Karen writes: Te Puru runners on Sunday

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I’ve discovered running with a group.  Until recently I probably couldn't have fitted it into my life anyway, but I also lacked the confidence to hang around with other runners because I am sooooo slow, I just didn’t want to make myself miserable trying to keep up, or end up feeling like I was holding people back.

About the slowness, I used to joke that I was collecting ‘lasts’ in various events, I especially remember a 100km cycle race where I was at least half an hour behind the second-to-last cyclist and everything had packed up when I finally got to the finish.  It was pouring with rain, I was tired, miserable and wondering why I had even started.   I can now say I am often more of a top seven eighths of the pack person, that’s progress...who knows, maybe one day I will get up to top three quarters...or shock horror, even equal the average!   I might laugh about it, but being slow doesn't actually bother me, I finish, and hopefully taking things easy will mean I can do this for a long time to come.

But going out with this running group is for me a terrific experience. We talk, encourage, swap ideas and advice, put the world to right, and the kilometres just disappear.   Different speeds and experience levels are supported by the group which is great, I don’t feel like I am some sort of non-performer because I lurk further back.   Before on the long runs of a marathon training programme I slogged along country roads by myself…and they were LONG and TEDIOUS and had all the appeal of medicine (if it is unpleasant it must be good for you).  I was often so unmotivated the only way I would get my planned distance covered was if the family dropped me off the required number of kilometers out in the countryside and I had to run back home, or if I had arranged to meet up with Kate then I wouldn’t dare let her down (or let her get ahead!) in spite of the call of the sofa.

So my Sunday morning treat is now to get up at 6am, grab a quick breakfast, set out my running gear so I can step into it, park the kids in front of the television, go back to bed for a bit, then off out the door to meet up with the Te Puru runners at 8am.   Apart from the company, we also go places I haven’t been familiar with in spite of spending over 40 years living in the district.  In particular I have fallen in love with the interconnecting  mountain bike trails in the forestry up behind Maraetai Beach. These are accessed through the running group or Pohutukawa Coast Bike Club, you get to admire magnificent vistas after a challenging slog up steep muddy slopes through pockets of native bush, and then have the absolute pleasure of some fabulous pine needle carpeted downhill charges.

So thanks runners from the Te Puru club, you are an inspiration, neat people to be around, and making my training on this long journey to Ironman so much more enjoyable.

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