I was initially attracted to the Coastal Ultra as it was in the Catlins which is an area in NZ I’ve never been to before. It was a new event and 99% of the course was on private land so the opportunity to explore rarely ventured territory appealed. However, the Coastal Ultra was also on ... read more.
Talk about Christchurch runners being spoilt for choice! After participating in the inaugural Aotearoa Ultra three weeks prior, I was lucky enough to back this up with another inaugural Christchurch event – the Port Hills Ultra. Having run in the Port Hills a few times, I was aware of how challenging the terrain could be ... read more.
New year. New run. The inaugural Aotearoa Ultra 53km from Pigeon Bay to Halswell Quarry provided an opportunity to repent for my Christmas and New Year sins. I’d indulged in more than my fair share of ice cream and pavlova whilst discovering unheard cheese cake varieties (Oreo and Toblerone). Some days desert was eaten twice ... read more.
It’s an early 4.15am alarm for this year’s Crater Rim Ultra (53km). A quick shower and shave act as a pre-race ‘comfort primer’ and breakfast is hurriedly eaten in the car. I arrive at Hansen Park at 5.15am just in time to catch the bus to Lyttelton where the ferry waits. It’s a cool morning ... read more.
Wow! A lot has happened since my last blog in March following the NZ Ironman. My last marathon was the 4 Paws Marathon in 2019 and I would’ve never thought that my next marathon would be the 2020 4 Paws Marathon. When COVID-19 entered the scene, the event industry and my running calendar was thrown ... read more.
The Crater Rim Ultra is one of my favourite events. It’s very challenging but I enjoy running in the Port Hills – a popular ‘back yard’ for many Christchurch runners. Like most ultras, it is an early 4.20am alarm to catch an early bus. The bus trip this year to Lyttelton is remarkably lively for ... read more.
The 4 Paws Marathon was a special event for me. After more than a year of planning and negotiating, all of a sudden, the start line was upon me. The only difference being I had created this start line and it brought associated responsibilities. The genesis of the 4 Paws Marathon not surprisingly came one ... read more.
The weather forecast for the Christchurch Marathon wasn’t overly inspiring. A cold southerly front with rain and a high of 9 degrees Celsius. Running on the 2nd of June seemed like a good idea three weeks ago. Today, I’m not so sure! It is 6.30am and I can hear the howling wind outside and the ... read more.
As much as I like participating in my home town marathon, the chances of favourable weather conditions aren’t great in Christchurch during winter. So when I wake up and it is dark, cold, and wet; it can be difficult to get out of bed yet alone leave the front door. Getting to the start line ... read more.
After traveling to the USA for my last run, it’s nice to do a run in your own back yard in the Port Hills, Christchurch. The inaugural Crater Rim Ultra 50km was always going to be a bit special. I don’t recall ever running an inaugural event in my whole 14 years of marathon running. ... read more.
After two years in Sydney, it’s great to be back running in Christchurch. When I think of the Christchurch marathon, I think of running through seasons. When I was a medical student, I used to do a lot of my marathon training runs along the Avon River. Come spring, daffodils would populate the river bank ... read more.