Back to page

Project Blackjack

  • Project Blackjack Half Marathon #21 Done and Dusted. We are now complete!!

      14 March 2022
    Main image

    And it hurt. Big time. The suggestion was the Mukamuka Munter course - for personal and 'showing others' reasons. It lived up to its name. I limped in to an emotional finish after 29.3km, 1143 vert of climbing and some sorry 4 plus hours.... Seeing some good friends at the finish line was a huge morale booster - as was the company on the run. Nic and Madeline towing my sorry butt along every bit of the course and over every hill.

    So we are done. The GiveaLitte page will stay open until the 19th for those that have waited for the last one to be completed before registering their donation. Some stats for those interested:

    • 491kms of running

    • 11552 vertical metres of climbing (higher than Mt Everest!!).

    • A total run time of 53 hours 54 minutes.

    • Average run length was 23.5km

    • Average height gain per run was 550m. No wonder the legs got tired!

    • Quickest half marathon was 1:49 (21.35km).

    • The longest was 4:19 (29.23km – the last one.

    • Average is around the 2:20 mark.

    • Starting weight 68kg. Finish weight 71kg.

    It has been a real journey doing all of these over the last three months. Time management and body management has been the hardest part. The running bit was way easier. A huge thanks to those that have (and continue to have) donated and supported the fundraiser. A HUGE thanks to the Foundation for what they do and their support of this adventure.

    I may rest for a wee bit now....

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Off Road Half Marathon #20 done....one more to go....

      7 March 2022
    Main image

    Three months back now when I started this, I figured it would be do-able. Managing the body to get here was always going to be the challenge. In saying that, getting this one across the line was still a huge relief. Battling a niggling hamstring and with the constant risk of Covid-19 (both are still evident risks I might add), it was with some concern that I started out at 7am on the Sunday.

    I had the luxury and sheer joy of running this one at Redwoods at Rotorua. Two weeks of Whakanui Loop in the Remutaka's had done their job of stabilising the hamstring. Rotorua presented the opportunity to test it with the distraction of some simply beautiful forest - albeit with a bit of climbing. Something special about the Redwoods and the trails at Rotorua - whether it is the people also out in the mornings, the morning chill with the promise of a solidly warm day or just the sheer scope and scale of the forest. Either way it was awesome.

    I'm really grateful for the continued support and donations. The Foundation is lending their support to the fundraiser and it feels good to be able to give something back to them for all their support to New Zealand asthmatics.

    Thank you

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Project Blackjack Off Road Half Marathon #19 - Whakanui with a friend

      28 February 2022
    Main image

    Two more to go. If I was a cricketer this would be Nervous 90's stage. If it were the Karapoti it would be the worry of a flattie on the gorge section. Two runs to go and I can feel the risk from both the hamstring and Covid-19 closing in. Contemplating two runs in one week (would that impact the 21 in 21 mantra?) just to be able to get it done in time.

    Whakanui was so good last time around it was the route of choice again - this time taking a friend on her first loop in the area. Normally a 'B' option running track (because no river crossings are needed) it was the first time I had ever done the course under a sunny sky. Frankly - amazing. I can only post one image here sorry so the run evidence has to be it. If you look at my FB page or LinkedIn profile you will see just how beautiful the course is. An amazing slice of our wonderful country.

    The hamstring is still tight - and a trip / partial fall at the 18km mark didn't help. Still nursing it through to make it last the next two weeks / two runs. After giving a local tri athlete gyp about her lycra uniform I had to man up myself and peel on some lycra compression tights to hold the leg together for this course. I deserve payback now for all the gyp I had been giving her.

    So stocked to see the donations still coming info for the Foundation. Thank you for all the support and encouragement too via texts and messages. It makes a huge difference when some days you just look at the schedule of life and wonder how you will be able to fit it all in.

    Two more runs. Two more weeks.

    Thank you for the support of the Foundation.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Project Blackjack Off Road Half Marathon #18 - Whakanui

      20 February 2022
    Main image

    It seemed like a simple plan. Could not run because of the hamstring pull - so pick a course that wasn't runnable. :). Being a south Wellington (Remutaka Forest Park) course and the southerly front had just came through that added to the 'nah - it won't be runnable' justification. In the end - the leg behaved itself (I'm expecting a bit of gyp later) and while muddy, slippery and very tree rooty underfoot - and cold with the southerly that seemed to take ages to make good on the promised 'it will clear during the day' forecast, it turned into a pretty awesome day out. Legs will definitely need a bit of care this week though.

    I'm stoked that the target has been met - thank you all all that have contributed to date. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ will make great use of the funds. As a favour - can you share this update and this cause? I'd like to still nail the other target of 100 GC's contributing to the cause.

    Eighteen down. Three more to go....

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Off Road Half Marathon #17 done and dusted - with a few lessons learned (the hard way)

      16 February 2022
    Main image

    A memorable yet not the most enjoyable experience. An opportunity to recap a few lessons that should have been learned previously and will be useful for the future:

    1. Spicy Asian food with friends is a great night out. Never before a long run the next day. Never.

    2. Graphic Designers are very talented, creative, gifted people that deliver good high quality results that do much to present complex messages in an easily understood form. They are not mappers. Especially when it comes to locating toilets that are not behind unmarked barbed wire fences on maps that are not drawn to scale, or detail, or have straight lines for trails that are not straight lines.

    3. When a Council that is promoting their park as a great place to exercise says that sometimes people get lost, it will be the understatement of the year.

    4. Clothes that were appropriate for running in 25 to 28 degree heat don't transfer well to wet weather at 10 degree temperatures without the wind chill.

    Bottle Forest was the venue for this run. A really cool place for exercising. I think. Maybe the next time. The last 5.5km was a solid shuffle / limp with a hamstring pull at the 15.5km mark given the stop start with belly, navigation and the cold weather. Four to go and now I am worried. Quite worried.

    Huge thanks again for the continued support. Stoked to have reached the target. Scared now that the onus is on finishing it and the leg isn't good at the moment.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Off Road Half Marathon #16 completed

      5 February 2022
    Main image

    What a difference a week makes. And some company. Huge shout out to Madeline Keown who made this one enjoyable when last week’s one on the same course left me a shaken and broken man. While expecting type 2 fun given the rain, the run turned into one of the most enjoyable so far. Definitely type 1 even without the views that would normally be the reward for the effort.

    Five more to go to round out the fundraiser. Not that I am wishing they would end. They have, as a general rule, been good fun given the diversity of the courses available. $310 needed to make the goal of $2100 for the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ. Five more left to run.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Off Road Half Marathon #15 in the book. A very hot and sapping run.

      31 January 2022
    Main image

    "You can't beat Wellington on a good day". We have been lucky to have a few of these lately. Hot. Very hot. Yesterday was one of those. And it pretty much almost beat me. My fault entirely for taking on the run at the zenith of the sun's impact on our fair city. Another one that was just good to get done. And a lesson learned about not taking these runs lightly. The upside was that the trail was in great condition to a run. And the views were simply stunning - well worth the height gain in the run.

    Thank you for all your support, donations and ongoing best wishes for completing the 21 runs. I feel now that I am in a race to get the remaining six done before Covid hits.....

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Half Marathon #13 done and in the book!

      16 January 2022
    Main image

    8 more to go. That is 8 weeks. Two months. Must admit I’m getting nervous. Close enough to almost see that it can be done. Yet still far away that the plan can get derailed. I’m hoping Omicron stays out of NZ until at least April. Thank you again for all the support, best wishes and donations. It is really appreciated and helps so much with the motivation to get it done.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Half Marathon #12 in the book - thank you Liz Palmer for the company and nav....

      12 January 2022
    Main image

    #12 was hillier than planned - the niggling hip injury is still there yet fading. Views were impressive though, as was the company, so that took the mind off the pain. The support to date has been awesome and a real motivator to get out and get it done. With 9 to go I'm on the homeward stretch yet very much aware that these are the ones where the wheels could really fall off in terms of staying fit, healthy and injury free to complete. Thank you all for your support to date.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Over the half way mark.........

      3 January 2022
    Main image

    And the body is starting to break down a little. A niggly hip strain meant sacrificing height for this run. Karapoti Gorge was a good option with minimal height gain (just 250 vertical meters) yet technical enough underfoot so as to not strain the achillies. Thank you again for the continued support. 10 more to go over 10 weeks........ :).

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • There are some days when you feel you can run forever

      26 December 2021
    Main image

    And then there are days like today where every step hurt, the head wasn’t in the game and the Christmas Day excesses weighed heavily on mind and body. I’d like to say it was nice being out. And it was. In kinda a ‘I know it will be over and it is just a matter of getting through it’ way. Every step was motivated by the donations to date and the target for the Foundation. So thank you for that. 10 down. 11 to go. 😬

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • There is a saying - the hardest part about a run is putting the shoes on....

      16 December 2021
    Main image

    And today was certainly one of those days. Towards the end of a long work day. After some earlier long days. little sleep the night before. And a mid-summer winter is the best way to describe the week's weather. The support via the donations made that hard part of getting on the shoes a 'just get it done' moment - and from then on things got easier. Thank you for the support.

      1 comment  |  Login to leave a comment

    • 17/12/2021 by Mike

      Dig Deep Grasshopper ...

  • Half Marathon #8 Completed

      12 December 2021
    Main image

    Number 8 done and in the book. And slowish wet cold and slippery jaunt around Polhill Reserve in the Wellington Southerly 😬. Thanks again all for the support!!

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment