Back to a "Never Again" Race!

Back in 2010 I was starting to get pretty confident, entering new races and trying new trails. Friends told me about this race up on the coast north of Auckland called the Speight's West Coaster and I had nothing else on so I entered.

We, to cut a long story short, it chewed me up, spat me out and kicked me into touch. I went out with confidence and crawled back whispering "Never Again"!

Well 52 in 52 has taken me many places on it's meandering journey... but this was a first. To head back to a run that I had openly stated that I would never do... what's more, to do it as part of a double-header weekend... I must be nuts (which has never really been in doubt). Then, to top it all, Auckland turned on it's hottest November day in history!

As usual with a Total Sport event, there were plenty of familiar faces at the Bethells Beach start. Jane Thompson, Laurie Wilson, Leah Anstis and Rob Langley amongst many others! Also my lovely daughter was with me to take pics and then run the short course,

So the plan... as so often before... was to take it very easy. So I did, knowing what was coming is a big help and I started very conservatively... Rob Langley shot past me early and then on the first major uphill I caught him and we decided that together we could achieve more. The first change from my previous West Coaster was the start. Previously we ran over the river and straight onto the Te Henga Trail. This time there was a lovely beach run that looped around and then we headed up a zig-zag trail to join Te Henga.

And it was great, the West Coaster is like a picture postcard advertisement on NZ natural beauty and if you are not killing yourself you can appreciate it. Sure we were not walking (much) and we were cruising along nicely. But we had plenty of time to chat and discuss all manner of stuff. We got quiet on the killer uphills, but relaxed on the down. We even stopped a few times for picture moments.

Rob had a couple of shoelace stops, I waited the first time and the second time he said he would catch up, so I cruised slowly until he did.. About 5km in, right out on one of the spits we came across Alan Ure from Photos4Sale with his trusty camera gear. He had tramped out at some ridiculous time to get the very best picture he could... awesome and what sets him above the other running photo companies.

We go through the first section without major mishap, reaching the aid station at Constable Road for a well-earned refuel. Bumped into a few familiar faces up there. Keith Crook was there to support Leah who was on the comeback trail after injury and Lance Hunniford, who, is he is not running, is always there to support.

We did the quick 2km road loop on Constable - which was the second thing that had been added in since my first run here to take the race to Half Marathon distance - and then back down the steps which were definitely much better in that direction.

The trail is hard to describe, the pictures here probably describe it better than I can. The ups are usually quite steep and the downs can be so steep or tight that you cannot run them. The flax that was a real curse on my first West Coaster had largely been cut back this year... but it still grabbed me a couple of times. Flax is tough, so as a runner if you land on a flax leaf with one foot and the other foot catches the flax... it wont break... and you fall over! I did this about 10 times on my first visit... only twice this time.

At about 14km, Rob stopped to do his lace.. or get a drink or food or something... said to me "go on, I'll catch up"... this time he lied! I cruised on gently waiting for him to show... but when I reached one crest and could see about half a km of trail behind me with no Rob in sight, I knew I was on my own.

And surprisingly I was feeling pretty fresh... so I just upped my tempo a bit and reeled in a few other runners... even passing the neat American, Mark Wilkinson who I had met before the race who was running the course in a kilt!

Down the final hill and the wade over the river was very very refreshing and appreciated... and cruise over the line in 3:10 for 4th place in the Vets... but more amazingly for me, 24 minutes faster than in 2010... and the race was - according to Total Sport - 3 km longer! Woohoo... happy with that. Kate went one better coming 3rd in the Junior Girls 6km in a creditable 44m. Rob came in a little while later having had some equipment and body problems... but as always with a big smile on his face!

A nice day, now back to Rotorua for a totally different run the next day!