Getting Perspective....

The run route

When I originally entered Motatapu (an off-road 42k run from Wanaka to Arrowtown) it had been as a recovery event after Tarawera.....and as an excuse to visit the South Island of NZ, which doubled up as a perfect opportunity to catch up with friends. Having not been able to run, I decided to still go for the catchup, but the run itself didn't seem that likely. 

 

The run profile

Beautiful Queenstown in the cool early morning

Motatapu is an interesting event as the land is privately owned (by Shania Twain.....hence the views "don't impress me much") and access to the public is only allowed on one day a year, hence the glut of events (four off road runs, a mtnbike race and a triathlon) on that day. The course profile of the 42k looked like it climbed steadily up to the highest point (at about 27km) and then was a constant descent to the finish. As I was only in the country for a short period of time, there was no point to even try to persuade the organisers to defer my place for a year, so I talked it through with my cousin Anne, and decided that I might as well enjoy the day out. Many people enter the event as "walkers" so I'd aim to run/jog/walk up to the high point at 27km and then do a controlled walk downhill for the last 15k limiting the impact on my recovering shin (and hopefully letting me enjoy the scenery with my current fitness level).

How amazing is the "Wanaka tree" in the lake?

I did wonder why I had to catch the bus to the start (the 10:15am start) at 7:15 am in Queenstown, but it became clear when I realised how slowly the bus travelled along the winding roads as we only got to the start area just before 10. I can't complain about the drive there too much (although I did end up eating a significant amount of the food I'd put in my "post run" bag as we went) as the scenery was beautiful, especially as we travelled along the edge of Lake Wanaka. 

Obviously a nonsponsored runner
from the variety of kit!

Both the triathlon and the mountain bike race had started earlier in the morning by the shores of the lake, but we were driven a further 5k up the dirt road to our start (well, to where they were hastily trying to erect a gantry across the track). The day didn't exactly bode well for the couple of bikers we saw that were already walking, pushing their bikes up the hills.

There was a van to dump bags in for transport to the finish, a line of portaloos for "panicpees", a briefer than brief briefing, no compulsory kit check, and we were off. Surprisingly (well to me anyway) the dirt road descended rather steeply down to a creek after the start, but then started to ascend. The first 10k were undulating but generally uphill and the field quickly spread out. By the time I'd run a couple of kms, I'd started to pick off the slowest bikers and had settled into a "position" into the field. I could see the leading lady quite a distance ahead, and another lady (from Dunedin) and I kept swopping positions. I found this quite unsettling as I felt that I was running a relatively constant pace, but I'd either drop her quickly or she'd shoot past.

Looking down on some of the route

The first aid station was just after 9km and I managed to hold back on the descent into it (even though my shin wasn't hurting). I only found water and electrolyte drink there, which was rather disappointing as cliff bars had been advertised and I wanted to restock some of the food in my pack which I'd started to eat. After that aid station the route climbed more and more. After another km or two, I realised that I'd opened up a decent gap between us after passing the other lady, and now I was more focussed on avoiding mountain bikers. I'd pass them on the climbs but they'd pick up speed on any slight descents......though the biggest problem came with people cycling in groups as they'd spread/wobble across the track as the incline increased, or there'd be a pack sitting on a bend waiting for slower friends to catch up. I was still managing to run every step, but as the leading lady had been doing some power walking, I was reeling her back in gradually.

The rescue helicopter crew

I had heard that there were many "river" crossings in the latter stages of the event, but by the 14-15k point, I was still splashing my way through my 4th creek. As I rounded a corner climbing out of this I spotted  (well I couldn't miss him) a man lying on his back in the track with a group huddled around him. People say that I "made the right decision" in stopping to offer my help, but to my mind there was no decision to make......I don't think you would hesitate but to offer assistance to anyone that needed it. 

Let's just say that despite CPR performed by myself and passing paramedics, we were unsuccessful in out resuscitation, but, as I said to the gentleman's partner (who he'd been cycling with), he passed away doing what he loved, with the woman he loved, in a beautiful place.....and it did rather put everything else we might have all been moaning about recently (yes, I know I've probably been a nightmare going on about my leg and not being able to run) into perspective. 



Arriving back at the airport

Coming back towards Queenstown

Not exactly how I thought the day would turn out, and my heartfelt sympathies are with his family, though I guess that I now have a reason to return - as amazing as the helicopter ride was, I would have loved to have finished the course on my own 2 feet!

The Carcrash......errr Christchurch Half Marathon

Having arriving into New Zealand on a Friday evening, I had been planning to support my friend Hannah in a marathon that weekend.....but it appeared that it was going to be too hard to sort the logistics for getting there and so she decided to run the Christchurch Motorway Half marathon instead. This was a new event, and as it is always good to support local events, especially to help them get off the ground in their infancy, I checked out the route.  

Not the most exciting of courses!!

The course was up and down the cycle path alongside a short local motorway and involved three 180 degree turns to make up the distance. It didn't exactly look like the most scenic race to spectate so I decided to enter it as the multiple out and back stretches gave me ample opportunity to stop if I felt like it, and hopefully lots of chances to cheer Hannah on running further up the field.

It seemed rather an expensive race to enter, but I gather that race costs are rather higher than I'm used to over in the other side of the world. Still, it was a bit odd that we "had" to register in a 2 hour window on the Saturday morning (you were only allowed to pick up your number on the day if you could prove you lived outside of Christchurch.....which Hannah clearly didn't) and "registration" consisted solely of a rather grumpy lady handing you a number .....no chips, no tags, no further info on the course or a goody bag.

Sunday morning was rather warmer and more humid than I'd thought it would be for early March so Hannah kindly lent me a vest and we made our way to the startline. We were told to line up with half marathon "runners" at the front, then the "half marathon hybrid (ie run/walk) entrants", and then the "walkers behind. All 10k participants (both runners and walkers) were assembled behind that, but still, there was not exactly a bumper field of participants. 

And they're off....

We set off with Hannah right up with the guys at the sharp end, and me further back. The first kilometre wound round the sheds of the agricultural showground with many 90 degree corners. This enabled me to ease myself into the race and as we turned onto the narrowest portion of the cycle path I was in about 4th place. We passed through an underpass and the path became rather wider, which was lucky as there were a few other locals out walking/on bikes. I spotted a couple of signs stating that the path was "closed" for a race, but this was not an official closure and so not exactly enforceable.

I cannot comment on the accuracy of the distance markers as they were in kilometres and my watch clicks over in miles, but I did spot the race leader of the 10k turning round the sign that said "10k turn ahead" rather than at the actual turning point about 30m further on. I can't really blame him as it wasn't exactly obvious, especially if he was running on his limit, and there were no marshals about. 

There was a marshal about half a km further on at our first switchback. By this time I'd seen Hannah coming back in the opposite direction looking comfortable with no female opposition at all. In fact, I was actually now in second place, though the lady I'd just overtaken was being paced by a male friend who passed her cups of drink (which she then discarded over the fence instead of passing them back to him). 

All was not well at the front of the field, as I heard later that the lead runners were actually misdirected by a marshal who hadn't been briefed on the different races and so they ran several hundred metres the wrong way before being turned back. Luckily this did not affect me, and I was able to continue on my way when I got back to the underpass. This time we stayed on the same side of the motorway and headed slightly away from it to run along some pavements up and over a hill before ending up back on the cycle track. 

I knew my lack of running was catching up with me as I could feel myself slowing down more than I should be despite the strong headwind, but at least I managed to hold my position when to the far turnaround (a male runner did catch me, but I didn't mind that as I'd been convinced it was the next lady whose friend/pacer was now shielding her from the wind). This turnaround marked halfway as we then repeated the route we'd just run, and so I was now on a mile (well kilometre) countdown, knowing I'd already done my longest run for a couple of months.

Repeating the first out and back section was really a struggle for me but it was nice to be cheered on and encouraged by runners going on both directions, in all of the events. Hannah still looked strong and so it was nice to give her a cheer and a wave everytime I saw her......though I was rather jealous when I considered how much sooner she'd finish than me. 

Hannah and I with our Finishers' bottles

I managed to stay under the 1:30 mark to finish 13th overall with Hannah in 4th place. On finishing, you were given a bottle of wine marked "Half Marathon Finisher" but that was it......we even had to go and find and pour our own cups of water (and the 10k finishers didn't even get the wine bottle). It was only 10:30am and the prize giving wasn't due to be until 12:30-1 so we went back to Hannah's for a shower and a feed.

On returning at 12:15, we found out that the prizegiving for the junior 1500m race (for which there were only about 8 entrants....probably due to the price) which had happened right after we started, was also scheduled for the same time as ours. This seemed rather ridiculous as there were no facilities at the start/finish area.....not even any shade or anywhere to change.

I ended up having to leave shortly before 1pm to visit another friend but Hannah was going to pick up my prizes (2nd lady and 1st V40) along with some prizes for her club members in the junior race. Well, that was the plan anyway.....

The prizegiving didn't actually happen until after 1:30 (so I'm glad I didn't keep my pregnant friend hanging around in the sun waiting for me) and they wouldn't give any prizes to anyone that wasn't there......so Hannah couldn't get mine. It wasn't exactly anything to write home about anyway......another bottle of the Finishers' wine with a couple of glasses (she got the same thing for winning)......and the kids' prizes were just a bar of chocolate (which was melted after it had been sitting in the sun since their race 4 hours earlier) and a McDonalds water bottle.

To say that there were a lot of disgruntled people who travelled to do the race, paid a considerable amount of money, and hung around for no real reason is rather an understatement. As they refused to give prizes to anyone not present at the actual prizegiving, the race organiser was even heard to comment (along with making some disparaging remarks about how long the last finisher/walker had taken) that they would have lots of wine left over to enjoy at home!

I have to say that I cannot see much of a future for the race, unless things change drastically as people will talk with their feet and not return!