April means (at least in NZ) getting cold, dark, rainy - and badminton season. This year I was really looking forward to being in the Hutt Valley reps again, but unfortunately they did the grading during one of my trips away (the NY/Melbourne one, I think). So this year I'm a reserve.
While I'm naturally disappointed, I'm also trying to look on the bright side: I can still go to training and improve my game, and it won't cost as much. Opportunities to practise singles are few and far between. And I'm not hoping that someone injures themselves, but if they did then I'd get to play in the ties.
On work-related matters, I'm in paper-writing mode at the moment. We have one on the iron carbonate scale formation (experiments done in Melbourne last July) that has come back from the reviewers requiring revision, then another on a computer program I started writing in 2005, and finally a third on some experiments we did at Stanford in January 2009.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
100 km
Last weekend was the Oxfam Trailwalker - a challenge to walk 100 km in under 36 hours.
Here's us at the start line at 6 am on Saturday morning.
We had two goals: first, to get all four members over the finish line, 100 km later. Second, to do it in a quicker time than the two members who finished last year.
This was no mean feat (no pun intended), and it definitely helped having an awesome support crew. As some of you will know, I was on the support crew last year and watching Christina and Marama cross the finish line was what drove me to have a go this year.
The first leg was the most crowded, which stands to reason since 600 people passing the start line within a minute or so of each other is going to result in a big bunch-up. It was foggy but not too cold, as we made our way up the bank of the Waikato River, across the bridge at Huka Falls, and through Craters of the Moon to checkpoint 1. Leg 2 was along some back roads through the scoria quarry and through pine forest to the Girl Guide camp. Leg 3 through native bush along the W2K track to Kinloch, at which point my right knee was starting to complain. We began leg 4, the longest at 19 km, about an hour before sunset and once it was dark we found ourselves very much on our own. Following the trail in the dark was not too difficult at first, but as the track moved from bush into farmland the markers got further and further apart and we had to spread out a bit to find them again. Legs 5, 6 and 7 were all in the dark, crossing the river and more farmland. Sometime during the night my left knee decided it had had enough too. But that's what strapping tape is for. We began the final 13 km leg just as dawn was breaking. Following the new Taupo bypass road and then cutting under State Highway 1, then the final push along the lakefront back into town to the finish line.
As you can see we achieved both our goals: all four members made it to the finish line, and in 27:51 - beating last year's time of 29:30.
It was an experience; I'm not sure yet if I'm 'glad' I did it - I guess it's just one of those things you challenge yourself with. And one that for me, is certainly 'been there, done that' (i.e. not doing it again).
Here's us at the start line at 6 am on Saturday morning.
We had two goals: first, to get all four members over the finish line, 100 km later. Second, to do it in a quicker time than the two members who finished last year.
This was no mean feat (no pun intended), and it definitely helped having an awesome support crew. As some of you will know, I was on the support crew last year and watching Christina and Marama cross the finish line was what drove me to have a go this year.
The first leg was the most crowded, which stands to reason since 600 people passing the start line within a minute or so of each other is going to result in a big bunch-up. It was foggy but not too cold, as we made our way up the bank of the Waikato River, across the bridge at Huka Falls, and through Craters of the Moon to checkpoint 1. Leg 2 was along some back roads through the scoria quarry and through pine forest to the Girl Guide camp. Leg 3 through native bush along the W2K track to Kinloch, at which point my right knee was starting to complain. We began leg 4, the longest at 19 km, about an hour before sunset and once it was dark we found ourselves very much on our own. Following the trail in the dark was not too difficult at first, but as the track moved from bush into farmland the markers got further and further apart and we had to spread out a bit to find them again. Legs 5, 6 and 7 were all in the dark, crossing the river and more farmland. Sometime during the night my left knee decided it had had enough too. But that's what strapping tape is for. We began the final 13 km leg just as dawn was breaking. Following the new Taupo bypass road and then cutting under State Highway 1, then the final push along the lakefront back into town to the finish line.
As you can see we achieved both our goals: all four members made it to the finish line, and in 27:51 - beating last year's time of 29:30.
It was an experience; I'm not sure yet if I'm 'glad' I did it - I guess it's just one of those things you challenge yourself with. And one that for me, is certainly 'been there, done that' (i.e. not doing it again).
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Post-Easter
Just a quick catch-up on the events of the last couple of weeks.
The experiments in Melbourne went really well, despite only getting about 20 hours' sleep in 5 days. I used my two complimentary long-haul upgrades to travel business class from San Francisco to Auckland, and let me tell you, it was worth it. Also managed to catch up with my good friends Paul and Marge and spend an evening with them before the experiments started.
Easter I spent at home. Mum and I went to a Good Friday service at a small local Anglican church that was a bit dire, and Easter Sunday service at Knox. I might try there again on Sundays after Trailwalker, and see how things go. It helps that I already know a few people there.
The next big thing however is Trailwalker. Four days to go. I don't know if I'm ready for it, but it's a bit too late now! I'll let you know how I get on in my next blog entry... and that website again if you want to sponsor us is right here.
The experiments in Melbourne went really well, despite only getting about 20 hours' sleep in 5 days. I used my two complimentary long-haul upgrades to travel business class from San Francisco to Auckland, and let me tell you, it was worth it. Also managed to catch up with my good friends Paul and Marge and spend an evening with them before the experiments started.
Easter I spent at home. Mum and I went to a Good Friday service at a small local Anglican church that was a bit dire, and Easter Sunday service at Knox. I might try there again on Sundays after Trailwalker, and see how things go. It helps that I already know a few people there.
The next big thing however is Trailwalker. Four days to go. I don't know if I'm ready for it, but it's a bit too late now! I'll let you know how I get on in my next blog entry... and that website again if you want to sponsor us is right here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
