Noosa National Park Trail Run

I just got back from a very warm 8 days in Noosa, a small coastal village on the Sunshine Coast of Australia.

There were plenty of trail runs to be had, but the highlight of the trip was definitely getting out to run on the Noosa National Park - Over 4000 hectares of sandy, forested trails - Gentle slopes reaching no more than 200m above sea level.

Here's a few snaps from my iPhone which remind me why I love trail running.

The day the big one struck.

Three weeks ago, my home province Canterbury was struck by one of the most damaging earthquakes in NZ history.

On Saturday 4th September at 4.35am it hit. Massive in magnitude. A 7.1 on the Richter Scale. All of us awoken, scared and confused, by nature's fury in full force.

Today, while I write this three weeks later I can still feel the aftershocks that rock my house every 2 hours or thereabouts. It's a scary reminder of that terrifying early morning wake up call when life changed for everyone in Christchurch, Canterbury.

In the hours and days proceeding the big shake, training has taken a back seat as you can well imagine. We, like so many others, have been preoccupied with fixing our property, assessing our losses and getting our business back up and running again.

But through it all, it has been my running that has kept me sane. No matter what sort of day (or night) I've had, I can always strap on my running shoes, head out the door and feel instantly better about life.

So, while my training has been on hold for a week or two, my love of running has certainly not suffered. In fact, it is probably stronger than ever.

When I look back over some of the news footage, shot in the early hours after the quake, I'm reminded of how terrible it was and of how lucky we have been to come through it without a single loss of life.

For this miracle we can all be very thankful.

Do it now. Or how to improve your running immeasurably, starting today.

The only thing rewarded in life is action. The best time for action is now.

Great words from I don't know where.

If you want to start running - Get outdoors and hit the trails. Today.

If you want to run faster - Get a training plan and make a start. Today.

If you want to run the marathon - Enter one. Today. Even if you've never run before. You have far greater odds of actually doing it if you take action and make the commitment today. Trust me. Do it in the next 30 minutes.

More great words on this theme:

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky

"In a years time you may regret that you didn't start today" - Unknown

"Don't wait. The time will never be just right." - Napoleon Bonaparte.

Start today.

Everyday.

Do it now.

You won't regret it.

The benefits of cycle commuting

Last year I started cycling to work.

The reasons for the change were by and large economical; but add to that the promise of health benefits and I had a compelling enough case to fork out three hundred bucks on a second hand road bike.

Today I can happily say I'm a converted cycle commuter.

That's saying a lot because there ARE some set backs to cycling. Most obviously, it requires energy to do it which is somewhat of an issue for some. Also, there is the fact that a bicycle doesn't provide very much in the way of protection - be it from the elements or other, bulkier road users.

Then there is the other issue, that while a bicycle is rather good at transporting you, it really is rather bad at transporting, well just about anything else. You certainly won't get the kids to school or the groceries home on your push bike.

But for people like me who have a relatively short commute to work and a car at home for the bigger jobs, cycling makes perfect sense. Plus, for every complaint, there is an equally compelling benefit to commuting by bike.

• When it's cold out I wear warm clothing. No problem.

• It takes me an extra 5 minutes to get to work by bike, but during rush hour, there is no difference.

• When I'm tired the ride to work picks me up and I arrive feeling great.

• When I get a puncture I only need to remember the numerous tanks of gas I would be burning if I was traveling by car.

• For every fall or scrape there's probably another hundred people in the local hospital due to a lifetime of inactivity.

For all its benefits the bicycle is still underrated by many who are in a position to gain massively from commuting on one and I think I know why. While it's a highly efficient mode of transport it still requires sweat and that's something a lot of us try to avoid. The other truth is that a lot of people believe that the simple bicycle is a bit beneath them. It doesn't become their status.

If you could cure people of this fear you'd have plenty of people cycling places. You'd also see many more gyms and sports parks in use, and a much greater number of happy, healthy people.

New Course Map - 2010 Crater Rim Trail Run

This is the course map for the 30km Crater Rim Trail Run race I'll be running on the 17th of October.

The 20km race is run on the same course but loops and returns at Dyers Pass Rd (just before the Sign of the Kiwi).

Quick Run Down:
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Distance: 27.77km
Min Altitude: 6m
Max Altitude: 500m
Ascent: 624m
Descent: -624m

Some great interviews with Peter Snell

Here are a couple of recent interviews with triple Olympic champion Sir Peter Snell in which he reflects upon his gold medal winning performances in Rome and Tokyo. The second is a longer documentary with some great insights into the methods of his coach and mentor, Arthur Lydiard.



Here's a link to the documentary:
"The Greatest" - 60 Minutes Documentary on Sir Peter Snell

When a cold stops you from running

Isn't it typical? No sooner had I found the motivation to get into some serious training than I'm wiped out by this terrible cold.

Looks like training is on hold for a few days. In the meantime I've devised a few running related things to do in the down time.

1. Catch up on some reading:
I always find reading the great running coaches to be really motivating. Lydiard is a definite favorite. I picked up his biography by Garth Gilmore recently and I'm hooked. As well as an entertaining read, there's so much to learn from these guys about running. A great way to spend your down time.

2. Revise/plan your training schedule:
It's always a good time to get the schedules out to review your progress and make sure you are heading in the right direction. Factor in your down time and re-adjust the schedule to maximize the time you have before race day.

3. Study your race maps:
A good race depends upon good preparation, and this means checking the race maps and knowing what you are in for. As Steve Gurney puts it in his 6 P's, "Poor planning produces piss poor performances". The more you know, the better you can train and the better you will go on the day.

If you are looking for a sweet online mapping tool you should definitely check out mapmyrun.com.