Training Log Archive: Zed

Tiny and slow run with Callum, Nookoo spur loop.

With both dogs up the valley, up Saddle hill rd, back down Queens Jubilee Drive.

From home to South parklands to watch Leith play soccer.

Overdue!

Sprint series at Belair. Was the last starter I think and so saw no one else the whole time. Felt like I pottered around as my legs felt smashed from Thursday night run followed by basketball - to which my legs are unaccustomed.
As I do with sprint maps I had trouble with the detail and so spent the course putting my reading glasses on and off - so didnt feel fluent. Able to go fairly straight apart from dodging some large grazing kangaroos. Much preferred to 'sprinting' around buildings. Lovely evening.

C • Kangaroos 2

Played full game, filling in for school Mums team. Hadn't had time to eat between running and this and really started to fade. Quite good fun, wish I knew more what to do!

Belair run. Past waterfalls ( via playford lake) back via saddle hill rd then track. Fun.

Early flight back from Christchuch to Melbourne, then Melb to Adelaide. Bye NZ :(

Lochmara lodge to Anaikawa Bay including an extra loop at Mistletoe bay.
T caught boat from Mistletoe Bay to avoid the long distance but then found it a bit too short and easy.
Sad to finish the hike.

Another Lochmara day so went for a run in opposite direction to yesterday. Guessing distance.

A morning and evening kayak with Tarn. Relaxed pace. Tarn discovered kayaking is awesome!

Around the bouys several times. After the mornings activities I was tired so chilled out in a hammock on the hillside.

Around the bouys and exploring the bay. A passing kayaker asked if I'd spotted the hand fed sting rays yet? This prompted me to move away from the feeding area. Pretty fast!

Rest day at Lochmara so good opportunity to run back up to the high point. I felt great, legs felt strong. Distance an estimate as Garmin battery was low.

QCT Punga Cove to Lochmara Lodge.
We hired bikes for the day, delivered to Punga late the day before. This was as we had a long day to make the accommodation work. We started with a decent climb up to the saddle. Here we took the road down to Kenepuru sound to save time and so missed the first section of track along the ridge. T hadn't ridden for a while so she needed to reacclimatise to cycling. We quickly lost the altitude gained first up. As it was windy and gravelly we had to be a bit careful. Then the road wound through picturesque farmland before following the coast up and down to our lunch spot about 22 km from Punga, down from Torea saddle. We bought lunch here, I was trying to keep the fading Tarn fueled up. After lunch we only had 8 km but it proved quite tough. First up we had a long climb of 400 m elevation. Mostly I pushed both bikes. This was hard work but I quite enjoyed it. The track was too steep and rough to ride. We kept leap frogging a couple of women hiking along this section. Once we reached the high point we attempted riding but it was pretty technical and very steep riding with tight turns. T was worried she would go off the edge. I was not her favourite person at this time ( well most of this day I was really!) Finally after a very long feeling 5 km we reached the Lochmara turn off. The last 3 km were more rideable and we arrived at the awesome Lichmara lodge around 4.30 - cut off for bikes was 5 pm to get them on the ferry back to Picton.

Finished the day with a swim, shower and amazing meal at the restaurant which we both vacuumed up! I was forgiven by this point. I had a mushroom salad with the most enormous and delicious pan fried mushrooms I'd ever eaten.

Laps around the bouys.

QCT. Resolution Bay to Punga cove. Woke to sunny skies with everything sparkling after the rain. Fairly flat days walk. Started well with Tarn fresh after a rest day. Stopped at about 10 km for hot chips and coffee at Furneaux Lodge. Poor T was stung by a wasp on her neck here. We put ice on it and another guest ( a RN) kept an eye on her. We waited for an hour to be sure there was no reaction imminent - after Ls unexpected anaphylaxis last Dec I was more on edge.
Luckily all well. Afternoon was harder for Tarn. we finally arrived at Punga cove at 5 pm. Stayed in the backpackers section here. Small but comfy individual rooms with shared kitchen etc I had a nice swim.

As we were having 2 nights at Resolution Bay I ran the track back to Ship Cove and back. The track was sodden after a night of constant rain. Was my usual slow self up hill then had to also be slow and cautious downhill as it was so slippery and I only had my kayanos, not trail shoes. Still it was fun and nice to get out. Had planned to do some kayaking but it was too wild and windy. We did jump off the jetty and I had a short, gaspingly cold swim.

We met a couple on a yacht with their 2 year old who had sailed across from Wellington and were touring the sounds.

It rained off and on all day then fairly constantly overnight again.

Run around Picton prior to packing up and shopping for Queen Charlotte track.

Start of Queen Charlotte track, Ship cove to Resolution Bay. It poured and the track was very soggy and slippery. Watched a beech tree fall down a short distance away and found myself thinking about landslides!
Arrived at our cabin about 5 pm completely drenched. Our host had a toasty fire going for us in the cabin's combustion heater , with kettle heating on top, very welcome.

Run up and down road and around Otira.

Then went and walked through the cave stream. This was awesome and a great suggestion by Fern.

A little run to stretch the legs along the road at Kinloch. Running made my sandfly bites itch like crazy so I finished with a swim in the cold Lake Wakatipu which eased the itchiness.

Mid Caples hut along the river to the road end. Picked up and back to Kinloch. Enjoying great food, and swim in lake Wakatipu and shower/ clean clothes,

Dropped off by bus to run the last 2 km to Kinloch. Nice.

A long day. Starting Lake McKenzie hut ( close to 1000m) leaving 8.25 am, down to Howden hut, up Mc Keller Saddle - a huge climb, 300 m at least - (need to check), then down down down to Mid Caples hut at 425 m, finally arriving at 7.50 pm. Still just enough light for a welcome quick swim in a beautiful pool of the river. Favourite hut so far. Friendly atmosphere - Tarn joined a very multicultural group for cards. Epic day for T, her longest distance ever. My longest with a heavy pack.

Routeburn Flats hut to Lake Mc Kenzie up Harris saddle and via Conical hill ( cloudy at top.)

Off to start the Routeburn this morning!

Routeburn shelter to Routeburn Flats hut. Then left packs and walked up the Routeburn north branch. Enjoyed feasting on raspberries at the hut. It is as lovely and spectacular as I remember from 13 years ago. Drier though, some creeks not flowing.

Tarn amazed at the scenery. Forgotten how tough carrying a heavy pack is so nice to have a short day. Meeting lots of nice people.

My version of Thirsday evening run. Routeburn flats nearly to Routeburn falls hut and back. Nice to move without a pack. As I discovered the next morning, running uphill with no extra weight easier than walking up same hill with a pack.

Run around the streets of our motel in Christchurch looking for breakfast.

Then Tarn and I drove from Christchuch to Kinloch at the top of lake Wakatipu, with stops for raspberries, cherries, strawberries, peaches and coffee on the way.

Travel day, Adelaide to Christchurch, because it didn't occur to me to check flights direct to Queenstown!

Very busy last day at work.

Bridgewater run. 7 am meet time which was quite an achievement I thought after getting home after 1 am from a colleagues 50th. ( Was rather fun set in an old stone shed at Cherry Gardens with live music of Sth American feel.)
Did the Hahndorf Heysen spur trail to Ambulance rd and left there. Mist on the high sections was delightful.

Then straight on to watch Leiths soccer in Sth parklands, spending some time looking for coffee on Unley rd on route.

Busy day washing and packing. It's always a big task packing for hiking. Still more to do.

C • Great effort to arrive at 7am! 2

Oh dear. Very rusty. Lots of trouble reading detail and incapable of reading on the run or even walk. Forgot what number I was heading for and missed a control - I don't think I've done that before! Which also meant I stuffed that leg up, and a few others. Given my poor result it is perhaps surprising I enjoyed myself as much as I did. Ran some sections quite hard too.

Ran to Pole rd house and back to meet handyman to discuss various works needing doing. Was quite hot on the return trip and Callum and I ran very slowly! Same time both directions. Legs tired today.

Belair run up to the redwoods. Bush looked sparkly clean in the evening sun.

Run up to upper Sturt to end of hilltop drive and back. Includes some walking about in bush checking sites. Feet sore after new work shoes gave me blisters yesterday. Still some drizzle about.

First thing I noticed after Leith brought me my cup of tea in bed was that it was raining! How glorious! Eventually hauled myself up and went out in the warm rain with Callum. We went up to Karka then back. By the time I got back to Upper Sturt rd it was like running next to a river. Sad to be chained to my desk and at meetings all day and miss watching the rain.

Can't believe this time next week I will be in NZ!

Have been neglecting yoga and it shows!

Before work. So stiff and tight I strained my shoulder doing this.