Why?

Why choose to walk 1400km over 10 weeks… some may ask… I do ask myself the same question. The Te Araroa Trail has been sitting quietly in my head for over 6 years. It came up on a camping holiday in Tawharanui (great spot by the way) and I loved the idea of a long walk. At that time I loved to camp and tramp, although the longest walk I had done was the West Highland Way in Scotland, over 6 days (great walk by the way). So I still wonder what makes me think I could walk for 70 days, over mountains and remote landscapes where there is a chance of not meeting another human being for days.

That’s one of the challenges, and it will be a mental challenge, as well as a physical one.

Physically, I do feel I have prepared well, over a similar period of about 6 years, I have found trail running, and I do use the term ‘running’ lightly. More like tramping at pace. This started, as many great things do, over a few bottles of wine with friends. Mark spoke of this thing called The Goat, a run around Mt Ruapehu, it’s only 20km, that didn’t sound too hard, and a bit over 1000m vertical climb, I had no idea how to relate to that, and I must say I also assumed it was an actual track. There is a track to follow, but it’s weathered, cut out and lots of rocks to navigate. 6 attempts later, I have only completed it twice, despite entering every year since. 3 times the course was changed due to bad weather and once had to pull out due to injury.

The Goat has remained my go to Annual Event, but I have added many others across the country, ranging in distance from 10k, to 42km Motutapu Marathon, which was an epic adventure. I had hoped to complete a 50km Ultra in this, my 50th year, but COVID got in the way of that… so perhaps next year.

So back to walking for now, and with a pack which I am not used to, but figure it will soon feel like my turtle shell.

Mentally, I know it will be hard. I will miss family and friends, my partner Narelle and possibly even my cat Charlie. I will also miss my home comforts, a cosy bed, a shower, chilling in front of the TV, drinking Gin with friends, Sunday bike rides. Lucky the Rugby season is over, so I won’t miss that, but perhaps the first Blues game of the Season. I will also miss trail running, already am, and the events I have come to love, particularly those that involve weekends away with James and Amanda, challenging ourselves physically, then sharing some gin and laughs.

The mental challenge to keep the body going, when I’m tired and sore, wet and cold, or just unhappy or lonely, is what I have signed up for and looking forward to seeing how I cope.

This is a luxury, not everyone could contemplate. I am blessed with a supportive family, employer and good fortune I have enjoyed through my life and career to enable me to do this. 

For me it’s also about life balance, and being able to make some quality time for ME. The last couple of years have been hard for everyone, and we each need to find ways of maintaining that balance and managing our physical and mental health. The recent lockdown I did find particularly hard, I lost my drive to maintain physical health. Trail events, gym and sharing fitness pursuits with friends became harder, and work seems to be busier than ever. So my mental health suffered, so this feels like an ideal time to balance.