5k Park Run

My fifth Parkrun, this time I thought I would run it properly. 22:46, so quite a bit slower than my inaugural run at Parkrun in May 2012. I possibly went out a little fast, and the last km was very hard, but I don't think I could possibly have gone any harder.

5k Park Run

Another 5k Parkrun this morning. Not much to report, just cruised through it in 27:17.

5k Parkrun

Ran my second ever Parkrun this morning, and what (from memory) is my first event this year. I ran with Heather, but regardless of that I would have been slower than last time! Just 4 degrees and overcast when we started, but just the lightest of breezes. A brisk and refreshing way to start a Saturday morning.

Journey to the Centre of the Universe

Trig 1211 (Botanical Hill)

A trail run starting almost at our hosts back door and visting the most spectacular trig in New Zealand! Up the "Cartwright Trail" and down through some private farmland (prior permission obtained), then briefly along the road in the Matai Valley and back through Branford Park to the "Centre of New Zealand". I'm sure, though, that all other bodies in the Universe were actually revolving around this spot, albeit in rather complicated orbits, so perhaps this is actually the centre of the universe. Afer all, all is relative...

From there it was off through the relatively flat Stanley Whitehead Park to Walter's Bluff. All on a spectacular crisp, clear Nelson morning.

Running in the hills above Nelson

Tamara and Heather run down the frosty farm track

Turkeys

Toadstools

The Trig Beacon at the Centre of the Universe:
1211 (Botanical Hill)

The Centre

Grampians Trigs

TV transmitter tower

Not the Grampians in Australia, but in Nelson, New Zealand...

In Nelson for work, what better thing to do than arrive half a day early and enjoy the local trails with our hosts? It turned out that one of the local trails had TWO trigs on it!

The start of the Grampians trail is a steep zig-zag. At the top we were rewarded with great views, both of the city and to the mountains beyond. We were also rewarded with the first of the trigs: A6UR. We ate our lunch then continued on along the trail.

Me, A6UR, Michael, Heather

Name plate

View from the trig

Toward the end of Grampian Rd is a TV transmitter, and the topo map told us we should find a trig here. We had a good look around but were unable to find anything. Off through a well trod gap in the bush to the trail below, along about 5m, and there it was! Trig A6V3 was offset slightly from the top of the hill, far enough not to be a nuisance for servicing and maintaining the tower.

Looking... not down here...

Not up there...

Off through the gap in the trees.

Name plate for A6V3.

Trig A6V3 with the TV transmitter behind.

From here our run continued back down into Nelson, crossing Brook St, and then into Codgers Mountain Bike Park and the Dun Mountain Railway. After a pleasant afternoon's run we were picked up at the motor camp, and back to Tamara and Michael's place.

Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain

Diamond Lake

Part way through a hectic week of travel and work we found ourselves in Wanaka mid-afternoon with some time to explore. Armed with a recommendation from Malcolm Laws, we set off to explore the Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain tracks.

The Diamond Lake Conservation Area is a short drive from Wanaka along the Mt Aspiring Rd, with glimpses of Mt Aspiring across the lake as you drive there. Once there we wasted no time and set off up the hill. It's a short steep climb up to the level of Diamond Lake.

The track presents several choices: the first of these was just before the lake as the track went either left around the lake or straight ahead to the toilet. Left it was and soon we were climbing up to the the Diamond Lake lookout.

From here we climbed further on our way to the Lake Wanaka lookout. Another route choice: left for the Rocky Mountain lower loop, or straight ahead. We had plans so continued straight ahead to the Lake Wanaka lookout. The same choice again a little further on, and again we went straight ahead. The track then crosses private farmland to the lookout. The views can perhaps best be described as "expansive". Lake Wanaka is a long and irregularly shaped lake, but a remarkable amout of it is visible from the lookout. The photo below give a partial view; further to the left were the snow-capped Buchanan Peaks.

View from Lake Wanaka Lookout

Running through the open grassland on Rocky Mountain

Having absorbed the views we ran back down to the track junction, turned right, and commenced the zig-zag climb up to the lower Rocky Mountain loop. Out of the bush we were in high country grassland scattered with - surprisingly enough - rocky outcrops. More photos and then we ran anti-clockwise around the loop. We decided against doing the upper loop - we only had limited daylight left, and we wanted to drive to the end of Mt Aspiring Rd before it got dark.

Dropping down off the plateau we passed through a steep, rocky gully. This must be quite a torrent went it is raining, but for now it was dry. We ran down to the Diamond Lake lookout, stopped for another quick look, and then set off down the wooden steps to the lake. Back at lake level we decided to continue our clockwise circuit, and rewarded by some more reflections in the perfectly calm water. Down to the car we were treated with views of autumn leaves on the trees bordering the Motatapu River.

Mt Pleasant

Heather's friend Lisa knew we liked visiting trigs, so had organised this run with the Christchurch Ridge Runners so that we could visit her local trig. This is some of my favourite type of terrain: open grassland, with long tussocky grass and views as far as the eye can see. Still had some ongoing achilles issues with the hills, but this was a great place to visit and run.

Ship sailing in to Lyttleton Harbour

Runners

Trig 1126

Trig1126 (Mt Pleasant)

Heather and I at the trig.

Name plaque for 1126

Anti Aircraft Battery

After the trig, the run went down through the old Mt Pleasant Anti-Aircraft Battery. We stopped for a few photos - below left is looking back towards the trig.

Waitakere Running Day #2

Day 2 of our weekend in the Waitakeres. The keen bunch ran from Karekare to Piha, while the rest of us drove there! Then it was run up Piha Beach, then the steep climb up to White Track. Up and over Maungaroa, then back down Glenesk Rd to Piha cafe and a superb lunch.

Starting off along Piha Beach

The group walks while Malcolms stops to chat to
someone on the beach

View of Piha Beach as we ascend

Flowers on the track

Heather crossing a stream; Malcolm on the far side

Up we go: Viv and Keith

View back where we have been

Lunch at Piha Cafe: Pancakes (rear)
and French Toast with Banana,
Bacon, and Maple Syrup (front)

Waitakere Running, Day #1

Up in the Waitakere's for a weekend of running for Heather's birthday. Last year we were here for a Running Wild training camp; that was so much fun we thought we'd come back and do it all again on a private basis.

Staying at Karekare, down the beach to Whatipu, then up the Omanawanui track and over past the trig. Heather, Paul, and I called it quits at this point for various reasons. For me, I'd been having a lot of trouble with both achilles, and they were feeling pretty tight and sore by now. I still wanted to be able to head out for a run tomorrow!

The group

Rock formations on the northern side of the entrance
to Manukau Harbour

Lake at Tunnel Point

View from Omanawanui Trig

Heather at the trig

Name plate for A9RC

Te Miro MTB Park

Lake at Te Miro

Had a very interesting session with Sports Psychologist David Galbraith this morning, then met up with Brian Prescott for a run at the Te Miro MTB Park. A spectacular late-spring day with hillsides full of wild daisies!

Brian tool us on a tour around park, avoiding the downhill area, but taking in the major climb on the "Gloworm" track. In the tradition of all MTB tracks there was lots of twisty windy switchbacks, making the climbs easier and getting as many km as possible out of a limited area.

Here's a selection of photos from the run:

At the main carpark: daisies and fresh spring growth

Stream at the bottom of "PD" track

Field of daisies

Heather and Brian

In the bush

All in Salomon XA 3D Ultra shoes!

Derelict shed at the bottom of "Dam Rd"

Tall timber

Back to the main carpark