Coromandel Classic Photos

Last weekend saw me down in the Coromandel competing in the Coromandel Classic multisport race.

Still working on my race report, but in the meantime here are the photos:

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Prizegiving

Pursuit of Excellence

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might."

This principle is one which pervades all areas of my life, not just running. Sometimes this becomes tricky when striving for excellence in many different areas at the same time, and sometimes my athletic aspirations have to take a back seat to studying.

To my delight, I was recently recognised as The Top Undergraduate Student in Mathematics at Massey University (Albany Campus) for 2012!

2012 Mathematics Cup Recipient

Taupo

When an invitation to a Girls' Trail Running Weekend in Taupo arrived from Kate (of Kori Kita) I jumped at the opportunity to explore new tracks with like-minded people.

Friday

I picked Jo up from Devonport, and we headed south just after 1pm. A smooth journey saw us arrive at Acacia Bay at 5pm. Time to settle in and then a wait to see if anyone else was going to turn up. In the end there were only the three of us who ran on Friday night. Kate (and Red) took us along the lake edge a short distance before heading up the hill into the forest. The evening was perfectly still and clear and surprisingly warm. Not a ripple on the lake and myriads of stars twinkling above. Every so often we paused to simply soak in the beauty of our surroundings. A gradual winding ascent through the pines, then a quick drop down Blue Ridge and along a few roads back to Acacia Bay. By this time it was 9pm so we quickly rustled up some chicken & pasta for dinner.

Sunrise at Acacia Bay

 

Saturday

Breakfast at 7:30am. Blue sky and no wind – Lake Taupo was still like a mirror. Drove to Kinloch and met Shannon at 9am. The plan was to run down the 20km Great Lake Trail to Kawakawa Bay and over to Kinloch. However, Kate had forgotten her pack so she dropped Jo, Shannon, and me at the trail head then dashed home to collect her gear before running in to meet us from the Kinloch end of the track.

 

I was eager to get running so went out fairly fast to begin with. Very gradual downhill on pumice tracks, at first through farmland scrub then slowly entering proper bush. Ran by myself for the first 10km down to Kawakawa Bay where I lapped up the wilderness views while I waited for Shannon. For the next few kilometers we ran together and I learnt a lot about training and racing from Shannon. Kate joined us roughly 5km from Kinloch. 

Kinloch, looking towards the Headland

A short stop at Kinloch to refill water and for Shannon change shoes before Shannon and I headed up the W2K Track while Kate ran back along the Kawakawa Bay track to meet Jo. After a 300km training week Shannon wasn’t feeling too sharp, so I forged ahead at my own pace and ran the next 20km by myself. 5km of runnable uphill brought me to the turnoff for the Headland Loop. This track is quite tight & twisty but a bit softer underfoot than the main trails. A few good lookouts along the way. By this time the breeze had got up and clouds were threatening rain. About half way round I realised that I had underestimated how much water I would need and my supply was getting low. Managed to eke it out until about 2km from the end. Jo & Kate were waiting inside the Kinloch store, welcoming me with some much appreciated hot chips.

The tracks were completely different to what I was used to, and much easier than running in the Waitakere Ranges. My lower legs felt the constant pounding on the hard pumice while my quads hardly felt like they had done anything. Normally after a long trail run my legs are smashed, but this time I still felt fresh. The tight, windy mountain bike tracks with no roots or rocks did get a little monotonous at times. The hills were all entirely runnable, but the total ascent was only 670m over 40km.

Jo was exhausted so we dropped her back at the house then Kate took me on a quick jaunt down to the Acacia Bay caves. Headed back and hopped into the spa pool – fantastic recovery session! Relaxed in the tub for an hour and a half before deciding it was time to get dinner. Two of Kate’s running friends, Tilly & Sandy, joined us for dinner. Had a wonderful evening of laughs and camaraderie, and watched a little of “It’s Not That Hard” documentary.





On top of Tauhara

Sunday

A bit cooler in the morning. Shannon walked the Tauhara Half course, and Kate & I ran up Mt. Tauhara. The track was rooty, narrow and steep – just how I like it! A few views on the way up but the summit was in cloud. Quickly put on gloves & a warm top. Spent a few minutes at the top before heading back to find Kate and accompanying her back to the summit. We didn’t hang around long as the cool breeze and cloud soon sent us scurrying down to shelter. The descent was fun! Light misty rain was starting when I reached the carpark.

It was a quick trip for me: 34 minutes up and 20 minutes down. Under the challenge time of 1 hour! We then drove around to the finish line of the Tauhara Half, but it was raining so we didn’t hang around to watch people finish. Had a lazy afternoon at the house and departed for Auckland just before 3pm.

 

A very enjoyable and inspiring weekend of running!

 

Because It's There

This is the account of the first time I ran the Hillary Trail back in January 2012. At the time I was the youngest person to run the trail and since then I have completed the full Hillary Trail twice more, currently holding the record for fastest woman to run from Muriwai to Arataki.

Why. This word is frequently heard by endurance athletes from uninitiated people who struggle to comprehend the motivation behind thrashing your body and pushing your mental toughness for hours on end. It also a word I was asking myself in the days leading up to the Huia Road Bush Runners’ annual Hillary Trail run. Why run 73km of bush trails (with 3,700m of climbing) when ordinary 15km runs are enjoyable? The best reason I came up with was the same that George Mallory gave in 1924 when asked why he was attempting the first ascent of Everest: “Because it’s there!” My longest run to date was just under 30km so attempting the full Hillary Trail was merely doubling that distance and throwing in a bit extra for good measure. Accordingly, at 6am on the first Saturday in 2012, ten of us were assembled at the end of Horseman Road to tackle the challenge.

 

Stage 1: 14km from Goldie’s bush to Bethells Beach       2:06

With a hint of moisture hanging in the air, we started off through the bush in the half light of dawn. Conditions were perfect for running – overcast with a gentle drizzle and no wind to drive it into your face. We settled into an easy rhythm through Goldie’s Bush but despite eyes straining to make out the track, a hidden root saw me roll an ankle within 20 minutes. It was fully light by the time we reached Constable Road and the many muddy/narrow/overgrown patches on the Te Henga walkway made for interesting running with the moody west coast as a backdrop. Michael Rodliffe, Penny Kirkwood and Jim Davidson powered away, followed not too closely by the peloton of Simon Clendon, Shane Absolum, Tony Bus, Dan Roberts, and myself. Stuart met us with his camera as we loped across the bridge to complete the ‘warmup’ leg.

Stage 2: 14km from Bethells Beach to Piha                          2:11

A quick refuelling stop then it was jogging up beside the stream and over the sand dune to the conveniently placed ‘small room’. Our pack opted to take the longer official route around the northern side of Lake Wainamu despite the footprints of Jim, Michael, and Penny clearly heading towards the more direct track. A steady climb up Houghton caught us up to Max (who ran stages 2 & 4) before emerging onto the infamous Kuataika Track. The clay surface was slightly greasy from the persistent drizzle but the steep climbs seemed less dreadful than I remembered. A 200m descent down Whites track brought us into North Piha and the second support stop. Michael and Penny had hoofed it just before I arrived, with Jim further ahead. Several fresh supporting runners were waiting to tackle the next section to Karekare but Shane, Dan, and I set off first. 28km was the furthest I had ever run before, so every step beyond Piha was a journey of discovery.

Stage 3: 12.5km from Piha to Karekare                                   1:58

As we pounded along the road to Glen Esk Valley I could feel my knees tightening slightly but otherwise felt great. I was relishing the adventure. As we ascended to Kitekite falls the drizzle turned to rain which hung around for the rest of the day. A fast walk allowed me to keep up with Shane’s ceaseless shuffling run up the hill until we emerged onto Piha Road. Not far along the road we were halted by Vicki Woolley shouting to us from behind – something about “Penny” and “AWOL”. Dan turned back to find out what was going on while Shane and I continued onwards. At the end of Log Race Road Shane took the wrong entrance to the Mercer Bay Loop Walk then headed out toward the lookout on the headland. I caught sight of him in time and called him back to the correct track. Coming down Comans was a bit muddy so due caution was exercised to avoid taking a spill. Near the top we passed Jo and were soon at Karekare carpark to rendezvous with the van. A surprised Stuart enquired if we had passed Penny as she ought to have been well ahead of us by this time. Dan ended his run here as he had a wedding to attend. Everyone was surprised that Jim was not stopping at the van to resupply, but his decision to be self sufficient proved wise later on when he was too far in front to be met by the van. By now we were all completely soaked and looked (and felt) like drowned rats. A fresh pair of socks was in order, as the assorted stones and leaves collected in my shoes were starting to get irritating.

Stage 4: 10km from Karekare to Whatipu                             2:10

As we set off up Zion Hill together, Shane and I congratulated each other on achieving our first ever marathon. By this stage the tracks were saturated and seemed to have reverted to winter condition. Knowing that the halfway mark had been passed was a huge relief and I was still feeling reasonably good. It wasn’t until starting the climb up Muir track I began to notice that tiredness was creeping in. Once on Gibbons Shane kept going at a fair clip while my pace slowed due to the mud. For the first time all day I was running alone. This track has a reputation for being muddy and this was no exception. The downhill section was exposed to the cool breeze which, coupled with the fact that I hadn’t been eating as much as I should have due to the slippery technical nature of the track, soon cooled me down and I began to look forward to dry clothes at Whatipu. Cold, wet, tired, hungry, and alone – but enjoying it! The van was a welcome sight and I quickly put on a warm polyprop and refilled my water before heading up Omanawanui.

Stage5: 10km from Whatipu to Huia                                       2:39

Shane had waited for me to arrive at Whatipu and we set off together again, this time accompanied by Jonathan Douglas and his son Jake. The three of them soon disappeared and I was caught up by Tom Frentz who kindly stayed with me for this entire section even though it was mostly walking. By now I was definitely tired and my legs were getting tight. When Mum met us at the top of the Omanawanui track and asked how I was I had only one reply: “Hurting!” A steady plod brought us to the top of Karamatura Track, which is the last steep descent on the Hillary Trail. The abundance of mud and roots demanded concentration and my knees were brought to the edge of mutiny at each big step. At last the seemingly interminable downhill ended and we jogged into the last support stop. My body was telling me in no uncertain terms that it would be nice to stop here, but I was determined to finish even if I walked the last 10km to Arataki. After running 63km I wasn’t about to let a little pain and tiredness stop me now!

Stage 6: 10.5km from Huia to Arataki                                      3:00

This last stage is mostly gravel roads, with only one technical track to go: the dreaded Hamilton Track (otherwise known as where the mud monster lives). Jogging along the dam roads with Jonathan my ‘running’ got slower and slower until it was barely more than walking speed. My legs were so tight that the range of motion in my knees was inhibited, reducing me to an agonising shuffle. Finishing was now 100% certain – there were no more chances to opt out! Once at Hamilton Track, Jono raced ahead to catch up with Shane, Jake, and Richard Cross. For the second time that day I was cold, wet, tired, hungry, and alone – but this time I most decidedly was not enjoying it! The rough, muddy terrain dictated a slow pace and I soon cooled enough to don my raincoat and fantasise about dry clothes. When simply walking was a challenge, wallowing through the mud was an excruciating, energy sapping exercise. A shout from up ahead – Richard had come back looking for me and I was relieved to no longer be alone with the mud monster. This was the lowest point for me as I valiantly fought to keep from breaking down, both physically and mentally. Once back on gravel roads I attempted to jog but it was simply not going to happen. Pipeline was a little slippery, but compared to previous tracks it was a footpath. Like a horse sensing its stable, once on Slip Track my pace picked up slightly and I even managed to run down the last slope to the cheering supporters at Arataki Visitor Centre. Elation at completing the Hillary Trail was superseded by the relief of simply being able to stop after 14 hours and 4 minutes on the go.

Yes, I was stiff and sore the next day and during the run I had points where I wondered at the sanity of our endeavour. The first 50km had been easy but the final 20km required me to dig deep and summon every ounce of mental fortitude. Still, the real question is not “why?”, but WHY NOT?

Jim was the first home in 11 hours 49 minutes – not bad for his longest run in more than a decade. Michael and Shane finished before me (12:38 and 13:22 respectively) with Simon and Tony turning up only 10 minutes after I finished. Penny arrived in 14:27 hours, after her navigational errors resulted in her covering a total of 82km – 10km more than anyone else!

Cape Brett Challenge - 37km

27^th April 2013

Based at Rawhiti in the Bay of Islands, the course meanders through several picturesque bays before doubling out and back to Cape Brett Lighthouse along the spine of the peninsula. My parents (along with Graeme & Tessa Brown) were the original organisers of the race back in 2005 so we have been involved in the race for its first 6 years and it was nice to be able to race now that Jan Danilo has re-started the event.

While I often run with my Dad, this was the first time that we have seriously squared off in a race. Would Dad’s strength and experience give him the edge, or would my endurance be sufficient to beat him? We each have different terrain preferences and strengths - Cape Brett Challenge would be the proving ground. 



Dad and me at Whangamumu

The 4.5km of road at the start served as a good warm up and allowed the field to sort itself out before hitting the trails for the first climb over to Whangamumu Beach. Dad and I entered the track side by side but Dad dropped back once the ascent began. However, the clay downhill was a different story, with Dad soon flying past. This was to become a common theme. Just before the beach I passed Amy Campbell, New Zealand’s 24hr running representative, and moved into the lead of the women’s race. A high tide saw us all wading around the coast for a short section before the drink station.

1 ½ hours and several steep up and downs saw us at the turnoff to Cape Brett. From here it is 10km out to the lighthouse, the first 6km of which is a fantastic track to run. Moderately undulating and not very technical, this section lends itself to fast running (although it doesn’t seem like it on the way back!) and offers some spectacular views. Then it gets brutal.

For the first 20 minutes or so Dad was just ahead, fading in and out of sight. Meanwhile Greta Knarston, one of the country’s top female orienteers, had caught up and was threatening my lead. Focusing on racing meant I only caught glimpses of the sparkling views on both sides of the peninsula and it would have been nice to able to take some time and soak in the beauty. I was steadily moving up the field although Dad was well out of sight by the Deep Water Cove junction. This is where the real grunt begins; the last 4km to the cape offers breathtaking vistas matched by even more breathtaking climbs.

About 2km before the turnaround I met Vajin Armstrong on his way back to Rawhiti. A big gap and then a couple more runners came past. I was surprised to meet so few returning runners as I thought I was back near the middle of the field. All the front guys gave cheerful encouragement which helped to spur me on. Just before the last climb, where the track goes extremely close to the cliff edge, I caught sight of Dad only a couple of hundred metres ahead which also gave me a boost.

Arriving at the water station at the 3-hour mark just as Dad left, I wasted no time topping up my CamelBak and heading straight back up the hill. With Dad just ahead and Greta just behind there was no time for dilly-dallying. The 160m climb back past the lighthouse was pure torture – no breeze and in the full sun, having run 21km and with another 16km to go. I began to feel the effects of the heat, with my stomach a little upset and the thought of food becoming repugnant.

Although the track is very narrow, passing oncoming traffic was not a problem as everyone was very courteous. I was mostly on my own for the return journey although I did manage to pass a couple of people. Landmarks noted on the way out slowly ticked by but I was walking far more than I wanted. It seemed to be all uphill after the cape! By this stage my legs were tiring but I didn’t want to ease up as I couldn’t see how close Greta was. Instead of trying to catch Dad I was now focusing solely on retaining my lead in the women’s field. The SAR marshals at each junction were a welcome sight as they signaled the completion of another section.

1km to go!

 Hydration appeared to be going smoothly (although subsequent estimation shows I drank less than 2.5 litres during the whole race) but fuelling was well off track, only eating a couple of Gu chomps in the last two hours. A combination of heat, lack of fuel, and prolonged intense effort saw my heart rate maxing out and remaining sky high. My plan had been to go all out from the 6km to go mark, but instead I had to back off a little.

At the summit of Pukehuia, the highest (345m) and final hill, I unexpectedly caught up with Dad as he had paused to fill up his water. However, I knew I had no chance of staying with him on the long downhill unless he succumbed to cramp as he was prone to. We passed the last of the 10km walkers as we pounding down the hill and could hear announcements from the event base down below. Above Oke Bay with only 1.5km to go my hands and legs started tingling so I once again had to ease off to a walk to get my heart rate down and oxygen level up.

Hitting the tarmac at sea level meant one thing – the finish was just around the corner. This was my final chance to catch Dad, and for the final kilometre along the foreshore road I pushed hard but was happy knowing that Greta was no longer a threat. Rounding the last corner I heard Dad’s name being announced as he finished – one minute later I crossed the line with a huge grin on my face. I was thrilled with my time of 5:38:50 and was elated to be the first woman home!  

Prizegiving

While the 37km Cape Brett Challenge is not the furthest I have run, it is by far the longest I have run at such high intensity. Apart from the 5km of road, the track is absolutely fantastic! Mostly not too technical single-track with lots of steep uphills, and despite the highest point being only 345m there is a staggering 2,500m of climbing over the 37km.

Going into the race I had three goals:

·         Finish in under 6 hours

·         Place in the top 3 women

·         Beat Dad

I well and truly achieved #1 and #2, but Dad managed to postpone #3 until next year . . .

Splits

-> Track start   24:23
-> Whangamumu drink station   26:32
-> Cape Brett turnoff   38:23
-> Deep Water Cove junction (out)  48:59
-> Deep Water Cove junction  (back) 1:37:36
-> Cape Brett turnoff   56:50
-> Rawhiti   45:44
Event Website
Event Photos