Mike's weekend with running and Eurovision

 I'll start - I'm feeling sore but very happy with my 21k Personal Best* of 2 hours 15 minutes and 20 seconds.

The placings don't look so good, but I don't care. I beat all those people on the couch.

*OK it may not be a PB but I'm not really sure. I'll look up my past times if I can find them, and post them at the bottom.

Janine was aiming for 7 hours and smashed that. Benchmark for Queenstown in November.

We were on the road bright and early after I dropped Angela off at the airport for her Brisbane flight. Not too an eventful trip. Traffic was ... fun ... including dodging a fishtailing trailer. But we made it to Napier in good time for lunch.

We checked out the view from Bluff hill, with panoramic views of the logging port and a small fuel terminal. And apparently Mt Ruapehu, buried in the haze behind the Kawekas. Then checked into our cute little cabins, a short wander from town.

A tiny house each

We filled in the afternoon by going to, not just the Napier aquarium, but the New Zealand National Aquarium. I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but it was pretty good actually, with a Kiwi enclosure, enormous turtles, and Little Blue Penguins. Four stars would aquare again.

I'm SURE I've been here before.
Maybe somewhere else with penguins and feeding?

Glass roof - but WITH A TRAVELATOR. Fancy.
No need for strenuous walking here!

Yup they've got one of these too

This is art. To create awareness of the dangers of pollution and overuse of fossil fuels, school children have tied 12 km of nylon rope into shapes with thousands of plastic zip ties.
Yeah, I don't get it either.

After a hearty and filling 18" pizza from Vinci's just down the road, it was time for an early night. I set my alarm for 5:15am.

And we finished it all up

My half marathon bus left earlier than Janine's marathon bus, so I was out of the house and on my way without her. A quick walk down the hill led me straight to a highly efficient bus system and I was soon at the start line.

Gorgeous sunrise on the way to the bus

Before shot (anxious)

During shot 

After shot (exhausted - but happy. Honest. Can't you see the joy in my face?)

9 out of 10 nutritionists recommend a greasy kebab after a half marathon

The finish area was much better set up this year - they'd moved all the food and drink stalls to the field with the band and that made everything so much less congested. I got food and liquid into me and slowly came right.

GO JANINE!

I'm so photogenic that I made the marathon facebook page

I spent some time watching the marathon runners finish, inspiring stuff. Then Janine crossed the line over an hour faster than she was talking about. GOOD WORK JANINE. 

After Janine had recovered we bussed back to Napier and wandered back to our cabins. We were tired and not hungry, so we veged out to terrible reality TV on Bravo ("Botched - after my breast surgery they put my nipples back on too high") and ate cheese and crackers before crashing very early.

Sunday was EUROVISION and I was up early banging on Janine's door since she had the TV in her room.

IT'S HAPPENING

And much earlier in Sunshine Coast

Toast and Ugg Boots

The songs all seemed much more pared down and less over the top this year, although the Scandinavians didn't disappoint. Ukraine won with a good song and the UK actually entered something that wasn't terrible this year, and got 2nd!

Angela got captions which made it just that much better

We wandered up to Ahuriri, where the marathon started from, for a coffee at the Thirsty Whale before hitting the road. The weather got steadily worse and the drive was tedious but we were home in good time.

Monday morning and I don't feel too bad! Time to get stuck into my day. One day working from home then back into the office for me.

Looks gorgeous there

Happy cats here

PS: here are my half marathon times. OK so I smashed it in March 2021. That's my time to beat, though it's an unofficial 'fun run'.

Round the bays 21 Feb 2021 -- 2:16:02

Round the vines 20 Mar 2021 -- 2:10:09

Hawkes Bay 15 May 2021 -- 2:24:13

Kāpiti 14 Nov 2021 -- 2:18:42

Hawkes Bay 14 May 2022 -- 2:15:20

The weekend in Hawkes Bay for Mike's half marathon

 Hi,

I packed the car at 4pm after work on Friday and landed in bumper to bumper traffic from town all the way up SH2 to Upper Hutt.

Really?

Anyway, stopped at Caltex in Upper Hutt to get a full tank and the next stop was the Sol Y Mar B&B just north of Napier.  Google maps took me up SH50.  No traffic that way.  Nice.

Into bed by 10pm and up at 5.30am to fuel the athletes.  Mike, Janine and Ana - me and Daniel on support.

We left the B&B at 6.30am and we were at Splash Planet car park around 7.10am.  The race competitors queued for a toilet stop and then it was time for getting into the start chute.  8am and they were off at a slow shuffle.  There were a lot of people.

Fueling for the race at 5.30am

Start line athletes

They're off racing - and I am checking out iced lattes

Daniel and I wandered back to the car and went to have brekkie at Bay Espresso - where we used to go when we had NY up here in 2018.  Wonderful still.  Go eat there if you're in the region.  Great vege options including a plant-based section.

Daniel and I then drove to the finish line. What a well-run event.  We went the long way - with no traffic - to Elephant Hill winery via the back of Te Mata peak.  Beautiful scenery.  Into the car park with so many cars.  Parked.  Took the constant stream of shuttle buses to the winery.  Found the finish chute and Ana wasn't far away.

She crossed with a time of 1.57 for her first half marathon.  Wow.

Mike was next, close to 2.23.  He was a bit shattered.  Left it all on the course!  Oosshh.  Well done Mike.

Janine was next with 2.38 (but two stops for tummy issues - her moving time was more like 2.25 or so).

Well done to them all.

Being across from the medical tent as we waited was not a lot of fun.  :-(  I hope everyone is ok.

Finisher! Winner!

Happy face

Ate at the winery - there was this awesome Marsala Dosa at one of the trucks.  Absolutely scrumptious.  Then off to a wee bus back to the car park and to a supermarket for dinner options.  Havelock North New World.  Very nice supermarket.

We ate nibbles and ended up too full for dinner.  Off to bed and a good sleep.  Up to a gorgeous day Sunday.

Pics above show the sunrise Sunday morning

Mike and Janine went to the Farmers market in Hastings opposite the house we stayed in a few years back.  The Blue House.

I went into the mountain bike park with Daniel and Ana.  The B&B backs onto the trail.  We went to the start and did Boars Nest.  Up Dragon Fly.  Up Snoopy.  Then Ana and Daniel went to a black trail and I went down Smooth Operator.  Then up the side road and down Boars Nest again.

Mountain biking face

View back over the B&B

Such a wonderful way to spend my morning.  Back to the house for a shower and reading in the sun.  Mike and Janine got back and we ate lunch after some chippies.

Ana and Daniel got back and we packed up the car and headed home around 3pm.  Fairly busy traffic home.  Filled up in Dannevirke at the Caltex there.

Dropped Janine home around 6.30pm and we were home not long after.  Cats were happy to see us.  We ate a Buddha bowl and went to bed around 8pm.  :-)

Moxley in a box

Had lots of sleep.  Wet morning Monday morning.  Bus in for me and gym session.  

Bench weights Monday morning

Busy day at work.  Work dinner after work today.  Trying to convince Mike to drive in and collect me after it.  :-p

Have a good week.

Love,

Angela

The Monday morning back at work after an amazing Christmas holiday

Hi,

Ohh - is that what 5.30am looks like?  And it was a shock to go to the gym.  And wear clothes that is not a t-shirt and shorts.  It was an awesome 3 week break.  Longest break from work I have ever had at this workplace.

And it is raining today.  Boo.  The kids are off to H2oXtreme.  That should be fun.  Adrenaline Forest needs an adult for kids under 16.  Shame.  Next time!

My phone is sill backing up photos from the break.  It'll be some time.

But it was so so good.  Christmas with Mum and Karen, Scott, Tyler and Abby.  Mum then had to fly home on the 27th (she was just too sore).  That was sad.  The house in Hastings was amazing!  Seeing Olly and Charlotte and their kids (Saffy, Alex and Milo) was definitely a highlight.  Back to Wellington.  Off to see Iona and Col.  Back to Wellington,  Netball drills with Abby.  Camping at Kaitoke.

Yep.  I had a great time.  Here are a few pics.

Scotty photo bomb.  Nice iced coffee @ Six Sisters in Napier.

Christmas pohutukawa

Posing models

Extreme posing

Gilberts and Kittos on a log

Pania

Terracotta warriors @ Te Papa

Horses

Napier waterfront

Selfie time!

Almost the right spelling

More once my phone catches up.

Back to the workload.  And emails.

Love,
Angela