Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Trail Running Trips
Trail running trips combine movement, conversation, scenery, and a beautiful kind of simplicity. They are one of my favourite ways to explore and share an experience with others.
Simple adventures, and the joy of exploring landscapes
Years of organising runs
I lived in Wellington from 2007 to 2018 and was an active member of Scottish Athletics. Over the years I organised many runs, from regular Sunday long runs to running trips around Wellington, wider New Zealand, and even Rarotonga.
In Perth, Australia, I started a midweek running group connected with Fremantle Triathlon club and organise weekend trail runs over the winter months.
A favourite example
In 2016 I created a running trip to Waiheke. We flew from Wellington to Auckland, took the ferry, hired a car, and based ourselves in a retro bach at beautiful Onetangi Beach. Using the Te Ara Hura trail network, we ran around fabulous bays and headlands, out to the remote Stony Batter, and up to the highest point on the island.
Trail running trips create a special mix of freedom, effort, beauty, and camaraderie. You experience a place more intimately on foot, and the combination of shared miles and shared downtime often leads to the best conversations and strongest memories.
In Wellington, now and again a group of us would get a lift out to Colonial Knob near Porirua, and run back to Ngaio via the Skyline Track and Mt Kau Kau.
Bridge To Nowhere track, New Zealand
I organised a group from Scottish to take part in the Round Rarotonga Race - which is a festival of running events across a week with the main event being a lap of the Island. There was also a relay and cross-island trail run. I was super fast that year and won the Women’s masters event, 32km around the island.
Related Links
Run Bibbulmun
Run Larapinta
Xterra Asia-Pacific Championships