UltraHumps – Weather Bomb

Hi team

Welcome to blog # 28.  Well like most people I started back at work this week after a three week break over the festive season.  Never long enough of course, so like most I suffered from the back to work blues.  Anyway I got back into my work and training schedule which is a balancing act at the best of times, but I always make both achievable.

Of course, along with returning to the lower North Island for work, comes the weather.  Thursday a weather bomb hit the South Island and lower North island which was building up on Wednesday evening.  No sooner had I finished work, than I headed out on the roads for my Wednesday two hour training session of a cycle followed by a run, the dark clouds were looming and knowing I was going to get wet meant ‘it is what it is’.  I didn’t exactly plan for the downpour to be so intense and immediate though.  By the time I reached the top of Blue Mountain Hill Road in Silverstream, I was drenched to the skin and battling with the wind that was already gusty and causing havoc.  I soon realised that I wouldn’t be able to focus on my Heart Rate Monitor, but instead had to

focus on staying on the handle bars and keeping the bike upright.  I am sure motorists that went past me thought I was a mad bugger to be out in this weather.  They were probably right.  As soon as I returned to Camp to rack my bike the rain stopped (go figure).  Murphy’s Law. I often joke that it always rains every time I clip on my helmet.  At least it wasn’t raining throughout the run, but the wind gusts hindered my pace.

The rest of the training that Coach Ray had scheduled throughout the week went relatively well, although now that I was back in Wellington I returned for a session with my Sports Masseuse and a session with the Physio.  This time there was no dry-needling to start the year off, but he did give me some new strengthening exercises and made it quite clear that my injuries such as calf strains will always heal themselves, but with what I do at the age of 50, I am going to be more prone to sports injuries if I don’t religiously do more stretching and strengthening exercises than what is expected. Bugger, the 21 year old body must have passed it’s used by date (almost, just as well I’m stubborn).  Thankfully I have the utmost faith in Coach Ray’s training regime.

This brings me to the favourite part of Ultraman Australia, with photos from the Awards Ceremony which was held 24 hours after the event had finished.  The first photo is of us being led into the reception in our country groups under the Ultraman Australia Banner and the second photo is of us on stage with our flags.  I was given the opportunity to carry in the New Zealand flag accompanied with Dave Oliver the other Kiwi athlete (a highlight in itself).  The third photo is of me on stage giving my ‘finishers speech’ and the fourth photo of me holding my awards – the finishers medal, finishers trophy, and the trophy for first in the Military and Emergency Services Division.  The last photo is with Tony the Race Director and Dave Carroll, the guy who persuaded Ultraman Australia to have the Military and Emergency Services Award after I was also presented my finishers jacket.  Photos courtesy of Barry Alsop of Eyes Wide Open Images, Official Photographer for Ultraman Australia 2016.

Take care team and for those from the Wellington Region, I hope you enjoy your Anniversary long weekend for Wellington.  Train hard, eat wise, drink less (alcohol not electrolytes).

Regards John Humphries (Aka UltraHumps, Aka Humps)!