Monthly Archives: February 2017

It’s somebody’s birthday tomorrow….

Born 27 years ago in a snowstorm in Springfield, Massachusetts – took the doctor an hour half to reach the hospital.

Happy Birthday-eve Ash – love ya to the moon & back kiddo 🙂

 

 

UPDATE (Sunday March 19th):

3-years running, back to the Post for Tommy W’s B-day — bucket o chicken, it’s tradition 🙂

 

KeenanNZ is my ‘you’re not gonna die so drain your savings’ celebration 🙂

 

February 22 at 11:36am •

NEW ZEALAND in only 9 days!

half marathon Wednesday [13.5 miles] – channeled my inner angry girl [Pink on the iPod], negative split 2nd Half [work day time crunch] – NEW ZEALAND in only 9 days!  #cancerfree

 

Sandra • looking good, just like a winner should.
Keenan • Thanks Sandy — life is really really good.
Sandra • I’m glad for you. I’m happy too. Life is good.

Preston • Glad you’re back in your running shoes!!! Wishing you lots of energy and fun.

Stacy • So awesome!!!!
Keenan • NZ is my ‘you’re not gonna die so drain your savings’ celebration 🙂
Stacy • Sounds like a MUST meet up for sharing coffee, stories, and photos when you get back!

Dawn • There are too many more places to see!
Keenan • Agreed, travel buddy!

Gwendolyn C • Good luck!

Ellen • Yay!!! I’m so proud of you, high school chum!

Gwendolyn R • Inner angry girl negative split lmao I might need to try that hat trick!
Keenan • HAHA – Pink was my jam today. 2 hours of angry girl – best!
Gwendolyn R • PERFECTLY PINK Have a blast in New Zealand can’t wait for the pics!

Erin • You’re awesome K*!!! Good luck!

Sarah • Gotta love Pink for motivating!!! Have a blast in NZ…can’t wait to hear all about your adventures there!

Keenan • Mark your calendar – Toronto, May 2017!
Sarah • oh ya… I keep forgetting that LOL seems so far away…

Tina • Amazing! Look good, K*! Miss you. Please come down to our area so, we can have a reunion soon.
Millie • You go K!!! Love & miss you, Aunt Millie

 

Will be out-of pocket most of March — but expect some amazing blog posts when   I return.  New Zealand, how crazy is that?!!   WOW, WOW, WOW!  ❤️

 

 

 

**Every Kiwi Quest needs an ITINERARY – here’s mine (and another marathon too)**

AU converter for my iPhone

 

Daylight hours from 7:30am – 8:00pm, take a raincoat and pack an umbrella!  March tends to be Queenstown’s wettest month of the year.  Temperatures range from 40-65 °F.

  • Auckland
    1. Flight arrives 7:30 AM
    2. Hop-on Hop-off Tour 9am – 4pm, ½ hour intervals
    3. Grand Millenium Auckland CHECK IN after 3pm
    4. Sky Tower
  • Leave Auckland & travel to Rotorua
    1. Rail New Zealand Tour 7:30am – 4:59pm E ticket
    2. Overnight in Rotorua at Apex on Fenton
  • Leave Rotorua & travel to Christchurch
    1. Happy Ewe Tour 10:00am – 1:00pm
    2. Flight to Christchurch 4:00pm departure, 5:50pm arrival
    3. Overnight in Christchurch Airport Palms Motel
  • Jet Boat Tour
    1. Scenicpacific Tour Alpine Safari Train – Jet Boat – 4WD 8:00am – 6:00pm
    2. Overnight in Christchurch Airport Palms Motel
  • Pick up car APEX rental @ 9:00am & travel to Franz Josef Glacier
    1. Real Journeys Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise, phone 0800 65 65 01
    2. Depart Christchurch – views of Waimakariri River before Arthur’s Pass Hwy 73
    3. 2 hours to Castle Hill – stop and crawl on boulders
    4. 2 more hours to Hokitika Gorge – hike & explore
    5. Lake Kaniere (if time permits)
    6. Down west coast to Franz Joseph
    7. Overnight in Franz Josef Alpine Glacier Motel CHECK IN by 8pm
  • Travel to Queenstown
    1. Minnehaha Walk (possibly Thursday night instead – glow worms in rainforest)
    2. River Walk (suspension bridge – good view of glacier)
    3. 5 hours to Queenstown – go past and do Glenorchy-Queenstown Road with great views of Lake Wakatipu
    4. Overnight in Queenstown Blue Peaks Apartments CHECK IN by 9pm
  • Tour Doubtful Sound
    1. Real Journeys Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise 7:15am – 8:15pm
    2. Overnight in Queenstown Blue Peaks Apartments
  • Tour Queenstown
    1. Nomad Safari Tour (half day)
      1. LOTR Scenes Wakatipu Basin 8:15am – 12:15pm
    2. Queenstown Gardens
    3. Gondola/Luge Park
    4. Overnight in Queenstown Blue Peaks Apartments
  • Travel to Dunedin
    1. 3 ½ drive
    2. Olveston House Tours 9:30, 10:45, noon, 1:30, 2:45, 4:00 (people usually spend 2 hours here)
    3. Larnach Castle & Garden 9:00am – 7:00pm self-guided tour option
    4. Railway Station (said to be a must see)
    5. Cadbury World 9:00am – 3:00pm 1 hour tours
    6. Overnight in Dunedin Scenic Hotel Southern Cross
  • Tour Dunedin
    1. See prior day list as all won’t be done in ½ day after getting there
    2. St Clair beach
    3. Overnight in Dunedin Scenic Hotel Southern Cross
  • Travel to Oamaru
    1. Moeraki Boulders 75km north of Dunedin, 40 km south of Oamaru
    2. Victorian Precinct
    3. Blue Penguin Colony (evening, pay, stands to watch)
    4. Yellow-eyed Penguin Colony (evening, free)
    5. Overnight in Oamaru The Criterion Hotel
  • Travel to Hamilton
    1. Breakfast Included at Criterion Hotel
    2. 3 ½ drive to Christchurch to return car (noon return time)
    3. 2pm flight departs Christchurch arrives 3:45pm Hamilton (Alternate flight departs 6:15pm and arrives 8:00pm)
    4. Pick up Avis car by 4:30 (rental closes at 5pm)
    5. Overnight in Hamilton (North Island) Novotel Tainui Hamilton
  • Hamilton/Matamata
    1. Tour Hobbiton (2 hours) 10am tour – arrive by 9:45 to check in
    2. Sanctuary Mountain self-guided options 8:30 – 4:00
    3. Overnight in Hamilton Novotel Tainui
  • Hamilton/Auckland
    1. Kirikiriroa Marathon to start at 7:00
    2. Hamilton Gardens
    3. Waikato Museum
    4. Travel to Auckland (2 hour drive) Drop off for car at Airport is 8pm
    5. Flight is 11:10 pm

 

 

 

 

Rolled into Pueblo 10 minutes before bib pick-up ended.  Landscape more reminiscent of New Mexico than the Rockies.  Former steel town (one old smokestack remains)…Spanish just as prevalent as English.  LOVE the diversity of our state – Eastern Plains to the Rockies, canyon walls of the Western Slope, red clay of Pueblo.  Colorful Colorado.

Only 2 ½ hours from home but decided to hotel before tomorrow’s marathon…close 5 minute walk away.  Still full from my Deli lunch, night-walked the City downtown before setting my morning wake-up buzz.  Last shuttle bus depart: 7:30am, late 9am marathon Start.

Woke Sunday to sunshine, forecast low 60’s – ‘bout 15 degrees cooler than Friday’s unseasonal high.  No specific time goal today, training focus [has] been on leg strength: Wyoming’s Bighorn 50 in June.  PR speed will come later.

Hour+ wait before the day’s start.  Met up with fellow 50-Stater Dave Bell, introduced myself to 3 other Maniacs.  No matter how remote the run, our community’s well represented/we’re a tight knit group.  Even in far-away Russia, I connected with 4 fellow Maniacs.

2:04 2nd Half – STRONG!

First race with a watch, have resisted for years.  HUGE adventure planned in March, needing an easy way to log my daily mileage.  (Thanks Bro, lovin’ my 2014 Christmas gift!)

Race Start.  Easy 10+ minute pace, still chatting with my 50 State friend …decided to use today as a training run.  Beautiful weather, why not?  Trekked entirely on bike path.  First few miles in Lake Pueblo State Park.  (in my opinion) Left too early, nothing crazy scenic in Pueblo.

Never been one to run & talk, never felt it possible.  STRONG today – consistent training paying off. Easy, comfortable 2:35 first Half (one of my slowest starts ever).  Hung with Dave thru mile 14. Quickened my step, said our goodbyes & I took off.  Checked the watch: 8:35 mile.  Goal: every mile under 9 minutes.  Electrolytes & water at each aid station.  No walk at mile 18.  No slog at 20.

2:35 first Half – dude, we were way way back.  Didn’t catch another runner ‘til mile 19…but then I kept ticking them off.  Guy in a red cap, girl in pink tights, 2 couples running together.  But where’s the Newton kid?  (First 5-6 miles Dave & I traded leads with the ‘Newton kid’.  Guy shared my shoe love, Boulder’s local Newton Running Company.  Been running in Newtons since early 2015.)

Series of loops, miles 18 to 23 – spotted ‘Newton kid’ on my left…at least a mile half lead.  Older lean lady-Ironman tattoo, woman wearing a North Carolina cap, my first Maniac.  Mile 24 – 9:03 mile.  Dug deep to drop pace under 9 again.  No pills, no puking – that was last year.  Mental transformation.

Mile 25: Blue Newton shoes in sight.  No walking, he’s not given in.  If I want it, I’ve gotta catch him soon.  Mile 26: I’m still a body length back.  Breathing hard, been pushing for too long…too late in a race.  Finish line ahead.  Held my breath, swallowed hard.  Sprinting, I didn’t look back.

Marathon #82 – my strongest 2nd Half in years…a 2:04 – after running 13+ miles.  Laid in the grass & panted.  Stretched, up in 5.  Shook hands with fellow runners, congratulated their achievement.

BIG day for me.  Not my finish time…but HOW I finished – at least 5 more miles left in the tank.  FAAANNNTASTIC!

On track for 100 – next weekend: Fort Worth’s Cowtown Marathon, everything’s bigger in Texas 🙂

 

Keenan Haga

Pueblo Marathon and Half – Marathon – Pueblo, CO Feb 19, 2017

Overall: 57     4:39:24