Training Log Archive: ColmM

Mt. Taranaki.
Up the southern side & down the northern.
Down across to Dawson falls first to make a loop, long slog up to Fatham’s peak, and met some people just arriving at Syme hit and setting up for the evening (apparently full moon tonight), which I was a bit jealous of cos we’d just gotten outta the mist and it was stunning.
Scrambled up to the summit (was glad of gloves), and then met a couple pitching their tent for the evening - which I was even more jealous of.
Faffed for a bit trying to find the route down to the north which added some time, but didn’t want to retreat cos I knew the north route would be shorter, less climb, and better trail. In the end spotted a marker on the side of a rock face which was absolutely not a route I had considered, but was just very glad I was considering the snow-line route.
Couldn’t run the first section of the descent cos it was too steep, but then it turned to scree & eventually stairs which were all runnable even if still slow. Then back the circuit path to the van.
Very good day out.
Legs feeling alright at the end, though felt very awkward going into the shop an hour later. Have held up well for a big week, though maybe will be a bit kinder to them in coming weeks. We shall see.

New Plymouth parkrun
Made it in time but not with lots to spare. Was feeling awfully sleepy after not the longest rest. This feeling continued through the run.
Didn’t know the route, other than it was out & back, so tucked in behind 2 other guys. Realised one was wearing next%s so thought he could be quick, but then also noticed the IronMan tattoo on his calf, and the Ironman cap thingy, so that made me question whether he was just a triathlete merch guy.
Anyway, he dropped off just before 1k, and I stuck with the other guy. Ran with him through the turn around and onto 3k or so, then started to pick it up, and opened up a bit of a gap.
Ran it home fairly strong. Not too bothered by the time, just nice to run something quicker, this the most likely way I’d do a session.
Next% lad crossed the line celebrating his first sub-20 which really was a sight to behold.

Wanted to do the little peak too, so went up this trail (davies track) this afternoon.
It was lovely. After a couple of farm fields, it turned into thick forest with oddly shaped trees everywhere. Single track doesn’t look very trodden but was still easy to follow, so made it really quite a pretty track, and didn’t see anyone out there.
Only opened up when I finally got to the peak, revealing a pretty sunset over the city.
It’s crazy how even the lesser things in NZ are still quite exceptional.
Legs feeling pretty good, better than this morning.

Stop along the road to break up the drive. Caving activities this morning.
Some minor accelerations on the run when I hit sections with no shade.

And another one from the campsite.
Basically broke a would-be single into a short-spaces double because I needed the break on the road but also hadn’t organised anywhere to stay, so couldn’t be too late.
This run was lovely along the promenade. Moon-reflected water one way, and stunning sunset on the way back.
Legs feeling nice and didn’t want to stop, but needed to do some food shopping for dinner, so headed home.

Timber track - 28.3km +463m
Lovely trail. Was pretty beaten up with sunburn last night / this morn, so considered bailing, but in the end waited a while and decided to go ahead and see if I could rent a bike.
Against a bit of traffic early on, but very quiet after that, and enjoyed picking up speed on the way back a lot.

Decent one up Ngauruhoe.
Had briefly considered doing the northern circuit but when I added in the summits it started coming closer to 60km so culled that idea. Re-evaluated and whakapapa looked like a good starting point.
Planned to start early enough, but there was in for casted rain, and cold temperatures, so I took my time and waited for it to clear a bit. In the end I started in drizzle & mist, the drizzle didn’t last too long, but the mist was heavy and I never saw Ngauruhoe until I was actually climbing it.
I knew from re-reading Jonny’s run up that it was doable but would likely be very slow going at times, so 30-35km seemed a decent number not to be out too long, and this loop worked quite nicely.
Plain sailing & quiet running up to the two Lake Tamas. From there one map had implied there was a trail to halfway up Ngauruhoe, but this was false. Left the trails and the people at the upper lake and continued on. Did run into a geologist looking for lava flows on the crest just before Ngauruhoe, and he confirmed you could indeed get up from this side which was handy.
A right slog, and scramble to find anything your hands could grip onto over the last few hundred metres of climb. Many a false summit too. But got up to the crater to witness steam shooting out of the ground, and was above the cloud looking back at Mt Ruapehu which was stunning.
I couldn’t figure out how Jonny had loved the descent for the first couple hundred metres as nothing stuck beneath my feet and I had a couple hard falls. But suddenly it opened up into this lovely scree you could dig your heel into and slide down and I was loving it again.
Seemed it would be rude not to do Mt. Tongariro given I probably won’t be back for a while, so did a loop there taking in some fo the craters.
Tried to find the old path off tongariro and realised it was on maps.me so used that for a bit, kinda found it for a bit, but it was hard to follow - it did keep me away from the scrambly stuff though.
Eventually back to the main trail and hopped in behind some Canadian trail runners before turning off for the last while back to Whakapapa - which, despite my 3 layers of sun cream, was my demise, and has me fairly severely burnt.
It wasn’t helped by me finishing my 1L water, and all the rivers having dried up.
All in all, a very good day out though. A lot of work to the summit, but definitely worth it.

C • 1

Easy from the hostel again, but out to Huka falls and along some lovely mtb single tracks.
Legs feeling really quite nice today. Easiest run in NZ yet.

Crunches, deadbugs, circular deadbugs, plank, lunges, squats, split squats, pull ups, monkey bars.

Run from the campsite in Whakapapa. The air felt a bit thinner, and then realised I probably am higher than previous runs (1150m-ish), but not sure if that is just serving as confirmation bias.
Rain & heavy mist + in the dark - lovely to have a cool run for a change, though still wearing singlet.
Threw in 5 x 1min [30”] up the hill as well. Short & not going hard, as the legs have more arduous adventures awaiting, but the weekend has me a bit keen to do some more speedwork, so and while the legs feel fresh, and motivation is there, felt I should make the most of it. Nice to get the legs & lungs working a bit.
Spooky in the dark when I heard the volcano siren ring down below in the village, but it was only 1 beep so think it was a mistake.

Easy recovery round Taupo. Legs feeling alright. Warm out, as per.

Back at it
Bridges, crunches, dead bugs, plank, lunges, squats, split squats