Rotorua, New Zealand, a place that I never heard of before Dec 2013 but will become part of my life memory in the coming 3rd May 2014 - it'll be the venue for my 3rd marathon (if everything goes well).
New Zealand has been a special place to me by listening to a lot of stories about it. While planning marathon for the year, it was between Auckland Marathon and Rotorua Marathon. However, I've chosen Rotorua as it is the 50th birthday of the event.
Going to Rotorua for a marathon possess some risk.
First, it is a totally new place to me. Lots of logistic issues to sort out. Long hours of flight to Auckland, and travel by bus to Rotorua. It is like flying long hours to KL, then take bus to Penang. This would not be good before a marathon..
Second, food. One of the challenge will be during the travel, how to stay hydrated and eat well. The next will be getting suitable food for carbo loading in Rotorua. As I read somewhere that "many things that can be found in Malaysia not necessary the same in NZ". I know where to get a "da bao" dinner around Penang, I not sure I'll get one there.
Third will be the weather. Experience of shivering in Macau Marathon make me phobia to weather change. And I'd expect the weather in NZ will be more unpredictable and cruel (cold) to someone from tropical like me. What to wear, what to prepare are really a new topics to me.
And this is not even the race course yet.
Rotorua Marathon is one 42km loop around Lake Rotorua. Starting at Government Garden, 285m above sea level (as compared to my training start almost at sea level), with small climbs and a few serious elevation through out the course. From the elevation profile, after some ups and downs, the climb started around 18 km, from 285m, to 340m at around 21km, then a 20m drop over 700m, climb again to 345m, before ascending 50m over the next 1 km. And there's two more significant elevation to go through at 25th km (280m to 320m over 2 km and drop) and 35th km (10m raise).
This is not a course that I'd prefer. Looking at it make my heart rate increase and stressed on how to run over those hills. Will I face any problem? I'm not a hill lover except for specific hill workout. Especially for a race that put months of training, I'll prefer to see some improving in timing to please myself, rather than some photos of myself struggling half way up the hill (In fact, whether there's hill or not, all the photos are in struggling mode up to date). Hills mess up the pace. But there's no excuses for me this time. I have to face it, and that mean to put in more hill during the training.
(Adapted from Rotorua Marathon official website)
Michael Wray's blog described well about the running experience in Rotorua Marathon, as well as the elevation profile of the route, and also the feeling at each stage of the route. He provided a good sneak peek to the race course and what to expect during the race.
http://michaelwray.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/rotorua-marathon-25913/?relatedposts_exclude=322
http://michaelwray.wordpress.com/2010/05/01/rotorua-marathon-30610/?relatedposts_exclude=322
http://michaelwray.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/rotorua-marathon-30124/
Further reading of his profile realize that I'm using the same training schedule as him from Pete Pritzinger "Advance Marathoning", and was on the same mileage range. However he tweaks the schedule with some races, work travel, cross training, etc. Looking at the familiar schedule and I can relate how's a day and a week looks like. I guess I can learn more from his blog and seeing how the training schedule go on.
The countdown has started. Ticking off one week of training by another and feeling excited. There's many things to settle, arrange and find out. Hope for a smooth training and trip.
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Hi, kiwi |
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