Felines, Friends and Frolicking

“When you’re feelin’ sad and low
We will take you where you gotta go
Smilin’, dancin’, everything is free
All you need is positivity”
Spice Girls – Spice Up Your Life

Well well well… who’s still reading the blog now. 🙂

Truth be told I didn’t think I had a lot to say now that trotting the length of the country has been replaced by work. However, when I looked back at the pictures I’ve taken over the last fortnight I realised not only had I visited many wonderful places, spent time with some amazing people but I’ve accomplished a few pretty cool things! And now I will share that.

Starting our convoy towards employment, we left Auckland in the evening with a quick overnight stay in Taupo (in Bertie the van of course) and dip in the beautiful Wairakei Terraces geothermal silica pools (no pictures sorry, I find taking pictures with people around you in togs kind of awkward, plus I was relaxing :P) all before heading to Hawkes Bay for an adventure. 42.1km of an adventure to be exact!

While trotting New Zealand, N.D and I both expressed interests in wanting to use our new found ‘trail fitness’ to do other physical pursuits. An iron man… no no that requires a lot of extra training, a bike and is quite a commitment. A park run… hmm not quite enough commitment. A marathon… perfect 🙂 So we signed up for the Hawkes Bay Marathon!

Each our first marathons, with under 4 weeks of ‘training’ to go.

I’ll save you the last minute running shoe purchases, horrific lost toe nails, chaffing saga and toilet stories to say – WE DID IT!

We each ran the entirety of the Hawkes Bay Marathon.

Chuffed 🙂

#sub4runningkids

The faces after running though with hobbled gaits, very small strides and pain every time you moved weren’t as elated. But I still can’t believe I did it!

While still in Hawkes Bay we caught up with friends (David, Karl and Haley), I visited more friends (Hi Josie and Hannah 🙂 ) and their adorable felines (got to have a cat shout out to Donna, Randrew, Mia and Mo) and we frolicked up various hills in the region;

Armstrong Saddle via Buttercup Hollow and Sunrise Hut in the Ruahine Ranges
Te Mata Peak

From Hawkes Bay we continued our drive towards Masterton and after a few days of work were etching to get outside again. N.D ran the Holdsworth-Jumbo Circuit that I trotted a couple of years ago and we both ventured out through Martinborough towards the Aorangi Ranges to see Cape Palliser (Matakitakiakupe) Lighthouse and the Putangirua Pinnacles.

The following week we headed west and saw another popular lighthouse! Castlepoint provided more hiking trails around Deliverance Cove, swell for N.D to shred and a very fluffy feline for me to pat. 🙂