Captain Neil
- Dec 20, 2018

From the Captain's Table, December 2018

Hi everybody and welcome to the December Newsletter.

Well, what great night our end of year dinner and prize giving was, with a walk to a mystery venue, then refreshments, followed by a walk back to the Club for a great meal and prize giving. My thanks to all those who helped in the kitchen, getting tables ready, and organising and packing up on the night. It was a great team effort and I thank you all.

I know that the Board had a big job on their hands deciding whose hands the trophies would go to. I was pleased for Mary Rozeboom who received the Harris Trophy. Awarded for the most outstanding performance in the last 12 months. Awarded for Wellington Marathon. To have a PB of half an hour is massive, especially considering it was a very wet day. Congratulations Mary.

Then there was the most improved runner award in the last 12 months going to Val Wilson. Val is someone who has not been in the club not that long but Val has been setting her targets high and mixed in with some Scottish determination, Val has turned into a very good runner. Your award is well deserved, Val.

Award – Club Spirit for a fellow athlete who has gone the extra mile to help others and keep the HRR Club a fun and friendly place…congratulations Chris Biddulph, as you certainly tick all these boxes.

I would like to think we have sent big Norm off in fine fashion for the night. Yes, President Norm’s final night with the Club has come. Although sad to see Norm going as he has done so much for the Club, it is great to see somebody living the dream and doing what he wants. All the best from all of us, Norm.

Speaking of achievers, it was great to see November’s athletes of the month, who not only traveled to do their event, but also took on the challenge of a marathon. Congratulations to Clare McCarthy (New York Marathon) and Jill Sklenars (Queenstown Marathon). Well done.

Iron Maori – Napier Triathlon - Congratulations Pat Goldsmith and Kevin Hooker on your efforts in Napier. It was sad to see with all their training that due to a fail on the water test, the swim was cancelled and turned into a small run instead changed to a Biathlon. Pleased to say both our athletes did well. The 90 Km bike ride sorted a few out due to a good head wind on the way home. Then getting the legs in run mode is rather interesting for the 21 Km run. I did enjoy watching the event and impressed at Winning is not everything attitude – with so many competitors helping others in their time of need. Glenview Run: Sunday, 3 February 2019. I am urgently looking for help on the day and more sponsorship and competitors on the day. So please, put the word out to one and all to come along and make this a great event.

New York Marathon – Clare’s story.

I only started running 4 years ago and if you had told me I would run the New York Marathon I would not have believed you!! The New York Marathon was my first ever marathon and what an amazing first marathon it was to start with. The temperature was about 14 degrees and the crowds were inspiring as there were people cheering you on along the whole course, which went through 5 boroughs. As well as music bands playing and church choirs singing. All of this helped to get me and 52,703 others across the finish line at Central Park. Best memory – How fast the time went with so much action and sights along the way 5 hours had gone so quick. Now I have finished one marathon (and can feel my feet again) I think I am ready to tackle the next one and start training again.

Queenstown Marathon- Jill’s story

November 17th was the big day and what a beautiful sunny day it was compared to very heavy rain the day before. Met a few fellow Hamilton runners at the start line at Millbrook Resort. Ready and waiting at the 4 hours plus area and before we knew it the gun had gone off and about 5 to 6 minutes later we had crossed the start line so away we went. Ran through Arrowtown’s main picturesque street lined with people cheering us unusual running people on, before heading down onto the river trail, continued onto and around lake Hayes which was like a millpond, very undulating but the scenery made up for it. Back on the road again before heading back onto compact trail to the Lower Shot Over. About 15 Km to go at this point and was feeling really good and thought ONLY 3 park runs to go. Felt like the longest 3 park runs I have ever done. Then onto the Kawarau River and the Frankton Arm Walkway. Felt like I was heading for home now. Slowly ticked off each km, felt like I was running really fast (the mind really tricked me there) but each km seemed to take a while to complete. Finally got to the 2 Km to go mark and thought nearly there just keep going. I was fiddling with my water belt which fell off about 1 km from the finish and few nice words came out as I stopped and picked it up. A couple of spectators quickly came to help pick it up for me but I had it under control. Came out of the Queenstown Gardens and through the lower part of the town streets lined with cheering people yelling out my name, that was an amazing feeling. On the Friday I had noticed a nasty hill we had to run up before going down the last straight to the finish line, I thought man that’s going to be hard right at the end of the run, but I think the adrenaline had kicked in before that point and I didn't notice the hill at all. Two days later I was playing in the snow and the course covered in snow. Talk about luck on our side that day. Overall it was a beautiful run, magic scenery, mountains, rivers, lakes, bridges, tourist towns, very undulating, on road, off road, plenty of water and loo stations, a well organised event.

Club Notes:

Glenview Run – Urgent attention – Please lock out this date on your calendar – Sunday 3 February 2019 – This is our run of the Summer Series – We will need a lot of club members to run this event and please put the word out to friends and family to sign up for this event and support it
Running Group Lists – The lists are on the Notice Board in the corridor at HRR HQ – Please check to see which of the 4 groups you are assigned to – Any changes needed please see VP Gary
Christmas Break HRR – We will be having our last dinner night at HRR on Thursday 13 December – This will also be our awards night. The first club night back will be Thursday 10th January 2019.
Dinner Night 31 January – Yes the club never sleeps This great meal will be brought to us by Group 2.
HRR AGM – Date Thursday 21st February 2019 at 5.30pm – venue The Hamilton Yacht Club
Club Books – There are two books on the table at HRR - #1 – Run book – This is for events you have done and can record your times and PBs in – Book #2 – This is the away book and has up coming runs in it. It is handy in that it can help with car pooling – forward planning is good.
Discounts - Did you know your HRR membership card gives you discounts at – Trek n Travel and Shoe Clinic

Hot Foot Award: November Athletes of the Month Clare McCarthy - 1st Marathon (New York Marathon) Jill Sklenars - 1st Marathon (Queenstown Marathon)

Events and Times, December

- Park Run - Angela Buchanan - 50th Park Run – Hamilton Ben Lucas - PB Hamilton

From the Bush

8 February 2019 - Tarawera – Trail Run- 20 km 9 February 2019 - Tarawera – Trail Run – 50 km / 102 km / 160 km 28 February 2019 - Ruapehu Express – Trail Run 3 March 2019 - Rotorua Off Road - Half 23 March 2019 - Ring of Fire – Ruapehu 8 April 2019 - Rotorua Xterra – Blue Lake 13 April 2019 - Waitomo Trail Run 14 April 2019 - Eastern Traverse – Rotorua 12 October - Cole Murray – Cape Kidnappers

The Far-Looker

25 December - Xmas Day Park Run – 8am start – Hamilton Lake 1 January - Park Run – 8am start CAMBRIDGE 1 January - Park Run – 9-30am start – Hamilton Lake 10 January - HRR – First Club Night for 2019 8 January - Eastside Pub Run – 5 Km 9 January - Smith & McKenzie – 5 Km 12 January - Waikato River Trail Run - Mangakino 12 January - Port of Tauranga – Half 19 January - We Run The Night – Mt Maunganui 20 January - 8th Continent Marathon – Auckland 26 January - Tussock Traverse – Tongariro National Park 31 January - HRR Dinner Night – Group 2 2 February - 4 Seasons River Run – Ann St – Hamilton 3 February - Summer Series Glenview Run 10 February - Orewa Beach Half

Auckland Half Marathon Series:

10 February - Coatesville Half Event 3

17 March - Maraetai Half Event 4

14 April - Auckland Water Front Event 5 17 February - Summer Series Blueberry Run 2 March - Mountain to Surf – Taranaki 3 March - Round the Bays – Auckland 9 March - Kirikiriroa Marathon / Relay 10 March - Waipa Fun Run – Cambridge 16 March - Run the vines - Martinborough 17 March - Hospice Fun Run – Hamilton Gardens – Fundraiser 17 March - Maraetai Half 6 April - Southern Lakes half – Wanaka 14 April - Tauranga Half Marathon 4 May - Rotorua Marathon 11 May - St. Clair Vineyard Half – Blenheim 18 May - Napier Marathon 25 May - Whitianga Half 26 May - Huntly Half Marathon 2 June - Mount Runners – Half Marathon 30 June - Wellington Marathon 25 July - Suva Marathon - Fiji

Wishing you all a happy and safe Christmas and New Year. Remember what goes through your lips, you have to run off those hips. I look forward to seeing you all again on 2019

From the Captain's Table, December 2018

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| Email: committee@hamiltonroadrunners.org.nz | Phone: NZ 021 1335 730