Days 25-28 | Km 638-760 | The Grass Massacre. & my cuz’ Alex

I’m not sure I need to expand too much on the title of this blog when you see the videos and pictures. Absolutely felt like the hardest day I have had so far, both mentally and physically. Forget climbing a mountain, walking through a swamp with head high razor sharp grass is next level, it’s fatiguing, demoralising and I totally lost my way emerging bleeding and frustrated as heck!

Coffee with the TTT runners crew

However, the day prior eased me in quite pleasantly sharing coffee with James Kuegler my run coach and his TTT runners group in Cornwall park. I meet the fantabulous Terry who hooked me up with her Aunt and Uncle in Huntly with a place to stay when I arrived there - I just love how this seems to happen, kiwi’s are the best at taking care of relative strangers, I’ll never forget everyone’s kindness!

I move on over the other side and enter the mighty Waikato!

Generally you can’t plan ahead further than that day, I set out thinking I would have an easy day as I’d ran a very hot marathon across Auckland the day prior. I think the Cornwall park coffee boost gave me the kick I needed as before I knew it the sun was setting and I’d smashed out another marathon as I headed into Mercer.

Dinner on the go, no stopping as I didn’t want to arrive in the dark, nor hangry! (Poser)

Meet Gooseless George. Unfortunately unsuccessful Canadian Goose hunting that night along the Mangatawhiri River (they were eating his friends farm crops). The happiest chap I’ve met so far! We stood chatting listening to the wild peacocks in the evening sunlight, never thought I’d ‘share a moment’ with a goose hunter but there you go, the TA has surprises round every corner.

Mercer was very strange; a motorway service station, a motel with a permanently closed Tavern attached, a fire station and a cheese shop. With no one around and a perfectly preened lawn in the Tavern’s beer garden (again, very strange) I quietly set up my tent, made friends with 3 homeless kittens for the night and skedaddled early the next morning. Only to be met with this…

The grass killing fields - once you climbed out of this field of nightmares you were met by giant gorse bushes. Really feel this photo doesn’t do it justice!

I emerge initially below the gorse and hear the friendly voices of Tom and Ed from above the gorse - 2 guys I met my second day on 90mile beach (you remember the seal story right? - Ed will hate me for reminding you…sorry Ed!). I yell a lame GAHHHH and have a conversation where by neither of us can see each other. I tackle a barbired wire fence… to keep people in or out I haven’t decided yet!… we finally meet face to face and share the first silver lining to our day. A child from a house near by had baked lolly cake - a kiwi fav amongst kids with chocolate and marshmallow, it was DEVINE.

Lolly cake - little kiddie baker I ❤️ You!!

My day continued along the Waikato river fighting overgrown bushes and reeds -I presume they had grown so thick and lush from the last time the Waikato flooded. The Waikato is the longest river in NZ running 425 km and has spiritual significance for the Maori, local Maori tribes regarding it as a source of their mana, or pride.

Firstly I realise how inappropriate this photo collage is for my veggie friends (apologies) but on the flip side it’s reality of farming in the Waikato. To be honest by the time I had chatted with Fenton and his calves - second happiest guy I’d met, everyone is just so happy in the Waikato! - then made it to Cathy and her pie shop -awarded 6th best in the whole of NZ - I was not thinking of those baby cows in need of their mum but selfishly my empty belly. My second silver lining of the day.

This depicts my arrival to Huntly power station perfectly, in the pouring rain. I never knew having wished for rain so badly all day as it was stinking hot to then wish it would instantly stop as it stung the grass cuts on my legs so badly! Uncle Graham & Aunt Rosemary saved the day and rescued me from the rain showing me a brighter side of Huntly and some fantastic home made plum loaf, my final silver lining to a really tough day xxx

Onward and upward into the Hakarimata Ranges. A return to peace and my happy place.

The ranges have spiritual significance and tell the beautiful tale of mountains in love and brothers helping sisters by directing healing water to cure illness. I hope you can read the scroll board pictures, it’s a little too long to retell in this post…

Thanks Ed.

Apparently it took 1000 bath tubs of concrete to make this bridge over the Waikato!

An ‘easy’ day at last, a little 22km tootle into Hamilton with a stop off at Radix to chat dehydrated yumminess and an ‘accidental’ visit to the Waikato Valley chocolate factory next door. I couldn’t resist the espresso dusted dark choc almonds to fill my Santa sack. Again all things considered my picture pairings aren’t the best, but as I’m sure Alex will agree (you’ll meet him below), it’s all part of a healthy balanced diet!

My final destination and a wrap up to this increasingly lengthy blog post… meet Alex Popple my second cousin. As cool as a cray and as wild as his freshly shot deer (from a hunting trip at the weekend), Alex and his equally cool housemate Andrew Beggs (another of James Kuegler’s running athletes - funny how worlds collide), fed me a RIGHT ROYAL FEAST!

Meet Alex -nutritionist for high performance sports Nz cycling team, feeding the team through to Olympic podiums and little me to Bluff!

Funny side story, Alex and I had no idea who either of us were until late last year when by chance my dad met Alex at his cousins (Alex’s mums) party. Email address’ were switched and here we are! I hope I can give Alex and his lovely partner a return feed fit for a King when they visit us down at Outward Bound in The Marlborough Sounds, I’m no deer hunter but maybe come down for ‘the roar’??

Thanks to Alex and his contacts at SIS I’m definitely going to be roaring up Pirongia and Tongariro now I’m packed with a boat load of Beta Fuel! Team Sky amongst other pro cycling teams swear by this rocket fuel and if Alex endorses it too, well you gotta trust your family right! A MASSIVE THANK YOU to Alex (Enhance_Nutrition_coaching on instagram or email info@enhance.nz) and Chris Hoy.. cough, Sir Chris Hoy?? at SIS for your support (SIS Beta Fuel) It is hugely appreciated!!

The Beta Boost , va va vooooom!

How could I not include this pic?!