New Xtreme Sport Discovered
We have finally arrived in Mongolia after a long flight to Beijing, 20 hours holed up in an airport hotel and another short flight to Ulaan Bataar. It’s an impressive and extraordinary place to fly into and a massive contrast to the glitz and glamour of the new, hugely impressive Beijing airport. Having been starved [...]
Mongolia, here we come!
Now counting down the final few hours before boarding our plane. This time tomorrow we will be in Beijing en route for Mongolia, where I am running in the Sunrise to Sunset mountain marathon. Unfortunately I spent half of last night sitting on the toilet with diarrhoea and feel pretty washed up today – but better [...]
Not packed, not ready
In just 2 days time I will be sitting on a plane to Beijing, en route to Ulaan Bataar, en route to Lake Hovsgol in Northern Mongolia (that’s nearly in Russia if you check your atlas). A long way to go for a training run, but this is a special one… for years I have dreamed [...]
Team meeting
On Thursday night we had our first ‘team meeting’ of Auckland-based 7in7 runners and support crew. There was also talk of a run beforehand but unfortunately a widespread outbreak of Man Flu kept the number of runners down to just zero… however all were miraculously recovered in time to enjoy the hospitality of the ELBOW [...]
Now I’m a Mule!
When I first told my wife, Sally, that I was now a Mule she quick as a flash replied “well, better than being an ass I suppose!” So what’s this all about? A strange case of shapeshifting or therianthropy? No, it means that we have an exciting new sponsor on board. MULE BARS are making [...]
Biggest week yet
Yesterday marked the end of Phase 1 of my training, with the odometer stopping at just over 1,200kms. I finished it with a long (5hrs15) run around Karekare, Piha and west coast – and just for once it didn’t rain! This concluded my biggest week yet – a week in which I knocked out almost [...]
A date for your diary
THE 7 in 1: FUNDRAISING WITH A DIFFERENCE. Fancy joining in the 7in7 but not daft enough to run 360kms? Here’s the solution. On Oct 18th we are putting on a scaled-down 7in7 Challenge that just about anybody can do. What we have in mind is a totally unique concept suitable for individuals or teams [...]
Ultimate Hikes and Creature Comforts
I am thrilled to announce another sponsor – Ultimate Hikes run guided walks over the Routeburn and Milford tracks and have offered us all kinds of logistical support for these two legs of the Challenge. Best of all is a night at their ‘luxury’ lodge on the Milford Track, complete with evening meal. This is [...]
Wet and wonderful
I’m just back from a great weekend away…. despite the weather. All started well enough and as we flew over a millpond-like Cook Straight we even dared to believe the forecast might be wrong. Friday afternoon in Nelson was cold but fine, so I took myself off for a fun grunt up Grampian Hill and [...]
What’s happening?
Undecided what to blog about today so thought I’d do a quick update on what’s happening on a few fronts: DONATIONS – the no.1 priority. We’ve had a real flurry of activity of late, adding more than 50 Friends of the Challenge in just a week. The total donated now stands at $12,000 TALKS – [...]
Crossing the Great Divide….
I’ve only ever lived on the south side of the harbour bridge and see the North Shore as alien territory. But in the quest for new places to run I brushed off my passport and took it for a spin over The Bridge this morning. And there awaited two very nice surprises… firstly I discovered [...]
And the winners are….
At 5pm yesterday we drew the winners in our first Friends of the Challenge draw. Congratulations to Kirrilee, Grant and Jacelyn & Regan who each won a MIZONE PRIZE PACK consisting of a case of Mizone sports drink, a Dry Gear running vest, Mizone jacket and Mizone cap signed by Mahe Drysdale. Congratulations also to Tony [...]
