16 Days and Counting...

16 days to go! 

As I approach the final couple of weeks before Tarawera 100km Ultra race i have been doing a little less out on the trails, and trying to get my body feeling ready! Within my last blog I was talking about my body feeling sore and tired all the time and I ran less.. This has actually helped a great deal my legs feel much fresher this week and hopefully will continue for the next 2 weeks in the build up to race day! 

The final few weeks before a big event or any event for that matter you always feel that you could of done more! More training, better diet, a little more focus etc... Most of you will know how this feels as I'm sure most people go through the same feelings. Suprise suprise I am doing just this! Thinking could I have done more training and the answer is always yes. But here we are 2 weeks out before I fly to Rotarua for the event and now it's just to get on with it and not think of what I could of done but to think what can I do? It's exciting as it will be my first 100km trail race, I have raced the distance before but over the 100km mark (125km & 210km) but more exciting it will be Gem's first Ultra race, basically the first time she will have raced over the traditional 42km distance of a marathon.. Huge big luck to her :-) 

We are flying on Thursday before the event and arrive at the race HQ on Friday morning, just in good time to collect our race numbers and to pass through gear check. If your not familiar with Ultra Running, each runner has to carry a list of kit in a pack whilst competing for safety reasons, as you can be alone in the mountains or on the trails alone for a long period of time. The organisers want to ensure that each runner can look after them self for a period of time if anything happens to a competitor whilst alone on the trails. 

After collecting our race packs and being signed off for gear checks I think we will be having a relaxing afternoon before a very early start on the Saturday morning for race day! 

Excited to be apart of a race within the first year of the UTWT..

Then alls left to do is run!! 

Cheers for reading everyone

Paul 

Time for planning…

Since my last blog post, I haven't done a lot of running to be honest.. I have done a few runs and bike rides here and there on top of my usual 40km to and from work each week but nothing crazy! Sound crazy I know 4 weeks away from my 100km Ultra Trail Race in Tarawera but my body has just been sore and tired even after rest days. Therefore I decided to take this last week and a half easy..

Course Map - 100km

To keep my in the correct mind frame and focused on the event I decided to start looking more into the race, course maps, elevation charts and previous years results. Basically looked more into 'How' I am going to race the course in 3 weeks or so. I think most of my success in the 'Canadian Death Race' last year was down to just doing some planning before the event, as I wasn't super fit after coming back after an injury but my mind was really fired up after having a DNF in the Fernie 80km Ultra a few weeks before. I feel fit for Tarawera but not as fit as I could be, so I am going to be using the same tactic of fire up the mind to be ready! I have actually used this a few times over the years and often it has worked very well, if I can get my mind 'ready' I'm good to go!

Race breakdown, section by section.

I am actually really looking forward to this years Tarawera 100km race for a number of reasons :

1. It's a new part of the world to race and explore for me.
2. The course looks amazing, a great mixture of everything. (100km with 9100ft of climbing)
3. Tarawera this year is part of the 'World Ultra Series' 
4. Racing with the worlds best Ultra Runners is always fun!
5. My girlfriend, Gem's first Ultra Marathon, exciting times for her. 
6. Also I have raced a few ultra distances but never a straight 100km either

With all that in mind, there is still a lot of work to be done between now and race day. Planning, sorting race kit etc.. out and of course some last minute training.
Thank as always for everyone who follows my blogs etc.. And all the support as always from 'Nathan Sports'
Paul

Enough said! 

Taking on the Remarkables in search of Lake Alta

To top off this weeks training I decided to run up the mountain range I look at every morning and night out my window.. The Remarkables, in search of Lake Alta. People had told me it was a beautiful 'drive' up there.. But of course I wanted to run it :-)

Just one of many stunning views on the climb..

All up, then all down! 

I have been wanting to do it for a while now but just always gone for an easier option as it was going to be about 14km of straight up hill with a gain of 5000ft over the distance. After filling my Nathan race vest with all the fuel I wanted and got my my kit ready, I set off at an nice easy pace knowing what was coming up 5km down the road when I start to climb. Once I started the climb instantly I found out way people had said to me not to run it… It was just crazy, but since when have I ever listened! I started to find a little rhythm and just worked to close down them kms 1 by 1.. The views were just spectacular!! People love the look of the Remarkables from Queenstown, but they should see it from up there too. With a couple of cars passing my on the way up and kindly giving me some encouragement I pushed on after taking a few pictures here and there. After ascending for nearly 1:42 I came to the Remarkables Ski Resort signs, as much as I wanted to call it a day here and start heading down I continued up to Lake Alta a few more kms upwards (of course!) I'm really glad I did, from the ski resort you went onto a single file technical trail on the final climb up to Lake Alta. The weather was scorching by this time topping over 20 degrees, but I was determined to reach the glacier waters of Lake Alta. On nearing the lake it felt very 'Alpine' with that typical alpine look all around and little water streams running from the mountains. Even some snow still around in the hight of summer here!  It was a very beautiful area and I was really happy to reach the Lake, the waters felt amazingly cooling after all the climbing I had done over the last 14kms..

Lake Alta.. 

After a refuel session and a few pictures i started on my descent knowing I was only half way in my adventure at Lake Alta.. As every one know descending is so much easier than climbing!! Apart from the hammering on the legs the descent felt like it was going a lot faster than the climbing was.. Again just as stunning on the descent down, with clear blue skies and miles of mountains to be seen it was a great run all around.. On returning back down and nearing town I decided to take a little paddle in the Lake Wakatipu to ease the sore legs from all the descending down..
Really glad I did it and again a good challenging 40km run in the legs for the Tarawera Ultra 100km trail race I have coming up in just under 5 weeks. Fingers crossed I can stay injury free and continue to work hard to run a decent race in Rotorua followed by TNF Aus 100km I have 8 weeks later in the Blue Mountains just outside Sydney, Australia..


Thanks to everyone for taking time to read my blog, and a huge thanks to 'Nathan NZ' For their support and world class hydration packs and gear…
Cheers guys!
Paul

Movescount readings of the climb and descent!

Map of the route up to Lake Alta.. 

Mixing up the trails!

This week for my days off I decided to mix up the trails I have been training on for the last few weeks. Me and my girlfriend decided to pop of to Te Anau for a couple of days, firstly to explore a new place but also to run on the world famous Kepler Track!

Starting point for a little journey.. 

Before this my weeks training has had been as normal as ever usual forward and back from work and a couple of runs here and there as extra, any one who follows my blog can tell by now I'm not a huge big millage trainer… I much prefer to be in the racing environment week in week out like I was back in UK. Not as easy over here with fewer races therefore I have been putting in more training as I should and using my days off to explore more and more of these world class trails around New Zealand's south island.

A mixture of everything on the trail! 

Whilst over in Te Anau we managed to fit in a 35km run on the Kepler Track in the scorching heat, all great training for the races I have planned for the next few months. To the start of the trail I was staying around 6km away so I decided to jog over to the track as a warm up, oh I am glad we did. From the start of the track till Brod Bay it was  great single file with some easy undulating involved but nothing crazy. After leaving Brod Bay area it soon registered with the legs that we was going upwards for a while as the kms ticked by so did the elevation! It was a great workout on the legs all the way up to Luxmore Peak (the highest point of the Kepler Track) We were rewarded several times with just stunning views in the breaks of the trees and the track its self was a great mix up from rock, technical tree stumps and hard packed dust paths. Exactly what I love running on the most!!

Nearing the top! 

On arriving above the tree line we had panoramic views all around of Te Anau Lake, and the surrounding mountains. I remember thinking to my self "this is why I go through the pain of running up all the mountains, the rewards at the end!" You just don't get the same feeling from running on the road around the cities. I'm sure every trail runner will agree with me?? After taking in all the amazing views and a few pictures we decided to descent down before it got to dark as we had only set off at 15:30pm. All in all, it was a great track and would love maybe one day get the time to run the 60km Ultra Race on this track.

My Nathan Vapour 12L pack was my choice of pack, what a great choice it was! Fully breathable around the straps and back of the pack which was essential for the hot weather we had (23+ degrees) I carried a full 2L bladder of fresh water, a couple of snacks and a jacket just incase the weather turned and my camera. Even with all this in the pack just doesn't move no bouncing, no chaffing and still plenty of room for many of other things if you was going further. Fully recommend this pack for people training or racing the longer ultra distance where you need to carry a big kit list and your water + fuel.

Thanks to everyone for reading!
Cheers
Paul

Playing around on the tops..