Thursday, May 18, 2006

Life Update

The more observant of my readers will note that I haven't made a post for quite a while; sounds like I should do a big update.

I was playing volleyball and managed to land on someone's foot and badly wrenched my foot. Rather painful - indeed painful enough that I took the next day off work. I figured if I couldn't walk to the bathroom then walking to work would be rather silly. It took a few weeks but the foot's all better now. Unfortunately, it took enough time out of my training timetable that I can't do the marathon in June. I'll do the half marathon in June and do the full marathon, my first!, in the Auckland one in late October.

Oh, and in other news, I met a girl. A rather special lovely one...and she's now my girlfriend.

Her name's Cat, same as my sister and aunt, and she's great.

Distances around Wellington Harbour

One of the more useful things about Wellington harbour is the plates that have been set into the footpath every 500m from Ferg's Kayaks on Queen's Wharf. These are very useful for runners but they don't really go far enough: they only go as far as St Pat's (6.5km). So, a couple of weekend's ago I went out in my car and found land marks for all the 1km distances past that. I also happen to know where a couple of other marks are based on either my bike computer or Conor's. Also note that, according to one of the marshalls from Wellington Scottish, the first couple of marks are inaccurate - they only become accurate past Point Jerningham. This list should be accurate within about 50m. If anyone wants to make any more updates then give me a yell.

For your running pleasure the landmarks are here. This course is from Ferg's Kayaks following the harbour to the lights at St Pat's, then continue to follow the harbour around to Shelly Bay. Go up Shelly Bay and continue following the harbour around. Continue following the coast all the way around until the final point on this list.

1km: corner of raised planting bed directly to the west of the kiosk in Waitangi Park.
7km: fence just past Placemaker's
7.5km: A. E. Tilly
8km: pedestrian refuge opposite gates just past second roundabout
(turn up Shelly Bay Rd)
8.5km: garage doors
10.5km: just past guard shack at sout of RNZAF Shelly Bay. Chained off drive to sea.
11km: chained drive on right at north of RNZAF Shelly Bay.
12km: orange and black arrow just before Point Halswell.
13km: Kau Point (big rock used for turnaround in triathlons and duathlons starting at Scorching Bay)
14km: point at North end of Shelly Bay.
15km: #415, wooden garage door.
16km: #253, just before Worser Bay clubs.
17km: Ferry St intersection.
18km: Where road narrows at North end before top of Pass of Branda.
19km: #103.
20km: Whale on fence by #176.
21km: Middle point of 3 points before dog pound.
22km: #35