The Tron Bites Back...

Having lived in Hamilton for several yaers in my past I kind of expected a pretty straight-forward half marathon... a bit along the lines of Cambridge with a bit more city thrown it.

I didn't even check the map to see exactly where the course went, I glanced at it at registration and read it completely wrong as I thought it wound through city streets.

Lyndsey Anselmi

So imagine my surprise when when cruised off into the country and stayed there for most of the run with an undulating course that on a very hot and humid day took it's toll!

Back to the start... great to bump into Lyndsey and Damien Anselmi. Roger and Hay Morris, Mgcini Masuku and Glenn Larson and a few other friendly faces.

Damien Anselmi

Fen Moy

I met a lovely lady on the start line, her name was Fen Moy and she was pretty keen to set a good time.... little did I know that I would see more of her during the run.

So off we went in waves, I was in the second wave... Lainy was there just around the corner to catch the start. Felt ok without being great, the feet and body was still a bit tender from the pounding of Onehunga, but not too bad.

As we wound our way through the streets on the edge of the city the temperature was slowly starting to rise. Clouds started to clear and I learned yet again never to presume! I had not bothered with either gels or drink for this run thinking that - like most road halfs - I wouldn't really need it....WRONG!

The temperature continues to rise and being the Waikato, the humidity started to soar. I was struggling in the conditions. I was stopping at every aid station and refilling and losing lots of time. The race was well into the country  and rolling hills and big long straights made it hard work in the heat.

During this part of the race was one of the few times that I questioned my love of running. After Onehunga the week before I was finding running a real hard thing to do... the hard surfaces, the heat, the long open straights... it was all so... BLERGHHH!!!  

At about 13km I caught up with Fen Moy again, but not the way I wanted, both I and the runner just in front of me watched in horror as she tumbled down the gulley at the side of the road ahead of us. At first I though she had just lost her footing... but as we rushed to her it became obvious that the heat and a lack of liquids had got to her.

The amazing thing was that she was not hurt externally, the gulley was very rocky and only the most incredible luck allowed her to fall down and not get hurt.

I sent the other runner on, as I explained, I had plenty more halfs to run, as I had no liquid, I couldn't give her any. She had started with a camelback, but had run out. Fortunately after 6 or 7 minutes of waiting for the ambulance a vehicle stopped and together we managed to get her into it and they shipped her off to the hospital.

About another kilometre along the road I passed a race attendant tending to another collapsed runner... so I guess I wasn't the only one feeling the heat! And on I battled towards that never appearing finish!

We eventually got back into the city and soon merged with the 10km runners... and there, just ahead I saw a familiar red singlet and sure enough it was my daughter Kate who was running the 10km. I pushed with a little of the energy I had left and managed to catch up. Kate made it a bit easier as she was finding the hard surface and the heat very hard to handle as well.

So Kate and I actually managed to run across the line together... something that is always a buzz... and all of a sudden I loved running again... didn't take much! We both collected medals, Kate's first, so she was stoked!

Vitahealth Massage Solutions very kindly gave me a post race massage and they really knew their stuff. We caught up with a few of the others as they finished and headed home... hot and tired but knowing another race was done and I was still moving... and I still loved running!!!