Sunday saw the Boss, Kerr and I do the Motu MTB ride in very good conditions. Little wind, slight drizzle; just a little bit of sticky mud. The big shame was Lea succumbing to the flu and not being able to take part. She actually took the day off work on Friday!
I was wrapt with my time of 3hr 10 which is my second fastest behind my race day of 3hr 8. It was good to establish some time marks - 2 hrs to top of Papamoa, 2 11 to small ford before last big climb and 3 hrs to top of last hill. I'll keep them in mind. Kerr finished only a few minutes back with the Boss a little further back. We had to chase Kerr out of the Women's toilets but this is pretty minor behaviour from him.
We were met at Motu by Kurt and Agnes. Kurt and I ran the course from the Falls Bridge. It took me 70 minutes which equates to about 1 hr 35 for the full run. In the meantime Kerr took off road cycling and I haven't heard how he got on. We never caught him because we stopped at Matawai where I consume TWO!!!! fried sausages, washed them down with a long black and the followed up with a Magnum Icecream for pudding! Perfect!
It was a pretty tough day but if I can do 3 10 on the MTB and follow that up with 1.35 on the run (and then hang on from then) on the day I should go close to my best time of 10hrs 18min.
Soory there is a lot about me, me, me in this post but I'm not like these other fellows who like to keep their times secret!!
I'm expecting a crew from Environment Waikato to come over next weekend to train so I'll keep you posted.
Also on Sunday Leigh, Shirley and Marg set off from Waiaua and attacked the Meremere. Leigh and Shirley got to the top and Marg failed to summit. This was a great effort from all of them.
Get well, Lea.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Apologies to Tessa
My only excuse Tessa/Tracey is that I was suffering intense fatigue and my brain was scrambled because I didn't have a Matawai sausage in my puku. I'm too scared to tell Lea that you only had one swim!
I am really excited about this Sunday when we will MTB to Motu and run because it means we can stop at Matawai and have one of their famous sausages!
I expect to have a couple of Motu teams staying at my place on the following weekend and we plan to do some good training. We will most probably have a bit of a feed and a few drinks at home on the Saturday. I will keep you all posted.
I am really excited about this Sunday when we will MTB to Motu and run because it means we can stop at Matawai and have one of their famous sausages!
I expect to have a couple of Motu teams staying at my place on the following weekend and we plan to do some good training. We will most probably have a bit of a feed and a few drinks at home on the Saturday. I will keep you all posted.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
News Flash
Not only did Jarrod paddle the river in 2 hrs, but I hear that Aaron may have done the run in under 1hour 10minutes!
By the way, if anyone is interested, tonight's running speedwork session was day number 156!!!!! in a row of training!!! What a possum!!!
By the way, if anyone is interested, tonight's running speedwork session was day number 156!!!!! in a row of training!!! What a possum!!!
Monday, September 17, 2007
No Sausage at Matawai!
Saturday's paddle down to the gravel pit was uneventful but has brought Lea's average number of swims down to 5.6 with 17, 0, 0! We both got caught in one backwash against the rocks but both got out safely, which was a confidence boost.
Sunday was an awesome day with Lea and I travelling up to Motu with the Boss and his daughter, Nicole. Lea arrived with no chain on her bike (!) but the boss and I managed to fumble our way through and reconnect it.
Lea and I set off for the run and met Nicole at the bridge and carried on through the bush. The track was great - a bit of mud, but very beautiful bush. Click on the link below to see Lea and Nicole charging through the bush and then having a wee rest out the other side. It was a bit of a slog back with Nicole succumbing to a crook knee. However, Lea completed the run in 1.49 which was about 10 minutes faster than expected.
In the meantime Motu township's population had quadrupled. AaronTeddy and someone else had just started the run, Brian with the broken collarbone was running while his son Hamish and Pat were road cycling home. A bunch including Graeme, Christine, Julie and some others were also road cycling and then Rachel, Brett and Colin turned up to road cycle and leave their car for Ross and Jane to pick up after mountain biking through. There were others too but too many to remember.
Lea, Boss and I took off on the road bikes and were quickly joined by Brett, Rachel and Colin and we worked sort of as a team through to Traffords (really only I and the boss and Colin had turns at the front though!) The big disappointment was that we didn't have a fried sausage at Matawai which has to be the best fried sausage you have ever had!
We split up on the big hill with Colin finally pulling away in the last few hundred metres on his light as carbon fibre cycling machine while I lugged up my solid steel machine 50m behind him. Rachel was next after a great climb, followed by the boss and Brett who was relieved to hold out a fast fading Lea. Colin took off straight away, but being the gentleman I am I waited for all to get to the top and the rest of us took off together.
Of course the steel machine was first to the bottom and while I waited for Lea and the Boss, Brett carried on and the three of us had to work very hard to get him back often reaching speeds in excess of 60kph.
We had an awesome ride. This photo shows us in pursuit of Brett. Check this link out for the full set of photos. We finished in 1hr 45 which is my fastest by 6 minutes. It really shows the value in working as a team.
At Oponoe we caught up with the others who were having a lunch stop to find Tracey climbing in to the river in her Cobra Eliminator to paddle (by herself). I'm waiting to hear if she fell out.
Talking about kayaking. I heard a rumour that Jared paddled it on Sunday morning when it was only 1.56 high in 2 hours and then continued on to the Waioweka Bridge!!
It was great to be part of so many locals out there completing some challenging training. Congratulations to all of you.
Sunday was an awesome day with Lea and I travelling up to Motu with the Boss and his daughter, Nicole. Lea arrived with no chain on her bike (!) but the boss and I managed to fumble our way through and reconnect it.
Lea and I set off for the run and met Nicole at the bridge and carried on through the bush. The track was great - a bit of mud, but very beautiful bush. Click on the link below to see Lea and Nicole charging through the bush and then having a wee rest out the other side. It was a bit of a slog back with Nicole succumbing to a crook knee. However, Lea completed the run in 1.49 which was about 10 minutes faster than expected.
In the meantime Motu township's population had quadrupled. AaronTeddy and someone else had just started the run, Brian with the broken collarbone was running while his son Hamish and Pat were road cycling home. A bunch including Graeme, Christine, Julie and some others were also road cycling and then Rachel, Brett and Colin turned up to road cycle and leave their car for Ross and Jane to pick up after mountain biking through. There were others too but too many to remember.
Lea, Boss and I took off on the road bikes and were quickly joined by Brett, Rachel and Colin and we worked sort of as a team through to Traffords (really only I and the boss and Colin had turns at the front though!) The big disappointment was that we didn't have a fried sausage at Matawai which has to be the best fried sausage you have ever had!
We split up on the big hill with Colin finally pulling away in the last few hundred metres on his light as carbon fibre cycling machine while I lugged up my solid steel machine 50m behind him. Rachel was next after a great climb, followed by the boss and Brett who was relieved to hold out a fast fading Lea. Colin took off straight away, but being the gentleman I am I waited for all to get to the top and the rest of us took off together.
Of course the steel machine was first to the bottom and while I waited for Lea and the Boss, Brett carried on and the three of us had to work very hard to get him back often reaching speeds in excess of 60kph.
We had an awesome ride. This photo shows us in pursuit of Brett. Check this link out for the full set of photos. We finished in 1hr 45 which is my fastest by 6 minutes. It really shows the value in working as a team.
At Oponoe we caught up with the others who were having a lunch stop to find Tracey climbing in to the river in her Cobra Eliminator to paddle (by herself). I'm waiting to hear if she fell out.
Talking about kayaking. I heard a rumour that Jared paddled it on Sunday morning when it was only 1.56 high in 2 hours and then continued on to the Waioweka Bridge!!
It was great to be part of so many locals out there completing some challenging training. Congratulations to all of you.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Car Crash
Yesterday Leigh wrote our car off in a car accident!!! In fact, the car was written off by the other vehicle rather than by Leigh. Turning right into Tirohanga Rd and waiting for oncoming cars she was rearended by Whanarere, spun around and across the other side of the road. Thankfully, Leigh only suffered some bruised ribs (possibly cracked) but the car was totalled along with my trusty old bike carrier.
Be careful out there!
Be careful out there!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Challenge Road Challenge
Lea, Kerr and I made a rare visit to the TFO where we were reintroduced to the boss and treated with beautiful coffee. We then headed off (only 15 mins late) to Amokura Rd, over the range into Waiotahe Valley and back through Browns Rd and Old Creamery where the boss treated us with a bowl of hot soup and more fine coffee.
It was a great but gruelling ride. Dr had a neat fall in the mud which ripped his pants and shorts but then took it out on us by being first up the hill in possibly just under 40 minutes. He was followed by myself in 42 mins(who had hung back a bit at the start to check that Lea was alright after falling on the uphill at 0 kph but diving on the rocks to protect her bike from being scratched!) then Lea (45 mins) and the boss (50 mins).
The downhill was awesome with yours truly throwing caution to the wind and flying over the rocks and loose gravel on what must be one of the longest steepest descents in our area. Dr had all the fun and had another spill because he put his brakes on!!!!!. It was getting more and more difficult to explain to Agnes that his injuries were due to mowing the lawns (wnich he was supposed to be doing while she was away, but returning at 2.00 that afternoon!!). The boss followed next and many minutes later Lea appeared! Just let it go!
The ride home was tough as usual but it was good to be out with the boss again.
The rides from now on will be up the Motu Rd as the event looms larger.
All-in-all a great weekend with Lea coping with the river and a tough ride in the hills.
It was a great but gruelling ride. Dr had a neat fall in the mud which ripped his pants and shorts but then took it out on us by being first up the hill in possibly just under 40 minutes. He was followed by myself in 42 mins(who had hung back a bit at the start to check that Lea was alright after falling on the uphill at 0 kph but diving on the rocks to protect her bike from being scratched!) then Lea (45 mins) and the boss (50 mins).
The downhill was awesome with yours truly throwing caution to the wind and flying over the rocks and loose gravel on what must be one of the longest steepest descents in our area. Dr had all the fun and had another spill because he put his brakes on!!!!!. It was getting more and more difficult to explain to Agnes that his injuries were due to mowing the lawns (wnich he was supposed to be doing while she was away, but returning at 2.00 that afternoon!!). The boss followed next and many minutes later Lea appeared! Just let it go!
The ride home was tough as usual but it was good to be out with the boss again.
The rides from now on will be up the Motu Rd as the event looms larger.
All-in-all a great weekend with Lea coping with the river and a tough ride in the hills.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Most Improved Kayaker
The trip up to the start of the paddle was very stressful. The tension was such that everyone was scared to talk. That didn't stop Maia, Mac, Pete and myself doing our best to psyche Lea up for the paddle because we didn't want a repeat of the 17 swims. Lea didn't respond very well and we were all the victims of her vicious tongue!
Lea had borrowed Kurt's waka (sea kayak) and felt a bit nervous about being hemmed in by the skirt. She expressed a real appreciation about the supportive emails she received from all of you concerned about her welfare! Even one of my staff members asked me to make sure she was OK!
What a great trip - 15 mins to that bad rapid and no swims, 15 mins to the gauge and no swims, 15 minutes to the bridge and no swims (8 last week), 15 mins to the gravel pit and no swims, 40 min to the staircase and no swims, 45 mins to the old cafe and no swims, 30 mins to end and no swims. 2hr 55 compared to 4hr 05! We did take the fat man route to the left on the 2nd to last bend so it wont be totally conquered until Lea takes the right hand narly shute there.
You wouldn't want the river much lower (1.5) but it was a more satisfying paddle, though not as entertaining.
Well done, Lea!
I still want to hear from everyone who paddles the river and get reports on mishaps and successes etc. Just click on the comment tab in green at the end of the post to make your comment.
Lea had borrowed Kurt's waka (sea kayak) and felt a bit nervous about being hemmed in by the skirt. She expressed a real appreciation about the supportive emails she received from all of you concerned about her welfare! Even one of my staff members asked me to make sure she was OK!
What a great trip - 15 mins to that bad rapid and no swims, 15 mins to the gauge and no swims, 15 minutes to the bridge and no swims (8 last week), 15 mins to the gravel pit and no swims, 40 min to the staircase and no swims, 45 mins to the old cafe and no swims, 30 mins to end and no swims. 2hr 55 compared to 4hr 05! We did take the fat man route to the left on the 2nd to last bend so it wont be totally conquered until Lea takes the right hand narly shute there.
You wouldn't want the river much lower (1.5) but it was a more satisfying paddle, though not as entertaining.
Well done, Lea!
I still want to hear from everyone who paddles the river and get reports on mishaps and successes etc. Just click on the comment tab in green at the end of the post to make your comment.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Waioweka Swimming Tally to 5 September
Lea 17
Vaughan 3
George 2
Sidi 1 (Though not full Motu course paddled)
Vaughan 3
George 2
Sidi 1 (Though not full Motu course paddled)
Monday, September 3, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Stanley Rd!
Day 2 of a very hectic training weekend.
Where's the boss? 2 weekends away!
Lea and I set off from Wellington St clubhouse and found Dr Kerr at the bridge and we headed off into a strong wind aiming for Stanley Rd. We stopped at Nukuhou Dairy for a feed stop and Lea shared a barley sugar which is better than what she did at Houpoto - see earlier post. The barley sugar was worse for the wear as a result of spending a lot of time in the water - see yesterday's post.
The Dr decided to turn back because he had to have a Fathers' Day lunch with kids and then off for a paddle. Lea and I continued. The climb over Stanley Rd was quite nice - very sticky mud, not too steep and beautiful bush and waterfalls - sorry no camera. Of course the best bit was the descent into the Wainui! It was quite a haul back home but we cruised along at 28-33kph with a slight tail wind.
Absolutely knackered at the end but not surprising after yesterday's paddle and today's 80k at 23kph average!
Beautiful pumpkin soup and coffee at the end! What a great way to spend Father's Day.
I still can't get over Lea's 17 swims during the kayak yesterday. I want all of you Motu trainers to leave a comment on this blog telling us how many times anyone falls out. Lea needs some motivation so don't be shy.
Note the comments on the last post. Someone out there is also reading! The retired American teachers need to make contact so we know when they are in Opotiki.
Where's the boss? 2 weekends away!
Lea and I set off from Wellington St clubhouse and found Dr Kerr at the bridge and we headed off into a strong wind aiming for Stanley Rd. We stopped at Nukuhou Dairy for a feed stop and Lea shared a barley sugar which is better than what she did at Houpoto - see earlier post. The barley sugar was worse for the wear as a result of spending a lot of time in the water - see yesterday's post.
The Dr decided to turn back because he had to have a Fathers' Day lunch with kids and then off for a paddle. Lea and I continued. The climb over Stanley Rd was quite nice - very sticky mud, not too steep and beautiful bush and waterfalls - sorry no camera. Of course the best bit was the descent into the Wainui! It was quite a haul back home but we cruised along at 28-33kph with a slight tail wind.
Absolutely knackered at the end but not surprising after yesterday's paddle and today's 80k at 23kph average!
Beautiful pumpkin soup and coffee at the end! What a great way to spend Father's Day.
I still can't get over Lea's 17 swims during the kayak yesterday. I want all of you Motu trainers to leave a comment on this blog telling us how many times anyone falls out. Lea needs some motivation so don't be shy.
Note the comments on the last post. Someone out there is also reading! The retired American teachers need to make contact so we know when they are in Opotiki.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Waioweka Wetness
Lea and I decided to have our first paddle down the Waioweka in preparation for the Motu. I was keen just to do one section but Lea, in typical fashion wanted to do the whole thing. What was going to be difficult about a 2 1/2 - 3 hour paddle. She was looking forward to gliding down the river and through the rapids on Pete's sit-on Eliminator.
How many times did she tip out? 3, 4, 5, 8 times? In fact, it was 8 - before the Tauranga Bridge! then 2 more before the gravel pit! then 5 more in the next 30 minutes and then 2 more on the last 2 bends! 17 swims!!!! 3 hours 55 minutes!!!!
I heard some bad language! I paddled an extra 5k going back, twice to get her waka which was wedged back in the rapids and many times towing her and her waka to the shore. Talk about resistance training.
We're going again next Saturday if anyone wants a laugh.
How many times did she tip out? 3, 4, 5, 8 times? In fact, it was 8 - before the Tauranga Bridge! then 2 more before the gravel pit! then 5 more in the next 30 minutes and then 2 more on the last 2 bends! 17 swims!!!! 3 hours 55 minutes!!!!
I heard some bad language! I paddled an extra 5k going back, twice to get her waka which was wedged back in the rapids and many times towing her and her waka to the shore. Talk about resistance training.
We're going again next Saturday if anyone wants a laugh.
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