Training Log Archive: fluceluce

Early doors with Zanthe down riverlin and back up coppice track

Post walk run to swimming with Zanthe and RFR. Longshaw to Hathersage pool.

Helm hill reps with bills group

At the mapdec studio

FTP test - average watts 199w

Whirlwind tour of NZ over, time for 2 days travel.

Lovely sunny run with Mat and Wil at Godley Head. Then ice cream and a tour of Christchurch.

Drove down from Hamner Springs to Christchurch after an evening in the hot springs then decided to go and spot some wildlife at Akaroa. Weather wasn't great for boat trips so decided to run over to a bay on the other side of the peninsula. THe hand drawn maps available suggested this would be 8-9miles max so we had enough time to go wildlife hunting there. Set off and was feeling rubbish up the first climb. On the other side was a maze of woodland and as we headed down it became apparent you shouldn't trust hand drawn maps for scale....7.5miles and 1.5hrs later we made it to the bay! As we arrived we said hi to another runner and then took some photos and wil almost tripped over a seal! Then we quickly turned around and headed back as Oops, it was definitively going to get dark before we got back!

Now warmed up, I set off at pace to try to make sure we were not going to end up in the trees in the dark. We quickly caught the other runner and started having a chat. He was impressed with my pace up the hill so I explained we were definitely not going to make it back to Akaroa before dark. We chatted about racing and he mentioned he'd done some adventure racing, won the C2C 'in his time'. More chatting about the fun of teams and tactics in AR and then I thought I should wait for Wil so said goodbye and off he ran. Somehow towards the top of the woods we got a bit separated but made it out by dusk! Over the top and down a different track home, unfortunately into a wood this way.....by the light of my garmin we made it down to the road and back to town, phew, bit close to the line!

When we got to Mat's he suggested he might know our friendly runner, turns out he was Steve Gurney, famous for winning the C2C race not the once but 9 times with some fairly inventive marginal gains over the years! Well, good to see AR is as friendly all over the world :-)

After a catch up with Pat the previous night in Nelson, we headed for Abel Tasman. Sunny sunny paddling to apple rock, spotting birds and even seals!

Day 2 on the Old Ghost Road. After a brilliant night in stern valley hut playing cards with the international assortment of aussies, day 2 started with a beautiful ride up through the bone yard and were immediately rewarded with sweeping singletrack on the descent. Loving day 2! As we headed down the valley, the trail widened a bit, then became built into the side of the river bank, a hundred m or so up from the river....definitely no room to get it wrong, but it was fun track! We whizzed our way out and down to a well deserved drink and food at the end of the valley. Great couple of days adventure. I think Wil might forgive me for making him sit on a saddle for so long eventually....

A very leisurely start to the old Ghost Road bike packing. Started with one almighty climb to GIbbs hut, then some techy single mountain top riding with a steep drop to Ghost Lake Hut. This is where most people finish day 1, but we'd booked too late to get space so headed on, down some very very techy riding and then hundreds of steps! As we descended the steps, we met a group heading up to Ghost Lake.....we really should have traded bookings as we were pushing it for daylight riding down to stern valley and they were definitely benighted going up! Brilliant days riding!

Couple of days touristing up the West Coast in the rain and then in the sun.

Up in Wanaka. Morning jaunt up Roy's Peak. More beautiful mountains with views. Then a catch up with Emily back in town.

Milford sound paddle with a tour group. Massive views and we even saw a penguin.

In New Zealand!! 2 days of travel and a long drive across South Island and it was time for run 1 in fjordland. Up key summit, out to a hut on the routeburn trail and back down. Stunning scenery!

Out on a sunny Wednesday run with Annie Conway and the dogs! Feeling weak for the climbs following gastritis but trotting along ok. Not come as close to hitting the wall in a long time but made it up the final climb and back to Ambleside in time for sports massage at the uni.