Did You Think It Was Going to Be Easy?

Sometimes the only option is to endure the pain.

Photo by David Marcu on Unsplash

At 9.00am on September 1st — Fathers Day — I stood at the starting line of a Macpac XTERRA Auckland Trail Series running event which took place in the stunning Hunua Ranges.

After kissing my partner on the forehead and hugging my two-year-old son, I turned to face the starting banner.

Rocking back and forth, from left foot to right, allowing my body to loosen up, my focus was solely on the 19km that I was about to embark upon. Visualising the challenges that lay ahead.

5..4..3..2..1.. Peeeep!!

The klaxon sounded and with that 130 people, men and women took their first steps in what I would later find to be the toughest running event that I’ve ever taken part in.

Be wary when things seem ‘too easy’.

The first 8km was fine. I was making good time, averaging between 6–7 minutes per km, depending on how busy or how wide the track was.

I felt great, my breathing was consistent and my legs were feeling brand new, which was unexpected as I’d done little to no training at all for this event. Something I talked about in the piece below.