Terry runs 100k at the Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Thanks very much to all those who supported the Cancer Society’s Relay for Life- the entire event raised over $200,000!!! All from Central Otago, to be spent in Central Otago. Me and Ed are happy we could contribute a wee bit to this grand total.

Just before the beginning in my flash new Newton running shoes- I’d had them for 1 and a half weeks – probably not ideal because they do dictate a different running style (landing fore-foot, not heal-toe) but as it turned out they were awesome!

100ks took just over 10hrs. Only stops were for the toilet (x 4) and twice I walked 200m with my children after they had completed running several full 450m circuits they eventually tired so we had to walk back to mum.

A huge thanks has to go out to all those random participants who came and ran along beside me to keep me company and help me through the tough times! Special thanks to Craig, Ginah, Emma,  Sean (I think your name was? You were running in trousers and tweed hat??) Rachel, and so many more that in my delusional state I wasn’t able to remember your names. It truly was for me quite a moving experience that so many people I didn’t know from a bar-of-soap helped me achieve my goal. Special thanks to mates Cory, Greg, Duane and Carla too!

The last 2 hours were special. I was just head down, one foot in front of the other… if I had had to stop I don’t know if I could have got going again, even slowing down or slightly changing my stride saw pain igniting around my knee. Thankfully I had a spontaneous team around me who would run in front and clear a path for me (sincerely sorry to all those who were just out for a nice social walk), they would run ahead and get drink and food from my table and click my lap-counter so I wouldn’t loose stride, they would tell me stories and jokes and keep me motivated with ‘well this isn’t as bad as…’ stories.

My plan was to carry on walking for the remainder of the 24hrs and the first 4.5hrs of that were fine- then I don’t know what happened but boom! My Calves and knees told me under no uncertain terms that they had had enough! I thought this is it- there is no way I can carry on now so after a short rest I called my Dad to come and pick me up. While i was waiting for him to come I started massaging my calves and rubbing my knees and by the time Dad eventually turned up (what the hell was he doing!!) I found I could walk again- so I shuffled over to the massage tent where she rubbed some deep-heat into the side of my knee and assured me I wouldn’t do permanent damage by continuing on so away I went. Well, in all honesty away I struggled and mostly continued to struggle for the remaining hours until 12pm Sunday. In all I probably had 2hrs of rest between finishing the 100ks at 10.05pm  Sat. and the finish of the relay at 12pm Sun. Mainly due to bloody sore soles of my feet- the course was hard packed, bumpy, uneven dirt.

This is the last round- Mum and Dad in their kilts, Tori and Matthew and me pushing Ryan.  Big thanks to my beautiful wife Stephanie who looked after the 3 wee ones while I was out running around in circles.

Are there any photo’s of my random supporters out there?? I won’t put your photo on this web page if you don’t want want me too but I would really appreciate a few photos of those who ran with me so if you have one please email to me here.

Huge thanks to horley’s for the energy fluids through-out the ordeal and also to Newton who have sponsored me with a flash new pair of shoes!!

Wanaka Skyline Challenge and Hillend Gutbuster Race Photos!!

If anyone has any more photos feel free to email them to me and I’ll chuck them up.

Wanaka Skyline Challenge and Hillend Gutbuster Report

The weather was crap. No other way to describe it really. Sure, we didn’t have any problems with sun burn and dehydration but we didn’t really expect to get so close to hypothermia for some competitors!!

It’s days like this you really appreciate good gear (all those wearing macpac feel free to sing their praises) and minimum gear requirements! Comments from the top were “I was wearing all my kit and it was still bloody cold!” A big thanks too to Horleys and Annies for helping to keep the energy levels up on such a demanding day.

The low cloud (and maybe a marker or two missing) made keeping to the track quite a challenge along the top of the Skyline between Roy and Alpha but luckily everybody made it home eventually.

The gut buster course proved to be particularly gut busting going up and then for some competitors even more soul destroying coming down- although it was a shorter course than the Skyline Challenge it was no less a massive effort for all those who took place.

Ed and Terry were glad to see virtually all those who pre-entered turn up and pit themselves against ‘challenging’ courses on a good day but real adventure races on a day like we had today.

You should all be well pleased with yourselves for completing your distances! And didn’t those Export 33’s go down well afterwards- thanks very much to the export guys and also to 93b who supplied the yummy filled rolls (next year we’ll ask for a couple of vegetarian ones among them too).

A huge thanks to all the ‘volunteers’ (friends dragged in) who not only tramped up to mountain tops but also stood around in the rain and cold for hours! Events couldn’t happen without you and we whole heartedly appreciate it.

Please add your comments below- we know basically all of you got spot prizes so please make a comment and tell us if they’re any good. How’s that shave gel you all got in the race packs? I use the ‘Aloe Hydrate’ flavour and would have to say it is genuinely good stuff. (Sorry to the ladies- next year we’ll hassle more sponsors for product you can use too!) And how cool are those self charge torches/cell phone chargers… depending on feedback we’ll try to get more of the stuff you like and less of the stuff you don’t. Thanks very much. Terry and Ed

New registration / finish location for the Wanaka Skyline Challenge and Hillend Gutbuster

Yep, we’ve decided to relocate from Pembroke Park to the Show Grounds. Much better parking, more toilets, and one less road to cross as you’re running for the finish. Not to mention if the weather is dodgy (and as far as this summer is going who knows what it’ll be like!) we have nice big clubrooms thanks very much to the Wanaka Rugby Football Club.

Primal Earth supports the Wanaka Skyline Challenge.

Thanks very much to Primal Earth for supplying samples for all runners (female runners feel free to take one home for the man in your life).

Experience for yourself the benefits of a natural shave.  May not make you run a lot faster on the up-hill sections of the course but it could earn you (the men I’m referring to here) valuable brownie points with the boss! (That would be your wife/partner/…)

Find some here and let me know what you think.