Five-0 Challenge experience” →

Round the Mountain

I used to be a tramper. These days when I study a map, discuss possible routes or consider gear and food options it will be with running in mind. I blame it on my need for speed, my love of the impromptu, a weakness for instant gratification, an adrenalin addiction, a restless nature and the feeling of intense satisfaction derived from spending a very long time on my feet confronting the uncertainty of whether what I’ve set out to do is possible. As Graham Greene noted, “when we are not sure, we are alive.” Maybe it’s a sign of old age that I find trainers more comfortable than boots, I prefer a light day pack to a heavy pack, that I’ve developed a fondness for my own bed. Whatever the reason, one thing’s for sure I’ve nailed a convenient excuse to consume copious quantities of two of my favourite “foods” chocolate and caffeine. Continue reading “Round the Mountain” →