The Auckland Half

One thing we're definitely finding in New Zealand is that it's way too easy to spend all your time outside... which we're loving! The walks and rides are fun, but our main aim while we're here in NZ is to get fit and enter some big races. A lot of Aucklanders have been telling us we HAVE to do the Adidas Auckland Marathon/Half Marathon, as it's the one time in the year that you can run over Auckland Harbour Bridge - a pretty special (and tall!) looking beast which straddles the posh district to the North of the Harbour to the picture postcard perfect city (CBD in local lingo) to the South. So when Sarah's boss offered her a place for free with a week to go - why not say yes?!

And when that meant I'd have to stay at home on my own or be in the crowds cheering, I decided I'd better get on the case of hunting out a spare ticket with only a couple of days to go! All is good in the tiny country that is New Zealand though, as everyone knows everyone - so I soon had got a ticket from a friend's builder. A 48 year old builder by the name of Barrie - and I didn't have a chance to change the registration name - oh well.

Sadly we didn't get any photos of the course or the race, but it was stunning. It's the biggest race in the country each year; so the atmosphere, route, scenery and crowds cheering us on were fantastic.  It was a bit of a brutal start getting up at 4am to catch the 5am ferry to the startline - but watching the sun rise with the other runners and then setting off was a lot of fun.

Here's a very happy Sarah after the race

Sarah "The Machine" Cope

Sarah smashed it! Sticking like a limpet (no, she didn't get a piggyback) to the 1:50 pacer the whole way round, she came in at about 1:50:06 - a PB by about 20 minutes.

I loved it too - and guess what? I came 14th in my age group! Admittedly that was the 45-49 age group that 'Barrie' was entered in, but hey! Good job I didn't make it onto the podium!

Couldn't be happier with a 1:34:30,
but next time, sub 1:30!

And here's the evidence... I got a few people shouting "Go Barrie!" as I went round!

One to keep

Kiwis know how to do good weather and good atmosphere, that's for sure - so after cheering Sarah in we demolished a lot of free bananas and powerade in the sunshine, before turning our attention to the beer tent. And every finisher gets free beer - amazing!

Mid-day drinking and 13 mile runs don't suit everyone though...

 Sarah beat a lot of Auckland's runners.
But Auckland (and a beer) beat her in the end

So what's next? Well, we've entered an Olympic-distance triathlon this December, again in Auckland. Our running is looking good, the cycling is going well and the swimming... Well, the swimming is taking a bit more effort. but we'll get there. The race itself will be a 1.5km ocean swim, followed by a 40km ride then a 10km run. Fingers crossed we'll get round it - but it's looking like it'll be a great race between Sarah and I. She can smash me in the water, we're pretty even on the bikes (damn all her spinning classes) and my long legs can outpace her on the run. Place your bets now people.

 The training for it is pretty intense - so I thought you might like to see the makeover we've given our washing machine. It's now the Mother of all training plans, and is handy bathroom reading.

Turns out our fridge front wasn't magnetic!

Wish us luck! Seeing how December goes, we're already toying with a Half Ironman in March of next year, but that really would be a beast. Consisting of a 1.9km swim, 90km on the bike then ending with a half marathon (21.1km).

Make it stop.