Queen Charlotte Track: Day 3

Day three was the longest of our itinerary: 25K to and from the water to the highest point of the track and along the ridgeline for a while before heading back down.

Also, it was pouring down rain all night and drizzling off and on when we headed out, so we knew it would be a difficult day.

The exit from Punga Cove resort to the southern portion of the track.

Even with the weather, it was a beautiful and invigorating way to spend the day -- in some ways, I think it may have forced us to go even faster than we otherwise would have because if we slowed down we'd just get even wetter.

How adorable is this photo?

I couldn't understand why E didn't want to wear a hat...

At one look-out point there were distance signs to major international cities.  It was interesting to see that my instincts about global distances aren't very good when you start throwing the southern hemisphere into it.

I'm sure this view is gorgeous when it's not blocked by clouds.

We turned the last major corner to see yet another beautiful view that we agreed would have been breathtakingly perfect under a clear sky but wasn't too bad in this weather either.

Using the "Creative" filter -- essentially hypercolor

Finally, after a long descent that started to take a serious toll on pour E's knees, we made it to the crossroads for that evening's resort.  The weather started to clear and we were treated to great views.

Signs to Picton, Torea Bay (nearest boat dock), and the track

The bay at the Portage Resort, views over the building with our room.

After checking in, it was clear that E needed to ice both his recovering foot *and* his knees.  So, after getting him situated with the ice, I headed down to the bar to grab two beers and walk them back to the room.  I crossed the parking lot just as some of the workers from the hotel who helped check us in were loading a van and they called out to me, jokingly thanking me for bringing them beer at first, and then saying "tell your mate he's got a good one wit' you."  Thanks, Kiwis.  I was happy to deliver the message.

This hotel had been around for quite some time, but it had been recently remodeled.

Mud from the day's efforts.

The view from our balcony.

In keeping with the general theme, we ate dinner as soon as the restaurant opened and fell into a deep sleep early in the evening.  We were fully in vacation mode at this point -- we hadn't had a wi-fi signal or any cell service in 3 days.  It was wonderful.

Queen Charlotte Track: Day 2

We slept 13 hours, woke to sore quads (some of those downhills were brutal on the first day), and enjoyed cappuccinos for breakfast.

I was a bit concerned about our luggage getting picked up and delivered to the dock in time for the boat, but E's complete confidence in the resort's ability to execute was correct.  Our luggage headed off in the large cart pulled by a tractor along with several other bags, all labeled for their next destination.

We read a bit in the AM after breakfast so as not to arrive at the next resort before check-in.  Finally, around 11 AM or so, we picked up our packed lunches and headed out.  It was overcast and cool, just like the previous day, and it had rained that night and early AM.

Day 2 of our walk was the easiest day on our schedule, just shy of 8 miles and not much in the way of elevation gain or loss -- yet, again it was more technical than we were expecting due to the mud, puddles and wet conditions of the trail.  We managed to finish in just under 3 hours (not including a 15 minute or so lunch stop). 

Like the day before, we regularly passed other groups of hikers, primarily on the uphills and downhills.  I realized a few things on this trip about my general level of fitness:

i) Trail running is *great* training for hiking.  In general, despite being in my Brooks Ghosts instead of hiking shoes, I found that I knew which foot placements would be good options and which ones would be slippery -- this knowledge let me keep a constant effort going, which helped with keeping a steady pace on the climbs, descents, or amongst roots, rocks, etc.  Also, on the downhills, I adopted a slight bouncing walk that was one gear away from a jog.  I found it to be low effort and *very* efficient -- much easier than trying to brake with my legs and keep to a walking pace.

ii) My general upper body and core strength is much more of an asset while hiking (probably trail running too) than running on the road.  Before E's broken foot, while I could always win on distance, E's comfortable running pace for shorter distances definitely pushed me into a zone where I was working much harder than him.  The opposite is true while hiking -- my comfortable pace both for climbing and descending is in a zone where E is working much harder than me.  I attribute the majority of this to pumping my arms and being able to recruit my core so my legs didn't have to do all of the work.

iii) Knowing how to fuel from running is very helpful when hiking for several hours.  While the needs aren't the same and you can digest much better hiking than you can running, I found it very good and comforting to know when to schedule snacks, meals, and liquids (although it was cool enough and damp enough that my liquid needs weren't that high).

iv)  By day 2, we'd learned that we are what the boat taxi company refers to as "Fast Walkers".  When stops to enjoy the view are included (which makes sense, as you are there to sight-see) we tend to average below 25 minutes per mile.  It's much more variable than that, of course.  A mile with gorgeous views at the top of a long climb would take us closer to 30 minutes, where as a gentle downhill through the bush would be closer to 20 minutes or less.
    

One of many gigantic ferns in the "bush" of the track.

 Day 2's views were equally gorgeous to Day 1's.

The view of Endeavor Bay from the track.

While our tour company put us into 3 resorts along the track selected by them, there are actually multiple campgrounds and 28 different resorts along the way.  This made for interesting interactions with various folks as they hopped on and off the track according to their itineraries.  Often we'd be passed by trail runners (many of whom were in minimalist shoes) going one direction who would then pass us again on their out and back from their resorts.

One of many resorts on the track where we did not stay.

This suspension bridge was so quaint, it felt like it could have been an Eagle Scout project.  If you zoom in, you will see the warning that the max load is 2 Persons. 

A very shaky suspension bridge.

The track guide warned us about these flightless birds that are very accustomed to humans and will beg for food.  They were everywhere on the track, but particularly plentiful at the rest stops, view points, and picnic tables on the track.

Baby of the flightless bird endemic to the area whose name I forget.

Adult of flightless chicken-like beggar bird.

Eventually, after about 2.5 hours of hiking (or "tramping" as the Kiwis call it), we turned the corner and saw our resort on the other side of the bay.

View of Punga Cove (our resort) from across the bay.

Almost there...

We checked in and were absolutely charmed by the view from our A-frame cabin as well as the view from the bar on the dock.

The view from our A-frame cabin.

View from the Punga Cove Bar (on the dock).

The infrastructure on the trail is so good that it was easy to forget just how remote we were.  This hotel key reminded us how much effort was being expended to get everything we were enjoying out to us.  The resorts typically had electricity (generators?) and wells to supply water for bathing, toilets, and cooking, but laundry went to and from Picton by boat each day, as did all consumables and trash.

Rural Bag 408 -- now that's a remote address...

Shortly after locking this door, we fell into deep restful sleep.  I don't know if we actually made it 'til after sunset.  We were exhausted and we knew we had the biggest day of hiking ahead of us the next day.

Queen Charlotte Track: Day 1

As part of our Christmas and New Year's vacation, E and I set out to hike the Queen Charlotte Track.

This was my favorite vacation of all I've ever taken.

I can't explain just how relaxing and invigorating (and how much I needed the change of pace) it was -- imagine full days of hiking with your best friend in gorgeous wilderness only to arrive at a resort each night where your luggage has been delivered to your room and you could check-in immediately upon arrival, have a beer, take a hot shower, eat a delicious meal, and fall asleep (often, we struggled to stay awake past 8 PM).

Much of this trip was about re-charging, and we'd done a decent job of trying to erase some of the sleep debt we both had going in before we hit the trail.  Even so, I was unprepared for how well or how much I would sleep when given the gifts of no wi-fi for 4 days straight combined with nature, physical exertion, and an entire economy, functional infrastructure, and worldview of all service professionals built around making the track completely workable for hikers of all abilities.

We flew to Wellington, NZ on Christmas day so that we'd be in NZ and able to get to the start of the adventure on Boxing Day.  The weather had been overcast and stormy until Christmas, but Christmas Day in Wellington was amazingly clear, warm and gorgeous.  We had a wonderful lazy lunch followed by a walk along the water, where I took the most stereotypical Wellington photo ever:

Perfect: Waterfront.  Love Locks.  Large Pacific Islander about to dive into the water.

The next day, we woke at 5:50 AM and took a taxi to the Wellington Airport, where, after absolutely no security or boarding pass or ID check other than asking for our names, we were an hour early at the so-called gate.  Eventually, when they showed up, we learned that the Sounds Air flights from Wellington to Picton (between the North Island and South Island of New Zealand) had been re-routed to Blenheim due to weather.  Conveniently, all passengers on our flight have no trouble fitting into a standard tourist van that shuttled us from Blenheim to the Picton waterfront.

This flight was sold out.

Fancy instrument panels on the Cessna Caravan 208.

Diverted to Marlborough?  As in the region of my favorite Sauvignon Blanc? Hmmm...

At the waterfront, we checked in at Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company (our awesome tour organizing company -- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), stored the luggage we wouldn't be needing on the track, checked the one bag we'd be asking them to transfer for us, and waited for the water taxi to take us to the far end of the track -- historic Ship Cove.

Picton Harbor

Ship Cove

Getting ready to start the hike.

We toured Ship Cove, and then set out for our first self-guided day, a hike (or "walk") of 8.77 miles that started with a steep climb on clay that had been inundated with rain.  The day was much more technical than we expected due to the wet trail conditions so we spent more time on the trail as "trampers" than expected (almost 4 hours), but the views more than made up for it.  Also, I found my heart rate climbing and my legs burning in ways that made me know this trip was going to be a great contribution to my running fitness as well.

Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge Garmin Data

Ship's Cove Monument to Captain Cook

We started out at the same time as almost everyone else due to the Ferry drop off.

One of many breathtaking views along the track.

Another one.

Much of the land on the QCT is private land.

Even with the overcast weather, it was, by hour 2, easily the most beautiful hike I've ever done.

We encountered another hiking couple at this viewpoint so we took each others' photos.

The views just weren't getting old.

Even when you couldn't see the sounds, it was beautiful.

E says, "The Tasman Sea isn't as cold as the Pacific Ocean at home."

Bridge to our unit at Furneaux Lodge.

Furneaux Lodge -- private rooms, hot showers, hot meals, and a full bar.  So much better than camping.

Site of post-hike-beers-on-tap and pre-day-2 Cappuccinos.

Happy New Year's!

So, in case you were wondering, the inter-tubes from Australia to the rest of the civilized world are very small.  Or crowded.  Or something.  If you look at the comments from E a few posts back, he pasted ping times, and for those of you who know how the Internet works, this should help explain the situation.

Essentially, even though we're back in AUS from NZ and at a hotel with dedicated Internet, this post is still short by necessity, because it would take forever to upload all the photos I'd like to share about our trip and I've got a flight tomorrow.  Oh, and tomorrow, the day, is somehow going to stretch out forever (as in, I'll board my flight, and land in California 16 hours later or something, but 2 hours before I left -- *and* despite having already rung in the new year a while ago, New Year's Eve will be occurring throughout the flight as we cross various time zones, it's enough to make my head hurt).

In other news, the decision that E&I should join the Sydney Royal Botanical Garden Foundation paid off:

Ticketed Event at the Botanical Gardens.  Controlled Access.  No crowding.  Amazing.

The short version of the year's wrap up post is this:

Total Miles (running, walking, hiking, and occasionally other aerobic activities like elliptical or recumbant biking, but never yoga, because that would be crazy): 1311 (better recap to come).

Total Books Read: 21 (missing summaries to come).

Total Audiobooks: 38 (missing summaries to come).

General 2013 Goals: Well, as I noted back in September, things just generally didn't totally go according to plan this year... Even so.  It's been better than good -- our families are healthy, we are healthy, and I definitely didn't expect to hit 7 countries this year (Bermuda, Netherlands, Spain, Hong Kong, China, Australia, New Zealand) when I made my initial plans.  Given all of the above and the fact that I do love me some international travel and cultural experiences, I'm pleased and feel exceedingly lucky.

Lucky.  That's the take-home I have from 2013.  I am so lucky.  And I want to be appropriately grateful and worthy of receiving such luck -- Here's to hoping I take 2014 by the horns and do a good job of that.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Today, amongst other adventures, we walked across the Sydney Harbor Bridge and back.

On our way back, despite having spent yesterday afternoon by the pool (Where you'd assume we would figure it out), from high above, we realized our hotel had a hot tub on the roof at pool level (see the bottom right quadrant).

Don't fret.

We took this information in and put it to good use.  We were the only people post early-dinner at the hotel in the hot tub at this amazing location on Christmas Eve.

This is a complete win.

In other news, walking and running every day means I'm on track for my highest mileage week in years... True vacation is amazing.

Then vs. Now

Back when we were kids, E and I went to Sydney for the end of 2004 and New Year's 2005.  A few days into that new year, E proposed on Bondi Beach and I said yes.  We had a wonderful time.

This year, our families were dispersed such that for the first time since we've been together, it made sense for us to go off and do Christmas and New Year's by ourselves.  We decided to go back to Sydney (and fit in a trip to New Zealand to boot).  Many things have changed in the intervening 9 years.  And yet, many things are the same.

Major things that are the same:
1. The Aussies' own brand of absolute relaxation.  Think Italy, but functional -- so amazing.
2. Our address.
3. My car.
4. Our general dislike of shopping (relevant because the airline temporarily lost one of our bags and we decided to tough it out rather than maximize the reimbursement policy).
5. Our general appreciation of the type of stuff we like to enjoy while we travel (the same stuff we liked last time, we like this time, too):  The beachfront Greek restaurant in Bondi we'd loved, we were thrilled to find, is still open.  And, the Sydney Cove Oyster Bar is still a Circular Quay institution of happiness that we had to enjoy again.

But, of course, things are different, too.  It's much warmer and oddly overcast while hot and humid this trip.  So far, there's been no need for fleeces or jackets, for sure.  Last time, we bargain shopped for hotels, while this time, we went for the ultimate bargain of free and just stayed at the Park Hyatt on points (and, damn, what a perfect location -- at the base of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, one entrance just off George St. in the Rocks and the other on the water in Circular Quay):

While the bar at Hotel Bondi where we'd had sparkling wine to celebrate our engagement with some random Italians is still there and operational and was a fun place to stop for a beer, the hotel where we stayed in Bondi is completely under construction -- and when completed, it will be, in keeping with the theme we see in the bay area -- luxury condos.

The biggest differences we are noticing are technological.  This time, we have wifi in our hotel, laptops, and cell phones that automatically do international roaming thanks to all of this year's international travel (btw, how the hell did people manage delayed/lost luggage before cell phones?).  Last time, we had no phones that worked in any sense of the word, and we didn't even manage to get to an Internet Cafe (remember those?) to send the email announcing our engagement for 2 full days after its occurrence.

Overall, we're very much enjoying our re-visit and we've made a commitment to come back in 9 more years (or less) to do the Sydney Harbor Bridge walk and to revisit all of our favorite gems that happen to still exist at that time.

Best wishes to all for happy winter holidays (Happy Solstice -- days are now getting longer in the northern hemisphere!  Merry Christmas!  Happy Belated Hanukkah! Joy to those of you who eschew specific holidays!) and a Happy New Year as well.

Jingle Bell Hell

Well, I said I was gonna do it, but I'm traveling on the IRL race day, so I committed to a *virtual* Jingle Bell Hell.

My plan was, I'd go out today from our SF hotel and do *at least* 8 miles up and down the Embarcadero, *and* I had to run all of the uphills.  Everything else was undefined.  I could walk as much as my ego would let me.

Why should this be hell?

8 miles is a relatively short distance for someone who ran 5 half marathons and a full marathon in 2013, right?

You might think so, but for me, you'd be: WRONG.  Wrong. Wrong.

After I DNF'd the SJ RNR half, I wasn't really feeling like running much, so I didn't and I haven't much.  Also, since SJ RNR, there was tons of travel on the calendar to regions with delicious food, where I felt like eating, so I did (and I stand by my decision).

Fast forward 2.5 months.  Add approximately 1.5 pounds per month on my already heavy DNFing frame and, well, today's 8 miles felt like an eternity (possibly because my body has never actually been this massive, so moving it long distances is more work, in the physics sense?).

Also I did it alone.  I started at 9:30 AM after a weekend of holiday parties full of food and too much alcohol (extra hell points?).  I did succumb to my audiobook for company, but Wild Swans isn't exactly light and cheery or inspirational with its detailed gory tales of the beatings and horrors of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (Amazing story though... HIGHLY recommended).

In the winter cold of San Francisco (which means I couldn't even blame much slowness on the pedestrians on the Embarcadero because most stayed indoors), I forced myself to attack minute chunks in succession.  A mile here.  A quarter mile at sub 9 there.  A third of a mile at 9:10 there.  And, of course, in classic BT-just-increase-the-overall-mileage-style, lots of walking.

All told, 8 miles in a blazing 1:41:10 for an average pace of 12:39 (although nothing was near this pace).  Slow.  Stopping and starting.  Exhausting.  And, the first time I've done 8 miles since late September, as my last long run before the SJ DNF.

Overall, it was unpleasant, and I'm frustratingly tired, but in fairness, I'm actually also pleased.  Looks like I'm heading in the right direction despite taking the easy way out and walking whenever I felt like it between miles and shorter duration segments.

I fully expect to take sub 50% place in the Jingle Bell Hell.  But I'm thankful it was out there to get me on my shoes, nonetheless.

Thanks to the lovely blogger behind Taking It On for the push.

Bittersweet Aging

I think the hardest part of aging as a healthy person firmly in your "middle age" is when you realize that even if you are blessed with currently good health, time *is* *still* actually passing you by.

This Holiday season, we've attended several parties where it seems like it's only been a few months or possibly even weeks since we've interacted in person with the attendees... but no.  When we discuss it, it turns out, we actually haven't seen each other in at least 12 months.  In other words, Time Is Flying!

And, those of us who actually experience this shock?  We're the lucky ones.  We are still here.  The last few years, I've personally known a few people my own age who have died of natural causes.  Like all losses, the pain will never completely fade -- it will mellow, but won't completely go away.  But, the reality that I am old enough that a non-trivial percentage of my cohort is starting to die of natural causes is a separate but difficult thing, which, conveniently, my brain has decided to try to process during the Holidays.  Fun!  (Not.)

Then there are the kids -- Every time I see them, unless they are local or family I see regularly, children seem to be shockingly 1 year, 2 years, or 7 years older than the last time I saw them.   It's the kids that really get me.  Make no mistake -- Seeing a child you haven't seen in 8 years will floor you.  And then, there is nothing you can do but admit that you are old.  Much older than you've been telling yourself.

I rebelled against the pressures of time for so long.  I insisted on maintaining close relationships with friends who lived far away.  We had the phone.  We had time. We could be the exception to the rule that says all of your most important emotional interactions come from those that are physically and psychologically close to you due to shared experience.

But then, along came my close friends' and families' children, not to mention the pick-up of my career, E's career, the careers of all of those who stayed on the traditional career ladder, and the need to travel if E & I wanted to spend time together as a couple rather than apart. All of a sudden, the rule was right for me, too.

Those I sincerely care about from afar, and lately even those who live close by (and no doubt me for them) belong to the same category as my monthly wine club -- I could swear I make the effort to pick it up every month, and yet, every time I go, I have 4 to 6 months worth of deliveries to sign for.

Oh, Time.  You devil.  Despite your deleterious effects -- how thankful I am to be here, still enjoying your annoyances...  This shall make for some interesting New Year's Resolutions, methinks.

Enjoy your Holidays!

Spectating CIM -- a beautiful day!

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Baby Steps

Welcome back from the Holiday, Y'all.  In a wonderfully surprising development, despite 6 days in the delicious land of pork, lard, and fried, I only brought 1 lb. of the South back with me.  The previous record low has to be at the lowest 4 lbs -- so this is a PR.  It may be my only fitness related PR this year, so I'll take it.

Given that I indulged as much as I did, this is kind of amazing.  I mean, we had a HUGE Thanksgiving afternoon of food and wine (*AND* the first bloody mary I've ever actually enjoyed -- my Dad was a big bloody man, so I was pleased to finally understand.  Apparently, for me, it just needs to be *ridiculously* spicy and it has to have a pickle, then I'll love it and sip it with care much longer than everyone else in the room, which is a great side benefit of its own).  The other notable indulgences on the short trip included all of E's family/Southern food awesomeness including E's Mom's meaty spaghetti, E's mom's ground beef and risotto stuffed peppers, a lunch of a meat sandwich and potato chips (seriously -- no vegetables at all), spanakopita/pimento cheese/salmon mouse tartlette/etc. hors d'ouevres with wine or champagne before various meals, gratuitous bacon (of course), sausages (for dinner), japanese everything at a deliciously authentic ramen++ lunch out with the family, a true Southern "vegetable plate" laden with fried okra, fried sunchokes, broiled broccoli, mac and cheese, and collard greens cooked with ham, a fancy burger bar joint lunch with friends and fried pickles (Seriously -- I LOVE me some fried pickles), a true Southern breakfast of egg-in-a-hole with roasted tomato preserves and a side of cheese grits (in a sacrilegious but much appreciated deviation, they offered sauteed kale as an option in lieu of a biscuit or potatoes -- but the biscuit is apparently the best in ATL, so choose at your own peril), plus lots of delicious wine, beer, and, in a late night jet-lag hunger random kitchen raid, half a bag of Inca Corn Nuts.

You see what I'm saying?  This PR is a veritable miracle.  Go me.

After the eating orgy and the hard, hilly, and cold (but slow) effort at the ATL Thanksgiving 5K, I was inspired to try to pull together my end of year and early 2014 running/fitness goals.

Turns out, they are fairly simple.  Today, I did a very easy 5.5 miles at 10:35/mile, another 0.5 mile walking cooldown and closed out a week of 16 miles total.

If I increase that "long run" by approximately 1 mile/week (on average), I'll be ready for the Foster City 10 mile race in January. So I think I'll go ahead and sign up for it.  This should keep me honest in my running workouts over the holidays, which I need -- particularly since our Christmas/New Year's travel involves hiking, and without a running goal, I'd run the risk of writing off entirely too much time without a run at all.

After that, I'm thinking I'll do the Kaiser Half and the Oakland Half Marathon (which claims to have coupon codes for Cyber Monday -- so check it out if you're thinking of joining the fun).

My big fitness focus for the next three months is going to be on my diet/overall caloric balance, flexibility, and building up my average mileage per week without getting injured.  This likely means that my paces may take the hit or at least may not drop, but I'm hopeful that this means I'll build a decent mileage base without injury and lose some weight before trying to push on pacing (as, when I try to run hard and I'm on the heavier side, I'm more likely to pull something -- see my SJ RNR dnf).  I am happy to note that both the Foster City run and the Kaiser half have much less elevation change than the ATL 5K, so at least I can comfort myself that if nothing else, I'm already prepared for the hills...this is an anomaly for me, but one that is much appreciated.   

Other than that, I'm looking forward to spectating at CIM for inspiration next weekend and getting back in the Bikram studio and working towards multiple sessions per week while I'm in town over the next few months.  Ideally I'll get in tomorrow, but, realistically, it's the first true day back after the holiday, so if work doesn't allow it, then definitely sometime this week.  There, I said it.  Now it has to happen.