Hi Blog Followers, welcome to another blog from myself after having a rest week from blog writing last week due to being overseas on holiday. Since returning from overseas with work I have been clocking up the training in various locations, I have never been known to sit still for more than 5 minutes, so what have I been up to…
Coach Ray recognized I have been away from my family for several months due to work commitments, and allowed me to conduct my own training until I start back at work, which is this week at the time of publication of my blog. I am sure he can’t wait to put me through the paces and see where my fitness level is at (I am dreading it in some ways lol). As such I let him know I would be catching up with my elderly mother and heading overseas with my wife and daughter, so training at own pace was the solution we came up with. As mentioned, not being able to sit still for 5 minutes meant it didn’t take long for Mel to occasionally say “haven’t you got some training to do” (I must of been annoying her lol). So having already passed through Sydney on my way back from overseas work, I ran 10 Km’s the day I arrived and up early again for another 10 Km’s before I flew in to Aotearoa. I did this by running on the road in a straight line for 5 Km’s and then turning around and straight back to avoid getting lost.
Once in New Zealand, we had a weekend in Waikanae, so that was Beach walks and runs, got to love the feel of the NZ surf on your feet, even though after 50°C where I was, it took a bit of dancing on the spot to get use to the cold water. From there I went to Waipukurau where our family home is and I hit the roads and trails I am use to. Of course every time I put on my running shoes it rained, ‘What The Haka’. But the upside is I also got to use the local pool and give my bike some TLC and spin the pedals.
It was then time to head off on our holiday. This started with meeting up with Mel’s family at Mount Maunganui and our training was laps around the Mount. I always love this undulated track which I have competed on previously for the run segment on the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman and Port of Tauranga Enduro Half Ironman which is in association with Iron Maori. After a couple of days in that location we headed to Hamilton where I did some road running, once again not familiar with the area, I ran 5 Km’s out and 5 Km’s back on one road pretty much, to cover 10 Km’s.
Once overseas we had 5 days on the Gold Coast where my inner child came out in the theme parks. Our apartment was opposite the beach and near a park, so I would run around the park and then head back home running along the beach. Sometimes Mel would join me on the beach. When I got to Melbourne for 2 days it was a park I found with various trails near the accommodation, so I would run up there and do a couple of loops. On my last day I had a death of a cold (man flu), so chose to go for a brisk walk before flying home. Flying in to Auckland and once boarded on my plane to Napier, we were advised the flight was cancelled and I couldn’t fly until the next day ‘What The Haka’. I managed to get my flight changed to Taupo as I was heading there the next day for the Waikato Sports Awards. Now it is time to dust off the sports gear and have Coach Ray put me through the paces (eek)!
Stay tuned team as I continue my journey back into training full time and planning major events. Regards John Humphries (Aka Humps, Aka UltraHumps)!
UltraHumps will be writing weekly blogs as he continues his journey and raising funds for Charitable causes.
Read Humps article from last week here:
All his previous articles are stored here: