Adventures of a Rookie

It has been a fair few months since I first started this blog and it has been safe to say I haven't had too many adventures to write home about; the tricky balancing act of study and life took over in the chilly Dunedin winter. But this still didn't stop Jordan and I from entering in the annual South Canterbury Adventure Race for a second year under our usual team name "Wiki and the Rookie".Im sure you can guess who is who. This year the race was held across the lake side Bog Roy, Rostreiver and Otematepaio stations near Otematata. The morning of the race we awoke to snow falling in Omarama, which was exciting for all of about 5 seconds. Both of us were rather non-plussed by our chilly wake-up call, with one of us less enthused than the other (it wasn't me either). After a quick breakfast and constant checking that yes the snow was settling and yes it getting heavier, we packed everything into our cars and drove to Bog Roy. The 8am start time rolled around and...

Sometimes you are on the start-line of a race knowing exactly what lies ahead. For me, the 2017 Naseby 12hour was anything but. I hadn't intended to race, I was lined up ready to support Jordan. But an accident at the Tekapo 10hr took Jordan out of race and I decided to snap up an opportunity to test myself in ways I never knew I could be. The morning of the race, I was a bundle of nervous energy, checking over my food, listening to Jordan's advice and killing time to the start. Taking Jordan's advice, I had prepared a selection of baked potatoes and chocolate rice cakes for pit-stop fuelling up. My race plan: eat, drink, and just keep spinning. This race day was made a little more special as it was my Nana's birthday and I had named my trusty Rumor Patrick after her. The race started with what can be only described as an awkward jog in cycling shoes around the pits and up to where the bikes were waiting. Jordan was waiting ready with my bike and after a quick few w...