What an absolutely fantastic race! :)
We got to enjoy some absolutely stunning views, a nice challenging course with ever changing surroundings from beach, bush with stream crossings, tight single trail, steep descents and climbs and rough roads. And all this with a good cause in mind, to try re-establish some of the enormous Kauri forest that once covered the Coromandel peninsula some 200 years ago. For every competitor in the great Kauri race (13km and 32km, walking and running options) a Kauri tree gets planted along the race route. over 1200 trees over the distance of 3km have been planted before the race this year and another 360 Kauri trees will be planted after this years race (the 6th ever Great Kauri Run)!
We got to enjoy some absolutely stunning views, a nice challenging course with ever changing surroundings from beach, bush with stream crossings, tight single trail, steep descents and climbs and rough roads. And all this with a good cause in mind, to try re-establish some of the enormous Kauri forest that once covered the Coromandel peninsula some 200 years ago. For every competitor in the great Kauri race (13km and 32km, walking and running options) a Kauri tree gets planted along the race route. over 1200 trees over the distance of 3km have been planted before the race this year and another 360 Kauri trees will be planted after this years race (the 6th ever Great Kauri Run)!
My friends Ann and Bryon were mad enough to offer to take me to the race, the poor buggers had to get up at 4am! How crazy is that!?!
The race started at Waikawau beach; with the first two kms being in rather soft sand we were trying to dodge the incoming waves, it looked rather playful watching Graeme Pearson way in front of me weaving up and down the waters edge. we then left the coastline and the course went along a nice bush trail following a small river upstream and crossing it a few times along the way until it got steeper and steeper up the hill and we lost the river to head to the top of the ridge and from there pretty much followed the ridge line for the rest of the course. At places you could look to the right and left and see beautiful coastlines to both sides, how awesome is that! :)
Running along all by myself for a while I was fully absorbed by the stunning views and just enjoyed a great time out there following the ever changing terrain towards Coromadel. I must have slowed down a little then when I looked back in the very technical single trail about 3/4 of the way through I could see Michelle Hyland, and she was pretty much right behind me. I knew I had to change my pace or she would get me and I might loose my ride back home as Bryon had warned me that he would leave me behind if I didn't win. ;) I knew there was a nice long decent coming up and then we would be pretty close to the finish line. So I wasn't too worried yet about having to walk home to Rotorua. It was a great feeling running down that last long downhill section making use of the gradient to speed up the legs and get a sensation of speed. I wasn't quite sure how much of a gap I had but I was safe. I won by just a minute.
The race started at Waikawau beach; with the first two kms being in rather soft sand we were trying to dodge the incoming waves, it looked rather playful watching Graeme Pearson way in front of me weaving up and down the waters edge. we then left the coastline and the course went along a nice bush trail following a small river upstream and crossing it a few times along the way until it got steeper and steeper up the hill and we lost the river to head to the top of the ridge and from there pretty much followed the ridge line for the rest of the course. At places you could look to the right and left and see beautiful coastlines to both sides, how awesome is that! :)
Running along all by myself for a while I was fully absorbed by the stunning views and just enjoyed a great time out there following the ever changing terrain towards Coromadel. I must have slowed down a little then when I looked back in the very technical single trail about 3/4 of the way through I could see Michelle Hyland, and she was pretty much right behind me. I knew I had to change my pace or she would get me and I might loose my ride back home as Bryon had warned me that he would leave me behind if I didn't win. ;) I knew there was a nice long decent coming up and then we would be pretty close to the finish line. So I wasn't too worried yet about having to walk home to Rotorua. It was a great feeling running down that last long downhill section making use of the gradient to speed up the legs and get a sensation of speed. I wasn't quite sure how much of a gap I had but I was safe. I won by just a minute.
Bryon and Ann were waiting at the finish line with a punnet of strawberries as I had told them about how nice it had been at Toi's to get some strawberries at the finish :) thanks heaps they went down a treat! :)
Ps: we couldn't stay till prize giving as it would have meant we would be home after 9pm (which wouldn't have been very nice for the driver when he already got up at 4am!) so Graeme Pearson was so nice to pick up my goodies and take them to Rotorua for me. man was i surprised when i saw what i got!!!! the best ever prizes i reckon! i got a beautiful rare swamp Kauri bowl, some nice sunnies, a handy backpack, an cool event t-shirt and a free entry to next years event! will i go back?? bet i will :) it was so much fun and then i get spoilt rotten after! COOL!
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