2012 Papatowai Challenge

On Saturday 24 February, I participated in my 4th Papatowai Challenge in the Catlins. I travelled down with Gail Sharp who was competing in her 14th Challenge and I believe holds the record for women walking in the event.

We arrived just after 11am for the 12 noon start. The weather deteriorated to an extent I made a last minute decision to wear a merino top under my t-shirt. It was cool with a breeze and the threat of rain. There were 427 participants and I managed to get away to a good start as it can get congested going along the bush track. Luckily on the beach we had a tail wind and the sand was hard.

Going up the goat track and unsealed road was a grunt but what I expected. When we got to the top and turned a corner for home the wind was a head one and it started to rain heavily. It was quite unpleasant. I managed to make up a bit of time over the last 5kms as I wanted to get back under 2:10 hrs and close to my PB of 2:07:01. My eventual time was 2:07:41 which was pleasing considering the conditions. I was 13th male and 28th overall so all-in-all a successful day. Caversham's Roger and Tom were 1st and 2nd respectively. Gail was the 4th woman home.

Caversham Club Master's Games Success

Women

Golds : Julie Edmunds: 5km and 10km.
Gold: Dianne Bartlett: Half Marathon.
Silver: @2x Bronze :Sandra Cromarty Half Marathon 5km @ 10km Silver : Monique Elleboode:10km Bronze : Donna Tumaru 5km and 10km.
Bronze: Patsy Mason : Half Marathon.

Men:

Golds: Roger Leslie: Half Marathon, 5km @10km
Golds: Neville Shanks: Half Marathon @ 10km Gold : Ian Dick : 5km @10km
Gold: Craig Currie: Half Marathon.
Silver: @ Bronze Dave McWhinnie: 10km @ Half Marathon
Silver: Tom Cockerill: 5km

Master's Games10km Walk

Once again the weather was ideal for my second Master's Games event - the 10km walk. I managed to get away to a great start leaving the Caledonian Ground. I covered the first 5km in 34 minutes and was on track to do a sub 70 minute time for the first time. As I went out fast for the first half I felt the effects as I tried to keep up the pace. It was tough going up the Ravensbourne Bridge steps.

However I managed to finish in 69:32minutes a PB and good enough for a silver medal. There were five walkers in my age band.

Rail Trail Section - Daisybank to Hyde

28 January

On the last Saturday in January the Caversham Walking Group pooled cars for driving to Hyde initially then further pooling in cars to Daisybank. We walked on the Rail Trail from Daisybank to Hyde a distance of 21kms. Twenty walkers from the club make the trek in fine conditions. A feature of this section of the Rail Trail is the viaduct and tunnel. The walk took just over two hours.

We stopped at the Otago Central Hotel in Hyde for a drink before heading home.

Master's Games 1/2 Marathon

It has almost been three years since I participated in a half marathon walking event. My expectations were to do a time under three hours and a PB of 2:52 was unrealistic. My mate Craig and I had done quite a bit of training for this event although a week In Surfer's Paradise put paid to much training.

Numbers were down as opposed to 2010 with a round 60+ competing. I was in the 55-59 years band. The conditions were almost perfect. A warm day with no wind and very overcast. The sun came out on the last 15 minutes of my walk.

I walked the first 5kms with Danny and Maree in 38mins. I was very happy with that. My walking partners took off so I did the next 5kms with Grant, a workmate of Craig's. We went through the 10kms in 78mins. Again I was delighted with that. The next 5kms were a challenge. It was a long straight down School Street and I was passed by a number of walkers. However when I went through the 15kms mark in 1hr 58 mins I knew I was in sight of a PB.

This motivated me over the final 6kms and I worked hard to maintain around an 8 minute one kilometre pace. My feet were sore and my body was tired. I managed to finish in 2:45:16 which was a thrill.

I waited for my mate Craig to finish. He wanted to do a time under 3hrs but this time passed. He came in at 3hrs 8mins and was disappointed. He need not be. He should be thrilled that he finished considering a number of health issues that he overcame with determination.

The icing on the cake was that I scored a bronze medal and Craig got gold.

All-in-all a successful event. My next event is the 10km walk in a week's time.

(Image above shows Craig and Grant with their medals)