Running, Running, and Running
So the first rule of having a blog is to blog consistently… yeah, well. Sorry for the lack of contact but the last few months have been rather full-on and totally awesome! I had grand ideas to write about the best parts of 2014 and looking ahead to 2015, but as we are now in February it seems l may have missed the boat on that one!
So I thought I’d share some pics from a couple of the adventures I have been on since touching down in the sunny skies of NZ. It has been a summer of my childhood memories; long hot days filled with running (of course), family, friends and plenty of outdoor activities!
As of right now, there are 7 weeks, 4 days, 23 hours, 42 minutes and 34 seconds left until I start running 250km across the Sahara. Crazy – yes; nervous - yes; excited – HELL YES! So how is the running going you ask? (I feel this is all I talk about these days, sorry if I sound like a broken record!) It’s good, I feel good, as long as I keep running and stay in a good head-space, I think I’ll be OK. It’s when I’m only 10km into a run, and I think about what’s it’s actually going to be like, that I start to freak myself out a bit. Luckily I have a job, a magazine due at the printers next week and friends and family to catch up with to help take my mind off the 3rd of April.
I found this quote which I thought was very appropriate and makes me feel (slightly) more at ease...
"Some athletes consider training a proving ground. They think you have to have done something in training first before you can expect... to produce the same performance in a race. But others have the attitude that training is merely preparation, and that other factors beyond just fitness can be harnessed that enable people to produce performances far more than their normal ability or current fitness level. The difference between these two approaches has a lot to do with confidence and self-belief, and with one's ability to let the power of the mind take over in certain situations. One approach restricts you; the other opens new horizons" - Julian Goater
Team Running for Rangers has a website - www.runningforrangers.com and Facebook page, so make sure you check them both out keep up to date on how we are all going.
This coming weekend is the Speight’s Coast to Coast, crazy to think an entire year has been and gone since those epic few days. I’m heading back this year too… but this time I’ll be immersed in the action with a media badge around my neck. My official title is Media Communications Advisor (so fancy). What that really means is I will be updating the media channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and hashtagging up a storm (#coasttocoastnz) over the days of the event, pretty much just helping out with whatever needs to be done. I've always wanted a design job where I can wear sports clothes - I think this pretty much nails it. They have launched an App which enables you to track the top competitors and keep up-to-date as the event unfolds. Download it here - Apple or Android. I’m super stoked to be a part of this new era!
My new magazine, Say Yes to Adventure, is what is really keeping me buzzing at the moment though. Volume One, which is due out at the end of February, has far exceeded all of my expectations. Yes, it has been full on and in hindsight publishing a new magazine while training for an ultra and working (almost) full-time has not been without its challenges. But it really is my dream coming true. Interviewing the likes of Anna Frost and Braden Currie, two of New Zealand’s top endurance athletes and coordinating photo-shoots doesn’t even begin to feel like work. I love every moment of it (hopefully I am saying this about MdS too!). Adding to that, being in contact with some of the world’s best adventurers and photographers is something that still has me pinching myself. I am so excited to bring you this first issue, all 128 pages of it (it'll be worth every penny, plus some!), celebrating the raw emotion of epic adventures. If you haven’t already ordered a copy click here to buy one now. I really appreciate your support.
Over the next few weeks I will be doing small profiles on the features, so make sure you follow me on Facebook - The Adventurous Kiwi, Instagram @sytamagazine and Twitter @sytamagazine. To help celebrate the launch, Torpedo7 have come on board and have given me some kick-ass prizes to give away too, another reason to follow me on the social media channels!
The long weekend has been and gone. I clocked up some km's on the long, straight and rather boring roads around Mid-Canterbury and found out I really need to update the music on my iPod. I also tested out my new sneakers that will take me over the sand dunes, and I'm pleased to say they passed the test with flying colours. So no excuses as I shut the laptop for another day and head for the hills...