#runners in NZ

[rug-house]

Modern runners in NZ at a low price. We have a mass variety of collections and designs in all sizes. We provide free express shipping offer all over New Zealand.

[bluedesignwall]

I feel like I crammed a lot into my Sunday. I was up at 6am, breakfast then into the forest for a gentle 10km. When I got home I rollered and stretched in the sun then hit the shower. Second breakfast sitting in the garden followed by an hour deadheading and weeding. Lunch on the deck, finished the gardening and gave my running vest a wash and hung that in the sun to dry. Jumped in the Cortina for a quick cruise to the beach. Home and into the sewing room where it was lovely and cool. I quilted my little Improv quilt. Tea then back into the sewing room to pack up my work gear for tomorrow. Then looking at binding for the little improv quilt. Gonna have to make some black binding. That might have to wait until next week. I have missed a lot of things off this list. I’m posting from my phone, now that is another story which I’m not typing into my phone.

[equusandfandoms]

everyone who works in hospo needs to at least once in their life go

"guys look"

*pulls out step tracker app*

"did you know I've walked 10 kilometres inside this place today"

and everyone perceiving this has to go WILDD even if they've perceived it a dozen times before

[yes-rughouse-universe]

Shop Hallway Runner Rugs in New Zealand

Searching for hallway runner rugs in New Zealand? Look no further! Shop our selection of high-quality rugs and find the perfect one to enhance your hallway.

[elegantagent]

Howdy! I have not blogged in a while and I thought this time I oughtta review some of the gunpla kits I've built over the past few months

1. Master Grade Z'gok

This one was a really interesting build, for an old school MG (before the late 2000's with the release of the 2.0) this has mostly a completely intact inner frame

And the greeblies are pretty nice for such an old mold. The articulation is about par for the course of a kit from 2002, but this is made more as an interesting display piece rather than something for posing and play.

Another interesting bit about this kit is the rubber gaskets used in the build. I suppose it's to get in the style if an aquatic/amphibious build, and it works well, they're very interesting parts, but since this was a gift delivered from an online store the runners containing the soft rubber parts had warped in the Texas heat. With some sanding and dry brushing this model looks menacing.

2. Perfect Strike Freedom

As par for the course with the high grade line, the perfect strike freedom is a simple build with decent articulation with polycap joints and some pretty annoying mold lines and nubs. This was a good break for me from some of the more complicated builds I had been working on around this time, (ZZ ver ka, Z'gok) and it was quite fun. I didn't have to care about the details or interesting additions from the designers because the kit was delightfully simple. I had fun painting little details on the eyes and barrels and scopes. I wasn't spending too long on details, besides resurfacing and painting up the shoulder joints in order for them to look more mechanical and less toylike. And a pretty decent deal of such a large kit. If you do want one for your own, I do reccomend pairing the purchase with an action base of some sort or ,if you have the means, to manufacture your own.

3. HGUC Kshatriya NZ-666

This decently aged high grade is actually a pretty decent build for skilled builders, there's a lot of work to be done to make it feel nice, but the size and bulk of the kit alone just makes the build satisfying. One thing I found pretty unsatisfying were the sleeves decorations on the wrists and chest. I do not own an Airbrush, nor do I feel like splurging on such a tool at this moment. But i tried my best at a pseudo reverse wash technique using white paint and my panel scriper. As you can see in the above photo, did not work out too amazingly. I also neglected to build the arms entirely, as I will be completely unable to pose this kit with the binders open on my shelf. The thing is just that huge. The high grade box is literally the size of a Ver Ka box. It's so extra i love it

4. Wing Zero Endless Waltz Ver Ka.

I'm not a huge fan if after colony designs, or the show it comes from, but the Katoki Redesign of the Wing Zero gundam is absolutely insane. It's extra to the highest degree. Double beam rifle, four feathered wings, unnecessary knee bend mechanics, and meshing gears for christ sakes.

This is really the kind of thing I was expecting from a katoki kit when I built the ZZ. Something super interesting and special for the builder, through each part of this build I wanted to go above and beyond, marking panels, washing crevices, and even drybrushing down all the grey mechanical details, I love this kit a whole lot. It's an amazing build, and I might go watch Endless Waltz just because of how much I enjoyed this kit.

Anyways those are the kits I have built over last few months. I love talking about my hobby so like, idk do whatever if I should keep blogging about this stuff

[boxboxblog]

Driver Profiles: Liam Lawson

Hello, this is part of a series where I focus on one driver on the current (as of Oct 2024) grid and give an overview over their career and driving styles. I will be going in championship points order. Enjoy!

Name: Liam Lawson

Age: 22

Nationality: New Zealander

Years in F1: Less than 1 ( October 2024 VCARB, )

Number: 30

WDCs: N/A

Driving Style: Lawson is noted as a particularly adaptive driver. He seems to mesh well with many different cars, series, and styles. He is noted for his adaptability due to the fact that he regularly enters new series and shows good results quickly. Beyond that he is an assertive driver, but not as aggressive and reckless as some rookies can be. However, this lower amount of aggression meant he was less forceful in overtaking situations. Also his general lack of experience in an F1 car is a downside.

History:

Lawson was born to a relatively middle-class family, with a father who had a passion for Motorsport racing. This got Lawson involved from a very young age, and he started karting professionally at age 6. He had a very successful karting career, winning his first national title in 2012 when he won the Cadet class of the NZ CIK Championship. In 2013 he won his second national title in Junior Restricted and also finished runner-up in the NZ Schools Championship. 2014 he added two more national karting titles, winning Junior Restricted in both the NZ Sprint Championship and NZ Schools.

(Lawson during his karting days)

2015 he made his single-seater debut in the Formula First Manfield Winter Series taking a win and ten podiums to finish 2nd in the standings that year.overall. A few months later he took part in the NZ Formula First championship, taking a win and three podiums, getting 6th in the standings and winning Rookie of the Year. The following year, Lawson graduated to the NZ F1600 Championship Series where he dominated, claiming fourteen of the fifteen victories on offer to become the youngest champion in not just the series' history, but the youngest ever Formula Ford champion in world at the time.

(Lawson with his Formula Ford car)

In 2017, Lawson moved up to the Australian F4 championship, taking five wins to finish 2nd in his rookie season. 2018 Lawson remained at Formula 4 level, moving across to contest the ADAC Formula 4 championship with Van Amersfoort Racing (home to many future F1 drivers) and won three times, which saw him claim his second consecutive F4 runner up position.

(Lawson during his time at German F4)

Lawson took part in the Toyota Racing Series for the 2019 season and had a fantastic season. Lawson dominated on debut at Highlands, taking two races wins. He won three more times across the season along with multiple podium finished, and secured the title before the season was even over. He would take part in many other series over the next couple of years.

(Lawson after a race win in the 2019 Toyota Racing Series)

He competed in F3, but had middling results, is highest standings finish being 3rd in 2020. He moved on to F2 in 2021, where he had another middling season. He did achieve one win and three podiums, but finished 9th in the standings. He also competed in DTM during that year, having a very tight season and finishing 2nd in the standings. 2022 F2 was a much better year, as he had multiple race wins and podiums. He finished 3rd in the season, and had dropped from 2nd due to some unfortunate results in the latter half of the season.

(Lawson in his 2021 F2 car)

2023 Lawson took part in Super Formula, showing immediate pace and skill, and claimed three wins, multiple podiums, and many high-points finishes. He unfortunately finished 2nd in the standings, and did not return to Super Formula in 2024. During the 2023 year, Lawson also subbed in for an Injured Daniel Riccardo on the AlphaTauri team. He had held a connection to F1 for many years, joining the Red Bull Junior Team in 2019, and had served as their reserve driver for both AlphaTauri and Red Bull starting 2022. His time with AlphaTauri was decent. he did only score points once, but he also did finish higher than his teammate during this time.

(Lawson during the 2023 season with Alpha Tauri)

Once Riccardo returned, Lawson was kept as a reserve driver, a role he held until he was promoted up to the VCARB (AlphaTauri) seat for the remainder of the 2024 season, replacing Daniel Riccardo permanently. His first race as an official F1 driver is set to be the COTA GP. As of right now he does not have a seat for the 2025 season.

(Lawson with F1 driver Sergio Perez)

Major Races (including non F1):

2021 DTM Championship Norisring Finale - A race that showed off his great skill and pace, it was marred by a controversial scrape with Kevin van der Linde, his title rival. Mid-race, van der Linde made contact with Lawson and forced him into the gravel, which ultimately lost Lawson the title.

2021 F2 Monaco Sprint - He won this race with a stellar drive, showing his high handling skills and cool head around a very complex circuit. This helped him attract serious F1 attention.

2023 Singapore GP - His first F1 points every score, Lawson showed remarkable perseverance in one of the most physically demanding races of the season. Only his third race in F1, he showed great composure and fantastic race craft.

2023 Super Formula Fuji - His time in SF was all around positive, and at Fuji he dominated the track. He showcased great control in mixed conditions and showed he could handle a high-downforce car, important in F1.

Alright, that is the last one. I might do a series of profiles on some F1 legends (Senna, Prost, Hill, Lauda, Schumacher, Fangio, etc) so keep an eye out for that.

I hope you enjoyed the driver profiles. They will be updated as time goes on.

Cheers,

-B

[projectourworld]

Animals category runner-up: It’s time to go home by Lasitha Liyana Patabendi

Captured at Lake Wyangan, in Campbell’s Swamp, Griffith, NSW, Patabendi’s runner-up winning image It’s time to go home is testament to his patience and clear vision. He tells us the image was captured at a local spot he regularly visits for silhouettes. ‘I observed this great egret during sunset and noted I could make a dramatic image by getting myself lower to eye level and using the foreground bushes as a natural colour gradient,’ he says. ‘Then it was a matter of waiting for the perfect take-off and framing it.’

Photograph: Lasitha Liyana Patabendi 2024 Mono awards: the best black and white photography in Australia and NZ #takeoff

[pinkbrries]

#BASIC INFO

》 BIRTH NAME: park izabella (in hangul: 박이자벨라)

》 KOREAN NAME: park chaewon (in hangul: 박채원)

》 STAGE NAME: izabella / cherry

》 REASON OF HER NAME: from Sino-Korean 采 (chae) meaning “collect, gather, pluck” or 彩 (chae) meaning “colour” combined with 原 (won) meaning “source, origin, beginning”.

》 NICKNAMES: chae oppa | wonnie hyung | iza | ella | ellie | cherry | chae-lion | prince charming | ateez golden girl | chae-culator | 4th gen it girl

》 BIRTH DATE: dec 23, 1998

》 PLACE OF BIRTH: auckland, nz

》 ZODIAC SIGN: capricorn.

》 ETHNICITY: new zealand-korean

》 LANGUAGES: english (native), korean (fluent), japanese (fluent), french (conversational), mandarin (basic), thai (learning)

》 HEIGHT: 1.57 cm || 5’1

》 VOICE CLAIM (rap): yuhnway (soloist)

》 VOICE CLAIM (vocal): kim jung eun (loona)

》 FACE CLAIM: kim jung eun (loona)

》 EMOJI: 🦁 / 🍒

》 FAVORITE COLOR: pastel pink and pastel green

》 MBTI: ENTJ-A

》 ROLE MODELS: rosé (blackpink), cl (2ne1), bobby and hanbin (ikon), shinee, red velvet, twice, wonder girls, hyuna, cheetah, zico, iu, dynamicduo, queen, metallica.

》 POSITIONS: main rapper, main dancer, main vocal, visual.

》 INDIVIDUAL FANDOM NAME: cherries (because of her old stage name)

#CARRER

》 COMPANIES:

SM Entertainment (signed as an actress): 2012 - 2014

Starship Entertainment: 2014 - 2016

KQ Entertainment: 2016 - present

》 TRAINEE PERIOD: 6 years and a half.

》 PRE DEBUT & OTHER APPEARANCES:

actress for several commercials

drama: heirs

drama: reply 1994

drama: schoolgirl detectives

unpretty rapstar s3 (second runner-up)

show me the money s6 (second runner-up)

kq fellaz

good girl

immortal songs

amazing saturday

hello counselor

men on a mission

the show (mc along with juyeon and kim minkyu)

inkigayo (special mc along with minhyuk and jaehyun)

show me the money s9 (first runner-up)

kpop daebak

running man

drama: a love so beautiful (korean ver)

drama: our beloved summer

drama: blue birthday

high school rapper s4 (mentor along with simon dominic and loco)

》 DEBUT DATE: october 24, 2018

#BACKGROUND

Izabella was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on december 23, 1998 to a korean family, having two older sisters, one of them being Rosé from the popular kpop girl group Blackpink. At the age of five years old Izabella and her family moved to Melbourne, Australia; there, she started taking different classes since early age: jiu jitsu (even participating in national competitions), aerial and contemporary dance, she learned how to play the drums, the piano and the guitar, and even joined the church choir along with her sister Rosé.

In 2011, at age of 13 and influenced by her dad’s words, she attended an audition in Sydney, Australia for South Korean record label SM Entertainment, ranking at the top three among 1000 participants, and just some months after that, her sister Rosé signed with YG. They both dropped out of school and moved to South Korea with their mom.

At first, she was happy with being signed only as an actress and having small roles to start with her career, but then she realized that acting wasn’t her passion, and after two years, she parted with SM on good terms.

Some months after that, she got scouted by an agent of Starship Entertainment. Izabella even trained with the (now) monsta x members and even got contemplated to join the survival show “no mercy,” but she didn’t end up joining. In the winter of 2015, Izabella opens a soundcloud account and starts releasing her own songs under the stage name of “cherry,” her popularity starting to grow, even getting considered as one of the best underground rappers back then. In 2016, she decides on parting with Starship too on good terms.

Trying to not give up even after the circumstances and after seeing her older sister’s success, she joins “unpretty rapstar” in 2016 under the stage name of ‘cherry’, making it into the finals and ranking at 3rd place. Izabella gained a lot of popularity due this survival, even getting calls from companies that were interested on signing her. It’s in october 2016 that an agent from KQ Entertainment reaches out to her, and after convincing her on giving the company a chance, she officially becomes a trainee at the beginnings of november 2016.

A year later, she joins another survival show: “show me the money,” being part of zico’s and dean’s team, making it into the finals and finishing on 3rd place.

On october 24, 2018, Izabella made her official debut with Ateez.

#SIGNATURE

[rug-house]

Experience the Cozy Comfort of Shaggy Rugs in Your Home

Shaggy rugs are a popular choice for homeowners who want to create a cozy and inviting space in their homes. These rugs are known for their plush, deep pile, which adds a touch of softness and comfort to any room. Whether you're looking to add warmth to your living room, bedroom, or home office, shaggy rugs are a great way to enhance your home decor and create a comfortable, inviting atmosphere.

 One of the main benefits of shaggy rugs is their softness. The long, thick pile of these rugs feels luxurious underfoot, making them a great choice for bedrooms and living areas where you want to add an extra layer of comfort. In adding to their comfort, shaggy rugs are also offered in a range of colors and styles, creating it simple to find one that complements your existing decor.

 Another benefit of shaggy rugs is their versatility. These rugs can be used to create a range of different looks, from bohemian to modern, depending on the style and color you choose. They can also be used to add texture to a room, making them a great choice for minimalist spaces that need a little extra depth and interest.

 When it comes to maintenance, shaggy rugs are surprisingly easy to care for. Regular vacuuming and spot cleaning are all that is needed to keep them looking their best. And because they are made from high-quality materials, they are also durable and long-lasting, making them a practical choice for high-traffic areas.

 Overall, shaggy rugs are a great way to add a touch of cozy comfort to your home decor. Whether you're looking to create a warm and inviting space or add texture and depth to a minimalist room, shaggy rugs are a versatile and practical choice. So why not experience the cozy comfort of shaggy rugs in your home today?

[artisticlegshake]

THE DANCE AWARDS LAS VEGAS RESULTS 2023

BEST HIP-HOP PERFORMANCE:

WINNER: Monster - LARKIN

RUNNERS-UP:

Money - ELEMENTS

Phresh Off The Runway - NEXT STEP

Pure Blue - ELEMENTS

X-NZ - EXPRESSENZ

[core-bagg]

FUCK IT, AU TIME!

I got inspired by @pepperoni-chips’ au and decided to make my own.

TL;DR: GHS meets Japanese myths and that one fae rule

Plot

It’s been half a year since Gregory House became aware of a new hotel and sent their first expeditionist (A random JB that nobody would miss). Gold wanted a break from the hotel and ask Gregory if he could leave. To his surprise, the old rat said yes…But not as how he looked now, besides, they needed someone to find that last expeditionist. Gold, now dubbed “Gabriel”, ends up at Laplace itself. There’s only one objective, find that JB and get out…Oh, and another thing; Don’t tell them your real name at any cost.

——————————————————————————————————

Characters:

——————————————————————————————————

“GABRIEL”

Gabriel is the main character of the au. He is JBG in disguise, using a soul to hide his true appearance…Unfortunately for him, that soul belonged to a teenager who just hit puberty. All he wanted was a day away from the hotel, and he got to visit Gregory House’s kaizo mode cousin.

“THE RADIO”

Of course Gregory wasn’t going to just let one of his first guests walk straight into a potential death trap without guidance, so he dug out an old radio and hooked the other end up to an anonymous helper. They know a little too much about Laplace for comfort…Oh yeah, the old expeditionist used to send letters of his findings.

“YOKO”

The fox that runs Laplace. Despite the name, she is not a Yōko, she’s actually based off a Myōbu. She is quite strict, but that’s her job as the runner of Laplace. Like Gregory, she has a “one-winged angel” form, which is based off a Tenko.

“PONPOKO”

The tanuki that acts as Neko Zombie’s stand in. Like how NZ and Gregory’s relationship is based off the classic “cat vs mouse”, Yoko and Ponpoko’s relationship is based off the Japanese “Kitsune vs Tanuki”. He’s a much more jovial and round fellow.

“DR. RIVER”

A kappa that works as Laplace’s resident doctor. He is a kind man, in fact, he’s one of the more kinder residents in Laplace. Unlike Catherine, he will actually try to cure the guest’s illness and won’t just take them as live bait. He is also a man that’ll never break a promise. However, he is a little cowardly after an experience that made him put a helmet of water around his head.

“FAULT KID”

A Nopperabō who gets their kicks off enabling a guest’s despair. They usually change their appearance to reflect a person that the guest has wronged in the past. The only way to get rid of Fault Kid is to either ignore them or show a positive reaction instead of a negative reaction, then they’ll walk off to find someone else.

“POLY-SAN”

A arcade machine that plays a dating simulator on its screen. He seems like a regular arcade machine at first, but the more the in-game Poly-san gets attached to you, the more he reveals that he’s sentient. Poly-san is a Yandere who’ll even harm his “lover” if they “cheat”. Basically Catherine without the chest.

“COLD GIRL”

A young yuki onna that always cold. She wanders the halls, hoping to find a way to satiate her hunger for warmth. Should a guest hug her, they’ll suffer from an incurable sensation of coldness that’ll be around for at least an hour. She also has a mother called “Cold Mama” who is a tsurara onna with a similar yet worse coldness.

“RISADA”

A Warai onna dressed like a jester. She’s usually in the hallway practicing tricks. If a guest approaches Rasada, she’ll purposely fail her trick and begin laughing. Sooner or later, the guest will begin to laugh as well. Even after she leaves, they’ll still be laughing until they either pass out from the lack of air or they’re snapped out of it.

“HANGING BOY”

A Teru-Teru Bōzu who likes to play the game “hangman”. He’ll give the guest hints so they can spell the right word. It may be a simple game to him, but with that rope that spawned around the guests neck, it’s a game of life or death.

“THE KING”

An oni that’s behind Laplace’s creation. He has three servants: a blind one named “Mizar”, a deaf one named “Kika” and a mute one named “Iwa”. He is, as the title would imply, in cahoots with Yoko, the person running Laplace.

“THE MANZAI”

The current beating heart of Laplace. This is the fate of the first expeditionist. After he faced all the trials of Laplace, his escape prevented by one fatal mistake: He said his real name. But that’s a mistake that won’t be repeated, right Gabriel?

——————————————————————————————————

That’s my lore dump done, feel free to ask me about my AU. I’m really passionate about it! Okay bye!

[yes-rughouse-universe]

Spacious Stylishness: Improve Your Interiors with Large Rugs in NZ

Find the perfect rug for every room in your home. From cosy living rooms to elegant bedrooms, we got you covered

[hang-on-lil-tomato]

NZ broadcaster Dom Harvey is obsessed with running. In this weekly podcast he speaks to awesome people who identify as runners. In depth conversations covering a wide range of topics....but lots of running chat. ——————————

https://domharveynz.podbean.com/e/episode-34-rhys-darby-actor-and-comedian/

Not the least bit surprised that Rhys would consider himself on the spectrum.

We do love his ““essence”(Rosie chuckles at him.)

So we declare him KING! Alpha nerd. Alpha geek.

[drhoz]

#1941 - Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora - Garden Montbretia

Photo by @purrdence at Lake Mangamahoe, NZ. 

From the Greek krokos, meaning "saffron", and osme, meaning "odor" –  the dried leaves emitting a strong smell like that of saffron (another genus in the Iridaceae) – when immersed in hot water.  Montebretia is a heterotypic synonym of the genus Tritonia in which some species of Crocosmia used to be included. In the British Isles the common name Montebretia for orange-flowered cultivars that have aggressively naturalised, while "crocosmia" is reserved for less aggressive red-flowered cultivars.

A garden hybrid of Crocosmia aurea and Crocosmia pottsii, both of which originated from South Africa, first bred in 1880 in France by Victor Lemoine, and now an invasive weed in the UK, California, Australia and New Zealand. The weed grows in all states of Australia bar the Northern Territory, most often close to highly populated city and coastal areas where garden waste was illegally dumped. It is of particular concern in the Manly and Blue Mountains areas near Sydney. but is present at various locations along the eastern coast, the Tablelands regions and on Lord Howe Island. 

Montbretia grows in dense clumps and is capable of adapting to a variety of conditions (hybrid vigour is a sod), out-competing native plants, particularly in native bushland and riparian areas, causing creek bank erosion and sedimentation where it changes water flow.

Montbretia can sometimes still be found for sale at local fetes, nurseries and markets but mostly spreads from underground runners and bulbs. Each plant can produce over a dozen new bulbs each year, which break off from the parent plant and begin to produce their own root network. 

[wherespaulo]

Trail Racing in New Zealand with Race2Adventure

Feb 18-26, 2023

I’ve always been on the lookout for companies which organize international adventure tours based around running – yet I’ve always been surprised to find that these companies are few and far between. So I was happy to discover Race2Adventure back in 2013 when I ran in Panama with them. Since then I’ve also been on running tours with them in Peru (2015) and Chile (2017) as well as well as a non-running trip to the world cup in Brazil (2014). For Merritt Hopper, the owner of the company, New Zealand had always been on the radar and would be a special one, but it had been delayed a few years due to New Zealand’s strict policies during the covid pandemic.

I’d just spent a couple of weeks in Australia followed by a week’s hiking on trails around Queenstown so was already well acclimated to the time zone and weather by the time I met up with a couple of the runners in an Irish bar, Pog Mahones, over a couple of Guinness’s. I immediately hit it off with Pete, Merritt’s uncle from upstate New York, and Chris, a talkative, mean looking ex-marine from Idaho.

The kick-off meeting in the Queenstown Community Centre was a chance to catch up with many old faces from both organizing staff and runners as well as meeting many new ones, such as Nathan Fa’avae, a world renown New Zealand adventure racer who was helping out with some of the race courses. There were too many to mention and I always cherish being able to catch up with friends around the world whom I’ve not seen for years – to just carry on where we last left off. And Race2Adventure is a great way to do this. There would be about 100 runners covering a range of abilities and I had no idea where I fitted into this – so there was some trepidation on the eve of the first race as we sized up the competition.

RACES

Race 1 – Arrowtown to Kawarau Bridge (6.1 miles)

It was good to be back in the quaint old gold mining community of Allentown for the start of the first race. A two mile brisk walk along the Arrow River to the starting line and then we were off! A 6.1 mile route alongside the Arrow River to the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge. I was pleasantly surprised by my respectable fifth place finish, half expecting to be overtaken by a few other runners at some point – I did suspect more stiff competition was to come over the next few runs though, especially as they would be shorter, faster runs!

And much respect to those fearless runners with nerves of steel who finished off with a bungy jump over the river from the 43m high Kawarau Bridge, considered to be the ‘home of bungy’ – although the very first bungee jumps were actually from the Clifton Suspension Bridge in England in 1979 by crazy members of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club. And special kudos to those who even went a step further (ha ha) by doing the 134m Nevis Jump. I opted for the much more cowardly option of zip lining, superman style. I’d surmised that my legs would refuse to comply with the request to step off the bungee platform into thin air.

Race 2 – Lake Pukaki (4.3 miles)

The NZ sun is deceptive. It might only be 70F, but the sun has an increased intensity due to the hole in the ozone layer. And didn’t I know it! After that first race I’d clearly been lulled into a false sense of security as a number of other runners, less affected by the sun’s intensity and clearly faster over the shorter distances, hit their stride. There was big Brian, a big yoga bloke in a big hat, which I would forever see bobbing up and down ahead of me. This was a tough run for me but I did manage to increase my standing towards the end as a few runners surprisingly wilted even more than me. A plunge into the icy cold lake was a must after such a hot run, with the ladies taking the lead on the NZ tradition of skinny dipping.

Race 3 – Lake Tekapo (3.1 miles)

During this trip I would forever be reminded of my previous visit to New Zealand’s south island over the new year of 2014/15 – like a series of deja vu’s. Such as at the start of this race next to the Church of the Good Shepherd by the lake – I knew I’d seen the church before but couldn’t quite place it. It seemed strange, as though it was in a previous life. I suppose in some way it was. Places can seem different when  visited at different stages of your life, when more water has passed under your proverbial bridge. You’re not the same person so naturally have a different perspective.

A pleasant run through the lakeside pine forest where Brittany was forever encouraging me to keep up with her – yeah good luck with that! Runners are like that though, always supportive of each other. I sometimes wish we were all more like that in other aspects of life too -- to outspokenly  encourage each other just like runners do.

Race 4 – Castle Hill Loop (4.2 miles)

Great to have steadily falling cool rain for a change as we set off from the Castle Hill Community Hall, but I found the initial 600ft steep uphill section, which zig-zagged through the mountain beech woods, really tough. However, once I came out of the woods onto the high, flat open section over grassland, I did get my second wind, gaining ground on some of the runners who’d overtaken me on the uphill section.

As I was flying back through the woods on the steep downhill section I was surprised to suddenly hear footsteps right behind that were keeping up with me! I pulled to one side to let them pass only to realize it was Luciana filming me – how the heck was she keeping up with me at speed down this tricky section while filming at the same time?

Race 5 – Lake Wanaka (3.3 miles)

This was a short lakeside sprint along the edge of a forest, at flat out speed until you ran out of steam – no chance of waiting to get a second wind here so I didn’t really expect to excel. And I didn’t!

Overall position

Well done to everyone for giving their all, and special congratulations to Corinne, a fellow New Yorker, who won every race by a mile! I finished in a respectable 11th position overall for the week and vowed to ensure I do a bit of speed training for the shorter distances next time so I could keep up with big hat yoga bloke Brian and mean looking Chris.

OTHER STUFF

There was plenty of time to relax in-between races where we were ferried around in two coaches -- I opted for the beer bus replete with alcohol infused rap music and our hilarious driver, Stu, who would have us all in stiches by regaling dubious stories over the microphone, in a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ dead pan voice, related to the local geography we happened to be passing through.

There were the glow worm Caves in Te Anau, wine tasting at the Kinross winery (accompanied by prolonged banter with Lindsay on the correct pronunciation of ‘Gewurztraminer’);

boat trip around Milford Sound;

hike to the Franz Joseph glacier (couldn’t believe how far it had receded since my previous visit eight years ago);

star gazing from the hot spring-fed pools near Lake Tekapo, watching movies from comfy sofa’s in the tiny Paradiso Cinema in Wanaka and exploring Christchurch -- all interspersed with plenty of convivial rehydration at various watering holes and restaurants.

After this action packed week I looked forward to the next Race2Adventure where I could once again catch up with both old and new like-minded friends. I also looked forward to visiting this extraordinarily beautiful country once again when I might even finally get a good look at the kea bird which had now continued to evade me over three separate trips to New Zealand. Maybe it’s just the universe’s way of providing just one more reason of many to lure me back to this magnificent country.

[hutz224]

Bathurst Masters Championships preview part 1

It is less than two weeks to the World Cross Country Championships and to date attention has been focused on the open races, especially in Australian circles and rightly so, because the team of McSweyn, Caldwell, Hoare and Hull is a genuine medal chance in the 4 x 2km relay event.

But for older athletes, there is excitement surrounding the Masters events being held in conjunction with the Open championships. Holding the two events at the same time and venue is a new idea. Until now, Masters athletes were used to finding cross country races scheduled for the first day of the World Masters Track & Field Championships held every two years. This was odd scheduling, because running a tough cross country is far from an ideal preparation for track racing. It did, however, guarantee strong fields, which unfortunately can't be said for Bathurst. There are very few overseas entrants for the races, probably because for northern hemisphere residents, it's an awfully long way to travel for a 6k or 4k race, plus perhaps a 2k relay. The 100 Euro entry fee probably hasn't helped! But despite the disappointing roll up of foreign runners, there will be some great racing across the age groups. There are some world famous names among the entries such as Moneghetti, Creighton, Stanton, Froude (NZ) and Robinson (NZ).

So let's look at the age groups 40+ and 45+, with apologies to the 35+ athletes, who I'm leaving out because I think that 35-39 is far too young to be considered a "Master" of anything! For present purposes, I'm ignoring the 4 x 2k relay events because pairings are as yet unknown.

The men's 40+ 6k race has the highest number of foreign entrants of any race on the program with six countries plus Australia being represented. The strongest overseas competition will likely come from Ben Bruce (USA), who is an elite steeplechaser and ran 2:27 in last year's Boston Marathon, and is the clear favourite to win. Shane Grund from Victoria has been in sparkling form of late (14:49 for 5000m in 2022) and will be close to the front. NSW runner Russell Dessaix-Chin is another elite runner, but current form is unknown. Victoria's Steve Dinneen (Vic) will give it everything and is a strong podium chance. Sweden's Martin Kjall-Ohlsson is another runner to watch. The women's 40+ field looks comparatively weak. April Lund from the USA is the standout with times of 35:19 for 10000m and 1:19.51 for a half marathon last year and should make it a USA double. Nicole Joseph (Vic) is a former Australian W40 5000m champion, but has been quiet since her win in 2019. The form of the other W40 competitors is similarly unknown.

The M45 race is going to be a beauty, with several runners in similar form. I like Paul Mulholland from South Australia, who ran 15:43/9:19 for 5k/3k in the SA Masters Champs in March 2022. Julian Marsh (once Victoria, now living in California) ran 32:55 for 10k just yesterday, so he will fancy his chances. Nick Moore (NZ) has a similar 10k time from 2021. Jeff Chaseling from NSW had some very fast times from 3000m to the marathon in 2021, but not much since. Any one of these four runners could take the chocolates. Nathan Crowley (Vic) will be better suited to the 2k relay. It is a shame that neither Sinead Diver nor Belinda Martin will be there to dominate the W45 race, but I guess the other women will be glad of that. Again the women's field looks much softer than the men's, with only two overseas entrants. Anna Kasapis (Vic) is in brilliant form, and although 6k will stretch her, I think she will win. Another Anna will be prominent - Anna Thompson Munro (Vic) is a five times World Cross Country representative for Australia. Mainly based on their 1500m times, Katie Siebold (Vic), Melissa Oloyede (ACT) and Kriszta Kovacs (NSW) are all podium chances.

I am sure that some of my highly educated readers will have other insights into the chances of the various competitors in the 40+ and 45+ races, and I welcome any comments that readers may have. Otherwise, stay tuned for part 2 of this blog sequence, where I will preview the 50+ and 55+ events.

P.S. Thanks to Scott Lawrence for his help with the statistics.