Running in Taupo & Rotorua.

Monday 15th - Friday 19th Jan 2007.
OMG - its a whole week since my last post and I don't know where the time has gone! As usual, the holiday passed way too quickly, but we had a great time and it all went pretty much to plan. Only got out for two runs while I was away, but they were both in unique & beautiful locations and I will remember them for quite some time I am sure. Have also run twice this weekend since getting back to Auckland, but will post about those seperately. Main thing is, my leg has continued to behave and apart from it feeling a tad on the tight side on Thursday (a non running day) I have not noticed it at all. Extra stretching seemed to sort it out.

Rather than ramble on about everything we did while away, I will post some photos with captions instead and write about the runs I did:

Courtney & her friend Tori were pretty excited to finally arrive at our destination!

We went to Taupo Hot Springs where they have this great water slide and lots of lovely, hot thermal pools to soak in!

One afternoon we hired this bike and took turns riding around the campground.

Enjoying a meal at one of our fave spots in Taupo - the 'Pub 'n Grub' - looking out at the lake.

We went on a 1hr horse trek thru the bush - I was the only one with a sore butt the next day!

Now - as for the running....

Tuesday - Taupo run: Headed off at 8am while the girls were still in bed watching a DVD. Plan was to do laps of the rather large campground, going past the cabin every 10mins or so to check on them. However I got chatting to an older couple in the cabin next to ours, who said they'd be happy to keep an eye and ear on the girls for me if I wanted to go a bit further afield. Knowing they were very safe in the cabin anyway, I didn't need telling twice - I headed up the road and into a recreation area I had heard about. Followed the pathways to one of the rivers that flows into Lake Taupo and found a trail that follows the river and is surronded by beautiful native bush. At one point I crossed a bridge where people were sitting in rock pools. From the steam I could tell it was hot water they were sitting in - the thermal springs I had heard about! (Took the girls back there the next day and we all sat in them!) After 20mins I had to force myself to turn back, thinking of the girls. All up I ran for 30mins with a 5min walk each side and estimate I ran 6kms, all at a good steady pace.

Friday - Rotorua run: As I'd hoped, Todd was in Rotorua Thursday evening and agreed to take the girls walking in the forest on Friday morning, while I went for a run there. I had read about the running trails in the Whakarewarewa Forest in the Jan 07 edition of Runners World (pgs 68-70) Todd knows Rotorua pretty well and he knew where to go. Thanks to him it was all very easy for me. Its a beautiful area and I had a thoroughly enjoyable hour there - 50mins running with a 5min walk each side. It was hilly in places and I was forced to slow my pace, so estimate I covered about 9kms. It was fantastic on the soft mud trails, running amongst the towering Redwoods and lots of other large exotic and native trees. There were plenty of other runners and walkers about, the sun streaming thru the trees was magnificent and I couldn't think of anywhere I'd rather be running at that moment.

Todd and the girls enjoyed their walk too, but later on I took them all on a walk thru some of the parts they had missed, that I had been most impressed with - including where the giant Californian Redwoods are. While there I also sought more information from the Visitors Centre about the half marathon mentioned in the RW article - it is now held in that very forest, on some of the trails that I had used. Turns out it is on 11th March this year. I know thats only 7 weeks away, but its now been marked on the calendar and I would LOVE to do it! (leg willing).

I have a couple of great photos from the forest - but suddenly Blogger does not want to play, so will try to post them tomorrow. I will also write about my weekend runs then AND catch up on everyone elses blogs - which I have missed immensely, but been far too busy to catch up on since getting back. Right now I just need to hit the sack - its almost midnight and I have to work tomorrow... goddamit!