Fun Runs I have done

The only funrun I did in Wellington was just before I left. My partner had gone away somewhere for a few weeks, so I entered into the Round The Vines run - through the vineyards around Martinborough - in January 2000. It was ~11 kms, and I think I reached the 10km mark in an hour. But the best part was the free t-shirt. I used to wear it often in the years afterwards "to remind myself that I used to be a runner." Bittersweet really - to (have to) give up something that gives you such freedom.

(fast forward 4 years)

Back to a slow shuffle, not really sure what I'm capable of. After re-subscribing to Runners World, I read about the Portsea Twilight run a few months away in January 2004. 6.75kms - could I run that far? I was a bit nervous actually - I'd never run that far before. Could I do it.

Well, I could, and I did. I didn't break any records that day - 48 minutes - but I found that I could set goals and achieve them. I also found that I run better in the second half of a race - I was passing people along the sand (wahoo!) and up the track to the finish. So, armed with another t-shirt, I started looking for other runs. I didn't want "boring" runs around Albert Park - I wanted something different. The Portsea run fell into that category - running along the top of the peninsular into a stiff breeze and salt air, in an area you usually have to pay to get into. Pretty cool.

Next up was the Puffing Billy race in May 2004. 13.2kms - could I run that far? How long would it take me? I guestimated 90 minutes. Then I read somewhere that relay teams had to finish in 100 minutes, and I thought that if someone was running in a relay, then they must be pretty good, and perhaps I should amend my goal time to 100 minutes (my longest run to date is about 50 minutes, and that with a lot of walking breaks).

So, off we head. I'm near the back, just concentrating on a slow steady rate. I meet the first train at the first crossing - you can just see me in the photo published in Runners World (wahoo!). Up hill... down hill... I'm doing okay. The kilometers tick past at a reasonably steady rate. With about 3 kms to go, I realise that I might actually make the 90 minutes. I try to move up a gear... uh uh... no go. I finish in 91 minutes - pretty pleased with myself, and another t-shirt. Placed 2278 of 2375. :-)